Personal computing discussed
Moderators: askfranklin, renee, emkubed, Captain Ned
whm1974 wrote:Maybe we can start something like providing recipes for foodies on low and fixed incomes for meals that tastes way better then the SAD, but don't cost a whole lot.
just brew it! wrote:The 2 tablespoons given in the recipe sounds a bit much given some of the comments in the Amazon listing. Regardless, I'm intrigued as well.
Captain Ned wrote:whm1974 wrote:Maybe we can start something like providing recipes for foodies on low and fixed incomes for meals that tastes way better then the SAD, but don't cost a whole lot.
Therein lies the rub. I have no desire to know your domicile but if you want to find some of these "out-of-the-way" ingredients you either need to pony up on Amazon or start searching out in local ethnic groceries (one high point of my local area being so accepting of refugees is that the variety of ethnic food stores simply boggles the mind). They're out there, you just need to let yourself walk through the door. If you happen to live in a place that does farmers' markets, not only will you see some of these things for sale, you'll also be able to ask (be very respectful here) where you might be able to acquire the same yourself. Make friends with your ethnic restauranter/grocers/food trucks.
Remember, most ethnic recipes (especially Asian) have been about stretching expensive protein with locally-derived cheap flavors that could be gathered easily on a quick walk.
whm1974 wrote:I'm quite sure you can adjust to taste. I'm wondering how long the bottle will last if you reduced the amount used to two teaspoons?
Captain Ned wrote:whm1974 wrote:I'm quite sure you can adjust to taste. I'm wondering how long the bottle will last if you reduced the amount used to two teaspoons?
One teaspoon is 4.93ml. I'll leave the rest to you.
As I said, this would be a "company" dinner where your inner Sicilian is using all of the high-end stuff for that specific reason.
whm1974 wrote:do own a slow cooker and even use it every now and then, so maybe I'll start using it more often.
whm1974 wrote:just brew it! wrote:The 2 tablespoons given in the recipe sounds a bit much given some of the comments in the Amazon listing. Regardless, I'm intrigued as well.
I'm quite sure you can adjust to taste. I'm wondering how long the bottle will last if you reduced the amount used to two teaspoons?
Captain Ned wrote:whm1974 wrote:do own a slow cooker and even use it every now and then, so maybe I'll start using it more often.
Hhrm. If you're really looking to taste these new spices, you need to be sauteing this stuff right to the point of serving (a wok would be better). Once you get beyond oregano, thyme, rosemary, and cumin, crockpots are where spices either go to die or so concentrate as to make the end result inedible.
That fresh pasta dish, once the water is boiling, is 3-5 minutes from pasta in water to plate. Don't forget to save some of the pasta water as that's the single best ingredient for firming up pasta sauces. Have your sauce hot, move the drained pasta to the sauce, then add pasta water as needed to firm up the sauce and make everything silky.
just brew it! wrote:Also, like Ned says, you don't need to buy expensive ingredients to make really good food. Most ethnic recipes came from "the common folk". It's all in knowing how to prepare those ingredients, and GIYF there.
And yes, if you're going to do a lot of Asian cooking, you really want a wok. Is your stove electric or gas? Electric may be a bit of a challenge...
just brew it! wrote:Well, you're not going to be able to make authentic tasting Asian dishes in a slow cooker. A skillet on an electric stove may give acceptable results for small amounts, but don't expect to be able to make more than a couple of portions at once. The key to good stir fry is short cooking times over very high heat.
just brew it! wrote:The key to good stir fry is short cooking times over very high heat.
whm1974 wrote:Thanks Ned. Looks like I will have to go out of my comfort zone to buy some of this stuff.
Captain Ned wrote:whm1974 wrote:Thanks Ned. Looks like I will have to go out of my comfort zone to buy some of this stuff.
If you've got local ethnic groceries by all means head there. I've yet to find one that won't be helpful if I ask for ingredient X in the wrong language; they actually want to get us New England WASPs buying the real spices. The past 10 years and the local openness to refugee populations has given me food purchasing opportunities that I doubt exist in "metros" similarly-sized or up 1 magnitude.
whm1974 wrote:I guess I would have to do some shopping round more widely than I usually do. And as I said earlier Save-A-Lot does have a wider selection of ethic foods than Ruler foods does. Or least they did when I use to shop there regularly some years ago.
Captain Ned wrote:whm1974 wrote:I guess I would have to do some shopping round more widely than I usually do. And as I said earlier Save-A-Lot does have a wider selection of ethic foods than Ruler foods does. Or least they did when I use to shop there regularly some years ago.
You need to leave your comfort zone. Most ethnic groceries are more than happy to teach us whitebreads about what we've been missing, and your palate will be very happy. Best part is that in true ethnic stores, prices are pretty darn reasonable.
just brew it! wrote:whm1974 wrote:How hard is to start a campaign promoting mushroom ketchup as putting advertising everywhere that real ketchup doesn't use tomatoes but mushrooms? When you ask for ketchup, demand the real stuff made from mushrooms, not fruit.
Well... if you want to trace it all the way back to its origins, it was really made from fish.
Captain Ned wrote:This puts me in mind of a book a friend of mine gave me. Quite an interesting read... Salt A world History. It details how salt was used to preserve fish (anarobic lactic acid fermentation, fish in a barrel with lots of salt) during the Roman Empire thus leading to large amounts of garum. Some interesting discussion about the deforestation of europe to produce salt. Then the shock on the market when salt mines were discovered. It also discusses in the new world how the fledgling USA managed to make itself salt independent. Also, some quite interesting discussion about salt being the first medium of taxation. First as a requirement that you buy your salt from the king who controlled the price and then ramping up to 'every citizen must buy so many pounds of salt from the king each year at the salt tax cost'.WHM:
Here you go. It's the closest thing to old Roman garum.
https://www.amazon.com/IASA-Anchovy-Syr ... 6WGIK?th=1
Mr Bill wrote:An amusing thread.just brew it! wrote:whm1974 wrote:How hard is to start a campaign promoting mushroom ketchup as putting advertising everywhere that real ketchup doesn't use tomatoes but mushrooms? When you ask for ketchup, demand the real stuff made from mushrooms, not fruit.
Well... if you want to trace it all the way back to its origins, it was really made from fish.Captain Ned wrote:This puts me in mind of a book a friend of mine gave me. Quite an interesting read... Salt A world History. It details how salt was used to preserve fish (anarobic lactic acid fermentation, fish in a barrel with lots of salt) during the Roman Empire thus leading to large amounts of garum. Some interesting discussion about the deforestation of europe to produce salt. Then the shock on the market when salt mines were discovered. It also discusses in the new world how the fledgling USA managed to make itself salt independent. Also, some quite interesting discussion about salt being the first medium of taxation. First as a requirement that you buy your salt from the king who controlled the price and then ramping up to 'every citizen must buy so many pounds of salt from the king each year at the salt tax cost'.WHM:
Here you go. It's the closest thing to old Roman garum.
https://www.amazon.com/IASA-Anchovy-Syr ... 6WGIK?th=1