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Default Better at home? Better at restaurant?

I've contended in the past that some foods are better when prepared at
home than when you get them in a restaurant. Risotto is an example
I've cited in particular, because restaurants take shortcuts which
detract from the quality of the risotto. Paella is a similar story,
and it pains me to note that many restaurants don't even bother to use
anything *close* to the right kind of rice for paella, assuming that
their customers are too ignorant to recognize the difference.

On the other hand, bouillabaise would be better in a restaurant,
because in order to make a "proper" bouillabaise you need to make
enough for more than a dozen people. (Well, maybe it would be
practical for Ranee to make at *her* home, but not for most of us.)

Grilled steak is a tossup: If you're in charge of cooking your own
steak, you can make it *exactly* the way you want it, but that's
balanced by the fact that restaurants often can get a better quality
of meat than what is available to consumers, and in many cases
restaurants have equipment which can create a heating surface much
hotter than what you can get at home.

What do you think are other foods which are better at home? What is
better to order in a restaurant?

Bob
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"Bob Terwilliger" > wrote in message
news
> I've contended in the past that some foods are better when prepared at
> home than when you get them in a restaurant. Risotto is an example
> I've cited in particular, because restaurants take shortcuts which
> detract from the quality of the risotto. Paella is a similar story,
> and it pains me to note that many restaurants don't even bother to use
> anything *close* to the right kind of rice for paella, assuming that
> their customers are too ignorant to recognize the difference.
>
> On the other hand, bouillabaise would be better in a restaurant,
> because in order to make a "proper" bouillabaise you need to make
> enough for more than a dozen people. (Well, maybe it would be
> practical for Ranee to make at *her* home, but not for most of us.)
>
> Grilled steak is a tossup: If you're in charge of cooking your own
> steak, you can make it *exactly* the way you want it, but that's
> balanced by the fact that restaurants often can get a better quality
> of meat than what is available to consumers, and in many cases
> restaurants have equipment which can create a heating surface much
> hotter than what you can get at home.
>
> What do you think are other foods which are better at home? What is
> better to order in a restaurant?


In most cases I have found that the food is not better in a restaurant at
all. I've never been able to make a good grilled cheese or tuna melt at
home. And really I hate making sandwiches at all. Someone once told me
that a sandwich always tastes better when someone else makes it. I think
this is true.


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Someone once told me
> that a sandwich always tastes better when someone else makes it. I think
> this is true.



you must have missed that Dr. Phil episode, where he was telling the husband
that he should go out of his way to make his wife feel loved, and then sided
with her when she told the husband to "make his own damn sandwich" since she
couldn't be bothered to learn how to make a better sandwich.


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Default Better at home? Better at restaurant?

On Oct 10, 12:41*pm, Bob Terwilliger >
wrote:
> I've contended in the past that some foods are better when prepared at
> home than when you get them in a restaurant. Risotto is an example
> I've cited in particular, because restaurants take shortcuts which
> detract from the quality of the risotto. Paella is a similar story,
> and it pains me to note that many restaurants don't even bother to use
> anything *close* to the right kind of rice for paella, assuming that
> their customers are too ignorant to recognize the difference.
>
> On the other hand, bouillabaise would be better in a restaurant,
> because in order to make a "proper" bouillabaise you need to make
> enough for more than a dozen people. (Well, maybe it would be
> practical for Ranee to make at *her* home, but not for most of us.)
>
> Grilled steak is a tossup: If you're in charge of cooking your own
> steak, you can make it *exactly* the way you want it, but that's
> balanced by the fact that restaurants often can get a better quality
> of meat than what is available to consumers, and in many cases
> restaurants have equipment which can create a heating surface much
> hotter than what you can get at home.
>
> What do you think are other foods which are better at home? What is
> better to order in a restaurant?
>
> Bob


For me both taste excellent. The reason is that I very rarely order
at a restaurant what I make at home. I'm very fastidious and am
nearly always disappointed if I order something that I can cook
myself.

I can't speak for risotto as it's not one of my favorites, however I
take issue with Bouillabaisse. I make my own fish stock and have
never had anything that comes close at a restaurant.

http://www.richardfisher.com
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On Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:37:46 -0700 (PDT), Helpful person
> wrote:

> For me both taste excellent. The reason is that I very rarely order
> at a restaurant what I make at home. I'm very fastidious and am
> nearly always disappointed if I order something that I can cook
> myself.
>
> I can't speak for risotto as it's not one of my favorites, however I
> take issue with Bouillabaisse. I make my own fish stock and have
> never had anything that comes close at a restaurant.


I don't usually order what I make with any regularity at home either,
but I would order bouillabaisse because I don't make it at home. Same
with paella (although I haven't had a restaurant version that I like
yet) and risotto... I love most of the restaurant versions I've had.
--

Never commit yourself to a cheese without having first examined it.
T.S. Eliot


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Default Better at home? Better at restaurant?

On 10/10/2011 5:48 PM, sf wrote:
> On Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:37:46 -0700 (PDT), Helpful person
> > wrote:
>
>> For me both taste excellent. The reason is that I very rarely order
>> at a restaurant what I make at home. I'm very fastidious and am
>> nearly always disappointed if I order something that I can cook
>> myself.
>>
>> I can't speak for risotto as it's not one of my favorites, however I
>> take issue with Bouillabaisse. I make my own fish stock and have
>> never had anything that comes close at a restaurant.

>
> I don't usually order what I make with any regularity at home either,
> but I would order bouillabaisse because I don't make it at home. Same
> with paella (although I haven't had a restaurant version that I like
> yet) and risotto... I love most of the restaurant versions I've had.


I've generally found that a lot of Middle Eastern and Indian broiled
foods taste better at restaurants than when I make them; kebabs and
tandoori food are examples. The rice they serve is usually better than
mine too.

--


James Silverton, Potomac

I'm *not*
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On Mon, 10 Oct 2011 12:41:46 -0700, Bob Terwilliger
> wrote:

>What do you think are other foods which are better at home? What is
>better to order in a restaurant?


Restaurants cook seafood much better than I do. I imagine they have
a source of better seafood along with better equipment and skills. I
usually order seafood at a restaurant for this reason.

Tara
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On Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:56:30 -0400, James Silverton
> wrote:

> I've generally found that a lot of Middle Eastern and Indian broiled
> foods taste better at restaurants than when I make them; kebabs and
> tandoori food are examples. The rice they serve is usually better than
> mine too.


I've only recently started stuck my toe into the waters of middle
eastern cooking and don't do Indian at all. They're mainly restaurant
food for me, but not even once a year. I have a refrigerator *full*
of western herb & spices, I don't want to procure any more.
--

Never commit yourself to a cheese without having first examined it.
T.S. Eliot
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James Silverton wrote:
> On 10/10/2011 5:48 PM, sf wrote:
>
>> Helpful person wrote:


>>
>>> For me both taste excellent. The reason is that I very rarely order
>>> at a restaurant what I make at home. I'm very fastidious and am
>>> nearly always disappointed if I order something that I can cook
>>> myself.


I don't eat at exotic restaurants, and i choose restaurants with menus i
can understand. Where i have some idea what i order is. Often times
ordering a "chicken fried steak" if its on the menu, but since moving to
California i have been so consistently disappointed i had to learn to
make it myself.

>>>
>>> I can't speak for risotto as it's not one of my favorites, however I
>>> take issue with Bouillabaisse. I make my own fish stock and have
>>> never had anything that comes close at a restaurant.


I have never made enough bouillabaisse to get good at it. Plus im on a
phone tree that alerts me when a certain Lady in Berkeley pulls out her
big cauldron and starts boiling down her seafood over an open wood fire,
on her terrace, creating a hugh amount of her locally famous bouillabaisse

>>
>>
>> I don't usually order what I make with any regularity at home either,


I am often curious about meat loaf on a menu, but i don't patronize
"chains" or franchises, really don't consider them, along with macdonlds
& burger king & their ilk "restaurants".

>> but I would order bouillabaisse because I don't make it at home. Same
>> with paella (although I haven't had a restaurant version that I like
>> yet) and risotto... I love most of the restaurant versions I've had.


There are a number of very complex dishes, recipes i have not even tried
to make, a few i have like gumbo or an estouffade while .... successful
and actually quite good, i never the less make so rarely as to be unable
to claim any expertise in either making or eating them
..
>
>
> I've generally found that a lot of Middle Eastern and Indian broiled
> foods taste better at restaurants than when I make them; kebabs and
> tandoori food are examples. The rice they serve is usually better than
> mine too.
>


2 thing i consistently notice are French fries and falafel.

I have never been able to make them at home as well as those produced in
some restaurants (though better than in others)

I have been told that many places re use the oil that both the french
fries and falafel's are deep fried in, and done well, this creates a
flavour in the foods cooked in the oil that cant be had with one use of
the oil to cook one batch of food the way i sometimes do at home.
--
JL
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On Oct 10, 12:41*pm, Bob Terwilliger >
wrote:
> I've contended in the past that some foods are better when prepared at
> home than when you get them in a restaurant. Risotto is an example
> I've cited in particular, because restaurants take shortcuts which
> detract from the quality of the risotto. Paella is a similar story,
> and it pains me to note that many restaurants don't even bother to use
> anything *close* to the right kind of rice for paella, assuming that
> their customers are too ignorant to recognize the difference.
>
> On the other hand, bouillabaise would be better in a restaurant,
> because in order to make a "proper" bouillabaise you need to make
> enough for more than a dozen people. (Well, maybe it would be
> practical for Ranee to make at *her* home, but not for most of us.)
>
> Grilled steak is a tossup: If you're in charge of cooking your own
> steak, you can make it *exactly* the way you want it, but that's
> balanced by the fact that restaurants often can get a better quality
> of meat than what is available to consumers, and in many cases
> restaurants have equipment which can create a heating surface much
> hotter than what you can get at home.
>
> What do you think are other foods which are better at home? What is
> better to order in a restaurant?
>
> Bob


I can't make Thai food for squat so we go out. We make great pizza but
a local place makes some awesome pizza so we go there once in a while.


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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Terwilliger[_1_] View Post
I've contended in the past that some foods are better when prepared at
home than when you get them in a restaurant. Risotto is an example
I've cited in particular, because restaurants take shortcuts which
detract from the quality of the risotto. Paella is a similar story,
and it pains me to note that many restaurants don't even bother to use
anything *close* to the right kind of rice for paella, assuming that
their customers are too ignorant to recognize the difference.

On the other hand, bouillabaise would be better in a restaurant,
because in order to make a "proper" bouillabaise you need to make
enough for more than a dozen people. (Well, maybe it would be
practical for Ranee to make at *her* home, but not for most of us.)

Grilled steak is a tossup: If you're in charge of cooking your own
steak, you can make it *exactly* the way you want it, but that's
balanced by the fact that restaurants often can get a better quality
of meat than what is available to consumers, and in many cases
restaurants have equipment which can create a heating surface much
hotter than what you can get at home.

What do you think are other foods which are better at home? What is
better to order in a restaurant?

Bob

Ah, i totally agree. Food cooked at home is usually amazing if done right. Of course fast food isn't meant for quality, and even at many restaurants they have ways to get the more for their buck my giving us food that isn't the best quality. Plus, when you cook your own food, you decide the ingredients, and you get a sense of accomplishment when it's done.
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On Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:19:45 -0700, "M. JL Esq." >
wrote:

>
> I don't eat at exotic restaurants, and i choose restaurants with menus i
> can understand. Where i have some idea what i order is. Often times
> ordering a "chicken fried steak" if its on the menu, but since moving to
> California i have been so consistently disappointed i had to learn to
> make it myself.


I ordered chicken fried steak for the first time to see what that's
all about. It was good, but it's not good enough to want to make it
at home... or to even order it again, but my curiosity was satisfied.
--

Never commit yourself to a cheese without having first examined it.
T.S. Eliot
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On Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:41:46 -0600, Christine Dabney
> wrote:

> On Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:48:24 -0700, sf > wrote:
>
> >Same
> >with paella (although I haven't had a restaurant version that I like
> >yet)

>
> We still have to make paella, when I get back up to the bay area. I
> will be back this coming weekend. I brought my paella book and pan...
>

Okay, we'll make a date for that! Remember, no shellfish.

--

Never commit yourself to a cheese without having first examined it.
T.S. Eliot
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On Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:16:07 -0700, Ranée at Arabian Knits
> wrote:

> Although I make a
> delicious faux gyro, making it without the spit is a challenge.


Do you make the one with sliced meat? I have never warmed up to the
meatloaf version.
--

Never commit yourself to a cheese without having first examined it.
T.S. Eliot
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On Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:44:44 -0600, Christine Dabney
> wrote:

> On Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:05:59 -0700, sf > wrote:
>
> >I've only recently started stuck my toe into the waters of middle
> >eastern cooking

>
> I just ordered Paula Wolfert's new book, The Food of Morocco, which is
> a redo of her classic Couscous and Other Good Food of Morocco. I
> will be bringing it back with me, to the bay area this coming weekend.
>

Great!

--

Never commit yourself to a cheese without having first examined it.
T.S. Eliot


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On Oct 10, 3:41*pm, Bob Terwilliger >
wrote:
> I've contended in the past that some foods are better when prepared at
> home than when you get them in a restaurant. Risotto is an example
> I've cited in particular, because restaurants take shortcuts which
> detract from the quality of the risotto. Paella is a similar story,
> and it pains me to note that many restaurants don't even bother to use
> anything *close* to the right kind of rice for paella, assuming that
> their customers are too ignorant to recognize the difference.
>
> On the other hand, bouillabaise would be better in a restaurant,
> because in order to make a "proper" bouillabaise you need to make
> enough for more than a dozen people. (Well, maybe it would be
> practical for Ranee to make at *her* home, but not for most of us.)
>
> Grilled steak is a tossup: If you're in charge of cooking your own
> steak, you can make it *exactly* the way you want it, but that's
> balanced by the fact that restaurants often can get a better quality
> of meat than what is available to consumers, and in many cases
> restaurants have equipment which can create a heating surface much
> hotter than what you can get at home.
>
> What do you think are other foods which are better at home? What is
> better to order in a restaurant?
>
> Bob


On the whole, I think that homemade by a decent cook tops most resto
fare. The only reason we eat out is because I'm tired and/or have not
the ingreeds I need for something and don't feel like shopping.
Besides, I've cooked thousands of meals and deserve a break.

Better to order in a resto: lobster Fisherman style and other
elaborate entrees.
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sf wrote:

> On Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:19:45 -0700, "JL" wrote:
>
>
>>I don't eat at exotic restaurants, and i choose restaurants with menus i
>>can understand. Where i have some idea what i order is. Often times
>>ordering a "chicken fried steak" if its on the menu, but since moving to
>>California i have been so consistently disappointed i had to learn to
>>make it myself.

>
>
> I ordered chicken fried steak for the first time to see what that's
> all about. It was good, but it's not good enough to want to make it
> at home... or to even order it again, but my curiosity was satisfied.



Don't even get me started on "country fried steak"!!!

What i don't understand is why Oregon roadside dinners make such a good
version?

I think it should be batter diped not egged & bread crumbed or floured
and frying with lard is as important as the chicken gravy.
--
JL
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On Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:12:10 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote:

> On the whole, I think that homemade by a decent cook tops most resto
> fare. The only reason we eat out is because I'm tired and/or have not
> the ingreeds I need for something and don't feel like shopping.
> Besides, I've cooked thousands of meals and deserve a break.
>
> Better to order in a resto: lobster Fisherman style and other
> elaborate entrees.


Sometimes, I just want a hamburger.... a $10 burger, but it's still
ground beef.
--

Never commit yourself to a cheese without having first examined it.
T.S. Eliot
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On Oct 10, 12:41*pm, Bob Terwilliger >
wrote:
> I've contended in the past that some foods are better when prepared at
> home than when you get them in a restaurant. Risotto is an example
> I've cited in particular, because restaurants take shortcuts which
> detract from the quality of the risotto. Paella is a similar story,
> and it pains me to note that many restaurants don't even bother to use
> anything *close* to the right kind of rice for paella, assuming that
> their customers are too ignorant to recognize the difference.
>
> On the other hand, bouillabaise would be better in a restaurant,
> because in order to make a "proper" bouillabaise you need to make
> enough for more than a dozen people. (Well, maybe it would be
> practical for Ranee to make at *her* home, but not for most of us.)
>
> Grilled steak is a tossup: If you're in charge of cooking your own
> steak, you can make it *exactly* the way you want it, but that's
> balanced by the fact that restaurants often can get a better quality
> of meat than what is available to consumers, and in many cases
> restaurants have equipment which can create a heating surface much
> hotter than what you can get at home.
>
> What do you think are other foods which are better at home? What is
> better to order in a restaurant?
>
> Bob


Our local Chinese rest (Harbor Monsoon) is one of the only ones I will
go to- we get family style, so there are 4-5 dishes. Too many
ingredients and prep time for me to want to bother with, plus their
food is really good.
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On Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:26:12 -0700, "M. JL Esq." >
wrote:

> I think it should be batter diped not egged & bread crumbed or floured
> and frying with lard is as important as the chicken gravy.
> --


What I ordered was battered and fried well, I just don't "get" chicken
fried beef. I prefer chicken fried chicken and can hardly wait to get
back to the restaurant where I had that delicious chicken & waffles.
--

Never commit yourself to a cheese without having first examined it.
T.S. Eliot


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"Pico Rico" > wrote in message
...
>
> Someone once told me
>> that a sandwich always tastes better when someone else makes it. I think
>> this is true.

>
>
> you must have missed that Dr. Phil episode, where he was telling the
> husband that he should go out of his way to make his wife feel loved, and
> then sided with her when she told the husband to "make his own damn
> sandwich" since she couldn't be bothered to learn how to make a better
> sandwich.


I can't stand Dr. Phil.


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"Julie Bove" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Pico Rico" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> Someone once told me
>>> that a sandwich always tastes better when someone else makes it. I
>>> think this is true.

>>
>>
>> you must have missed that Dr. Phil episode, where he was telling the
>> husband that he should go out of his way to make his wife feel loved, and
>> then sided with her when she told the husband to "make his own damn
>> sandwich" since she couldn't be bothered to learn how to make a better
>> sandwich.

>
> I can't stand Dr. Phil.


and he doesn't know much about making a good sandwich, either.


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On Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:52:06 -0700 (PDT), Helpful person
> wrote:

> Many restaurants now cook their steaks sous vide and finish them off
> on the grill. This gives consistent results every time.


Please don't mention sous vide, the thought turns my stomach. I avoid
anything on a menu that admits being sous vide and sincerely hope they
aren't lying about the rest of the menu.
--

Never commit yourself to a cheese without having first examined it.
T.S. Eliot
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"merryb" > wrote in message
...
On Oct 10, 12:41 pm, Bob Terwilliger >
wrote:
> I've contended in the past that some foods are better when prepared at
> home than when you get them in a restaurant. Risotto is an example
> I've cited in particular, because restaurants take shortcuts which
> detract from the quality of the risotto. Paella is a similar story,
> and it pains me to note that many restaurants don't even bother to use
> anything *close* to the right kind of rice for paella, assuming that
> their customers are too ignorant to recognize the difference.
>
> On the other hand, bouillabaise would be better in a restaurant,
> because in order to make a "proper" bouillabaise you need to make
> enough for more than a dozen people. (Well, maybe it would be
> practical for Ranee to make at *her* home, but not for most of us.)
>
> Grilled steak is a tossup: If you're in charge of cooking your own
> steak, you can make it *exactly* the way you want it, but that's
> balanced by the fact that restaurants often can get a better quality
> of meat than what is available to consumers, and in many cases
> restaurants have equipment which can create a heating surface much
> hotter than what you can get at home.
>
> What do you think are other foods which are better at home? What is
> better to order in a restaurant?
>
> Bob


Our local Chinese rest (Harbor Monsoon) is one of the only ones I will
go to- we get family style, so there are 4-5 dishes. Too many
ingredients and prep time for me to want to bother with, plus their
food is really good.

Seafood as an answer on both sides. My gumbo is lots grander than any
restaurant ever serves. Lots. OTOH, I like to order a seafood platter when
we're out. They have access to fresh seafood and they deal with the prep
and clean-up. I've learned to bypass their notion of tartar sauce to go
with. That concoction is fragile, spoils easily and is rarely safely
maintained. IMHO of course. Polly

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On Mon, 10 Oct 2011 22:21:32 +0000, Isaac Gish
> wrote:

>
> Ah, i totally agree. Food cooked at home is usually amazing if done
> right. Of course fast food isn't meant for quality, and even at many
> restaurants they have ways to get the more for their buck my giving us
> food that isn't the best quality. Plus, when you cook your own food, you
> decide the ingredients, and you get a sense of accomplishment when it's
> done.


Yeah, but I like to eat out.... because I'd rather not cook that
night.
--

Never commit yourself to a cheese without having first examined it.
T.S. Eliot


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"Julie Bove" wrote:
>
>In most cases I have found that the food is not better in a restaurant at
>all. I've never been able to make a good grilled cheese or tuna melt at
>home. And really I hate making sandwiches at all. Someone once told me
>that a sandwich always tastes better when someone else makes it. I think
>this is true.


You haven't tried when I make you a sandwich.
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>> I can't speak for risotto as it's not one of my favorites, however I
>> take issue with Bouillabaisse. I make my own fish stock and have
>> never had anything that comes close at a restaurant.

>
> I don't usually order what I make with any regularity at home either,
> but I would order bouillabaisse because I don't make it at home. Same
> with paella (although I haven't had a restaurant version that I like
> yet) and risotto... I love most of the restaurant versions I've had.


I was never much of a fish eater because my mother, who was a pretty
good cook, did not do fish well. Besides, we lived a long way from the
ocean and did not have the access to good fish that we have now. I
used to order fish in restaurants. Not fish and chips or fish sticks,
but whatever the fish or seafood choice was in nice restaurants. I
discovered all sorts of interesting ways to have fish and started
cooking it at home.

We don't go out for dinner as often as we used to, but I still tend to
have things that I don't get at home. For instance, my wife does not eat
potatoes, so when we go to one of the local restaurants I often have
Shepherds pie, and she has liver.
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On 10/10/2011 6:13 PM, Ranée at Arabian Knits wrote:
>
>> you must have missed that Dr. Phil episode, where he was telling the husband
>> that he should go out of his way to make his wife feel loved, and then sided
>> with her when she told the husband to "make his own damn sandwich" since she
>> couldn't be bothered to learn how to make a better sandwich.

>
> Is this what people's marital problems really are? For crying out
> loud! Make a nice sandwich for your husband and say thank you for the
> sandwich made for you, is it really that difficult?
>



I had a job for about 10 years where I was on the road half the time,
and if I was away from the shop my meals were covered by my expense
account, so I ate in restaurants. If I was stuck at the shop I at the
brown bag special. One thing I had to learn to do was to throw out the
sandwich my wife had made. Apparently she resented making sandwiches for
me if I was not eating them.
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On 10/10/2011 6:16 PM, Ranée at Arabian Knits wrote:

> At first I couldn't think of dishes that were actually better in a
> restaurant, but now that I've thought a little, I think those things
> which require hard to acquire or store or install equipment. So,
> tandoori, since I don't have a tandoor oven. Although I make a
> delicious faux gyro, making it without the spit is a challenge.
>


My faux gyro experiments have been better than some of my recent Gyros
experiences. I used to love those things but over the last few years I
have been disappointed so many times. I think the worst was a year or so
ago when my wife went by bicycle to an event in another city. I was
yearning for a gyros and knew there would be food kiosks that offered
them. When I got my gyros I was never so disappointed in my life. Then
last summer I went to the local Greek run greasy spoon and ordered a
gyros. Three thin strips of meat and a thick crumbly pita. It was a
major disappointment.

Thank goodness I have since discovered a good middle eastern restaurant.
I learned from it that hummus can be really good. I have had their
kebabs. Maybe I should try a gyros there.
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sf wrote:

> On Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:26:12 -0700, "M. JL Esq." >
> wrote:
>
>
>>I think it should be batter diped not egged & bread crumbed or floured
>>and frying with lard is as important as the chicken gravy.
>>--

>
>
> What I ordered was battered and fried well, I just don't "get" chicken
> fried beef. I prefer chicken fried chicken and can hardly wait to get
> back to the restaurant where I had that delicious chicken & waffles.



Its comfort food for me. A childhood favourite that was only ever eaten
at a restaurant.

And those being more the "roadside dinner" sort of rural Oregon than
anything else.

While i think there is some thing to be said for the use of commercial,
instant, powdered or canned chicken gravy's with the steak, mashed
potatoes & green beans i do prefer a more home made gravy using real
schmaltz to make the gravy as well as lard to fry the steak. And the
seasoning of the batter is important also, i prefer it with a good
amount of both paprika and black pepper.

I use, primarily for convenience, shoulder of beef, i cut into thin
slices and than pound thin with a meat mallet.

In my experience the so called 'minute steaks" are not done to my
satisfaction in the minute it actually take to cook them.

A chicken fried steak should be very tender, fork tender, and a quick
cooking of the machine tenderized "minute steaks" do not achieve this
imo. Baking them, covered in the oven for another half hour or so after
frying them helps but i prefer to tenderize the slice of shoulder with
the meat mallet which then cooks up very tender.

Im also very fond of chicken breast cooked in a beef & red wine gravy.

But have yet to see it on a menu
--
JL


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Ranee wrote:

> I like to cook all sorts of ethnicities' foods, but I do try not to
> ever cook those foods for people who are actually from there. I figure
> even if it is really good, it will either be a little off or not their
> particular family style, so I just avoid it.


I think it depends on the occasion. If you have reason to believe that
a guest is feeling homesick, then he or she will probably at least
appreciate the attempt and the sentiment. That being said, if your
guest is French they'll disparage whatever you make. It's just their
way.

Bob
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On Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:51:12 -0700, Ranée at Arabian Knits
> wrote:

> In article >,
> sf > wrote:
>
> > On Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:16:07 -0700, Ranée at Arabian Knits
> > > wrote:
> >
> > > Although I make a
> > > delicious faux gyro, making it without the spit is a challenge.

> >
> > Do you make the one with sliced meat? I have never warmed up to the
> > meatloaf version.

>
> No, it's ground lamb with loads of oregano, garlic and lemon. It
> tastes good and I shave it pretty thinly, but it's not like the real
> thing.


Thanks, I'll keep an eye out for your recipe anyway.
--

Never commit yourself to a cheese without having first examined it.
T.S. Eliot
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On Tue, 11 Oct 2011 10:37:29 -0400, Dave Smith
> wrote:

>
> My faux gyro experiments have been better than some of my recent Gyros
> experiences. I used to love those things but over the last few years I
> have been disappointed so many times. I think the worst was a year or so
> ago when my wife went by bicycle to an event in another city. I was
> yearning for a gyros and knew there would be food kiosks that offered
> them. When I got my gyros I was never so disappointed in my life. Then
> last summer I went to the local Greek run greasy spoon and ordered a
> gyros. Three thin strips of meat and a thick crumbly pita. It was a
> major disappointment.


They're doing chicken gyros now (have you seen that?), but I prefer
old fashioned lamb (not ground).
--

Never commit yourself to a cheese without having first examined it.
T.S. Eliot
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On Tue, 11 Oct 2011 09:11:45 -0700, Ranée at Arabian Knits
> wrote:

> I like to cook all sorts of ethnicities' foods, but I do try not to
> ever cook those foods for people who are actually from there. I figure
> even if it is really good, it will either be a little off or not their
> particular family style, so I just avoid it.


Good idea. Even adobo has so many variations it's unbelievable and if
your family didn't do it that way, it's not the right way.
--

Never commit yourself to a cheese without having first examined it.
T.S. Eliot
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On Tue, 11 Oct 2011 10:42:12 -0700, Bob Terwilliger
> wrote:

> I think it depends on the occasion. If you have reason to believe that
> a guest is feeling homesick, then he or she will probably at least
> appreciate the attempt and the sentiment. That being said, if your
> guest is French they'll disparage whatever you make. It's just their
> way.


<laugh> I'd say no guest would do that, but I know someone who is
French and I wouldn't put it past her. I do *not* call her a friend
though.
--

Never commit yourself to a cheese without having first examined it.
T.S. Eliot


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Dave Smith wrote:
> I had a job for about 10 years where I was on the road half the time,
> and if I was away from the shop my meals were covered by my expense
> account, so I ate in restaurants. If I was stuck at the shop I at the
> brown bag special. One thing I had to learn to do was to throw out the
> sandwich my wife had made. Apparently she resented making sandwiches
> for me if I was not eating them.


It freaking drives me nuts when my husband calls while I am making dinner or
just after I have made it to tell me that he won't be home for dinner. Of
course if he had to work late, I wouldn't be upset. But that's never the
case. He just decides to go somewhere else on a whim. That leaves me with
a portion of food that may or may not be eaten on another day. And most
likely not. Sometimes he does this several days in a row and then he blames
me for cooking too much food!

As for the sandwiches, I mostly just buy them premade now. He can just go
to the fridge, take one and eat it. Otherwise we get to hear a whole lot of
screaming while he waits for me to finish whatever it is I am doing to make
the sandwich. And then while I am making the sandwich because I can never
make it fast enough.


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On Oct 11, 5:22*pm, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
> Dave Smith wrote:
> > I had a job for about 10 years where I was on the road half the time,
> > and if I was away from the shop my meals were covered by my expense
> > account, so I ate in restaurants. If I was stuck at the shop I at the
> > brown bag special. One thing I had to learn to do was to throw out the
> > sandwich my wife had made. Apparently she resented making sandwiches
> > for me if I was not eating them.

>
> It freaking drives me nuts when my husband calls while I am making dinner or
> just after I have made it to tell me that he won't be home for dinner. *Of
> course if he had to work late, I wouldn't be upset. *But that's never the
> case. *He just decides to go somewhere else on a whim. *That leaves me with
> a portion of food that may or may not be eaten on another day. *And most
> likely not. *Sometimes he does this several days in a row and then he blames
> me for cooking too much food!
>
> As for the sandwiches, I mostly just buy them premade now. *He can just go
> to the fridge, take one and eat it. *Otherwise we get to hear a whole lot of
> screaming while he waits for me to finish whatever it is I am doing to make
> the sandwich. *And then while I am making the sandwich because I can never
> make it fast enough.


Have you considered he just doesn't like you?
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Julie Bove > wrote:

>It freaking drives me nuts when my husband calls while I am making dinner or
>just after I have made it to tell me that he won't be home for dinner. Of
>course if he had to work late, I wouldn't be upset. But that's never the
>case. He just decides to go somewhere else on a whim. That leaves me with
>a portion of food that may or may not be eaten on another day. And most
>likely not. Sometimes he does this several days in a row and then he blames
>me for cooking too much food!


One approach is to not start cooking until he shows up.


Steve
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On 11/10/2011 1:44 PM, sf wrote:
> On Tue, 11 Oct 2011 10:37:29 -0400, Dave Smith
> > wrote:
>
>>
>> My faux gyro experiments have been better than some of my recent Gyros
>> experiences. I used to love those things but over the last few years I
>> have been disappointed so many times. I think the worst was a year or so
>> ago when my wife went by bicycle to an event in another city. I was
>> yearning for a gyros and knew there would be food kiosks that offered
>> them. When I got my gyros I was never so disappointed in my life. Then
>> last summer I went to the local Greek run greasy spoon and ordered a
>> gyros. Three thin strips of meat and a thick crumbly pita. It was a
>> major disappointment.

>
> They're doing chicken gyros now (have you seen that?), but I prefer
> old fashioned lamb (not ground).


Sorry, but I can't even imagine chicken gyros being good. Maybe it was
looking at the meat in my beef <?> sandwich from Arby's, but when I
read that, all I could think of was reconstituted chicken bits. I will
go for a chicken slouvaki instead.

I have to confess that I would probably eat a lot more middle eastern
food from restaurants if they didn't have such a bad reputation for
public health problems..... *** in this area***. It seems that any time
there is a report in the local media about people getting infected it
has been a middle eastern place. It's a shame because I like the food. I
like the hospitality, I like the prices. After having had one dose of
food poisoning, I don't ever want to go through that again.
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On 11/10/2011 5:22 PM, Julie Bove wrote:
>
> It freaking drives me nuts when my husband calls while I am making dinner or
> just after I have made it to tell me that he won't be home for dinner. Of
> course if he had to work late, I wouldn't be upset. But that's never the
> case. He just decides to go somewhere else on a whim.


LMAO..... that is too funny.
You're still married?





That leaves me with
> a portion of food that may or may not be eaten on another day. And most
> likely not. Sometimes he does this several days in a row and then he blames
> me for cooking too much food!
>
> As for the sandwiches, I mostly just buy them premade now. He can just go
> to the fridge, take one and eat it.


Okay. Now I understand why he doesn't come home for your cooking.
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