Cooking Tips and Hints's topics - tribe.net

seasoning my new cast iron pan?

theres_a_city_in_my_mind — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 03:49:14 GMT

Ok, so finally broke down and bought myself a new cast iron pan.

Claims to be pre-seasoned, but i know my new cooking buddy requires ongoing care? tips? I'm thinking of cooking up some bacon for some blt& a's next week....but what do i need to do to be sure it lasts a lifetime, maybe longer?

posted in *Cooking Tips and Hints* - 2 replies

Homemade Ice Cream

bladerunner5 — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 13:55:44 GMT

I recently received the ice cream maker attachment for my Kitchen-Aid mixer. I've tried it out a couple of times and surfed the internets for some recipes. I'd love to hear any tips or tricks about it that aren't mentioned in the booklet that came with it, or about making homemade ice cream in general.

posted in *Cooking Tips and Hints* - 3 replies

introduction about Fujian Cuisine

Sun, 15 Jul 2007 09:48:52 GMT

Fujian Cuisine

Fujian cuisine, also called Min Cai for short, holds an important position in China's culinary art. Fujian's economy and culture began flourishing after the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). During the middle Qing Dynasty around 18th century, famous Fujian officials and literati promoted the Fujian cuisine so it gradually spread to other parts of China.

Fujian cuisine comprises three branches -- Fuzhou, South Fujian and West Fujian. There are slight differences among them. Fuzhou dishes, quite popular in eastern, central and northern Fujian Province, are more fresh, delicious, and less salty, sweet, and sour; South Fujian dishes, popular in Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou and the golden triangle of South Fujian, are sweet and hot and use hot sauces, custard, and orange juice as flavorings; West Fujian dishes are salty and hot, prevailing in Hakka region with strong local flavor. As Fujian people emigrate overseas, their cuisine become popular in Taiwan and abroad. Generally speaking, Fujian dishes are slightly sweet and sour, and less salty, and often use the red distiller's grain for flavoring.

Fujian cuisine is characterized by the following four aspects:

(1)Ingredients of seafood and mountain delicacies: Fujian cuisine emphasizes seafood and mountain delicacies. Fujian Province has a favorable geographical location with mountains in its north and sea to its south. Many mountain delicacies such as mushroom, bamboo shoots and tremella are often found here. The coastal area produces 167 varieties of fish and 90 kinds of turtles and shellfish. It also produces edible bird's nest, cuttlefish, and sturgeon. These special products are all used in Fujian cuisine. The local people are good at cooking seafood, featuring in methods of stewing, boiling, braising, quick-boiling, and steaming, etc.

(2) Fine slicing techniques: Fujian cuisine stresses on fine slicing techniques so much that it is reputed as sliced ingredients are as thin as paper and shredded as slim as hairs. Everything sliced serves its original aroma. Fine slicing techniques may better show the aroma and texture of food. Cutting is important in Fujian cuisine. Most dishes are made of seafood, and if the seafood is not cut well, the dishes will fail to have their true flavor.

(3) Various soup and broth: The most characteristic aspect of Fujian cuisine is that its dishes are served in soup.

(4) Exquisite culinary art: Fujian dishes are tasty because of their emphasis on a series of delicate procession: selecting ingredients, mixing flavors, timing the cooking and controlling the heat. When a dish is less salty, it tastes more delicious. Sweetness makes a dish tastier, while sourness helps remove the seafood smell.

Typical dishes are Buddha-jumping-over-the-wall, flaked spiral shell lightly pickled in rice liquor, litchi fish, and mussels quick-boiled in chicken broth, of which Buddha-jumping-over-the-wall is the most famous; the name implies the dish is so delicious that even the Buddha would jump over a wall to have a taste once he smelled it. A mixture of seafood, chicken, duck, and pork is put into a rice-wine jar and simmered over a low fire. Sea mussel quick-boiled in chicken soup is another Fujian delicacy.

if you want to know more ,have a look at here http://www.foreignercn.com/index.php/action_category_catid_102_page_5.html

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do you know Five-Willow-leaf Fish

Sun, 15 Jul 2007 07:49:41 GMT

Many famous Chinese dishes have stories attached to them that are as enter-taining to diners as the dishes themselves are satisfying to the taste buds. Most of the stories involve noted figures in Chinese history.

Wuliu Fish or Five-Willow-leaf Fish is a popular traditional dish in South China’s Sichuan Province. It is said to have been invented by Du Fu,a famous poet in the Tang Dynasty. That was in 760 when chaos overran the country and life was terribly hard. One day, an old friend came to pay him a visit. Du Fu was delighted as it had been a long time since they had last seen each other. But he was also worried that he could not afford a decent meal for his friend. By coincidence, a member of his family brought home a big carp caught in a nearby stream. Du Fu was overjoyed.He went to the kitchen and cooked the fish himself. At dinner,his friend was amazed by the delicious fish. He asked Du Fu what the dish was called. Du Fu examined the fish carefully and noticed the colorful lines running along its back. They looked like willow leaves, which gave him an idea for its name. “How about calling it Wuliu Fish?” His friend thought the name was very appropriate. Wuliu means five willow leaves. Later, When Du Fu became famous, the dish became popular in china.

you can see the pic here http://www.foreignercn.com/index.php/action_viewnews_itemid_2787.html

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come on

Sun, 15 Jul 2007 06:02:18 GMT

I've create a new tribe ,have a look~~http://tribes.tribe.net/comingtochina?_click_path=Application%5Btribe%5D.Tribe%5Bfcb62815-5369-49b6-a805-fe6889335034%5D
thanx

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Frozen vs. Fresh Hash Browns

bladerunner5 — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 15:27:41 GMT

I've seen a handful of recipes recently using frozen prepared hash browns in casseroles and crock pot dishes. Can you directly substitute shredded or small-dice fresh potato, or do you need to adjust time or water or anything else? I like the idea of making breakfast casserole, and i'd like to avoid having mashed potato in it.

posted in *Cooking Tips and Hints* - 2 replies

come aboard...

Isis — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 17:12:27 GMT

@

http://tribes.tribe.net/flickring

and post your cooking / kitchen / recipe photos!

posted in *Cooking Tips and Hints* - 1 reply

About Acorn Squash

Megan — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 12:59:07 GMT

Say, if you were going to simply cut off a quarter of a squash, scoop out the insides and that, and bake that without it being cut into pieces, and use it as a soup bowl...
What flavors could be used in a soup to compliment the squash flavor which will likely seep into the dish when it's done?
Thanks in advance.

posted in *Cooking Tips and Hints* - 0 replies

Bring on the cooking Armagedon!

Mon, 28 May 2007 00:55:31 GMT

I am a self taught, now professional, cook. I've learned more from the disasters I've managed to turn into successes than the stuff that worked. I'd love to read your stories about snatching victory from the jaws of culinary defeat.

Here's one of mine - years ago a friend invited me to a party. She asked me to come over early and bring a pie, not one of my specialties. She had also invited a bunch of people I didn't know and had been telling them that I was a great cook. So the presure was high. I showed up with a summer berry pie. When i cut into it I discovered the bottom crust was soggy and underdone. i hadn't pre-baked the crust. So I flipped it over and put it in the oven until the crust was done. I sprinkled the crust with cinnamon sugar and called it upside-down berry pie and nobody knew I had screwed up. I also learned that most crusts need to be pre-baked.

What's your story?

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Turkey Weight

belisama — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 03:56:59 GMT

I've been meaning to share this since Christmas, but got lazy about it. I do a turkey at Easter, and wanted to get this out for anyone else that might do the same.

I have been frying turkeys for the last few years, and one of the things I do prior to frying is reweigh it. I do this once it is completely thawed and I have pulled out all those lovely inside pieces. The bird I fried on Christmas said 21.5 pounds on the label, but was reweighed at 18 pounds once thawed and emptied. This would make a HUGE difference in how your bird comes out when roasted in the oven. Every bird I've reweighed has lost at least 1.5 pounds after doing this, and my birds are usually in the 14-15 pound range.

posted in *Cooking Tips and Hints* - 4 replies

hi

Esther — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 10:38:35 GMT

hi. i need some good recepie's that are fast to make and not to hard....
i live in holland and in the weekends i live with my boyfriend... well cooking go's ok.
if you don't mind piza, rice , pasta, or potatoes.... thats as much as i can cook...
sometimes some coliflower ( sprouts... don't know what you call it) just need something that doesn't have pig meat in it ( my boyfriend doesn't like the fat on it and i hate the taste) ore any other animal fat... we hat the flubbery stuf.... does anyone have good tips for beginners?? ( i can cook i'm just dead clumsy)

posted in *Cooking Tips and Hints* - 1 reply

Portable dishwasher: countertop vs. one that rolls

theres_a_city_in_my_mind — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 20:18:20 GMT

Hi,

I'm thinking of investing in a portable dishwasher of some sort as both my bf and I are sick of doing dishes. Anyone have any recommendations? We don't have tons to spend, but want a decent product.

Does anyone know anything about countertop models? Good points/bad points? Recommended models?

Thanks!
A

posted in *Cooking Tips and Hints* - 1 reply

grow yer own

wandrrr — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 02:28:56 GMT

Alright -- have you got plants in your house/yard/patio/whathaveyou? What % of 'em are dead? If that % isn't 100, perhaps you should consider making herbs part of the plants you're not killing. No pressure to use them (Must cook! Must cook!) just because they're ready for harvest -- drying them for future use makes MUCH more flavor than any dried herb you've Ever bought in a bottle has a chance at. Thyme, rosemary, sage, chives, parsley, cilantro, etc. all will grow in pots or the ground (basil too, but is more finicky), and especially here in S. CA there's no excuse for not having your own fresh (or homegrown dried) herbs year-round. Put 'em in your homemade stock for the world's best soup ...

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Kitchen Shears

belisama — Sun, 25 Jun 2006 19:44:35 GMT

Without a doubt, one of my most used kitchen utensils! Where many would grab a knife, I grab the shears! For example...

Cutting (chopping) cilantro, and other fresh herbs
Preparing green beans for cooking
Same with asparagus
Same with broccoli
Cutting up sausage in the sauce
Cutting up the children's spaghetti
Cutting a sandwich in half
Sectioning ground beef for meatballs
Halfing those little inch balls of fresh mozzarella
Cutting up fruit for the blender for smoothies

I can't even think of all the things I have used them for right now, but I grab them all the time!

As I remember more I will list them..

posted in *Cooking Tips and Hints* - 2 replies

Diced onions, Chef Arne style

belisama — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 21:55:15 GMT

http://www.news-cast.com/foodandbeverage/TheChefGroup/index.html

I actually figured out the flat surface idea some time ago, but missed the root idea. Ironically, I have been dicing tomatoes your onion way for years. Go figure.

posted in *Cooking Tips and Hints* - 0 replies

Conversions

belisama — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 19:44:04 GMT

I love this site for conversions...

http://www.convert-me.com/en/

Just choose the type of units you're dealing with (for example, capacity and volume). It will give you a page full of all sizes of units of that type. Fill in just one of those spaces (say, milliliters), hit "convert", and it will fill out the entire rest of the spaces for you!

posted in *Cooking Tips and Hints* - 2 replies

New Member

Arne — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 10:38:34 GMT

Good day to every one!

I hope you are well, I thought I'd join the Tribe and see what I can learn and share!

Check out my profile and blog, I have some fun and interesting info there for foodies and wannafoodies.

Thanks!
tribes.tribe.net/chefarne

posted in *Cooking Tips and Hints* - 1 reply

h2o

wandrrr — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 04:41:31 GMT

Water -- whenever possible, don't cook w/it, as it exists (where cooking is concerned, anyway) only to dilute the taste of stuff. Cook your rice/pasta/sauce/whathaveyou in homemade (EASY to do) stock (+defat for the health-conscious) instead. You/your guests won't be sorry (+if you live near me, I just might give you some outa my freezer to take home & see what I mean). Make the stock match what else you're serving (chicken for poultry entrees or as a default (or veggie for universal (incl. vegan) default), -- $.02 more

posted in *Cooking Tips and Hints* - 1 reply

Miss Conception

wandrrr — Mon, 19 Jun 2006 14:04:29 GMT

Know what 'salt to taste' really means to do when you see it in a recipe/instruction?

Contrary to the obvious, it does not mean add salt until you taste it (this could well kill your dish, unless you're salt-freaky like my mom was) -- what you're actually after is adding salt until it brings out/helps marry the other flavors you're using - substantially less salt than adding until that's what you taste. -- $.02 Dept.

posted in *Cooking Tips and Hints* - 4 replies

Technology - a substitute for skill

Belenus — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 23:36:01 GMT

For a variety of reasons, I do not have an innate "cooking sense", but I can spin out a pretty good and fairly complex meal.

My secret; I live and die by my Timer, Thermometer, and Measuring Spoons. Nothing by feel or guess, EVER, or Culinary Armegeddon will descend.

posted in *Cooking Tips and Hints* - 1 reply

*Cooking Tips and Hints*'s topics - tribe.net

seasoning my new cast iron pan?

Homemade Ice Cream

introduction about Fujian Cuisine

do you know Five-Willow-leaf Fish

come on

Frozen vs. Fresh Hash Browns

come aboard...

About Acorn Squash

Bring on the cooking Armagedon!

Turkey Weight

hi

Portable dishwasher: countertop vs. one that rolls

grow yer own

Kitchen Shears

Diced onions, Chef Arne style

Conversions

New Member

h2o

Miss Conception

Technology - a substitute for skill

Cooking Tips and Hints's topics - tribe.net