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I tried making Dong Po Rou yesterday and I think I fucked up, because it wasn't marinated enough and the pork wasn't really tender; I accidentally put the heat high instead of putting it at simmer since the knobs are missing the heat level indication. The sauce is still good, though. I think I ended up not cooking it long enough because I was apprehensive since I left it on high for too long.

I fucking hate electric stoves. I wonder if a crockpot would have worked better?
 
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Gumbo with sausage, chicken, and shrimp.
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Good gumbo makes a belly happy.
 
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batterybee said:
I tried to make dandelion root tea, because I heard that it was like coffee.
It tasted really gross and bitter lol. I certainly wouldn't recommend it.
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The context for when dandelion root tea, and other coffee substitutes, were used historically is incredibly important. It was typically in times of war or hardship when coffee was unavailable; i.e. its use by the CSA during the American Civil War. That being said if you want to use dandelion for something that actually tastes good: the greens are pretty tasty in salads and I've heard that dandelion flower jelly is quite good.
 
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So I have never had baked ziti before. I am currently in the middle of a Sopranos rewatch and as you know, its a pretty iconic dish from that show. So after this video got recommended on Youtube I decided to try it.

I substituted the beef for sausage so I dont know authentic it is, but I really enjoyed this.
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Italian food is so good, theres so much I havnt experienced but this is up there with aglio e olio as a favorite pasta dish now.
 
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On the subject of dandelions, they're actually a great plant overall: every part of them from the root to the flowers are good for you, they're a great addition to salads and they grow like crazy pretty much anywhere

I feed my animals dandelions and I eat them myself, they work well in a salad or on a sandwich (arugula-style)
 
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Terrifying Organisms said:
It was my fiance's birthday so I made breakfast.
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Awesome combo of both food itself and presentation and actually being able to take a photograph of it too.
CHARizard said:
So I have never had baked ziti before. I am currently in the middle of a Sopranos rewatch and as you know, its a pretty iconic dish from that show.
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This is a great dish. I like it more than lasagna, not because it's better as such but because I can actually make it. In theory, I can make lasagna too, but holy fuck that is a pain.
 
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Two days ago I made chicken stock from the bones and scraps of three roasted chickens (I keep them in freezer, don't want to waste the goods), carrots, parsnip and celery, along with some bay leaves and marjoram.
I then used the liquid only to make a super plain veggie soup - with spinach and green beans.
The only seasoning it needed was salt, pepper and a splash of lemon juice, although a teaspoon of creme fraiche in a bowl makes it even better. The soup keeps me coming back for more and make me happy, it's like crack but nutritious.
 
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I've been learning how to bake artisan bread in my cooking pot, it doesn't come out super pretty and it ends up crunchy on the bottom which I'm told may be normal. Anyone got any tips for my next batch? I made myself a sourdough starter and I want to christen it with a good bake.
 
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Dr. Ricearoni said:
Anyone got any tips for my next batch? I made myself a sourdough starter and I want to christen it with a good bake.
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I learned how to make sourdough from this guy and I was very happy with the results. He also has a Youtube channel, but I warn you that his voice is a bit annoying.
 
Dr. Ricearoni said:
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I've been learning how to bake artisan bread in my cooking pot, it doesn't come out super pretty and it ends up crunchy on the bottom which I'm told may be normal. Anyone got any tips for my next batch? I made myself a sourdough starter and I want to christen it with a good bake.
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A Dutch oven is really better for this. That said, corn meal or (semolina) flour at the bottom of the pot helps stop actual burning. Also, depending on your recipe, a number of other tricks may apply, like taking off the lid for the last part of the cooking and also having a tray or dish with a layer of water in the oven during some/all of the cooking helps make it crustier. To make it a little prettier, you might want to brush it with an egg wash (an egg beaten and mixed with like a tablespoon or so of water) or lye, which gives it a shiny exterior and also makes browning look better.

There are a lot of ways of doing this and you'll eventually settle on a few favorites if you keep doing it.
 
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AnOminous said:
A Dutch oven is really better for this. That said, corn meal or (semolina) flour at the bottom of the pot helps stop actual burning. Also, depending on your recipe, a number of other tricks may apply, like taking off the lid for the last part of the cooking and also having a tray or dish with a layer of water in the oven during some/all of the cooking helps make it crustier. To make it a little prettier, you might want to brush it with an egg wash (an egg beaten and mixed with like a tablespoon or so of water) or lye, which gives it a shiny exterior and also makes browning look better.

There are a lot of ways of doing this and you'll eventually settle on a few favorites if you keep doing it.
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I've done pies with the beaten egg whites before and considered it for my bread too, but I'm considering selling sourdough bread as a side hustle (perfectly legal under my state's cottage laws so why not) and I initially ruled it out to keep costs low. Do you think it'd be worth it anyway? I could probably factor in the egg in the price but I don't wanna make it super expensive unless it tastes as good as it looks.
 
Dr. Ricearoni said:
I could probably factor in the egg in the price but I don't wanna make it super expensive unless it tastes as good as it looks.
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I'd say to sell stuff it actually has to look good. Maybe lye would be cheaper in quantity but personally I'm scared to screw around with that shit. Butter brushed on and just a bowl of tap water in the lower shelf in the oven does a lot too. I'm usually making these for myself with no concern about cost though.
 
AnOminous said:
I'd say to sell stuff it actually has to look good. Maybe lye would be cheaper in quantity but personally I'm scared to screw around with that shit. Butter brushed on and just a bowl of tap water in the lower shelf in the oven does a lot too. I'm usually making these for myself with no concern about cost though.
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Hypothetically I could just try to make multiple loaves at a time so I can use up more egg white with less waste. I'll post my next attempt with your suggestions whenever I get around to making my next test loaf
 
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