I thought about giving this a whirl... get some cornmeal, mix a little
water and oil in it, roll it out on a flat baking pan, slice into
chips or strips with a pizza cutter...



Does baking work, or do they have to be friend in oil?

Thx

-J

On Sun, 27 Dec 2009 22:57:52 -0800 (PST), phaeton
> wrote:

>I thought about giving this a whirl... get some cornmeal, mix a little
>water and oil in it, roll it out on a flat baking pan, slice into
>chips or strips with a pizza cutter...
>
>
>
>Does baking work, or do they have to be friend in oil?
>
>Thx

I think they are made with masa, not your everyday cornmeal.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 06:00:35 -0600, Sqwertz >
wrote:

>On Sun, 27 Dec 2009 22:57:52 -0800 (PST), phaeton wrote:
>
>> I thought about giving this a whirl... get some cornmeal, mix a little
>> water and oil in it, roll it out on a flat baking pan, slice into
>> chips or strips with a pizza cutter...
>>
>> Does baking work, or do they have to be friend in oil?
>
>They have to be fried. Use corn masa [harina] for making tamales
>and tortillas, not corn meal.
>
Frying is the tex-mex version... in Mexico corn chips are made by
slicing corn tortillas (no fat) into wedges and baked... then if one
wants the obesity version they're fried... frying is optional and
rarely done. Nachos is one of my favorite tavern snacks, I've never
yet seen it prepared with fried corn chips, not in Mexico, not in
Central America, and not in the US... the tex-mex border corridor
ain't really part of the US. Sqwartz thinks Taco Bell is Mexican
food. <G>

On Dec 27, 10:57 pm, phaeton > wrote:
> I thought about giving this a whirl... get some cornmeal, mix a little
> water and oil in it, roll it out on a flat baking pan, slice into
> chips or strips with a pizza cutter...
>
> Does baking work, or do they have to be friend in oil?

First things first: have you made tortillas before? Though they can
be hand patted into shape, or rolled with a pin, most people find that
the tortilla press works most efficiently for shaping them Then they
are cooked on a hot dry griddle or large skillet or comal. After you
have the tortillas made then you can consider making chips. They can
be fried or baked. We find the baked ones less satisfying than fried,
but try 'em both ways.

Getting the masa consistency right for pressing the tortillas is
something of a trial and error process. It'll probably take you
several tries.

After all this, you may wonder if it's worth the effort..... -aem

In article
>,
aem > wrote:

> On Dec 27, 10:57 pm, phaeton > wrote:
> > I thought about giving this a whirl... get some cornmeal, mix a little
> > water and oil in it, roll it out on a flat baking pan, slice into
> > chips or strips with a pizza cutter...
> >
> > Does baking work, or do they have to be friend in oil?
>
> First things first: have you made tortillas before? Though they can
> be hand patted into shape, or rolled with a pin, most people find that
> the tortilla press works most efficiently for shaping them Then they
> are cooked on a hot dry griddle or large skillet or comal. After you
> have the tortillas made then you can consider making chips. They can
> be fried or baked. We find the baked ones less satisfying than fried,
> but try 'em both ways.
>
> Getting the masa consistency right for pressing the tortillas is
> something of a trial and error process. It'll probably take you
> several tries.
>
> After all this, you may wonder if it's worth the effort..... -aem

I would recommend that the OP strongly consider the following, in
addition to your excellent points:

1. Buy masa harina. There are excellent things to be made using corn
meal, but they aren't corn tortillas, and you can't make tortilla chips.

2. Follow the recipe on the container, or look one up. I don't believe
oil is traditional.

3. After you cook them, maybe you should just eat them? It is seldom
the case that somebody bakes a loaf of bread, and then cooks it.
Further cooking of already cooked products is usually because they
aren't fresh anymore. Take a fresh corn tortilla, put a little cheese
on it, fold it and put it back on the grill until the cheese melts.
That's heaven.

4. Wait to buy that tortilla press. If you find yourself making them
often, it's handy, but if you find that it isn't worth the effort,
especially with how cheap they are at my store, it will just sit in the
garage or basement.

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA

On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 09:35:34 -0800 (PST), aem >
wrote:

>Getting the masa consistency right for pressing the tortillas is
>something of a trial and error process. It'll probably take you
>several tries.
>
>After all this, you may wonder if it's worth the effort..... -aem

It's not, unless you live somewhere tortillas or tortilla chips are
completely unavailable - but you still have to find masa.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 10:36:55 -0800, Dan Abel > wrote:

>4. Wait to buy that tortilla press. If you find yourself making them
>often, it's handy, but if you find that it isn't worth the effort,
>especially with how cheap they are at my store, it will just sit in the
>garage or basement.

I still have my tortilla press, but I never use it.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:20:10 -0600, Sqwertz wrote:

> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 11:51:00 -0500, brooklyn1 wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 06:00:35 -0600, Sqwertz >
>> wrote:
>>
>>>On Sun, 27 Dec 2009 22:57:52 -0800 (PST), phaeton wrote:
>>>
>>>> I thought about giving this a whirl... get some cornmeal, mix a little
>>>> water and oil in it, roll it out on a flat baking pan, slice into
>>>> chips or strips with a pizza cutter...
>>>>
>>>> Does baking work, or do they have to be friend in oil?
>>>
>>>They have to be fried. Use corn masa [harina] for making tamales
>>>and tortillas, not corn meal.
>>>
>> Frying is the tex-mex version... in Mexico corn chips are made by
>> slicing corn tortillas (no fat) into wedges and baked...
>
> "Full of Shit" Alert!
>
> (insert siren noises)
>
> -sw

by now the sirens are just background noise.

your pal,
blake

On Dec 28, 12:57*am, phaeton > wrote:
> I thought about giving this a whirl... get some cornmeal, mix a little
> water and oil in it, roll it out on a flat baking pan, slice into
> chips or strips with a pizza cutter...
>
> Does baking work, or do they have to be friend in oil?
>
> Thx
>
> -J

I watched the premiere of a new chef program on FTV last night - and a
killer chip (according to the chefs and the guests) was made by
quartering a tortilla, frying it in canola oil, and then sprinkling
them with seasoned salt. The chef referred to them as "crack chips,"
because they were so addictive. Everyone loved them.

N.

On Wed, 30 Dec 2009 09:08:02 -0800 (PST), Nancy2
> wrote:

>On Dec 28, 12:57*am, phaeton > wrote:
>> I thought about giving this a whirl... get some cornmeal, mix a little
>> water and oil in it, roll it out on a flat baking pan, slice into
>> chips or strips with a pizza cutter...
>>
>> Does baking work, or do they have to be friend in oil?
>>
>> Thx
>>
>> -J
>
>I watched the premiere of a new chef program on FTV last night - and a
>killer chip (according to the chefs and the guests) was made by
>quartering a tortilla, frying it in canola oil, and then sprinkling
>them with seasoned salt. The chef referred to them as "crack chips,"
>because they were so addictive. Everyone loved them.
>
>N.

I saw that show and had to chuckle to myself. I do that all the time,
and have for years. At first I thought I'd missed something that made
them special.
I also like to sprinkle them with powdered chili or any seasoning or
spice blend that comes to mind.

koko
--

There is no love more sincere than the love of food
George Bernard Shaw
www.kokoscorner.typepad.com
updated 12/29

In article >,
koko > wrote:

> On Wed, 30 Dec 2009 09:08:02 -0800 (PST), Nancy2
> > wrote:

> >I watched the premiere of a new chef program on FTV last night - and a
> >killer chip (according to the chefs and the guests) was made by
> >quartering a tortilla, frying it in canola oil, and then sprinkling
> >them with seasoned salt. The chef referred to them as "crack chips,"
> >because they were so addictive. Everyone loved them.

> I saw that show and had to chuckle to myself. I do that all the time,
> and have for years. At first I thought I'd missed something that made
> them special.
> I also like to sprinkle them with powdered chili or any seasoning or
> spice blend that comes to mind.

Well, they *are* special. They are *fresh*. That makes all the
difference.

My brother puts chili powder on his fresh fried chips. Generally, if we
take the time to fry up some chips at my house, we make up some
guacamole, too.

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA

On Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:17:47 -0800, koko > wrote:

>On Wed, 30 Dec 2009 09:08:02 -0800 (PST), Nancy2
> wrote:
>
>>I watched the premiere of a new chef program on FTV last night - and a
>>killer chip (according to the chefs and the guests) was made by
>>quartering a tortilla, frying it in canola oil, and then sprinkling
>>them with seasoned salt. The chef referred to them as "crack chips,"
>>because they were so addictive. Everyone loved them.
>>
>>N.
>
>I saw that show and had to chuckle to myself. I do that all the time,
>and have for years. At first I thought I'd missed something that made
>them special.
>I also like to sprinkle them with powdered chili or any seasoning or
>spice blend that comes to mind.
>
I watched it too. What did you guys think of it? I thought mom was
cool, her daughter was a b*tch in training if she wasn't full fledged
already. She seemed like to treat her mom like a servant.


--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On Dec 30, 1:46*pm, sf > wrote:
> On Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:17:47 -0800, koko > wrote:
> >On Wed, 30 Dec 2009 09:08:02 -0800 (PST), Nancy2
> > wrote:
>
> >>I watched the premiere of a new chef program on FTV last night - and a
> >>killer chip (according to the chefs and the guests) was made by
> >>quartering a tortilla, frying it in canola oil, and then sprinkling
> >>them with seasoned salt. *The chef referred to them as "crack chips,"
> >>because they were so addictive. *Everyone loved them.
>
> >>N.
>
> >I saw that show and had to chuckle to myself. I do that all the time,
> >and have for years. At first I thought I'd missed something that made
> >them special.
> >I also like to sprinkle them with powdered chili or any seasoning or
> >spice blend that comes to mind.
>
> I watched it too. *What did you guys think of it? *I thought mom was
> cool, her daughter was a b*tch in training if she wasn't full fledged
> already. *She seemed like to treat her mom like a servant.
>
> --
> I love cooking with wine.
> Sometimes I even put it in the food.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Typical Bev Hills/Hollywood spoiled brat. She probably holds up Paris
Hilton as a role model. She was really unpleasant, wasn't she? The
frist chef chosen for that event was my favorite of the whole evening.

N.

On Wed, 30 Dec 2009 11:49:38 -0800 (PST), Nancy2
> wrote:

>Typical Bev Hills/Hollywood spoiled brat. She probably holds up Paris
>Hilton as a role model. She was really unpleasant, wasn't she? The
>frist chef chosen for that event was my favorite of the whole evening.

I tuned in before the female chef arrived. I thought she was going to
help them, bur she just took over - so I could see why they got mad.
Which one was the first one? I noticed that the cute one was the one
who could go out and schnoz the kids into being less bratty about the
food.

I wonder what they had to say later to that boss who didn't tell them
they were supposed to cook the food AND set up the party? Do you
think the female chef was sent to do the set up but decided to stay in
the kitchen instead?

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.