November 20, 2009 at 8:14 am
So, what *IS* inspiring you lately? 😉
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November 20, 2009 at 8:20 am
GSquared (11/20/2009)
I don't drink coffee. If it tasted as good as it smells, I'd drink it. As it is, I can't stand the stuff. (And, yes, I've tasted some of the expensive, "oh, this will change your mind about the taste" types of coffee.) By the time I've drowned it in enough cream and sugar to cover the taste, it's not coffee any more, it's a milkshake with a few drops of coffee.
That's because you (non-Italian people) keep on calling "coffee" that strange beverage that smells like coffee, looks like coffee but tastes like dirty dishes water. 😀
To change your mind about coffee you need an airplane ticket, not milk!
-- Gianluca Sartori
November 20, 2009 at 8:28 am
Gianluca Sartori (11/20/2009)
GSquared (11/20/2009)
I don't drink coffee. If it tasted as good as it smells, I'd drink it. As it is, I can't stand the stuff. (And, yes, I've tasted some of the expensive, "oh, this will change your mind about the taste" types of coffee.) By the time I've drowned it in enough cream and sugar to cover the taste, it's not coffee any more, it's a milkshake with a few drops of coffee.
That's because you (non-Italian people) keep on calling "coffee" that strange beverage that smells like coffee, looks like coffee but tastes like dirty dishes water. 😀
To change your mind about coffee you need an airplane ticket, not milk!
I've had Italian coffee. Used to work with a guy who used to own a restaurant in Rome. (If I remember correctly, his wife was Miss Rome during that time. She certainly had the looks for it.) The coffee was just as bad as every other type I've tried. On the other hand, he taught my wife how to make the most killer lasanga you ever tasted! In exchange, I taught him a few tricks with steak that he'd never heard of. (There are reasons that I'm 30 pounds overweight, none of which have to do with big bones or genetics.)
- Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
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November 20, 2009 at 8:32 am
Bob Hovious 24601 (11/20/2009)
So, what *IS* inspiring you lately? 😉
I got some Dianetic auditing recently that eliminated back and neck pains, and got rid of some knee problems I've had for decades. Might just be the lack of pain.
All seriousness aside, it's probably just something in the water. 🙂
- Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
Property of The Thread
"Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everyone agrees it's old enough to know better." - Anon
November 20, 2009 at 8:36 am
GSquared (11/20/2009)
In exchange, I taught him a few tricks with steak that he'd never heard of. (There are reasons that I'm 30 pounds overweight, none of which have to do with big bones or genetics.)
It's not pork chops, but I think it could be time for the friday recipe. 🙂
Jeff is keeping CHECKSUM(NEWID()) for the forums: you could the same with your steak tricks. I'm 5 Kg underweight, I've got room for a good steak!
-- Gianluca Sartori
November 20, 2009 at 9:08 am
Gianluca Sartori (11/20/2009)
It's not pork chops, but I think it could be time for the friday recipe. 🙂
Interested in a 3-hour pork goulash recipe? Or maybe a 6 hour beef ragu? There are some advantages to working from home. 🙂
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
November 20, 2009 at 9:11 am
GilaMonster (11/20/2009)
Gianluca Sartori (11/20/2009)
It's not pork chops, but I think it could be time for the friday recipe. 🙂Interested in a 3-hour pork goulash recipe? Or maybe a 6 hour beef ragu? There are some advantages to working from home. 🙂
The 10-minutes frozen soup is nearer to my cooking style, but I think I could manage.:-D
-- Gianluca Sartori
November 20, 2009 at 9:15 am
GSquared (11/20/2009)
All seriousness aside, it's probably just something in the water. 🙂
... but not coffee (in the water)
😛
For best practices on asking questions, please read the following article: Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help[/url]
November 20, 2009 at 9:33 am
Gianluca Sartori (11/20/2009)
GSquared (11/20/2009)
In exchange, I taught him a few tricks with steak that he'd never heard of. (There are reasons that I'm 30 pounds overweight, none of which have to do with big bones or genetics.)It's not pork chops, but I think it could be time for the friday recipe. 🙂
Jeff is keeping CHECKSUM(NEWID()) for the forums: you could the same with your steak tricks. I'm 5 Kg underweight, I've got room for a good steak!
If this were the right venue, I'd be happy to post an article on cooking steaks. (Jeff's thing on checksum(newid()) is about not posting an article.)
The first trick for steak is milk. Yes, you read that correctly. If you want to turn a poor quality or medium quality steak into a good quality steak, soak it raw in milk overnight in the fridge. Softens up the muscle, adds some fat and sweetness. Won't turn stew-meat into fillete mignon, but it'll turn it into something you'd pay a lot more for. Do it with a good steak, even a great steak, and it'll turn it into something jucier and sweeter than you'd expect.
Want to get creative with it? Add honey, oregano and a few drops of Worchestershire or Soy sauce to the milk. Alternately, crushed red pepper and honey in the milk can be very, very good, if you like that kind of spicy (I do.) Don't use anything acidic, like vinegar, tobasco, onions, lemon peels, etc. You'll curdle the milk and make the most horrific mess you never wanted to deal with.
Milk has chemicals in it that are designed to disolve both protein and fat, thus the increased tenderness. It also has lactose in it, which carmelizes when cooking the steak and makes it sweeter and lighter. Sweet, light and tender are the defining characteristics of good vs poor steak. If you don't add seasonings, it doesn't modify the beef flavor, unlike chemical "tenderizers" (which might as well be called "meat destruction chemicals").
Second trick, olive oil. Add a few drops on top of the steak as you start to cook it. Again, adds to the taste without overwhelming it. Has the side benefit of increasing HDL cholesterol, even if only slightly. Don't add it to the pan, or you'll deep-fry the steak and ruin the texture. Put it on top when you begin cooking. And don't go overboard on it. A few drops is all it takes. It'll soak into the meat as it loses viscosity from the heat, and gravity and capilary effect will spread it down and through. Doesn't work well if you're cooking really, really rare, because the heat doesn't have time to liquify it.
As an aside, a little olive oil and red-wine vinegar on top of a burger when you start to cook it will make for a much juicier, more tender, and more flavorful meal. You really can't soak ground beef in milk overnight, but the vinegar is a good "runner up" for this. Even people who don't like seasoning on their burgers like this one. Again, the key thing is don't overdo it. You can do the same thing for meatloaf, of course.
If you do the milk soak, be sure to cover it. Plastic wrap will do. If you don't, it can spill, and that'll make a horrible mess on the bottom of the fridge. And, of course, dump the milk once you're done soaking raw steak in it. Don't make the mistake one of my friends once made and leave it sitting on the counter next to the fridge overnight. Yech!
How's that for "recipe Friday"?
- Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
Property of The Thread
"Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everyone agrees it's old enough to know better." - Anon
November 20, 2009 at 9:53 am
GSquared (11/20/2009)
Gianluca Sartori (11/20/2009)
GSquared (11/20/2009)
In exchange, I taught him a few tricks with steak that he'd never heard of. (There are reasons that I'm 30 pounds overweight, none of which have to do with big bones or genetics.)It's not pork chops, but I think it could be time for the friday recipe. 🙂
Jeff is keeping CHECKSUM(NEWID()) for the forums: you could the same with your steak tricks. I'm 5 Kg underweight, I've got room for a good steak!
If this were the right venue, I'd be happy to post an article on cooking steaks. (Jeff's thing on checksum(newid()) is about not posting an article.)
The first trick for steak is milk. Yes, you read that correctly. If you want to turn a poor quality or medium quality steak into a good quality steak, soak it raw in milk overnight in the fridge. Softens up the muscle, adds some fat and sweetness. Won't turn stew-meat into fillete mignon, but it'll turn it into something you'd pay a lot more for. Do it with a good steak, even a great steak, and it'll turn it into something jucier and sweeter than you'd expect.
Want to get creative with it? Add honey, oregano and a few drops of Worchestershire or Soy sauce to the milk. Alternately, crushed red pepper and honey in the milk can be very, very good, if you like that kind of spicy (I do.) Don't use anything acidic, like vinegar, tobasco, onions, lemon peels, etc. You'll curdle the milk and make the most horrific mess you never wanted to deal with.
Milk has chemicals in it that are designed to disolve both protein and fat, thus the increased tenderness. It also has lactose in it, which carmelizes when cooking the steak and makes it sweeter and lighter. Sweet, light and tender are the defining characteristics of good vs poor steak. If you don't add seasonings, it doesn't modify the beef flavor, unlike chemical "tenderizers" (which might as well be called "meat destruction chemicals").
Second trick, olive oil. Add a few drops on top of the steak as you start to cook it. Again, adds to the taste without overwhelming it. Has the side benefit of increasing HDL cholesterol, even if only slightly. Don't add it to the pan, or you'll deep-fry the steak and ruin the texture. Put it on top when you begin cooking. And don't go overboard on it. A few drops is all it takes. It'll soak into the meat as it loses viscosity from the heat, and gravity and capilary effect will spread it down and through. Doesn't work well if you're cooking really, really rare, because the heat doesn't have time to liquify it.
As an aside, a little olive oil and red-wine vinegar on top of a burger when you start to cook it will make for a much juicier, more tender, and more flavorful meal. You really can't soak ground beef in milk overnight, but the vinegar is a good "runner up" for this. Even people who don't like seasoning on their burgers like this one. Again, the key thing is don't overdo it. You can do the same thing for meatloaf, of course.
If you do the milk soak, be sure to cover it. Plastic wrap will do. If you don't, it can spill, and that'll make a horrible mess on the bottom of the fridge. And, of course, dump the milk once you're done soaking raw steak in it. Don't make the mistake one of my friends once made and leave it sitting on the counter next to the fridge overnight. Yech!
How's that for "recipe Friday"?
How much milk? Do you flip the steak(s) during the soaking?
November 20, 2009 at 10:06 am
Thanks Gus, I would never have thought of milk! I'll try and let you know the results.
My steak recipe is the shortest ever:
* volcano hot grill
* raw steak
* max 20 second per side
Serve with salt, pepper and a drop of tuscan olive oil.
The chef suggests a glass of red wine, possibly "Sagrantino di Montefalco".
...Uhmmm... I'm getting hungry.:-)
-- Gianluca Sartori
November 20, 2009 at 10:09 am
Gianluca Sartori (11/20/2009)
Thanks Gus, I would never have thought of milk! I'll try and let you know the results.My steak recipe is the shortest ever:
* volcano hot grill
* raw steak
* max 20 second per side
Serve with salt, pepper and a drop of tuscan olive oil.
The chef suggests a glass of red wine, possibly "Sagrantino di Montefalco".
...Uhmmm... I'm getting hungry.:-)
Hmmm, sounds like a good vet could get the cow back on its feet... 😉
November 20, 2009 at 10:14 am
Lynn Pettis (11/20/2009)
Gianluca Sartori (11/20/2009)
Thanks Gus, I would never have thought of milk! I'll try and let you know the results.My steak recipe is the shortest ever:
* volcano hot grill
* raw steak
* max 20 second per side
Serve with salt, pepper and a drop of tuscan olive oil.
The chef suggests a glass of red wine, possibly "Sagrantino di Montefalco".
...Uhmmm... I'm getting hungry.:-)
Hmmm, sounds like a good vet could get the cow back on its feet... 😉
All this talk of steak and I'm ready for a Prime Rib.
Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
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November 20, 2009 at 10:17 am
Lynn Pettis (11/20/2009)
Hmmm, sounds like a good vet could get the cow back on its feet... 😉
:hehe:That's the idea behind!:hehe::hehe:
-- Gianluca Sartori
November 20, 2009 at 10:19 am
CirquedeSQLeil (11/20/2009)
All this talk of steak and I'm ready for a Prime Rib.
What's a "Prime Rib", Jason?
-- Gianluca Sartori
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