Idle Food - Cooking!

[JonCole]

Do you have a "I walked uphill both ways"-style explanation for this?

 

DON'T BUY A DAMN GARLIC PRESS.

 

If one doesn't like chopping up garlic (or peeling garlic), it's a good investment. I honestly just think it's a tool of convenience. As another unabashed Alton fanboy, I do know that pressing garlic releases an enzyme that produces the strong garlic odor so I usually don't use my press in favor of chopping. But at some point and for some people, convenience trumps "just use a chef's knife!" and there's nothing I or anyone else can do to stop them wanting an easier time in the kitchen.

[SecretAsianMan]

I like garlic presses (I really like the smell of garlic so the odor doesn't bother me in the least).  The only thing I hate is cleaning them, although that one that Jon linked seems to come with a cleaning tool so that looks like a good investment.

 

And if you want to peel garlic quickly, there's this trick

 

[Twig]

WHAT

 

I didn't mind the actual cutting part, 'cause I feel that's a skill that will develop over time, but the peeling was what took too long for my tastes. Now I feel like my whole life up until this point has been meaningless.

[JonCole]

I remember seeing that video and saying OMG for the first time, but then realized that I don't have huge bowls nor a dishwasher. I usually just use a heavy chef's knife and bash the garlic clove with the side of my blade, does the job though clearly not as magically.

[Badfinger]

Do you have a "I walked uphill both ways"-style explanation for this?

 

Two things. One is my aforementioned Alton Brown cult disciple aversion to buying a $15 piece of kitchen equipment that only mashes garlic when I have multiple tools that already do that. Two, this particular task is pretty easy to learn, and any time you use your knife you're going to develop better knife skills. It translates to cutting and chopping a bunch of stuff. I think that's worth it?

 

If you only need a couple of cloves and not the whole head, the way to peel quickly is to put it on your cutting board, take a broad knife or a pan at its widest part, and give it a little smack with heel of your palm. It'll pre-squish your garlic for easier chopping and the skin comes right off.

 

 

I really liked that video. Short, to the point, and he smiled at me. The coring a head of lettuce video was even shorter! Showing something in 30 seconds that takes 30 seconds to explain is internet magic!

[SecretAsianMan]

I remember seeing that video and saying OMG for the first time, but then realized that I don't have huge bowls nor a dishwasher. I usually just use a heavy chef's knife and bash the garlic clove with the side of my blade, does the job though clearly not as magically.

 

You don't need to use bowls the size of the ones in the video, although they certainly make it easier.  Smaller containers will work, they'll just require more vigorous shaking.  You might get some bruising of the garlic but nothing that will ruin it.  For a long time I used a plastic storage container with a lid.

[dibs]

Cleaning a garlic press is way more annoying than chopping garlic.

Twig: Get your big knife. Lay the flat side on the garlic and put your weight against it. Garlic will smash. Cut off root end. Remove skin. Chop from root tend. Since it is smashed, the garlic will now be in tiny pieces.

Like this woman, but you can stop once it is chopped if that is what you want.

[Twig]

oh

 

oh god

 

i just realized i put too much garlic in my chili

 

way too much

 

...it tasted fine, though??

 

although i was basically starving by that point

[dibs]

DId you mistake bulbs for cloves? If it tasted fine then who cares. Be careful in the future though, you might have gotten lucky with a weak batch of garlic.

[Twig]

Yeah that's exactly what I did.

 

It helps that I love garlic I guess but yeahhhh.

 

(Also that explains why it took so fucking long.)

[JonCole]

I also generally dislike uni-taskers, but Alton himself has at least a couple that he keeps for what I consider to be pretty subjective (though well thought out) reasons. I only have two - a garlic press and a ceramic grater (99% of the time used for ginger).

 

I really liked that video. Short, to the point, and he smiled at me. The coring a head of lettuce video was even shorter! Showing something in 30 seconds that takes 30 seconds to explain is internet magic!

 

Jamie Oliver has

with kitchen tips, I like that kind of stuff too.

[Mangela Lansbury]

Alton Brown keeps a sword around just for opening champagne, so I don't think he has any room to talk.

[Twig]

omg his pointer is a fork

 

i'm now in love with alton brown

[SecretAsianMan]

I also generally dislike uni-taskers, but Alton himself has at least a couple that he keeps for what I consider to be pretty subjective (though well thought out) reasons. I only have two - a garlic press and a ceramic grater (99% of the time used for ginger).

 

Which grater do you have?  I'm in need of one for the same reason as you.

[undermind9]

WHAT

 

I didn't mind the actual cutting part, 'cause I feel that's a skill that will develop over time, but the peeling was what took too long for my tastes. Now I feel like my whole life up until this point has been meaningless.

 

This works pretty good too - Garlic Roller.  Also some of the larger garlic presses will work with the peels on, cuts down on yield a little bit - but much quicker

 

not to get into another uni-tool situation.  but if you want to avoid the peeling this is a fairly small tool that works pretty good,  its the same idea as the smashing and shaking trick but keeps the peels in the tube

 

I am an Alton Fan-Boy as well - but am more inclined to get a specialty tool for unique instances if it truly will improve efficiency and get enough use.  Being said, my wife has some asinine tools that are never used and get on my short list of next kitchen clean out.  Regarding the garlic press and roller - if I can avoid chopping small garlics I usually will

[Twig]

I wanna go home and try peeling some garlic for fun now that everyone's shared these cool tricks. X:

 

But I've got chili for a few days at least, so I'll hold off. Also I bought a bunch of chicken and a can of salsa for a slow cooker thing so I'll try that out after the chili's gone.

[Griddlelol]

too much garlic 

 

I don't understand what this means. 

[dibs]

Some things i made recently

 

[Twig]

I put some chicken and salsa in my slow cooker and it makes for good tacos. The meat is a little... dry? I dunno. It's better than anything I'd make on a normal night, though. (i.e., nothing)

 

But I'm here for another reason!

 

This is about tea. Not cooking. Well maybe it counts. I dunno. It's something you consume, so! Anyway, the only good memory I have of being stuck in Seoul for a month was visiting a place called "Old Tea Shop", where pretty little birds fly around as you drink tea. I had hot cinnamon tea. It was delicious. So delicious. I'm not a big tea person but I do remember thinking if all tea was this good I'd never stop drinking it.

 

Someone tell me how to make good hot cinnamon tea.

[Badfinger]

Dibs you make delicious looking food. Your photography and presentation are great. You could totally get away with being a self-indulgent food blogger. I would support you in that endeavor.

[Dewar]

I put some chicken and salsa in my slow cooker and it makes for good tacos. The meat is a little... dry? I dunno. It's better than anything I'd make on a normal night, though. (i.e., nothing)

 

But I'm here for another reason!

 

This is about tea. Not cooking. Well maybe it counts. I dunno. It's something you consume, so! Anyway, the only good memory I have of being stuck in Seoul for a month was visiting a place called "Old Tea Shop", where pretty little birds fly around as you drink tea. I had hot cinnamon tea. It was delicious. So delicious. I'm not a big tea person but I do remember thinking if all tea was this good I'd never stop drinking it.

 

Someone tell me how to make good hot cinnamon tea.

 

Meat that tastes "moist" generally has steeped in it's own juices and fat. If you put enough liquid in, you start to leach those juices and fat out of the meat and into the liquid, akin to a soup. So if it's dry I'd say run it for less time, put in less liquid, or use a fattier cut.

[tegan]

I made hot dog fried rice.

 

 

 

 

(it was better than expected)

[dibs]

Dibs you make delicious looking food. Your photography and presentation are great. You could totally get away with being a self-indulgent food blogger. I would support you in that endeavor.

 

Thanks, but i'm much rather be cooking and eating it than fretting over a blog^^ As it is, i post most of what i make to 2 forums already (And as you can see the odd pic dump here!).

Nomnomnomnom.

[JonCole]

I put some chicken and salsa in my slow cooker and it makes for good tacos. The meat is a little... dry? I dunno. It's better than anything I'd make on a normal night, though. (i.e., nothing)

 

But I'm here for another reason!

 

This is about tea. Not cooking. Well maybe it counts. I dunno. It's something you consume, so! Anyway, the only good memory I have of being stuck in Seoul for a month was visiting a place called "Old Tea Shop", where pretty little birds fly around as you drink tea. I had hot cinnamon tea. It was delicious. So delicious. I'm not a big tea person but I do remember thinking if all tea was this good I'd never stop drinking it.

 

Someone tell me how to make good hot cinnamon tea.

 

Not knowing exactly what you've had, I'd guess you just boil water and add a black tea bag and cinnamon stick. Let it steep for three or four minutes and pull it all out.

 

You might also be well served by chai tea if you liked "cinnamon tea".

[Twig]

Yeah I don't know what I had either. It was literally just called hot cinnamon tea! I don't blame anyone for having boo idea what it could be. D:

I have tried chai before from a peets coffee. Wasn't into it, but maybe they just have bad chai.