To those out there that enjoy cooking what dish are you known for

[Arcanetrance]

Like personally usually in my circle of friends I'm known for my Breads, Baked Ziti and Alfredo. But people also enjoy my desserts. I make my own pasta and sauces and recent years have taken to making my own ricotta and mozzarella which is why I think those dishes stick out to most people.

[Recursion]

1. Lasagna. Instead of bechamel I use sausage gravy

Yes, I admit it. I have no shame.

[Arcanetrance]

2. Funny you should say that I have a friend that does pasta with sausage gravy

He's been trying to convince me to try it forever now

[pinboy3niner]

3. Chafing

But I suspect they don't mean it in a nice way.

[Arcanetrance]

4. Lol

[Rhythm]

5. Damn it... why do you have to be half-the-country away?

I love hanging out with fellow kitchen-magicians!

____________________________

My specialties:

At work? Grilled Ahi, usually served over a Caesar salad...

There are several folks who come into the Pub who, when they see that on the 'specials' board, will come in just for that, or will call in a to-go order...




At home? The missus is the exec chef, and i'm her sous...

The mister and the adolescent male creatures will eat anything, but they like it best when we engage in down-home Southern cooking:
Fried chicken, homemade biscuits and mashed potatoes, fried cabbage (or Brussels's sprouts), etc...

[Arcanetrance]

7. Lol I scare off most who work with me in any capacity my sense of humor usually leaves my coworkers

wondering if I'm in my right mind. But I truly believe you have to be a damaged soul to give your life to the kitchen. Than at home I enjoy blasting the music at loud volumes. I always had a passion for food I've worked in the food industry for 13 years. I basically only attended culinary school because alot of the jobs wanted that piece of paper. What about you what made you get into the industry how long have you been in it

[Rhythm]

10. If you ever get bored, or need a change...

You'd fit right in in Morgantown WV...
Hell... you'd fit right in with my staff cohorts...
_____________________________________

I've been in and out of the food biz for most of my adult life...
Everything from fast food to corporate kitchens.
I love what i do, and if i wasn't already $25k deep in student-loan debt (damned useless liberal-arts degree *L*), i'd do culinary school just so that i could hone my craft.

The pub i work at now is small-time, but we're downtown and practically on WVU's main campus. The owner is a good guy, and has been successfully running it for over 25yrs despite having no background in hospitality management (he's got a Master's in mechanical engineering) !

The kitchen manager when i started was a 5-star Florida resort chef on the rebound (deep in the bottle and drowning), but i learned a lot from him, and now 4 yrs later, he moved on and i'm the manager. *L*

[Arcanetrance]

11. I've been to west virginia a couple times a cousin went to WVU

Honestly I hated culinary school my experience was most of the kids in my class were food network star wannabes who truly believed they'd graduate and become a celebrity chef automatically. A lot were really surprised at the rude awakening they got.

[Rhythm]

14. Thankfully, I'm too old to ~want~ to be a celebrity...

I went back to regular college at age 40, and had to deal with that same mindset in my major -- everyone thought they had the manuscript for the next NYT #1 best-seller on their flash-drive.

I've been brainstorming, and i think my summer self-improvement project is going to be self-teaching myself all sorts of kitchen magic, and reading a zillion cookbooks...
it's slow enough in the summertime here that i can experiment and play with new ideas at work, and the owner gives me free reign to concoct on slow days.

[Arcanetrance]

16. I have a ton of books I can recommend or even send if you're interested

[Rhythm]

19. I'm a total bibliophile, so a list of good titles would be much appreciated!

[Arcanetrance]

23. If you're looking to hone your skills I reccomend

On cooking (looks like they just put out a fifth edition I have the 4th and I doubt theres much difference)

Practical kitchen work: The basic arts of cooking

Now I know those sound like very rudimentary beginner level things and they are. But they give alot of insight in technique and theory.

I also recommend picking up a copy of Food lovers companion its a great culinary dictionary basically.

Than of course anything you can pick up by Escoffier

Also if it suits your tastes Julia child mastering the art of french cooking is fun

[Rhythm]

26. I'll start looking for these immediately! Thank you!

And so my quest begins!!!

[femmocrat]

6. Cookies.

I used to make beautiful Christmas cookies! Like these:

[a la izquierda]

8. Vegan risotto...

Butternut squash soup, and panzanelle.

[tavernier]

9. Potato salad. n/t

[Arcanetrance]

12. I love potato salad German potato salad in particular

[fizzgig]

13. chili and soups

steak sandwiches, potato salad and my no-knead bread.

i'm going to make a batch of ricotta soon, any tips?

[Arcanetrance]

15. My first tip use whole milk and the freshest you can find cause it does make a difference in flavor

If your going to use it for desserts add some whipping cream with the milk. Also make sure you have a good properly calibrated thermometer.the last tip is really depending on if you're using a kit or not when I make mine I use vinegar to make the curds and you want to make sure you measure it out before and not try and measure right as you need because if you're in a hurry and accidentally measure out to much it makes for a really acidic cheese

[fizzgig]

17. was planning on whole milk

and i get it delivered, so it's fresher than the store.

[Arcanetrance]

18. On that I'm very envious

[fizzgig]

20. it's a bit pricier but well worth it

i get eggs and butter from them once in a while and they have killer chocolate milk. still have to get cream at the store, i use so much of it i buy it by the half gallon and that lasts me maybe ten days.

[Blue_In_AK]

21. I am a master of Indian cuisine.

I even have a curry leaf tree growing under lights in my basement.

[fizzgig]

22. i love indian food

i make a pretty decent curry vegetable soup.

[Blue_In_AK]

25. Indian is my very favorite.

I love all the different regional variations, all the infinite spice combinations. It's just fun to cook and so, so good.

[Cadfael]

24. Oxtails

Braised with onions potatoes and carrots (my mouth is watering just thinking about it). Because our N. Illinois home is cooled by a single window air conditioner this is a cold weather only dinner.

[Blue_In_AK]

27. The first solid food my middle daughter ate was oxtail soup.

I had her sitting on my hip as I was stirring the pot and she kept trying to dive in, so I took some out, ground it up in my little baby food grinder, and fed it to her. She LOVED IT.

[Cadfael]

28. Oxtails are

AWESOME. But they sure have gone up in price! I remember when they made a cheap 2 dinners + leftovers for my husband's lunch from one batch.

[Blue_In_AK]

29. I tried to buy some not too long ago to make soup,

but our Fred Meyer didn't have any.

[Kali]

30. probably pie

lard crust and homegrown fruit make the best pies

[Arcanetrance]

31. Mmmmm strawberry pie if its gonna be a fruit pie

[Kali]

32. apricot or peach would have to tie for my faves

but most any kind of pie is pretty damn good, for sure

[Arcanetrance]

33. Those sound pretty good too my absolute favorite pie is banana cream pie

[Kali]

34. with whipped cream or meringue?

dang that sounds good - leaning over to see if there are any bananas left on the kitchen table

rats!

[Arcanetrance]

35. I like it with real whipped cream but if someone put some Italian meringue on it I wouldn't object

[Kali]

36. what be that?

I am sadly deficient in much Italian cooking.

[Arcanetrance]

38. Most home cooks know the French style where you beat white sugar into egg whites

With Italian meringue you whip hot simple syrup into egg whites that are already slightly whipped. This makes a much more stable soft meringue

[Kali]

41. interesting, but it still gets browned after it goes on the pie, yes?

I tend to prefer whipped cream but of course lemon meringue pie has to have it.

[Arcanetrance]

42. You can but it doesn't have to be.

The use of the hot simple syrup allows it to be used like whipped cream would be since it doesn't deflate as quickly

[Tuesday Afternoon]

37. my hot wings, crab salad, thumbprint cookies and fudge patties.

and Kali's pie looks de-lish!

[Arcanetrance]

39. Hell yes hot wings I think I know what I'm having this weekend

[Tuesday Afternoon]

40. IKR

[IrishAyes]

43. I cook a lot, partly because I garden.

Started reading cookbooks for fun at an early age.

Just to mention one dish: Mediterranean rice. Cook your rice as desired: While it's hot, add plenty of soy sauce, toasted almonds, fruit, and black currants. You really can't go wrong unless you burn the rice. When out of soy sauce once, I just threw in some s&s. Sorta like gumbo - needs certain things but blesses creativity. Thinking of gumbo, the commercially prepared stuff is ridiculous. They'll offer rice and shrimp if you're lucky, okra if you even luckier. Real gumbo takes at least 3 different kinds of meat, seafood, and all sorts of veggies. I used to catch crayfish barehanded to throw in my gumbo.

[Art_from_Ark]

44. My favorite breakfast food is English muffin

topped with guacamole and salsa on one half, and bleu/gorgonzola cheese soaked in sesame oil on the other half. Toast in toaster oven until muffin halves become slightly crisp, and eat them like a sandwich.

[Arcanetrance]

46. That sounds like a really healthy breakfast I'll have to try it

[murielm99]

45. Christmas cookies

and chocolate cake.

[blueamy66]

47. Buffalo wings, sweet and sour cabbage

Chicken and rice, pork chops, butternut squash soup....damn I live to cook

[KurtNYC]

48. Chicken burritos, coq au vin, lamb gyros with greek yogurt and dill,

pizza on the (propane) grill, grilled marinated flank steak, wild mushroom risotto, roasted salmon with roasted potatoes and sour cream, carmelized onion smothered pork chops, my Reuben sandwiches, tuna melts with grilled tomato, peruvian chicken (or duck), chicken marsala, vegan split pea soup with olive oil and garlic croutons, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, roast leg of lamb with rosemary and garlic, flourless chocolate cake with raspberry coulis, dark chocolate Grand Marnier gelato, and potato chips made from scratch. I like to cook.

[sharp_stick]

49. I love to cook

and try new things but off hand I can think of two that people come over for:

In the winter I love making boeuf bourguignon staying pretty much true to the Julia Child recipe. This is one dish that I'll go out of my way with and use a really good burgundy. I always cook with wine I'll drink, usually with the same meal, and in this case I'll drop some dollars on a good one.



In the summer I smoke pork butt or brisket and it usually draws one or two neighbors over for a visit.

[Arcanetrance]

50. Its always best to use wine you're willing to drink to cook with

You get what you put into a dish

[randr]

51. I grew up cooking

My mother encouraged our help and she was a remarkable cook. I have been the main cook for my long life and no dish is outside of my tastes or courage to tackle. One of my sons is a Souse Chef for a large scale catering outfit and on his visits we are in the kitchen full time. A large collection of cook books is another passion. I read the Joy of Cooking like a novel.
My favorite dishes are seasonal; right now soup is on the stove.
Great post by the way!

[Arcanetrance]

54. I grew up cooking as well

It's been my passion since I was a little kid. I tried to tackle anything and everything I could. But it's funny as much of a passion and love for food that I have I dislike all the food oriented shows and such I had a chance to audition for hells kitchen and passed it up cause I don't want to be a joke.

[randr]

55. The only cooking show I occasionally watch

Bitchin Kitchen

[Arcanetrance]

56. Do you work in the culinary field as well as your son

[randr]

63. My first job was in a Jewish Deli

But I followed my passion and have been a designer/builder all my life. We currently have a moderate organic farm where we grow a significant amount of our food and live in a very food friendly community with a number of accomplished chefs.
Many opportunities to share food and recipes year long.

[Arcanetrance]

65. That's great that you live in a community that allows you to have a garden

You hear about alot of communities objecting to people having gardens. I'd personally like to see more community gardens in neighborhoods where everyone pitches I'm on taking care of it and planting things.

[randr]

67. Our community is rather rural

Lots of fruit, wine, organic enterprises, and progressive people. I think there are many places like ours all over the country.

[TM99]

52. I worked in a family owned Italian pizzeria through college.

I am known for my home made pasta, sauces, and pizza's. I love to make a wild mushroom risotto for my girlfriend on special occasions as that is one of her favorites (and mine too!).

[Arcanetrance]

53. My first job was tossing pizzas still my favorite thing to do

[TM99]

64. Yes, I enjoy it still myself.

Sal had a big window right on the main street of the little town outside my small college. We young college men would toss the dough to entice in passerby's.

We made the dough fresh after the evening shift and left it to rise over night. We used extra virgin olive oil, grated daily the fresh mozzarella cheese, and had a variety of fresh ingredients just not seen in corporate pizza shops today.

Sal's mother was from the old country, spoke no English, and I, no Italian. Yet, I learned so much from here just watching and doing. I had a passion to learn and cook, and she could see it. I learned some amazing recipes from her that I remember to this day.

Some days I dream of opening a little Italian pizzeria like that.

[Arcanetrance]

66. I loved making dough you don't know how many muscles are in the forearm

until you have to deal with dough. It was a perfect situation for a first job because it was right under the apartment we lived in.

[TM99]

68. Absolutely.

I was in great shape in college working in that restaurant.

My first food service gig was in high school but I was doing front of the house at the local country club then. Sal's little place was my first cooking job my freshman year.

Good memories.

[geardaddy]

57. "Ma po dou fu" and Chinese dumplings

(Old Lady Tofu)



Jiao-zi

[Arcanetrance]

58. I like tofu if it's done right I'll eat the hell out of dumplings

[geardaddy]

59. The tofu is the firm kind

That makes a huge difference. Plus there's ground pork in that dish.

[Arcanetrance]

60. I usually get it with the string beans

[geardaddy]

61. Instead of the tofu?

Either way, it sounds delicious.

[Arcanetrance]

62. I get it with the tofu

[grasswire]

69. pie

absolutely pie.

My pie brought me (years ago) two proposals of marriage, neither of which I accepted, ribbons at local contests, and a lot of enjoyment over the years.

My crust recipe is not the standard style; it was my aunt's recipe. It gets raves.

Most requested pies when I baked for a coffee house: Gravenstein apple. Triple cherry (with sour cherries, sweet cherries, and rainiers or queen annes). Brown sugar peach. Old fashioned custard with nutmeg and rum. Lemon icebox.

Hmmm. I feel like making pie!