You know, I've had some discussions with people abut the term "foodie" recently. Some people find it to be, at the very least, weird. Who calls themselves a "foodie" anyway is one of the things I've heard. Personally, it doesn't bother me either way. If someone's biggest problem is with the term "foodie" then they have a bit too much time on their hands. Either that or just don't have anything else better to do.
So, while on Google+ today, it hit me. An epiphany...an "ah ha" moment of sorts. I have officially coined this new name that might take the world by storm. What's the beautiful thing? Well, there are a few. First is that this word has been created by me. It also appears on my copyright-protected blog. So either way, I can make some money should I so choose. Either way, it doesn't matter to me.
This new word is inspired partially by Yiddish. Does anyone remember "Welcome Back Kotter" from the 1970's? You'll see it on syndicated TV from time to time. Anyway, one of the main characters (Arnold Horshack) would use the word Schmendrick. That was used to describe a stupid person. Well, before I go further, I'm not about calling any of you stupid. If I did, would anyone read this blog? Nope. My new term is inspired from that phrase, which one meaning means fool. So I decided to call this new term "foodrick", a fool for all things culinary. It's different and gender neutral. Besides, I figured that I could throw this out and see what sticks. Any thoughts?
Excellent Kosher Food
November 29, 2011
November 14, 2011
Any Way You Slice It: A Different Look at Chicago Pizza.
Ok. Everyone has heard about Chicago-Style Pizza. Deep dish-pan-stuff VS thin crust. The purpose of this is NOT to debate which city has the best pizza. That's opening another can of worms I would assume not touch (not now anyway). Actually, I will address it briefly. I am partial to the Chicago style but in reality, you're comparing apples and oranges in my opinion. Back to the topic at hand. I want to discuss "the cut" of a pizza. What do I mean? There's something unique to Chicago that I've always taken for granted and never thought much of.
While on another social networking site, the discussion came up about the country's best pizza. Of course you had Chicagoans like me saying Chicago. Folks from NYC saying theirs is the best and on and on they went. Now it's time to address "the cuts" of pizza. The picture above gives the visual (on the right is the traditional slice and the left is the "party cut"). Now you see the obvious difference. One other thing is that the party cut is unique to Chicago thin crust only. I saw this thread on Yelp. It made for entertaining reading. In fact, I'll post the link for review:http://www.yelp.com/topic/chicago-why-cut-your-pizza-into-little-squares
My comment was:
"I like pizza no matter how it's sliced so the cut isn't a big deal for me. There were people who were from other parts of the country but the "squares" were actually more common. OK, I'll say it. I generally don't eat pizza outside of Chicago (especially deep dish) because there have been too many letdowns. I'll give my take on the comments pasted below and I'll start with mine.
"I could care less if the pizza is in squares or slices. As long as it tastes good, that all that matters. I go to places that cut in squares (think Home Run Inn, Rosati's, etc and those who cut in slices (think Lou Malnati's, etc) and they both taste good to me. And if I use a fork to eat it, so what if it tastes good? I do admit though that the end pieces are a bit of a pain in the rear."
Here are some other thread comments:
- "It's also easier to discern which side is which when ordering a 1/2 cheese, 1/2 sausage pizza. There is a dividing line." I think this says it all. While I don't order 1/2 and 1/2 pizza, the party cut makes it a little easier to distinguish.
- "...sometimes the line is blurred in the pie cut, and you get a slice that's like 2/3 one side and 1/3 the other. And that is serious biz when there's a vegetarian/non-vegetarian, or on a similar note, a spinach/non-spinacherian sharing a pizza." Another point I didn't think of. It makes sense, but a vegetarian sharing a pizza with a carnivore seems a bit strange to me.
- "I believe Chicago pizza joints do this to p+++ off us coastal folk. Pie cut is the light and the way. Square cut is just ridiculous." Slightly different crust in each city (even the thin crust). More a thing of preference. Deal breaker for some, not so for others.
- "It also bodes better for portion control. I can say I had one piece of pizza and mean it." BINGO!!! There may be some who want to eat a lot of pizza and some very little. If you want it as a meal, take more slices. If you're making a big dinner, get a party cut pizza and use that as an appetizer. Bottom line- no wasted slices!! Worse case- host has a good lunch the following day.
- "Cuz the middle pieces are the bomb." <------THIS is the person you might (no, you will) have to watch. The "middle pieces" are those without a crust. I don't care about crust or no crust but I have to admit, the center cut of a pizza is similar to a center cut steak. I'll eat either or but I won't lie, I hit the center cut. Watch out for the center cut hogs.
So there you have it!! I'm not even sure how this might interest someone but I thought it might be slightly entertaining. Maybe you've been in the same conversation. I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel. All I tried to do was write about a discussion thread I saw, wrote about it and wondered if anyone else have run across this topic as well. OK. I really wanted to just get this out of my head. I hope you enjoyed this or at least got a good laugh).
Works Cited:
1. Image of pizza taken from thread on :http://www.soundopinions.org/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t21643.html.
November 9, 2011
Hot Dogs: Ketchup or No.
Everyone has an opinion. Do you put the red stuff on a hot dog? There's a part of me that says it's America. You can eat whatever you want. Who am I to tell you what to eat? The rest of me says I grew up in the Chicago area so that's weird to me.
So the answer to the million dollar question? Mine is no. I had a dog with ketchup ONCE and didn't like it. It REALLY tasted strange to me because it took a lot of flavor from the dog itself. Some may reply that if I'm so concerned about texture, why do Chicagoans like me "run it though the garden" (put on as much as we do)? I don't always drag it. Many days, I'll take mustard, onion, & tomato then add cheese. Some days I'm not in the mood for relish or sport peppers (I normally have access to some habanero sauce so that's where I get my heat). I'll get a pickle on the side.
Now, notice how I mentioned adding tomato and not ketchup? I feel the texture of the tomato provide a nice compliment to the texture of the hot dog. I say tomato- wedge, sliced, and even chopped. You can still taste the natural flavor of the tomatoes along with the other ingredients. Even a thick salsa works for me. Chance are you already have some of the basic ingredients in salsa that you may put on the dog itself. For me, ketchup impairs the flavor. I don't think it works like say a meatball and marinara. With the meatball sandwich, the meatball was cooked in the marinara (duh). Ketchup on a hot dog just doesn't play nice with my palate... not at all.
Sure I prefer Vienna or Daisy brand hot dogs (those are made locally and have enjoyed them my entire life). Call me a little bit of a hot dog snob. Best Kosher was also very good but seemed to have fallen off once Sara Lee bought them (and have since stopped making). It's almost like Nathan's for an east coaster. The jokes locally are many. Like you can add ketchup until you're 12 years old (as I said, it was never appealing to me). Or if you want ketchup on your hot dog (especially as an adult) they'll tell YOU where the ketchup dispenser is. So bottom line. I don't care as strange as I might think it is. Then again, I'm not the one eating the dog. That's on you. One day, I think some of you might come to my way of thinking. I might do a local hot dog tour or even include dogs from all around America. It will be hard to top Chicago's very own though.
So the answer to the million dollar question? Mine is no. I had a dog with ketchup ONCE and didn't like it. It REALLY tasted strange to me because it took a lot of flavor from the dog itself. Some may reply that if I'm so concerned about texture, why do Chicagoans like me "run it though the garden" (put on as much as we do)? I don't always drag it. Many days, I'll take mustard, onion, & tomato then add cheese. Some days I'm not in the mood for relish or sport peppers (I normally have access to some habanero sauce so that's where I get my heat). I'll get a pickle on the side.
Now, notice how I mentioned adding tomato and not ketchup? I feel the texture of the tomato provide a nice compliment to the texture of the hot dog. I say tomato- wedge, sliced, and even chopped. You can still taste the natural flavor of the tomatoes along with the other ingredients. Even a thick salsa works for me. Chance are you already have some of the basic ingredients in salsa that you may put on the dog itself. For me, ketchup impairs the flavor. I don't think it works like say a meatball and marinara. With the meatball sandwich, the meatball was cooked in the marinara (duh). Ketchup on a hot dog just doesn't play nice with my palate... not at all.
Sure I prefer Vienna or Daisy brand hot dogs (those are made locally and have enjoyed them my entire life). Call me a little bit of a hot dog snob. Best Kosher was also very good but seemed to have fallen off once Sara Lee bought them (and have since stopped making). It's almost like Nathan's for an east coaster. The jokes locally are many. Like you can add ketchup until you're 12 years old (as I said, it was never appealing to me). Or if you want ketchup on your hot dog (especially as an adult) they'll tell YOU where the ketchup dispenser is. So bottom line. I don't care as strange as I might think it is. Then again, I'm not the one eating the dog. That's on you. One day, I think some of you might come to my way of thinking. I might do a local hot dog tour or even include dogs from all around America. It will be hard to top Chicago's very own though.
Now on Facebook!!
Facebook page now open. If I can get at least 25 people to like the page, I'll put more effort there as well. We'll see how it turns out.
May 3, 2011
The Cooks of YouTube: The Beauty of YouTube Food. Part 2
I just wanted to put up some more stuff I found on YouTube. I've found some VERY good stuff I saw and most of this stuff is easy to do. I decided to post a few more for your enjoyment. I put the video name (followed by the YouTube channel). If you do use YouTube, the channels I've featured are ones I think you'll enjoy.
Still have a busted digital camera. No money to get a new one or get my current one fixed. I have a TON of stuff I want to put here but things haven't worked out yet. More recipes, cookbooks (one in particular), & places I like to go. Hopefully sooner than later I can get this problem solved. Enjoy!!
"Betty's Baked Swiss Cheese Dip" (taken from bettyskitchen). This was pretty easy to do:
I actually did something similar to this and it worked out like a charm. "Strip steak with chunky guacamole salsa" (taken from BBQMyWay)
"How to Make Strawberry Shortcake" (take from LauraVitalesKitchen). This might be a keeper!!!
"Cajun pot roast at the beach" (Louisiana cajun cooking with JB). This guy is PRICELESS (in a good way). TOO FUNNY!!One whole head of garlic- enough said!! if you have YouTube, subscribe to this channel.
"The Difference between Grilling & BBQing" (taken from jakatak69). In case the difference isn't clear....
How to Make Tacos (taken from pastryparrot1). She does a good job with cross referencing with other recipies she did previously. One of these is designed to feed 8 people (or 3-4 of me).
- Chicken (soft shell)
- Beef (hard shell)
"The Magic of Chef Paul- Make your own Chips" (taken from ChefPaulPrudhomme). Chef Paul- what's not to like about him? A quick but solid recipe. I worked with a guy years back who could have been his stunt double.
"Man v Food- Great Steak Challenge at Steak & Main" Baltimore, MD. This REALLY looks good. (taken from TravelChannelTV). This show has become a somewhat guilty pleasure of mine.
Hope this was at least enjoyable for you all. Hope to have ORIGINAL content back soon!!!
Still have a busted digital camera. No money to get a new one or get my current one fixed. I have a TON of stuff I want to put here but things haven't worked out yet. More recipes, cookbooks (one in particular), & places I like to go. Hopefully sooner than later I can get this problem solved. Enjoy!!
"Betty's Baked Swiss Cheese Dip" (taken from bettyskitchen). This was pretty easy to do:
I actually did something similar to this and it worked out like a charm. "Strip steak with chunky guacamole salsa" (taken from BBQMyWay)
"How to Make Strawberry Shortcake" (take from LauraVitalesKitchen). This might be a keeper!!!
"Cajun pot roast at the beach" (Louisiana cajun cooking with JB). This guy is PRICELESS (in a good way). TOO FUNNY!!One whole head of garlic- enough said!! if you have YouTube, subscribe to this channel.
"The Difference between Grilling & BBQing" (taken from jakatak69). In case the difference isn't clear....
How to Make Tacos (taken from pastryparrot1). She does a good job with cross referencing with other recipies she did previously. One of these is designed to feed 8 people (or 3-4 of me).
- Chicken (soft shell)
- Beef (hard shell)
"The Magic of Chef Paul- Make your own Chips" (taken from ChefPaulPrudhomme). Chef Paul- what's not to like about him? A quick but solid recipe. I worked with a guy years back who could have been his stunt double.
"Man v Food- Great Steak Challenge at Steak & Main" Baltimore, MD. This REALLY looks good. (taken from TravelChannelTV). This show has become a somewhat guilty pleasure of mine.
Hope this was at least enjoyable for you all. Hope to have ORIGINAL content back soon!!!
February 23, 2011
Nine Questions
A blog I follow had these 9 questions about food. She played "tag your it" and picked 5 blogs to participate in this (my was not one of them but that's not the point and no offense is taken). I didn't even try to check their responses (it wasn't that serious to me) because I had an idea. Why don't I answer those questions right here. Some are directly related to food but some have no connection at all. So this could be fun. Feel free to add any response you may have. This might get interesting.
1. What do you refuse to eat? If I can help it, beets & Brussels sprouts. I WON’T be cooking them anytime soon.
2. What is the most ethnic dish you have ever made? I’ve tried just about any type of ethnic dishes possible. Italian and Mexican food is pretty easy (but at time tedious) to do. I REALLY like to experiment with different styles of BBQ. German food is pretty fun to experiment with (adding a few different spices we use in the USA).
3. Salt or sweet? Salt.
4. What kitchen gadget can you not live without? 8” chef’s knife.
5. Last restaurant you ate at? Taco Diner, a new local place where I live. Dive style tastes but very clean place atmosphere
6. Where would you like to live if you could move anywhere in the world? I’d say either Switzerland or Austria. Both are pretty central to Western Europe. I'd settle for southern Florida, though.
7. What is your blog about? Food- covering just about anything. I cover not only recipes but various videos about how to cook, where to eat (food reviews), products I like, and some reviews on cookbooks.
8. Do you have pets? No.
9. What is the last city you visited? Atlanta. It reminds me of a cleaner and more laid-back version of New York City. VERY nice place to visit. Just don't go very far on foot (ESPECIALLY during the summer).
1. What do you refuse to eat? If I can help it, beets & Brussels sprouts. I WON’T be cooking them anytime soon.
2. What is the most ethnic dish you have ever made? I’ve tried just about any type of ethnic dishes possible. Italian and Mexican food is pretty easy (but at time tedious) to do. I REALLY like to experiment with different styles of BBQ. German food is pretty fun to experiment with (adding a few different spices we use in the USA).
3. Salt or sweet? Salt.
4. What kitchen gadget can you not live without? 8” chef’s knife.
5. Last restaurant you ate at? Taco Diner, a new local place where I live. Dive style tastes but very clean place atmosphere
6. Where would you like to live if you could move anywhere in the world? I’d say either Switzerland or Austria. Both are pretty central to Western Europe. I'd settle for southern Florida, though.
7. What is your blog about? Food- covering just about anything. I cover not only recipes but various videos about how to cook, where to eat (food reviews), products I like, and some reviews on cookbooks.
8. Do you have pets? No.
9. What is the last city you visited? Atlanta. It reminds me of a cleaner and more laid-back version of New York City. VERY nice place to visit. Just don't go very far on foot (ESPECIALLY during the summer).
February 19, 2011
Triple D Comedy
I'm a big fan of Diners, Drive In's & Dives. From the first time I saw Guy Fieri, I KNEW this guy was a keeper because he seemed real. If anyone was right to do this show, he was tailor made to do this. Some episodes are just laugh out loud funny. I decided to take 5 of the funniest spots I've seen here. OK, not anything where I'm offering any cooking advise or the like but at the very least, I'm offering some comic relieve. This show has many of those and I'll feature 5 segments from past shows. The worst thing that could happen is that you'll get some comic relief. That much I promise. Notice that these places, for the most part, are all BBQ places or Southern places.
1. Uncle Lou's in Memphis. All I can say- "corruption" and "sweet spicy love":
2. Fred's Texas Cafe in Fort Worth, Texas. Cowboy chef!!!
3. Gorilla's BBQ in Pacifica, CA. Any place named Gorilla's is worth investigating.
4. Leo's BBQ in OK City, OK. "Much love" in this place.
5. West Virginia's Hillbilly Hot Dogs, featuring "the Homewrecker" hot dog. Me being a Chicago-area native, got a good laugh at this place. Eat it in 12 minutes, you get a free t-shirt. Seriously.
1. Uncle Lou's in Memphis. All I can say- "corruption" and "sweet spicy love":
2. Fred's Texas Cafe in Fort Worth, Texas. Cowboy chef!!!
3. Gorilla's BBQ in Pacifica, CA. Any place named Gorilla's is worth investigating.
4. Leo's BBQ in OK City, OK. "Much love" in this place.
5. West Virginia's Hillbilly Hot Dogs, featuring "the Homewrecker" hot dog. Me being a Chicago-area native, got a good laugh at this place. Eat it in 12 minutes, you get a free t-shirt. Seriously.
February 13, 2011
The Cooks of YouTube: The Beauty of YouTube Food
OK. This is not exactly what I had in mind. As I watch Daytona 500 qualifying, I played around with my YouTube account and noticed something I thought nothing of. There are SO MANY solid cooks on YouTube and thought some of you might want to take a peek. Listed below are some of the channels I really enjoy. So now, I thought I would let you know about them (in no real order). Along with naming them, I posted one video from that channel. They all are easy to follow and are fun to listen to.
1. Betty's Kitchen. She is retired Math professor. I found her channel a few months ago. So retire from the academic world, become a hobby cook. It must be nice. Great variety here but this channel does have a Southern influence (good stuff).
-taken from "Betty's Kitchen" (http://www.youtube.com/user/bettyskitchen)
2. The Cajun Wife, also heavily Southern influence (duh) but some great Southern food here. Excellent step by step instruction (as with Betty's Channel). The problem is she hasn't posted a video in quite some time. This is one video I got hungry watching.
- taken from "The Cajun Wife Show" channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/cajunwife).
3. Cooking with Carolyn has a mix of regional foods. I can't say anything about her channel that she hasn't already done so. "My goal is to get you hungry and to get you cooking! Cooking should be fun and something for all to enjoy and take part in!" I think it worked.
- taken from "Cooking with Carolyn" channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/CookingWithCarolyn) :
4. The Frugal Chef (aka, Pastryparrot1). OK, I was somewhat a Jeff Smith fan back when. Her channel is pretty similar to Cooking with Carolyn. She covers a wide variety of food. No real emphasis other than trying to save money.
- taken from Frugal Chef (http://www.youtube.com/user/pastryparrot1)
5. BOW Ds ROCK N ROLL CAFE'. This tends to favor more Italian or meat dishes.
- taken from bowhunter2439 Channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/bowhunter2439):
6. BBQMyWay Channel is just what it implies and more. Check out the authentic lasagna recipe video. The host (Dave) has a pretty good sense of humor. This is just one example of what he brings to the table. Wireless thermometer? Love it!!
-taken from BBQMyWay Channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/BBQMyWay)
7. Food Wishes Channel. Chef John is a lot of fun to listen to. He, like the other hosts, are very pleasant to listen too. This guy I think is more a pro than the others I've listed. My goal was to give the hobby chefs the floor, but this guy was too good to pass up. He makes everything seem so eary to do.
- taken from Food Wishes Channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/foodwishes#p/u/26/C2r-Rs7oyQY)
(yes, this recipe is a guilty pleasure of mine)
8. Inez' Kockstudio is one of the first channels I found here. She has some great recipes but it also serves another purpose. Her channel helps me refresh my German (since she's German and speaks German in the videos). This might help you as well. For some, this may pose a problem for some. Then again, you may be able to follow by watching the ingredients she uses.
- taken from Inez' Kockstudio's Channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/seni70#p/u)
This was just a sample of channels I enjoy. I figured some of you may enjoy them as well (if you already don't know about them). Hope to get my camera fixed (or replaced ) very soon. I just have other priorities right now.
1. Betty's Kitchen. She is retired Math professor. I found her channel a few months ago. So retire from the academic world, become a hobby cook. It must be nice. Great variety here but this channel does have a Southern influence (good stuff).
-taken from "Betty's Kitchen" (http://www.youtube.com/user/bettyskitchen)
2. The Cajun Wife, also heavily Southern influence (duh) but some great Southern food here. Excellent step by step instruction (as with Betty's Channel). The problem is she hasn't posted a video in quite some time. This is one video I got hungry watching.
- taken from "The Cajun Wife Show" channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/cajunwife).
3. Cooking with Carolyn has a mix of regional foods. I can't say anything about her channel that she hasn't already done so. "My goal is to get you hungry and to get you cooking! Cooking should be fun and something for all to enjoy and take part in!" I think it worked.
- taken from "Cooking with Carolyn" channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/CookingWithCarolyn) :
4. The Frugal Chef (aka, Pastryparrot1). OK, I was somewhat a Jeff Smith fan back when. Her channel is pretty similar to Cooking with Carolyn. She covers a wide variety of food. No real emphasis other than trying to save money.
- taken from Frugal Chef (http://www.youtube.com/user/pastryparrot1)
5. BOW Ds ROCK N ROLL CAFE'. This tends to favor more Italian or meat dishes.
- taken from bowhunter2439 Channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/bowhunter2439):
6. BBQMyWay Channel is just what it implies and more. Check out the authentic lasagna recipe video. The host (Dave) has a pretty good sense of humor. This is just one example of what he brings to the table. Wireless thermometer? Love it!!
-taken from BBQMyWay Channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/BBQMyWay)
7. Food Wishes Channel. Chef John is a lot of fun to listen to. He, like the other hosts, are very pleasant to listen too. This guy I think is more a pro than the others I've listed. My goal was to give the hobby chefs the floor, but this guy was too good to pass up. He makes everything seem so eary to do.
- taken from Food Wishes Channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/foodwishes#p/u/26/C2r-Rs7oyQY)
(yes, this recipe is a guilty pleasure of mine)
8. Inez' Kockstudio is one of the first channels I found here. She has some great recipes but it also serves another purpose. Her channel helps me refresh my German (since she's German and speaks German in the videos). This might help you as well. For some, this may pose a problem for some. Then again, you may be able to follow by watching the ingredients she uses.
- taken from Inez' Kockstudio's Channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/seni70#p/u)
This was just a sample of channels I enjoy. I figured some of you may enjoy them as well (if you already don't know about them). Hope to get my camera fixed (or replaced ) very soon. I just have other priorities right now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)