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Default Taste test: pasta

I did a blind taste test on di Cecco penne (2.59 a 1 lb box) vs. Hannaford housebrand (.89).
DH helped by straining and plating it etc. I could NOT tell any difference. I am adding this to my list of OK housebrand items along with oatmeal and 'grapenuts'.

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On Tue, 31 Jul 2012 08:10:57 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote:

>I did a blind taste test on di Cecco penne (2.59 a 1 lb box) vs. Hannaford housebrand (.89).
>DH helped by straining and plating it etc. I could NOT tell any difference. I am adding this to my list of OK housebrand items along with oatmeal and 'grapenuts'.


did they both cook in the same amount of time? How long was the
cooking time? Were either of them rough surfaced?
Janet US
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On Tuesday, July 31, 2012 11:20:02 AM UTC-4, Janet Bostwick wrote:
> On Tue, 31 Jul 2012 08:10:57 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
>
> > wrote:
>
>
>
> >I did a blind taste test on di Cecco penne (2.59 a 1 lb box) vs. Hannaford housebrand (.89).

>
> >DH helped by straining and plating it etc. I could NOT tell any difference. I am adding this to my list of OK housebrand items along with oatmeal and 'grapenuts'.

>
>
>
> did they both cook in the same amount of time? How long was the
>
> cooking time? Were either of them rough surfaced?
>
> Janet US


I used same amt of water, 12 minutes, both smooth surface.

ONE thing I confirmed about my stove: I used 4 cups of water in each pan (same size pans), and turned the burners on simultaneously. The front one came to a rolling boil a good minute sooner than that @$#% back burner.
( See my previous beef about non-uniform burners....). Now, whether the power consumed was vastly different, that's for someone else to say. I have no manual to show wattage rating. I'm sure it amounts to just cents.

I saw new stoves in HD recently - I see now a fifth warming burner on a lot of them. May be a good thing.
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Default Taste test: pasta

On 31/07/2012 11:10 AM, Kalmia wrote:
> I did a blind taste test on di Cecco penne (2.59 a 1 lb box) vs. Hannaford housebrand (.89).
> DH helped by straining and plating it etc. I could NOT tell any difference. I am adding this to my list of OK housebrand items along with oatmeal and 'grapenuts'.
>



It seems to be only Italians who make a big deal about the quality of
pasta, and as much as they comment about pasta being good or not, I have
never been all that impressed with the stuff they serve. AS couple
years ago we were cat sitting for our Italian neighbours and the cat had
been shut into a storage room in the basement. They had stockpiled all
sorts of cheap pastas and sauces that they had bought on sale.

FWIW, I get the Catelli Smart pasta, which has enough whole wheat to
make it a healthier pasta option, but not so much that it tastes like
that crappy whole wheat pasta.

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Default Taste test: pasta

On Tuesday, July 31, 2012 1:59:30 PM UTC-4, Dave Smith wrote:
>
>
> It seems to be only Italians who make a big deal about the quality of
>
> pasta, and as much as they comment about pasta being good or not, I have
>
> A couple
>
> years ago we were cat sitting for our Italian neighbours and the cat had
>
> been shut into a storage room in the basement. They had stockpiled all
>
> sorts of cheap pastas and sauces that they had bought on sale.
>
>
>
> FWIW, I get the Catelli Smart pasta, which has enough whole wheat to
>
> make it a healthier pasta option, but not so much that it tastes like
>
> that crappy whole wheat pasta.


WHAAAAT? An Italian family not making their own SAUCE? Musta been 4th generation.

Btw, it's De Cecco in case anyone wants to grade my spelling.


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Default Taste test: pasta

The Other Guy wrote:
>
> I can't imagine WHY anyone would expect any different result.
> What POSSIBLE differences between pastas COULD there be?


Being mildly wheat intolerant I have pasta made from rice, corn, quinoa
and other alternate grains. I can tell the difference with such major
ingredients. To tell one refined wheat pasta from another would take
being cooked in nothing but clean water and salt, eaten side by side
with nothing else, and even then difference would be at best small.
Some difference in loose starch powder. Some difference in final
dryness.

> I remember when a TV Network did a vodka taste test some years ago.
>
> When people THOUGHT they were drinking high priced vodka,
> they rated it best. The claimed cheapest was rated as bad.
>
> In reality, they were rating the cheapest as the best.


In college we did a blind tasting of vodkas. The top shelf brands were
Absolute, Finlandia and real Stoli from across the iron curtan in the
Soviet Union. This was 1977 or 1978 so many of the current fancy brands
did not exist yet. There were also three discount brands.

In the freezer over night, shots marked by letter.

Only half could tell the discount from the top shelf. None could tell
any of the top shelf brands apart nor any of the discount brands apart.
Ever since i've gotten whatever top shelf brand happens to be lowest in
price and moved it to the freezer if I expect guests.

I can easily imagine everyone being tricked if we told them what was in
the shot instead of doing it blind.
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Default Taste test: pasta

On 7/31/2012 4:02 PM, Doug Freyburger wrote:
> The Other Guy wrote:
>>
>> I can't imagine WHY anyone would expect any different result.
>> What POSSIBLE differences between pastas COULD there be?

>
> Being mildly wheat intolerant I have pasta made from rice, corn, quinoa
> and other alternate grains. I can tell the difference with such major
> ingredients. To tell one refined wheat pasta from another would take
> being cooked in nothing but clean water and salt, eaten side by side
> with nothing else, and even then difference would be at best small.
> Some difference in loose starch powder. Some difference in final
> dryness.
>
>> I remember when a TV Network did a vodka taste test some years ago.
>>
>> When people THOUGHT they were drinking high priced vodka,
>> they rated it best. The claimed cheapest was rated as bad.
>>
>> In reality, they were rating the cheapest as the best.

>
> In college we did a blind tasting of vodkas. The top shelf brands were
> Absolute, Finlandia and real Stoli from across the iron curtan in the
> Soviet Union. This was 1977 or 1978 so many of the current fancy brands
> did not exist yet. There were also three discount brands.
>
> In the freezer over night, shots marked by letter.
>
> Only half could tell the discount from the top shelf. None could tell
> any of the top shelf brands apart nor any of the discount brands apart.
> Ever since i've gotten whatever top shelf brand happens to be lowest in
> price and moved it to the freezer if I expect guests.
>
> I can easily imagine everyone being tricked if we told them what was in
> the shot instead of doing it blind.
>

Do you remember the Consumer Report on vodka? They included a ringer:
pharmaceutical pure alcohol diluted to vodka strength and it was rated
top by the board of eminent tasters.

--
Jim Silverton (Potomac, MD)

Extraneous "not" in Reply To.
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Default Taste test: pasta

On 7/31/2012 1:59 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
> On 31/07/2012 11:10 AM, Kalmia wrote:
>> I did a blind taste test on di Cecco penne (2.59 a 1 lb box) vs.
>> Hannaford housebrand (.89).
>> DH helped by straining and plating it etc. I could NOT tell any
>> difference. I am adding this to my list of OK housebrand items along
>> with oatmeal and 'grapenuts'.
>>

>
>
> It seems to be only Italians who make a big deal about the quality of
> pasta, and as much as they comment about pasta being good or not, I have
> never been all that impressed with the stuff they serve. AS couple
> years ago we were cat sitting for our Italian neighbours and the cat had
> been shut into a storage room in the basement. They had stockpiled all
> sorts of cheap pastas and sauces that they had bought on sale.



I think the main difference you will find is that Italians treat sauces
as an accent and others expect the pasta to be swimming. Similar to what
you see in Asian rice eating countries. Dishes have sauce as an accent
while others want the rice drowned in liquid. So the quality of the
pasta and rice makes a much bigger difference if not swimming in sauce.

>
> FWIW, I get the Catelli Smart pasta, which has enough whole wheat to
> make it a healthier pasta option, but not so much that it tastes like
> that crappy whole wheat pasta.
>


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Default Taste test: pasta

On Jul 31, 1:44*pm, George > wrote:
> On 7/31/2012 1:59 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
>
> > On 31/07/2012 11:10 AM, Kalmia wrote:
> >> I did a blind taste test on di Cecco penne (2.59 a 1 lb box) vs.
> >> Hannaford housebrand (.89).
> >> DH helped by straining and plating it etc. *I could NOT tell any
> >> difference. I am adding this to my list of OK housebrand items *along
> >> with oatmeal and 'grapenuts'.

>
> > It seems to be only Italians who make a big deal about the quality of
> > pasta, and as much as they comment about pasta being good or not, I have
> > never been all that impressed with the stuff they serve. *AS couple
> > years ago we were cat sitting for our Italian neighbours and the cat had
> > been shut into a storage room in the basement. They had stockpiled all
> > sorts of cheap pastas and sauces that they had bought on sale.

>
> I think the main difference you will find is that Italians treat sauces
> as an accent and others expect the pasta to be swimming. Similar to what
> you see in Asian rice eating countries. Dishes have sauce as an accent
> while others want the rice drowned in liquid. So the quality of the
> pasta and rice makes a much bigger difference if not swimming in sauce.
>


In traditional Italian households, pasta is just one of many courses.
Turning pasta into a meal is an American thing.
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On Tue, 31 Jul 2012 14:18:55 -0700 (PDT), spamtrap1888
> wrote:

>On Jul 31, 1:44*pm, George > wrote:
>> On 7/31/2012 1:59 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
>>
>> > On 31/07/2012 11:10 AM, Kalmia wrote:
>> >> I did a blind taste test on di Cecco penne (2.59 a 1 lb box) vs.
>> >> Hannaford housebrand (.89).
>> >> DH helped by straining and plating it etc. *I could NOT tell any
>> >> difference. I am adding this to my list of OK housebrand items *along
>> >> with oatmeal and 'grapenuts'.

>>
>> > It seems to be only Italians who make a big deal about the quality of
>> > pasta, and as much as they comment about pasta being good or not, I have
>> > never been all that impressed with the stuff they serve. *AS couple
>> > years ago we were cat sitting for our Italian neighbours and the cat had
>> > been shut into a storage room in the basement. They had stockpiled all
>> > sorts of cheap pastas and sauces that they had bought on sale.

>>
>> I think the main difference you will find is that Italians treat sauces
>> as an accent and others expect the pasta to be swimming. Similar to what
>> you see in Asian rice eating countries. Dishes have sauce as an accent
>> while others want the rice drowned in liquid. So the quality of the
>> pasta and rice makes a much bigger difference if not swimming in sauce.
>>

>
>In traditional Italian households, pasta is just one of many courses.
>Turning pasta into a meal is an American thing.


That make no sense whatsoever... Italians don't eat plain pasta,
neither does anyone else. Pasta entrees are often served as a main
course and/or an entire meal.


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On 31/07/2012 3:08 PM, Kalmia wrote:

>> FWIW, I get the Catelli Smart pasta, which has enough whole wheat to
>>
>> make it a healthier pasta option, but not so much that it tastes like
>>
>> that crappy whole wheat pasta.

>
> WHAAAAT? An Italian family not making their own SAUCE? Musta been 4th generation.




Nope. Italian born. Our next door neighbour was born in Italy. Her
parents own the house next to them (two doors down from us). They
arrived here in the 1950s and still have such strong Italian accents
that it is hard to understand them.

There are a lot of Italians here in Niagara, and throughout southern
Ontario. Italian cooking here is basically pasta.

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On 31/07/2012 5:18 PM, spamtrap1888 wrote:
>
> In traditional Italian households, pasta is just one of many courses.
> Turning pasta into a meal is an American thing.
>

Perhaps that is the case with some Italians back in the old country. I
know a lot of Italians who consider pasta to be a main dish. Take
spaghetti with tomato sauce and add a couple of meatballs and you have a
main dish. Through ground meat into the red sauce and it is a main of
Boulangaise <sp?> , or some sausage withe the penne ... main course.
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On Jul 31, 3:31*pm, Dave Smith > wrote:
> On 31/07/2012 5:18 PM, spamtrap1888 wrote:
>
> > In traditional Italian households, pasta is just one of many courses.
> > Turning pasta into a meal is an American thing.

>
> * Perhaps that is the case with some Italians back in the old country. I
> know a lot of Italians who consider pasta to be a main dish. *Take
> spaghetti with tomato sauce and add a couple of meatballs and you have a
> main dish. *Through ground meat into the red sauce and it is a main of
> Boulangaise *<sp?> , or *some sausage withe the penne ... main course..


In the restaurants we visited in Italy, you are usually served
antipasti, followed by a first course and then a second- it is an
overwhelming amount of food!
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In article >,
The Other Guy > wrote:

--snippage --

> I can't imagine WHY anyone would expect any different result.
> What POSSIBLE differences between pastas COULD there be?


The kind of wheat they're made from. How the wheat is ground (to what
fineness and how much variation in particle size). The method of
extrusion (high speed/high pressure can make the pasta get pretty hot
going through). The method of drying (slow and cooler vs. hot and fast).

And differences may be not so much taste as texture. Lower quality
pastas can go from crunchy to gummy in just a few seconds; better ones
give you a longer "window" where you get a nice texture.

Here's an educational video put out by the BBC some time back; it's old
but still well worth watching:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXmaS1ZzpA8

--

FWIW, I like the buck-a-pound stuff I get at Trader Joe's.


Isaac
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Dave Smith wrote:

> It seems to be only Italians who make a big deal about the quality of
> pasta, and as much as they comment about pasta being good or not, I
> have never been all that impressed with the stuff they serve. AS
> couple years ago we were cat sitting for our Italian neighbours and
> the cat had been shut into a storage room in the basement. They had
> stockpiled all sorts of cheap pastas and sauces that they had bought
> on sale.


Cheap pasta on sale and sauces? Those weren't italians, just "can't cook
anything" italians





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> WHAAAAT? An Italian family not making their own SAUCE? Musta been
> 4th generation.


+1



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Dave Smith wrote:

>> WHAAAAT? An Italian family not making their own SAUCE? Musta been
>> 4th generation.


> Nope. Italian born.


Ah, the "can't cook anything" type. I know some, they buy pasta sauces and
use a lot of precooked frozen things. There's always more people like that,
and many of them don't even have the excuse of "I haven't the time to cook",
just sloppyness



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Brooklyn1 wrote:

> That make no sense whatsoever... Italians don't eat plain pasta,
> neither does anyone else. Pasta entrees are often served as a main
> course and/or an entire meal.


Plain wrong, as usual when you talk about italians



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Dave Smith wrote:

>> In traditional Italian households, pasta is just one of many courses.
>> Turning pasta into a meal is an American thing.


Exactly, and it is in the cathegory that we call "primi piatti", aka first
courses, which (in despite of their name) get served after the antipasti.
Since antipasti aren't always served, and usually at home they seldom get
served, the "primi piatti" happen to actually be the first to be served.
Then "secondi piatti" follow, then dessert and fruit.

> Perhaps that is the case with some Italians back in the old country.


It is like that now in all of Italy.

> I know a lot of Italians who consider pasta to be a main dish. Take
> spaghetti with tomato sauce and add a couple of meatballs and you
> have a main dish. Through ground meat into the red sauce and it is a
> main of Boulangaise <sp?> , or some sausage withe the penne ...
> main course.


Ex italians reason like that, italians don't. Even the richer pasta dishes
like lasagne or cannelloni are served as first courses and are followed by
secodn courses (usually meat or fish, or vegetables).



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On 8/1/2012 6:05 AM, ViLco wrote:

> Ex italians reason like that, italians don't. Even the richer pasta dishes
> like lasagne or cannelloni are served as first courses and are followed by
> secodn courses (usually meat or fish, or vegetables).


When I was a teenager, my family had Thanksgiving with an old Army
buddy of my father's. Hmm, lasagna, not the traditional choice but
okay. Then out came the turkey. We weren't expecting that, you
have to pace yourself for a meal like that.

nancy



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On Wednesday, August 1, 2012 2:44:16 AM UTC-4, isw wrote:
> FWIW, I like the buck-a-pound stuff I get at Trader Joe's.
>



Darn, the more I hear about Trader Joe's, the greener becomes my envy. Just yesterday, I read in the lair praise of TJ's EVO.

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On Wednesday, August 1, 2012 7:40:05 AM UTC-4, Nancy Young wrote:
> On 8/1/2012 6:05 AM, ViLco wrote:
>
>
>
> > Ex italians reason like that, italians don't. Even the richer pasta dishes

>
> > like lasagne or cannelloni are served as first courses and are followed by

>
> > secodn courses (usually meat or fish, or vegetables).

>
>
>
> When I was a teenager, my family had Thanksgiving with an old Army
>
> buddy of my father's. Hmm, lasagna, not the traditional choice but
>
> okay. Then out came the turkey. We weren't expecting that, you
>
> have to pace yourself for a meal like that.
>
>
>
> nancy


Happened to me and the folks too. Aunt married a first gen Italian, and we were invited for T-giving dinner. First came the lasagna, then some stuffed porkchops. We nearly died when she walked in with a huge turkey and fixings. The dessert was a rum cake with yellow cream filling. We had no idea and, like you said, hadn't paced ourselves. My aunt learned to make wonderful lasagna and we figured that was IT. How she remained reed thin in that marriage, we never knew.

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On Wednesday, August 1, 2012 10:38:40 AM UTC-4, Kalmia wrote:
> On Wednesday, August 1, 2012 2:44:16 AM UTC-4, isw wrote:
>
> > FWIW, I like the buck-a-pound stuff I get at Trader Joe's.

>
> >

>
>
>
>
>
> Darn, the more I hear about Trader Joe's, the greener becomes my envy. Just yesterday, I read in the lair praise of TJ's EVO.


in the latest Con. Reports, their praise.....

sorry - hit send too soon. Why oh why can't they let us edit our posts....
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On Wed, 1 Aug 2012 07:38:40 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote:

>On Wednesday, August 1, 2012 2:44:16 AM UTC-4, isw wrote:
>> FWIW, I like the buck-a-pound stuff I get at Trader Joe's.
>>

>
>
>Darn, the more I hear about Trader Joe's, the greener becomes my envy. Just yesterday, I read in the lair praise of TJ's EVO.


That reminds we- we've got one coming. . . . looking it up--- Friday!

So maybe some time after Labor Day I'll venture over and see if the
crowds have become manageable. It's on the way to the Asian store
so I'll probably do a drive by before that- but people in this area
are such sheep, I'm sure it will be mobbed for a while. [The tasty
cream -?donut place- was an hour wait for 1 year-- and out of business
before the next year finished.]

And back to the pasta-- the stuff I get at Samsclub is just under $1 a
pound- Not a lot of variety, but it gets the job done.

Jim
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On 8/1/2012 10:43 AM, Kalmia wrote:
> On Wednesday, August 1, 2012 10:38:40 AM UTC-4, Kalmia wrote:
>> On Wednesday, August 1, 2012 2:44:16 AM UTC-4, isw wrote:
>>
>>> FWIW, I like the buck-a-pound stuff I get at Trader Joe's.

>>
>>>

>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Darn, the more I hear about Trader Joe's, the greener becomes my envy. Just yesterday, I read in the lair praise of TJ's EVO.

>
> in the latest Con. Reports, their praise.....
>
> sorry - hit send too soon. Why oh why can't they let us edit our posts....
>

I suppose it's a choice between speed and accuracy. My posts, using
Eternal-September, usually appear almost instantaneously. There would
probably need to be a holding period of some minutes and I'm not sure
that I would choose that.

--
Jim Silverton (Potomac, MD)

Extraneous "not" in Reply To.


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> On Wednesday, August 1, 2012 7:40:05 AM UTC-4, Nancy Young wrote:
>> When I was a teenager, my family had Thanksgiving with an old Army
>> buddy of my father's. Hmm, lasagna, not the traditional choice but
>> okay. Then out came the turkey. We weren't expecting that, you
>> have to pace yourself for a meal like that.


> Happened to me and the folks too. Aunt married a first gen Italian,
> and we were invited for T-giving dinner. First came the lasagna,
> then some stuffed porkchops.


Probably “braciole” or (“braciolette” or “vraciuole”) from Campania region.

> We nearly died when she walked in with a huge turkey and fixings.
> The dessert was a rum cake with yellow cream filling. We had no
> idea and, like you said, hadn't paced ourselves. My aunt learned
> to make wonderful lasagna and we figured that was IT. How she
> remained reed thin in that marriage, we never knew.


As a youth and young adul I happened to feel the same at feasts during
events like weddings and such, so long time ago I learned to always ask
someone from the catering staff or find a menu in order to know the
courses list. And I'm in the north, where wedding ceremonies are
ridiculous if compared to southern italian areas where weddings include
a 3 days almost continuos feast at the house of the bride's parents, or
another place they chose. In some towns the three days party is a
town-wide event.
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On Tuesday, July 31, 2012 12:52:28 PM UTC-5, The Other Guy wrote:
> On Tue, 31 Jul 2012 10:01:35 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
>
> > wrote:
>
>
>
> >On Tuesday, July 31, 2012 11:20:02 AM UTC-4, Janet Bostwick wrote:

>
> >> On Tue, 31 Jul 2012 08:10:57 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia

>
> >>

>
> >> > wrote:

>
> >>

>
> >>

>
> >>

>
> >> >I did a blind taste test on di Cecco penne (2.59 a 1 lb box) vs. Hannaford housebrand (.89).

>
> >>

>
> >> >DH helped by straining and plating it etc. I could NOT tell any difference. I am adding this to my list of OK housebrand items along with oatmeal and 'grapenuts'.

>
> >>

>
> >>

>
> >>

>
> >> did they both cook in the same amount of time? How long was the

>
> >>

>
> >> cooking time? Were either of them rough surfaced?

>
> >>

>
> >> Janet US

>
> >

>
> >I used same amt of water, 12 minutes, both smooth surface.

>
>
>
> I can't imagine WHY anyone would expect any different result.
>
> What POSSIBLE differences between pastas COULD there be?
>
>
>
> I remember when a TV Network did a vodka taste test some years ago.
>
>
>
> When people THOUGHT they were drinking high priced vodka,
>
> they rated it best. The claimed cheapest was rated as bad.
>
>
>
> In reality, they were rating the cheapest as the best.
>

I buy mid-priced. The cheap tastes off, and the expensive tastes the same when mixed. I haven't drunk straight liquor in well over a decade, and probably never will.

--Bryan
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>
> Happened to me and the folks too. Aunt married a first gen Italian,
> and we were invited for T-giving dinner. First came the lasagna,
> then some stuffed porkchops. We nearly died when she walked in with
> a huge turkey and fixings. The dessert was a rum cake with yellow
> cream filling. We had no idea and, like you said, hadn't paced
> ourselves. My aunt learned to make wonderful lasagna and we figured
> that was IT. How she remained reed thin in that marriage, we never
> knew.
>



We are frequently invited to our Italian neighbour;s for dinner, or to
their parent's place next to them. Dinner is typically a pasta dish,
chicken pieces, salad, beans, roasted or baked potatoes. In the summer
the BBQ will include chicken, pork chops, sausages and roasted peppers.
Everything is served at the same time buffet style.
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James Silverton > wrote:
> On 7/31/2012 4:02 PM, Doug Freyburger wrote:
>> The Other Guy wrote:
>>>
>>> I can't imagine WHY anyone would expect any different result.
>>> What POSSIBLE differences between pastas COULD there be?

>>
>> Being mildly wheat intolerant I have pasta made from rice, corn, quinoa
>> and other alternate grains. I can tell the difference with such major
>> ingredients. To tell one refined wheat pasta from another would take
>> being cooked in nothing but clean water and salt, eaten side by side
>> with nothing else, and even then difference would be at best small.
>> Some difference in loose starch powder. Some difference in final
>> dryness.
>>
>>> I remember when a TV Network did a vodka taste test some years ago.
>>>
>>> When people THOUGHT they were drinking high priced vodka,
>>> they rated it best. The claimed cheapest was rated as bad.
>>>
>>> In reality, they were rating the cheapest as the best.

>>
>> In college we did a blind tasting of vodkas. The top shelf brands were
>> Absolute, Finlandia and real Stoli from across the iron curtan in the
>> Soviet Union. This was 1977 or 1978 so many of the current fancy brands
>> did not exist yet. There were also three discount brands.
>>
>> In the freezer over night, shots marked by letter.
>>
>> Only half could tell the discount from the top shelf. None could tell
>> any of the top shelf brands apart nor any of the discount brands apart.
>> Ever since i've gotten whatever top shelf brand happens to be lowest in
>> price and moved it to the freezer if I expect guests.
>>
>> I can easily imagine everyone being tricked if we told them what was in
>> the shot instead of doing it blind.
>>

> Do you remember the Consumer Report on vodka? They included a ringer:
> pharmaceutical pure alcohol diluted to vodka strength and it was rated
> top by the board of eminent tasters.



Good vodka has little of the strange odors or tastes. 95% alcohol has been
the choice of spiking punches in medical research facilities for ages.

Greg
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On 7/31/2012 1:01 PM, Kalmia wrote:

> I saw new stoves in HD recently - I see now a fifth warming burner on a lot of them. May be a good thing.


I have a 5th warmer burner on my new range but haven't used it yet. It
might come in handy for something but I haven't found it yet.




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On Fri, 03 Aug 2012 22:04:54 -0400, Cheryl >
wrote:

> On 7/31/2012 1:01 PM, Kalmia wrote:
>
> > I saw new stoves in HD recently - I see now a fifth warming burner on a lot of them. May be a good thing.

>
> I have a 5th warmer burner on my new range but haven't used it yet. It
> might come in handy for something but I haven't found it yet.
>

How small is that? I still haven't figured out my gas cooktop in that
respect. It has burners that blast and burners that don't.... but
they didn't come with names.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.
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On 2012-08-01 10:05:54 +0000, ViLco said:

> Dave Smith wrote:
>
>>> In traditional Italian households, pasta is just one of many courses.
>>> Turning pasta into a meal is an American thing.

>
> Exactly, and it is in the cathegory that we call "primi piatti", aka
> first courses, which (in despite of their name) get served after the
> antipasti. Since antipasti aren't always served, and usually at home
> they seldom get served, the "primi piatti" happen to actually be the
> first to be served. Then "secondi piatti" follow, then dessert and
> fruit.


it would be nice to eat like that in good Italian restaurants in the
US, but it doesn't work that way. The pasta dishes alone are
configured to feed an adult, as are secondi. I always feel cheated no
matter what, because I'd like to eat a pasta dish, but would also like
to have a meat or fish course.


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On 2012-08-01 10:02:12 +0000, ViLco said:

> Brooklyn1 wrote:
>
>> That make no sense whatsoever... Italians don't eat plain pasta,
>> neither does anyone else. Pasta entrees are often served as a main
>> course and/or an entire meal.

>
> Plain wrong, as usual when you talk about italians


I've forgotten where I got this, in print somewhe We needed
something extra in a meal and I cooked the remains of box of linguine,
maybe 4 or 5 ounces. We have fresh rosemary in the yard so a chopped up
a sprig, and dropped a pat of butter in with the drained pasta, swirled
it around a little bit. I figure that's about as "plain" as one gets.

Damn it was fine! We've become fans of "plain" pasta in this kind of way.

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On Sat, 4 Aug 2012 18:21:52 -0700, gtr > wrote:

>On 2012-08-01 10:02:12 +0000, ViLco said:
>
>> Brooklyn1 wrote:
>>
>>> That make no sense whatsoever... Italians don't eat plain pasta,
>>> neither does anyone else. Pasta entrees are often served as a main
>>> course and/or an entire meal.

>>
>> Plain wrong, as usual when you talk about italians


Are you claiming that you eat plain pasta, I don't think so.

>I've forgotten where I got this, in print somewhe We needed
>something extra in a meal and I cooked the remains of box of linguine,
>maybe 4 or 5 ounces. We have fresh rosemary in the yard so a chopped up
>a sprig, and dropped a pat of butter in with the drained pasta, swirled
>it around a little bit. I figure that's about as "plain" as one gets.
>
>Damn it was fine! We've become fans of "plain" pasta in this kind of way.


That's NOT plain pasta. Plain pasta is pasta with nothing.
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"The Other Guy" > wrote in message
news
> On Tue, 31 Jul 2012 10:01:35 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> > wrote:
>
>>On Tuesday, July 31, 2012 11:20:02 AM UTC-4, Janet Bostwick wrote:
>>> On Tue, 31 Jul 2012 08:10:57 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
>>>
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> >I did a blind taste test on di Cecco penne (2.59 a 1 lb box) vs.
>>> >Hannaford housebrand (.89).
>>>
>>> >DH helped by straining and plating it etc. I could NOT tell any
>>> >difference. I am adding this to my list of OK housebrand items along
>>> >with oatmeal and 'grapenuts'.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> did they both cook in the same amount of time? How long was the
>>>
>>> cooking time? Were either of them rough surfaced?
>>>
>>> Janet US

>>
>>I used same amt of water, 12 minutes, both smooth surface.

>
> I can't imagine WHY anyone would expect any different result.
> What POSSIBLE differences between pastas COULD there be?
>
> I remember when a TV Network did a vodka taste test some years ago.
>
> When people THOUGHT they were drinking high priced vodka,
> they rated it best. The claimed cheapest was rated as bad.
>
> In reality, they were rating the cheapest as the best.


There can be a lot of differences. What the pasta is made of is one. Ever
seen any with black flecks in it? Honestly I haven't for a long time but
that was common when I was a child. I have read not to buy that because it
is little bits of the machinery breaking off in it.

I recently compared two boxes of pasta in the store. One was the QFC store
brand and one was imported from Italy. I can't remember the brand. Whole
wheat pasta. There was a visible difference. The Italian one was a deeper
color. We bought it. It was really good! That being said, at home we
usually buy the Hodgson's Mills. It's cheap and it's good.

My MIL always bought the cheap stuff and it was fine. But... The cheap
stuff often offers you a limited variety of shapes.

When my daughter was on the GF diet, we found some GF stuff imported from
Italy. It was expensive. $8.99 for 4 servings. A very different shape
from most GF. I think it was called Raddiatore or something similar. BIG
difference and everyone loved it.




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On Wednesday, August 1, 2012 9:02:07 PM UTC-4, Bryan wrote:
> On Tuesday, July 31, 2012 12:52:28 PM UTC-5, The Other Guy wrote:
>
> > On Tue, 31 Jul 2012 10:01:35 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia

>
> >

>
> > > wrote:

>
> >

>
> >

>
> >

>
> > >On Tuesday, July 31, 2012 11:20:02 AM UTC-4, Janet Bostwick wrote:

>
> >

>
> > >> On Tue, 31 Jul 2012 08:10:57 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia

>
> >

>
> > >>

>
> >

>
> > >> > wrote:

>
> >

>
> > >>

>
> >

>
> > >>

>
> >

>
> > >>

>
> >

>
> > >> >I did a blind taste test on di Cecco penne (2.59 a 1 lb box) vs. Hannaford housebrand (.89).

>
> >

>
> > >>

>
> >

>
> > >> >DH helped by straining and plating it etc. I could NOT tell any difference. I am adding this to my list of OK housebrand items along with oatmeal and 'grapenuts'.

>
> >

>
> > >>

>
> >

>
> > >>

>
> >

>
> > >>

>
> >

>
> > >> did they both cook in the same amount of time? How long was the

>
> >

>
> > >>

>
> >

>
> > >> cooking time? Were either of them rough surfaced?

>
> >

>
> > >>

>
> >

>
> > >> Janet US

>
> >

>
> > >

>
> >

>
> > >I used same amt of water, 12 minutes, both smooth surface.

>
> >

>
> >

>
> >

>
> > I can't imagine WHY anyone would expect any different result.

>
> >

>
> > What POSSIBLE differences between pastas COULD there be?

>
> >

>
> >

>
> >

>
> > I remember when a TV Network did a vodka taste test some years ago.

>
> >

>
> >

>
> >

>
> > When people THOUGHT they were drinking high priced vodka,

>
> >

>
> > they rated it best. The claimed cheapest was rated as bad.

>
> >

>
> >

>
> >

>
> > In reality, they were rating the cheapest as the best.

>
> >

>
> I buy mid-priced. The cheap tastes off, and the expensive tastes the same when mixed. I haven't drunk straight liquor in well over a decade, and probably never will.
>
>
>
> --Bryan


I couldn't agree more. On all counts.
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On 7/31/2012 1:01 PM, Kalmia wrote:

> I saw new stoves in HD recently - I see now a fifth warming burner on
> a lot of them. May be a good thing.


I have a 5th warming burner on mine (electric) but I've never used it.
It's situated in a position where if I were using the back burners for
cooking, I wouldn't have room to use the warming burner.

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On 8/3/2012 10:04 PM, Cheryl wrote:

> On 7/31/2012 1:01 PM, Kalmia wrote:
>
>> I saw new stoves in HD recently - I see now a fifth warming burner on
>> a lot of them. May be a good thing.

>
> I have a 5th warmer burner on my new range but haven't used it yet. It
> might come in handy for something but I haven't found it yet.
>
>

For some reason this old thread came up to the top of my reader and I
just replied again the same thing I wrote before. lol To bring it up
to date, I still haven't used the warming burner.
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