To fuck or to cook?

[Fugee]

For the bakers out there, Amazon's Gold Box deal of the day is for the 6-quart KitchenAid mixer. Good price plus a $50 rebate plus another rebate if you don't want the magazine subscription that comes with the first rebate.

I want this so bad, but have to keep reminding myself that I have little counter space and the 6 qt model is too tall to fit underneath my upper cupboards so it would be taking up open space I don't have to spare. Sigh.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

On the impracticality of a cheeseburger: A few years ago, I decided that it would be interesting to make a cheeseburger from scratch. Not just regular “from scratch,” but really from scratch. Like, I’d make the buns, I’d make the mustard, I’d grow the tomatoes, I’d grow the lettuce, I’d grow the onion, I’d grind the beef, make the cheese, etc….

[T]o make the buns, I’d need to grind my own wheat, collect my own eggs, and make my own butter. And I’d really need to raise the cow myself (or sheep, and make lamb burgers), mine or extract from seawater my own salt, grow my own mustard plant… plant and harvest the wheat, raise a cow to produce the milk for the butter, raise another cow to slaughter for its rennet to make the cheese, and personally slaughter and process the cow or sheep. At this point I was thinking that this might all add up to an interesting book, and started to consider seriously the undertaking.

Further reflection revealed that it’s quite impractical—nearly impossible—to make a cheeseburger from scratch. Tomatoes are in season in the late summer. Lettuce is in season in the fall. Mammals are slaughtered in early winter. The process of making such a burger would take nearly a year, and would inherently involve omitting some core cheeseburger ingredients. It would be wildly expensive—requiring a trio of cows—and demand many acres of land. There’s just no sense in it.

A cheeseburger cannot exist outside of a highly developed, post-agrarian society. It requires a complex interaction between a handful of vendors—in all likelihood, a couple of dozen—and the ability to ship ingredients vast distances while keeping them fresh. The cheeseburger couldn’t have existed until nearly a century ago as, indeed, it did not…

link

[Sparklehorse]

Does anyone have any recommendations for cooking mustard greens? I know I could do something with some pork fat and vinegar but I'm looking for something beyond generic cooked greens preparations. Thanks in advance for any ideas!

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally Posted by Sparklehorse

Does anyone have any recommendations for cooking mustard greens? I know I could do something with some pork fat and vinegar but I'm looking for something beyond generic cooked greens preparations. Thanks in advance for any ideas!

I throw them in soup sometimes.

[Fugee]

Penske posted something about spicy bacon caramel corn that sounded amazeballs. Couldn't find a recipe that included the "spicy," but there are a few recipes for bacon caramel corn.

I have to make some, either for Christmas (Fugee Sister will complain) or New Year's Eve. Will probably use the Costco pre-cooked bacon pieces.

Bravo TV recipe

Blogger's version of bunrab's recipe below

Cooking channel recipe

Bunrab's bacon caramel corn

I think I'll start with my basic caramel corn recipe and look over the others for ways to incorporate the bacon.

[Fugee]

This one from Bon Appetit has some spices. Not sure about the tea flavor.

[Fugee]

Given that I think of rugelach as a typically Jewish treat, this seems a bit blasphemous. And not as tasty as the raspberry version in the same blog post. But I'm posting it for anyone who wants more bacon sweets:

Naughty or nice rugelach.

[Sidd Finch]

Mrs. Finch got this book for me for XMas -- less of a cookbook, more of a "holy shit, people do this?" sort of experience.

Has anyone ever cooked anything sous vide? Is it worth it?

[Fugee]

Originally Posted by Sidd Finch

Mrs. Finch got this book for me for XMas -- less of a cookbook, more of a "holy shit, people do this?" sort of experience.

Has anyone ever cooked anything sous vide? Is it worth it?

I've heard it is possible to do without buying the special machine, but haven't tried it.

ETA: I'd have thought Sidd would have been one to have already tried sous vide. Other likely candidates are Wonk and Muggs.

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by Sidd Finch

Mrs. Finch got this book for me for XMas -- less of a cookbook, more of a "holy shit, people do this?" sort of experience.

Has anyone ever cooked anything sous vide? Is it worth it?

If you like your meat grey and tasteless, then go for it.

In the time before Food Network, Ron Popeil used to market a vacuum sealer for food, the "Seal-a-Meal." It, too, produced little packets that could be heated in simmering water.

Think of that next time someone tells you they are big fans of sous vide.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally Posted by taxwonk

If you like your meat grey and tasteless, then go for it.

In the time before Food Network, Ron Popeil used to market a vacuum sealer for food, the "Seal-a-Meal." It, too, produced little packets that could be heated in simmering water.

Think of that next time someone tells you they are big fans of sous vide.

Ron popeil markets the world's biggest selling pasta maker, so we shouldn't make pasta at home? I'd give you my mom's phone number so you can tell her, but I know you'd claim to already have it.

[Fugee]

Originally Posted by taxwonk

If you like your meat grey and tasteless, then go for it.

In the time before Food Network, Ron Popeil used to market a vacuum sealer for food, the "Seal-a-Meal." It, too, produced little packets that could be heated in simmering water.

Think of that next time someone tells you they are big fans of sous vide.

So much for my guess that Wonk would be a sous vide fan.

If I understand the concept correctly, you don't heat the meat until it is gray and tasteless. You heat it until it is tender but still red or pink on the inside and then you grill/broil it so you get the nice seared outside.

I have never tasted meat that has been prepared that way but it must work, at least with the commercial machines, because there are chefs doing it to great acclaim.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally Posted by Fugee

So much for my guess that Wonk would be a sous vide fan.

If I understand the concept correctly, you don't heat the meat until it is gray and tasteless. You heat it until it is tender but still red or pink on the inside and then you grill/broil it so you get the nice seared outside.

I have never tasted meat that has been prepared that way but it must work, at least with the commercial machines, because there are chefs doing it to great acclaim.

Well, that's the thing -- it is good when done by chefs. I've had sous vide food a numbe of times, including one truly memorable dish. It's not gray and tasteless when done right. The question is, does it translate to home cooking?

(BTW, no offense, but Wonk was a terrible guess for this. He's more of an old school chef. Try his brisket, it rocks.)

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

Ron popeil markets the world's biggest selling pasta maker, so we shouldn't make pasta at home? I'd give you my mom's phone number so you can tell her, but I know you'd claim to already have it.

My point was more of a commentary on the faddishness of foodies than the quality of Popeil's products. I spent many a happy hour in my youth with my pocket fisherman.

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by Fugee

If I understand the concept correctly, you don't heat the meat until it is gray and tasteless. You heat it until it is tender but still red or pink on the inside and then you grill/broil it so you get the nice seared outside.

I have never tasted meat that has been prepared that way but it must work, at least with the commercial machines, because there are chefs doing it to great acclaim.

Oh, it's delightful. I can't think of a better way to waste $2500 on equipment that is going to get me the same texture and effect that braising does.