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Just Talk....

 
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Ronaple



Joined: 16 Apr 2017
Posts: 25
Location: Black Hills of SD

PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2017 1:40 am    Post subject: Just Talk.... Reply with quote

Hoping we can use this just for talk.

I'd like to thank both of you for welcoming me. Appreciate the replies to my posts.
I'm confident. We keep talking. Others will find us. Usually older people who aren't infatuated with the new social media. I've seen it before.

I am hoping to actually cook things that taste good. I have gotten sick and tired of my own bland warming up everything. Gotten sick and tired of going out and buying some bad for me treats to get something tasty.

I do know what a high end restaurant is like. I've eaten at the Bigfork Inn. It is a restaurant in Bigfork Montana. They get rich people who have vacation houses in the area. That food is obscenely good. It is obscenely priced too. A place that you ask for a menu with no prices on it. When you're done. You'll say it was worth it.

I am interested in a good cookbook for someone like me? Get me started right with basics. I ran across one that appears good? Good reviews on Amazon. It's; How to Cook Everything, The basics. By Mark Bittman ... Any thoughts?

I did like that recipe for stuffed green peppers on here. It's just a bit over my head right now.

And BTW: I am single. Live alone. Semi retired and drive a truck now. So spend much time alone. So I like talking. Still can't swallow the social media thing.
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Ronaple



Joined: 16 Apr 2017
Posts: 25
Location: Black Hills of SD

PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2017 1:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Maybe I goofed. Maybe I should have put this in: Anything Goes?
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Dilbert



Joined: 19 Oct 2007
Posts: 1304
Location: central PA

PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2017 6:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I haven't seen the Bittman book - but he has a solid reputation.

an excellent source the whys and wherefors of cooking / baking is The Joy of Cooking. lots of recipes - but also large sections on ingredients plus the 'why' of 'standard procedures'

blindly following recipes gets you not far - you have to understand the basics.

here's a perfect example:

my 20-something year old son was visiting - spaghetti and meat sauce was on the menu. suddenly he exclaims "How come mine never tastes as good as yours?"

so I stood back and said: "Here, you brown the (ground) beef."
and he did. and when it turned color he pronounced it done.

that is not the meaning of "brown the meat" - it needs to continue to cook until you get dark brown edges / bits -

the first impression is "it's burning!" but it isn't. the dark bits are what create the flavors....

but, unless one has not learned how to properly brown off ground beef, stew chunks, roasts, chops, steaks . . . you'll not get the flavors you seek.


Last edited by Dilbert on Mon Jul 08, 2019 10:17 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Ronaple



Joined: 16 Apr 2017
Posts: 25
Location: Black Hills of SD

PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 12:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just ordered the book you suggested. May still get the other. He has a couple books on Pressure Cooking also.
In my looky looing. I noticed things like burning or scorching are what creates taste. I tried the suggestion of scorching a steak. Then putting it in the oven for a few minutes. Came out good. I could probably do better.
I like reading understanding. That's what I'm all about.

I went and bought an Island cart for my kitchen. It has a drawer. I need a good big drawer. My kitchen doesn't have much in the way of drawers.
I need to cut back on this spending on kitchen stuff. I need to spend to seal up and insulate my home better. There's some lacks. It's only 8 years old. But could be better.
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Ronaple



Joined: 16 Apr 2017
Posts: 25
Location: Black Hills of SD

PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 1:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

quick question... (real dummy here) ..... I'm using potato peels as part of seasoning my black iron pan. Now....
What's something I can do with the potatoes?
I imagine I could bake them without the skin....but? Any thoughts for a real simple cook like me....

Oh BTW: I'll have you know. I am The world famous inventor of the Peanut Butter and Jelly Burrito. Wink
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Dilbert



Joined: 19 Oct 2007
Posts: 1304
Location: central PA

PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 3:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

there's all kinds of things for peeled potatoes.

mashed
home fries
french fries
boiled
roasted
use in stews, soups
potato pancakes
shredded potato patties
scalloped potatoes
potato salad

your problem may be the qty - cooking for one...
they'll keep a couple days submerged in water in the fridge.
too long and they'll start to ferment - you'll smell that, and it tastes worse than it smells.
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Ronaple



Joined: 16 Apr 2017
Posts: 25
Location: Black Hills of SD

PostPosted: Sun Apr 23, 2017 3:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm not sure what I did with the potato. I used half of it to season my pan. Other half..
cut it up in small pieces... boiled for five minutes...put it in a large fry pan...
Fried that with three eggs... some mushrooms...one piece of cheese...
It was edible...

I'm kinda hacking my way through seasoning my new pan. Oh well... It will be ok...

I looked at coffee makers. Thought....gee... would be nice to make really good coffee... Then I checked my inexpensive MrCoffee... It puts out coffee in the 190's f ... ? .... Burner keeps it at 140f something.... At least that doesn't burn the coffee. It doesn't cool down if I don't drink it all right away... Rethinking... I'm pretty happy with what I have... I mix two kinds of coffee together... not expensive... Thought back on times at fancy coffee houses.... Gotta admit... I was never that impressed? Still might experiment with grinding my own. Had a relative who did. It was good.
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Ronaple



Joined: 16 Apr 2017
Posts: 25
Location: Black Hills of SD

PostPosted: Sun Apr 23, 2017 9:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Been watching the CuriiosityStream. On food. Opening my eyes even more on healthy food. Vegetables, whole grains, legumes, etc.
Did you know this whole bit on Gluten is a bunch of BS? It affects one percent of the people. Another one percent get a reaction that is uncomfortable so kinda like the first one percent. That leaves 98% of people have no problem with gluten. It is needed.
That info is good. I may very well get off supplements. Spend much more on food itself. I need to learn to cook vegan well. CS has claims we can make all those taste great.
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Dilbert



Joined: 19 Oct 2007
Posts: 1304
Location: central PA

PostPosted: Sun Apr 23, 2017 9:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

not any experience with the steel pans, but for cast iron the most effective and foolproof method I've found to season is just cook fatty foods in it.
bacon, sausage - animal fats. makes a superb carbon layer.
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Ronaple



Joined: 16 Apr 2017
Posts: 25
Location: Black Hills of SD

PostPosted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 12:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you for the thought on seasoning pans. I saw a youtube comment that seasoning is just a quick way to do it. Turns out the same as just using it over time. You're a wonderful verifier of truth. (I need that) Wink

I just received my Joy of Cooking book today. I can see this is something to study. Have started reading from the inside covers, onward. I really like what I see in there. While just glancing at recipes. Makes me think I can actually cook something decent. It's something I seriously needed. Thanks again.

We actually got snow today. So warm though. Didn't even get any ice on the roads. Kinda like a fancy rainfall. Did have water flowing. No freezing though.
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Michael Chu



Joined: 10 May 2005
Posts: 1654
Location: Austin, TX (USA)

PostPosted: Sun May 07, 2017 4:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I moved this discussion to Anything Goes from the Website Discussion forum (which is reserved for discussion about the website itself [not the topic of cooking in general]).

Aside from Joy of Cooking, which is a good survey of American cuisine, I've had great success with The New Best Recipe (which is 13 years old now) or it's slightly more recent successor Cook's Illustrated Cookbook from 6 years ago. 2,000 recipes with explanations why they made the choices they made (which really helps to understand the recipe and provide ideas for possible modifications). All the ones that I've tried, I've not had one end up poorly.
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KevinJJ85



Joined: 27 Jan 2023
Posts: 1

PostPosted: Tue Jun 20, 2023 11:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Let's not forget about the original cookbooks that set the stage for nowadays digital cooking revolution. Classics like Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," Irma S. Rombauer's "The Joy of Cooking," and Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything" have been the go-to sources for me especially! These incredible books have inspired generations of home chefs and continue to be a wellspring of creativity and innovation. But I suggest to turn your attention on the cooking apps that have totally changed the game when it comes to cooking up deliciousness in the kitchen. No more flipping through old-school cookbooks, you know… Personally I’m happy to access a ton of amazing recipes, techniques, and inspiration right on phone. Maybe you would be interested to (spam link removed) and discover how apps and web-sites have transformed anything into interactive, user-friendly experiences, especially cooking. Or you can try books that I suggested. As you wish.
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