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Fruit Identification Help
Orange, super sweet, sort of tomato-y texture, no seeds... I agree with the others who suggest that you've got yourself some persimmons.
Jalapeno burn
It sounds interesting, but I don't know about using the ends of the hair... if you were to pick the chili oil back up from the hair (e.g. by running your hands through your hair), then absentmindedly rub your face, the results could be pretty unpleasant.
Dear AHT: Sick of Undercooked Burgers
Have to admit, the sight of the interior of a really underdone burger makes me feel squeamish. I'm not saying they're 'bad' (once, I really liked my burgers rare right at the centre), but my reaction now is just a strong, visceral 'ERGH'. The unfortunate combination of an E. Coli infection traced to a burger (there was an outbreak, and unfortunately, unless the meat is ground in a completely clean machine, from pieces of meat that are entirely clean on their surfaces, this is a risk), was the original trigger. Then I researched it, and thought about it, and that put paid to my pleasure in less-than well-done burgers.
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Recent Posts
Your Experience with Gaggenau stovetops/ovens?
Posted by mongoose, November 13, 2009 at 11:50 AM
Where to find Stramondo brand marzipan in NYC?
Posted by mongoose, March 19, 2009 at 5:13 PM
Reconceptualizing the Things On or with Which You Eat
Posted by mongoose, January 15, 2009 at 7:23 PM
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Recent Comments | Response to Comments
Where can I find a restaurant where I can be blindfolded?
This is not meant to be snide but... what if you were to simply close your eyes?
I can sort of understand wanting to focus on the flavour of something, but it is also nice to get a look at what you've got on your plate. Also, have you ever tried eating without the aid of sight? Your question made me curious, so I tried this (alone; I had a feeling an audience would be... awkward), and I can assure you that the apron I wore as a precautionary measure while eating with my eyes closed was not altogether adequate :D
Fruit Identification Help
Orange, super sweet, sort of tomato-y texture, no seeds... I agree with the others who suggest that you've got yourself some persimmons.
Jalapeno burn
It sounds interesting, but I don't know about using the ends of the hair... if you were to pick the chili oil back up from the hair (e.g. by running your hands through your hair), then absentmindedly rub your face, the results could be pretty unpleasant.
Dear AHT: Sick of Undercooked Burgers
Have to admit, the sight of the interior of a really underdone burger makes me feel squeamish. I'm not saying they're 'bad' (once, I really liked my burgers rare right at the centre), but my reaction now is just a strong, visceral 'ERGH'. The unfortunate combination of an E. Coli infection traced to a burger (there was an outbreak, and unfortunately, unless the meat is ground in a completely clean machine, from pieces of meat that are entirely clean on their surfaces, this is a risk), was the original trigger. Then I researched it, and thought about it, and that put paid to my pleasure in less-than well-done burgers.
Cannibalism
Don't think I would.
I've read reports of missionaries/explorers in various places stating that the locals where they were posted/had travelled claimed to have eaten human flesh, and that it was delicious, but. . . you know, it was so common for many cultures (particulary Western ones) to consider others (particularly non-Western ones) to be completely lacking in either sense of humour or humanity, that the locals who allegedly reported this may have been pulling the missionaries'/explorers' legs, without the latter being aware of this.
My point is that there is no evidence we taste good (although most tastes are acquired), and there would be no way of knowing (without having actually having eaten human) that a synthetic product actually had the flavour and consistency of human (and I cannot imagine eating another human being, but then again, I've never been in the sort of situation where I'd need to make this decision). It also seems like the sort of thing Marilyn Manson would go for in a flash (especially if it were called, say, 'Pam', instead of 'SPAM') and make a big production of, which would make the entire act of eating human-like meat kind of embarrassing ;)
Vension suggestions
mrsmoosie, please clarify: What cut are you working with, and how much does it weigh? These factors will make a huge difference in cooking technique, and without this information it is difficult to make a useful suggestion.
What is your stance on "tipping"?
I have been known to avoid restaurants that describe their wait-staff as 'waitrons'... 'wait-person' is nearly as horrible and dehumanizing, and I remain stunned that those to whom it refers appear to eagerly embrace the term. 'Waiter' is pretty dam' close to gender neutral, so why come up with a term that makes the person serving me sound like a soulless machine?! Absurd.
What is your stance on "tipping"?
If it is required, it is not a gratuity, it is a service fee, and should be described as such.
I worked, very briefly, as a waitress. It was an appalling job in a small diner, the sort of place where couples would bring their colection of feral children, order things, send them back, shatter glasses, swear at the staff... and leave a religious tract as a tip. No kidding. After half a day of this, I begged to change my position to busboy (girl? juvenile? whatever...).
So, I do understand that waiting tables can be demanding, and is frequently grotesquely underpaid. For good service, I tip 20% (or a dollar, if 20% is less than that, e.g. if I just get coffee). But I do NOT tip well (rarely, not at all) for bad service (I don't lump bad coordination/luck--hey, accidents happen--having way too many tables to serve, kitchen-related issues, or even what appears to be congenital idiocy against a waiter/ress). If they're clearly trying to be professional and courteous, well, that works for me.
Poor service (rude, ignores diners, etc.), poor tip.
Frankly, I prefer to eat at restaurants where the waitstaff is paid a proper living wage, not 'waitress wages', but that is stll pretty rare in the US.
(And you do NOT want to get me started on the tip cups/jars that are to be found in coffee shops everywhere.)
Weird "Thanksgiving" foods
Nut loaf. My parents became vegetarians when I was very young, so turkey did not show up on our table. Instead, there was 'nut loaf', or as my mum called it, 'nut meat'. Whatever. Essentially, it is like a meatloaf... without meat. Never could cope with the texture, leading to ugly brawls between my dad an myself every Thanksgiving.
Help: Deep fried turkey not crispy
Your oil may be too fresh.
According to Cook's Illustrated (May &June; 2009, p. 30), fresh oil (regardless of temperature) does not give the crispiest results when frying.
The explanation for this is that 'Oil that is too fresh cannot penetrate the barrier of moisture that surrounds food as it fries. Over time, as the oil continues to be exposed to heat, it breaks down, producing slippery soaplike compounds that can penetrate the water barrier. This increased contact between oil and food promotes browning and crispness.'
Their recommended solution? 'Save a cup or two of of used oil the next time you fry (we found that a ratio of 1 cup of used oil to 5 cups of fresh oil worked best).'
I haven't tried this specific approach yet, but it does gree with what I've noticed whan I've fried things in batches, and I have inevitably found Cook's Illustrated to be uniformly reliable.
Eating a Fried Fish that's Still Alive
The consumption of a still-living animal by humans, and the same thing being done by other species is not comparable, since there is no evidence that other species have an equivalent comprehension of the 'wrong', 'cruel', or 'suffering'.
To be human is to have an understanding of these concepts (or in the case of very young children, to have the potential for this), and to act accordingly.
Conflating the suffering caused by humans and other species by saying that 'Mother nature is cruel' makes no sense, since 'nature' is impartial; things occur in nature that we may interpret as cruel, but that's anthropomorphising.
Weekend Cook and Tell: Your Bread
I bake bread about two or three times a week, and use a modified version of the American Sanwich loaf from 'The Best Recipe'.
The recipe is excellent as it stands (and gives a great loaf in two hours, no kidding), but my initial modification was to use spelt flour, since I don't tolerate wheat very well; this change did not sem to have any significant effect on the result. Then, my (Danish) boyfriend asked if I would mind cutting back on the sugar (European tastes tend to favour a less sweet bread); I did, eventually reducing it to about half a teaspoon or less in the warm water in which I proof the yeast (I know, it's almost never necessary, but when the yeast is dead, it's a drag to find out when you are planning to pop the dough into the pan). Next, I wanted to see how it would be if I replaced the melted butter with olive oil (I grew up in Italy, where olive oil is not unusual in bread); this works well too.
This recipe (in its many permutations) gives a lovely golden loaf which is extremely versatile; I definitely recommend it!
Your Experience with Gaggenau stovetops/ovens?
Thanks therealchiffonade...I'd check it out, but I can't get a Frigidaire unit here (in Denmark) without importing it, which would be crazy expensive :(
I did belong the the CR website, but didn't renew, because the models that they sell in the US and EU are not the same.
Eating a Fried Fish that's Still Alive
This is disturbing, but not new, I'm afraid: 'jumping salad' comes to mind, and there are several other versions of live food dishes to be found.
I disagree with those who find this no worse than other slaughtering methods, which (even when they are done incompetently) are not intended to prolong the death of the animal for the entertainment of the diner. But then again, I won't drop a live lobster into boiling water either: killing it with a sharp skewer just before boiling doesn't compromise its freshness, so that's what I do.
a little help pls?
I've tried almond milk now and again (I'm unpleasantly lactose intolerant, and spent a lot of time looking for milk substitutes, until I realized that I never liked milk all that much, anyway), and it works well in pretty much anything you'd use cow milk, UNLESS the behaviour of one of the dairy components is important to the dish (e.g. some custards and sauces), in which case, you may sometimes run into consistency issues.
As I said, I'm not a milk person, and my inclination to eat dairy hit bottom after I read a study that concluded that pasteurization renders the traces of pus in milk (evidently from mild but chronic mastitis caused by certain milking machines) harmless to consumers. Anyway, I can understand the many reasons for alternative 'milks', which is probably the best way of thinking of them; things you like for themselves, rather than as 'better' alternatives for something else (sort of like butter and olive oil; not interchangeable, but both--in my opinion--lovely; something I'm the mood for one, sometimes the other).
Cake Wrecks, The Book: An Interview with Creator Jen Yates
I love the cawrecks site and have been looking at it almost daily for quite a while, but every time I look, I find myself wondering two things:
first, [how] do those who are responsible for absurd cake wreckage keep their jobs? And second, given the potential for disaster, why do people persist in ordering important (e.g. wedding) cakes from anyone who doesn't display visible evidence of a reliable track record? I mean, I can see getting an office-party cake at Costco, but surely for an important occasion, one would be willing to dig a bit deeper into one's pockets, to ensure satisfaction..?
What fat do you use in pie crust?
I use suet. It isn't easy to get here, because all prepared suet is exported from Denmark, primarily (I think) to the UK. So, I have to go down to the slaughter-house and get the blob of kidney fat, take it home, and render it myself.
Although not the most fun thing to do, it is very low tech: you just toss the blob of fat into a large pot, and liquify it over very low heat (this prevents browning of the membranes that are all through the kidney-fat blob, and which would contribute a flavour to the finished product). You can chill the blob first, and cut it up into smaller pieces, to hurry the process, but do not turn up the heat, unless you want a definite 'suety' flavour to be present. This takes quite a while.
Once the fat is liquified, just strain it through a clean cloth; I use an old white t-shirt that I'm going to toss, anyway (you probably will not be able to resuse the cloth, unless you're willing to take extreme measures, since the fat does not come out easily).
Then, pour it into the recepticle(s) of your choice (you might want to divide it up in convenient small portions), and refrigerate or freeze it.
You will then have at your disposal a very white, flavour- and odourless fat.
(Before anyone starts screaming about how unhealthy this is, I am not recommending it as a health food, nor is this something that I use in every dish I make; I make a couple of pies a year, a Christmas pudding, the occasional chicken pot pie. None of those in my immediate circle have any problem with their heart, circulatory system, or blood pressure, and when you consider the amount of suet actually present in a single portion of any of these things, the impact is minimal, at most).
Family Dinner @ Prune, Bar Stuzzichini, Landmarc or ?
From what I've seen myself, I honestly would not describe Pastis as 'toddler-friendly'... I'd go with one of the others.
Looking for A good book that teaches basic/classic cooking
I'm adding my vote for 'The Best Recipe'.
I've cooked for a long time, and am comfortable with most cookbooks, but really appreciate this book's clarity, conciseness, and focus on readily available ingredients; I've never had a failure, using one of its recipes. Best, from my point of view, is that they explain the science behind what takes place (which you can read as little or as much of as you like; you don't need to understand the science to make the recipes work), and when you understand that, you are well on your way to being able to make even badly-written recipes (e.g. recipes for delicious-looking things you find online, with partial/iffy looking instructions) work, and creating recipes of your own.
Serious Eats? Really?
@Don Luis: This is obviously a very late response, but I don't check into SE as often as I did so I missed it when it first went up.
I think your reaction arises from a misunderstanding of what SE is, or means to be.
My impression is that SE began as a NYC-based blog, and that the response from all over the US expanded its focus. I don't think it's unreasonable for a blog to have a regional focus, particularly given that SE is not presenting itself as a global food-related site.
Although I am a New Yorker (meaning 'born there, and spent the largest portion of my life to date there'), I now live outside the US (in Denmark, to be precise), and many of the references to various cooking shows and foods go over my head, but if I'm really curious, I can usually find clarification on YouTube, or elsewhere on the net.
Perhaps what you see as an excess of silliness has more to do with the veiled (or not) hostility that more serious/technical posts sometimes meet; I no longer see many of the more serious posters, which I think is a shame. On the other hand, I think the 'silliness' can be fun and interesting, I just wish there was more of a balance (for those of you who are thinking of reiterating that there are other sites, I know this, but I happen to like SE, and think of it as a big kitchen; shouldn't there be room for all sorts of cooks and eaters?).
Anyway, I think SE is worth taking for what it is; I can understand deciding that you'd rather not post (although you don't seem to have done that), and only look in occasionally, but do recognize what it is, and why.
On Banning Photography from Restaurants
I feel shy about taking pictures of food (I don't know why, but I feel like some sort of freak, the only person on the planet to do this, which is obviously nonsense), and only do so occasionally, but as long as other patrons are being strictly omitted from the images, and a flash isn't used, I don't think this is a problem. True, food is meant to be eaten, but sometimes it is also so impressive visually, I want to show a few friends, and I'll take a shot. I usually only move myself or the dish I'm shooting in order to ensure that other diners aren't in the shot. As long taking a picture or two is a brief, low-key incident, it seems fine.
It seems strange that any restaurant would ban even the taking of photos of the diners at one's own table, as this has been a longstanding tradition, and I can remember seeing this done even when I was a small child (in excellent restaurants), by people celebrating some special event; the waiter was often included in the shot. And let's not forget all those photos of dinners at all classes of restaurants that go back as far as the existence of the SLR camera, at least
On the other hand, use of the terms 'food porn' and 'foodie' should be punishable by law ;)
Serious Efforts: Evaporated Milk Crisis
Just wanted to add a postscript about the substitution I chose (in case anybody else finds themselves wanting the information): powdered whole milk reconsituted with only 40% of the amount of water that would normally be used worked beautifully (in this frosting recipe) as a substitute for evaporated milk. Browning a bit of of the powdered milk before reconstituting it does bring out a toasty-caramel flavour (which evaporate milk supposedly has), but a low temperature needs to be used, since it starts to burn really quickly
For one cup of evaporated milk substitute, combine 60g (about 2oz) whole milk powder and 176ml (about 6 fluid oz) water, and warm gently, stirring until it is even and thick.
Serious Efforts: Evaporated Milk Crisis
Thanks everybody, and sorry about not replying sooner.
I'm going with reconstituting powdered whole milk with a reduced amount of water (I just happen to have a big bag of the stuff in the freezer). I'm also planning on browning a bit of the powdered milk, before mixing it with water, since information on evaporated milk (including McGee's OFAC) mentions that some caramelization takes place, and contributes to the product's flavour.
Serious Efforts: Whole Deer Neck
If you want to make certain that you clear away various glands and lymph nodes, taking the neck apart muscle by muscle, as you've planned, is definitely the way to go, since those smaller structure are not easy to see (they're often surrounded by fat/connective tissue). Treat it like a dissection: traction towards you the muscle you're taking off at the moment, and cut the connective tissue where you see it, stretched between the muscle you taking off and the rest of the neck.
Clear away lumps of fat and bundles of connective tissue as you come across them. A small sharp knife is most efficient, since it is more agile, and you can see what you're doing; doing this in full daylight (if your schedule permits) makes the job much easier, too. Any small grayish object should probably go; they're most often lymph nodes, of which there are quite a few in the neck.
NYC steakhouse recommendation for bachelor party
Aaaaargh!!!! Why is this here..? I have no problem with strip clubs (although one sounds unbelievably tacky), but posted advertising is so annoying!
Best of New York Empanadas
"Polish sausage, and one called “Viagra,” which is made with seafood. " this sausage must be very delicious :D
Where can I find a restaurant where I can be blindfolded?
Aw, I didn't mean to be snarky - I think it sounds like an interesting idea, but it's def something I'd prefer to do in the comfort of my own home :) It's kind of neat that there are restaurants that include this deliberately as part of the experience, though.
Fruit Identification Help
Hachiyas have to be so ripe that they are almost at the point where your finger sinks through the skin. Or when the skin swells up and feels like a water balloon. Fuyus can be eaten semi ripe or ripe, but they are smaller. Fuyus are sweeter, but Hachiyas are more decadent. I eat both by removing the top leaf with a paring knife then spooning out the flesh as if I were eating pudding.
Fruit Identification Help
I just stopped over lunch and bought 2 persimmons, and what @VerySmallAnna said is right on, but I'll go further to say the hachiya (roma shaped) was inedible. Maybe it wasn't ripe enough (see @wookie), but I had to spit it out. It left my mouth feeling like I ate sand, but without the grit. The fuyu was sweet and juicy and I don't even think it was at it's peak.
Fruit Identification Help
You can find just about all varities of persimmons on here...
http://www.specialtyproduce.com/
Fruit Identification Help
Sounds like a kaki fruit. is that a persimmon?
Fruit Identification Help
HungryChristel: That's something I'm endlessly curious about, too. My boyfriend's southern and the first time we went to visit his folks in Alabama, I was blown away by the fact that a.) their liquor stores were government-owned, and b.) only sold liquor ... that you could pick out yourself. Now I want to know what liquor stores in other states sell.
Here in L.A. our "liquor stores" sell EVERYTHING and the liquor's always behind the counter, which means you have to ask for it. You don't physically touch it unless you've purchased it. For example, my corner liquor store- aside from liquor- sells lunchmeat, lottery tickets, cheese, chips, soda, crackers, razors, Tylenol, folders, cereal, Tapatio, beer, sardines, pasta, toilet paper- you get the idea.
Thanks to everyone who responded! It IS a persimmon and they're so freaking delicious. I'm going back to my liquor store today to grab a couple. Serious Eats always comes to the rescue, it's pretty amazing.
Fruit Identification Help
@Gator Pam: thanks for the info! Definitely makes sense.
I just noticed the orginal comment from PumpkinBear over in Cali. said the persimmons were being "given away" by the liquor store owner....just peaked my curiosity :)
Fruit Identification Help
@hungrychristel I think it may vary by state.
Here in Florida, cigarettes and condoms can commonly be found for sale behind the register counter.
Gift type items that may go along with an alcoholic purchase, such as ice buckets, cheese and cracker baskets, pitchers, etc. may be found as well.
What did you see, if I may ask?
Fruit Identification Help
yeah I was thinkin persimmons.
super-cool fruit;
on a side note: I'm curious being a Canuck:
Is it common for liquor store owners to sell other things besides liquor in the US?
Fruit Identification Help
Agreed--you have persimmons.
In my family, there has always been a preference for the larger, roma tomato shaped persimmons (hongshi gam, I think they are called, but we just call them gam). The thing about this type of persimmon is that you need to wait til they are super soft or else they are too tannic. The other type, round or slightly squat shaped persimmons, are always sweet whether firm or soft. So, either you got lucky with the timing, ripening of the honshi gam or more likely you have the sweet variety. If you have the chance to try the other shaped persimmon, it's totally worth it, the large drop shaped ones have a great flavor, albeit they tend to be mushy when ripe and you're literally sucking the pulp out of the skin.
I have a recipe for persimmon bread and bread pudding. Sadly, it doesn't taste much like persimmons, but it's still tasty. Good for the holidays.
Fruit Identification Help
Yeah, they're fuyu, which can be eaten hard...hachiya, on the other hand, are longer and need to be eaten super-soft. Also they have really fibrous thingies in them that coat the inside of your mouth unless you eat the fruit with something else.
Where can I find a restaurant where I can be blindfolded?
I think Camaje on Macdougal does this
Fruit Identification Help
like everyone else has said, persimmon and more specifically, fuyu persimmons.
Fruit Identification Help
Sounds like a hachiya persimmon.
Fuyu persimmons are quite different in appearance and texture.
Fruit Identification Help
i used to have a little teddy bear named persimmon!
never eaten one, but i was very excited to see that pomegranates are at my grocer! i'll have to look for persimmons too-they sound wonderful!
Fruit Identification Help
Wow, I had totally forgotten those things existed. Havent had one in years, weird.
Now I want some!
Fruit Identification Help
Yup- persimmons. Delicious, yes?
Nice score PumpkinBear!
Dear AHT: Sick of Undercooked Burgers
@morganoliver ~ good observation. My dislike of "pink" burgers goes back to getting sick from undercooked ground meat. Can't even eat my way around the undercooked parts of a burger; must be at least very medium well.
I do like my steak and lamb and tuna pink. However, I don't ever want to see bloody drippings on my plate. Others may eat what they like, even in my company. In fact, my ex-husband and best friend used to order steak tartare and I didn't care one bit! Just as long as I didn't have to eat it....
What is your stance on "tipping"?
I was taught to double the tax and that will tell you how much to tip
Dear AHT: Sick of Undercooked Burgers
I personally love the photography of the burgers as I'm one who prefers her burgers as rare as possible. Whenever I see an autopsy shot of a burger that's been cooked through, my mind just goes down the rabbit hole of "well, that's a damn shame" because my brain equates gray/pink-gray meat with dry and tough. Sort of the opposite reaction of the folks that have the visceral reaction to the red and rosy burgers.
Dear AHT: Sick of Undercooked Burgers
These days, I find myself eating more steak tartare than cooked hamburgers of any level of doneness, so I disqualify myself from commenting on burger doneness. Raw meat is fine with me, and photos of lightly cooked meat with bright red centers are quite visually pleasing to me.
Dear AHT: Sick of Undercooked Burgers
Well not entirely. I absolutely think it's true for a number of those who don't order rare burgers (including real life friends and some commenters above, such as the one who said he wasn't going to diss his digestive tract), that fear of food-borne ilness plays some role in their preference. For that subset of burger fans, I'm wondering when and how their concern developed.
Anecdotally, when someone takes issue with my ordering a rare burger, it's typically on the grounds that I am playing Russian Roulette with my life.
Dear AHT: Sick of Undercooked Burgers
morganoliver, just to be clear, are you really saying people only dislike rare burgers out of fear?
Recent Posts
Your Experience with Gaggenau stovetops/ovens?
Posted by mongoose, November 13, 2009 at 11:50 AM
Where to find Stramondo brand marzipan in NYC?
Posted by mongoose, March 19, 2009 at 5:13 PM
Reconceptualizing the Things On or with Which You Eat
Posted by mongoose, January 15, 2009 at 7:23 PM
PerkyMac, how did the gnocchi + granddaughter combo go?
Posted by mongoose, December 25, 2008 at 5:18 AM
Tobacco truffles, and the holiday dinner Post Mortem
Posted by mongoose, December 25, 2008 at 5:09 AM
Fondant and truffle train wreck: Fellow sufferers, any insights?
Posted by mongoose, December 23, 2008 at 4:11 PM
Add a 'Professional-level efforts/topics' category, please?
Posted by mongoose, December 1, 2008 at 8:44 AM
Any of you have one of the Epicurean® Slate cutting boards?
Posted by mongoose, November 30, 2008 at 1:54 PM
Have you calculated the costs of 'home-made'?
Posted by mongoose, November 18, 2008 at 1:16 PM
Your best mushroom de-gritting strategy?
Posted by mongoose, November 14, 2008 at 12:49 PM
Creative judgement vs. accommodating guests' preferences
Posted by mongoose, November 10, 2008 at 3:46 AM
Has anyone seen this particular marzipan in shops?
Posted by mongoose, November 7, 2008 at 6:37 AM
Does your interest in food impact what you give to the homeless?
Posted by mongoose, March 13, 2008 at 7:32 AM
Beyond citing sources: copyright issues?
Posted by mongoose, February 16, 2008 at 12:30 PM
Apropos of Jamie Oliver's televised chicken slaughter
Posted by mongoose, January 19, 2008 at 2:40 PM
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This is not meant to be snide but... what if you were to simply close your eyes?
I can sort of understand wanting to focus on the flavour of something, but it is also nice to get a look at what you've got on your plate. Also, have you ever tried eating without the aid of sight? Your question made me curious, so I tried this (alone; I had a feeling an audience would be... awkward), and I can assure you that the apron I wore as a precautionary measure while eating with my eyes closed was not altogether adequate :D