Random Food Questions

[Lycan 01]

Anybody have any random food questions? I've had one thats been buggin' for awhile, myself.

How much ketchup do you have to eat for it to count as a serving of vegetables? :smallconfused: In my Fitness for Life class it mentioned some condiments as counting as Vegetables or other food groups, but it didn't really specify how much...

Also, I keep forgetting. Is is saturated or trans fats that are the really bad type? Me and my dad were trying to figure it out earlier, which is why I decided to make this thread... :smalltongue:


Anybody else got any random questions we can try to answer? :smallbiggrin:

[Froogleyboy]

Also, I keep forgetting. Is is saturated or trans fats that are the really bad type? Me and my dad were trying to figure it out earlier, which is why I decided to make this thread... :smalltongue:


Anybody else got any random questions we can try to answer? :smallbiggrin:

trans fat is the bad one

[Kurien]

Trans-Fats are made by hydrogenizing unsaturated fats (e.g.: vegetable oils). Unsaturated fats differ from saturated fats (e.g.: butter) by having double bonds in the fatty acids that compose the triglycerides. This means they have less hydrogen atoms in the structure than saturated fats. Hydrogenization adds hydrogen atoms to the oil molecule, making them structural similar to saturated fats. As such trans-fats stay solid at room temperature like saturated fats.

I'm not clear on if or why trans fats are worse for you than saturated fats. If they are structures and properties are similar to saturated, then I would assume they are equally as bad as saturated. Ether way, they are bad for you because they can build up as plaque in the arteries along with cholesterol, constricting blood flow, increasing blood pressure and causing cardiovascular disease.

[hr]
On another note: has anyone watched any show that involves someone sampling bizarre foods from around the world? I recently watched one called, appropriately enough, Bizarre Foods (with Andrew Zimmern)

From that show: anyone ever try Balut?

[Seonor]

How much ketchup do you have to eat for it to count as a serving of vegetables?

Most industrial fabricated ketchup you can buy has too much sugar in it (and is processed so much that almost everything that was ever usefull in it is long gone) to count as anything positive.
Tomatos are botanically fruits but for most culinary purposes they are treated as vegetables. (Fun fact: the US Supreme Court once had to decide on this matter. See here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nix_v._Hedden))

[Amiel]

Ketchup contains lycopene, an antioxidant which may prevent some forms of cancer; this is good. But so do tomatoes.
However, ketchup also contains an extremely high sugar and salt content; this is bad.

Even if you do manage to eat an amount of ketchup equal to the recommended daily intake of tomatoes, you would've already set yourself up for irreversible diabetes; not mention hypertension (high blood pressure), oedema, cancers, ventricular hypertrophy, death and other associated risks and consequences.

[Pyrian]

I'm not clear on if or why trans fats are worse for you than saturated fats. If they are structures and properties are similar to saturated, then I would assume they are equally as bad as saturated.Wikipedia says... (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans_fats)

[Lycan 01]

What about salt-free and/or organic ketchup? :smalltongue:

[Amiel]

There's low sodium ketchup; but ask yourself, do you really want to subject yourself to salt-free ketchup?

Also, organic ketchup are/is tomatoes. :smalltongue:

[Serpentine]

How much ketchup do you have to eat for it to count as a serving of vegetables? :smallconfused: In my Fitness for Life class it mentioned some condiments as counting as Vegetables or other food groups, but it didn't really specify how much...As mentioned, while ketchup and tomato sauce and the like might have some nutrient value, the tomatoes are so processed and there's so much other crap in it that... well, lets just say you shouldn't drink a cup of it in lieu of a carrot.
On the other hand, homemade tomato sauce could conceivably count, not least because the tomatoes are far less processed, and you can decide and know how much sugar and salt and the like goes into it.

Also, I keep forgetting. Is is saturated or trans fats that are the really bad type? Me and my dad were trying to figure it out earlier, which is why I decided to make this thread... :smalltongue:Polyunsaturated fat is good, monosaturated is bad. I believe monounsaturated and polysaturated are in-between. Dunno what transfats are, but based on someone's sigquote, I think they're bad.

[Pyrian]

"Monosaturated" and "polysaturated" don't really mean anything in this context. :smallbiggrin: A fatty acid can be saturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated, unsaturated fats can be trans or cis, and polyunsaturated fats can even be both trans and cis. Really, though, what you want to be afraid of are hydrogenated fats, which produce trans fatty acids that don't exist in nature and which your body apparently cannot clear them out of your arteries as easily.

Seriously, if you want the lowdown, just look up the Wikipedia article.

[Anuan]

Polyunsaturated fat is good, monosaturated is bad. I believe monounsaturated and polysaturated are in-between. Dunno what transfats are, but based on someone's sigquote, I think they're bad.

=D that's me!

[arguskos]

From that show: anyone ever try Balut?
Yes. It was perhaps the second or third most foul thing I have EVER EATEN EVER. Only things that were worse were fresh monkey brains (this one is undebatable), and perhaps this one "cheese" I had which is traditionally riddled with maggots and bugs while it forms (debatable if it was worse than balut, it's a toss-up).

Trust me, none of the above or good in any way. Avoid them like the plague. Note that this is coming from someone who's had live scorpions, every kind of meat that you acquire (sans human), had pufferfish 4 times (it's DELICIOUS, btw), and pretty much acquires anything and everything I can to try at least once.

[Mystic Muse]

Yes. It was perhaps the second or third most foul thing I have EVER EATEN EVER. Only things that were worse were fresh monkey brains (this one is undebatable), and perhaps this one "cheese" I had which is traditionally riddled with maggots and bugs while it forms (debatable if it was worse than balut, it's a toss-up).
.

I hope it isn't the cheese I'm thinking of because the cheese I'm thinking of is illegal pretty much everywhere. and for good reason. it's called Casu Marzu.

credit to cracked.com for this article. not for the faint of heart.

What the heck is it? Casu Marzu is a sheep' milk cheese that has been deliberately infested by a Piophila casei, the "cheese fly." The result is a maggot-ridden, weeping stink bomb in an advanced state of decomposition.

Its translucent larvae are able to jump about 6 inches into the air, making this the only cheese that requires eye protection while eating. The taste is strong enough to burn the tongue, and the larvae themselves pass through the stomach undigested, sometimes surviving long enough to breed in the intestine, where they attempt to bore through the walls, causing vomiting and bloody diarrhea.

Wait, it gets worse ...
This cheese is a delicacy in Sardinia, where it is illegal. That' right. It is illegal in the only place where people actually want to eat it. If this does not communicate a very clear message, perhaps the larvae will, as they leap desperately toward your face in an effort to escape the putrescent horror of the only home they have ever known. Even the cheese itself is ashamed; when prodded, it weeps an odorous liquid called lagrima, Sardinian for "tears."

[Kneenibble]

Okay, here is a random food question
Desired: some first-hand advice on how to cook eggplants palatably.

I've read about how. I'm good in the kitchen and cook with a lot of different plants successfuly. I've eaten eggplant dishes that I liked.

But for some reason, handling this gorgeous purple fruit myself confounds me. What is the trick? Let's go with normal dishes, like pan-fried, baba ghanoush, or whatever else the **** one does with them.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

What the heck is it? Casu Marzu is a sheep' milk cheese that has been deliberately infested by a Piophila casei, the "cheese fly." The result is a maggot-ridden, weeping stink bomb in an advanced state of decomposition.

Its translucent larvae are able to jump about 6 inches into the air, making this the only cheese that requires eye protection while eating. The taste is strong enough to burn the tongue, and the larvae themselves pass through the stomach undigested, sometimes surviving long enough to breed in the intestine, where they attempt to bore through the walls, causing vomiting and bloody diarrhea.

Wait, it gets worse ...
This cheese is a delicacy in Sardinia, where it is illegal. That' right. It is illegal in the only place where people actually want to eat it. If this does not communicate a very clear message, perhaps the larvae will, as they leap desperately toward your face in an effort to escape the putrescent horror of the only home they have ever known. Even the cheese itself is ashamed; when prodded, it weeps an odorous liquid called lagrima, Sardinian for "tears."
That... manages to simultaneously be the most friggin' nasty yet fascinating info I've read in a long time. Wow.

Edit: Geeze... now I wanna do something with this somehow.

[Serpentine]

One of the characters I've DMed for (simultaneously the worst and most memorable) was a Wizard raised on a dairy farm. He made magical cheeses that worked like potions, with so many "doses" in a wheel. This was one of the more interesting and useful aspects of this character.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

One of the characters I've DMed for (simultaneously the worst and most memorable) was a Wizard raised on a dairy farm. He made magical cheeses that worked like potions, with so many "doses" in a wheel. This was one of the more interesting and useful aspects of this character.
Oooh, he'd have gotten along well with my 'Blue Heifer' that you could make magic cheese from its milk.

[Mystic Muse]

That... manages to simultaneously be the most friggin' nasty yet fascinating info I've read in a long time. Wow.

Edit: Geeze... now I wanna do something with this somehow.

want four more horrifying foods?

[Fri]

Okay, here is a random food question
Desired: some first-hand advice on how to cook eggplants palatably.

I've read about how. I'm good in the kitchen and cook with a lot of different plants successfuly. I've eaten eggplant dishes that I liked.

But for some reason, handling this gorgeous purple fruit myself confounds me. What is the trick? Let's go with normal dishes, like pan-fried, baba ghanoush, or whatever else the **** one does with them.

What's your problem? If the eggplants felt too hard/not cooked enough, the trick is to bake them in the oven FIRST before cooking them as intended in the recipe, like stir frying them. I heard that steam could work too.

[Serpentine]

Oooh, he'd have gotten along well with my 'Blue Heifer' that you could make magic cheese from its milk.That character wouldn't get along with anyone. He would probably get suspicious of it, try to bench-press it, and then attempt to disguise himself with it. :smallsigh:

[The Vorpal Tribble]

want four more horrifying foods?
Now that you've got my curiosity piqued... do tell?



That character wouldn't get along with anyone. He would probably get suspicious of it, try to bench-press it, and then attempt to disguise himself with it. :smallsigh:
o_O`

Sounds like he'd been partaking of magic mushrooms with his cheese.

[Serpentine]

Now that you've got my curiosity piqued... do tell?Think you'll like this site if you don't already know it. (http://www.cracked.com/article_14979_the-6-most-terrifying-foods-in-world.html)

o_O`

Sounds like he'd been partaking of magic mushrooms with his cheese.Quick summary of the easiest-explained bits:
- He was an Elf Wizard. With 18 Strength. Of the Arnold variety (as opposed to the Bruce Lee variety we suggested).
- He, as an Elf, once attempted to "disguise" himself, without a single rank in Disguise, to get into an Orc bar called "Gruumsh's Eye".
- He once fled out a window after a party member quizzed him upon his peculiar wearing of chainmail he didn't previously own, at the end of a bizzare adventure that began with...
- the player declaring that he "found a filing cabinet" in the academy dean's office.
- When the party was helping him to complete his test, he made a check to know what the enemy was and how to beat it (a living spell), but refused to tell anyone else what he knew.

Etc, etc, so on and so forth.

[Crimmy]

I have two questions:

-Where does Taco Bell get his ideas for "taquitos" and "chalupas"?

-Has anyone really tried Tamales and Tacos? I mean, the mexican variety?

[Lycan 01]

Real Tamales and Tacos? My family makes Tacos all the time... Not the Taco Bell brand, but the real deal with ground beef, taco spice, various salsas and toppings, et cetera.


Btw, I've heard people say that when making Ramen noodles, they sometimes crack an egg and pour it into the boiling water. What does this do? Does it cook the egg, or dissolve it and add flavor to the Ramen? :smallconfused:

[Serpentine]

Cook the egg. Mostly.

"Real" tacos? Never made by a "real" Mexican, but... shell, mince, beans (sometimes refried), sauce, salad, cheese... Don't really know what you mean by "real".

[Crimmy]

Real Tamales and Tacos? My family makes Tacos all the time... Not the Taco Bell brand, but the real deal with ground beef, taco spice, various salsas and toppings, et cetera.

Tacos do not use ground beef.
Tacos do not have "taco spice".
Tacos do not use toppings.

This is what tacos should look (kinda):
http://www.aquiestatexcoco.com.mx/web/imagenes/platillos/FlautasPollo_g.jpghttp://public.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pxzkHg6qnxolCX23Jsehlb02AOlH9GK5bHGEiug0QyIDIFvP WeelGCoT6Hu855fS7M0ikgPbWeEV-PWwuQ7Zcrg?PARTNER=WRITER
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2363/1537468334_96c24eaffd.jpg

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Think you'll like this site if you don't already know it. (http://www.cracked.com/article_14979_the-6-most-terrifying-foods-in-world.html)
Truly there is nothing on earth that compares with the utter twistedness that is mankind.

[Lycan 01]

Is it good? :smallconfused:

Speaking of eggs, anybody else ever add milk to them? It makes them fluffier and adds flavor. :smallbiggrin:

*cackles at the memory of his brother adding milk to instant eggs, and the resulting fiasco when he tried to cook it*

[Serpentine]

Tacos do not use ground beef.
Tacos do not have "taco spice".
Tacos do not use toppings.

This is what tacos should look (kinda):
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2363/1537468334_96c24eaffd.jpgOooo. They look tasty. Recipe?
Incidentally, does this mean that the so-called "soft tacos" are closer to "real tacos" than "hard tacos" "?"

edit: I add a bit of milk to scrambled eggs and omlets, yes.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Oooo. They look tasty. Recipe?
Dang, does it. It's 2 in the morning and I'm dying for some mexican now.

[tyckspoon]

Cook the egg. Mostly.

"Real" tacos? Never made by a "real" Mexican, but... shell, mince, beans (sometimes refried), sauce, salad, cheese... Don't really know what you mean by "real".

Small tortillas, either flour or corn, soft. Most of the authenticity comes from the seasoning on the meat used, I suppose... it's kind of like the difference between a 'real' chili and a chili-like stew, I guess? For those of you who are chili buffs? *shrug* Real Mexican food works with a broader and usually more intense set of flavors than you usually find in Taco Bell-style restaurants or home cooking.

[Lycan 01]

Tacos do not use ground beef.
Tacos do not have "taco spice".
Tacos do not use toppings.

This is what tacos should look (kinda):
http://www.aquiestatexcoco.com.mx/web/imagenes/platillos/FlautasPollo_g.jpghttp://public.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pxzkHg6qnxolCX23Jsehlb02AOlH9GK5bHGEiug0QyIDIFvP WeelGCoT6Hu855fS7M0ikgPbWeEV-PWwuQ7Zcrg?PARTNER=WRITER
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2363/1537468334_96c24eaffd.jpg

Those are more of what I'd either call Taquitos or Chimichangas... :smallconfused:

Then again, I'm from Mississippi. We have our own style of food. Mmmm, Squirrel Brain Stew and Chitlins. Yummy. :smallamused:




*I've never eaten boiled squirrel heads or pig intestines. But my dad has. A lot. :smalleek:

[Crimmy]

I dunno what the "soft taco" variety is like.

Recipe is:
-Tortillas, usually made of cornmeal. They should be flat, thin, and flexible enough to bend. They tend to be more flexible after you've heated them in over a slow fire in a metal sheet we call "Comal".

-Chicken:
You prepare it usually as a Hendl, and then you tear it into little "hebras"...
You use them to stuff the taco.

-Guacamole, that is, onion, avocado and sometimes chilli and tomato, all blended.

-Salsa:
Take 2 serrano chillis:
http://www.jihnos.com/img/productos/chile_serrano.jpg
four tomatoes, and a garlic clove. Boil them in a lot of water, filter them from the water, and then blend. Ad a lot of salt.

-Prepare, the tacos, then fry them to make them stay like that. You might wanna use some toothpicks to help you.

-Add Guacamole and put the salsa on the side.

-Add some refried beans.

-???

-Profit.

[Crimmy]

@Kyuubi:

Hey, I don't take it kindly that you attack escamoles like that.
First of all, they have a lot more protein than you average food.

Second, they are NOT nasty. They are quite tasty, and they have went through all kinds of regulations to make sure they are not bad (I assure you ,they're not bad.)

Third, that job and that food were considered so important BECAUSE of the difficulties of getting such eggs. And the collectors were important people, because they were able to get the eggs without much problem.

Fourth, just because they're insect eggs doesn't make them food for "insane people". So by saying you eat them while being insane, you're actually addressing half the mexican population, and 5/6ths of the Aztec population.

Fifth, by eating them, the Agave destruction is reduced, thus providing more plants to make Tequila. Note that Tequila is the name for the Blue Agave beverage that is produced in Tequila, Jalisco.

[Kneenibble]

What's your problem? If the eggplants felt too hard/not cooked enough, the trick is to bake them in the oven FIRST before cooking them as intended in the recipe, like stir frying them. I heard that steam could work too.

What's your problem?! :smallfurious:

Heh.
My problem is that they are either firm and the skin is hard, however long they cook, or that they just turn to flavourless, unpalattable mush. "The" recipe? Is that the standard way to prepare eggplants for a dish?

Crimmy, those pictures you posted look far too delicious. And now I shall pine away in longing.

[Crimmy]

"The" recipe? Is that the standard way to prepare eggplants for a dish?

One would assume so, just for the term he used.



Crimmy, those pictures you posted look far too delicious. And now I shall pine away in longing.

Well, if luck's on your side, you might find one or two guys around wherever it is you live that might sell you "real" tortillas. With that and the recipe above, you're in the process of living the mexican taco.

[tyckspoon]

A rolled fried tortilla makes a taquito or occasionally a flauta around here. Tacos are distinguished by being open-topped and served in such a way as to be consumed as finger foods (albeit somewhat messy ones for the better tacos), which your pictures definitely aren't.. that particular serving style actually looks a lot more like an enchilada plate to me, served dry for some bizarre reason. The rest of the preparation sounds right, the meat and dressings are just stuffed inside an open tortilla instead of rolled into a fried one.

I suspect probably 'taco' also has uses as a generic term for 'anything served inside a smallish tortilla', as opposed to burritos that use much larger tortilla rounds.

[Crimmy]

A rolled fried tortilla makes a taquito or occasionally a flauta around here. Tacos are distinguished by being open-topped and served in such a way as to be consumed as finger foods (albeit somewhat messy ones for the better tacos), which your pictures definitely aren't.. that particular serving style actually looks a lot more like an enchilada plate to me, served dry for some bizarre reason. The rest of the preparation sounds right, the meat and dressings are just stuffed inside an open tortilla instead of rolled into a fried one.

I suspect probably 'taco' also has uses as a generic term for 'anything served inside a smallish tortilla', as opposed to burritos that use much larger tortilla rounds.

I would beg to differ for 2 reasons:

1.- WE invented tacos, tortillas, flautas, enchiladas, chilaquiles, etc. So I guess we know about it.

2.- Taco is what I've shown. Taco is a way of serving lot's of things ROLLED inside a large tortilla, not a small one. Unless you talk about "Tacos al pastor", which is kinda like a Shishkebab put between 2 small tortillas put one over the other, served with pineapple, chopped onion and parsley. Adding lemon or salsa to it is nice.

Or unless you talk about "Tacos acorazados", in which you use two large tortillas put one above the other in order to turn it into one broader one. It's usually filled with mexican rice and beef milanesa.

So, as you can see, Mexico knows what he is talking about.

[Serpentine]

Hey, I don't take it kindly that you attack escamoles like that.
First of all, they have a lot more protein than you average food.He didn't. As he clearly states, that all came from a site called Cracked.com.

Second, they are NOT nasty. They are quite tasty, and they have went through all kinds of regulations to make sure they are not bad (I assure you ,they're not bad.)
Escamoles have a surprisingly pleasant taste: buttery and slightly nutty.
Third, that job and that food were considered so important BECAUSE of the difficulties of getting such eggs.Like a lot of ridiculous (not saying this one is - I'd probably try it) delicacies.

Fourth, just because they're insect eggs doesn't make them food for "insane people". So by saying you eat them while being insane, you're actually addressing half the mexican population, and 5/6ths of the Aztec population.No mention of "insanity" was made by either Kyuubi nor the article. "Horrifying", yes, but that's a very subjective term not directed at the consumer particularly.

Fifth, by eating them, the Agave destruction is reduced, thus providing more plants to make Tequila. Note that Tequila is the name for the Blue Agave beverage that is produced in Tequila, Jalisco.That's interesting.

You should put that recipe in the Cookbook Thread, if it's still revivable! Anyway, here's the tacos I know:
http://www.fastmoving.co.za/news-archive/non-client-activity/3D_Taco_Kit-3.jpg
And the "soft tacos" which, it seems, are closer to the original:
http://s4.hubimg.com/u/427411_f520.jpg

I love the Old El Paso taco sauce P=

[Amiel]

For eggplants, you could cut each into strips, combine in a light batter, season to choice and make pancakes.

You could lightly steam the sliced eggplant and once they're done (cooked), you could serve with a dipping sauce; guacamole.

You could also dice up the eggplants, combine (cook) with pasta sauce and serve with pasta.

Another method would be to slice the eggplant into fan shapes, slit each down the middle and fill with a filling (whatever you wish) and then cook that in the oven.

[Crimmy]

You should put that recipe in the Cookbook Thread, if it's still revivable! Anyway, here's the tacos I know:
And the "soft tacos" which, it seems, are closer to the original
I love the Old El Paso taco sauce P=

The first one, I wanna cry.
The second one, all you need is change those tortillas to something a lot more soft, so you can roll it, and it's aces. Almost.

The cookbook thread?... Hmm. Mah be.

[Mystic Muse]

snip

Judging by the way this was recieved I better delete my post and just link the article to Vorpal. Sorry that I accidentally offended you.:smallfrown:

I don't usually judge people by what they eat. I might question the sanity of somebody eating casu Marzu just because it's illegal everywhere for a reason But I won't judge somebody just because they like weird foods. (or more accurately, food I consider weird.) However, don't expect me to eat things just because they're a cultural dish. I don't think I'm ever going to try lutefisk or Haggis. Escamoles might actually be good and I'd actually be willing to try them if they really weren't too bad. I'd just need something to get the taste out in case they were. I have very specific tastes and textures I like.

[Serpentine]

They are soft, and you can roll them, they're just used like taco shells.

[Asta Kask]

The thing is, lutfisk is nothing compared to the horror that is surströmming (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surstr%C3%B6mming).

*shudders*

[Fifty-Eyed Fred]

However, don't expect me to eat things just because they're a cultural dish. I don't think I'm ever going to try lutefisk or Haggis.

Haggis is very nice, and in no way bizarre in texture or anything like that. Highly recommended.

[Serpentine]

Witchetty grubs feel like sandy paste wrapped in prawn shell :smallyuk: I don't remember what it tastes like.

[KuReshtin]

The thing is, lutfisk is nothing compared to the horror that is surströmming (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surstr%C3%B6mming).

*shudders*

Agreed. And I refuse to eat either Lutefisk or Surströmming. They are both vile, disgusting and just plain wrong.
Lutefisk in and of itself tastes of nothing. As in. It has no taste. The consistency is like half-coagulated snot. It's just plain wrong.

Surströmming is rotted fish. There's no other way to describe it. Several places in Sweden have banned surströmming from being eaten indoors because of the stench setting into the walls of the building for weeks afterwards.


Haggis is very nice, and in no way bizarre in texture or anything like that. Highly recommended.

Haggis is nice. the only reason people won't try it is because they know wat's in it.
To be honest, though, a lot of these people are also very happy to eat a hot dog without batting an eyelid, even if a hot dog has a lot more crap in it than does haggis.


On the question of Aubergine/eggplant, try making Moussaka. Traditional greek dish, comparable to lasagna, only using eggplant instead of the pasta.
What I found when cooking Moussaka was that you get more taste to the eggplant if you let it soak in a bit of salt and pepper before you start cooking it. Kind of like marinading it with some spice beforehand. Worked really well for me.

[Yora]

The thing is, lutfisk is nothing compared to the horror that is surströmming (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surstr%C3%B6mming).

*shudders*
Any scandinavian food made from old fish is disgusting. :smallbiggrin:

In northern germany, we only have Labskaus. It's mashed potatoes mixed with grounded fish and beef, boiled eggs, beetroot, and onions. It's not so much the ingredients, but they way it's served. Completely disgusting. :smallconfused:

[Amiel]

What is the most delicious food that you've ever had the pleasure of omnoming eating.

[KuReshtin]

What is the most delicious food that you've ever had the pleasure of omnoming eating.

I don't think I can specify one specific food that is the best I've ever had. It depends a whole lot on the circumstances.

I quite liked the alligator I had in New Orleans, but every time I go home to visit the family in Sweden, if they serve 'kroppkakor' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kroppkakor), that is absolutely awesome. They don't look very tasty, but they're soooo nice.
Or sometimes, something as simple as some pan-fried salted belly pork with boiled potatos and onion gravy can be absolutely divine as well.

[Anuan]

What is the most delicious food that you've ever had the pleasure of omnoming eating.

Probably either my dad's Steak Dianne with homemade chips and a salad, or a good Kiev. You can't go wrong with chicken, breadcrumbs and garlic butter. Mmmm...

[Mystic Muse]

here's the difference between haggis and a hot dog for me.

I don't know what's in a hot dog.:smalltongue:

[Crimmy]

They are soft, and you can roll them, they're just used like taco shells.

Well, I didn't know that. But from the image I can tell those (in the photo) are hard shells... I no like 'em.

Anyway, talked with more mexicans about this, and most of them agree with the fact that Taco Bull is only lying to most of you. I'd love to know what made them think these things are chalupas: http://i.timeinc.net/recipes/i/recipes/sl/05/10/chalupa-bowl-sl-1108226-l.jpg
http://morethananelectrician.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/chalupa.jpg

Because, clearly, these are:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Chalupas_%28food%29.jpg

They, too, are soft tortillas.

[Kneenibble]

On Youtube somewhere there's a beautiful gay man who puts on his drag persona, a mouthy black woman, and records prank calls she does. One of them was to Taco Bell to complain about her chalupas. It made me fall in love with the word. I can't find the video again though.

Crimmy, I hope you're happy: I'm making the sound a dog makes at the dinner table right now. Would you please stop continue posting authentic Mexican food porn?

[Crimmy]

Crimmy, I hope you're happy: I'm making the sound a dog makes at the dinner table right now. Would you please stop continue posting authentic Mexican food porn?

I'd dig that video...

And... mexican food you say?
I'm about to crash this precise frigging page.
...
The order is:
-Chilaquiles and eggs.
-Oaxacan Tamales.
-"Cochinita Pibil" (Pibil Swine, Pibil pig.)
-Chiles en Nogada

http://www.buyigo.com/panelwi/recetas/recetas/img/a5b5b8_chilaquiles.jpg
http://manualderecetas.com/wp-content/tamales-oaxaquenos.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jHhg2CJRc38/SeKbMBn7FHI/AAAAAAAAAB8/T5hG6hJWBJ4/s400/foto_cochinita_2.jpg
http://joyvictory.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/70900397_208db43019.jpg

[Mystic Muse]

the egg dish looks good but the eggs don't look fully cooked. I'm not a fan of eggs that aren't fully cooked.

[Crimmy]

the egg dish looks good but the eggs don't look fully cooked. I'm not a fan of eggs that aren't fully cooked.

It doesn't look fully cooked because it isn't fully cooked.
Have you never even tried sunny-side up eggs?

[THAC0]

the egg dish looks good but the eggs don't look fully cooked. I'm not a fan of eggs that aren't fully cooked.

Sunny-side eggs are win.

Though some people get too squicked out to even try them, I don't know why! Best things ever! :smallbiggrin:

[Serpentine]

Well, I didn't know that. But from the image I can tell those (in the photo) are hard shells... I no like 'em.The ones in the second photo are soft. Small tortillas.

Mexican food looks veeeery tasty P=

Hrm... Any questions about Australian food?

[Kurien]

What does kangaroo meat taste like? :smallconfused: What is the best part of the kangaroo, the tail?

[Serpentine]

The tail is grissly, bony and full of fat and ligaments and the like. Like ox tail and the like, 'cept bigger. Makes good soup though, I hear (my biology teacher had a recipe for kangaroo tail soup, but I never did get it off her...). As for best part... I'll be honest, I don't actually know which part of the 'roo I eat :smallconfused: Huh... Never thought about that.
Raw kangaroo meat smells kinda odd. A bit... gamey, I guess. It's very easy to make it tough - you should generally cook it very quickly. This is, I believe, in large part due to the fact that it is extremely low in fat. As for the taste... I never know how to describe meat flavours... I would maybe put it as being the reddest of the red meat. I suppose maybe you could compare it to lamb, if it's an extra-lean cut cooked only rare. I love it with a macadamia crust or cumin. You can also get pre-marinated "mini roasts", which are delicious, though I find that every now and then one has a peculiar bitter taste.
As well as being low in fat, by the way, their feet have a very low impact on soil and plants (unlike hoofed animals like sheep and cattle that trample down soil and vegetation and muddy up waterways, ruining the land), eat "lower quality" food, and don't fart out masses of methane. They're generally good for everyone.

[Mystic Muse]

It doesn't look fully cooked because it isn't fully cooked.
Have you never even tried sunny-side up eggs?

I don't know. I eat something that looks vaguely like the egg in the middle of the picture but it has a white coating over it from oil to make sure the egg is cooked enough that it won't give the eater salmonella. the yolk isn't solid though and I generally eat it with toast if at all.

generally I eat either scrambled or hard boiled eggs.

[Serpentine]

If the egg's fresh, it's extremely unlikely to have any nasties. If it comes from anywhere, it'd be from the outside of the shell, which can be solved by washing it.

Never quite understood the fear of eggs :smallconfused:

[Mystic Muse]

If the egg's fresh, it's extremely unlikely to have any nasties. If it comes from anywhere, it'd be from the outside of the shell, which can be solved by washing it.

Never quite understood the fear of eggs :smallconfused:

It's just something my family does.

Kangaroo sounds like it'd taste kind of good.

[Occasional Sage]

Speaking of eggs, anybody else ever add milk to them? It makes them fluffier and adds flavor. :smallbiggrin:


Sure. It's the only way to go.

What happens in cooking is that the protein chains in the eggs are being twisted and kinked, like taking a real metal chain and twisting it around and around into knots. The egg proteins become hard and tight.

With milk added, the protein chains are coated in fat, like adding a layer of plastic to the metal chain. When cooked, they can't twist as tightly, giving your eggs a lighter, fluffier texture.

The same technique works with meat, notably in the lovely Italian bolognese (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolognese_sauce).

[KuReshtin]

here's the difference between haggis and a hot dog for me.

I don't know what's in a hot dog.:smalltongue:

This was exactly my point.

[Amiel]

According to a Simpson's episode, it consisted of the following miscellaneous meats; rat, raccoon, pigeon?
Such an enjoyable selection, and quite palatable!

[Serpentine]

Pigeon is delicious P= I have one in my freezer, waiting for me to decide what to do with it and then get the motivation to do it...

[Amiel]

It calls to you for it to be roasted with vegetables, and topped with a nice gravy sauce. That or pan-fried or baked in flour. Tastes like awesome.

I've always wanted to try pigeon! :)
Have you had quail? Does it taste much like it?


Or sometimes, something as simple as some pan-fried salted belly pork with boiled potatos and onion gravy can be absolutely divine as well.

That does sound especially awesomesauce.

All this talk of food is making me especially hungry :(
Tea (dinner time) soon!



What does kangaroo meat taste like?

Chicken.


What is the best part of the kangaroo, the tail?

All of it; especially the eyes.

No, I kid, the best parts are those that can be made into fillets, steaks, minced meat and kanga bangas (kangaroo sausages).

This is kangaroo meat that is sold at the Queen Victoria Markets in Melbourne
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c6/Kangaroo_Meat.jpg/800px-Kangaroo_Meat.jpg

[Serpentine]

I had it at a Chinese restaurant (best late-night snack EVAR) with some sort of... uh... Chinese-style sauce.

And I don't particularly like 'roo sausages... They're a bit too dry and/or plain or something. I'd try some seasoned ones, though.

[KuReshtin]

That does sound especially awesomesauce.


The problem with that dish is that I can't seem to find a good enough piece of salted pork (rimmat fläsk) in the UK. I've tried with regular bacon, but it's just not the same, I think mainly cause the slices of the salted pork to go with the potatos and onion gravy are thicker than regular bacon slices.

Once the salted pork has been pan fried, you fry up some chopped onions in the leftover fat from the pork to soften the onions up a bit, and then pour some regular flour on top and then add milk to make the sauce. Add further salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with boiled potatos.

Is preferrably eaten in the way of chopping the potatos down into small pieces and mixed up with the sauce to make kind of a creamy oniony potato mash.

[Yora]

I really shouldn't read this thread.

When you were talking about rotten fish, at least I didn't get hungry.

[Aedilred]

What's your problem?! :smallfurious:

Heh.
My problem is that they are either firm and the skin is hard, however long they cook, or that they just turn to flavourless, unpalattable mush. "The" recipe? Is that the standard way to prepare eggplants for a dish?
There are two main problems with trying to cook aubergines (eggplants to you). The first is that they'll suck up as much oil as you put with them, and the second is that they're already full of water. Combine the two and you end up with a soggy, watery, largely inedible mess.

The trick is to "drain" them before you start cooking. Chop them up however you intend to cook/serve them (not too small, though- they'll just disintegrate) and sprinkle the inner flesh with salt. Leave them for about twenty minutes and a lot of the moisture will have been drawn to the surface. Dry them with kitchen paper or the like and you're ready to go.

You still have the problem that they'll suck up oil like nobody's business, so if you do want to shallow-fry them (they can be delicious done this way) be judicious with the amount of oil you use. You want just enough to give them a bit of flavour, but not so much that they re-absorb all the fluid they lost in the salting. A better option perhaps is to grill them (although a bit of oil sprinkled on top might not go amiss) or to stuff and bake them.

The best aubergines I've ever had were in China in a restaurant I'll never visit again. I have no idea what they did to them- none of my experiments have turned up anything close to them. There was a decent amount of garlic in there, though.

[Kurien]

Ooh, I have a question!

I have an ISP for my Hospitality Class that basically asks me to take a preexisting soup recipe and alter it to make it "my own". To do that, I must change 3 elements of the soup, such as switching out or adding an ingredient, changing the amounts of certain ingredients, and changing cooking time.

It's also going to be a competition for the best soup, so each student's soup will be judged and rated, and a winner will be decided on.

Can someone find a good recipe for Pho soup, a Vietamese noodly cuisine?

How should I cook the rice noodles before I serve them?

[Kneenibble]

*snip*

Thank you, sweetie, that was exactly the kind of information I wanted. As I thought, they go far beyond the "chop and apply heat" method of easier food plants. Now to wait until there are some decent ones in the markets to play with. I'm almost tempted to grow them this summer just because I love the way they look so much -- shape, colour, gloss.

What kind of an eggplant dish was it that you ate, that so enamoured you?

[RebelRogue]

On the topic of eggplants: there is much wisdom in Aedilred's post, so I'll just add one bit of advice.

Try frying them on a grilled pan (you don't use oil on those, so sogging up liquid will be no problem). The charring you get this way will IMO make them very delicious. Absolutely great for salads, pizza topping or of course moussaka.

[Quincunx]

Kurien: Viet World Kitchen (http://vietworldkitchen.typepad.com/blog/2008/10/pho-beef-noodle-soup.html) is the recipe I used. Best of all for your purposes, the author has already done some substitutions for the ingredients some people can't access and written down their effect on the soup.

Kneenibble: Growing eggplant does one thing to your garden: when the potato beetles arrive, it ensures the tomatoes won't be eaten first. The plant is magnetic to beetles.

[Kurien]

Kurien: Viet World Kitchen (http://vietworldkitchen.typepad.com/blog/2008/10/pho-beef-noodle-soup.html) is the recipe I used. Best of all for your purposes, the author has already done some substitutions for the ingredients some people can't access and written down their effect on the soup.

Thanks! :smallbiggrin: I read it over, and I think the recipe is perfect! There's a few things I think I could change or add to make it my own.

The recipe calls for raw beef that will be cooked by pouring the hot broth over. I'm not sure if the judges will eat rare beef, so I decided to leave it out, and instead increase the amount of brisket during the making of the broth to 2.5 pounds. I think I will also add a few coriander seeds. How does that sound?

[Arakune]

This is most a drink-food interaction, but there are various wines for various types of food. What about beer? There is such distinction?

[arguskos]

This is most a drink-food interaction, but there are various wines for various types of food. What about beer? There is such distinction?
Yes, though I am not familiar enough to quote you them atm, sorry.


Truly there is nothing on earth that compares with the utter twistedness that is mankind.
I've had everything on that list. I mostly agree with it too. And yes, Kyuubi, it was that illegal cheese. :smallwink:

[Mystic Muse]

Yes, though I am not familiar enough to quote you them atm, sorry.


I've had everything on that list. I mostly agree with it too. And yes, Kyuubi, it was that illegal cheese. :smallwink:

I would have thought the fact that it was illegal would have tipped you off.......

Darnit I actually want to try escamoles now.:smalleek:

[arguskos]

I would have thought the fact that it was illegal would have tipped you off.......

Darnit I actually want to try escamoles now.:smalleek:
I never mentioned where I'd had it (nor will I). It was worth trying once though, in that everything is worth doing/trying one time, just to see how it was. Wasn't as bad as fresh brain though, gotta say. Also, it was probably a less enjoyable experience than live scorpions (that was odd, and I'm never having it again).