The food and drink forum blog thread.

[Lumpy]

Black bean sauce is a flavor I like, but it's powerful and I don't want it very often.

I had good pho tonight at a newish place near the main post office (Just Pho) Northern style so they had no hoisin/oyster/brown sauce, they had a kind of chili sauce I'd never seen before (Cholimex brand Tuong Öt), no bean sprouts or basil (there were chopped herbs already added though) and a homemade vinegar condiment with raw garlic/hot peppers (flavored vinegar). I was kind of confused and asked if the pho was south Vietnam style and one of the workers said yes. But a quick referral reminds me that it's north vietnamese style to have few condiments, and you eat it the way the kitchen sends it out. They also had nem on the menu, a type of spring roll (but not the type that Americans are familiar with, it's in a soft wrapper - fried but not deep fried). I don't recall seeing another local restaurant with nem on the menu.

I just read some reviews on Yelp, and boy is Yelp worthless when it comes to reviews of Thai and Vietnamese food. People have no idea what they are complaining about.

I go back to the post office later this week, so I'll go back and get an order of nem, a food which was on the menu literally everywhere in Vietnam. Nem every day in VN!

[RAGER]

Hmmmm.  I might make some nem ran for dinner tonight.

[mortlock]

I now own a seasoned cast iron skillet. Where the fuck has this thing been all my life. Everything ive cooked has turned out awesome. I made some ny strip steaks. Best ive ever made. Even better than on the grill. Pork chops were awesome. Cheeseburg was awesome. Sunnyside up eggs were awesome. Im about to make some corned beef hash today.

[RAGER]

Use mine daily. Congrats.

[Muffin Man]

Made Spanish rice in mine last night, crisped up a little bit nicely. Plated, tossed a dollop of sour cream on top. Thank you cast iron.

[mortlock]

so the corned beef hash didnt turn out as great as i hoped. i was really hoping my problem with it burning and sticking to the stainless steel pan would go away with the iron. still same problem and i cant seem to crisp up the corned beef hash.

rager i need your help.

[RAGER]

I'm thinking fat content, temp, and fussing with it.

Tell me your  process.

[mortlock]

im thinking you already nailed it.

hormel out of the can. i put it on a gas stove at 3 on the burner. i move it around constantly thinking i can help it not to stick and fail every time. serve it once its hot and im frustrated.

[RAGER]

If you're doing a hash you cook your diced taters and onions in some fat first. Get that layer. Don't fuss with it too much. Get a brown goin. Then let it chill. When that's good. Crack the can *shudder* and add that until it's warmed through. I might even crack and egg or two over the top crank heat a bit and cap it until the eggs are where you want em.

You know I'm a snob. Sorry.

[mortlock]

have you ever actually had cbh from a can?

[RAGER]

Maybe. Not sure.

[mortlock]

It already has taters in it. Ill add onion from time to time. Im thinking i need more oil or butter.

[Lumpy]

I have the same problem - corned beef hash from the can sticks to the pan, won't brown correctly. If it's not browned, it's like glop. Pretty horrible. So I give up on buying it, then every 3-4 years I forget how bad it was and try again. I just tried again a few months ago and it was terrible.

I'm not sure what's changed - maybe it sits in the can longer now, and breaks down more? It's not as popular as it used to be, I guess. Maybe the cans sit around too long.

The only thing that I can suggest is a Teflon coated non-stick pan but I got rid of all my non-stick pans (for health reasons, I don't want to eat the Teflon coating as it wears off) and won't I buy any more (because Teflon is also horrible for the environment).

Any dishes I can't make at home, I order in restaurants. Let them deal with it. Corned beef hash with eggs sunnyside up, rye toast with butter, coffee and pie. A man's breakfast! (That's what they tell me, anyway)

[Lumpy]

i move it around constantly thinking i can help it not to stick and fail every time.

Don't stir it (no matter what kind of pan). You have to let it sit there and brown up. What's supposed to happen is that it does stick to the pan. But at a certain point when it's really brown, it will release from the pan (I let the pan cool down before trying to release something that's sticking, that seems to help).

[Lumpy]

Maybe. Not sure.

You definitely haven't eaten canned corned beef hash for a very long time, I'm willing to bet.

It has a very strong resemblance to pet food, before it's cooked.

It's in the same aisle of the grocery store as Dinty Moore's Beef Stew, and Chef Boy-ar-dee's Ravioli-o's, if that means anything to you.

[RAGER]

It's been many many years but I'm sure I have. Probably when hunting with my dad as a kid.  It I do know what it is.

I know you have some bacon fat on hand. I would use that over butter. Butter will burn at a much lower heat possible giving off flavors. But yeah don't turn it until you've wanted to turn about three times. Then flip it.

I might just try it out for shits and drizzles.

[Lumpy]

It can be good but home made would be a lot better.

[RAGER]

Made a Thai veg stock last night and then poached some chicken breasts in it to be used a bunch of different ways for lunches this week.

[RAGER]

Made som chicken chili this morning to take for lunch.
It was a quick one so I used canned beans and canned tomatoes. About the only things I use out of a can.

[Muffin Man]

Should I put some garden rosemary in the dough? Raisins, too? Going for sourdough bread loaf #1 today.

[mortlock]

No rasins. Shits gross.

[Muffin Man]

I bought two bags at Costco thinking I need the trace minerals or whatever, but they're really good fresh ones. Melt in your mouth good. I throw a handful in the yogurt instead of blobbing out on ice-cream.

[RAGER]

Keep the damn raisins out of the bread. Rosemary yes and red onions sliced and on top before baking.

[RAGER]

Fridge clean out lunch board.


1. Country pâté' from Ecliptic brewing Portland
2. Goat cheese crumbles from Vermont
3. Tillamook County Creamery (Oregon) Colby Jack. Didn't have any good cheeses.
4. Local hard boiled eggs with Mama Lil's peppers Portland.
5. Oil cured and Sicilian olives with Mezetta hot mix
6. Kimchi from H Mart Portland
7. Pickled beets.

That Maille Dijon is the shit.
All that with some Portland French sourdough crostini.

[Muffin Man]

I love an anti-pasta platter!

clever labeling