Things That Go in Your Mouth

[François]

I thought it might have something to do with fan speed, so I googled a bit and found this: https://www.consumerreports.org/cooking-baking/convection-oven-cooking-tips/

Some ovens have two fan speeds: A convection baking setting lowers the fan speed, and convection roasting relies on a higher fan speed to brown and crisp the exterior of meat and poultry.

So, yup, just as I thought, there you go.

[Mongrel]

The convection - i.e. fan settings - are what I don't need to know about as they are separate settings. What I'm talking about are the conventional (i.e. no fan running) settings. Easy confusion since the words are so close.

[nosimpleway]

Traditionally "bake" meant to cook in an oven and "roast" meant to cook over a flame on a spit. Once people stopped spit-roasting the two terms became synonymous, to the point that which is used becomes utterly arbitrary. Why do we roast a beef but bake a ham, anyway?

As far as oven settings, baking probably gives an even output from all of the elements in the oven, so that your cheesecake sets in the middle without getting rubbery on the outside. Roasting uses more of the top heating element, so that the top/outside of the food gets more direct exposure to heat so you get a nice seared crust on the outside, kind of a half-broil.

Me, I'd probably use one and ignore that the other was even there.

[Mongrel]

Well, that's the closest I've heard to something that makes sense.

The order they're on the dial is meaningless anyway because I suspect they just went alphabetically, except the two convection settings go last.

[François]

The convection - i.e. fan settings - are what I don't need to know about as they are separate settings. What I'm talking about are the conventional (i.e. no fan running) settings. Easy confusion since the words are so close.

Oh right yeah, oops. Dang, the notion of a difference between roasting and baking in a conventional oven is so weird that it didn't even occur to me that this was what you were talking about.

[Büge]

you got a new oven AFTER I moved out? D:

[Mongrel]

you got a new oven AFTER I moved out? D:

The new Supers are go-getters, I guess!

[Silversong]

Michigan strawberries are in season! I made some cream biscuits and whipped some cream and greek yogurt. I refuse to eat anything except strawberries for the three weeks they're in season.

[Friday]

/me nervously shifts eyes in Californian

[Büge]

I refuse to eat anything except strawberries for the three weeks they're in season.

*Strawberry Fistbump*

[Silversong]

https://www.truesake.com/products/chiyo ... kitaro-cup

I bought this sake on a whim from the Japanese grocery because of the label, but it was actually pretty good! And now I'm left with this little glass cup that's too cute to throw away.

[Yoji]

Does anyone know anything about or have any experience with mushroom logs? I guess that's a thing some people are selling, and it's pretty much what it says on the can: a log with mushrooms growing on it that you just keep and harvest for your own use.

Alexis would like one for her birthday. I'm not exactly surprised that when I go to find one outside of the local grocery store (!??), it's a complicated subject.

[Silversong]

Yoji, I don't know anything about this, but I sure as heck would not eat any mushrooms that I bought anywhere except a reputable grocery or a reputable mushroom farmer. And a grocery will not sell you a DIY kit, so I'd start looking for farmers. Maybe go to the next farmer's market and start asking around?

[nosimpleway]

Mushroom logs tend to be preseeded -- pre-spored, I suppose -- with a specific kind of safely edible mushroom. I haven't heard of anyone accidentally poisoning themselves by accidentally growing amanita toadstools in their log or anything.

I don't actually know how or where to get one, though.

Can you get a log of Russian glowcaps? You'd never need to buy another package of fresh batteries again.

[François]

[Mongrel]

fucking lolol

[Niku]

I made hayashi rice for the first time kinda cobbling together some recipes and throwing them against an S&B Hayashi Rice instant roux brick. Marinated thin sliced eye of round and ribeye (hot pot style frozen rolls) in some Wooster sauce, red wine, and salt and pepper, sautéed it in the instant pot and then did some onions and garlic with butter in the fond. Tossed meat back in over the onions, gave it a stir, then poured in about two cups of beef broth and dropped in a couple of handfuls of king oyster, button, and shimeji mushrooms. Put the roux bricks on top, then pressure cooked for ten minutes and let it release for another twenty.

Stirred it up, smothered some rice, sprinkled on green onion. If it hadn’t been 97 out today it would’ve been pretty perfect; it’s definitely going into the cold weather rotation.

[Yoji]

I better figure out how to make Japanese curry rice for birthday dinner, too. This recipe looks alright, I think. The ingredients don't look too exotic, and I have the stuff to make the roux. But my cooking game's been off lately, so of course I'm nervous about this.

[Büge]

Kylie and I made Japanese curry the other day...



Included chicken, potatoes, carrots, onion, mushrooms, and for flavour/texture, espresso, Hershey's chocolate, cheddar cheese, and Old Bay seasoning. But we used a pre-made roux brick.

[nosimpleway]

Give it a practice run before the big day. Don't try recipe for the first time for a special occasion.