Food Porn and Discussion.

[mama cass]

noooooooooo i always use butter for my baking - wouldn't dream of using margarine (is that the same as shortening??)... that's just a travesty lol

eta: had the most AMAZING profiteroles tonight, supermarket deli bought, massive, almost tennis ball size, the lightest choux pastry filled with a really light but dense (if that makes sense, dense but not heavy lol) creme patissiere, more creamy than custardy though, and generously drenched in the most luxuriant chocolate sauce - to die for! i caved and bought them for the first time the other week - normally i like to make/bake all my own puddings/cakes, but i'm really strapped for time at the moment, and there's no way i can make them that good, and now we've tasted them there's no going back lol!! plus they're only 5 euros and there's enough for 4 people... will take a photo next time lol!

 

[Rachel D.]

We had nachos tonight!

Black beans, chicken, avocado, cheddar cheese, cilantro, and green onions. Yum!

 

[LuckyNumber7]

That looks delicious.

 

[kramwest1]

Yeah, it's been a couple of weeks since I had nachos. Need some NOW.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

I haven't had cheese in a month. I've barred myself

 

[Sicy]

I don't care much for Sprinkles cupcakes. There was so much hype over them that when I finally tried them I was really unimpressed. They were too cakey and rich. I like my cupcakes light and fluffy.

Also, I don't think I could go a day without eating cheese.

 

[corianderstem]

Also, I don't think I could go a day without eating cheese.

This, times about a squillion.

Cheese.

 

[mama cass]

made a big batch of ragu from scratch today, with onion, garlic, carrot, celery, mushrooms, minced beef and pancetta, blitzed tinned tomatoes, tomato puree and oh gallons of red wine, simmered gently for a couple of hours, to keep us going for a few days... turned a bit of it into a lasagne for tonight, and will use the rest in tortillas/enchiladas (adding extra chilis and kidney beans), and a spaghetti bolognaise later in the week... i love planning ahead for meals and things lol

 

[kafrun]

Also, I don't think I could go a day without eating cheese.

I have several different kinds of cheese on my grocery list right now. Fuck yeah.

 

[Rachel D.]

Does anyone else like smoked cheese as much as I do?

 

[corianderstem]

Smoked gouda. OM NOM NOM.

 

[arw]

Smoked gouda. OM NOM NOM.

YES. One of my favorites....

one thing I used to love about working in hotel kitchens was being able to sample all of the yummy cheeses they use for buffets.

 

[arw]

We had nachos tonight!

Black beans, chicken, avocado, cheddar cheese, cilantro, and green onions. Yum!

this looks sooooo good!!! (Well aside from the chicken!) I might have to pick up some nacho ingredients tomorrow.

 

[kafrun]

Smoked gruyere, ftw.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

made a big batch of ragu from scratch today, with onion, garlic, carrot, celery, mushrooms, minced beef and pancetta, blitzed tinned tomatoes, tomato puree and oh gallons of red wine, simmered gently for a couple of hours, to keep us going for a few days... turned a bit of it into a lasagne for tonight, and will use the rest in tortillas/enchiladas (adding extra chilis and kidney beans), and a spaghetti bolognaise later in the week... i love planning ahead for meals and things lol

can i come over?

 

[mama cass]

of course!

 

[kramwest1]

Aged Gouda FTW!



Mimollette, too.

 

[Sicy]

Lemon garlic butter linguine with shrimp!

 

[corianderstem]

Ooooooooooooooooooh.

 

[mama cass]

Garlic butter linguine with shrimp!

ooh yum!

 

[mama cass]

i found an amazing gorgonzola with mascapone cheese at the deli counter the other day - was so so good!! i serve it as canapes, on a little bit of bread and drizzled with balsamic paste...

here in France they have a cheese for every day of the year, but up til recently it's been really hard finding non-French cheeses in the local supermarkets apart from super rubbery Edam (and tubs of mascapone, feta, mozarrella etc) - they're so protectionist! they've finally cottoned onto the idea (thank god!) and i can now find really good pecorino, gorgonzola, fresh (not pre-packed) parmesan, and best of all Extra-Mature English Cheddar at the deli counter...

there's a local goat's cheese here which is just delicious if you like that kind of thing, a fresh or aged goatie cylinder or pyramid rolled in black salt - incredibly good! a mum at school has a goat farm and makes and sells her own - sometimes i go there for my cheese or extra veggies, and it's like stepping back in time - up til recently there were 4 generations still living under the same roof, amazing! but yeah, people say it's the best fresh goat's cheese for miles (we take these things very seriously here lol)

 

[mama cass]

speaking of cheese...

one time, i was helping on a school trip when my son was in primary school (aged about 9), and we travelled to the Massif Central for a week... what struck me most was every single one of the parents gave their child extra money to bring back a special type of cheese called Saint Nectaire as we'd arranged an outing to a Saint Nectaire dairy farm - 200 km away lol - this involved waking 16 small children up at 4.30 am and driving a 400-km round trip to buy a piece of cheese!! i kind of thought that was completely and utterly crazy at the time but kind of endearing too lol

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

that amazing photo sicy posted reminds me: i really miss eating shrimp. they have it here of course, but i can't eat shrimp (okay well except for in a pasta dish like that) without cocktail sauce. i love cocktail sauce. here cocktail sauce is this gross orange sauce and they don't even have horseradish here, just the prepared crap. if i tried making it myself i'd just end up with...orange sauce!

 

[bonocomet]

I'm not a big fan of pasta but I do like linguine and that looks amazing Sicy

 

[Sicy]

that amazing photo sicy posted reminds me: i really miss eating shrimp. they have it here of course, but i can't eat shrimp (okay well except for in a pasta dish like that) without cocktail sauce. i love cocktail sauce. here cocktail sauce is this gross orange sauce and they don't even have horseradish here, just the prepared crap. if i tried making it myself i'd just end up with...orange sauce!

Ebay?

cocktail sauce | eBay

 

[Rachel D.]

I can't eat shrimp or any other crustaceans or shellfish because I took biology in high school and that was it. Crab cakes don't bother me, I guess since it's just the "meat" that's been separated out. But anything else, just forget it!

 

[mama cass]

that amazing photo sicy posted reminds me: i really miss eating shrimp. they have it here of course, but i can't eat shrimp (okay well except for in a pasta dish like that) without cocktail sauce. i love cocktail sauce. here cocktail sauce is this gross orange sauce and they don't even have horseradish here, just the prepared crap. if i tried making it myself i'd just end up with...orange sauce!

is that the same as pink seafood sauce?? i make mine (ok, my daughter makes it) just out of heinz tomato ketchup and really good mayonnaise, roughly half and half, or just start off with a dollop of mayonnaise and gradually add ketchup to taste/colour... you can also add a squeeze of lemon if you like - it's really tasty, i never buy the shop stuff...

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

Ebay?

cocktail sauce | eBay

i don't even want to think of how expensive it'd be to ship it here! plus i'd be afraid it'd break. one time i ordered salsa off amazon i couldn't find back home. i ordered a pack of three and one of them broke. boo. i'll just try to get my fill when i visit, though i might see if i can get a small jar of just horseradish so i can make my own.

is that the same as pink seafood sauce?? i make mine (ok, my daughter makes it) just out of heinz tomato ketchup and really good mayonnaise, roughly half and half, or just start off with a dollop of mayonnaise and gradually add ketchup to taste/colour... you can also add a squeeze of lemon if you like - it's really tasty, i never buy the shop stuff...

that's the orange stuff i was referring to (forgot what colour it was). american cocktail sauce is red, it's basically like a spicy ketchup.

 

[mama cass]

that's the orange stuff i was referring to (forgot what colour it was). american cocktail sauce is red, it's basically like a spicy ketchup.

ahhh ok! it's completely different to what we call prawn cocktail sauce then! sounds yummy though!

we have a nightmare trying to get hold of certain sauces locally here too... i've been searching in vain for some Ho Sin Sauce to make Peking Duck pancakes (i love those!!) - i did find a bottle locally once, only i've never managed to find it again since - i need to take a trip to a big town with a proper Chinese supermarket and stock up!

 

[mama cass]

I can't eat shrimp or any other crustaceans or shellfish because I took biology in high school and that was it. Crab cakes don't bother me, I guess since it's just the "meat" that's been separated out. But anything else, just forget it!

oh no... i don't want to know... i absolutely love shellfish, and it's just about the only kind of seafood i can eat these days as i'm allergic to most of my favourite fish now (can still eat trout at least though lol), so i'm eating it and enjoying it while i can and trying not to think of the gruesomeness lol