Yuppies - it's really sad.

Post #275,125 by Andrew Grygus 12/8/06 1:16:57 AM Reply	Yuppies - it's really sad. I keep a subscription to Bon Appétit to keep tabs on what the wannabe gourmets are being fed (literally and figuratively). Naturally I let it expire when it comes to renewal so I get the lowest "please, we beg of you, please renew now" price - I figure it's easily worth a dime an issue. This month's issue has a feature article "Butcher's Secret Cuts" describing how to buy and use cuts a propper yuppie wouldn't normally think of or know where to look for. One of the feature cuts was Chicken Thighs - I kid you not! Apparently the baby spinach set thinks breasts are the only part of a chicken you can eat (any real gourmet would know it's the oysters), leaving the better parts to be shipped off to Russia (no wonder I get thighs so cheap). Not only are thighs the best chicken for stews, soups, curries, stir fries or just plain eating, they're also a decent stand-in for rabbit (though not as good as cat). [link\|http://www.aaxnet.com\|AAx]
Post #275,131 by tonytib 12/8/06 1:33:49 AM Reply	After experiencing Chinese cooking, my secret cuts are things like pig ear, pig feat, tripe, chicken feet, fish heads, and such. I've always loved tongue, and have good memories of stuff from the casqueria (store in Spain that sells good stuff like lungs, hearts, kidneys, and brains) --Tony
Post #275,132 by Andrew Grygus 12/8/06 1:50:46 AM Reply	I don't think the folks at Bon Appetit would dare . . . . . suggest anything like that to their tender audience. Saveur, on the other hand, would do it. We have all that stuff out here, except lungs which aren't legal in California (don't know the exact reason). Couple days ago I was down at the Russian store and they had a half dozen sheep heads on display (brains included). Pig ears, pig feet, tripe, chicken feet, fish heads and tongue (beef and lamb) - there's a dozen places within a few miles that carry all of those. I haven't tried pig ears or chicken feet yet 'cause thre's so much other stuff to eat here I haven't gotten to them yet. [link\|http://www.aaxnet.com\|AAx]
Post #275,147 by Another Scott 12/8/06 7:24:15 AM Reply	I don't think I'll ever forget... On the bus route I took along 63th street in Chicago there was a deli that always had a big sign saying "Pig Ear Sandwiches". I never had an interest in trying it. Cheers, Scott.
Post #275,149 by Andrew Grygus 12/8/06 10:19:09 AM Reply	In the U.S South, pig ears may refer to a pastry . . . . . (the size and shape of a pig ear), but you wouldn't be making sandwiches out of those. Since I've already cooked up (and eaten) a big batch of pickled snouts I don't think ears would be a problem for me. [image\|http://www.clovegarden.com/recipes/img/ap_snout05e.jpg\|\|\|\|] [link\|http://www.aaxnet.com\|AAx]
Post #275,150 by Another Scott 12/8/06 10:32:26 AM Reply	Mmmm. Cartilage!
Post #275,158 by tonytib 12/8/06 11:50:55 AM Reply	Pig ears aren't all that great at least the ones I had. I think they were pickled, and they're OK, but I'm not going to make any effort to have them again. I've had chicken feet both as spicy snack and as dim sum. They're OK, but I'm not going to hunt them down. --Tony
Post #275,254 by drewk 12/9/06 1:56:23 AM Reply	We can get all those nasty bits here The [link\|http://westsidemarket.com/\|West Side Market] is just about half butchers. You'll find whole lamb, pig, poultry and occasionally some things I don't recognize. My daughter was really freaked out by the beef tounges. About a half-dozen of them stacked up. Really, really huge. Ick. === Kip Hawley is still an idiot. === Purveyor of Doc Hope's [link\|http://DocHope.com\|fresh-baked dog biscuits and pet treats]. [link\|http://DocHope.com\|http://DocHope.com]
Post #275,257 by Andrew Grygus 12/9/06 2:46:49 AM 12/9/06 2:58:56 AM Reply	Checked today . . . . . when I was in the Philippines, pig tongues are also available, along with the ever present beef and lamb tongues. And yes, you should be able to get just about any of that stuff anywhere there are Slavic communities, except the penis, as far as I know those are only featured in the Chinese markets (labeled "beef pizzle" around here). [link\|http://www.aaxnet.com\|AAx] Edited by Andrew Grygus Dec. 9, 2006, 02:58:56 AM EST Expand All History
Post #275,260 by pwhysall 12/9/06 4:47:12 AM Reply	I had proper tongue in Prague Erm. That sounds not-at-all-vaguely rude. Ooer missus, get your [link\|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up_Pompeii!#Catchphrases\|titters] out, etc. Anyhow. It was the [link\|http://www.marieteresie.cz/en/profil.html\|Marie Teresie] and I ordered the Prague Butcher's Platter, which had (as the name implies) a variety of interesting sausages and meats on it. Including a piece of tongue that very much looked like tongue - a transverse section, approximately 4cm in length. Jo was very not impressed with it and insisted I eat it first, because it was discomfiting to her. It was delicious. Tender, rich-tasting and not too salty. Peter [link\|http://www.no2id.net/\|Don't Let The Terrorists Win] [link\|http://www.kuro5hin.org\|There is no K5 Cabal] [link\|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org\|Home] Use P2P for legitimate purposes! [link\|http://kevan.org/brain.cgi?pwhysall\|A better terminal emulator] [link\|http://darwinia.co.uk/\|[image\|http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h262/pwhysall/Misc/saveus.png\|0\|Darwinia\|\|]]
Post #275,331 by static 12/10/06 7:12:43 AM Reply	Pig ears are easy to get. On the other hand, I have only seen them in the pet food section... Dogs that like chewing like pig ears and will tend to be happy with one for hours and hours. Wade. "Don't give up!"
Post #275,358 by Andrew Grygus 12/10/06 2:50:32 PM Reply	Can all those dogs be wrong? Though I prefer my pig ears a lot fresher than the ones they get. [link\|http://www.aaxnet.com\|AAx]
Post #275,360 by hnick 12/10/06 3:12:29 PM Reply	What? You don't like them smoked and dried? Get new dentures
Post #275,370 by static 12/10/06 6:57:16 PM Reply	I thought quite a good use for them. It's a good market for something a lot of humans wouldn't eat. :-) Wade. "Don't give up!"
Post #275,371 by Andrew Grygus 12/10/06 7:04:19 PM Reply	Well, it is a good use . . . . . the feed stores around here have big bins of them and even Trader Joes has them now and then. [link\|http://www.aaxnet.com\|AAx]
Post #275,189 by bionerd 12/8/06 4:41:23 PM Reply	Hate dark meat Fatty, filled with myoglobin and weird little veiny things. If I eat meat at all, it will be a breast.
Post #275,192 by hnick 12/8/06 5:02:45 PM Reply	Dark meat actually has more flavor. Muscle that has been worked has more flavor than the more passive muscles. Factory bred turkeys get so little exercise that they are almost pure white meat anyway. With beef, you make stew out of shoulder cuts for a robust flavor, but you simmer it for long periods to make it tender. The tenderloin, which gets no exercise, is tender as hell, but you have to season it heavily and usually have an interesting sauce, because the friggin thing has almost no flavor of its own. Sometimes it may be better to take a more macroscopic view of your dinner. Or not. Depends on what entertains you, I suppose.
Post #275,214 by Andrew Grygus 12/8/06 8:40:28 PM Reply	Yeah, but she's got a bad case of the squeamishes. The closer the appearance and texture to a block of tofu the better - and that'll be firm tofu please. And speaking of flavor, I scored a couple cans of Polish sardines today ($0.59/can). They're excellent so I'll get more next time I'm down in Sunland. Unfortunately most sardines are canned in Morocco and Moroccan sardines are barely edible at best. Their anchovies aren't significantly better (and most Americans have never tasted a non-Moroccan anchovy). They know how to can sardines in the Baltic countries, in Canada and Thailand (Thai sardines are much shorter and wider) but not in Morocco. [link\|http://www.aaxnet.com\|AAx]
Post #275,218 by boxley 12/8/06 9:19:49 PM Reply	thats why I stick with kippered herring and fish steaks. Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 51 years. meep reach me at [link\|mailto:bill.oxley@cox.net\|mailto:bill.oxley@cox.net]
Post #275,222 by tuberculosis 12/8/06 9:58:17 PM Reply	Mmmm, my fave [link\|http://www.blackbagops.net\|Black Bag Operations Log] [link\|http://www.objectiveclips.com\|Artificial Intelligence] [link\|http://www.badpage.info/seaside/html\|Scrutinizer]
Post #275,219 by Andrew Grygus 12/8/06 9:30:33 PM Reply	So as long as I was out and about . . . . . and we'd been talk'n about 'em, I stopped by the Philippines and got me a couple of pounds of pig ears. A full report soon - but tonight I've got a whole bag of octopies to deal with. [image\|http://www.clovegarden.com/ingred/img/ap_ears02d.jpg\|\|\|\|] [link\|http://www.aaxnet.com\|AAx]
Post #275,242 by Andrew Grygus 12/9/06 12:52:07 AM Reply	Better octopus pictures this time. Not perfect, but better. The little ones were atypically large though. [image\|http://www.clovegarden.com/ingred/img/sf_octo34i.jpg\|\|\|\|] [link\|http://www.aaxnet.com\|AAx]
Post #275,411 by Andrew Grygus 12/11/06 12:26:22 AM Reply	As promised - Report #1 [link\|http://www.clovegarden.com/recipes/cgm_pigear1.html\|Pig Ear Salad] - very good - crunchy, just a little chewey. [image\|http://www.clovegarden.com/recipes/img/cgm_pigear1f.jpg\|\|\|\|] [link\|http://www.aaxnet.com\|AAx]
Post #275,751 by Andrew Grygus 12/14/06 12:01:44 AM Reply	Report #2 - sorry this took so long . . . . . but I had to make this three times to figure out how to get it to come out right and not be a big mess - [link\|http://www.clovegarden.com/recipes/sam_pigear1.html\|Pig Ear Appetizer]. [image\|http://www.clovegarden.com/recipes/img/sam_pigear1e.jpg\|\|\|\|] [link\|http://www.aaxnet.com\|AAx]
Post #275,756 by CRConrad 12/14/06 3:38:37 AM Reply	I think some people might call that a contradiction in terms
Post #275,780 by Andrew Grygus 12/14/06 10:46:29 AM Reply	I figured someone would point that out. Actually I'm thinking of changing it from "Appetizer" (title in the recipe it was based on) to "Snack" because it really is more appropriate as a snack. [link\|http://www.aaxnet.com\|AAx]
Post #275,802 by tuberculosis 12/14/06 2:15:50 PM Reply	typo: gingier->ginger [link\|http://www.blackbagops.net\|Black Bag Operations Log] [link\|http://www.objectiveclips.com\|Artificial Intelligence] [link\|http://www.badpage.info/seaside/html\|Scrutinizer]
Post #275,804 by Andrew Grygus 12/14/06 3:24:23 PM Reply	Fixed, thanks. [link\|http://www.aaxnet.com\|AAx]
Post #276,016 by tonytib 12/17/06 8:49:37 PM Reply	Yummy! says my wife. She says that Chinese wouldn't use coconut milk. --Tony
Post #276,029 by Andrew Grygus 12/17/06 9:45:29 PM Reply	That would be right. This recipe is Cambodian, but I've found very similar recipes credited to Thailand. Haven't come across a Chinese one of this sort yet, though I'm sure it wouldn't include coconut milk. The pig ear salad (Report #1) was credited as Chinese and is very good. [link\|http://www.aaxnet.com\|AAx]
Post #275,252 by drewk 12/9/06 1:53:58 AM Reply	Clarification? Not only are thighs the best chicken for stews, soups, curries, stir fries or just plain eating, they're also a decent stand-in for rabbit (though not as good as cat). Chicken thighs aren't as good as cat, or they're not as good a stand-in for rabbit as cat is? === Kip Hawley is still an idiot. === Purveyor of Doc Hope's [link\|http://DocHope.com\|fresh-baked dog biscuits and pet treats]. [link\|http://DocHope.com\|http://DocHope.com]
Post #275,253 by Andrew Grygus 12/9/06 1:55:59 AM Reply	Not as good a stand-in for rabbit. Cat, being a mammal, has the nuances of flavor to really do it right. [link\|http://www.aaxnet.com\|AAx]

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