Something Delicious

[ruffryder]

Originally Posted by Sun

Ooooh Pizza.

What kind of pizza toppings do you like?


Here is a question for everyone...what is the best pizza that you ever had?

What is the most creative combinations of ingredients on a pizza that you have ever had?

Some of the best pizza I have had is brick oven and wood fire pizza. One place in WA I went to, don't remember the name... and recently in St Augustine FL at Carmelo's Marketplace. It's from a Sicilian family recipe. They use fresh ingredients and deli meats and cheeses. The slices are huge and soo delicious! I like plain ol Pepperoni and lots of cheese! I also like a hawaiian pizza and discovered I like spinach too.

[Sun]

Right now I am watching my bff make "starch soup".

I am afraid. This one does not cook.

At all.

Maybe boiling water.

Maybe.

Maybe not.

Microwaving is "cooking".

[Ursy]

Originally Posted by Sun

Ooooh Pizza.

What kind of pizza toppings do you like?


Here is a question for everyone...what is the best pizza that you ever had?

What is the most creative combinations of ingredients on a pizza that you have ever had?

I love anything seafood

I think one of my favourites was a prawn, baby spinach, camembert and avocado pizza I had once in Melbourne. I thought that was a pretty creative combination.

[Ursy]

Originally Posted by ruffryder

Some of the best pizza I have had is brick oven and wood fire pizza. One place in WA I went to, don't remember the name... and recently in St Augustine FL at Carmelo's Marketplace. It's from a Sicilian family recipe. They use fresh ingredients and deli meats and cheeses. The slices are huge and soo delicious! I like plain ol Pepperoni and lots of cheese! I also like a hawaiian pizza and discovered I like spinach too.

Wood fire pizzas just add that lovely smokiness. Yum. Actually another cafe on campus does wood fire pizzas... hmmm, now I have a dilemma!

Originally Posted by Sun

Right now I am watching my bff make "starch soup".

I am afraid. This one does not cook.

At all.

Maybe boiling water.

Maybe.

Maybe not.

Microwaving is "cooking".

Hmmm. Sun, is this soup for eating? It sounds like a recipe for glue!

[Bit]

Originally Posted by Sun

Cath darlin, have you considered that this may be a sign from the universe that you could open up shop making soup? Not sure if you would actually want to, but you sure could! Any stock that is that good, would draw a crowd.

Ohhhh no, Sun, if I tried to do this on purpose it would mess up, lol... it's much better if I just cook for Gryph... who, by the way, is not addicted to 48 Hour Bone Broth and it makes me sad because he honestly is losing his sense of smell. He likes the food I cook but he doesn't smell the cooking scents anymore.

I mourn for your butternut squash, btw. Glad it didn't char. I walked away from quesadillas tonight *eyeroll* like I couldn't have predicted what was gonna happen there if I'd just thought about it, eh? But Gryph came home and I completely spaced what I was doing.

[Sun]

I think that wood fired pizza is the best. Baking it is a challenge though because a few seconds too long and *poof* fire pizza.

For me artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers and goat cheese ranks #1.

#2 Spinach, calamata olives, tomato, feta

#3 NY style plain cheese pizza. Old skool.

[Sun]

Originally Posted by Ursy

Wood fire pizzas just add that lovely smokiness. Yum. Actually another cafe on campus does wood fire pizzas... hmmm, now I have a dilemma!



Hmmm. Sun, is this soup for eating? It sounds like a recipe for glue!

The soup was sweet potato with sweet potato tater tots floating on top.

Suffice to say, that it is what it is. lol

My bff is Aspy and this soup is called Starch Soup. Makes perfect sense.

[Sun]

Originally Posted by Bit

Ohhhh no, Sun, if I tried to do this on purpose it would mess up, lol... it's much better if I just cook for Gryph... who, by the way, is not addicted to 48 Hour Bone Broth and it makes me sad because he honestly is losing his sense of smell. He likes the food I cook but he doesn't smell the cooking scents anymore.

I mourn for your butternut squash, btw. Glad it didn't char. I walked away from quesadillas tonight *eyeroll* like I couldn't have predicted what was gonna happen there if I'd just thought about it, eh? But Gryph came home and I completely spaced what I was doing.

Oh lordy poor Gryph!

Too bad we cant upload aroma huh.

I rescued the butternut squash. After some hot water, butter and brown sugar it was fine.

What became of your Quesadillia's?

[Bit]

Originally Posted by Sun

What became of your Quesadillia's?

Quick flip out of the skillet, opened them up and cut off the burnt halves. I ate the unburnt halves... but the kitchen still smells faintly burnt, hours later. (And now I'm gonna have to get the burnt residue out of my cast iron skillet, too.)

Glad you rescued the butternut. It's my favorite squash, although yellow summer squash runs it a close second!

[Sun]

Originally Posted by Bit

Quick flip out of the skillet, opened them up and cut off the burnt halves. I ate the unburnt halves... but the kitchen still smells faintly burnt, hours later. (And now I'm gonna have to get the burnt residue out of my cast iron skillet, too.)

Glad you rescued the butternut. It's my favorite squash, although yellow summer squash runs it a close second!

Did I mention that I cant find good cast iron that is made in the USA? I have looked and looked. So frustrating.

The Butternut is my favorite too. A friend makes Spaghetti squash baked, scooped out, mixed with some canned plum tomatoes that have been blenderized (its late, you get the picture) then she pours the mixture in a baking dish, tops with shredded mozzerella and bakes. Good stuff.

Acorn squash is my second favorite. I love it. I cut it in half, scoop out the seeds then bake in a baking dish that I have filled with an inch of water. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 40 mins @ 350. Saute' some sweet onions, scoop out the squash, mix in the onions, a little nutmeg (very little) brown sugar, butter, salt and pepper. Makes a nice warm side dish on a cold winter night.

Quesadillias...Aye..a staff favorite at work this summer. I burnt out on them. Ha.

Yeah...I burnt out on a few things this summer. Eggs too.

Never made so many omelettes in all of my days.

[Gráinne]

Way off the topic, but I'm watching Kitchen Nightmares online, and keep thinking that even I could cook better than some of those chefs-and my cooking isn't anything to write home about.

I also keep hoping Sun doesn't spew profanities and scream all over her kitchen . Ramsey's so unpleasant, but I guess a great chef.

[Sun]

Originally Posted by guihong

Way off the topic, but I'm watching Kitchen Nightmares online, and keep thinking that even I could cook better than some of those chefs-and my cooking isn't anything to write home about.

I also keep hoping Sun doesn't spew profanities and scream all over her kitchen . Ramsey's so unpleasant, but I guess a great chef.

No I have never raised my voice in a kitchen and Professionals do not behave as Ramsey does. It is considered very poor behavior to yell and insult other Chefs, cooks, staff or servers. What you are seeing there is sensationalism for the sake of TV.

Sadly, that behavior gives some of us a bad rep. The business is very high pressure so Chef's need to be able to keep it together and stay calm under pressure. Those that cant do that run chaotic kitchens, lose staff and have unhappy workers. Who wants to eat food that comes with that kind of energy?

[Gráinne]

Originally Posted by Sun

No I have never raised my voice in a kitchen and Professionals do not behave as Ramsey does. It is considered very poor behavior to yell and insult other Chefs, cooks, staff or servers. What you are seeing there is sensationalism for the sake of TV.

Sadly, that behavior gives some of us a bad rep. The business is very high pressure so Chef's need to be able to keep it together and stay calm under pressure. Those that cant do that run chaotic kitchens, lose staff and have unhappy workers. Who wants to eat food that comes with that kind of energy?

Not I, for sure. If I were a chef, and had to work under that man, I'd have an ulcer within a week. I also believe that the negative energy from the kitchen "seeps" out into the restaurant itself.

I hope you didn't take it that I thought you were like that . You always come across as very Zen here, your staff must love you. It's just not necessary to yell and scream profanities to be a leader.

Rather have one of my world-class peanut butter sandwiches in happiness, than some food I can't even pronounce in stress.

[Ursy]

Originally Posted by Sun

Did I mention that I cant find good cast iron that is made in the USA? I have looked and looked. So frustrating.

I invested in some vintage Griswold and Wagner cast iron skillets. Australia doesn't have the same wonderful heritage as the U.S. where cast iron is concerned, so I got them shipped all the way from the U.S. via Ebay.

It was expensive, but as I said before, it was an investment. I expect to be cooking with them for a very long, long time and pass them on to Bek one day. Besides, it was still less than a brand new Le Creuset skillet from a local department store, and many will say superior quality, so I still feel like I got a great deal. Plus, I am never going to have to send another useless two year old teflon coated non stick frypan to landfill ever again. I am really excited about that!!

I researched it up and down all over the place. Here is a good discussion:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/615264

I cherish the two skillets I have and love cooking with them. Maybe one day I will buy myself some more

[Sun]

Originally Posted by guihong

Not I, for sure. If I were a chef, and had to work under that man, I'd have an ulcer within a week. I also believe that the negative energy from the kitchen "seeps" out into the restaurant itself.

I hope you didn't take it that I thought you were like that . You always come across as very Zen here, your staff must love you. It's just not necessary to yell and scream profanities to be a leader.

Rather have one of my world-class peanut butter sandwiches in happiness, than some food I can't even pronounce in stress.

Hi gui,

The Chefs that I admire and who seem to be really good at what they do are mellow people. No, I did not think that you thought I was a crazy screaming Chef..but hey anything is possible right?

Truly, I believe in professional etiquette in a professional kitchen.

For me, most of all I believe in putting positive energy into the food. There were some years earlier in my life when I set up hot meal programs for homebound people with AIDS and I would intentionally meditate on how the food had healing energy. It was vital to me that everyone who came into contact with the food, even those who delivered it, had positive energy and were operating out of a place of love. Someone poked fun at my "new age" spirituality and gave me an eye roll, then I knew I was on the right track. But I really feel that it is the only way to be in service to each other on this planet, when so many need healing. If we feed one another during times of illness, we find many pathways to wellness. Those early experiences informed my future in cooking.

For me the earth mother/Goddess/Spirit of life are all one energy, and I believe many are called to help humanity to come back to an earth centered relationship with food.

About 15 years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Alice Waters of Chez Panisse in Berkeley for the first time. I was and still am a huge fan. A groupie even. That was like being a musician and meeting a rock star. There are no words to describe how much I admire this woman. What struck me was how happy she is. How calm, peaceful and unassuming she is. Alice has a smile that is so charming and a demeanor that makes people want to be around her. Back in the 1970's Alice revolutionized the culinary scene in the San Francisco bay area with her farm to table, local, organic cuisine and since that time Chez Panisse has consistently ranked as one of the best restaurants in America. Originally an art history major, when Alice studied in Paris as a university student she found herself spending more time in the Parisian cafe's than in the classroom. The rest is history. Her kitchen in Berkeley is like a sanctuary, it is no wonder that she is so successful.

So you could say that Ramsey is the opposite of everything that I believe in.

For anyone that wants to expand their knowledge of classical French techniques in cooking, Julia Childs book, [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Art-French-Cooking-1/dp/0394721780"]Mastering the Art of French Cooking[/ame] is a great place to start. Learn to make a souffle without the attitude.

[Sun]

Originally Posted by Ursy

I invested in some vintage Griswold and Wagner cast iron skillets. Australia doesn't have the same wonderful heritage as the U.S. where cast iron is concerned, so I got them shipped all the way from the U.S. via Ebay.

It was expensive, but as I said before, it was an investment. I expect to be cooking with them for a very long, long time and pass them on to Bek one day. Besides, it was still less than a brand new Le Creuset skillet from a local department store, and many will say superior quality, so I still feel like I got a great deal. Plus, I am never going to have to send another useless two year old teflon coated non stick frypan to landfill ever again. I am really excited about that!!

I researched it up and down all over the place. Here is a good discussion:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/615264

I cherish the two skillets I have and love cooking with them. Maybe one day I will buy myself some more

Wow Ursy you did well. Ok I should have checked with you before I drove myself mad searching for these things. But really, I wanted to be able to see the cast iron skillet, touch it, feel it. That is one of those weird things with me, I really want to be able to handle the item if I am going to take it home. So I guess I had ruled out mail order but am now rethinking this.

My Dad had an awesome skillet that he cherished and I assumed that I would inherit this when he died. That never happened. That is a whole other story. When I started trying to learn to cook Filipino food, I realized how much I needed a cast iron skillet for frying fish, but had long been discouraged by trying to find one. Ok, ebay it is.

As for Le Cruest, I believe that every serious cook should have at least one piece in their collection. I am madly in love with the line. If I had to have just one piece it would be a round dutch oven. Though I love my stock pot too and use it for soup. The dutch oven is perfect for braising.

This is the one that I would suggest:



It will last for generations.

A friend said "Oh those are too expensive"

I replied, "really? How much did you pay for your iphone?"

[Bit]

Originally Posted by Ursy

I invested in some vintage Griswold and Wagner cast iron skillets.

I love mine even though they're only Lodge--I think Griswold and Wagner must be awesome! Someday I will find some.

Originally Posted by Sun

It will last for generations.

A friend said "Oh those are too expensive"

I replied, "really? How much did you pay for your iphone?"

Nothing like a good dose of perspective, eh?

[Sun]

Originally Posted by Bit

I love mine even though they're only Lodge--I think Griswold and Wagner must be awesome! Someday I will find some.

For me, only American cast iron will do the trick. Call me a snob, but there are too many mixed metals coming out of China. They even put lead into the steel that they sold the people reconstructing the Bay Bridge in CA, so after retrofitting the welds did not hold and the bridge started to fall apart. Nice. So no, I do not trust my cookware to just anyone.

Nothing like a good dose of perspective, eh?

Seriously! The cost of an iphone now makes Le Crueset look like a bargain.

[Corkey]

Kalua Pig: This is a local favorite that traditionally involved digging a pit and slow cooking an entire pig inside, but there are modern options that conveniently just involve an oven or crock pot. Here is an oven recipe. Although it is simple, it takes a long time to cook, but the results will be worth it.

Ingredients
Pork Butt (Boston Butt) or Pork Shoulder Bone-In
Couple of Tbsp Hawaiian Salt or Kosher Salt for rub
2 Tbsp Liquid Smoke
6 Ti Leaves to wrap pork

Cooking Instructions
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Prep Ti Leaves by removing the spines of the leaves. Cut some slits in pork, about 1 in. Rub Pork with salt and make sure to put some salt in the slits. Add 2 Tbsp of liquid smoke over pork. Wrap pork with Ti Leaves and tie closed. Place in Roasting Pan and top with aluminum foil tightly. Bake in oven 10-12 hours at 250. Pork will steam in its own liquid in the roasting pan. When complete let pork rest for 30-60 minutes. Open foil, unwrap Ti Leaves and pull pork. You can serve the pork over white rice and/or you can mix the pork with some steamed cabbage.

Anybody got any Ti leaves????

[ahk]

Originally Posted by Sun

Ooooh Pizza.

What kind of pizza toppings do you like?


Here is a question for everyone...what is the best pizza that you ever had?

What is the most creative combinations of ingredients on a pizza that you have ever had?

I heart pizza.

I enjoy making my own really-- my favourite toppings are all just depending on my mood of the pizza. I like making...

1. a BBQ chicken with red onions and cilantro
2. meatball, marinana (that I make in 20 min), fresh basil, with mozz.
3. artichoke hearts, calmative olives, basil, roasted peppers, spinach, feta cheese, parm on a pesto.
4. roasted garlic, spinach, parm/mozz, with o/o

and my favourite place here in ABQ is Pizza by the Slice-- they make some killer thin sliced pizza with some really great green chili. MMM.

Originally Posted by ruffryder

Hello deliciousness!!


I never had butternut squash and I feel I'm missing out! I like zucchini in a stir fry with some corn and onion and tomato..


Speaking of lemons, some people don't get lemon wedges at restaurants in their drinks because they wonder how many hands have touched the lemon. Others talk about the "touchdown" of water pitchers and how restaurants and waiters/waitresses go with one pitcher and "touchdown" on hundreds of customers glasses passing germs. The alternative, a bottled water?

[B][COLOR="Navy"]

Sleep and work for me. I woke up late afternoon and made some bacon (my fav!) and some chocolate chip pancakes. mmmm.

There was a 20/20 that just showed about the worst places in resturants that have the most bacteria and 1 of them was lemons. The number 1 place of worst was the menu --just something to think about.

Originally Posted by Sun

I think that wood fired pizza is the best. Baking it is a challenge though because a few seconds too long and *poof* fire pizza.

For me artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers and goat cheese ranks #1.

#2 Spinach, calamata olives, tomato, feta

#3 NY style plain cheese pizza. Old skool.

YUM!

Originally Posted by Sun

Did I mention that I cant find good cast iron that is made in the USA? I have looked and looked. So frustrating.

The Butternut is my favorite too. A friend makes Spaghetti squash baked, scooped out, mixed with some canned plum tomatoes that have been blenderized (its late, you get the picture) then she pours the mixture in a baking dish, tops with shredded mozzerella and bakes. Good stuff.

Acorn squash is my second favorite. I love it. I cut it in half, scoop out the seeds then bake in a baking dish that I have filled with an inch of water. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 40 mins @ 350. Saute' some sweet onions, scoop out the squash, mix in the onions, a little nutmeg (very little) brown sugar, butter, salt and pepper. Makes a nice warm side dish on a cold winter night.

Quesadillias...Aye..a staff favorite at work this summer. I burnt out on them. Ha.

Yeah...I burnt out on a few things this summer. Eggs too.

Never made so many omelettes in all of my days.

I LOVE squash-- I get so excited when the leaves start to change because I know its squash season. I just bought 2 butternuts and a spaghetti squash-- mmm.

Originally Posted by Sun

Wow Ursy you did well. Ok I should have checked with you before I drove myself mad searching for these things. But really, I wanted to be able to see the cast iron skillet, touch it, feel it. That is one of those weird things with me, I really want to be able to handle the item if I am going to take it home. So I guess I had ruled out mail order but am now rethinking this.

My Dad had an awesome skillet that he cherished and I assumed that I would inherit this when he died. That never happened. That is a whole other story. When I started trying to learn to cook Filipino food, I realized how much I needed a cast iron skillet for frying fish, but had long been discouraged by trying to find one. Ok, ebay it is.

As for Le Cruest, I believe that every serious cook should have at least one piece in their collection. I am madly in love with the line. If I had to have just one piece it would be a round dutch oven. Though I love my stock pot too and use it for soup. The dutch oven is perfect for braising.

This is the one that I would suggest:



It will last for generations.

A friend said "Oh those are too expensive"

I replied, "really? How much did you pay for your iphone?"

Last christmas, my mother-in-law got us this kind of dutch oven and its orange/red and we LOVE it. My honey makes this great Trinidadian Chicken Stew w/ citrus rice-- OMG! YUM!

Originally Posted by Corkey

Kalua Pig: This is a local favorite that traditionally involved digging a pit and slow cooking an entire pig inside, but there are modern options that conveniently just involve an oven or crock pot. Here is an oven recipe. Although it is simple, it takes a long time to cook, but the results will be worth it.

Ingredients
Pork Butt (Boston Butt) or Pork Shoulder Bone-In
Couple of Tbsp Hawaiian Salt or Kosher Salt for rub
2 Tbsp Liquid Smoke
6 Ti Leaves to wrap pork

Cooking Instructions
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Prep Ti Leaves by removing the spines of the leaves. Cut some slits in pork, about 1 in. Rub Pork with salt and make sure to put some salt in the slits. Add 2 Tbsp of liquid smoke over pork. Wrap pork with Ti Leaves and tie closed. Place in Roasting Pan and top with aluminum foil tightly. Bake in oven 10-12 hours at 250. Pork will steam in its own liquid in the roasting pan. When complete let pork rest for 30-60 minutes. Open foil, unwrap Ti Leaves and pull pork. You can serve the pork over white rice and/or you can mix the pork with some steamed cabbage.

Anybody got any Ti leaves????

This sounds awesome!
But what are Ti leaves? anything like banana leaves?

I enjoy cooking fish in banana leaves.

OH and HI btw-- I've been so bleeping busy with school this week -- I have 4 tests, 1 final tomorrow, and working on putting a resume together as well.

We made meatballs yesterday and had subs-- very tasty.

Now I move on to other threads I've missed in the past few days, sip some tea, and start studying again. Hope all my foodie friends are doing wonderful today.

Best.