Culinary Conversations

[Tormahto]

To my horror I found out I didn't have any spaghetti.
Had to settle for fettuccine.
Need to make pasta run.

My horror was finding out I didn't have fettuccine and having to settle for spaghetti.

I made my pasta run about two weeks ago, picking up a year's supply because it was at .49/lb.

[Tormahto]

Stocked up on some Asian condiments and the likes.
Guess what I'm not having for Thanksgiving.

A pecan and acorn fed wild wood duck?

[worth1]

Stocked up on some Asian condiments and the likes.
Guess what I'm not having for Thanksgiving.

A pecan and acorn fed wild wood duck?

I wish.

[worth1]

Really enjoying the cast iron wok.
It isn't just for Chinese food either.
Here is a food prep for a fettuccine I'm going to make for supper.
It's sort of a I don't know what combination of Italian and a pinch of Cajun or Texan sort of thing because not only shrimp but hotlink slices too.
What you see is shrimp jalapeño hotlink garlic and butter.
The Alfredo sauce and spices atecat the side some place.
I like this wok so much it will probably be on the stove more often than not.
Crap I just rubbed my eye with jalapeño juice on them.

[worth1]

I feel like I've been pepper sprayed.
Now it's my whole face.

[Vanman]

I wear nitrile gloves when I work with jalapeños.

[pepperhead212]

I had a bad experience the other day with one of those death spirals. All I did was lightly press one of the largest that I had in the dehydrator, to see if they were totally dry, and it was - it broke into pieces! Very quickly I washed my fingers with some Goop, which is what I use to get the pepper oils off. I put all the dried peppers in their jars, took the trays outside and washed them down (only did this because it was the last use of the season - nothing usually gets on them, except from tomatoes and the like). Then I thoroughly washed my hands again, with the goop. At least a half hour later, I quickly rubbed my right eye - probably itched, or something - and I immediately knew what I had done! Only got some red savina habanero in an eye one time before, and this was like that! Splashing water in the eye does nothing, and it was so bad that I couldn't open the eye - it was like a reflex action to close as tight as possible. So I did the same thing I did the first time - I went upstairs and got some baby shampoo, lathered a small amount up with water, and splashed it in my eye, blinking it as much as I could, and it eventually died down, and I could keep my eye opened - some pepper heat, but not extreme pain any longer. So I will definitely wear nitrile gloves from now on, when playing around with habaneros and superhots!

[pepperhead212]

@worth1 I noticed in that photo that you had that CI wok! Not many have those - just the usual CS or aluminum/NS woks. I got one way back when I saw those, and ceramic woks being used in kitchens all over SE Asia on the show Entrée To Asia, and mostly in areas that didn't do the high heat SF used so much in Chinese cooking. In fact, the things I made most in it were Thai curries! It is great for things like that, when you are reducing the liquid, since it has that broad surface.

[worth1]

The eye is much better.
Concoction came out good too.
The red color is from chili powder.

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[worth1]

Wok comparison.
The cast iron wok swallows the steel wok.

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[worth1]

Spent yesterday outside by the Santa Maria grill.
Some older guy visiting next door came over to look at it and asked if I was an engineer.
He was flabbergasted that I made everything from scratch or raw materials.
As would have it the conversation led to grilling steak because my neighbor was cooking wagu filets on a pellet smoker.
Personally I wouldn't ruin a good steak like that but to each their own.
The order guy asked how I cooked them and I said on a cast iron skillet orca hot grill.
This so I could get the maillard reaction.
I had to explain what that was too.

Wel the guy said he tried it on a skillet and smoked up the house even with a vent fan.
Said it didn't taste the same as a restaurant.

I asked what oil he used.
He said extra virgin olive oil.
BINGO that's your problem.
You never ever use EVOO to cook thus way.
Save it for eating on salad and such not to cook with at high temperature.
Why he asked?
Smoke point.
What's that?
It's the temperature oil get to before it starts to smoke and burn.
You're eating burned oil.
The other guy said he tried it and didn't like it either.
I went on to say use the highest BTU burner your stove had.
What that?
Ya see folks what I got myself into here.
I explained it to them.
How do we now what BTU our burners are?
It in the manual that came with the stove you never looked at.
just use the biggest one that fits the skillet.
Make sure it's cast iron.
What oil how do I know the smoke point?
Is it on the bottle?
Some of the time but not always on the bottle but you can look it up on line.
What oil do you use?

I use safflower oil when I can get it because its smoke point is 510F.
Sunflower oil lard or any other highly refined oil with a smoke point of at least 400F but higher is better.
Make sure your steak is dry not wet.
Coat with a little of the oil.
What do you season with?
Salt just kosher salt.
Black pepper will burn and it let's off poisonous fumes.
Really?
Yes poisonous fumes, 'Save it and other spices for after it is cooked if you think your going to get close to burning it.
That's only my opinion but I don't like burned herbs and spices.

Didn't get into making ghee or anything like that to cook with.

Spent half the day talking about making lard and pie crusts and all manner of things.

Don't get me started on machinery and cooking.

[pepperhead212]

Speaking of making ghee, I was at Lidl today, and the butter was cheaper than I have seen it in years - $1.40/lb! I really didn't need any, but...

[worth1]

I almost always get butter when at the store.
Usually two pounds.
The idea of running out is not an option.

[worth1]

Chowder AKA chowder.
Yep I discovered I like all kinds of the thick rich soup like concoction and didn't realize it.
Almost all soups I eat are thickened with crackers.
Which technically makes it a chowder.
Even my mom's beef vegetable soup I added milk and thickened with crackers.
Tonight I'm combining the turkey soup I made with yesterday's turkey Alfredo and adding crushed up crackers at the bowl to make it thick.
More or less a chowder.
Poverty food rules.

[worth1]

Been watching that Townsend guy on early cooking and so on.
He's on YouTube and has all manner of entertaining episodes on how they did things in the early American kitchen.
I especially like the ones with slow cooking in cast iron.
And the rustic foods from that time in our history.

I'm going to put this one on my list to make for sure.

[karstopography]

Tonka beans, anyone used them in their cooking? Supposedly illegal in US, but I see that Jeff Bezos is offering them on his site.

Tonka beans are evidently widely used outside US. From a South/Central American tree. https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/tonka-beans

[pepperhead212]

@worth1 I remember one of those really old English "canning" books I got at a yard sale, back in the 70s, that had more "mushroom catsup" recipes than for tomatoes!
My roommate and I made one - we weren't thrilled with it - we liked duxelles better - and the book is long gone. But all we had back then was white mushrooms.

[karstopography]

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My tonka beans came in. The fragrance is divine. Part Almonds, part vanilla, part cloves, Now, I have to figure what to do with them. Cocktail, I have a cocktail contest coming up next week. I think a little of these grated into a zapatero would be wonderful.

[karstopography]

1 1/2 ounces El Silencio mezcal
1/2 ounce Booker’s bourbon
2 teaspoons orgeat

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1 dash Angostura bitters
1 dash Fee Brothers Aztec chocolate bitters
Garnish: cinnamon, freshly grated
Garnish: cranberry
Garnish: orange twist

I’m substituting Del Maguey Pechuga Mezcal for the El Silencio
I’m substituting either a private label bourbon or Elijah Craig for the booker’s
I’m making my own orgeat out of almonds
A dark cocktail cherry for the cranberry
Freshly grated Tonka bean for the cinnamon.

[worth1]

I forgot my mushrooms at the store to make old school mushroom ketchup.