• Sprouts was:bacon [1]

    From Ruth Haffly@1:396/45.28 to Dave Drum on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 13:42:12
    Hi Dave,

    one with brussels sprouts. Interestingly, he doesn't like cooked
    sprouts in any way but does like them raw.

    I'm that way with turnips. Love 'em peeled and sliced w/salt when they
    are raw. Abhor them once they've been cooked.

    OTOH, I like them in something like beef stew.

    I hereby grant you my portion of them in perpetuity.

    Gladly taken here. I'd offer up peanut butter, coffee, or coconut in exchange but Steve takes them off my hands. OTOH,you can have my maraschino cherries, both the red and the green. (G)

    Maraschino cherries are OK. I get them mostly in chocolate-covered
    mode. Used to get them once in a while in cocktails. But I've not had

    I've never liked them, even as a kid.

    any of
    the "hard" liquor in 20 or so years. And not even a beer since my last

    My next cocktail will be my first. (G) I'm not a beer drinker; the smell
    is a turn off for me. I have had wine, but rarely. There was a bit of
    red in the pork tenderlion roast I did last night, but only a quarter
    cup in the gravy. I'll use more in the beef stew I'll make in the next
    week or so.

    echo picnic at the Shipp's old place in Columbia, MD. Haven't gone all "tee-total" or anything. Just haven't had the "taste" for it.

    I understand; I never had the taste for most of it.

    (corn)
    I hadn't either, until I met Steve. Seems to be a common thing tho.

    Only amongst the wierdo set.

    Or those with kids--it'll get the kid to eat more veggies. (G)

    The non purist chili cooks. It's good in the family friendly chili I've made but I don't even use corn flour to thicken the true chili I do.

    I understand - because of Steve's allergic reaction. And I've found
    the using Arrowroot powder works better than cornstarch in acidic
    dishes like chilli anyway.

    I generally just use tomato past--glues those broken tomatoes back together. (G)

    Seriously, arrowroot as a thickener works better for my $$$ and effort than cornstarch. Root starches do not hold up at high temperatures so
    best used to thicken sauces toward the very end of cooking. Which is
    when I determine that I need "thickening".

    I'll determine the need for thickening at some point, depends on how
    long the chili is to be cooked. Last week I cooked it all Saturday
    afternoon, reheated a couple hours before serving on Sunday. Tomato
    paste was added about an hour before serving.

    Arrowroot works well with pie fillings and sauces, adding a crystal
    clear, shimmering sheen and a silkier mouth feel. It does freeze and
    thaw without change, unlike cornstarch. And it has a more neutral
    taste; it doesn't taste "starchy" like grain starches (cornstarch,
    flour).

    Something to replenish; we used up the arrowroot a few weeks ago.

    Choose arrowroot if you're thickening an acidic liquid which tends to cause cornstarch thinkeners to "break".

    Potato starch works much the same - but I've not found it available to
    buy in convenient containers like the arrowroot I get. Bv)=

    Can you buy it in bulk & put in your own container?

    $$$ and trophies. Judging is "double blind". I expect to sample some
    of the best chilli I've ever put in my face, a lot of "pretty good" chillies> and (probably) a "spitter" or two. Bv)=

    Good cooking for colder weather.

    Actually it was almost "speedo" weather that day. 50+ Fahrenheit. And

    It was in the upper 60s for us. A charity in Raleigh had their annual
    "Undie Rundie"--good weather for it. It's a fun run, to raise money to
    buy undies for clothing distribution charities. And yes, some
    participants run in (modest) undies.


    it was a tough competition. One outstanding (to me) chilli and not a "spitter" in the bunch. My first place vote was obvious to me - but
    the seconf and third place nods were tough among the 16 remaining chillies.

    Ties allowed?


    The dried herbs/spices I use include ancho, cumin, cayenne and garlic
    from this list. I'll also use chipoltle and this year Steve added a bit
    of chiltipin.

    I generally use a jalapeno or two (or serrano) to my chilli. The spice
    mix is just a "base" for elaboration. I used chipotles once in place
    of jalapeno and it made my chilli have a "smoky" undertone. I'll pass, thank you, on further use in *my* chilli. Bv)=

    I've used serrano before but not this year. Steve likes chipoltle so there's always some in our kitchen, powdered or dried.

    You have to make it to suit yourself (and your guests).

    It's usually a basic version with different peppers, depending on what's available/what mix I buy.


    This chile verde has been in my arsenal since its originator won the "verde" category with it in 2008. It contains potatoes - which I
    didn't realise were "legal" until that February day in 2008.

    OK, I'll take a look at it.

    I really like a TB or three over scrambled eggs for breakfast. Bv)=

    We had cheddar cheese over our scrambled eggs this morning. (G)

    ---
    Catch you later,
    Ruth
    rchaffly{at}earthlink{dot}net FIDO 1:396/45.28


    ... Get shopping while the gettin' is good!!!

    --- PPoint 3.01
    * Origin: Sew! That's My Point (1:396/45.28)