Ways to Make Your Food Suck – Tell the Reader Your Food Can Be Harmful

The point of any food blog is to share the authors’ love of food. It should be focused just on that – The food. The reader assumes that the author is very familiar about the food they write about. But, if you say that there is something off-putting about it, then the reader will take that into consideration and will pass on the recipe, the post or the entire blog. Or, the author likes to put on the nutritionist’s or doctor’s cap when they might not have any medical background. It’s like saying, “Here’s my recipe and I’m proud to share it with you. But, here’s the bad thing about it”. The blogger has just said, “this stuff is toxic”.

 

I don’t understand why a blogger would disparage their food. What’s the point in spending the time and effort to write a recipe and snap some shots of a food that your, the blogger, is saying is “not good”?

 

It’s important to watch what you say about your food and to keep the food in a good light. Here are some phrases that are a definite turn off and tell the reader “my food can harm you”.

 

“Eat in Moderation”

 

I find it irritating when I see “Eat in moderation”. There is one blog where there are a handful of recipes with this phrase. Granted, the dishes aren’t something that you would cook on a daily basis (or, would you?). Nevertheless, I came looking for recipes, NOT advice!

 

Thanks, but no thanks.

 

Any adult with some basic knowledge about diet would know what foods to eat more of and what to eat on occasion. Less fat, less salt, less sugar… More fiber, more fruits, more vegetables… etc. Blah, blah, blah! We know! We know! It should be assumed that the reader has enough discretion. Give them that much credit.

 

“Eat at Your Own Risk”

Nowhere have I ever seen this phrase in a recipe except for one blog post…

“Pampabata [something to make you younger] is a word used to describe a food that is not really good for health… This dish is the official ‘pampabata’ recipe from my kitchen. EAT AT YOUR OWN RISK!” [sic] (Mely’s Kitchen, emphasis mine)

REALLY?! SERIOUSLY?!

 

It might have been added as a bit of a joke or gimmick to grab attention, but it’s the first thing that your eyes go to! It grabbed my attention. It, too, advises to “eat in moderation”… C’mon! But, justifiably so since it just pork fat.

 

The reason why it is called “pampabata” is because of the collagen in the fat. Collagen is used in many beauty creams for healthier skin. The author had the chance to offer that information but failed to do so. I would have liked to see a little more background on the dish because it must have an interesting history. Sadly, the author posted it as more of a curiosity since it might KILL. I guess beauty does have a price.

 

“Healthier”

Another thing I’ve noticed is that some authors like to claim that their cooking is “healthier”. Yet, they don’t go into detail as to how they have made the recipe “healthier”. A good scenario is the reader who knows little or nothing about the dish (such as I did when it came to some of the recipes on one blog). The reader’s first impression is that the food isn’t good for you. Great intro!

 

In some cases, it’s an ingredient that is commonly used that been omitted. For example…

“I do not put flavor enhancers (msg.( vetsin), pork powder, chicken powder, beef powder and all the cube flavor enhancers) to my recipes, either you use it or not it's up to you.” [sic]

(Mely’s Kitchen)

It’s fine that she doesn’t add these to her recipes. That’s great! She adds that it’s up to the reader to use such ingredients. What’s lacking is where these ingredients are use or how. How is the reader to decide? If there is an ingredient that can be optional then tag it in the recipe. It possible that the reader would like to try to cook the dish in it’s original form for various reasons. Give them that option.

 

In one of my blog posts, I explain how Sinigang is cooked with readily available mix packets which has become the norm. But, in my recipe I try to reach a more “authentic” recipe by using tamarind paste. I wanted to counter the popularity of the MSG- and salt-laden packets. But, I explain that in the post and neither do I claim that it’s in any way “healthier”. I let the reader decide if it seems “healthier”; otherwise, they can continue to use the packets.

 

I know of two cooks/chefs that have taken recipes and made a point of making them healthier. They are Graham Kerr, the “Galloping Groumet”, who took many of his own recipes and cut down the fat, salt, sugar, etc. At the end on his show, he shows how he’s reduced the numbers for each. Another is Bobby Deen, who “remastered” his mother’s, Paula Deen’s, Southern recipes making them healthier. In each case, they showcase the original recipe and show how they made it healthier at the end of each episode. In other words, they have evidence and facts to back up their claims. But, to claim that your recipe is “healthier” is really just a gimmick unless you can put money where your mouth is.

 

Celebrate the Food

Many of the readers are most probably aware of what they can and cannot eat for whatever reason – They don’t need to be coddled.

All in all, the thing to take away is to never denigrate the food. In fact, celebrate it! It doesn’t matter what the readers might think or how “horrible” it might be. If they like it, they will like it. If not, it’s their loss. What really matters is what you think. It’s your food! You as the “expert” and you need to educate the reader why you like your food so much.Talking bad about your food erodes away at your creditability; the confidence of your readers in you diminishes. If you put the food in a bad light, the reader will also have a bad opinion of the food. You know more about it than they do. You don’t need to give the reader a reason why they would not like your recipe nor attempt to cook your dish. Why in this world would you give them a chance to dislike your food? So, don’t. Or, stop writing about food immediately!

Technorati Tags: Blogging,food,recipes,writing

Why spend the time writing the recipe and sharing it with others if in the end it does no one any good?

Three Cup Chicken… My Way

A good friend of mine brought to my attention a Taiwanese dish called “Three Cup Chicken”. The three cups come from the main ingredients: one of cup soy sauce, one cup rice vinegar, and one cup of sesame oil. After reading the various recipes, the amounts vary and stay close to the “one cup” amount.

The following is based on a recipe I found on Food Republic. My version differs in the amount of ingredients and I have substituted the sugar for honey and the rice vinegar for sherry.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. chicken thighs cut up into bite-size pieces. I’ve used de-boned thighs and removed the skin.
• 1/2 cup sesame oil
• 1 3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled (with a teaspoon) sliced into thick discs
• 6 - 7 whole cloves of garlic crushed
• 1 bunch scallions. Cut the green part into one-inch sections. Reserve the whites.
• 2 to 3 small Thai chilies, halved or sliced
• 1/2 cup sherry
• 1 cup soy sauce (I used Kikkoman brand). If you decide to use a soy sauce that contains caramel such as Swan or Aloha Shoyu, you may want to reduce the amount of honey.
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 packages or small bunches of Thai basil. (Don’t substitute with regular basil, since it is not as fragrant)

Directions

1. In a wok or large sauté pan, heat the sesame oil over medium-high heat.
2. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the garlic cloves and brown.
3. Add the ginger slices, the chilies and the whites of the scallions. Sauté until fragrant. 2 – 3 minutes.
4. Add the chicken in batches. After one batch turns color, add the next batch until all the chicken has browned. 6 – 8 minutes.
5. Add the sherry and soy sauce and bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
6. Turn down the heat and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes until the sauce reduces a bit. Longer if you want a darker color. Stirring occasionally.
7. Add the green part of the scallions and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes.
8. Take the wok off the heat and tear the Thai basil to release its aroma and add to the wok.
9. Serve!

This dish is so popular, that recipe videos abound on YouTube.

Here are a few that I could find:

• How to Cook Three-Cup Chicken
• Classic Taiwanese 3-Cup Chicken

Sinigang (Without the Packet)

Wikipedia

Sinigang (or “Sinig-ang” in some dialects of Tagalog) is a tangy, sour soup popular in Philippine cuisine. Commonly it consists of a protein, beef, pork, chicken or seafood and a soup soured by tamarind (Tagalog: “sampalok”), guava, calamondin or “golden lime” (Tagalog: “kalamansi”), bilimbi, unripe mango or miso paste. This recipe uses tamarind -- the most popular.

Tamarind comes in dried pods. But, before cooking, the pods are soaked in water until the seeds can be separated from the sticky, brown pulp. Both the seeds and the outer husk are discarded. This can take some time, so companies such as Knorr have created convenient packets that contain tamarind powder and other seasonings. When you read the ingredient list of these packets you will find… MSG.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) isn’t a “bad” seasoning, but it’s gained a reputation. There are those who steer clear of it. As for me, I use it occasionally when a recipe calls for it. And, as far as the convenient packets go, I’ve needed to use two or three to achieve that same tanginess that I prefer. How many I would used would depend on what brand. That would spell more packets, more MSG.

I like the idea of having more control over the seasonings I use and using only the tamarind fruit eschewing the packets. But, I just don’t have the experience with removing the fruit. I found a middle ground between convenience and real ingredients, however: tamarind concentrate or paste.

Living in Seattle, I was able to find tamarind concentrate and/or paste in various Asian supermarkets such as Viet Wah, HT Market near Oak Tree Cinemas in North Seattle or at the Uwajimaya in the International District/Chinatown.  Nevertheless, in this day and age tamarind concentrate/paste can be bought online via Amazon.com and the like.

I used about four tablespoons in my latest attempt. I was able to achieve that same zest that the friend that I was cooking for was surprised that I didn’t use a packet. Since I started cooking this way, I have only used tamarind concentrate with great results. I will never go back to the packets again!

Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon oil such as canola (“rapeseed”) or corn oil.
• 1 Medium onion diced
• 3 – 4 Garlic cloves smashed and minced

• A pinch or two of table salt
• 1 1/2 – 2 Lbs. Pork butt (AKA “shoulder”) cut into 1” cubes
• 3 – 4 Roma or plum tomatoes or 1 medium-sized tomato quartered
• Approximately 3 – 4 Cups of water to cover
• 2 – 4 Tablespoons tamarind concentrate or more it you want a tangier soup
• 1/2 Lb. Yard-long beans (“sitaw”), trimmed of their stems and cut into 1” pieces
• 1/2 Lb. Baby bok choy cut in quarters lengthwise

• (Optional) 1 Tablespoon fish sauce (“patis”) – You can substitute with one teaspoon (or less) of regular table salt

NOTES:

• Tomatoes – Most recipes I’ve read include tomatoes, but I’ve found that too much tomato can make the broth sweet, something you don’t want if you want a sour broth.
• The protein in this recipe is pork, but you can use beef or seafood. If you decide to use beef and good stew cut works well, but it might be necessary to cook longer to tenderize the beef.
• The yard-long beans and the bok choy are more of a suggestion. You can substitute any green, leafy vegetable in your dish.

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a large pot such as 2 quart casserole or Dutch over medium high heat.
2. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the garlic and give it a quick stir.
3. Once the garlic is fragrant (less than one minute), add the diced onion. Add a few pinches of salt to help the onions sweat and become translucent. (3 – 4 minutes)
4. Add the pork and sauté until all pieces turn color. (5 – 6 minutes)
5. Stir in and macerate the tomatoes. If using, stir in the patis or add additional salt. Cover and let cook for 5 minutes.
6. Add water. Stir in the tamarind concentrate. Add one tablespoon at a time and taste. If it is as tangy as you want it at two tablespoons, stop. If you want it tangier, add another. But, make sure to stir and taste after each spoonful. Once it’s in, you can’t take it out!
7. Cover again and let cook for another 5 minutes.
8. Add the yard long beans. Cover again and cook for another 5 minutes.
9. Give the soup a stir. Add the bok choy; cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
10. At this point you can turn down the heat to medium-low and cook covered for another 10 – 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and for the pork to become tender.
11. Serve the soup with pork and vegetables in a bowl. Put steamed rice on a plate and pour a few tablespoons of patis into a small dipping bowl as a condiment.

Eating “Wet and Dry”

Sinigang is one of many dishes that can be eaten “wet and dry” in Filipino cuisine. What is meant by this is that the soup (the “wet”) is spooned over the rice (the “dry”) bit by bit as you eat. The rice in never soaked 100%. Fish out the pork or the vegetables and place onto the wet rice, spoon some of the condiment (here patis) over the protein and vegetables. Fill the spoon with the rice, soup and the pork and vegetables so you have everything in one bite. Enjoy!

Patis: Fish Sauce

Fish sauce is a very ancient cooking ingredient popular in South-East Asia. Essentially, it is the liquid extracted from fermented fish mixed with salt. Many fish sauces comprise mostly of anchovies, but other sauces will include other types of fish and sometimes spices.

It is not unknown in Western cooking, however. It was known by the Greeks as early as the fourth or third century BCE. The Romans used garum or liquamen who mixed it with wine, honey or vinegar. In fact, Worcestershire sauce has its origin in the Greco-Roman condiment.

Because of fish sauce’s fermented nature, it is pungent in both smell and flavor. Having said that, it should be used sparingly as both an ingredient and as a condiment. Remember: A little can go a very, very long way.

Making fish sauce is rather simple: Mix fish and salt together and then wait for the liquid to seep out. The main thing that must be kept in mind is the ratio between fish and salt (3:2). Too much salt, and you are preserving and drying out to fish; too much fish and you’re creating a smelly mess.

After making mine, I did not buy any fish sauce for three or four years! For one, I made a lot; and, two, I used it sparingly.

My recipe calls for only one fish (anchovies) and salt. There are no other ingredients needed.

Making fish sauce at home is for the hard-core home cook.

Disclaimer: There is a potential for food poisoning should you follow the steps below. Attempt at your own risk. Otherwise, just read on out of curiosity.

Ingredients:

The weights of the ingredients are a starting point. Adjust the amounts according to how much you wish to make. Maintain the weight ratio and you should be off to a good start. Remember: 3:2!

• 2lbs. Anchovies – If you can get freshly caught anchovies, that would be the best option. Otherwise, using frozen anchovies is the next best alternative. Make sure to thaw the fish.
• 3lbs. Rock Salt – This type of salt allows for the juices from the fish to “filter” out. Kosher salt would also work because of its coarseness. Anything finer such as table salt may not be to your advantage. Remember this is by weight and not by volume.

Tools:

• Latex gloves – This will keep the smell off of your hands as you work.
• One-gallon (at least) air-tight container – Make sure that it has a wide mouth and that it is air-tight to keep the smell in check.
• Turkey baster – Used for siphoning.
• Coffee filters – Used to remove sediment.
• Funnel – Used with the coffee filter.
• Air-tight container – This will be used to store the liquid.
• Serving container – This should be air-tight as well because the liquid will evaporate when not used.

Preparation:

These are directions that I got from my mother whom I have seen make patis/bugguong. The very first step is optional.

1. (Optional) Place the fish in a tightly covered pan or bowl and leave it on the counter for two to three days. If you are using frozen, do not open the bag. Yes! You read that right! The fish will be left out in the open for a couple of days. Leave it out for more days if you are daring. So, keep it tightly covered or place in somewhere else, say the garage, where it will not be disturbed. After the first couple of days, it will reek. I mean really reek!
2. When the fish is “ready” (if you’ve chosen to follow step one), or if you haven’t, and the fish is thawed or fresh, layer the bottom of you container with about 1/4” of the salt. Take some of the fish and make a 1/4” layer on top of the salt. Repeat layering salt and fish. Close the container tightly and store the container at room temperature where it will not be disturbed.
3. In two or three days, carefully open the container. The fermentation process may have already started and the smell will be overwhelming. If you followed the first step, bubbles may have formed and the liquid may have risen. You have need to give the mixture a stir to release any pockets of gas that might have formed in the layers. Once you are done, close the container tightly.
4. For about one month, check the container about every two or three days to stir the mixture. With each passing check, you will find that the smell will mellow considerably and will reek less. At the end of month, it should smell like fish sauce. If it still does not smell characteristically like fish sauce give it another two weeks to another month.
5. Once it smells mellower and like fish sauce, siphon some of the liquid using the turkey baster. Run the siphoned liquid through a coffee filter and into another air-tight container to remove the grey sediment. You will find that you might need to use a few filters before you fill the container you’re using to store the finished product for long term.
6. Use it as you would regular patis that you would otherwise have bought at the store.

Sources:

1. Fish Sauce (Wikipedia)
2. All About Fish Sauce (Nam Pla)
3. How Fish Sauce Is Made
4. Worcestershire sauce

Sammy's Ramen

Tonight after coming home I decided to make something with ramen, the typical food of the college-aged kid. Mind you, it's not something I had very much when I was going to college. But, ramen does remind me of my mom who used to give it to us for lunch when we were younger. The best part of it was that she would crack an egg into the broth – my favorite part.

I couldn't devise a good name for this dish, so I decided to name this after the cat with whom I live: Sammy. He was the first to greet me when I came home.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 Lb. of pork. I used the "country style" pork ribs (boneless). Cut into 1/4 inch slices.
• One pack of ramen. Choose any brand you like, but set aside the "flavor packet". Use it for something else if you want or just throw it away. I will have to try with “fresh” ramen.
• 3 - 4 cups of water
• 1 - 3 Tablespoons of fish sauce or soy sauce. Add according to taste. This will be a salty broth.
• 3 - 4 Scallion (green onion) stalks. Sliced. Separate the white from the green.
• 1 Tablespoon of sesame oil
• 1/4 Teaspoon of grated ginger. Or, if you're too anxious, 1 - 2 1/4 inch thick slices.
  

Directions:

1. Mix the pork with the fish sauce or soy sauce in a small bowl.
2. In a medium-size sauce pan, bring to a boil the water and the white part of the scallions.
3. Once boiling add the sliced pork and cook until the pork changes color. 3 - 4 minutes.
4. Remove the pork and set aside.
5. Turn down the heat to medium.
6. Put the pack of ramen and cook for 1 - 3 minutes until the noodles soften. Do not cook until mushy.
7. Add the sesame oil and stir into the noodles.
8. Stirring constantly, cook for another 2 - 3 minutes.
9. Portion out the noodles into each bowl.
10. Portion out the pork slices on top of the noodles.
11. Pour broth into each bowl over the pork and noodles.
12. Garnish with the green part of the scallions.
13. Slurp to your hunger's content.

Bistek Tagalog

Technorati Tags: Filipino,Beef,Onions,Garlic,Tagalog,Soy Sauce,Calamondin,Kalamansi

A friend of mine today, Chris, decided to cook Bistek Tagalog. From the looks of it, he did a great job. With his permission, I’m sharing his family recipe with you, the readers.

(Image used with permission)

Bistek Tagalog is a simple dish with only a few ingredients. It that consists of thin slices of beef marinated in soy sauce and calamondin juice. The slices are fried to which the marinade is added and reduced to create a tangy sauce. As a coup de grace, caramelized onion rings are added. In Chris’ version here he adds potatoes.

The calamondin featured in this dish, also known as “kalamansi” or “calamansi”, is a small citrus fruit native to SE Asia commonly used in Philippine cuisine as an ingredient or as a condiment.  Frozen calamondin juice can be found in stores that specialize in Asian foods. The juice of limes or lemons can be used as substitutes.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of sirloin steak sliced thin. Other cuts to use are flank and skirt steak.
  • (TIP: To make it easier to make the slices very thin, place the beef in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.)
• 1 medium onion sliced and separated into rings
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 cup soy sauce. Chris used Kikkoman brand. If you would like a sweeter soy sauce, use the Swan or Aloha Shoyu brands.
• 3 tablespoons of calamondin juice. Use lemon or lime juice if calamondin juice is unavailable.
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and more for serving.
• 1 – 2 pinches of salt (for wilting the onions)
• 3 tablespoons of neutral oil for frying, such as canola.

Directions:

1. In a large bowl whisk to combine the soy sauce, the calamondin juice and pepper in a large bowl. Taste and adjust the amount of soy sauce, calamondin juice and pepper to your liking.
2. Add the beef slices and coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least half an hour. One (1) hour or longer is better. Turn the slices over once half-way through. Avoid marinating the beef for longer than four (4) as you will chemically cook the meat before starting.
3. Remove the slices of beef from the marinade and set aside. Reserve the marinade.
4. In a large skillet or frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat.
5. Sauté the onion rings until caramelized and wilted. Add a pinch of salt to help them wilt easier. Set aside.
6. Add the beef slices in batches to the pan and fry until browned. Set aside.
7. Sauté the garlic and add the reserved marinade. Bring the garlic and marinade to a boil.
8. Turn down the heat to low to medium-low. Add the beef back to the pan and add the potato. Simmer for 20 minutes.
9. Add the onion and more ground pepper to taste.
10. Serve with steamed white rice.

How to do that turkey justice this Thanksgiving

It’s that time of year in the US when we are called upon to give thanks for the many things in our lives. It’s Thanksgiving, the biggest food holiday of the year. It inaugurates the holiday season; Christmas is just around the corner. Aside from Pilgrims who came over on the Mayflower, the one thing on almost every American’s mind is that iconic and noble bird that Benjamin Franklin wanted as our national symbol: The turkey.

(Unless you’re vegan/vegetarian, then Tofurky might come to mind, instead. I’ve tried it. Won’t touch the stuff. It’s gross.)

Roast the Turkey… Simple, right?

Some households will try frying their turkeys. But, it can be fraught with danger, if not done safely. I’ve heard of a story or two where people have been burned from the hot oil that spatters to house fires leaving the cook and guests without a roof over their heads. I’ve had wild turkey fried and it was great. No one got burned nor did our hosts lose their home. Nevertheless, the absolute most common way to prepare this bird is roasting. Depending on its weight and the method, it can take a few hours. Once the bird is out of the oven and rested it’s time to carve and serve. It’ll be the most succulent and juicy, right?

I don’t know about your experiences, but for the most part of my childhood and into my young adulthood, turkey has never been my favorite. Why? It’s because each and every Thanksgiving or any other occasion it is served, it was dry. I would go for the thighs and legs thinking that those portions would be better. Nope! Much to my disappointment, no they were not. I always stayed away from the breast especially because it’s notorious for being the driest part of the bird.

But, hey! That’s why gravy is important, right?

No amount of gravy can make this bird’s flesh any juicier. But, there’s time-tested method to keep it from ending up drier than the Sahara and that’s basting… Or, is it?

“Everyone Knows that Basting Keeps it Moist…”

So, they say… Basting is supposed to keep the bird moist. That’s why basters also go fast at the local super market during this time of year. What’s more simple than loading up a gigantic pipet (like in the image) or ladling up a huge serving spoon and bathing the bird with the juices that had run out of the bird during its time in the oven. As the “logic” goes, do this from time to time until the pop-up timer tells you it’s done and what will result is a edible, delectable turkey that everyone will fawn over, consume and enjoy.

Basting might be “tried and true”, but it makes little sense. As the bird cooks in the dry heat of the oven, its skin become more and more impermeable. In other words, no liquids can pass in or out. What you’re basting the bird with, the juices that run out, is what you want to keep in! You can baste until the cows come home, but you can never get those juices to go back in. It won’t reach the flesh underneath. Don’t try the injection basting method, either; you just give more pathways for the moisture to run out! If anything, basting the bird only serves to keep the skin moist. But, who wants that?  In addition, having to open the over door will add to the cooking time. The heat escapes and the temperature dips. The oven has to heat up to the desired temperature once again. Do this often enough and soon dinner becomes a late night affair.

I’m not an advocate for basting and have never basted any of the turkeys I’ve roasted… EVER!

So, how do you prevent the moisture from seeping out to begin with? You load the turkey up with moisture before you even begin. “How is that done”, you say? Brining.

Brining is the Way to Go

Even with my childhood horrors with dry turkey, I’ve enjoyed turkey breast as a lunch meat. It’s always been moist. No doubt about that. But, why? Many brine their turkeys and it appears as a “salt solution” in their ingredient listing.

In the past decade, I’ve seen more and more cooks swear by brining their turkeys. The first indications of this trend was an episode of  Alton Brown’s show on The Food Network, “Good Eats”.  When I saw the episode “Romancing the Bird”, I knew that this was the solution to a dry turkey.

Alton has a good way of activating that analytical side of my brain when it comes to cooking. Some viewers might think it’s a little too “nerdy” to know the science behind the process, but I’m always curious finding out the what, how and why. Much about the science of brining just made sense.

Watching this segment of the episode convinced me:

Brining Secrets

In summary, basting… 1)Does nothing for flavor or texture and 2)opening the oven door slows cooking down as I mentioned.

• A brine is a solution of salt and water that encourages osmosis. Osmosis is a process where the cell walls allow moisture to move from one area of lower concentration to an area of higher concentration to establish equilibrium. In short, the water moves in and out and carries the seasoning into the bird.

The recipe can be found here if you don’t want to watch the episode or the clip: Good Eats Roast Turkey.

Here’s another video with Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli and Aarón Sánchez How to Bring a Turkey.

Videos and recipes abound on YouTube with recipes to brine your turkey! Choose one and you will never baste your turkey again.

Brining is so versatile that aside from turkey, there are also a few recipes to brine other cuts of meat, such as pork chops.

Anne Burrel Brines her Chops!

But, before I go into my experiences with brining, I want to digress and share a memory that comes to mind every Thanksgiving and every time I hear the work “turkey”. It’s rather a sore spot for me which is why I won’t soon forget. It fixes my resolve, however, to brine my turkey… Always.

Take the Turkey and Shove it!

About 10 years ago when I was living in the University District in Seattle, a friend’s boy friend had just recently moved in with me. I was assured that Mike was a good guy, but I had my suspicions that he wasn’t the brightest. I tried to have conversations about his day when we lived together, but I could never follow his train of thought. I only grew frustrated with each and every conversation because I always felt like the dumb one. He always seemed to get mad at me for trying to keep up by asking questions. In the end, I stopped caring.

It was before Thanksgiving and Mike’s parents gave him a turkey. I had watched the “Good Eats” episode on brining and suggested that Mike give that a shot. His response was blunt and tainted with condescension, “That’s not how you keep the turkey juicy! You baste it! That’s how my grandmother does it!”

They roasted the turkey and his grandmother should have done it instead. I didn’t have it, but my friend came back to say that it was dry and that Mike should have listened.

Mike should have listened, indeed! It was an “I told you so!” moment.

About a month later, the January of the next year, Mike up and left. All I got was a voice message saying that he couldn’t stay because his hours at work were cut. It was snowing in Seattle at the time and he called in too many times on account of it. Supposedly, the busses weren’t running which was a load of shit and his supervisor knew it. Later on I finally heard the real reason: My friend didn’t want to hear me complain about how the rent. He didn’t want to hear me “complain” about how Mike would have been short on rent. He succeeded; he didn’t hear about the rent. What he got an earful of, was something else, something that to this day, I’ve not forgotten.

I had enrolled into a competitive testing certificate program before the close of the University of Washington’s Winter quarter. I had worked hard on my resume and cover letter. I managed to get statements from my manager and others I had worked with to get into the program. I was lucky enough to get in. After Mike’s departure, however, I had to call much to my chagrin on the day that classes started to give up my seat explaining my situation. I had to use the money that would have gone to that program for rent since Mike left.

My “friend” heard about that instead. Although, he apologized, I have never truly accepted his apologies for vetting Mike to be my roommate and for urging Mike’s departure. It caused me to miss a great opportunity to improve my chances in my career. Had Mike just worked things out, I would have received that certification. I never was able to get into the program since. My suspicion is that it was because of how I had to give up my seat.

Thanks for the memories, Mike and M*****!

Go Forth and Brine

Years ago when I lived in a town house in Greenwood, I was happy that our oven and range was gas. One Thanksgiving, I decided to host a get-together with my friend Chris and a few of our friends. My plan: Brine the turkey before roasting it.

Alton Brown show how to truss a turkey

I watched Alton Brown’s Good East video over and over again. I also watched his video on how to truss a turkey (How to Truss a Turkey). It helps to cook the bird evenly, makes it so that it’s easier to handle and makes for good presentation.

The result?

I received praise for the turkey. There wasn’t even a complaint of it being dry. Granted, I did undercook it slightly when I didn’t position the instant-read thermometer in the thigh right. I just popped those pieces in the oven and they didn’t dry out either. The brine did very well! One thing the surprised me was how juicy the breast turned out. I’ve become a new fan of turkey breast because of it. I’ve repeated the feat at least two other Thanksgivings after – Nothing but compliments.

I skipped last year. This year, however, I’m going to do it again.

I will stress: Never baste again!

A Favor

Do yourself and your guests a favor: Spare yourself and them from a turkey drier than Death Valley!

That turkey’s life was taken from it given to you so that you and yours might have a grand feast. Give its short life justice by cooking it right this Thursday! Or, at any festive dinner…

Happy Thanksgiving!

5 Ways to Make Your Food Suck

The purpose of any cooking show or blog is to showcase your point of view on food - that’s a no-brainer. Whatever dish or ingredient you are writing about, it should be shed in the best of light. You have gotten as far as having the reader watch your show or read your post. Now, you have to go further and continue to capture their attention and inspire their imagination or entertain them.

Having said that, I have seen various YouTube videos, watched cooking shows and read many blogs where there is just that one thing that turns me off. If I get “turned off”, I imagine that there are at least of a number of others who are off put also.

This is garbage. Want to make your food look or sound like this?

There are a few simple ways to turn the reader off. They might see your show, your video or channel, your post, and possibly your entire blog in a bad light.

You are the expert on whatever area or niche that interested your audience.

Here are five ways to make your food suck.

• Bad Writing

• Use the words the reader doesn't understand

• Tell the Reader Your Food is Harmful

• Take wrong or bad pictures

• Talk bad about the ingredients

White Adobo

Adobo a Puraw, Adobong Puti or “White Adobo” is yet another method of cooking what’s dubbed the “national” dish of the Philippines.

Filipino adobo is a method of cooking food in salt, garlic and vinegar – it is not a spice mixture as is adobo in Hispanic or Spanish cooking. Most commonly, the “salt” used is soy sauce introduced by Hokkien Chinese between the 10th and 11th centuries and gives the dish a brown color.

This dish, “White adobo”, harks back to a time before the introduction of soy sauce and uses plain salt instead. What it was called has been lost to history. This recipe uses chicken, but I imagine that pork can used as well. Pork belly would work well with this dish, too.

In searching for this recipe in “Kusina Masters” to “Adora’s Box”, I’ve traced their sources to the following blog post: “Adobong Puti (White Chicken Adobo) for Kulinarya Cooking Club”. My attempt differs slightly.

First of all, I used half the number of chicken thighs and I didn’t crisp the skin by browning it after braising. I just decided not to this time around. Maybe I’ll give it a shot and update this post.

Second, I’m not a fan of white vinegar – It’s just too strong for my palate.  Even just a fourth of a cup, seems too overpowering. (Yes, I’m Filipino.) I opted for “Sukang Iloko” which happens to have a bronze color and is milder. It’s similar in appearance to malt vinegar. Another vinegar would be fine; I’d just use 1/3 of a cup or less. Use the vinegar that suits your palate or whatever is readily available.

Third, I used about half as many garlic cloves or it’s equivalent, but minced. I would normally smash the whole cloves once they became soft, regardless. Why not cut to the chase?

And lastly, I used freshly ground black pepper and maybe a bit more salt. Trissalicious, the author of the post and recipe, doesn’t give an exact amount, so I had to start with a small amount at first then added more to get the right amount of saltiness. Did I mention that I have a salty palate? You can start with a bit less than suggested.

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken thighs, bone-in (with skin on)
• 1 - 2 tablespoons oil
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/2 cup Sukang Iloko (or less if using white vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
• 1 cup water
• 1 – 2 tablespoons of ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon of salt (or less)
• 2 bay leaves

Preparation:

1. Mix the salt and pepper. Season the chicken well on both sides rubbing into the skin. 
2. Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the chicken thighs skin-side down to brown and crisp up the skin. Do not turn over. This should take about 3 – 4 minutes. But, if you want it a bit crispier, add few more minutes, but watch for burning. 
3. Remove the chicken and set aside. Drain some of the rendered chicken fat leaving about a tablespoon in the pan.
4. Sauté the garlic until fragrant (2 – 3 minutes). Add the bay leaves and stir until the leaves become fragrant. Add the vinegar to deglaze the pan. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom and release the “fond”.
5. Add the chicken skin-side up. Cook in the vinegar for about 5 minutes, then add the water.
6. Cover and turn down the heat to medium-low to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
7. Uncover and turn the chicken skin side down. Cover and continue simmering for another 15 minutes.
8. Remove chicken and place on a serving plate.
9. Reduce the sauce to about half. (15 – 20 minutes)
10. When serving, set a thigh on rice and spoon some of the sauce over the chicken. Serve the rest of the sauce on the side.

Chicken Adobo in Coconut Cream (Adobo a Manok iti Getta)

Adobo is a popular dish and is known by Filipinos and non-Filipinos alike. In fact, it’s been deemed as the “unofficial”, official national dish of the Philippines.

Adobo in the Philippines is a method of cooking using vinegar and salt (in this case soy sauce) that has long been used in the archipelago. It only shares its name with the Spanish term, adobo, which consists of a mix of spices and seasonings. Unfortunately, the original term used for this method of cooking has been lost to history.

Every family has its own variation with differing ratios of ingredients and methods, some, rather superstitious. In one family’s method, the pot should not be stirred once the vinegar has been added lest the adobo turn out “harsh” tasting. Or, that the pot should be stirred in only one direction – Superstitious, indeed.

This version, however, does away with any mysticism and uses chicken and coconut milk or cream to keep it most. It has the same basics, vinegar and salt (which act as preservatives), garlic, peppercorns and bay leaves, common to many preparations. But, it is because of the first two fundamental ingredients that it has a long shelf life… if it ever gets to hang around long enough before being devoured. Rumor has it that it’s best eaten one or two days after being cooked to allow the flavors to meld… as if anyone can wait.

Ingredients:

• 1  3- or 4-lb. Fryer Chicken cut up (or, the equivalent in dark or white meat)
  [Or, substitute with some other protein, such as beef or pork.] 
• 1 Can or 12-14 oz. Coconut Cream *
  (Make sure it is Coconut Cream, NOT Cream of Coconut)
• 1/2 Cup Sukang Iloko (or other cane vinegar) **
• 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
• 3 Bay Leaves
• 5 Peeled Cloves Garlic (or more) Minced
• 1 Tbsp. (Tablespoon) Whole Peppercorns
• 1 Medium Onion Sliced into Rings

Cooking Method

1. Put all the ingredients in a resealable plastic bag.
2. Let the chicken marinade overnight or for at least 2 hours before cooking.
3. Put all the contents of the plastic bag into a large pot or Dutch oven.
4. Bring to a boil on high heat until it begins to boil.
5. Turn down the heat to a simmer (medium or lower). 
6. Cover and let the chicken cook for 20 - 30 minutes until tender.

Or, put all contents into a slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 or more hours.

Alternate Cooking Method

1. Place large pot or Dutch oven on stove over medium high heat and add 2 tbsp.. of oil.
2. Once oil is hot and shimmers, sauté garlic until slightly brown. (1 – 2 min.)
3. Sauté onion until wilted, I.e., sweat the onions. Add a few pinches of salt to make sweating the onions faster.
4. Add chicken pieces and brown.
5. Add vinegar, cover, turn down heat (medium high, medium) and cook for 10 minutes. (According to some, do not stir while cooking in the vinegar.)
6. Add soy sauce, peppercorns and bay leaves and cook for another 5 minutes.
7. Add coconut cream and stir. Cook covered for another 10 -15 minutes.
8. If you want a thicker sauce, uncover and cook for an additional 5 - 10 minutes until sauce becomes the desired consistency.

TIP: To make it easier on your guests, make a small bag from cheese cloth. Put the bay leaves and the peppercorns in the bag and tie it with kitchen twine before adding it to the plastic bag or cooking vessel.

NOTES:
* – I sent a friend of mine to get coconut cream from the local grocery store while I was preparing other dishes for a dinner. He came back with cream of coconut. They are not the same. Cream of coconut is used in drinks such as mai tais. It is a heavily sweetened form of coconut milk and is NOT what you want. When shopping or sending somebody out, make sure it reads “coconut cream”.

** – If you cannot find Sukang Iloko, or you would like to substitute it with what you have on-hand, use a little less that what is listed above, especially, if you’re using apple cider vinegar.

Ways to Make Your Food Suck – Awful Writing

Blogger telling me that the word is misspelled

Nothing else turns me off than reading through a blog post or a recipe and finding bad grammar, misspellings and just plain bad style. If I read enough bull shit, I stop and I won’t even recommend it to anyone, unless it’s for a chuckle here or there. It’s that simple. If I feel this way, I’m sure that there will be others who would agree with me. What’s worse is if it’s a new reader coming across the article. Why would someone put themselves through that?

Misspellings

In this day and age, there is no excuse to misspell words. Blogger, for instance, flags words that are incorrect. Nevertheless, I see it all too often. If you’re using an app such as Windows Live Writer or some other blog editor, this, too, is not an excuse for misspelling words. The occasional word is forgivable, but if the entry is rife with it, I don’t even go back.

Bad Grammar

Windows Live Writer in action

Bad grammar is cringe-worthy. I read through and one of my eyebrows rises.

“I used medium size molder for this recipe and I was able to made around 30 pieces of delicious Kutsinta. [sic]”  (from Mely's Kitchen)

Which should have read:

“I used a medium size molder for this recipe and I was able to make around 30 pieces [of kustinta].”

I’m one for reducing redundancy and it’s why I left out “kutsinta” in the correction. Most of the recipes on the Mely’s Kitchen are written very well. Longer texts, on the other hand, such as her commentaries, contain grammatical errors. After reading post after post, it’s become apparent: Mely’s not a native English speaker. So, I give her some slack. By the way…  what the fuck is a "molder"?

 

In such cases, bad grammar is excusable since English is not her first language. Her recipes are enticing enough, nevertheless. But I skip the commentaries or introductions for the cringe-worthy grammar. They add nothing. There are a few other things that I would skip, but I will comment on them in another post. But she is trying and she has gained quite a number of followers. Yet, I wonder why no one has mentioned this to her to help improve the blog. Or, is she just making excuses and looking past them? I haven’t seen any corrections and I’ve visited the same recipes at least twice. Mely, if you’re reading, you need to clean up the blog.

 

Regardless of your fluency, native or not, grammar checking is available in many modern word-processing applications. Microsoft Word has it built in. If you are using a free word processor an extension can be installed in OpenOffice.org’s Writer. Grammar checking doesn’t seem to have made it into the web editor for Blogger, but if it has, I haven’t noticed yet. In addition, I use Windows Live Writer to write most of my posts. It is a great help since it uses Word’s grammar engine.

 

Even if your editing software lacks a grammar-checking capability, it should at least have a spellchecker. A few misspelt words is not very noticeable. Finding more than a few raises an eyebrow or two. But, finding too many can lead to confusion.

 

Tip: step away from your work for a few hours or a couple of days and revise it. Or, have someone else, like a good friend, to revise it. Hopefully, they are a “Grammar Nazi”. If you are not a native speaker of the target language - look for a friend who is. The more eyes, the more mistakes that can be caught. Grammar mistakes can be embarrassing, but like many things if caught early enough the embarrassment won't go global.

 

Now, a little more ranting… Although this is technically not a grammatical error, I find that the majority of recipe writers from the Philippines like to use the plural “shrimps”. In my English dialect, “shrimp” is both singular, plural and mass noun. And, to read “30 shrimps, clean[ed] and deveined” makes me want to reach out and hurt someone! Argh!

Misuse of Punctuation

Or, in some cases lack thereof.

 

Punctuation can be tricky and there are some rules that are hard to grasp if you don't write for a living. An example is when to use a colon or when to use a semicolon. That aside, it’s good to brush up on the proper use of at least the comma and the period. A very good example of bad punctuation can be seen in a faked magazine cover.

 

Commas make the difference!

The cover is allegedly from Tails, a magazine for pet owners. It shows Rachel Ray holding one of her dogs. The hoaxer deliberately removed the commas, and the text next to her read:

“Rachel Ray finds inspiration in cooking her family and her dog.”

The image has since gone viral. But, it has been debunked by Mashable.com. The actual text was:

“Rachel Ray finds inspiration in cooking, her family, and her dog.”

Punctuation. It’s that important.

 

Bad Style

Style is all about how you write the post and how it’s laid out. Everyone has their own style. Yet, some bloggers do not understand the concept and ramble on. You leave the reader thinking, "get to the fucking point!" It’s like reading a post in Reddit! (Posts there can get pretty bad.) Writers use the same word over and over again. Or, the writer tells us that the food “is tasty”, “is delicious”, or that we should “give it a try”, etc.

 

Bobby Flay once told a contestant on “Food Network Star” that “tasty” or “delicious” lacked any true “meaning”; he was right. If you didn’t think the food was delicious to begin with, why would you take the time to write about it? (Here's another topic to write about.) He encouraged the contestants to use more descriptive words and tell view how the food is "tasty" or why the food is “delicious" - Give the viewer something to relate to. Cooking is an art form. And, as an artist, you have to be familiar with the vocabulary and know to apply it.

Writers who I think are the worst offenders of this pet peeve of mine are those that do not organize their posts in a way that the reader can easily follow. Prime examples are introductions to a recipe. When I read the following, I didn’t bother reading any further the first time around:

”And of course the Coconut trunk can be used for cheap lumber, most commonly used in the Philippines to make concrete forms and also used to build huts as an alternative for more types of traditional lumber. Okay enough said, now let see my recipe!

Is it hot in here? No, not yet! But it will be as we dig deeper into this particular dish. First things first, before we get any deeper into this recipe I just want to make certain things clear. I’m not a Bicolano nor have I ever even been in Bicol. I was born in Antipolo Rizal and basically grew up in Quezon City before moving here to the U.S. in September of 1992. I’m going to apologize in advance if any of my facts aren’t totally accurate... ” [sic]

And, blah... And, blah... And, blah... Not even a squirrel! 
(from Kusinero.net)

Bicol Express whose recipe I have yet to read.

“Let see my recipe! [sic]" is right! Don’t say that unless you truly mean it! There were FIVE More paragraphs of text before you actually “get to the recipe.” (I should be grateful that the writer at least used paragraphs.) What does the coconut tree trunk have to do with the recipe? A1! (“Ewan”, I don’t know!) How the fuck am I supposed to know? Unless there is a story to be told that connects to the recipe, don’t put it in. This seem to resemble  a memory of his, but I just never made the connection. Did he need to hit a text quota? If I didn’t get the point, who else did not?

 

I still haven’t read the recipe. And, I don’t want to. It might have stuff from the coconut tree that is inedible!

 

What It Costs

Many a high school student will complain about taking English class. “Why do we have to study a language that we already speak?!” It’s because of misspelling, bad grammar and bad style that it exists. It there to help you express yourself and your ideas in a way that somebody else will understand. So, thank your English teacher for showing you how to write an understandable blog post and to use "correctments" as a friend of mine likes to joke.

The results of one or more of these blunders is plain old bad writing. If they make the post unappealing, then the food is unappealing too. It makes you less authoritative and less professional. It’s a true shame that people are more interested in presentation that the actual content of the post. Not only have you lost a reader by committing these simple, yet correctable mistake, but you lose credibility. In an Internet where possibly thousands of other people are writing about the same exact thing, the reader will go to someone else does the job just a bit betterly then ewe.