The food and drink thread

[starjots]

Red Chile 2 2024.jpg

Bought a bushel of red chile from a local farm stand.

These look sooo good!

I'm thinking I might have to start cooking some new things, I was told my cholesterol was high and that my tryglicerides are off the charts.

I enjoy cooking (and eating), so am always looking for new things to cook. One thing fairly new in the rotation is Jollof rice, which has many variations. It's basically rice cooked in a pepper and tomato sauce with a bunch of other stuff. These red chiles have now been turned into about 20 meals worth of sauce and a few will go to making Jollof in the future.

Triglycerides are a bear to manage for me too. Right now I'm loving meat a little too much for my own good.

By the way, are you in Chile or Peru? We've wondering what parts of South America might make for a wow vacation for a week or two and it's a big big continent.

[Madrigal]

By the way, are you in Chile or Peru? We've wondering what parts of South America might make for a wow vacation for a week or two and it's a big big continent.

That is awesome that you're thinking of touring South America! I am in Santiago de Chile, an unremarkable city if you want my opinion, but Chile has some lovely places. What I loved most was San Pedro de Atacama, where you can see amazing landscapes and the starriest night sky you'll find, and also fly in a hot air balloon (I was too chicken but it's recommended). Or you can do the "End of the World Route" all the way to the south if you like, although I'm personally not a road trip person, hahahah. If you come to Chile and make a stop in Santiago, it would be so awesome to meet up, so let me know!

On the Argentine side, I guess the most amazing natural wonder I've seen is the Perito Moreno glaciar. I couldn't even believe what I was looking at! And it's breaking right there in front of your eyes. If you want to do the tours around the glaciar you really need to book well in advance, and not just a few weeks earlier either. You can even hike on the glaciar. Just don't expect to find any tours once you're already there, heh. xD

Chile and Argentina have wine routes which should be a lot of fun if you like wine. And, of course, Buenos Aires is the best city this side of the equator, so you'd love it if you haven't gone. There is however a lot of poverty and economic problems right now, at least until Milei is finally ousted, or preferably hanged like Mussolini.

I haven't been to Peru but I suppose you wouldn't want to miss Machu Picchu? Keep me posted!

[HighlyIrregular II]

I bought a ball of pizza dough and some reduced fat mozzarella. I crudely shaped half the dough and pre-baked it because I don't know what I'm doing and I knew getting the crust right was the hardest part and I don't want to burn the cheese in the process. The bottom of the crust was too thin (I'll use a rolling pin next time) and I smelled it in the oven, like maybe it was burning, but it was OK. It was probably in there 10-15 at 400 degrees. Then I put on Prego pasta sauce and the cheese. About 5 minutes later I took it out, before the cheese browned. The thin center of the crust was the only thing that was really brown. The taste and texture of the thick part of the crust was like a garlic knot without the garlic or oil. That's not normal NY style pizza crust, but it's good! And no unhealthiness from burned cheese or crust. I'll be making this again.

[Senseye]

You've got a real burr under your saddle about burnt cheese/crust. Or even browned. Is it acrylamide that's got you worried? Do you also eat only bread and never toast?

I think you tend to worry too much about things you read on the internet. Just about everything people eat causes cancer to some degree or another, short of being a raw foods vegetarian type. But one has to keep things in perspective.

There's a famous quote out there that goes something like: "None of life's pleasures are worth forgoing for an extra year or two in the geriatric ward."

None might be going a bit far, but it's all about the balance. Browned crusts and toast make the cut in my mind. Compared to some of my other dietary vices (grilled meats, bacon, etc.) these are trivial.

[HighlyIrregular II]

Yes, I don't eat toast, but sometimes I make french toast. I don't even have a toaster anymore. But I do make pancakes and I made an eggplant roll (like stromboli) that I let get a little brown. The taste is fine when the cheese isn't brown. The pizza crust was good too. No big deal, and I make exceptions when I go out to eat (which is like never, but still, I'd probably just let them bring me the default toast with breakfast). If I ate out regularly, then I'd be more strict.