To fuck or to cook?

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally Posted by Atticus Grinch

Pino comes home from school and says, "Papa, Papa, today the teacher asked the class who could count to twenty and the other boys could only go to 12, but I knew all the numbers!" Papa says, "Very good, Pino! And do you know why you're so smart? It's because we are Italiano!"

Pino comes home from school the next day and says, "Papa, Papa, today we were playing in the schoolyard and throwing the ball and the other boys couldn't throw it to the fence, but I could!" And Papa says, "Very good, Pino! And do you know why you're so strong? It's because we are Italiano!"

Pino comes home from school the next day and says, "Papa, Papa, today after school the boys were all showing their weiners, and the other boys' were all very small, but mine was very big. Is that because we are Italiano?" And Papa says, "No, Pino, it's because you're 22."

this doesn't make sense to me. in the olympics, say in gymnastics, there is a minimum age but no maximum age. maybe you need to rework your joke?

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

this doesn't make sense to me. in the olympics, say in gymnastics, there is a minimum age but no maximum age. maybe you need to rework your joke?

I think you take away from this joke what you bring to it. So you can imagine either a pitiful 22-year-old man-child, or you can imagine that the entire Italian higher education system operates at a kindergarten level, if you first assume that all college-age Italian men but one are both severely retarded and poorly endowed. So it works both ways.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally Posted by Atticus Grinch

I think you take away from this joke what you bring to it. So you can imagine either a pitiful 22-year-old man-child, or you can imagine that the entire Italian higher education system operates at a kindergarten level, if you first assume that all college-age Italian men but one are both severely retarded and poorly endowed. So it works both ways.

i like that the educational system focuses on core subjects like math, but still retains a phy ed component to avoid the obesity we are seeing. did your school have after school activities like Pino's?

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

i like that the educational system focuses on core subjects like math, but still retains a phy ed component to avoid the obesity we are seeing. did your school have after school activities like Pino's?

We used hazing for weight control. According to Pino's Story, the PE program only started paying dividends at 22. I don't know whether you're reading the news, but in today's global economy, if you're not Olympic calibre by 12 or 13, you're second place at best.

[tmdiva]

Originally Posted by ltl/fb

I think they taste better -- I am not a huge Fig Newton fan, but I do sometimes like dried figs. I like fresh ones better. You should try a fresh one! It certainly won't hurt you.


Mmmmmm, bacon.

These recipes for figs look pretty awesome. She also posts elsewhere about roasting halved figs with butter and brown sugar, then serving with a dollop of mascarpone cheese. Sounds fab.

tm

[Fugee]

Originally Posted by Sidd Finch

But you have access to fried carmelized maple-syrupy bacon on a stick, so discussing any other food that you might eat seems pointless.

I went to the State Fair this past weekend and managed to include the aforementioned bacon items in the vast amount of bad-for-you things I ate and drank.

The chocolate-dipped bacon was interesting tasting in a good way (not how Minnesotans say "that's different" to mean they hate something). The bacon was in approx. 3" pieces, fried crispy and flat, cooled, dipped about halfway in semisweet chocolate and cooled. When the chocolate was still soft, they sprinkled large grain sea salt on it. It was a nice blend of salty and sweet. I'd consider making these at home if I was jonesing for something salty and sweet and/or had a yen for some bacon.

The bacon on a stick was less appealing. A 1/3 pound strip of bacon is pretty darn thick and this was fairly meaty bacon. The "carmelization" in maple syrup was just a brief dip into maple syrup between the griddle and being handed to the customer. They had 3 different dipping sauces: BBQ, honey mustard and orange chipotle (mostly orange marmalade). It was OK but I'd rather have the grilled pork chop on a stick.**

Neither one of those will make it onto my annual State Fair "must eat" list.

Fringey, I meant to get you a pig ears paper hat from the Pig Barn but it was closed when I got there. Too bad -- they're cute. Your local affiliate has a regular booth at the fair so maybe someone from there can send you one! Fugee Sister watches that news so we went up to talk to the main female news anchor, who is much prettier and smaller in person than on TV.

**"On a stick" is a prevalent theme in State Fair food.

[Jack Manfred]

I just now woke up after eating my first fried Twinkie.





Those things need to come with insulin shots.

It wasn't bad, but I don't think I'll be eating another one anytime soon. The frying seems to give the Twinkie a funnel-cake texture.

[Fugee]

Originally Posted by Jack Manfred

I just now woke up after eating my first fried Twinkie.





Those things need to come with insulin shots.

It wasn't bad, but I don't think I'll be eating another one anytime soon. The frying seems to give the Twinkie a funnel-cake texture.

I've eaten many a fried food item at the State Fair, but have always steered clear of the fried Twinkies and the deep fried candy bars.

[Adder]

Originally Posted by Fugee

I've eaten many a fried food item at the State Fair, but have always steered clear of the fried Twinkies and the deep fried candy bars.

And yet after all of these years, I am still partial to the pronto pup.

[ltl/fb]

Originally Posted by Jack Manfred

The frying seems to give the Twinkie a funnel-cake texture.

Is that bad?

[Fugee]

Originally Posted by Adder

And yet after all of these years, I am still partial to the pronto pup.

The Pronto Pup is a State Fair "must eat" on my list, but I only had one in 2 visits to the Fair. The lines were too long everytime I had a yen for one the second day. I also passed on the cheese curds. I like them for the first 2 or 3 and then the grease overwhelms me.

[viet_mom]

I would love suggestions for a "pre-cook" dish. Vietbabe's bday party is next Saturday and there will be about 22 kids (and about as many adults). I'm ordering in pizza for everyone and will have a birthday cake. I will also put out some popcorn as a kiddie munchie and for adults, I will have a veggie plate with dip and chips/salsa. (Yes, I know so creative).

I'd like to attempt a dish I can make a few days ahead and defrost and cook the day of the party. I guess Lasagna is the obvious choice but I have a big jumbo pack of chicken thighs I just bought on sale and I'd love to use them. Any suggestions for an interesting dish that would do well cooked or prepared ahead of time (and would go with pizza sort of?) I usually cook chicken thighs for a long time in a Vietnamese broth that covers the chicken completely so the chicken slides right off the bone when you eat it. But folks at the party aren't going to like my broth (lots of fish sauce) so would love alternatives. Thank you.

[Sparklehorse]

Originally Posted by viet_mom

I would love suggestions for a "pre-cook" dish. Vietbabe's bday party is next Saturday and there will be about 22 kids (and about as many adults). I'm ordering in pizza for everyone and will have a birthday cake. I will also put out some popcorn as a kiddie munchie and for adults, I will have a veggie plate with dip and chips/salsa. (Yes, I know so creative).

I'd like to attempt a dish I can make a few days ahead and defrost and cook the day of the party. I guess Lasagna is the obvious choice but I have a big jumbo pack of chicken thighs I just bought on sale and I'd love to use them. Any suggestions for an interesting dish that would do well cooked or prepared ahead of time (and would go with pizza sort of?) I usually cook chicken thighs for a long time in a Vietnamese broth that covers the chicken completely so the chicken slides right off the bone when you eat it. But folks at the party aren't going to like my broth (lots of fish sauce) so would love alternatives. Thank you.

This recipe is designed to be cooked ahead of time and eaten cold (or room temperature).

From Cook's Illustrated, 7/2006

Spice-Rubbed Picnic Chicken

If you plan to serve the chicken later on the same day that you cook it, refrigerate it immediately after it has cooled, then let it come back to room temperature before serving. On the breast pieces, we use toothpicks to secure the skin, which otherwise shrinks considerably in the oven, leaving the meat exposed and prone to drying out. We think the extra effort is justified, but you can omit this step. This recipe halves easily.

Serves 8
5 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (breasts, thighs, drumsticks, or a mix with breasts cut into 3 pieces or halved if small), trimmed of excess fat and skin
2 tablespoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper


1. Use sharp knife to make 2 or 3 short slashes in skin of each piece of chicken, taking care not to cut into meat. Combine salt, sugar, and spices in small bowl and mix thoroughly. Coat chicken pieces with spices, gently lifting skin to distribute spice rub underneath but leaving it attached to chicken. Transfer chicken skin side up to wire rack set over rimmed foil-lined baking sheet, lightly tent with foil, and refrigerate 6 to 24 hours.

2. Secure skin of each breast piece with 2 or 3 toothpicks placed near edges of skin.

3. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 425 degrees. Roast chicken until thickest part of smallest piece registers 140 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees and continue roasting until chicken is browned and crisp and thickest parts of breast pieces register 160 degrees, 5 to 8 minutes longer, removing pieces from oven and transferring to clean wire rack as they finish cooking. Continue to roast thighs and/or drumsticks, if using, until thickest part of meat registers 170 to 175 degrees, about 5 minutes longer. Remove from oven; transfer chicken to rack and let cool completely before refrigerating or serving.

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by viet_mom

I would love suggestions for a "pre-cook" dish. Vietbabe's bday party is next Saturday and there will be about 22 kids (and about as many adults). I'm ordering in pizza for everyone and will have a birthday cake. I will also put out some popcorn as a kiddie munchie and for adults, I will have a veggie plate with dip and chips/salsa. (Yes, I know so creative).

I'd like to attempt a dish I can make a few days ahead and defrost and cook the day of the party. I guess Lasagna is the obvious choice but I have a big jumbo pack of chicken thighs I just bought on sale and I'd love to use them. Any suggestions for an interesting dish that would do well cooked or prepared ahead of time (and would go with pizza sort of?) I usually cook chicken thighs for a long time in a Vietnamese broth that covers the chicken completely so the chicken slides right off the bone when you eat it. But folks at the party aren't going to like my broth (lots of fish sauce) so would love alternatives. Thank you.

Brown the chicken thighs in a large skillet (do not cook through).

Add a bit of olive oil if necessary, then saute a large onion, thinly sliced in the same pan. Once the onions are limp and translucent, add one pound of sliced mushrooms, some fresh basil and sage, chiffonaded, and cook until the mushrooms have given up most of their water and are silghtly browned.

Add one bottle of white wine, and cook down until the liquid has reduced by two-thirds.

Preheat oven to 400.

layer thighs on the bottom of a baking dish, cover with the onions and mushrooms. Add 24 oz. of pureed tomatoes.

Bake for one hour.

This can be prepared ahead and reheated the day of the party. I usually serve this with either fettucine or risotto milanese.

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally Posted by viet_mom

I would love suggestions for a "pre-cook" dish. Vietbabe's bday party is next Saturday and there will be about 22 kids (and about as many adults). I'm ordering in pizza for everyone and will have a birthday cake. I will also put out some popcorn as a kiddie munchie and for adults, I will have a veggie plate with dip and chips/salsa. (Yes, I know so creative).

I'd like to attempt a dish I can make a few days ahead and defrost and cook the day of the party. I guess Lasagna is the obvious choice but I have a big jumbo pack of chicken thighs I just bought on sale and I'd love to use them. Any suggestions for an interesting dish that would do well cooked or prepared ahead of time (and would go with pizza sort of?) I usually cook chicken thighs for a long time in a Vietnamese broth that covers the chicken completely so the chicken slides right off the bone when you eat it. But folks at the party aren't going to like my broth (lots of fish sauce) so would love alternatives. Thank you.

Poach the chicken, and then tear it into chunks (save the broth for soup later on down the line). Put the chicken in the fridge covered.

Make a sauce to put on top of the chicken. Refrigerate.

When it's time to put everything out, mix the sauce and the chicken.

My favorite is a green sauce with parsley, anchovies, capers and olive oil, but I'll have to get the recipe from my mom. I think she's probably served that particular dish at a few dozen different parties because it's so easy to do ahead of time. Unless you know about the anchovies ahead of time, you'd have no idea they were there.

I'm helping her out with a party she's hosting tomorrow. I'll ask her for a copy of the recipe.