The food and drink forum blog thread.

[Muffin Man]

Juan 11'd!

Bought me a cute little nabe. Broke it in with cabbage mushroom miso egg flower.

Good looking pot! I may have to follow suit and get a number 7

Wide noodle beef dish; started with beef, instant beef flavor Pho paste, water, fish sauce etc. mushroom. Had to add miso in later for another layer..on and on and on with seasonings. (Thai vinegar, sesame oil, fermented black bean). It was fairly tasty and good for several days!

[RAGER]

Those noodles look bomb. I'll be having full on Japanese bento for lunch. Stay tuned.

About the nabe. Upon looking at in full morning light yesterday I noticed it looked like it had been cooked in already but washed and the underside had a couple flame marks. Wtf??  Scrubbed it clean, cured it and used it.

This morning I contacted Amazon (yeah I know) and called them on their bullshit. Full refund and I keep it. It's really nice. Imma buy another one from Korin or MTC.

[RAGER]

I know you've been waiting. It's here.



Head to head with the most common Dijon style mustards. Probably like most I prefer Maille but have been eating Grey Poupon since the late 70's.
Maille is smoother, more viscous and less nose heat and basically is more pleasing. It's difficult to determine where it's actually made because they are international. I'm sure European ms enjoy French made whereas I think US folks are probably enjoying Canadian made. I think.
Grey Poupon is an old standby. It's less viscous, more nose heat and more pungent. It's made in the U.S. by Kraft. Meh. I still enjoy it. The commercial worked on me. I saw and asked mom about it. We were broke broke but she still bought some. Probably my first taste of Haute cuisine. Lol.

[mortlock]

ive always liked grey poupon. im not sure ive ever had anything else. im going to be on the look out for a few different dijon mustards to try now. might be what i need to take my fried bolony sands into more upper class territory.

[Muffin Man]

i never liked grey poupon. not impressed with Maille in any form- smooth/seeds. not to be fickle but mustard is fickle. I'm good with a county fair yellow countertop squeeze bottle but chilled is preferred. if you must.

[RAGER]

ive always liked grey poupon. im not sure ive ever had anything else. im going to be on the look out for a few different dijon mustards to try now. might be what i need to take my fried bolony sands into more upper class territory.

This stuff will turn your baloney into mortadella

[RAGER]

i never liked grey poupon. not impressed with Maille in any form- smooth/seeds. not to be fickle but mustard is fickle. I'm good with a county fair yellow countertop squeeze bottle but chilled is preferred. if you must.

Really?  You don't like Dijon at all?

[Muffin Man]

i never liked grey poupon. not impressed with Maille in any form- smooth/seeds. not to be fickle but mustard is fickle. I'm good with a county fair yellow countertop squeeze bottle but chilled is preferred. if you must.

Really?  You don't like Dijon at all?

well. haven't enjoyed them that brings back memories. These are the ones I have on hand, atm. The Gulden's is my go-to repeat bottle but, your right, I should review my impression of Grey Poupon with that seedy one I have..back this week.

[Muffin Man]

Just back from a mustard run to add variety to test panel. Another brown and an organic dijon out of Sacramento. High hopes for the dijon. (had to have the Peri Peri squeeze bottle but not for mustard contest) after the inital panel the mustard contest will run thru Summer 2024. edit: I also have a hot (Chinese) yellow mustard - just made a batch from powdered (Frontier powdered mustard) the stuff is brutal, a real no-joke hot yellow for my sliced red bbq pork. Not sure what else that stuff is used on but it.is.dangerous.

[mortlock]

good score. the melindas looks especially solid. ill take the sierra nevada over that other thing.

[Muffin Man]

Can report that the other Melinda's I got is solid. Sticky Asian Wing Sauce - kinda weird smell but a nice vinegar bite with an exoticy and larrrrge does of smokey umami. Its says umami on the label. That's all the positive. The downside is its addicitve. I mean the bottle won't last/will go quick.

[James1214]

That natural value organic Dijon has been our go to for a few months, it was on sale at the co-op in town and we picked up a bunch and then just kept buying it.

[Muffin Man]

That natural value organic Dijon has been our go to for a few months, it was on sale at the co-op in town and we picked up a bunch and then just kept buying it.

alright awesome! Indeed I found it at the local co-op...on sale! $3.49. It was this or another good looking plastic squeeze bottle but this one is glass. Can't wait to try it.
Scored a big bag of organic stuff after not going there for a long while. (edited>) Striped eggplant, ginger,  shallots etc all organic.

[Muffin Man]

Any ideas what I could do with this Mushroom Medley from the co-op? Shitake, Oyster, Lion's Mane, Pioppino
I figure on making faux pho and something else. omelet? oh, a pizza topping with sausage, and, something else?

[RAGER]

Miso mushrooms and pasta.

[Muffin Man]

Miso mushrooms and pasta.

oooh, hey now. Might sprinkle over some dulse that I got from the co-op - I'm using it in a lot of things - gives a nice saltyish sea-note. Gonna need a bigger shaker of that.

[RAGER]

Now you're talking

[Muffin Man]

Does Chinese cooking wine come in anywhere? Not sure how to use it but I have a bottle. Will pick up some Sherry for the creamy miso mushroom pasta. I also need cream, I have the Parm Regg and organic scallions. Scallions are looking good. Also have oraganic shallots for something.

[Muffin Man]

a little long but this guy moves right along. I learned a few things. He salted about 6 times! and cheesed 3 or more times. I guess I'll get some spinach but. oh, and I need that pan. I need a ton more mushrooms. I'll pickup some fettuchini

[RAGER]

Yoshinojiru

[RAGER]

Recently picked these up. The Sichuan book has been out for like 20 years and I've always heard of it but never picked it up. It was sitting right next to the other one at the bookstore so I grabbed it too. I already have his other book The Food Of Northern Thailand which is really great and the direction I normally cook Thai food. He's tight with Andy Ricker too (Pok Pok) and contributed some photos to Andy's books. But man this one goes Deep South. Really intense. It's also a beautiful book. Wow.

This morning I cooked a far different khua kling than I've ever cooked. More herbaceous and with added galangal and black pepper. I've always like the added heat of Vietnamese Kampot peppercorns. It was a very good lunch. Spicy

[RAGER]

Watched a new episode of Chinese cooking Demystified on YouTube today. They were going over danshan. A chili mix that were used in Yunnan like Tajin is used in Mexico and as creole seasoning is used in Louisiana etc. I thought it sounded familiar and I was right. I made some of this stuff a few years back and didn't know the name so I called it dipping chilis. Good stuff. But there's also a Sichuan version called gan die. I made a new small batch but also bought the other two versions premade to see how mine compares.

Mine has a bunch of ingredients like 3 kinds chilis, black pepper, Sichuan peppercorns, mandarin peel, star anise, cinnamon, msg, ginger, white pepper, salt, garlic, fennel and toasted sesame seeds.

[RAGER]

Been a while since I hit up H Mart. Stocked up on some stuff and got some different cuts.

Sliced pork shoulder. Great to marinate and cook quickly with cabbage or for bibimbap or for a curry. I portioned it into 5 little stacks and froze them.



Beef banana shank. Probably 5 spice braise and portion sliced. Pho and other noodle dishes.


Riblets. Marinate and roast or I might just ferment half in rice salt garlic cilantro root.



Got a small shoulder too and portioned it too. Carnitas or for muu yang.

[mortlock]

DCS has arrived. I finally got my first hater comment. You can go read it if you want. Its on the smothered burrito episode. Now the guy is not wrong. My camera work is crappy and i am an amateur. 

[Muffin Man]

Congratulations!