General cooking tips

[mithunchowdhury]

Keep your kitchen clean and your knives sharp, use the right tool for
the job, don't be a slave to recipes, and always taste what you prepare
before you serve it. If you wouldn't eat it, why should anyone else?

ALWAYS have 2 separate cutting boards.
One for meats and one for vegetables.
Never ever use the same cutting board for both.




--
mithunchowdhury

[A Moose in Love]

On May 28, 7:31 am, mithunchowdhury

man you are one weisenheimer

[gtr]

I've printed your advice out for study at a later date. Here's a few
more very general ideas:

1) Use fresh ingredients.

2) If you don't know what something is--don't put it in your food.

3) Wash your dishes, and pots and pans after use, and if they have
dried food make sure it has completely removed.

4) Refrigerate meat and vegetables for longer life.

5) If an ingredient develops a really foul stench or has obvious
evidence of degradation such as rotting, mold, or live insects--discard
and do not eat.

6) Wash your hands thouroughly before food preparation, using both soap
and friction. Be attentive to removing dried waste, if present.
Remember to use clean water instead of any kind of waste water, broth,
or standing water from your garden.

7) Do not let pets, vermin or any fecal material interact with your
food before or during preparation. Afterwards I suppose it would be
okay as long as you don't plan to eat it anymore.

There are lots of handy things to know about food preparation!

[Ed Pawlowski]

On Mon, 28 May 2012 08:56:40 -0700, gtr <x...@yyy.zzz> wrote:



>
>5) If an ingredient develops a really foul stench or has obvious
>evidence of degradation such as rotting, mold, or live insects--discard
>and do not eat.
>
>

Could you clarify that please. Insects are protein so wouldn't they
add value to the rotting food and make it healthy to eat? Should it
be cooked first?

[Mark Thorson]

gtr wrote:
>
> 2) If you don't know what something is--don't put it in your food.

Who, whoa, whoa. You wouldn't get far shopping
at an ethnic food store with that attitude.
If all you know is it's food, that's enough.

That said, don't eat reetha. It looks like food
and it's shelved next to food, but it's not food.
It's an instant sore throat. I know this, now.

[gtr]

It's not so much the insects that are the problem with rotting food,
it's that they may be another indicator that the food is in fact
rotting.

Of course many of these considerations may well need to be abandoned if
one is starving and as no other recourse.

[gtr]

On 2012-05-28 19:10:52 +0000, Sqwertz said:

> On Mon, 28 May 2012 08:56:40 -0700, gtr wrote:
>
>> 2) If you don't know what something is--don't put it in your food.
>

> What an odd comment. And I tend to disagree anyway. This is how I
> learned to cook Asian food. Cook now - ask later. Of course I had a
> vague idea what things were when I used them, I just didn't know how
> to use them.

Do you see a difference between not knowing how to use an item versus
not knowing what it is?

> Under what other circumstances would put people put something in their
> cooking that they didn't know what it was?

To my thinking: A bad reason.

[gtr]

On 2012-05-28 21:02:11 +0000, Mark Thorson said:

> gtr wrote:
>>
>> 2) If you don't know what something is--don't put it in your food.
>
> Who, whoa, whoa. You wouldn't get far shopping
> at an ethnic food store with that attitude.
> If all you know is it's food, that's enough.

Purchasing it in an ethnic *FOOD* store would indicate that you
generally know that it is *FOOD*. If on the other hand you were to buy
plastic forks there, I would not advise putting them into your food.
In both these cases we generally know what the "something" is. So a
conclusion can be easily reached. But this is not always the case.

> That said, don't eat reetha. It looks like food
> and it's shelved next to food, but it's not food.
> It's an instant sore throat. I know this, now.

There is one of the "not always the case" examples. The logic that it
"came from a grocery store" may or may not be clearance enough to keep
you from illness or death. I'll err on the side of safety.

Rat poison, silica bags, drano, solvents--there are many things that
you could put into food without knowing what they are that could
provide a very unpleasant meal. If you don't know what it is I would
recommend assuming it is not food.

[Mark Thorson]

gtr wrote:
>
> On 2012-05-28 18:52:22 +0000, Ed Pawlowski said:
>
> > On Mon, 28 May 2012 08:56:40 -0700, gtr <x...@yyy.zzz> wrote:
> >
> >> 5) If an ingredient develops a really foul stench or has obvious
> >> evidence of degradation such as rotting, mold, or live insects--discard
> >> and do not eat.
> >>
> > Could you clarify that please. Insects are protein so wouldn't they
> > add value to the rotting food and make it healthy to eat? Should it
> > be cooked first?
>
> It's not so much the insects that are the problem with rotting food,
> it's that they may be another indicator that the food is in fact
> rotting.

Depends on the insects. They may be an indicator
the food is organic.

> Of course many of these considerations may well need to be abandoned if
> one is starving and as no other recourse.

I ate about two or three thousand fruit flies
yesterday morning. I wasn't starving.

[Cheryl]

On 5/28/2012 7:34 PM, Mark Thorson wrote:

> I ate about two or three thousand fruit flies
> yesterday morning. I wasn't starving.

What did you prepare on the side?

[gtr]

On 2012-05-28 23:34:14 +0000, Mark Thorson said:

> gtr wrote:
>>
>> On 2012-05-28 18:52:22 +0000, Ed Pawlowski said:
>>
>>> On Mon, 28 May 2012 08:56:40 -0700, gtr <x...@yyy.zzz> wrote:
>>>
>>>> 5) If an ingredient develops a really foul stench or has obvious
>>>> evidence of degradation such as rotting, mold, or live insects--discard
>>>> and do not eat.
>>>>
>>> Could you clarify that please. Insects are protein so wouldn't they
>>> add value to the rotting food and make it healthy to eat? Should it
>>> be cooked first?
>>
>> It's not so much the insects that are the problem with rotting food,
>> it's that they may be another indicator that the food is in fact
>> rotting.
>
> Depends on the insects. They may be an indicator
> the food is organic.

That's true but when one examines at the complete phrase, "a really

foul stench or has obvious evidence of degradation such as rotting,

mold, or live insects…" I still feel comfortable providing such
advice. Actually I was thinking of maggots, but wanted to be descreet.
Nevertheless if you're eating rotting food, any kind of insect is
probably not a big concern for you.

>> Of course many of these considerations may well need to be abandoned if
>> one is starving and as no other recourse.
>
> I ate about two or three thousand fruit flies yesterday morning. I
> wasn't starving.

Once again I wasn't limiting myself to the one word you've chosen to
burst burst from the phrase and examine separately. But you may feel
freel to eat rotting food too. Or lumbe. Or live rats.

These were only a "general cooking tip", not a critical legal demand.
Bon appetite!

[gtr]

On 2012-05-28 22:25:36 +0000, Sqwertz said:

> On Mon, 28 May 2012 13:04:41 -0700, gtr wrote:
>
>> On 2012-05-28 19:10:52 +0000, Sqwertz said:
>>
>>> On Mon, 28 May 2012 08:56:40 -0700, gtr wrote:
>>>
>>>> 2) If you don't know what something is--don't put it in your food.
>>>
>>> What an odd comment. And I tend to disagree anyway. This is how I
>>> learned to cook Asian food. Cook now - ask later. Of course I had a
>>> vague idea what things were when I used them, I just didn't know how
>>> to use them.
>>
>> Do you see a difference between not knowing how to use an item versus
>> not knowing what it is?
>

> Often I a see a dead, splayed out, dried out animal on the road. I
> know it's roadkill, but it's vague as to what kind of animal it may
> be. Or how I could use it in my cooking.
>
> Similarly, if people are considering using something in their cooking
> they possibly have a vague idea that it might be edible and can be
> used as food. But they don't know what it is exactly.

I'll assume the answer to my question, then, was "no".

>> 5) If an ingredient develops a really foul stench or has obvious
>> evidence of degradation such as rotting, mold, or live insects--discard
>> and do not eat.
>

> Fish sauce, fermented shrimp paste, blue cheese, surstromming, and
> milbenkase are all examples of those are perfectly edible.

Using the admittedly simplistic "words in context" approach I'll retain
this in my "general concepts" list.

[jmcquown]

"Sqwertz" <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote in message
news:but8gxdv...@sqwertz.com...

> On Mon, 28 May 2012 08:56:40 -0700, gtr wrote:
>

>> 2) If you don't know what something is--don't put it in your food.
>

> What an odd comment. And I tend to disagree anyway. This is how I
> learned to cook Asian food. Cook now - ask later.

Yeah, that's how the Asians learned how to cook Asian food, too. Not to
mention the French. LOLOL

Jill

[Mark Thorson]

I blended them into fresh-squeezed orange juice.

[Cheryl]

I just couldn't get black speckled orange juice down unless it has
plenty of vodka in it. Then who cares. :) But only after the first
few are speckle-free. Then again it might be chewy so never mind that.

[isw]

In article <ps0uwovm...@sqwertz.com>,

Sqwertz <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote:

> On Mon, 28 May 2012 13:04:41 -0700, gtr wrote:
>

> > On 2012-05-28 19:10:52 +0000, Sqwertz said:
> >
> >> On Mon, 28 May 2012 08:56:40 -0700, gtr wrote:
> >>
> >>> 2) If you don't know what something is--don't put it in your food.
> >>
> >> What an odd comment. And I tend to disagree anyway. This is how I
> >> learned to cook Asian food. Cook now - ask later. Of course I had a
> >> vague idea what things were when I used them, I just didn't know how
> >> to use them.
> >
> > Do you see a difference between not knowing how to use an item versus
> > not knowing what it is?
>

> Often I a see a dead, splayed out, dried out animal on the road. I
> know it's roadkill, but it's vague as to what kind of animal it may
> be. Or how I could use it in my cooking.

Well, then, what you need is a copy of "Flattened Fauna: A Field Guide
to Common Animals of Roads, Streets and Highways" (yes, it's a real
book.)

Isaac

[gtr]

On 2012-05-29 01:05:02 +0000, Sqwertz said:

> On Mon, 28 May 2012 17:47:06 -0700, gtr wrote:
>
>> Using the admittedly simplistic "words in context" approach I'll retain
>> this in my "general concepts" list.
>

> You forgot, "Never put your hand on a red hot electric stove heating
> element".

Good one! I'll add that to the list. Maybe I should expand it to
read, don't put your hand in a fire or cut your hands with a knife.

Now we're back on track again...

[Jim Elbrecht]

On Tue, 29 May 2012 00:06:38 -0500, Sqwertz <swe...@cluemail.compost>
wrote:

>That's something I would buy, too. Only $6.95 w/shipping! And the
>companion cookbooks are a steal, too!
>

I had a similar book on my kitchen bookshelf once. [something simple
like "Roadkill cookbook"?] I loved the reaction it got when folks
would be looking around and spot it-- then they'd really want to
know what I was serving for dinner.

I never went in for roadkill- it ruins a lot of meat. But I do
consider all animals possible meals.

Jim

[jmcquown]

"Sqwertz" <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote in message

news:1v5wet71shp14$.dlg@sqwertz.com...

> That's how everybody learned to feed themselves. They didn't know WTF
> it was.
>
> -sw

I occasionally think about things like this. How the heck did anyone ever
get the idea that eating snails, or clams or oysters was a good idea? I
think some early human saw a some critter cracking an oyster or clam shell
on a rock and discovered hey, that might be tasty! I'm sure there were many
failures, too. Like picking the wrong mushroom.

Jill

[Gary]

jmcquown wrote:
>
> "Sqwertz" <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote in message
> news:1v5wet71shp14$.dlg@sqwertz.com...
> > On Mon, 28 May 2012 20:49:56 -0400, jmcquown wrote:
> >
> >> "Sqwertz" <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote in message
> >> news:but8gxdv...@sqwertz.com...
> >>> On Mon, 28 May 2012 08:56:40 -0700, gtr wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> 2) If you don't know what something is--don't put it in your food.
> >>>
> >>> What an odd comment. And I tend to disagree anyway. This is how I
> >>> learned to cook Asian food. Cook now - ask later.
> >>
> >> Yeah, that's how the Asians learned how to cook Asian food, too. Not to
> >> mention the French. LOLOL
> >
> > That's how everybody learned to feed themselves. They didn't know WTF
> > it was.
> >
> > -sw
>
> I occasionally think about things like this. How the heck did anyone ever
> get the idea that eating snails, or clams or oysters was a good idea? I
> think some early human saw a some critter cracking an oyster or clam shell
> on a rock and discovered hey, that might be tasty! I'm sure there were many
> failures, too. Like picking the wrong mushroom.
>
> Jill

Yeah, let someone else try something first and see how they do. ;) From
what I've read, much came from watching to see what the animals ate.

Gary

[gtr]

On 2012-05-29 13:23:05 +0000, jmcquown said:

>> That's how everybody learned to feed themselves. They didn't know WTF
>> it was.
>

> I occasionally think about things like this. How the heck did anyone
> ever get the idea that eating snails, or clams or oysters was a good
> idea?

Famine may have been a motivsator.

> I think some early human saw a some critter cracking an oyster or clam
> shell on a rock and discovered hey, that might be tasty! I'm sure
> there were many failures, too. Like picking the wrong mushroom.

I always wonder about the invention of coffee. How many zillions of
ways did they fry or bake those beans before find them useless and
starting again. And why would they keep going for so long before
finally grinding, boiling, draining and adding cream and sugar?

[Janet]

In article <dd35jsqa...@sqwertz.com>, swe...@cluemail.compost says...

> You forgot, "Never put your hand on a red hot electric stove heating
> element".

Do not put your face underwater in the washing up bowl.

When your child has a fever don't cool them off in the freezer.

Janet

[Mark Thorson]

They're brown and not chewy at all.
You'd hardly know they were there.

[Jean B.]

Yuck! Although I keep hearing about insect cuisine.

--
Jean B.

[isw]

In article <a2k0tb...@mid.individual.net>,

"jmcquown" <j_mc...@comcast.net> wrote:

> "Sqwertz" <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote in message
> news:1v5wet71shp14$.dlg@sqwertz.com...
> > On Mon, 28 May 2012 20:49:56 -0400, jmcquown wrote:
> >
> >> "Sqwertz" <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote in message
> >> news:but8gxdv...@sqwertz.com...
> >>> On Mon, 28 May 2012 08:56:40 -0700, gtr wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> 2) If you don't know what something is--don't put it in your food.
> >>>
> >>> What an odd comment. And I tend to disagree anyway. This is how I
> >>> learned to cook Asian food. Cook now - ask later.
> >>
> >> Yeah, that's how the Asians learned how to cook Asian food, too. Not to
> >> mention the French. LOLOL
> >
> > That's how everybody learned to feed themselves. They didn't know WTF
> > it was.
> >
> > -sw
>
> I occasionally think about things like this. How the heck did anyone ever
> get the idea that eating snails, or clams or oysters was a good idea? I
> think some early human saw a some critter cracking an oyster or clam shell
> on a rock and discovered hey, that might be tasty! I'm sure there were many
> failures, too. Like picking the wrong mushroom.

There aren't any things we eat that come with little signs saying "God
says this is people food". A lot of what we consider "food" is just
stuff that kills us slowly enough that we don't notice.

Isaac

[Nunya Bidnits]

Ed Pawlowski <e...@snet.net> wrote:

> On Mon, 28 May 2012 08:56:40 -0700, gtr <x...@yyy.zzz> wrote:
>
>
>
>>
>> 5) If an ingredient develops a really foul stench or has obvious
>> evidence of degradation such as rotting, mold, or live
>> insects--discard and do not eat.
>>
>>

> Could you clarify that please. Insects are protein so wouldn't they
> add value to the rotting food and make it healthy to eat? Should it
> be cooked first?

Cook if dead. Eat immediately if alive. This is particularly useful for
biting insects like mosquitoes, more effective by far than repellents
provided you can catch them.

[Nunya Bidnits]

How many does it take to make a smoothie?

[Nunya Bidnits]

gtr <x...@yyy.zzz> wrote:
> That's true but when one examines at the complete phrase, "a really
> foul stench or has obvious evidence of degradation such as rotting,

> mold, or live insects." I still feel comfortable providing such

> advice. Actually I was thinking of maggots, but wanted to be
> descreet. Nevertheless if you're eating rotting food, any kind of
> insect is probably not a big concern for you.

If the bugs are alive, they are fresher food than whatever you found them
on.

Just sayin'.

[Nunya Bidnits]

Sqwertz <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote:
> Now we're getting a little too obvious. I never let Mr. Hanky play
> with my food.

That should only be an issue around the holidays.

[Nunya Bidnits]

Sqwertz <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote:
> On Mon, 28 May 2012 20:49:56 -0400, jmcquown wrote:
>

> That's how everybody learned to feed themselves. They didn't know WTF
> it was.
>
> -sw

Cooking isn't the big mystery. The big mystery is at what point did the
human race figure out that sex causes babies?

[Jean B.]

That's an interesting question.

--
Jean B.

[gtr]

On 2012-05-31 01:04:50 +0000, Jean B. said:

>> Cooking isn't the big mystery. The big mystery is at what point did the
>> human race figure out that sex causes babies?
>
> That's an interesting question.

Old gag: In the Ozarks a woman has a baby every year for 9 years. As
she's packing up to leave the hospital after the ninth, the nurse says
to her, "Well, Mrs. Davis, I guess we'll see you next year." "Oh no
you won't. Me and Lem has figured out what's been a-causinging it."

[jmcquown]

"Nunya Bidnits" <nunyab...@eternal-september.invalid> wrote in message
news:jq61j3$177$1...@dont-email.me...

Ever read 'Clan of the Cave Bear'?

Jill

[Cheryl]

On 5/31/2012 6:02 PM, jmcquown wrote:
>
> "Nunya Bidnits" <nunyab...@eternal-september.invalid> wrote in
> message news:jq61j3$177$1...@dont-email.me...

>> Cooking isn't the big mystery. The big mystery is at what point did
>> the human race figure out that sex causes babies?
>>
>
> Ever read 'Clan of the Cave Bear'?

That's the series I was trying to think of when I read that, thanks. I
loved that book series when I was probably in my teens or 20s. Loved
it. The movie sucked.

[S Viemeister]

Apparently, the author disliked that film so much, so swore none of the
others in the series would be movie-fied.

[Gary]

I agree, Cheryl. Didn't like the movie but I had already read the books so
that's to be expected. Movies leave out too much.

I heard Jean Auel (the author, if I'm not mistaken) interviewed on the radio
right before her first book (Clan...) came out way back in the early 80's
was it? I got the book right off and loved it, then read the following 2 as
she wrote them.

My favorite was "Valley of Horses" I have the first 2 here in paperback.

Gary

[S Viemeister]

There are more than 3 in the series - six, IIRC. The last one came out a
year or two ago.

[Cheryl]

On 5/31/2012 7:20 PM, Gary wrote:

> My favorite was "Valley of Horses" I have the first 2 here in paperback.

It's been so long and now I'm going to have to read them all again. I
love book series. It's been a long time since I've read for pleasure.
It's mostly for learning these days. I loved the Ann Rice vampire
books, and all of Stephen King and I stopped reading his Dark Tower
series before it ended because there was so much space between the last
one I read and then the next. And then "The Stand" movie came out and I
recognized so many names in that one. I think now I'm going to have to
look up the Dark Tower series again and read those again too. I think
"The Stand" was one of the only that I enjoyed as a movie.

I will be forever freaked out by the book "It" though. The movie was OK,
but I think only if you never read the book. I can remember being
totally frightened while reading it and it was the only time ever that
happened.

[Cheryl]

On 5/31/2012 9:23 PM, S Viemeister wrote:

> There are more than 3 in the series - six, IIRC. The last one came out a
> year or two ago.

Whoa! Thanks for that info!

[merryb]

I agree with you about "The Stand" - it was pretty true to the book.
The Shining with Jack was not as true to the book as was the second
one with the guy from Wings, but still good. As far as "It" goes, I
have always hated clowns, but even more so after that book- movie was
almost as creepy. Now I want to see a good movie version of "The
Watchers" by Dean Koontz!

[Nunya Bidnits]

If the movie was a big fail, producers won't be beating down the door to
make another. It's like a geeky, awkward high school kid saying he would
never go out with the class hottie.

MartyB

[Gary]

Yeah....me too, S Viemeister. I had no idea. I kept up with it to the
third book but then went onto other reading and never checked back.

[Gary]

merryb wrote:
>
> The Shining with Jack was not as true to the book as was the second
> one with the guy from Wings, but still good.

I read "The Shining" before the first movie came out. The book is pretty
creepy and scary to read late at night when you live alone....ie...turn on
ALL lights in your house while reading. eheheh

It's always nice to read the book before you see the movie. Movies can't
possibly give all the details from the book in 2-3 hours. If you read first,
you can fill in the blanks as you watch the movie.

The Jack Nicholson movie, "The Shining," was a big disappointment to me.
I haven't watched the newer version.

> As far as "It" goes, I
> have always hated clowns, but even more so after that book- movie was
> almost as creepy. Now I want to see a good movie version of "The
> Watchers" by Dean Koontz!

I've read that and actually have several Dean Koontz books here in my
collection.

I heard a book critic on talk radio once...MANY years ago. He referred to
Dean Koontz as "Stephen King grown up." heheheh

Gary

[merryb]

I agree about reading the book before seeing the movie, but it seems
like I am always disappointed with the movie.

[Gary]

merryb wrote:
>
> On Jun 2, 6:50 am, Gary <g.maj...@att.net> wrote:

> > It's always nice to read the book before you see the movie. Movies can't
> > possibly give all the details from the book in 2-3 hours. If you read first,
> > you can fill in the blanks as you watch the movie.
>

> I agree about reading the book before seeing the movie, but it seems
> like I am always disappointed with the movie.

Other than the obvious reasons for disappointment - leaving out many scenes
or even changing them some somewhat, I think the main cause is this:

When you read a book, you picture many things in your mind based on what the
author describes... what the people look like, what the area looks like,
etc, etc. But when you watch the movie, NOTHING looks like you pictured
it. Sometimes it's a disappointment to me.

That said, I had a very unique experience with a book this past week. I just
finished it yesterday. It's a murder mystery, which I'm normally not
interested in. I got it only because I noticed that it took place in
Newport, RI.

I lived there for 15 months (1970-1971) and absolutely fell in love with the
place. I still consider it my "home town" even though it isn't. I know the
area very well. This author gave many descriptions of different parts of the
town, the famous mansions, and landmarks all throughout the book.

While reading this book, I didn't have to imagine anything but what the
characters might look like. All the streets, views, buildings, different
parts of town....I've actually seen them. The author has obviously lived
there herself or at least spent a lot of time walking all around to get her
descriptions so perfectly, right down to the smallest details.

Gary