Food in the time of a pandemic

[kayb]

You want to know what kind of 2020 it's been? Last night, the grill's gas bottle ran out. On the Fourth of July. Fortuately, the convenience stores were open and they all have the racks where you swap your empties for full ones. Only delayed dinner about 15 minutes.

[KennethT]

43 minutes ago, weinoo said:

 

Small delivery which helps with my pita crisps and whatever else might need za'atar. The Lebanese one looks to have more sesame as well as coriander seed. Both made with hyssop as opposed to thyme, allegedly more traditional?

And 6 oz. of bay leaves is a LOT OF BAY LEAVES!

6 oz of dried bay leaves? Wow!

[weinoo]

I use bay leaves a lot - all stocks, often when roasting potatoes, etc. etc.

 

But seriously this may be enough to last my, well, a long time.

 

Any recipes using a lot of bay leaves, please let me know.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

1 hour ago, weinoo said:

Any recipes using a lot of bay leaves, please let me know.

 

"Cute" pasta treatment, uses as many as yiu have guests

 

Potatoes baked with bay leaves

 

[chefmd]

Not exactly food but toilet paper and paper towels supply is strong at Costco in Pentagon City.  

[robirdstx]

4 hours ago, kayb said:

You want to know what kind of 2020 it's been? Last night, the grill's gas bottle ran out. On the Fourth of July. Fortuately, the convenience stores were open and they all have the racks where you swap your empties for full ones. Only delayed dinner about 15 minutes.

Glad you were able to get back on track! We have had the same experience and now always have an extra (full) tank on hand, just in case.

Edited July 5, 2020 by robirdstx (log)

[MetsFan5]

@weinoo I could eat that entire jar of Maile gherkins.  

[weinoo]

4 hours ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

 

"Cute" pasta treatment, uses as many as yiu have guests

 

Potatoes baked with bay leaves

 

You sure those aren't California bays? 😉

[Katie Meadow]

5 hours ago, weinoo said:

I use bay leaves a lot - all stocks, often when roasting potatoes, etc. etc.

 

But seriously this may be enough to last my, well, a long time.

 

Any recipes using a lot of bay leaves, please let me know.

6 oz dried bay leaves, one smoked ham hock and 8 cups of water. Simmer until done. Serve with toast points, whatever those are. I'm told that Gabrielle Hamilton lived on this when she first started working as a poor line cook. Naturally she had access to a Bay Laurel tree (she stole the leaves from a neighbor's yard) and dried them herself, so assume that if if your soup isn't perfect, it's due to your inferior ingredients, or simply to the fact that you are not her. If you like pot liquor this is for you. Can be frozen in ten ice cube trays.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

6 hours ago, weinoo said:

I use bay leaves a lot - all stocks, often when roasting potatoes, etc. etc.

 

But seriously this may be enough to last my, well, a long time.

 

Any recipes using a lot of bay leaves, please let me know.

 

@lesliec's bay leaf ice cream, good stuff:

https://forums.egullet.org/topic/144764-bay-laurel-seedsfruit/?do=findComment&comment=1914049

 

[Margaret Pilgrim]

1 hour ago, weinoo said:

You sure those aren't California bays? 😉

At my age, I've learned to be sure of nothing.    However, the first photo was posted by a woman who flits between Spain and Italy.

Edited July 5, 2020 by Margaret Pilgrim (log)

[heidih]

2 hours ago, weinoo said:

You sure those aren't California bays? 😉

 

My experience with California bays incl fresh is smoother edges v. sawtooth  and lighter brighter - some say almost citrusy.

[lemniscate]

I've had bay leaf tea in cold weather and lemonade with bay leaf in hot weather.  Liked them both.

 

[Kim Shook]

On 7/5/2020 at 1:44 AM, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Not in a pandemic.

 

So weird. They’d go out and buy them in a store or have them delivered by a complete stranger, but wouldn’t take them from someone they know?  People are odd. 

[TicTac]

Bay Leaf is a very easy plant to grow - quite hardy and happy to be taken inside during winter then thrown back out to Mother Nature as it warms up outside.

 

I will take a shot at some point, but the new growth on my bay leaf (in its second year) is fantastic.  I attribute it to the little tree rat who nibbled the ends off (and essentially topped the plant for me) and helped perpetuate the bloom.

 

Like my grandfather always said, plants love to be chopped down - make's 'em good and strong!

[TicTac]

Reapplying another round of cure on the gravlax - tomorrow’s dinner! 

[pastrygirl]

On 7/4/2020 at 9:19 PM, Kim Shook said:

Can’t you find someone to give them to?

 

On 7/4/2020 at 10:44 PM, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Not in a pandemic.

 

I don't know if Little Free Libraries are a thing in your area, but we have quite a few in Seattle and people have also been using them as a way to share food and other necessities with their neighborhoods.  Better for less perishable items of course, but another way to share.  Also dedicated Little Free Pantries.  Or just leave them by the curb with a 'free' sign

https://littlefreelibrary.org/

http://www.littlefreepantry.org/

Edited July 6, 2020 by pastrygirl (log)

[dtremit]

On 7/4/2020 at 5:13 PM, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Jalapenos are not my favorite pepper.  I don't want to use them in my salsa nor eat them raw.  Any suggestions what to do with a bag of jalapenos?

 

 

A halved jalapeño isn't a bad addition when cooking a pot of dried beans -- adds an aromatic note. Would work just as well with a previously frozen pepper, since you take it out at the end anyway.

I think a lot of the non-traditional things I use jalapeños for (shredded in slaw, or mixed into herby salad dressings) might not translate for someone who doesn't like them, but I'm not entirely sure. In general I find that the grassiness of the pepper pairs well with herbs.

Edited July 6, 2020 by dtremit (log)

[TicTac]

@JoNorvelleWalker

 

Slice the jalapenos and salt them really well, let sit then rinse dry.  Plunder some limes from your vast horde and cover with juice.  Makes a great addition to many things and lasts quite a while.

 

 

[heidih]

I find that if people are not green bell pepper fans that jalapenos don't st well either. Chemistry at work. At some point ya feed the compost

[Smithy]

Well, Jo could always pretend the jalapenos are zucchinis, and treat them accordingly. Leave them on someone's doorstep in the middle of the night. Put them in a guest's unlocked car. Ask @Shelby, she has dozens of such tricks!

[rotuts]

I like Jalepeno's 

 

just saying.

[liuzhou]

1 hour ago, rotuts said:

I like Jalepeno's 

 

just saying.

 

Jalapeno's what?

 

Just asking.

[Katie Meadow]

One problem with jalapeños, as with poblanos, is that, depending on the source, they vary wildly in heat, especially if you don't live in the southwest or can't find a local vendor that is reliable. I like to pickle jalapeños, but if a bunch is too mild sometimes I add some serranos. I'm not partial to using them raw; after living in NM I got used to depending on roasted long green chiles for heat. And I fall into the category that @heidih suggests: those who don't like raw green bell peppers either. Pickled jalapeños I like in some potato salads and tuna salads. My husband throws them into sandwiches with abandon.  

[chromedome]

16 minutes ago, Katie Meadow said:

Pickled jalapeños I like in some potato salads and tuna salads. My husband throws them into sandwiches with abandon.  

 

I throw them into sandwiches with cold cuts.