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Welcome to a brand spanking new edition of the GWS General Questions Thread! This thread is for newbies, regulars, and everyone in between to ask quick questions, get recipe ideas, and have short discussions about cooking. The purpose of this thread is discussing how to make good food. That's it. No matter how new or experienced you are at cooking, if you have a question about recipes (that a quick Google search won't answer), technique, etc. that can be answered with a couple of replies, post it in here. The GWS gestalt will do its best to answer your question in a polite and prompt manner. Please remember when posting: - No Trolling. - No condescending answer or stupid/misleading advice. - Try to define jargon you use. Using the jargon is fine, just make sure a new cook could understand what you're saying without consulting Wikipedia or something. As always, caveat emptor. Or as the previous General Questions thread put it, Croatoan posted:Now, please keep in mind that the advice you get will be coming from people who do things like this: Finally, the amazing Toast maintains a wiki for us and it is full of recipe ideas and other cool stuff. Feel free to contribute, browse, or whatever. Find it here.
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# ¿ Sep 17, 2011 03:44 |
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# ¿ Apr 26, 2024 09:37 |
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Ridonkulous posted:Why are half of the threads on the main/1st page closed? http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3437761
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# ¿ Sep 17, 2011 04:03 |
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I would really prefer this thread not become a referendum on thread closures. If you have questions about that, feel free to PM me or PXJ. Keep discussions here on-topic.
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# ¿ Sep 17, 2011 04:23 |
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PRADA SLUT posted:What are the best places to eat in Las Vegas? I know all the celebrity chefs have their restaurants there, are they the places to go, or is there better? Besides Lotus it really depends on what you're in the mood for. Picasso is fantastic if you want the high-end fine dining experience; I'd recommend it over Joel Robuchon. Carnevino is a great steak place, but there are tons of great steak places I haven't tried to make a good comparison. Most of the stuff in the Cosmopolitan is very good - Jaleo (Jose Andres), Scarpetta (if you don't mind giving Scott Conant money), Comme Ça, etc. are all very solid eateries and about average for Strip prices. Give me an idea of what kind of food you want and I can probably throw out some unorthodox recommendations.
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# ¿ Sep 17, 2011 16:20 |
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Jose posted:Right, thanks for the recipes, will give both a go, take some photos and start a Thai food thread unless someone wants to do it for me. My photos will be poo poo iPhone photos Don't feel like you have to make a definitive Thai thread or anything. We're encouraging less comprehensive, shorter threads these days, and a simple "here are a couple of things I made, give me more ideas and I'll make them too" thread would be quite welcome, Thai or otherwise.
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# ¿ Sep 21, 2011 14:21 |
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Let's all stop obsessing about salsa chicken, please.
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# ¿ Sep 22, 2011 17:16 |
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It's in the Goldmine. Here: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2775050
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# ¿ Sep 23, 2011 14:19 |
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KidDynamite posted:bartolimu would it be ok if I started a new NYC dining thread that was kept to strict posting of reviews and recommendations? The old thread was a gold mine for me as I would commute to the city for food(other things too but mainly the food) and having the opinions of people that dine around everyday in NYC was very helpful. Absolutely. I'd also encourage you (and other NYC eaters) to start an NYC page on the GWS wiki so the occasional forums urban renewal won't result in lost data. bartolimu fucked around with this message at 14:43 on Sep 28, 2011 |
# ¿ Sep 28, 2011 14:38 |
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Happy Hat posted:(Yeah - this is all about surface areas I think) I was wondering if more contact with the outside of the cooler, insulated or not, would end up being detrimental compared to touching air. Gasses in general aren't as good at heat transfer as solids.
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# ¿ Sep 29, 2011 20:04 |
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Kenshin posted:Blah. Ok. There is a place around here that makes their caramels with molasses or brown rice syrup depending on the flavor, but they told me politely to gently caress off when I asked about the temperatures.
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# ¿ Oct 10, 2011 02:41 |
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I'd recommend browsing the cookbook thread for some really good recommendations. Ask in there if nothing catches your eye as perfect. Beef stock: you did it perfectly, beef jell-o is what you're looking for. At cooking temps it will liquify, but still have some texture so it won't be like water. Good job!
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# ¿ Nov 9, 2011 21:56 |
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Toast posted:If you like thai the usual recommendation is Lotus of Siam, personally I'm partial to Bouchon from brunch as well. One of the other perennial recommendations has sadly closed down. All of this is true. For lunch (or a low-key dinner) I'd recommend Burger Bar, Hubert Keller's burger place. They have a Nutella milkshake. Just avoid the turkey burgers, last I heard they were pretty nasty. Andre's (Monte Carlo) is very good, even if it's in one of the older properties. The Pub (also Monte Carlo) is trying to change from Bro Sports Bar Central into a beer nerd destination; they're about halfway there now and I like them, probably worth a stop if you're looking for a wide beer selection without much attitude. The Cosmopolitan has a ton of great places as well; Comme Ca and Jaleo both come highly recommended, as well as the casual sorta-sports bar Holstein's, which has some interesting milkshake concoctions and surprisingly good beers on tap. I'm also a big fan of Nobu in the Hard Rock. Their quality isn't quite as high as it used to be, but it's still a great restaurant. The main problem with it now is the Hard Rock has become some kind of permanent Jersey Shore Casting Call Reject Convention. For Indian, one of the better places in town is Namaste, next door to Lotus of Siam. Aside from the very good food, the main attraction is the owner - she sings karaoke during dinner, and doing credible versions of Celine, Bette Midler, etc. classics. The only thing you can't really get here is atomically spicy. I'm working on a Vegas dining thread and wiki entry, hopefully I'll have that fleshed out in the near future. I have a ton of other suggestions both on-Strip and out in the suburbs.
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# ¿ Nov 9, 2011 22:57 |
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Bo-Pepper posted:Thanks for the Vegas suggestions so far, guys. I had forgotten about Lotus of Siam. We'll hit that one for sure. Any particular menu items not to be missed? General advice: go for things you've never heard of, because they're going to be very tasty and you'll learn something besides. If you like spicy food, be aware Lotus has a reputation for extreme heat (special challenge: when asked where on a 1-10 scale you want it, say 15); if not, don't worry because they only rarely delight in inflicting pain. Plan to order (n/2)±1 appetizers, a soup, and n or n+1 main courses (where n is number of diners) - none of the plates are huge, so you can try a range of stuff without exploding. Also, avail yourself of Banq the sommelier and their excellent German Riesling selection if wine interests you at all. The pairing with Thai food is exceptional and Banq is an awesome guy who needs more lovin'. In addition to ordering wine, I usually let Banq choose one of my dishes. He hasn't disappointed on either front. Specific recommendations: App: Nam Kao Tod, #14. Crispy rice with sour sausage. One of their signature dishes, and nearly every professional review of Lotus mentions this dish with good reason. Koong Char Num Plar, #54. Not technically and appetizer but it fits the meal best there. Raw shrimp marinaded in fish sauce, served with tamarind paste and sliced fresh garlic. Garlic Prawn, Chef's Choice menu. Whole prawns deep fried shell and all. The meat is moist and has that special crunch that perfectly-cooked crustacean gets. The shell is completely edible, crispy, and satisfyingly salty. Soup: Tom Kah Kai, #23. Coconut milk-based soup with lemongrass, galangal, and tons of other good stuff. This is the one thing I order without fail every time I go. I've never tried any of their other soups. It's that good. Mains: Koi Soy, #59. Issan (Northern Thai) style beef tartare. Strongly spiced with a pleasantly tart chili-spice concoction. Delicious at any level of heat; if you order this on the spicy end of the spectrum, expect to know pain. Plar Dook Yang Num Tok, #62. Sliced catfish on a bed of thinly-sliced cabbage, covered with a chili- and lemongrass-based powder and sprinkled with vinegar and some other stuff. Any whole catfish dish, #63/64/65. It's literally a fresh whole catfish, fried and topped with the appropriate sauce. Makes for a spectacular centerpiece to the table. Kra Phao Moo Krob, #87. Crispy pork belly strips with Thai basil. When I ordered this super-spicy it came about 50/50 pork and habanero, and it was glorious. Any of the curries, but their Green Curry (130) is especially great. The Crispy Duck with Panang (on the Chef's Choice menu) is also amazing. Northern Thai: Lotus has a special Northern menu featuring dishes that are hard to find in most Thai restaurants. They're all good, but I especially recommend: A: Khao Soi. Probably the best noodle dish on the menu, thin egg noodles served in a soupy red curry. Comes with its own side plate of pickled vegetables and other delights. D: Thum-ka-noon. Shredded green jackfruit, ground pork, and spices in a dish that shares a lot texturally with pulled pork. It's a fascinating little dish featuring an underused fruit. G: Kha-Nom-Jean-Nam-Ngyow. Noodles with thin red curry, tomato, ground pork, and optional (but highly recommended) pork blood cubes. H: Nam-Prik-Noom. Green chili dip. Ostensibly the spiciest thing on the menu if ordered at extreme levels. This is basically green chiles and cilantro, distilled down to perfection, served with blanched vegetables. Dessert: Coconut ice cream with sticky rice. Maybe it's the warm rice with the cold ice cream, maybe it's the chunky and smooth textures co-mingling. This to me is the perfect dessert combination. Many people recommend the mango with sticky rice, which is also good, but the coconut ice cream here is phenomenal and pairs so well with the rice I can't order anything else on the rare occasions I have room for dessert.
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# ¿ Nov 10, 2011 16:22 |
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Emo Rodeo posted:Although, I didn't use shortening exactly, but "Imperial" which is, I guess, a vegatable oil spread. This could be the culprit. That's likely it. "Spreads" tend to contain water, while shortening is 100% fat. Water would make the cookies spread out more than they should and be softer than normal. Edit: yep - http://www.dietfacts.com/html/nutrition-facts/imperial-52percent-vegetable-oil-spread-br-1-3-less-fat-similar-to-margarine-20512.htm quote:INGREDIENTS: bartolimu fucked around with this message at 16:50 on Nov 16, 2011 |
# ¿ Nov 16, 2011 16:43 |
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Larger peas will be further developed, so a lot of the sugars will be converted into starches (and therefore not sweet). If you're buying frozen, feel through the bag to and aim for the bowling-ballest peas you can find. I share your pain with butternut, dino. It's like they were trying to clone sweet potatoes or something. I'm fine with sweet, but it definitely reduces the versatility of the squash. I find myself picking up more hubbards, acorns, and whatever other squash varieties the stores have to use in more savory applications.
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# ¿ Nov 25, 2011 18:34 |
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Wahad posted:Grilled chicken hearts with a lemon-parsley dressing, good idea or not? Mostly wondering if you can grill chicken hearts without problem, or if they need a longer preparation time. Definitely fine, in fact grilling is one of my favorite ways to prepare heart. I'd add some garlic to that dressing, but it should be fine with just lemon and parsley if that's your thing.
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# ¿ Dec 8, 2011 17:25 |
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Frobbe posted:Parmesan question: i've got a chunk of parmesan cheese in the fridge, it's begun to grow a white mold in spots, is this "good mold" or is it "throw it the gently caress out and buy new chunk of parmesan mold"? The general rules for cheese molds, as explained to me by my cheesemonger: White mold: It's Penicillium candidum or something closely akin to it. That's the mold on soft white cheeses like Brie and Camembert. If you have a penicillin allergy, be careful. Otherwise it's fine to eat the mold along with the cheese if you so desire. It adds a peppery flavor. (I have a penicillin allergy and have never had problems, but others' mileage may vary.) Grey, possibly fluffy mold: Probably poil de chat ("cat fur") mold. Most varieties are harmless, but can make the cheese bitter. Cut away the mold and some of the underlying cheese and use the rest of it. Remember, the fungus you see is the reproductive portion - the "body" of the fungus lives in the stuff underneath. photos here for reference Black mold: Not healthy, cut it away along with some of the cheese beneath it. Pink mold: Definitely not healthy, cut away like with black mold. In cases of more than a small patch, I usually throw it out just to be safe. Orange mold: Same as pink. Do note, however, that older soft ripened cheeses like Brie and Camembert can get orange or pink colors in their previously-white rinds that are not mold; in that case, the rind is likely ammoniated (and therefore not very palatable) but not hazardous. bartolimu fucked around with this message at 19:22 on Dec 9, 2011 |
# ¿ Dec 9, 2011 19:18 |
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Bob Morales posted:Has anyone ever 'toasted' flour in a pan before using it to make cookies or cakes ro bread? just wondering what it would do the flavor or if it would ruin/enhance the properties of the flour?
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# ¿ Dec 13, 2011 16:48 |
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Skavoovee posted:I want to make a mole-type sauce for dinner this weekend, and one of the ingredients in most of the recipes I've looked at is almonds. However,a friend of mine is allergic to tree nuts. I was thinking of replacing the almond with peanuts, as she is not allergic to those. Does anyone have a better idea for this?
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# ¿ Jan 4, 2012 19:19 |
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CuddleChunks posted:After a quick glance at a bunch of ground beef goulash recipes online, your Mom wasn't too far off if she threw in some ground beef to the mix. Kiteless would run you through with a grapefruit spoon if she read that. Your recipe, while probably goulash to someone, isn't very close to either Hungarian goulash (about which I can't speak with much authority) or any of the versions of the dish served in every country in central Europe (about which I can). All varieties of goulash save the American macaroni form share one thing in common: paprika as the primary spice. Quality is important with this paprika, don't use mom's decades-old bottle she takes out to shake a bit onto deviled eggs twice per year. Don't use Spanish paprika, whether smoked or not; it's not as good. You want Hungarian paprika - preferably both hot (lighter in color and noticeably spicy) and sweet (darker in color, richer in flavor without the heat). Austrian goulash is typically made with beef. Aromatics are limited to onion, an equal amount by weight as the meat. Czech goulash (guláš) has a lot of variations, but is mostly notable for its wider variety of aromatics. Celeriac (celery root) is almost always used, as well as some rutabaga and/or parsnip. In addition to paprika, marjoram, small amounts of caraway, and occasionally some allspice are used for seasoning. Adding tomatoes makes it "gypsy goulash," something I read about in a cookbook but have never seen prepared by a Czech cook. Beef is considered the finest goulash, partly because it's so goddamn expensive in Europe, but I've had pork, venison, and wild boar goulash as well. Czech goulash is thickened by hours of simmering rather than flour or roux - I've seen twelve or more hours of full, rolling boil in some kitchens. There's also goulash soup (gulášova polévka), which is a quicker version with a more brothy sauce. Austrian versions tend to be less thick than their Czech counterparts, and depending on the recipe may see a bit of flour added as well. Generalized technique, mostly cribbed from Czech cooks but roughly applicable to Austrian and probably other varieties as well: - Add fat and meat (big, chunky pieces of stewing meat, maybe a few bones too if you have them) to a hot pan and sear until quite dark brown. - Remove meat, sweat aromatics. - Add more fat to the aromatics, then sprinkle on paprika. This is an important step, because paprika needs to be "bloomed" in oil for proper color and flavor. You don't want to burn the spice, but it needs some time with heat and oil to throw off a truly brilliant red color. - If you're one to cook with beer or wine, add it now. (Both Austrians and Czechs produce excellent dry, minerally white wines that go well both in and with goulash.) - Return meat to pot, add water to more than cover. Bring to boil and keep going for a long loving time. (If you want to just make some roux and thicken it as soon as the meat is tender, I won't be offended. I do it too sometimes. Just start with only enough water to cover.) - Add other spices ~30 minutes before serving time. Czechs serve goulash with knedlíky, a steamed bread dumpling (decent recipe here) and good rye bread. Austrians serve with dumplings and a fried egg, which seems a very good idea indeed to me. All of this sperging aside, goulash is, like most great foods of the world, at heart a peasant dish. Don't overthink it. Make it how it sounds good and call it your own. Just don't make it with ground beef.
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# ¿ Jan 10, 2012 06:57 |
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Penzey's is the normal spice store most of GWS uses. I tend to use americanspice.com more, because I find their prices are sometimes a bit better and they've got some other things (like black walnut oil) that Penzey's doesn't necessarily carry. They don't send out a physical catalog, though.pile of brown posted:how much do you start/end with if you keep it at a rolling boil for 12 full hours? and how is not not burned all to poo poo? razz posted:I heartily enjoyed all of the goulash sperg . If I can get ahold of some non-ground meat (I try to hunt all of my own meat and I don't have any thing but burger at the moment) I'll make it!
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# ¿ Jan 10, 2012 15:55 |
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I like my rice cooker because I'll make rice on Sunday while I'm out shopping, portion it out into containers for the week, and not have to worry about it again. Obviously I could do the same by cooking rice on the stove, but brown rice has a long enough cooking time that the rice cooker makes it significantly easier. Plus I can set it and leave the house without worrying about being delayed and overcooking the rice or whatever.
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# ¿ Jan 10, 2012 16:21 |
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Hey Happy Adobo, check your PMs please. Sorry for the interruption, folks. Now back to your regularly scheduled helpful posting.
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# ¿ May 7, 2012 19:59 |
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Nifty posted:What are cool things to do with cauliflower? Cut into smallish pieces (2 bites or so per piece), blanch briefly, dip in seasoned flour then egg wash then bread crumbs, and deep fry. For ultimate central European authenticity, serve with tartar sauce and shaved raw onion. Personally I like it on its own or with a squeeze of lemon juice on top.
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# ¿ May 11, 2012 01:03 |
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7 Bowls of Wrath posted:I've come across some purple kale from a local farmers market, and I have never used kale before. How can I cook this stuff? Is it OK raw in a salad, should I cook it? saute? stir fry? I usually saute my kale. Ideally, start with some form of pork fat - salt pork or bacon is best. Render the fat out, then toss in some minced onion, shallot, and/or garlic. When the onion becomes translucent, toss in the kale. Use about 3x what you think you needs. It loses about 80% of its volume while cooking. Stir occasionally and just let it melt down until it's tender. This is basically the default treatment of any cookable leafy green in my kitchen, and it's always good.
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# ¿ May 22, 2012 19:26 |
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Very Strange Things posted:(they call them Szechuan too though. I didn't really think the spelling would matter, it just being phonetically Anclicized, but I believe you.)
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# ¿ Jun 1, 2012 00:25 |
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The olive tree at work is bearing fruit, and I've decided to pick them and do some olive curing. I'm going to do some salt-cured olives, but I'd also like to experiment with lye curing since it's something I've never done before. Ranch 99 and related markets sell a product called "lye water" which is heavily labeled with NOT FOR DRINKING warnings, but I'm curious: is that lye water intended for use as a curing agent, or some other inscrutable purpose? Could I use that stuff instead of handling flake lye and dissolving it in water myself?
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# ¿ Oct 10, 2012 21:35 |
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GrAviTy84 posted:wow it sucks to be all of you Nevada. We don't even have last call, a lot of bars and liquor stores are open 24/7. It's disorienting when I visit California and the server tells us we have to stop drinking at 2am or something.
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# ¿ Oct 24, 2012 16:53 |
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Cumin, guys, don't make me clove this thread.
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# ¿ Oct 25, 2012 20:56 |
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WanderingMinstrel I posted:My mother sent me a desperate text, apparently all of her expensive Oregon Pinot Noirs are reaching the end of their aging process and need to be drank post haste. She has appealed to me for food pairings, and I am going to go visit her to help in her divestment of said wine. That said I need food pairings for lighter pinot noirs with an emphasis on low fiber. I was thinking cornish game hens stuffed with dry fruits like apricot, but any suggestions would be lovely. I will have an unlimited grocery budget while there. Also, cheese. Cheese and wine are perfect together. I've found really funky gooey cheeses like Saint-Marcellin and Epoisse can be pretty interesting with pinots, but they can be a bit much for some people. Cheddar and other long-aged cheeses are a little more conventional and pair just as well. If your pinots are on the fruity side, a light blue can be interesting as well. Avoid goat cheeses; something about them interacts with red wines to make a strong metallic off flavor. GrAviTy84 posted:There are different strains of the same species. All ale yeasts are S. Cerevisae. As mentioned wine yeast is too. Yet they all impart a different yeast character depending on strain. And yes, you could use the yeast on the grapes and it would probably turn out just fine, but the odds of wild Brettanomyces or another yeast ruining the batch are significant. Using packaged yeasts eliminates that risk and lets you tailor the fermentation to the must you're working with.
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# ¿ Oct 28, 2012 19:27 |
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Squashy Nipples posted:If the natural byproduct of fermentation is acid, how could adding acid retard the fermentation? The question comes down to whether lactobacillus prefers a particular pH range (so that adding acid would directly impact its fermentation cycle) or whether only lactic acid interferes with its ability to work. According to this study, it has a wide range of pH tolerance but lactate concentration has a linear effect on its metabolism. Your initial hypothesis, while poorly reasoned, was correct: adding vinegar wouldn't impact the fermentation but is also unnecessary.
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# ¿ Feb 22, 2013 17:01 |
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Saint Darwin posted:If this wasn't clear to anyone reading, all fermentation works without being a breeding nest for every drat bacteria that comes along due to the byproducts. In alcoholic drinks, the yeast produces alcohol as bartolimu said. This ends up making the drink sterile and the yeast eventually eats all its food (sugar) and dies off on its own. quote:The sterilization effect is the big reason that beer was the only safe thing people could drink until very recently Beer had a shelf life due to the presence of hops, which are a preservative, or (before the use of hops became popular) other herbs or flavorings with antibacterial properties. For instance, one ancient style of beer, the gose, included salt in the mix. One of the more common spoilage bacteria for beer is acetobacter, which eats alcohol and pisses acetic acid (vinegar). It doesn't play well with hop alpha acids or high salinity.
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# ¿ Feb 22, 2013 18:53 |
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Squashy Nipples posted:I knew that alcohol generally exhausts itself at some point, but it hadn't occurred to me that the same process would work with lacto, too. If the lactic acid won't go above a certain concentration, why does it keep fermenting forever? quote:...when the substrate concentration exceeds 50 g/l, the bacteria switch to a nonproliferation Basically, you're dealing with a smaller mass of bacteria than the kraut is capable of supporting. Combine that with the fact their population stabilizes when they get less than halfway to shutting themselves down (50 g/l when the maximum tolerance is 130 g/l) leaves them with a lot of work to do very slowly. They'd eventually peter out completely, but who lets sauerkraut sit around that long?
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# ¿ Feb 22, 2013 20:02 |
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Clavietika posted:The logic behind people saying coffee is bad for you is generally either misconception, or more realistically it's because of the sheer volume some people (Namely the people who order the 20 ounce cups from like Starbuck's or McDonald's or whatever) can drink at once.
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# ¿ Feb 23, 2013 21:36 |
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dino. posted:garlic (granted, I sometimes buy the peeled stuff, but whatever)
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# ¿ Feb 27, 2013 16:53 |
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On the Fish Sauce Question, there is only one rightest answer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYnbGUTHiZc If your fish sauce has more ingredients than anchovies and salt, you are buying an inferior product. Water is an acceptable addition, but sugar and the like should be avoided. If you want sugar in your fish sauce, add it when you add the lime juice. Scott Bakula posted:I was wondering can someone explain the chemical process behind why red wine tastes better after its had a long time to air? I know it does taste better but not why. Most reds meant to be drunk young gain little or nothing from aeration, so save it for big reds with lots of structural flavors. With a few exceptions, don't leave a wine to breathe for days - too much oxygen dulls the wine as a lot of the more volatile flavor components oxidize into other things. The exceptions are generally more expensive than 95% of the wine-drinking population can afford.
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# ¿ Mar 5, 2013 16:48 |
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kittenmittons posted:I'm having trouble identifying a spice. I picked this up at a middle eastern market a few days ago. Searching for it on Google gives me interesting but unrelated results. Any ideas? It looks more red than I'd expect, but maybe it's asfar powder like used here? It sounds a bit like berbere with rosehips added.
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# ¿ Aug 22, 2014 18:20 |
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Plasma espuma, aka blood air
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# ¿ Aug 26, 2014 18:41 |
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Scientastic posted:Clearpudding, surely? Deconstructed black pudding: platelet and red blood cell crumbles over oatmeal with a dollop of plasma foam on top.
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# ¿ Aug 26, 2014 20:44 |
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# ¿ Apr 26, 2024 09:37 |
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Jalapenos or serranos are good in deviled eggs. I like to do half that and half red chile (Fresno or chipotle usually) for visual contrast in addition to flavor. Habaneros are loving delicious as well if you can stand the heat.
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# ¿ Oct 14, 2014 18:26 |