FOOD PREPARATION HINTS

You see, your wife knows what's good for you
---

Going back to the garlic press: I use a lot of garlic and honestly I can't taste
the difference between chopped up garlic and garlic from the press.

Ha - I use pre-chopped garlic and I can't tell the difference. Some people say there is but I've not noticed it.

...and you're an excellent cook on top of it. So, I will continue using the garlic press.

I wouldn't. Even pre-chopped is really different than the press, which mashes every bit of the garlic on the way out.

Alton Brown had a great explanation of this on an episode that was all about Garlic: the chemical responsible for that great garlic flavor loses a lot when exposed to the air, and oxidizes somewhat to boot, which can cause bitterness. The smaller you cut up the garlic, the more you lose.

Each way of eating garlic - whole, roasted, sliced, diced, pressed, liquefied, aged - presents a different and complex flavor. I can definitely tell the difference between sliced and pressed garlic. Try it next time you are cooking some and I have no doubt you will be able to as well.

Does it make a big difference? Probably not. But I always try and make my home-cooked fare as tasty as the stuff we get when we go out... keeps the wife happy

Cycloptichorn

that's because they''re really equal presentations - neither is anything like sliced

Alton's really great on the chemistry of food.

I use a garlic press sometimes but mostly I do the knife press thing. Sometimes I just mince with a small knife. I can't tell much difference except that putting whole garlic in soup is different that minced garlic in a quick sauce in terms of mellow.

I'm going to try the razor number, probably copying swimpy's broccoli recipe - that sounded great.

On browning garlic, I try not to because so many recipes say that - but many italian recipes do call for it to become golden and I've seen at least a few that use the word brown, probably meaning 'golden' and not burnt. So I'll play with Swimp's procedure..

Everything you ever wanted to know about garlic and didn't ask...

"Meet the Count and discover the miraculous properties of Garlic.

Recipes featured in this episode: Vlad's Very Garlicky Greens and 40 Cloves and a Chicken."





For those that don't have time to watch the show above:

http://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--1263/all-about-garlic.asp

Nice!

My new thing is roasting whole heads of garlic with a little olive oil, and then eating... all of it.

Cycloptichorn

Okay, okay, you've convinced me, I'll try thinly slicing garlic the next time
to see if there indeed is a difference.

---

Now this is not exactly a food preparation hint, but since they're nuts and grow on trees, it could be food. Anyway I bought this Chinese soap nuts
and use them in my laundry instead of detergent and fabric softener and
these things are the "nuts". The wash comes out so clean and fluffy, nothing
else is needed and these nuts (put in a little pouch) are reusable for good
4 to 5 wash loads. 100 % organic and natural.

ok - now roast some point up and some point down - kinda cool how different the results are

If you have a pressure cooker, try putting a bunch of the heads in with whatever you are cooking. The results are to die for...very sweet and creamy.

We just got a digital pressure cooker a couple months ago and I've fallen in love with it. Root vegetables come out so much better!

I do this too and sometimes add it to sauces, it gives them a nicer nuttier taste.

It's next on my list of purchases, along with a nice heavy steel wok.

Cycloptichorn

We do this, too. There's pretty much always a big bag of brown rice or quinoa or bulgar or cous cous (although there's less of a need for the last two as they cook rather quickly) in the freezer, ready for a quick dinner.

The indoor grill is freakin' awesome. Just peel and slice onions in half, spray the cut side and put it on a hot grill. Turn over once or twice if needed -- let it fall apart. Do peppers and asparagus, too, if you like. Soooo good and there's virtually no fat with this prep method.

That chopped up garlic in a jar. BLAAACCGCHHH

I made the 40 cloves recipe a long time ago, delicious...

I roast whole heads of garlic routinely.

No wonder people give me room..

She's probably referring to the fresh-packed stuff you can get at the deli - much better than the jar stuff that has been on the shelf for years or some ****.

The Deli stuff isn't my favorite but it isn't terrible.

Cycloptichorn

Thats a version of my real name,(mines Galizciana)

Vladimir Ricky Green?