Posted by admin on December 10, 2008 at 11:16 am
A couple of years ago, after a once-in-a-lifetime dinner, I decided I really wanted to learn wine. After stubling around in the dark, I decided to invest the time and effort to do it correctly; there was no way I was going to understand what makes wine special by randomly picking bottles off the supermarket shelf. I sketched out a rough plan (listed below, and modified heavily since) that would take me through the basics of the red wine world.
Two and a half years into it, and I’ve had some real eye-opening moments. I’m no closer now to finding a common denominator to the wines I like — and thus being able to predict whether I will like an untasted wine — than when I began. I’ve been taking meticulous notes and have several favorites, but with one or two exceptions I haven’t had the same wine twice.
Continue Reading
Posted by admin on November 24, 2008 at 2:41 pm
I’m finding several silverfish crawling up the walls of my apartment every week. Maybe even 1+ every day.
What can I do to get rid of them?
I hate those things
Non-lethal
- By far the most effective way to be rid of silverfish for sure is to keep an area or room tidy, limiting the possible number of breeding grounds they have.
- Ensuring showers, baths etc. are rinsed clean and free of any residual that may attract hungry silverfish.
- Leaving the bathroom door open after a shower to lessen the humidity
- The scent of a solution should drive away silverfish within 24 hours.
- To capture silverfish, trap in small glass containers — silverfish cannot climb up the smooth inside walls.
Lethal
- Silverfish can also be caught by sprinkling on a wet, white cotton cloth, put it in a corner overnight, near the silverfish’s hideout.
- It is important when filling crevices in which silverfish are living or may potentially live to use a filler material which is either toxic to insects, or does not contain materials which would supply the silverfish with a source of food.
- A 1:1-ratio dispersion of or and sugar is a reliable bait to kill silverfish (relatively non-toxic to non-insects).
- Adults can be killed by freezing, but it is difficult to kill the eggs.
Continue Reading
Posted by admin on November 24, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Being stuck in this hell whole called Korea. I am sick of eating Korean food. And unless I want to eat at a western chain I need to take out a small loan. I was wondering If I added malt to brewing vinegar would I get malt vinegar.
Continue Reading
Posted by admin on November 2, 2008 at 8:20 am
I need some help. What are some of the fastest and easiest things you cook? I am always busy and never have time to cook a full normal meal, but I need ideas on anything that is extremely fast and easy.
Baked chicken breasts don’t take very long. Get that in the oven with some veggies on the stove and your eating in about 30 minutes.
Continue Reading
Posted by admin on October 23, 2008 at 10:44 am
….is there a specific kind that is better to use than others?
depends on the dish, general red i use for cooking is cab. and not shit cab, but one that you would actually enjoy drinking.
For recipes using wine, I either use a generic/non-expensive wine unless it’s a sauce. I then tend to use the wines that I enjoy drinking.
Merlots and cabs are generally pretty safe. Use something that you like though. None of this "cooking wine" hoopla.
I typically use a cab. My rule is "Never cook with a wine you wouldn’t drink a glass of while cooking."
Continue Reading
Posted by admin on October 20, 2008 at 12:28 pm
I’m allergic to eggs and really want to cook up some chicken parmesan. Does anyone know of a substitue to dipping in egg when breading?
Part of the purpose of egg is to have an ‘adhesive’ for the breading to stick to. You could try something like buttermilk. Its thicker than milk so it’ll help bind the breading to the chicken.
Or you could very thinly rub some shortening on the chicken for the same effect.
Personally, I skip the whole thing. I keep my chicken wet (from washing before hand) and just plop the pieces into a ziploc with my breading. The ziploc gives you the ability to vigorously manipulate the bread crumbs into the meat. It keeps the meat coated well, just don’t over handle the breaded pieces a lot before cooking so as not to knock off the breading.
Continue Reading
Posted by admin on October 18, 2008 at 1:05 pm
My question is this:
Are terra cotta pots, planters, lids, bases from your local hardware store (Ace Hardware for me) lead free? Or should I worry about using said items (ie smoker made of terra cotta planters, pizza stone via a planter lid/base)
I’ve made one of the smokers that Alton Brown demonstrated. Since it doesn’t make contact with the food in any way, I can’t see where there could be an issue. The pizza stone idea would be a different story, though I doubt Alton would steer us wrong. If you’re still concerned, I think you would need to contact the terra-cotta manufacturer to find out more.
Continue Reading
Posted by admin on October 15, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Does anyone know any good websites/book that would be good for someone who just started to cook for themselves all the time? I moved into my first apartment back in October and I bought a George Forman grill but I can only eat Grilled Chicken so many times before I get sick of it.
Any ideas? Thanks.
Get the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. It’s been around for over 70 years and no house should be without it (my ex got me a copy when I moved into my current place).
Continue Reading
Posted by admin on September 26, 2008 at 12:10 pm
What are the must have ingredients and equipment any moderately-geared kitchen should have? Cooking for yourself, family, and occasional guests. I’m asking about spices and such, things that you buy once and don’t have to replace until you run out. Like salt, pepper, paprika etc.
Moved into my apartment and after trying some of the recipes here, it feels like i’m always missing something basic
One of everything McCormick sells, except the premixed spice blends.
equipment:
*colander (spaghetti strainer)
Continue Reading
Posted by admin on September 25, 2008 at 10:27 am
I am a huge consumer of dried beans…
I make soups, casseroles, baked and refried recipes… but say for texture… does one common bean really taste any better than another?
I use navy, northern, or black-eyed interchangeably… does anyone detect a difference?
They definitely taste different once they’re reconstituted. I like Northern beans in soups, black-eyed peas with pork, and black + pinto with anything resembling Mexican food.
Probably Northern beans are the least grainy when not fully rehydrated.
Continue Reading
