The slow food thread

[Randorama]

I was thinking of opening this thread for a while, finally I have the time and will to do so...

I'd like to discuss food in general, but with an educated/pretentious perspective (all in good humour). Since I have been living abroad for a while and I am getting "old" (32 1/2 years), I have developed the habit of being deeply snobbish about food, and enjoy cooking rather than going out and forking money for watered down stuff. Example: Australia seems to be the land of royal fuck ups of typical food, with Sydney being by far the worst place in this regard.

After trying different cooking styles by locals, I basically gave up going out. Plus, I can choose the right beverage, or try out bold new things. For instance, I think that belgian beers work very well with some of the heartier asian foods, such as galbi jim or okonomiyaki.

So, what's your favourite foods and drinks, the ones you'd fork serious money for, or *even* cook by yourself to get them right? What you like to drink with them? Anything is appreciated but the more "local", the better. Which is your favourite Japanese/Italian/whatever regional food?

Here's some examples:

1. Frittata and Kwak. Frittata is the italian version of quiche. the difference is that, in the preparation, one whips eggs so that air mixes with the whipped eggs. This mix of air and eggs is then pan-fried, becoming a cake-like delicacy. In Italy each region has its own variant: in my hometown we use potatoes and "guanciale" (pig cheeks), for a calorie-laden fest. I think it works very well with Kwak, which is a belgian amber-style beer, but other amber beers are equally fine, provided that they are high on alcohol (8%/16 proof).

I like this combo because amber ales are quite strong and with a full flavour, much like the strong fried flavor of frittata.

2. Ddeokbokki and "cerasuolo" red wine. Ddeokbokki are korean rice cakes, the most popular version being with tomato sauce and fish cake (can't recall the name now). Cerasuolo is a type of wine that originated from my part of Italy (Abruzzo), and could be described as dark rose' wine: it looks like a red wine, but tastes like a rose' one, i.e. not to strong, sweetish and with fruity flavour. Outside Italy, some SoCal and southern Spanish wines are similar.

This is again a strong flavour combo, proper ddeokbokki are spicy and slightly sweet (think ketchup), cerasuolo is also sweetish and usually strong (13%/26 proof), so the two flavors combine, while the food slows down the effect of the alcohol.

Said this, what are your favourite combos?

[Acid King]

One thing I always have to make myself because of the utter incompetence of the local restaurants and bars is buffalo wings. First, no one in my area seems to understand that soggy wings suck like, a whole cavalcade of dicks. They need to be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Second, the sauces universally are weak. No strong flavors, no depth and no variety. Most places just offer barbecue and hot, whereas the bars where I grew up and was an undergrad always had a dozen or more sauces to choose from. Finally, they're all over priced. Where I used to get a 10-12 wings for 5 or 6 bucks, most places charge that much for a half dozen.

Because of this when I get the hankering for wings I just buy fresh ones at the store and make them at home. I've been making my own sauces by mixing and adding spices to bottled sauces. I usually prefer mine to be on the hotter end of the spectrum so I usually have a good, bright and hoppy IPA to go with them. The spice and bitterness of the hops goes well with the heat from the sauce.

[louisg]

- Good Tex-Mex food. I've been trying to teach myself this in case I ever move out of California It's still a learning process (I can make a good sauce, but my tacos and burritos still always taste supermarket-y-- probably due to the canned ingredients and pre-made tortillas). But, needless to say, awesome Mexican food is everywhere around here. To drink with them? Usually a decent cheap beer (pilsner) or margarita (blended, with salt).

- There are lots of dishes I make that I wouldn't likely buy at a restaurant, either because it would have to be at a fancy restaurant (which I don't enjoy and is pricey), they'd put tons of milk in all the dishes (I'm allergic), or both. I think one example is chicken in mushroom/wine sauce. Plus, I can make the sauce as thick or thin as I want, and make it super peppery.

Acid King, extra points for the hoppy IPA, man! I love those. Hmm, didn't we have a shmups beer thread at some point?

[Acid King]

Acid King, extra points for the hoppy IPA, man! I love those. Hmm, didn't we have a shmups beer thread at some point?

Indeed.

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=13012

[maxlords]

Damn...thought this would be a thread about Reboot

[flux]

I very rarely go out for dinner for basically the same reasons. I'll make a dish from pretty much any country, but I tend to go towards Thai, Indian, Mexican, and Tex-Mex. I've also started to make some Sichuan and stir-fry (I'm eating crab fried rice as I type this).
I found that a Tripel or Strong Belgian go with quite a bit, and a Hefeweissen can fit along with almost any main dish.
This may be a good thread for this question. I have some leftover Sorachi Ace hops from my last brew a couple of weeks ago that I'm looking to use. I tried making a dry rub but it turned out way too bitter (Sorachi Ace are very bitter but have a strong fruity/flowery smell). Any ideas?

[Acid King]

I have some leftover Sorachi Ace hops from my last brew a couple of weeks ago that I'm looking to use. I tried making a dry rub but it turned out way too bitter (Sorachi Ace are very bitter but have a strong fruity/flowery smell). Any ideas?

I'm not completely familiar with their use in cooking, but I'd say you'd be hard pressed getting that flavor by cooking them. The taste would be too acidic and end up making the food taste pretty nasty. I'd probably try steeping them in a soup or a marinade to get that herby smell and maybe some of the less harsh flavors.

[StarCreator]

Damn...thought this would be a thread about Reboot

[KBZ]

Big fan of caribbean food, mostly from the cooking my family brought back from Guyana. Curry and roti has always been my favourite. Been learning recently how to properly make the roti so it's nice and fluffy yet firm enough to retain moisture. Making your own pepper sauce goes a long way too. As for the meat, I really like labba (google it if you dare), but goat is probably the best if done properly.

I work as a cook so I'm often looking for dishes that are as removed as possible from pastas and steaks I have to stare at every night. Hoping this thread keeps on giving.

[Never_Scurred]

5 minutes on medium temp is abut as slow as I can handle in this fast pace world.

[genecyst]

totally agree to combine frittata with amber beer from belgium even if i prefere chimay white cork.

[flux]

I have some leftover Sorachi Ace hops from my last brew a couple of weeks ago that I'm looking to use. I tried making a dry rub but it turned out way too bitter (Sorachi Ace are very bitter but have a strong fruity/flowery smell). Any ideas?

I'm not completely familiar with their use in cooking, but I'd say you'd be hard pressed getting that flavor by cooking them. The taste would be too acidic and end up making the food taste pretty nasty. I'd probably try steeping them in a soup or a marinade to get that herby smell and maybe some of the less harsh flavors.

Yeah, that's the conclusion I'm coming to. Someone has used hops to infused olive oil, but I can't help but feel like these will just make it bitter. Maybe I'll try a marinade.