The food and drink forum blog thread.

[RAGER]

I also got this Porchetta plate the other day and thought the pork was a little lackluster and needed redemption.



With some leftovers I made sandwiches last night. Imma do another different take today. This was good though but a little hurried. Kellie inhaled hers.

[mortlock]

i got a couple things to go over. first this version covid has fucked up my sense of taste. im not too happy about this right now. i still have the full ability to taste and smell but certain things taste weird now. coffee has been affected as well as mayo. i love mayo. i made a sandwich and put some on. i almost couldnt eat it. i had to force myself. mayo was not good all the sudden. the weird thing is, it tasted like mayo is supposed to but i suddenly found it to be kind of gross tasting. same with the coffee to a lesser degree. i seem to be craving tomato sauce and red meat in a way that stands out. i love sauce and meat but suddenly i feel like its all i want. i had a slice of pizza that was great fortunately. tomato sauce and cheese. im not sure what else has been affected yet. this shit better clear up.

second. i want to get some steak ums. i used to love them as a kid. had some a few years ago and was not impressed at all. not sure what i loved about them as a kid. now i want to get back in. covid related?? not sure.

[mortlock]

im thinking its not my tongue that is the issue physically speaking. i think it is mental and has a direct effect to the physical. food tastes the same but suddenly i dont like some things i loved in the past. the flavor of things i like hasnt really changed, my perception has. covid is a motherfucker.

[RAGER]

That is very interesting. Are there here similar testimonies?

[Muffin Man]

I would think a sustained and well-planned program of detoxification, a little at a time, over the course of a year(s) would result in a burst of renewed sense of smell. Many hours per week of brisk walking included, working up to strenuous activity - swimming laps in the lake would really do it. A change of diet, or "bending-it" slowly (like they do in Bonsai) would kinda have to happen as a lifestyle change. Colon cleansing would clear the pipes in step 1 so that the toxins would get out. Of course, nude-sunbathing. Really air it out as much as you can.

[Muffin Man]

I am recalling that there are reportedly five tastes sensed; Sweet, Salty, Bitter, Umami, Sour. Those are what we are looking for at a picnic. As we age it's good to remember the subtleties and re-calibrate from time-to-time. Welcome the opportunity to rediscover. Take tome to smell the roses. Time goes so fast unless you're a whipper-snapper and are up to speed. Stay up to speed! and Bon appetite!

ps. I had a cucumber/lime drink at a bistro the other day (no ice). it was sweet but lightly so and also freshened up the pallate. tricks of the trade.

[mortlock]

That is very interesting. Are there here similar testimonies?

i saw a fb post where the person mentioned coffee and beer. Thank the gods beers wasnt on my list of things getting fucked with.

[RAGER]

Made some pumpkin spice scones. Kellie said they're good but I can't have any. Maybe n a couple days. Have to have soft foods like apple sauce m, pudding yogurt, broth etc..so last night I made a version of pommes aligot. Basically a French version of cheesy mashed potatoes. A combo of mash and fondue. Outstanding.

I poached a chicken breast with a lot of aromatics, took the breast out when just to temp and further reduced that stock down which resulted in a very very aromatic stock.

I cooked the potatoes down in that, mashed them then added the cream and cheese. Damn good.

[mortlock]

anyone know what to do with this? rager? muffin?

[RAGER]

Any brains without milk gravy is just tactless. I'd prepare just as you would raccoon or skunk brains. Fry them In opossum fat and snake eggs. Duh.

Also contains 1125mg of cholesterol!  You're way ahead with that being 375% of your daily allowance.

[Pissy]

Brains and eggs for breakfast is something that is done in parts of the south. They're just thrown in the scramble. Perhaps the can is just mixed with eggs prior to pouring into the pan, whipped to an airy mixture for fluffiness.   

I've never.  

[RAGER]

There's a Thai dish called aep ong aw that's pig brains, a simple red curry paste of chilies, lemongrass, shallots , garlic, lime leaves, shrimp paste, scallions and cilantro all wrapped in banana leaves then grilled over charcoal. I've seen brains at the Asian market but never tried the dish. I would be the only one in this house to do so.

[RAGER]

We just got our fall sockeye share from Iliamna Fish Co. Alaskan sockeye from the Bering Sea. Got close to 15lbs. Gonna sushi some, gravlox, put a little smoke on some, roast , etc.. 

Anything I'm forgetting? 

https://redsalmon.com/

[Pissy]

Chowder?  Of course we used to can the fish we caught on the great lakes.  Then my mom would be forced to make salmon patties.  We hated them.  However, if anyone could take a salmon patty concept and refresh it from the early eighties betty crocker cookbook version, I would think you could. 

Something else I've done with that canned salmon is make salmon salad, like tuna salad, but you know, salmon. 

Looks like there's no Johnson City share program. I'd have to go to NYC. 

I should have made it to Lake Nantahala and caught a Kokanee this year.  Didn't happen. 

[RAGER]

I sometimes use leftovers or if I take the skin off and use the bits left or for pattie's but more like crab cakes texture wise.

Cold salmon is sometimes a hard sell to Kellie but maybe with tarter type heavy on the capers and presented nicoise with boiled potatoes. She doesn't seem to like gribiche, but only sometimes.

Yeah I'm surprised there's a pickup location in NYC. Probably a good market for Alaskan salmon out there.

[Muffin Man]

anyone know what to do with this? rager? muffin?

batter in tempura and deep fry in bacon fat. it'll look floppy but cool on a rack and disguise it with a dusting with powdered sugar. serve as an appetizer using frilly toothpicks w/dipping sauce of blended kewpie/filberts. serve with an ice chilled shot of jager?

[Muffin Man]

I've got a tin of kippered salmon, man that stuff is so buttery. Remember last year when we were pickling fish? My "pickled" experimental batch came out really tasty. Red onion in there and roasted sesamae oil, Mexican oregano. It was good a week later then I found the other jar in the back of the fridge well over 6 month's later. So good.

[Pissy]

Oh yeah, I forgot about pickling salmon.   I might be more inclined to use a firmer fish for that though.  Pike is great for it because they're so incredibly bony, that they're difficult to eat and the bones dissolve in the brine.  But pike taste almost exactly like walleye or yellow perch if you can figure out the bone problem.  

[mortlock]

have any of yous guys actually had brains. i have not. im not unwilling to try but i cant lie, it does gross me out a little.

[Muffin Man]

never, nor would I. But I love liver & onions. Oysters. That recipe I posted was totally made-up/dry humor.

Did you ever have the canned Haggis, mortlock? I've never had that, other than a faux haggis, but not the real thing.

[Pissy]

I had some by accident at a pig pickin.  I was instantly regretful. 

[Muffin Man]

I had cabeza taco from a truck. I asked, to be sure, and they said it was cheek meat. Now who doesn't love that, so tender - very good truck. Also, I've never eaten fish eyes, they tell me they're excellent. But I'd put that up there with brain - after all, they're connected. I want none of it. Nothing above the shoulders, except cheek. that was okay. oh, Halibut cheeks. I'm not sure if one or the other is better but scallop, too. Kinda the same, not really, but kinda. Them cheeks are sought after. Halibuts are a bear to pull up on a line. And then...watchout! Sushi scallop not that great but a little scortch from the torch fixes it a the sushi bar. Goey duck is another one to tackle, really wierd stuff with an oily brine rubber duckie chew. I can tell some stories about goeey duck that the Japanese sushi markets would flip over. Seriously. I had a major connection on those for export back in the 80's. Since been ruined by massive over harvesting and very bad practices. Rule #1, dont fuck over the ocean, nor, the tideflats, you name it. But "they" do. Buy sustainable, be a steward and try to only buy sustainable, in fact, demand it.

[mortlock]

never, nor would I. But I love liver & onions. Oysters. That recipe I posted was totally made-up/dry humor.

Did you ever have the canned Haggis, mortlock? I've never had that, other than a faux haggis, but not the real thing.

i dig liver and onion too. i havent had the haggis yet. i dont want to miss the opportunity to shoot an episode for the cookin show but im not sure its legal for me to have (allegedly).

[mortlock]

i might be in the clear. i just googled it. looks like grants haggis is available in the usa.  how should i do the ep. should i go traditional scottish dinner or maybe just go haggis out of the can with eggs or something. totally not served that way at all but haggis feels like scrapple to me. just from a lamb instead of a pig.
 

 

[Muffin Man]

random, unqualified thoughts;maybe a pot pie? or some filo dough dumpling. Does it need gravy? Is there rice in the can already - I seem to recall the haggis bladder is packed with rice isn't it? Maybe call up the local Scottish club and see if they'll make it. If it turns out you love the stuff then you'd have a leg up on preceedure/tricks