Souvenirs

[SRF]

On 11/17/2019 at 3:10 PM, clo said:

And, oh my, the spices from the Spice Market in Istanbul.

 

We brought back about 1 kg of cumin. 😄

 

 

[clo]

30 minutes ago, SRF said:

 

We brought back about 1 kg of cumin. 😄

 

 

LOL! The smells alone were just glorious.

 

[lenquixote66]

9 hours ago, clo said:

LOL! The smells alone were just glorious.

 

We bought cumin recently in the Caribbean

[crystalspin]

Do you know that cumin is the second most used spice globally? after black pepper...

 

I've only recently begun to use it, myself.

 

On a recent land trip through central Europe, the only souvenirs I bought were a magnet (The Kiss by Klimt for my artsy sister) and three sets of three-each Hungarian paprikas: sweet, hot, and smoky (for myself, my gourmet SIL, and our cat-sitter).

[clo]

2 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

Do you know that cumin is the second most used spice globally? after black pepper...

 

I did not.  I guess it's not surprising.

 

And a great gift/souvenir.  Takes up NO space.

[ldubs]

2 hours ago, crystalspin said:

Do you know that cumin is the second most used spice globally? after black pepper...

 

 

 

I'm not a cook by any stretch, but what I do know is more is not better when it comes to cumin.  Cumin is one spice that will ruin a dish if even a little too much is used.   I know Mrs Ldubs feels the same way.  IDK, maybe we are just cumin haters!  😀   

[clo]

1 minute ago, ldubs said:

 

I'm not a cook by any stretch, but what I do know is more is not better when it comes to cumin.  Cumin is one spice that will ruin a dish if even a little too much is used.   I know Mrs Ldubs feels the same way.  IDK, maybe we are just cumin haters!  😀   

I'm a recipe follower (figure that's why they get paid the big bucks!) so if something calls for a teaspoon I don't do a tablespoon.  People think I'm a good cook.  I'm just a good instruction follower 🙂

[ldubs]

3 minutes ago, clo said:

I'm a recipe follower (figure that's why they get paid the big bucks!) so if something calls for a teaspoon I don't do a tablespoon.  People think I'm a good cook.  I'm just a good instruction follower 🙂

 

Because I do not understand much about cooking and flavors, I have no choice but to follow recipes.  So that makes a ton of sense to me.  But you know if you put a little too much garlic, everything is probably OK (maybe even better😁).  A little too much cumin and ick!    

[clo]

33 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 But you know if you put a little too much garlic,

I think, based on what I read, is that garlic is overused.  But people don't believe that.  We don't want dish that tastes like garlic. We want it to enhance the flavor of the main event.  And, that's about as OT as I've gotten on this site 🙂

[crystalspin]

Interesting! I will keep that in mind (about cumin that is).

 

My brother had a girlfriend who could NOT follow a recipe. We shared a kitchen for awhile, and I saw her TRY to follow recipes -- her hand would quiver, you could see she was resisting -- but then she would go back and dip up a little (or a lot) more of whatever she was measuring. This often did not bode well.

 

She was an artist, and I learned some things about artists living with her.

Edited November 20, 2019 by crystalspin

[ldubs]

24 minutes ago, clo said:

I think, based on what I read, is that garlic is overused.  But people don't believe that.  We don't want dish that tastes like garlic. We want it to enhance the flavor of the main event.  And, that's about as OT as I've gotten on this site 🙂

 

Keeps vampires away!  

[clo]

24 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

This often did not bode well.

 

That's a funny story and thanks for sharing.

[ldubs]

24 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

Interesting! I will keep that in mind (about cumin that is).

 

My brother had a girlfriend who could NOT follow a recipe. We shared a kitchen for awhile, and I saw her TRY to follow recipes -- her hand would quiver, you could see she was resisting -- but then she would go back and dip up a little (or a lot) more of whatever she was measuring. This often did not bode well.

 

She was an artist, and I learned some things about artists living with her.

 

That is really funny.  We have a decent burger place in town.  I watched the guy cooking the burgers while waiting and it seemed like he put about 10 times the amount of salt I would have used.  But, they weren't salty at all.  So I'm really at sea when it comes to seasoning, spices, and just about every thing cooking.  I just know what I like.  Haha.  

 

I've heard it said that men are better cooks than women because they are not afraid to experiment.  I personally don't believe that.  

[clo]

7 minutes ago, ldubs said:

it seemed like he put about 10 times the amount of salt I would have used.  But, they weren't salty at all.

If I'm reading this correctly, that salt was on the surface and when it went on the grill most of it burned off.  (Dang, I'm glad that this is turning into a food site - something I actually know a little about1)

[ldubs]

20 minutes ago, clo said:

If I'm reading this correctly, that salt was on the surface and when it went on the grill most of it burned off.  (Dang, I'm glad that this is turning into a food site - something I actually know a little about1)

 

Could be.  Patties were on the cooktop.  He shook out the salt on top of them from one of those tin cup shaped salt shakers.  I don't know if they had been flipped yet.  For all I know it might have been a secret ingredient, but I think it was salt.  

 

And, let us not forget that tin cup salt shakers could be a good souvenir too!   

 

(Sorry OP for running the thread off track here a little.  Oops. 😬)

[lenquixote66]

9 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

That is really funny.  We have a decent burger place in town.  I watched the guy cooking the burgers while waiting and it seemed like he put about 10 times the amount of salt I would have used.  But, they weren't salty at all.  So I'm really at sea when it comes to seasoning, spices, and just about every thing cooking.  I just know what I like.  Haha.  

 

I've heard it said that men are better cooks than women because they are not afraid to experiment.  I personally don't believe that.  

The best California burger place I ever went to is In and Out.

[ldubs]

1 hour ago, lenquixote66 said:

The best California burger place I ever went to is In and Out.

 

I agree that In-N-Out is pretty good.  Best chain type burger place to me is Nation's.  They also have fantastic pies and make really good breakfasts.   They have been around since 1952, and have several locations in Northern California.   

[lenquixote66]

3 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

I agree that In-N-Out is pretty good.  Best chain type burger place to me is Nation's.  They also have fantastic pies and make really good breakfasts.   They have been around since 1952, and have several locations in Northern California.   

In-N-Out is possibly the best I have ever been too plus they sell tee shirts.

[SRF]

16 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

I'm not a cook by any stretch, but what I do know is more is not better when it comes to cumin.  Cumin is one spice that will ruin a dish if even a little too much is used.   I know Mrs Ldubs feels the same way.  IDK, maybe we are just cumin haters!  😀   

 

Hmm, the two spices I have yet to find the limit for are cumin and garlic.  The more the better. 😄

 

[SRF]

15 hours ago, clo said:

I think, based on what I read, is that garlic is overused.  But people don't believe that.  We don't want dish that tastes like garlic. We want it to enhance the flavor of the main event.  And, that's about as OT as I've gotten on this site 🙂

 

The thing is, when you get a LOT of garlic, it doesn't taste like garlic.   It becomes spicy hot.

[lenquixote66]

2 minutes ago, SRF said:

 

The thing is, when you get a LOT of garlic, it doesn't taste like garlic.   It becomes spicy hot.

It keeps vampires away

[SRF]

16 hours ago, clo said:

I'm a recipe follower (figure that's why they get paid the big bucks!) so if something calls for a teaspoon I don't do a tablespoon.  People think I'm a good cook.  I'm just a good instruction follower 🙂

 

I don't think I have ever totally followed a recipe.  

 

A little bit more of less of something doesn't make a huge difference.

 

I remember one time, my ex was making spaghetti sauce.  She kept tasting and adding, but it wasn't right.  So she asked me.  I tasted it and told her it needed Old Bay.  She got mad at me.  She worked at it more, and asked me again, so I told her Old Bay.  She got mad again.  This happened several times, until finally, she said FINE, and added Old Bay.  It was what it needed. 😄

 

[SRF]

18 hours ago, crystalspin said:

On a recent land trip through central Europe, the only souvenirs I bought were a magnet (The Kiss by Klimt for my artsy sister) and three sets of three-each Hungarian paprikas: sweet, hot, and smoky (for myself, my gourmet SIL, and our cat-sitter).

 

There are actually 9 grades of paprika. 😄

 

[pacruise804]

16 hours ago, clo said:

I'm a recipe follower (figure that's why they get paid the big bucks!) so if something calls for a teaspoon I don't do a tablespoon.  People think I'm a good cook.  I'm just a good instruction follower 🙂

 

I used to be a diligent recipe follower but have become more relaxed and flexible in my cooking.  

 

15 hours ago, clo said:

I think, based on what I read, is that garlic is overused.  But people don't believe that.  We don't want dish that tastes like garlic. We want it to enhance the flavor of the main event.  And, that's about as OT as I've gotten on this site 🙂

 

I sometimes like the taste of garlic (garlic bread), but am generally more like you.  I have tried adding garlic to some dishes to "fancy" them and discover I really prefer them without.  I suspect neither one of us uses garlic in our Carbonara 😉 

[George C]

Wife likes garlic on almost everything pizza, fish etc etc , I like it on some things.