Kitchen and Cooking Thread

[Biff]

I've got to give a shoutout to my Shun knives. The 10" chef's knife is my favorite (rock versus chop again), but the rest of the family uses the 7" Santoku. I find the handle of the Shun's particularly stable and comfortable. I've had my knives for a couple years now and have been very happy with them. Learn to use a Steel, though. Really sharp knives are great...unless you don't keep them really sharp.

[Hack&Lube]

I just made the most epic sauce. It sounds terrible but with some leftover stir-fried noodles and bits of chicken and vegetables, it was one of the most delicious things I had ever eaten.

I found all the food cooked already as leftovers in the fridge but the person who made them doesn't know how to cook and it was in the fridge because it was terrible. I took the noodles and chicken and veggies out and completely washed them in the sink and rinsed all the flavour out until they were as bland as possible.

Then I needed some sauce but it was 2AM and I didn't know what to do so I took a teaspoon of curry, a little oil, half a teaspoon of Marmite (yes Marmite!), and a thin slice of raw fatty salt pork (the kind 18th century sailors dined on - the kind with so much salt in it that raw meat lasts for a year and sparks in the microwave) and threw it all in a measuring cup with a bit of boiling water and nuked it for a minute. Then I poured it over the stir fry in a bowl and nuked that all for 2 mins and YUM YUM, I can't believe how good that was.

[Kipper is King]

Wow. I can't believe the pesto hate. Homemade pesto is incredible, with so much flavour! It's one of my favourite things!

Anyhow, I was wondering if anyone knew where to get crayfish in Calgary? I've got a hankering for some Louisiana cuisine!

[Hack&Lube]

This may sound gross too you but I am totally about not ever wasting food if possible as if you were living poorly and trying to use everything that I can as much as I can.

When you are done eating chicken, rotisserie, KFC, Chicken on the Way, etc. save the bones and scraps and skin. Boil a pot of chicken noodle soup and throw in the bits leftover and boil for a few minutes. Take out the bones and scrape off any meat left and serve. Chicken Noodle soup is 10x more delicious. That's what Chicken soup really is supposed to be anyway. Boiled chicken bones and scraps and you can make commercially canned soup taste much better that way.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

I'm going to cook some ground turkey shortly and make a burrito! Put the cooked ground turkey into a tortilla with some grated cheese, salsa and maybe some sauteed onions and peppers, wrap in tin foil and throw in the oven for 10 minutes. If I had some long grain rice, I'd make some cilantro lime rice and add it to the burrito also.

[Biff]

I have just discovered the Italian Supermarket at Centre street and 20th Ave. Prices were quite reasonably. Selection was outstanding for all of the unique "authentic" stuff required for good Italian. Dopa Zero flour, Semolina, lots of choices for canned tomatoes (San Marzano D.O.P. are going in a homemade sauce for a corporate lunch I'm helping with tomorrow). Well worth a visit for when you can't find the right stuff at regular grocery stores.

[socktape]

To revive an old thread...

If someone were in the market for some new pots and pans.... suggestions and why?

[GreenTeaFrapp]

If you can find this set at Walmart in Canada, it's highly recommended. Near All Clad quality for a fraction of the price.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=5716478

[BlackEleven]

Originally Posted by socktape

To revive an old thread...

If someone were in the market for some new pots and pans.... suggestions and why?

Generally a couple things I look for:

1) Thick bottom -- will last a long time and continue distributing heat evenly thoughout its lifespan. Thin, cheap quality pans will form hotspots, which will cause things to cook unevenly.

2) Metal handles, not plastic -- It makes it really convenient if you have to transfer something from the stovetop to the oven. No need to transfer the contents of the pan to something else, just put the whole pan in the oven.

3) Glass lids -- No need to lift the lid off and let the heat out to see what going on inside.

Also, buy plastic utensils for using on pans with teflon. Metal utensils will scrape and scratch it right off over time.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by BlackEleven

3) Glass lids -- No need to lift the lid off and let the heat out to see what going on inside.

I disagree completely with this. I'm completely indifferent towards what the lid is made of as long as it is oven safe. If you're cooking with any sort of heat, you're not going to be able to see anything with a glass lid because of the steam.

Go for stainless instead of non-stick for one big reason. You can wash them in the dishwasher. I don't do any hand washing at all these days because I only cook with stainless.

[Kipper is King]

Originally Posted by BlackEleven

Generally a couple things I look for:

2) Metal handles, not plastic -- It makes it really convenient if you have to transfer something from the stovetop to the oven. No need to transfer the contents of the pan to something else, just put the whole pan in the oven.

Remember that silicone is fine for that too.

[socktape]

Thanks guys!

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by fotze

Pesto is another of those overrated foods, maybe there is an exquisite one somewhere but of the billion times I have had it it has been average to poor every time. How can something so greasy be so dry and rough to eat. And whats with the jars of the premade stuff at safeway et al, may as well puree and jar some dog crap and bile.

Homemade pesto is awesome. I have never bought jarred pesto that wasn't disgusting.

[BlackEleven]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

I disagree completely with this. I'm completely indifferent towards what the lid is made of as long as it is oven safe. If you're cooking with any sort of heat, you're not going to be able to see anything with a glass lid because of the steam.

So you disagree completely or you're indifferent?

It's a personal preference. Yeah, the glass steams up if I'm boiling water, but I still find the glass useful for sauce, reductions, and a host of other things.

I'm not saying its essential, just useful. I listed the things in order of importance for me, which is why it appeared last.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Homemade pesto is awesome. I have never bought jarred pesto that wasn't disgusting.

Have you tried the one they sell in a jar at Costco? It's pretty good but I'd never be able to go through it all before it starts getting fuzzy.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

Have you tried the one they sell in a jar at Costco? It's pretty good but I'd never be able to go through it all before it starts getting fuzzy.

Well, I have bought pesto there ages ago, don't know if it was the same one they sell now, but yes, it was terrible.

They're always too dry and there's no basil taste due to pasteurization.

[Regulator75]

Originally Posted by socktape

To revive an old thread...

If someone were in the market for some new pots and pans.... suggestions and why?

http://www.calphalon.com/calphalon/c...Id=CLCat100145

I have been using the Calphalon Infused Hard Anodized products for a long time, they are pricey but are a pleasure to cook with.

[Biff]

I'm still going to give a shout out for All-clad. Last pots and pans you will ever have to buy. Yes, they are expensive. Yes, the work fabulously and are absolutely dependable for anything you want to do with them.

[redforever]

You can get commercial grade cookware for a lot less money than you would pay for brand name cookware found in department stores.....at better quality, or at the very minimum, equal quality. And the really nice thing about buying this way, is you get exactly the pots and pans you want. A lot of the times, when you buy cookware from department stores, it comes as a set and you are stuck with some sizes of saucepans that you never use. If you buy commercial cookware, you sometimes are more restricted with pots and pans that are of a smaller size but I have never found it to be a huge problem.

I get most of my larger soup/stock pots, Dutch ovens, even frying pans, at Russell Food Equipment, http://www.russellfood.ca/. It is about a block north of 58th Ave, on the west side of Blackfoot Trail, up 4st street I believe....open to the general public as well. Or else I go a block or so north, on the same street, to Crown Food Supplies, http://www.crownfoodequipment.com/ it is another restaurant suppy store. They have a great selection too and open to the general public as well.

You really should check out stores like the above mentioned. You can get dinnerware, flatware, cookware, baking ware, glassware including Reidel wine glasses, carving knives and gadgets of all kinds and they order in too. Do keep in mind though, that for some products like some of their glassware, dinnerware and flatware, you might have to buy a case, so it might be a case of 12, a case of 24, whatever. However for most things, cookware being just one, you can pick and choose one item at a time.

The brand name I prefer for cookware is Browne/Halco. This brand of cookware is available at both of the stores mentioned above. Crown probably has a bigger selection of the smaller sized pots and pans in the series.




Frying pans come in stainless steel or non stick finish, whichever is your preference, various diameters of course. I have some of each. Handles are completely oven proof.



Depending on how much you want to spend, check out Ikea as well, their open stock induction cookware is pretty good if you are just starting out...excellent prices. The reason I suggest their induction cookware is because that line of cookware has the heavy duty bottoms. Induction cookware is of course compatible with any source of heat for cooking.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by redforever

You can get commercial grade cookware for a lot less than a brand name cookware.....at better, or at the very minimum, same quality. The only thing that will be harder to find in commercial cookware are pots and pans that are of a smaller size.

I get most of my large soup/stock pots, even frying pans, at Russell's restaurant supplies. It is about a block north of 58th Ave, on the west side of Blackfoot Trail, up 4st street I believe....open to the general public as well.

The brand name I prefer from that store is Browne/Halco.

Depending on how much you want to spend, check out Ikea as well, their open stock induction cookware is pretty good if you are just starting out...excellent prices. The reason I suggest their induction cookware is because that line of cookware has the heavy duty bottoms. Induction cookware is of course compatible with any other source of heat for cooking.

Listen to this man!!!