Yo dawg, Russets and Idahos are the same tater.

But there’s gold/yellow potatoes, baking potatoes, chef’s potatoes which are really just new potatoes, fingerling potatoes, purple potatoes (which might just be purple skinned new potatoes but sometimes you might get a peruvian blue or similar variety which is purple…

I’m right though. Everyone’s parents have those dishes, and that Ethan Allen chair design is in just as many homes, if not more. The first time I visited my girlfriend’s parents house, I was stunned. Friends in high school? YUP. Same ones. I can’t explain it. It’s not a regional thing - I moved to MA from AZ almost…

I’ll bet you that she has Pfaltzgraff plates and those same dining room chairs that everyone has.

Not only that, but it’s SO MUCH EASIER TO CUT and when you serve it, it looks pretty much like what you see in the header image.

Also, you can deep-fry it.

Oh it’s ridiculously overpriced and mass produced. BUT, it is available. So when I’m adventuring or contemplating something, it’s a good “first try” sort of brand. Like, I’m afraid of making something I’ve never tried before type of thing, so I’ll buy this instead of making it from scratch. It’s not perfect, but it’s…

The first time I tried red curry paste was out of a jar. It was delicious. I had a TINY BIT on a spoon, and was caught looking like I was sneaking of pint of Ben & Jerry’s.

I read that as “cut hand stuffs”, and thought “band-aids for christmas”.

It’s just a spice mix! USE IT EVERYWHERE. A lot of them are similar, but that slight difference will make it better for a different application. Just because something is “best on pork” doesn’t mean it isn’t equally delicious when dusted over hummus or even in salad dressings. Pro tip: IT IS.

Confession:

you can whip through a bag in minutes

Here’s a stupid little not really a secret secret: Use rubs. I really like the chocolate chipotle rub from TKI, but you can use anything that strikes your fancy. Salt Sisters make some awesome stuff too, I am particularly randy about their Porcini Poultry and Dragon’s Breath mixes. Their Charmane’s Bread Dip makes a re…

Because there were only two posts when I started this tirade, and people are complaining about “french fries” vs julienne’d fried potatoes take that “too much time”. We’re not about cooking shitty frozen food here. It’s little things that make your life better in the kitchen, or neat little tricks, or the end of the…

It is a glorious condition. I spoil my niece rotten to the point where I’m just getting her things to piss off her parents, then I go home a nice quiet house where I’m not responsible for pants unless we get delivery, and get into Mario Kart arguments with my girlfriend.

Glorious.

Morton’s is good enough for food prep. I suggest not eating out ever again if you don’t like it, because if they don’t use Morton’s.. they’re sure as hell not using Diamond.

Well it’s not rust, it’s deposits of iron oxide that run through the same veins as salt and give it some flavor and the pink color. But it’s…

Use it for cooking (and especially for rubs!). Don’t use it for baking or finishing.

Finishing is your absolute one of your last chances to decorate and flavor your food. Fuck fleur de sel. It’s salt. If i’m finishing, I don’t want salt. Salt draws out moisture and imparts flavor of the things it’s on. So if I’m going…

Honestly, I’m really hooked on an MK3 or MK4 Passat Wagon now since this conversation began. We drive/ferry to NY quite frequently to visit her family, and hit NH/VT/Maine for winter and summer getaways.

I’d like something with at least FWD, AWD preferable. It’s been recommended that I avoid turbos, and that AWD is…

Oh, I have the career and house et al. No kids - I have a condition.

I just got bored with culinary work, got into corporate relationship management/“network” which is beyond boring. At least with a CS degree I figured I could get into a different world with likely shittier hours. Just something new to experience, I…

Yes. That would be perfect. In terms of learning though, what do I stand to gain from working on an AWD system vs a FWD model? There aren’t many of these around me sadly, and no AWD models.

There are a few MK4 4motion wagons in or around my budget that look interesting, but they’re in less-than-savory areas of the…

My thoughts: Your thoughts are good thoughts.

I might be able to do this for an hour a week right now. I’m saving everything right now, not having a car payment or personal debt is nice - but loans will be in repayment after Spring ‘18, which means it’ll be harder for me to justify take out, let alone a project…

This dip is a little weird looking