everything you always wanted to know about cooking but were afraid to ask

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Author	Topic: everything you always wanted to know about cooking but were afraid to ask
BionicGirl Housemate	posted 04-09-2003 12:58 PM Don't know about the tea, but I've got a question too. What the heck is rhubarb? A asked me this yesterday and I was like, "Uuuuuhhhh... something you put in pies?" IP: Logged
Chelle Housemate	posted 04-09-2003 01:08 PM Rhubarb is a red fruit, I think. Think red celery. It looks very much like red celery. I've only heard of rhubarb as a pie filling but I suppose you could make preserves as well. (I've had rhubarb pie once and didn't really like it, so I really only know what it looks like.) IP: Logged
mamichan Housemate	posted 04-09-2003 01:12 PM rhubarb is a plant. to me, it looks like a cross between celery and red cabbage. its stalks are a reddish/purplish color, and that's the pat that gets eaten. usually used as pie filling, i think. can't stand the stuff, personally. my MIL is forever making rhubarb pies. IP: Logged
BionicGirl Housemate	posted 04-09-2003 01:13 PM Okay, I seen it. Thanks! I think people do make preserves out of it as well as pie. IP: Logged
kbmello Housemate	posted 04-09-2003 01:16 PM it's a fruit which grows stalk-like, with large leaves. it tends to be very tart and string-y like celery. i ate it all the time when i was growing up. my vavo (portuguese for granmother) had it growing all along the perimeter of her land. my cousins and i would pick and peel them, and then dunk the stalks into a bowl of sugar and chomp away. mmmm.... IP: Logged
Chelle Housemate	posted 04-09-2003 01:20 PM quote: Originally posted by ng-la: Exactly what kind of tea is it that they serve hot in Thai restaurants? (As opposed to the equally good Thai iced tea) And where can I get it? (though once I know exactly what I'm looking for, it shouldn't be hard to find in this town at all) Are you referring to the black thai tea or green tea? At Thai restaurants I've have Jasmine Green tea and also Thai tea. Thai tea is its own variety, I think. Its a black tea thats spiced with star anise. You could find lots of "Thai tea" with different tea/spice mixtures but they will have star anise as one of the main components. Hope this helps some. IP: Logged
BionicGirl Housemate	posted 04-09-2003 01:21 PM So, it's really a fruit and not a vegetable? That's far weirder than a tomato being a fruit. IP: Logged
Chelle Housemate	posted 04-09-2003 01:30 PM No BG, I get the impression that rhubarb is, in fact, a vegetable. I think I got confused because rhubarb is often combined with fruit in pies (ie rhubarb-cherry pie) that I thought it was a fruit. IP: Logged
BionicGirl Housemate	posted 04-09-2003 01:34 PM Ah, you're right. I just googled it too and found out it is a vegetable that is "commonly mistaken for a fruit." Edited to say the site I was looking at had rhubarb recipes divided into categories (salads, cobblers, sauces, etc.). There was one that said, "Star Trek recipes with Rhubarb (coming soon)." Huh? [This message has been edited by BionicGirl (edited 04-09-2003).] IP: Logged
jessicazee Housemate	posted 04-09-2003 02:40 PM Captain Kirk's Rhubarb Tasties? The Trouble with Rhubarb Tribbles? Neelix's Rhubarb Squares? IP: Logged
Chelle Housemate	posted 04-09-2003 02:49 PM Okay, I am a trekkie/trekker (sad but true) but I couldn't figure this out until I googled some. Leonard Nimoy (aka Spock) starred in a movie called 'Rhubarb' in the early 50s. So maybe there will be some Vulcan rhubarb tie-in. IP: Logged
greengoddess Housemate	posted 04-10-2003 01:18 PM ok, i was both fascinated by and terrified of rhubarb when i first saw it, so i felt compelled to make something out of it. i made this: http://pie.allrecipes.com/az/rhubarbcobbler.asp and everyone that tried it, even former rhubarb haters, thought it was amazing. actually one of the best things i've ever baked. so that's my two cents. IP: Logged
septembergirl Housemate	posted 04-10-2003 03:19 PM quote: Originally posted by kbmello: my cousins and i would pick and peel them, and then dunk the stalks into a bowl of sugar and chomp away. You obviously know this, but just in case others don't: rhubarb leaves are poisonous. The stalks are fine. IP: Logged
atw26 Housemate	posted 04-10-2003 08:14 PM Back to the Thai tea; Chelle's reply reminded me that my sister had a box of this Thai tea. I was over there tonight and the ingredients list consists of: thai tea, star anise seed and cassia tora. It's by ABC tea and the flyer inside has pictures of all the other teas they produce - loquat leaves, pomelo etc. Their website is so unhelpful that i'm not even going to link to it (!!) This link that I googled goes into it some more - complete with recipes! - and the blends page displays a picture of the same box that my sister has (the one with the picture of the Grand Palace on it). IP: Logged
jessicazee Housemate	posted 04-10-2003 09:14 PM I grew up in my grandma's Rhubarb Rolls - they're sort of like cinnamon rolls, but the filling is made of chopped up rhubarb and sugar. Her handwritten recipe card to me was so funny - at the end she confessed that she often adds a few drops of red food coloring to the filling to make it look yummier. My mom makes a rhubarb/sour cream pie that's really good, too. It's got that streusel topping. I've seen recipes for rhubarb used in chutneys and stewed with pork chops, too. I guess I could see how that citric acid thing might tenderize meat or something. IP: Logged
Bjerica Housesitter	posted 04-10-2003 10:50 PM My mum used to make a rhubarb & apple crumble that I used to love as a kid. I haven't had rhubarb for years though, I wonder if I would still like it. IP: Logged
ralphyr Housemate	posted 04-10-2003 11:05 PM Of course you'll still like it. My dad just stewed some up and served with custard. Rhubarb & Lemon & Sugar. IP: Logged
ralphyr Housemate	posted 04-10-2003 11:08 PM Question about "Refrigerate After Opening" How strict do you have to be for non dairy/meat products? I have Tomato Sauce that I keep in the cupboard is it going to go bad (like the potato salad!!) IP: Logged
Sophie Housemate	posted 04-10-2003 11:46 PM You can grow rhubarb if you have a snail problem in your garden. Apparently rhubarb stalks have some sort of microscopic spikes on them that kill snails when they try to swallow it. IP: Logged
ragazzina Housemate	posted 04-11-2003 01:32 AM I love rhubarb. Dad makes rhubarb and ginger jam. IP: Logged
yam Housemate	posted 04-11-2003 07:12 AM >I have Tomato Sauce that I keep in the cupboard is it going to go bad (like the potato salad!!) Tomato sauce is pretty acidic, so it'll keep okay, but keep it very well covered to reduce the chance of it going mouldy, 'cause mould grows way faster when food isn't refrigerated. IP: Logged
Annabella Subletter	posted 04-15-2003 03:07 AM unless there is a serious space constraint i'd put it in the fridge. After all isn't the great thing about jarred tomato sauce having it ready when you're making something quick? finding mold in your tomato sauce when you're trying to throw together some spagehtti isn't fun. IP: Logged
ralphyr Housemate	posted 04-15-2003 03:32 PM quote: Originally posted by Annabella: unless there is a serious space constraint i'd put it in the fridge. After all isn't the great thing about jarred tomato sauce having it ready when you're making something quick? finding mold in your tomato sauce when you're trying to throw together some spagehtti isn't fun. Annabella, I should have been more culturally sensitive, I meant Ketchup (katsup, catchup?) but Master Foods calls it Tomato sauce. I keep my tomato pasta sauce in the fridge. IP: Logged
Beep Housemate	posted 04-15-2003 04:15 PM I would still put it in the fridge. I figure that the food makers know more than I do, and I'd rather have a crowded fridge than have to toss questionable food. IP: Logged
yam Housemate	posted 04-17-2003 07:24 AM Oh, ketchup! Yeah, ketchup keeps forever in the cupboard. I keep mine on top of my fridge where it's blasted with warm air from the fan, and I think I've had the same bottle for like two years, and it's still the same as ever. I think they put radioactive preservatives in it or something. IP: Logged
greengoddess Housemate	posted 05-09-2003 09:33 AM this is actually more cookware related than food, but here goes anyway: you might remember a few months ago i ordered a grill off ebay and the one that came was flat, no ridges at all. i never tried to use it until last night, and i cooked tuna on it. it cooked great, but now it is impossible to clean. should i have oiled the grill? i thought the purpose of a grill was not to use oil for healthier food? so the two questions are a) how am i supposed to cook with this flat grill and b) how am i supposed to clean it now? IP: Logged
fluffygurl Housesitter	posted 05-09-2003 09:51 AM Hmm Im not sure. I know when I grill stuff like chicken that dosent have much oil in it I lighly brush the grill surface with oil. But thats with a grill with ridges. Is there anyway you can tilt the grill when your cooking a la george foreman so at least if you have to use oil the excess will drain away? For cleaning I would use one of those plastic scouring pads and just dump neat washing up liquid on it leave it to sit for a while and then lightly scrub and rinse with warm water. Or some people say that you shouldnt wash a grill just wipe it down with kitchen paper but Im a clean freak. IP: Logged
Chelle Housemate	posted 05-16-2003 05:53 PM Apologies in advance if this has already been covered but does anyone know about cooking wine. Should I get an inexpensive bottle of wine or is cooking wine okay? I want to make a wine sauce to go with some seared scallops. Also, if I get a bottle of wine, which type would compliment shellfish? IP: Logged
ChaosDaisy Housemate	posted 05-17-2003 10:00 AM Another wine question! I just read a fondue recipe that called for non-alcoholic wine. I'm pretty sure they made a big deal about non-alcohoic wine because it was a teen magazine, but does it really matter? Will it change the flavor a lot if I use alcoholic wine? IP: Logged
Epicurus Housemate	posted 05-17-2003 10:38 AM Regarding the fondue: It will not matter if you use regular wine. In my opinion, it will probably taste better because N/A wine is nasty. Regarding cooking wine: Cooking Sherry and Cooking Wine are generally just low-quality products with salts added so they can be sold in the grocery aisle rather than the alcohol section. You'd be fine using an inexpensive regular wine and adjusting the seasonings in the dish to accommodate your individual taste. For seared scallops I would suggest a crisp white wine for making the sauce. If you're feeling a little wacky then white vermouth also goes well with shellfish and usually costs the same as a cheap bottle of chardonnay. IP: Logged
ralphyr Housemate	posted 05-18-2003 04:32 PM I made a chicken dish at the weekend which called for white wine which I didn't have so put in some flat Sprite (lemonade) instead, it is a little sweeter than wine but was quite nice. Some people have also talked about putting Coke into cooking (might substitute well for sherry) IP: Logged
LittleRed Housemate	posted 05-19-2003 05:26 AM Does anybody know a low fat way to make falafel? Without having to fry it in oil? IP: Logged
atw26 Housemate	posted 05-19-2003 08:16 PM R likes to bake them. 375 degree oven. 10 - 15 minutes, turn the patties over, then bake another 10-15 minutes. I think something definitely gets lost in the translation though. IP: Logged
ragazzina Housemate	posted 05-20-2003 03:20 AM ralphyr: yes, I make a damn good ham in coke. IP: Logged
MissMel Housemate	posted 05-20-2003 10:02 PM My Mom gave me and entire cookbook with nothing but recipies that use Coke as an ingredient. Who knew?! IP: Logged
ralphyr Housemate	posted 05-20-2003 10:07 PM quote: Originally posted by MissMel: My Mom gave me and entire cookbook with nothing but recipies that use Coke as an ingredient. Who knew?! ragazzina knew IP: Logged
jessicazee Housemate	posted 05-21-2003 05:28 PM oh nevermind. BTW, does anyone have a really good way to cook ribs? Like regular pork ribs. The last time I made them, I baked them in a roasting pan with a little water, covered in foil until they were tender, then Threw them on the grill and sauced them. But, I don't know, they just weren't all that good. Any other ideas? Do some people boil them? [This message has been edited by jessicazee (edited 05-24-2003).] IP: Logged
Chelle Housemate	posted 05-28-2003 07:34 AM Jessicazee, I usually parboil my ribs before I grill them. True barbeque afficianados would cringe, yes, but for me parboiling ensures tender ribs for grilling. To parboil I put the ribs in a pot with just enough water to cover them. Bring them to a boil and let them simmer for an hour or so. I take the ribs out and let them cool. Apply the rub (I always use a rub for ribs) and grill. For me it's the quick way to make good ribs as true barbeque can take anywhere from 10-36 hours to do it properly. IP: Logged
jpunca Housemate	posted 05-28-2003 12:45 PM my brother-in-law is a chef and he said the reason restaurant ribs taste so good is that they boiled them before grilling them--thus keeping them moist on the inside and crispy on the outside. So my question is what is the difference between a green onion and a shallot? IP: Logged
hermia Housemate	posted 05-28-2003 12:47 PM Green onions look like fatter chives -- they are long green stems with small white oniony parts on the end. Shallots look kind of like bigger single cloves of garlic, in a papery brownish skin. IP: Logged

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