Connoisseur's Diary

[Rothrandir]

Friday was Dad's birthday, and mom made his (and my) favorite...Atomic cake:

Not the greatest picture, but from the bottom to the top:
Chocolate cake
Chocolate fudge
Whipped cream
Yellow cake
Banana pudding
Whipped cream
White cake
Strawberries
Whipped cream

The numbers are in no way representative of his actual age...

 

[StarHalo]

his (and my) favorite...Atomic cake:

WOW! I gotta try that!

 

[LukeA]

oh sweet! hmm.. I better save this somewhere.. I'm probably going to be using these recipes ALLOT when I get to college

Why? There aren't any classes before 8:00AM

:devil:


As for the thread:

You can't beat a pizza that starts with homemade honey-sweetened dough with garlic paste, olive oil, and ricotta spread over it and topped with rounds of fresh mozzarella and ends after 6 minutes or so on a pizza stone in a 550˚F oven (the highest it will go except for self-clean). You'll want to dry the mozzarella rounds with paper towels to remove the excess moisture. BelGioioso packaged mozzarella is an excellent substitute with better shelf life before opening and doesn't have excess moisture.

Or homemade pretzel rolls. (This recipe, but omit the celery seeds)

This caramel cake is the best I've ever tasted, but use two real eggs and whole milk. You're making caramel...cake. The healthy ship has sailed.

 

[Dances with Flashlight]

PAESANO ORGANIC EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL - it RULES! Makes you think you've got undiluted Sicilian blood in your veins.

Add some butter, sweet basil, Kosher salt, and whatever other spices you fancy - and you could survive on nothing but pasta for years.

 

[Onuris]

PAESANO ORGANIC EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL - it RULES! Makes you think you've got undiluted Sicilian blood in your veins.

Add some butter, sweet basil, Kosher salt, and whatever other spices you fancy - and you could survive on nothing but pasta for years.

I will have to find some of that and try it. I have been using Villa Stabbia organic extra virgin olive oil for some time. It is excellent, albeit a bit pricey at $40 for a 500ml bottle. Always willing to try something different though.

To my taste, real organic Vermont maple syrup is much better than the Canadian or blended syrups that are more commonly available. I usually get mine from Highland Sugarworks, Birch Hill Farm, or Mansion House. Use grade A both dark and amber for general use, and grade B for cooking.

I am a big fan of chocolate myself, esp dark, and a local health food store carries organic bars from Dagoba and Domori. Many different flavors available. My absolute favorite right now is Dagoba Chai. Has some nice spicy undertones that are just divine.

Real organic farmstead cheese from Wisconsin cannot be beat, IMO, esp. those from buffalo/bison. For example when you get real cheddar it is a white cheese, the way it should be, not some artificially colored crap. And fresh, high-moisture mozzerella in its brine/whey.

It is hard to find really good foods in most chain stores or supermarkets. What they call "fresh" produce cannot hold a candle to what we get from our co-op organic garden.

I would much rather pay the premium price for harder to find items over mass-market garbage. Or even make my own, like with condiments, sauces, marinades, juices, breads. So much better when made right from scratch. My gf's dad makes the best bbq sauces, and not just one kind, many different styles from many regions. Incredible stuff.

For us fast food is eating at someplace like Panera Bread, a local mom and pop sandwich shop or deli, or at the least Jimmy John's. My kids probably don't even have to take their shoes off to count the number of times in their life that they have had McDonalds or someplace like that.

It is sad that most people don't even realize what they are missing when it comes to real food, and culinary delights.

 

[Trashman]

Just thought of another one... This balsamic vinegar: http://www.dataengine.net/Merchant2...pengerFoods&Product_Code=J-12&Category_Code=V

I first had it at the avocado festival and bought some there. The last time I bought it was at the LA County Fair. It's not in many stores. By far, it is the best balsamic vinegar I've ever tasted. This is the kind of balsamic that goes great on ice cream (especially vanilla). That may sound weird, but it's not. My wife & roommate both thought I was weird, but after trying it, they both liked it, and I've even seen my wife putting it on her ice cream, without me doing it first. It's great with bread and makes a fantastic vinaigrette. They have other ones, too. I've also had the fig balsamic, and it's great. I would whole heartedly recommend this balsamic vinegar to anyone.

 

[Flying Turtle]

Three current favorite items come to mind. Trader Joe's Pecan Praline Granola, good dry or with milk, Murray's Pure Apple Juice, and President brand Brie, not too salty, just right. And here's a tip if you like green olives. Get them at the dollar store for about 1/3 the price of a regular grocery.

Geoff

 

[ElectronGuru]

Remembered a non-food (automotive) tip:

Next time you get your tires balanced/changed, ask for stick on wheel weights. The standard (clamp on) variety is designed for steel wheels and generally scares up aluminum wheels.

 

[RA40]

One of our friends turned us on to some nice olives. I've not had any that had such a creamy mild taste like these. The ones they gave are the size 16. I was a bit shocked at the $$ but man...these things are terrific!

Main page:
http://graberolives.com/

Olive page:
http://graberolives.com/index.php?cPath=21_26&osCsid=985df8978435dbd16846f1471cfeeb57

 

[ElectronGuru]

I'm more of an enjoyer of food than a producer so I don't think of myself as having recipes, but here's one I developed when I was a teenager.

The premise is that most popcorn is made by throwing a bunch of heat at the kernels and hoping for the best. Generally, some kernels reach popping temperature well before others and you end up with either underdone or overdone or popcorn (or both). The solution is adding time:


Engineered Popcorn - gas stove (easier)

1. Start with a medium-large pan, whose flat bottom comprises 70-90% of the diameter of the top of the pan/lid.
   
2. Fill the bottom with one layer thick of popping kernels.
   
3. Add liquid oil (olive oil works) sufficient enough to soak most of the kernels completely (they need not be submerged).
   
4. Cover with lid (heavier the better).
   
5. Put the pan on low heat, giving most of the kernels equal time to come to the same temperature.
   
6. Just after the kernels start to really darken (if 2+ kernels pop, don't wait), set the flame to full blast.
   
7. Turn off the heat just after the popping begins to slow (or your lid starts to lift off).
   
8. Salt (and butter) to taste

Engineered Popcorn - electric stove

1. Start with a medium-large pan, whose flat bottom comprises 70-90% of the diameter of the top of the pan/lid.
   
2. Fill the bottom with one layer thick of popping kernels.
   
3. Add liquid oil (olive oil works) sufficient enough to soak most of the kernels completely (they need not be submerged).
   
4. Cover with lid (heavier the better).
   
5. Put the pan on a small burner set to half (4/8), giving most of the kernels equal time to come to the same temperature.
   
6. Before the kernels start to darken, set a second/large burner to full (8/8).
   
7. Just after the kernels start to really darken (if 2+ kernels pop, don't wait), transfer the pan from the small 4 burner to the large 8 burner.
   
8. Transfer from heat just after the popping begins to slow (or your lid starts to lift off).
   
9. Salt (and butter) to taste

 

[bshanahan14rulz]

ah, popcorn on a stove. I'm not so much a connoisseur as a person who has to make the most out of not much at all. Someone like myself gets tired of ramen after a few weeks, but lately I've been eating Nissin Chow Meins. They're like, 90 cents and come in a handful of interesting flavors. My favorite is teriyaki beef, followed by thai peanut. They are decent by themselves, but adding little things like a drip or two of sesame oil, random sauces I find in the fridge, etc make them almost lunch-menu fare.

As for popcorn, for a while I had a bunch of popcorn because I'd always buy popcorn and forget that I didn't have a microwave. I'd open up the bag with scissors, dump the thing in the pan and set it on low to melt the butter chunks into liquid. Then I'd pretty much do what you did, which was to try to apply even heat to all kernals making sure not to overcook. you don't want the outsides getting hotter than the insides, otherwise the outsides will just get a weak spot or hole burned into them before the insides have a chance to pressurize.

I do from time to time get some salmon from the seafood counter at HT and munch on that. I don't know how to cook it, though, but I don't mind

 

[ElectronGuru]

Its all good! Here's a blog (dating back to 1997) with no less than 16 categories of recipes specific to Ramen:

http://www.mattfischer.com/ramen/​

 

[StarHalo]

More cake awesomeness..

 

[StarHalo]

So there's this place in Portland called Voodoo Doughnut, a very unique little shop that has quite the menu; some samples:

"Dirt" - raised doughnut covered with vanilla glaze and oreo cookies

"Butter Fingering" - devils food, vanilla, and crushed Butterfinger

"Neapolitan" - chocolate doughnut with vanilla frosting and Strawberry Quick powder

"Triple Chocolate Penetration" - chocolate doughnut, chocolate glaze, and Cocoa Puffs

"No Name" - chocolate Rice Krispys and peanutbutter

..among many others.

PLUS

They'll sell you a 12-hour old BUCKET of random doughnuts for $5.. oo:

See their site/menu/pictures here: http://voodoodoughnut.com/index.php

 

[Trashman]

Yeah, I believe Voodoo Donuts was on, either, the Food Network Channel or the Travel Channel. It may have been on a Man Vs. Food episode, or perhaps, a Guy Fieri show. They do weddings there, too. If I'm ever in Portland, I'll be sure to hunt it down.

 

[ElectronGuru]

Haagen-Dazs green tea

I'm not big on teas or even that big on ice cream, but this new flavor is special.
Cream, skim milk, sugar, egg yolks, & green tea

 

[StarHalo]

Nothing to add a little flavor to your day like a little gum; my current top four:

Upper left is frilly cocktail with plants and umbrella sticking out of the top.

Upper right is mysterious berry and spice dessert.

Lower left is pouring a berry Kool-Aid packet directly into your mouth.

Lower right is shotglass of mouthwash with some mint gum.

 

[bshanahan14rulz]

I'd like to add that I've found a new favorite ramen, Shin Ramyun Spicy Gourmet. Not my picture, so not hotlinking: http://goofyasians.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/shin_ramyun.jpg

Noodles cook up nicely in the nuker, and the broth is quite tasty for a packet of broth. Kinda kimchi-ish hot, like red peppers and stuff.

Still eat Nissin Chow Meins, though. In fact, got a beef teriyaki pack looking straight at me. Only thing about those is that they boil over a bit and get little freeze-dried onions all over the microwave dish.



Recently, I grilled some fish for the first time. Got some frozen wild caught sockeye, this fish was soo dark colored, with a nice layer of fat, and no mention of artificial colors! I was stunned that frozen salmon could turn out so well!!! Good price too, got it from Aldi's!

 

[scout24]

My wife's a cheese nut, current favorites are Old Amsterdam, kind of a cheddar, and D'affinois Brie.

 

[Nice65]

My wife's a cheese nut, current favorites are Old Amsterdam, kind of a cheddar, and D'affinois Brie.

Old Amsterdam is an aged Gouda. It develops a nutty Parmesan type flavour, it is one of my favourites also. Cheddar is very different and also comes in hundreds of different forms, from average supermarket grades to "single malt" type quality.

Ahh, cheese.