Posted on November 27th, 2011 by iamnotachef
So…what’s the big deal about turkey? I roasted one for Thanksgiving (the first in several years) and while it’s a pleasant tasting fowl — especially when it’s loaded down with herbs and copious amounts of a butter and Chardonnay baste — it simply isn’t worth
Filed under: Cooking, Food, Thanksgiving | 8 Comments »
Posted on November 21st, 2010 by iamnotachef
One of the reasons why risotto is surprisingly expensive — sometimes the most expensive dish on the menu — is that it is quite labor-intensive. Most classic recipes require constant stirring for about 20-30 minutes, and that costs restaurants lots of money.
Filed under: Cooking, Restaurants | 4 Comments »
Posted on March 23rd, 2010 by iamnotachef
Wander into a charcuterie anywhere in France and you will see a dizzying variety of meat concoctions of various consistencies, generally known as pâté, made from an equally confusing selection of animal parts. Some are elegant, expensive, and intended for special occasions. A few are great looking but vile,
Filed under: Cooking, Food, recipes | 11 Comments »
Posted on February 8th, 2010 by iamnotachef
I like fish…I really do! When I go to a restaurant that seems as if the cooks know what they are doing, I will happily order it. But there is nothing so disappointing as an overcooked piece of fish, and I have, on occasion, been the cook who disappointed. Fish is far more
Filed under: Cooking | 3 Comments »
Posted on December 22nd, 2009 by iamnotachef
My life has recently been hectic in a way that kept me out of the kitchen; in part because there were occasionally no other diners besides me (and I have awful manners and wouldn’t want to eat with myself. Pace, Lucullus), and in part because I haven’t
Filed under: Cooking, Food | No Comments »
Posted on October 21st, 2009 by iamnotachef
Yes, it’s an odd pairing, right up until you taste it. And then it becomes a lovely idea. Actually, grilled steak with Gorgonzola is a tried and true combination, so I am not sure why I thought Jamie Oliver was even crazier than normal
Filed under: Cheese, Cooking | 2 Comments »
Posted on September 9th, 2009 by iamnotachef
More butter…more cheese…more salt…more oil…that’s the mantra in many kitchens, both commercial and home. And admit it, it is an easy way of improving the taste of a dish. Not clever, and it requires very little skill, but it works. Yes, I am as guilty as
Filed under: Cooking | No Comments »
Posted on August 13th, 2009 by iamnotachef
We spent a relaxing week on the east end of Long Island* and near Portland, Maine, focused almost entirely on what we were going to eat for the next meal. Oddly, we ate no lobster in Maine, but we were careful to stop at a lobster pound on the way back to Shelter Island and [...]
Filed under: Cooking | 15 Comments »
Posted on June 25th, 2009 by iamnotachef
Just do it. The difference in quality between freshly ground meat, and the stuff that comes in the Styrofoam and plastic-wrap containers from the supermarket, is huge. I can’t think of anything else in cooking
Filed under: Cooking | 7 Comments »
Posted on April 25th, 2009 by iamnotachef
Ingredients and technique are the two things — really, the only things — that matter in cooking. Some will argue that without a good recipe, the highest quality ingredients and impeccable kitchen skills will be all for naught. And they would be correct, but
Filed under: Cooking | 3 Comments »