On 2013-12-26 22:06:51 +0000, sf said:

> On Thu, 26 Dec 2013 11:03:34 -0800, gtr > wrote:
>
>> On 2013-12-26 16:01:46 +0000, Gus said:
>>
>>> I had a roommate that made it from scratch. It was fantastic-- better
>>> than from an authentic Italian restaurant, but it sure took him a long
>>> time and seem to be a lot of work and mess.
>>
>> I thought that was why many of us were here for excellence despite
>> "work and mess".
>
> Some of us know our limitations and admit that while what we make
> might be as good, it's certainly not any better than store-bought
> "fresh" pasta and we'd rather apply our culinary efforts to cooking
> the rest of the meal.

Certainly: We have X amount of time, Y amount of energy and Z amount of
intent. These all very personal.

> With the exception of Ophelia, I don't see women claiming they make all
> their own pasta.

What was the men body-count? Assuming it's important to make a gender
distinction on pasta...

> I like using shapes other than something flat that is only varied by
> width. I am not
> going to sink a fortune into pasta making attachments or any more time
> into hand made, so I'm fine with store bought.

I generally agree with one critical exception: Ravioli. That said, the
pasta machine was the way we perfected our rye crackerbreads too. And
it's kind of a fun thing for the two of us to do. We sometimes play a
card game, Casino. It has vastly less productive qualities that
pasta-making.

> Italians aren't hung up on making all their own pasta all the time, so
> I have no idea why
> we have to be so macho about making our own pasta fresh, every single
> time we serve it.

"Do it yourself" doesn't have to relate in any way to proving something
to others, which I'm guessing is what "macho" means in your context.
People do any number of things because they simply *enjoy* doing
it--even when the results are stellar or comparable to [insert
something else]. The wife gardens and weaves, but has friends who can't
conceive why she wouldn't simply by chives and peppers, or spend more
time shopping for the perfect scarf.

I play music, when I could easily buy a cd--I'm not trying to prove
anything, I'm simply having fun.

> Could it be that the men who are so full of pasta bravado are also not
> the main cook and bottle washer? I call it the BBQ complex. They
> make something from scratch once and suddenly they are experts at
> everything, all the time and preaching at us for not doing all the
> time what they did once to great applause. Stop the chest beating.
> People were trying to encourage you to do more, not crowning you king.

I don't know to whom your applying all these projections. Many of these
kinds of things are challenges for me. Once the challenge becomes
common place, regardless of the result, I move to other challenges.
Preaching/chest-beating/experts/macho; hell it's just pasta!

On Thu, 26 Dec 2013 11:29:33 -0500, "Gus" >
wrote:

>"pltrgyst" > wrote in message
...
>> On 12/26/13 10:16 AM, Dave Smith wrote:
>>>> A lot less work than making pasta.
>>>
>>> Ain't that the truth. I have manual pasta roller/cutter and made it
>>> a
>>> few times. By the time you use the eggs and flour it costs a lot
>>> more
>>> to make it than to buy it. Then there is to work of mixing, kneading
>>> and
>>> rolling. Store bought pasta is a bargain.
>>
>> But the key point to me is that fresh pasta tastes entirely different
>> from dried, in both flavor and texture. Each is better suited to an
>> assortment of dishes.
>>
>> So if you don't have a local source for fresh pasta (even Whole
>> Foods), you night have to make your own.
>>
>> Or you could take my devious route -- marry someone who loves to make
>> pasta, and let her do it. 8
>>
>> -- Larry
>
>Where do you find a spouse like that? Did you meet on a pasta/dating
>website?

Lawrrrry met him at a *** bar.

On 12/26/2013 2:03 PM, gtr wrote:
> On 2013-12-26 16:01:46 +0000, Gus said:
>
>> I had a roommate that made it from scratch. It was fantastic-- better
>> than from an authentic Italian restaurant, but it sure took him a long
>> time and seem to be a lot of work and mess.
>
> I thought that was why many of us were here for excellence despite "work
> and mess".
>

Yes, most of us are. OTOH, some pasta dishes are heavily flavored with
a rich red sauce and/or strong cheese and the delicate taste of the
pasta is hidden. Store bought works there.

On Thu, 26 Dec 2013 11:02:08 -0800, gtr > wrote:

>On 2013-12-26 15:16:20 +0000, Dave Smith said:
>
>> On 2013-12-25 10:37 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Was there something in my post that suggested that it was a pasta
>>>>> substitute? All I said was that I tried it one and it was okay but I
>>>>> didn't bother doing it again. There are other squashes that are much
>>>>> better.
>>>>
>>>> And it's too much work!
>>>
>>> A lot less work than making pasta.
>>
>> Ain't that the truth. I have manual pasta roller/cutter and made it a
>> few times. By the time you use the eggs and flour it costs a lot more
>> to make it than to buy it. Then there is to work of mixing, kneading
>> and rolling. Store bought pasta is a bargain.
>
>If it's just straight-up spaghetti you're going for, I agree. On the
>other hand we've made ravioli's that certainly beat the hell out of any
>store-bought product we've yet encountered.

I used to buy Silver Star brand frozen ravioli, outstanding... but I
think they closed up shop. Now instead of ravioli I buy Mrs.T's
perogies, another very good product. When I want to make ravioli with
some special filling I make my own using wonton wrappers, but it's
rare... the last time was about three years ago when I made a filling
of doctored SPAM and used those raviolis in a Chinese hot and sour
soup, was excellent.

On 2013-12-27 01:53:46 +0000, Ed Pawlowski said:

> On 12/26/2013 2:03 PM, gtr wrote:
>> On 2013-12-26 16:01:46 +0000, Gus said:
>>
>>> I had a roommate that made it from scratch. It was fantastic-- better
>>> than from an authentic Italian restaurant, but it sure took him a long
>>> time and seem to be a lot of work and mess.
>>
>> I thought that was why many of us were here for excellence despite "work
>> and mess".
>
> Yes, most of us are. OTOH, some pasta dishes are heavily flavored with
> a rich red sauce and/or strong cheese and the delicate taste of the
> pasta is hidden. Store bought works there.

Exactly what I said: Spaghetti and marinara isn't great enhanced by
home-made pasta.

"gtr" > wrote in message news:2013122616330023775-xxx@yyyzzz...
> On 2013-12-26 19:22:29 +0000, Ophelia said:
>
>> "gtr" > wrote in message
>> news:201312261103346349-xxx@yyyzzz...
>>> On 2013-12-26 16:01:46 +0000, Gus said:
>>>
>>>> I had a roommate that made it from scratch. It was fantastic-- better
>>>> than from an authentic Italian restaurant, but it sure took him a long
>>>> time and seem to be a lot of work and mess.
>>>
>>> I thought that was why many of us were here for excellence despite "work
>>> and mess".
>>
>> Well, making pasta isn't THAT much mess!
>
> Tell Gus about it.

Awww it is a shame if that put him off But, I guess it depends on whether
you are a mess cook anyway

--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

"gtr" > wrote in message news:2013122616442532896-xxx@yyyzzz...
> On 2013-12-26 22:06:51 +0000, sf said:
>
>> On Thu, 26 Dec 2013 11:03:34 -0800, gtr > wrote:
>>
>>> On 2013-12-26 16:01:46 +0000, Gus said:
>>>
>>>> I had a roommate that made it from scratch. It was fantastic-- better
>>>> than from an authentic Italian restaurant, but it sure took him a long
>>>> time and seem to be a lot of work and mess.
>>>
>>> I thought that was why many of us were here for excellence despite
>>> "work and mess".
>>
>> Some of us know our limitations and admit that while what we make
>> might be as good, it's certainly not any better than store-bought
>> "fresh" pasta and we'd rather apply our culinary efforts to cooking
>> the rest of the meal.
>
> Certainly: We have X amount of time, Y amount of energy and Z amount of
> intent. These all very personal.
>
>> With the exception of Ophelia, I don't see women claiming they make all
>> their own pasta.
>
> What was the men body-count? Assuming it's important to make a gender
> distinction on pasta...
>
>> I like using shapes other than something flat that is only varied by
>> width. I am not
>> going to sink a fortune into pasta making attachments or any more time
>> into hand made, so I'm fine with store bought.
>
> I generally agree with one critical exception: Ravioli. That said, the
> pasta machine was the way we perfected our rye crackerbreads too. And it's
> kind of a fun thing for the two of us to do. We sometimes play a card
> game, Casino. It has vastly less productive qualities that pasta-making.
>
>> Italians aren't hung up on making all their own pasta all the time, so I
>> have no idea why
>> we have to be so macho about making our own pasta fresh, every single
>> time we serve it.
>
> "Do it yourself" doesn't have to relate in any way to proving something to
> others, which I'm guessing is what "macho" means in your context. People
> do any number of things because they simply *enjoy* doing it--even when
> the results are stellar or comparable to [insert something else]. The wife
> gardens and weaves, but has friends who can't conceive why she wouldn't
> simply by chives and peppers, or spend more time shopping for the perfect
> scarf.
>
> I play music, when I could easily buy a cd--I'm not trying to prove
> anything, I'm simply having fun.
>
>> Could it be that the men who are so full of pasta bravado are also not
>> the main cook and bottle washer? I call it the BBQ complex. They
>> make something from scratch once and suddenly they are experts at
>> everything, all the time and preaching at us for not doing all the
>> time what they did once to great applause. Stop the chest beating.
>> People were trying to encourage you to do more, not crowning you king.
>
> I don't know to whom your applying all these projections. Many of these
> kinds of things are challenges for me. Once the challenge becomes common
> place, regardless of the result, I move to other challenges.
> Preaching/chest-beating/experts/macho; hell it's just pasta!

Can't say I am interested in doing any of those things But, I worked for
many years and wasn't able to satisfy my craving for cooking, although my
creative instincts were satisfied. Now I am retired I can and do cook and I
enjoy that too ))) I don't make things to put anyone else down, I just
do it to please myself. Who knows, one day I might get bored and if that
happens maybe I will go for the preaching and chest beating ... but not at
the moment! ))



--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

On Fri, 27 Dec 2013 15:25:23 -0000, "Ophelia"
> wrote:

> Can't say I am interested in doing any of those things But, I worked for
> many years and wasn't able to satisfy my craving for cooking, although my
> creative instincts were satisfied. Now I am retired I can and do cook and I
> enjoy that too ))) I don't make things to put anyone else down, I just
> do it to please myself. Who knows, one day I might get bored and if that
> happens maybe I will go for the preaching and chest beating ... but not at
> the moment! ))

That's why I'm not including you, O. You don't say anything about it
until you're backed into a corner. You're not the one who calls
supermarket hamburger mystery meat and you're not implying that people
who buy their pasta at the supermarket are lazy and buying an inferior
product.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 27 Dec 2013 15:25:23 -0000, "Ophelia"
> > wrote:
>
>> Can't say I am interested in doing any of those things But, I worked
>> for
>> many years and wasn't able to satisfy my craving for cooking, although my
>> creative instincts were satisfied. Now I am retired I can and do cook
>> and I
>> enjoy that too ))) I don't make things to put anyone else down, I
>> just
>> do it to please myself. Who knows, one day I might get bored and if
>> that
>> happens maybe I will go for the preaching and chest beating ... but not
>> at
>> the moment! ))
>
> That's why I'm not including you, O. You don't say anything about it
> until you're backed into a corner. You're not the one who calls
> supermarket hamburger mystery meat and you're not implying that people
> who buy their pasta at the supermarket are lazy and buying an inferior
> product.


True. Heck, if I get fed up cooking I will be there in the queue with
you


--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

On Saturday, December 21, 2013 10:36:53 AM UTC-5, jmcquown wrote:
> On 12/21/2013 10:07 AM, Ophelia wrote:
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > "jmcquown" > wrote in message
>
> > ...
>
> >> On 12/21/2013 10:03 AM, notbob wrote:
>
> >>> On 2013-12-21, Gus > wrote:
>
> >>>
>
> >>>> consider it a sacrilege to break it, and never do.
>
> >>>
>
> >>> There's a simple concept in this world. It's called choice.
>
> >>>
>
> >>> nb
>
> >>>
>
> >> True, nb. And really, why does it matter? If someone doesn't want to
>
> >> break the pasta, just use a bigger pot. No brainer.
>
> >
>
> > I think that if Gus doesn't break his, he will have nicer memories)
>
> >
>
> I actually never really thought about it. Sometimes I break spaghetti,
>
> sometimes I don't. But I'm not a sloppy eater and never have slopped
>
> red gravy all over the table, even when the pasta was unbroken.
>
>
>
> Jill


Since I don't like to twirl it, I break it in 3 or 4 places before cooking.
If it's long, I cut it up before I eat it.

Lucille

On Fri, 27 Dec 2013 08:34:43 -0800 (PST), Lucille
> wrote:
>
>
> Since I don't like to twirl it, I break it in 3 or 4 places before cooking.
> If it's long, I cut it up before I eat it.
>
> Lucille
>

You're a good one to answer this question then... why don't you pick a
tubular pasta that you can stab?

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Thursday, December 26, 2013 4:06:51 PM UTC-6, sf wrote:
>
>
> Some of us know our limitations and admit that while what we make
>
> might be as good, it's certainly not any better than store-bought
>
> "fresh" pasta and we'd rather apply our culinary efforts to cooking
>
> the rest of the meal.

The only advantage that making one's own has is cost. I don't make pasta.
I just use the dry stuff, but I do made home-made egg noodles. For ~50
cents--3 eggs and 1-1/2 cups of flour--I can make enough noodles for a medium
sized pot of soup, and my son doesn't like my chicken soup w/o the fresh
noodles.

I always boil the noodles in salted water, then drain them before adding them
to the soup. I don't want that starchiness dulling the flavor of the broth.

--B

On 2013-12-27 17:15:14 +0000, sf said:

> On Fri, 27 Dec 2013 08:34:43 -0800 (PST), Lucille
> > wrote:
>>
>> Since I don't like to twirl it, I break it in 3 or 4 places before cooking.
>> If it's long, I cut it up before I eat it.
>
> You're a good one to answer this question then... why don't you pick a
> tubular pasta that you can stab?

Su bowtie, fusilli, penne, rigatoni, shell, elbow, rotini,
tortiglioni and another 30 types I've never tried like those funny
wheels and stuff.

Which reminds me, I love tortellini and tortelloni but have never had a
packaged variety that it wasn't oddly dense and tasted like it was
stuffed with sawdust. In restaurants, where I assume it is hand-made,
it always tastes great, including the fillings.

I figure with the frozen or "fresh" products they still include
preservatives and other ingredients to weather the packaging that I
wouldn't add at home. With the dried variety, if it's present, it
doesn't seem to damage the stuff.

On Fri, 27 Dec 2013 10:09:33 -0800, gtr > wrote:

> Which reminds me, I love tortellini and tortelloni but have never had a
> packaged variety that it wasn't oddly dense and tasted like it was
> stuffed with sawdust.

I think they are meant to be used in soups, because they taste fine
after they've been given time to soak in the hot tub. I haven't done
that in years because I prefer other types of pasta in my soup, but
that's my personal experience.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

"Gus" > wrote in message
...
> "Dave Smith" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On 2013-12-25 10:37 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Was there something in my post that suggested that it was a pasta
>>>>> substitute? All I said was that I tried it one and it was okay but I
>>>>> didn't bother doing it again. There are other squashes that are much
>>>>> better.
>>>>
>>>> And it's too much work!
>>>
>>> A lot less work than making pasta.
>>>
>>
>> Ain't that the truth. I have manual pasta roller/cutter and made it a
>> few times. By the time you use the eggs and flour it costs a lot more to
>> make it than to buy it. Then there is to work of mixing, kneading and
>> rolling. Store bought pasta is a bargain.
>
>
> I had a roommate that made it from scratch. It was fantastic-- better
> than from an authentic Italian restaurant, but it sure took him a long
> time and seem to be a lot of work and mess.

I haven't made it for many years and when I did make it, it was just basic
noodles or ravioli. I don't recall it being extremely labor intensive.

But when I made that spaghetti squash, I had difficulty cooking it as it was
so large and then once cooked I played hell trying to cut it open.

"Ophelia" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> "gtr" > wrote in message news:201312261103346349-xxx@yyyzzz...
>> On 2013-12-26 16:01:46 +0000, Gus said:
>>
>>> I had a roommate that made it from scratch. It was fantastic-- better
>>> than from an authentic Italian restaurant, but it sure took him a long
>>> time and seem to be a lot of work and mess.
>>
>> I thought that was why many of us were here for excellence despite "work
>> and mess".
>
> Well, making pasta isn't THAT much mess!

I didn't think it was either. Heck, I put down waxed paper and did it right
on the counter. Why do I think someone will make something of this?

"Julie Bove" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Ophelia" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>>
>> "gtr" > wrote in message
>> news:201312261103346349-xxx@yyyzzz...
>>> On 2013-12-26 16:01:46 +0000, Gus said:
>>>
>>>> I had a roommate that made it from scratch. It was fantastic-- better
>>>> than from an authentic Italian restaurant, but it sure took him a long
>>>> time and seem to be a lot of work and mess.
>>>
>>> I thought that was why many of us were here for excellence despite "work
>>> and mess".
>>
>> Well, making pasta isn't THAT much mess!
>
> I didn't think it was either. Heck, I put down waxed paper and did it
> right on the counter. Why do I think someone will make something of this?

Because they will. :-)

Cheri

"Ophelia" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> "gtr" > wrote in message
> news:2013122616330023775-xxx@yyyzzz...
>> On 2013-12-26 19:22:29 +0000, Ophelia said:
>>
>>> "gtr" > wrote in message
>>> news:201312261103346349-xxx@yyyzzz...
>>>> On 2013-12-26 16:01:46 +0000, Gus said:
>>>>
>>>>> I had a roommate that made it from scratch. It was fantastic-- better
>>>>> than from an authentic Italian restaurant, but it sure took him a long
>>>>> time and seem to be a lot of work and mess.
>>>>
>>>> I thought that was why many of us were here for excellence despite
>>>> "work
>>>> and mess".
>>>
>>> Well, making pasta isn't THAT much mess!
>>
>> Tell Gus about it.
>
> Awww it is a shame if that put him off But, I guess it depends on
> whether you are a mess cook anyway

I have seen people make huge messes when there really was no need. But then
sometimes I think I am overly careful because I hate messes. I tend to
clean up as I go unless it is some really big thing like apples for canning
applesauce. In that case I just keep going and going and then get all the
sticky up at the end.

"dsi1" > wrote in message
...
> On 12/26/2013 9:03 AM, gtr wrote:
>> On 2013-12-26 16:01:46 +0000, Gus said:
>>
>>> I had a roommate that made it from scratch. It was fantastic-- better
>>> than from an authentic Italian restaurant, but it sure took him a long
>>> time and seem to be a lot of work and mess.
>>
>> I thought that was why many of us were here for excellence despite "work
>> and mess".
>>
>
> The only thing that I care about is that the food is tasty and that I
> don't have to bust my balls to achieve this state. I'm not trying to
> impress, or make a social-economic statement about myself. I cook everyday
> not because I enjoy cooking. I'm quite happy to leave the fancy cooking to
> those that get paid to do it and hobbyists.

When I was younger, I tried for very impressive things. I still might on
occasion but mostly not.

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 26 Dec 2013 11:03:34 -0800, gtr > wrote:
>
>> On 2013-12-26 16:01:46 +0000, Gus said:
>>
>> > I had a roommate that made it from scratch. It was fantastic-- better
>> > than from an authentic Italian restaurant, but it sure took him a long
>> > time and seem to be a lot of work and mess.
>>
>> I thought that was why many of us were here for excellence despite
>> "work and mess".
>
> Some of us know our limitations and admit that while what we make
> might be as good, it's certainly not any better than store-bought
> "fresh" pasta and we'd rather apply our culinary efforts to cooking
> the rest of the meal. With the exception of Ophelia, I don't see
> women claiming they make all their own pasta. I like using shapes
> other than something flat that is only varied by width. I am not
> going to sink a fortune into pasta making attachments or any more time
> into hand made, so I'm fine with store bought. Italians aren't hung
> up on making all their own pasta all the time, so I have no idea why
> we have to be so macho about making our own pasta fresh, every single
> time we serve it.
>
> Could it be that the men who are so full of pasta bravado are also not
> the main cook and bottle washer? I call it the BBQ complex. They
> make something from scratch once and suddenly they are experts at
> everything, all the time and preaching at us for not doing all the
> time what they did once to great applause. Stop the chest beating.
> People were trying to encourage you to do more, not crowning you king.

I made it quite a lot when I was a kid, teen and young adult. I had no
machine and never tried for any fancy shapes. Actually I rather felt if I
had to go to that extent, it wouldn't be worth it to me.

I made plain noodles that I served with butter and parsley. I made Ravioli.
I now know how to make Tortellini and some other shapes that do not require
the machine.

The only problem with this is that aside from the Ravioli, the only person
who appreciated the taste and texture of my pasta was me! The others either
claimed it was no different than the dried pasta or said they preferred the
dry.

Now if I could find a recipe for a whole wheat pasta with no egg or weird
stuff like tofu, I would probably try it again.

"gtr" > wrote in message news:2013122611020810821-xxx@yyyzzz...
> On 2013-12-26 15:16:20 +0000, Dave Smith said:
>
>> On 2013-12-25 10:37 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Was there something in my post that suggested that it was a pasta
>>>>> substitute? All I said was that I tried it one and it was okay but I
>>>>> didn't bother doing it again. There are other squashes that are much
>>>>> better.
>>>>
>>>> And it's too much work!
>>>
>>> A lot less work than making pasta.
>>
>> Ain't that the truth. I have manual pasta roller/cutter and made it a
>> few times. By the time you use the eggs and flour it costs a lot more to
>> make it than to buy it. Then there is to work of mixing, kneading and
>> rolling. Store bought pasta is a bargain.
>
> If it's just straight-up spaghetti you're going for, I agree. On the
> other hand we've made ravioli's that certainly beat the hell out of any
> store-bought product we've yet encountered. With excellent cheese instead
> of cheap industrial dairy product, with excellent shredded beef or lamb
> instead of whatever that dried beef byproduct they use in commercial
> products.
>
> Fresh pasta, thick type spaghetti, is also pretty damned good, but it's
> true you can buy it fresh in the supermarkets. But it's not much of a
> bargains compared to dried pasta.

I love to make my own Ravioli because I can put what I want in it. And make
my own shapes. I did hearts once for Valentine's day. Alas the hungry
eaters at the potluck took no notice of the shapes.

"Brooklyn1" > wrote in message
...

> Fruits are vegetable... they sure ain't animal or mineral.

We're not playing 20 questions here!

Gus Overton wrote:

> I have a big pot, though even in that, the spaghetti still sticks out at first till the part submerged starts to become flexible.


Whole spags, half spags, elbow macaroni, penne, whatever - it's all different shapes and textures of the same thing.

But, as for preferring my spags cut long or short, what I would prefer is one long strand that approximates in length the same amount in size on the average person's plate.

For example, take all the spags on your plate and line them up end to end. However long your spag line-up is, that is how long I'd like my single strand to be. I'd also want it thick, like a rice noodle - one long spag strand about 30 yards long curled up on the plate, round and round, large at the bottom and coming together at the top like a cone of soft icecream. One long strand. Get it in your mouth and gently suck-nibble it into your mouth from the plate - no fork, no mess, no clean up. Turn on the tv, crank out a book, whatever you choose - just get down with that single strand and suck it into your guts over a long period of time for a soothing, refreshing experience known to few beyond the Lamas of the mountains of Nepal whose methods for full holistic relaxation are not yet known or understood by us. But believe me, sucking that long thick single strand of spag slowly into your mouth and chewing it methodically as it passes your teeth will bring you a sense of peace and contentment that surpasses even the most exhilarating sensation relaxing sensation that comes with taking the best shit of your life. Only it's in reverse and it tastes good. And it's a good way to quit smoking too. Also, if you're trying to quit being ***, or even if you're just a recreational cock sucker who is trying to break the habit, sucking the long spag strand is a good method to quit on the natch without going cold turkey.

TJ

"Julie Bove" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Ophelia" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>>
>> "gtr" > wrote in message
>> news:2013122616330023775-xxx@yyyzzz...
>>> On 2013-12-26 19:22:29 +0000, Ophelia said:
>>>
>>>> "gtr" > wrote in message
>>>> news:201312261103346349-xxx@yyyzzz...
>>>>> On 2013-12-26 16:01:46 +0000, Gus said:
>>>>>
>>>>>> I had a roommate that made it from scratch. It was fantastic--
>>>>>> better
>>>>>> than from an authentic Italian restaurant, but it sure took him a
>>>>>> long
>>>>>> time and seem to be a lot of work and mess.
>>>>>
>>>>> I thought that was why many of us were here for excellence despite
>>>>> "work
>>>>> and mess".
>>>>
>>>> Well, making pasta isn't THAT much mess!
>>>
>>> Tell Gus about it.
>>
>> Awww it is a shame if that put him off But, I guess it depends on
>> whether you are a mess cook anyway
>
> I have seen people make huge messes when there really was no need. But
> then sometimes I think I am overly careful because I hate messes. I tend
> to clean up as I go unless it is some really big thing like apples for
> canning applesauce. In that case I just keep going and going and then get
> all the sticky up at the end.

Aye I clean up as I go along When I start to cook I have a sink of hot
soapy water ready too so I can put things straight in or clean my hands as i
go along
--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

"Julie Bove" > wrote in message
...

> I have seen people make huge messes when there really was no need.
> But then sometimes I think I am overly careful because I hate messes.
> I tend to clean up as I go unless it is some really big thing like
> apples for canning applesauce. In that case I just keep going and
> going and then get all the sticky up at the end.

My ex said her 12 year old liked to cook and was good at it. She would
go on about how he was such a good cook, but all I ever saw him make was
a huge mess. He refused to accept that part of cooking was cleaning up.

"Ophelia" > wrote in message
...

> Aye I clean up as I go along When I start to cook I have a sink of
> hot soapy water ready too so I can put things straight in or clean my
> hands as i go along
> --

I try to do this too. It seems less overwhelming and easier to deal
with... I hate seeing dirty dishes, especially piled up in the sink.
And they longer they sit there, more dried on and difficult to clean...
My ex and her kids were terrible about dirty dishes. Kids would just
leave them all over the house. My parents would never let us do that.
Actually we were always supposed to eat at the kitchen table, though we
would sneak in front of the telly if they weren't around.

At best, the kids would put some dishes in the sink, but then it would
just become a jumble of things and hard to work with. And the wife and
them preferred the dishwasher (I was used to hand washing and found it
simpler.) I never understood why they didn't put dirty dishes in the
dishwasher instead of the sink, what is the point of that? I tried to
get them to do this, but they never did unless prodded... My mom used
to basically wash the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher.
Never had to clean out her dishwasher.

"Gus" > wrote in message
...
> "Julie Bove" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>> I have seen people make huge messes when there really was no need. But
>> then sometimes I think I am overly careful because I hate messes. I tend
>> to clean up as I go unless it is some really big thing like apples for
>> canning applesauce. In that case I just keep going and going and then
>> get all the sticky up at the end.
>
> My ex said her 12 year old liked to cook and was good at it. She would go
> on about how he was such a good cook, but all I ever saw him make was a
> huge mess. He refused to accept that part of cooking was cleaning up.

Well he would if she always did the cleanup for him.

--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

"Gus" > wrote in message
...
> "Ophelia" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>> Aye I clean up as I go along When I start to cook I have a sink of hot
>> soapy water ready too so I can put things straight in or clean my hands
>> as i go along
>> --
>
> I try to do this too. It seems less overwhelming and easier to deal
> with... I hate seeing dirty dishes, especially piled up in the sink. And
> they longer they sit there, more dried on and difficult to clean... My ex
> and her kids were terrible about dirty dishes. Kids would just leave them
> all over the house. My parents would never let us do that. Actually we
> were always supposed to eat at the kitchen table, though we would sneak in
> front of the telly if they weren't around.
>
> At best, the kids would put some dishes in the sink, but then it would
> just become a jumble of things and hard to work with. And the wife and
> them preferred the dishwasher (I was used to hand washing and found it
> simpler.) I never understood why they didn't put dirty dishes in the
> dishwasher instead of the sink, what is the point of that? I tried to get
> them to do this, but they never did unless prodded... My mom used to
> basically wash the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Never had
> to clean out her dishwasher.

Doesn't seem much point in having a dishwasher eh? I like to wash up as
I go along because often I want to use again something I have already used
and especially if I am working with raw chicken ... hands, implements and
worktops need to be properly cleaned!


>

--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

On Sat, 28 Dec 2013 14:46:51 -0000, "Ophelia"
> wrote:
>
>
> Doesn't seem much point in having a dishwasher eh?
>
>
I prewash my dishes. My dishwasher doesn't have a food disposal and I
want the cr*p off them before I put them into the dishwasher. I
usually use the Quick Wash cycle and never run a full cycle. I like
it because it's a final hot water + soap & rinse that leaves my dishes
squeaky clean.

> I like to wash up as
> I go along because often I want to use again something I have already used
> and especially if I am working with raw chicken ... hands, implements and
> worktops need to be properly cleaned!

I wash as I go too, it's how to stay organized and not have a big mess
to face at the end of the meal. I rare to never wash pots and pans in
my dishwasher (maybe a casserole dish on rare occasion).

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On 12/26/2013 1:17 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
> On Thu, 26 Dec 2013 10:16:20 -0500, Dave Smith
> > wrote:
>
>> Ain't that the truth. I have manual pasta roller/cutter and made it a
>> few times. By the time you use the eggs and flour it costs a lot more
>> to make it than to buy it. Then there is to work of mixing, kneading and
>> rolling. Store bought pasta is a bargain.
>
> And as easy as boiling water.
>
Yeah, but then do you break it? That is the question.

Jill

"sf" > wrote in message
...

> I prewash my dishes. My dishwasher doesn't have a food disposal and I
> want the cr*p off them before I put them into the dishwasher. I
> usually use the Quick Wash cycle and never run a full cycle. I like
> it because it's a final hot water + soap & rinse that leaves my dishes
> squeaky clean.

I thought this and my ex said I was wrong. (Rare case where she was
right! I looked on the internet to for evidence to show her she was
mistaken-- and discovered I was wrong.) I still don't see how a
dishwasher is more efficient. But living alone, I don't get many dishes
at a time so just seems easier to handwash. I only got a new one
because she wanted one. The dishwasher I'm sure sanitizes better, but
handwashing seems to be good enough. And in the winter the hot water is
kind of nice, and it can be kind of meditative washing dishes.


Stop pre-rinsing and let the dishwasher do its job
Consumer Reports News: April 12, 2012 05:28 PM

Some time-worn habits are hard to break like rinsing your dishes before
you put them in the dishwasher. But stopping this ritual pays off in
time and money. Not only will you save water but the energy it takes to
heat it as well. Dishwashers are made to do dirty jobs so just scrape
the excess food from the plates and let the machine do the rest of the
work.

Pre-rinsing your dishes in the sink can easily waste more than 6,000
gallons of water per household each year. If you want to wash your
dishes before the machine is full, use the rinse-and-hold cycle, which
uses about half the water you'd consume hand washing them. And to get
the dishes their cleanest, load large items at the side and back so they
don't block the water. And face the soiled surfaces inward so they're
hit by the spray.

When Consumer Reports tests dishwashers it puts the dishes in caked with
foods such as peanut butter, tomato sauce, oatmeal and egg yolks, some
of the toughest to remove. Dozens of the models we tested were excellent
at washing and dozens more were very good. So tonight after dinner, put
a load of unrinsed dishes in the dishwasher and then take a load off
your feet.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/n...-job/index.htm



"Pre-rinsing dishes is a big mistake," said John Dries, a mechanical
engineer and the owner of Dries Engineering, an appliance design
consulting company in Louisville, Ky. "People assume that the dishwasher
will perform better if you put in cleaner dishes, and that's not true.
Just scrape. Pre-rinsing with hot water is double bad, because you're
pumping water and electricity down the drain."

It's actually triple bad, according to Mike Edwards, a senior dishwasher
design engineer at BSH Home Appliances in New Bern, N.C. "Dishwasher
detergent aggressively goes after food," Mr. Edwards said, "and if you
don't have food soil in the unit, it attacks the glasses, and they get
cloudy," a process known as etching that can cause permanent damage.

It's also important not to use too much detergent, he said.

How much do you need? That depends on how much food soil there is, he
said, not how many dishes. "If you have a light load," he said, "don't
fill the detergent cup all the way."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/21/ga...1fix.html?_r=0

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
...
> On 12/26/2013 1:17 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
>> On Thu, 26 Dec 2013 10:16:20 -0500, Dave Smith
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> Ain't that the truth. I have manual pasta roller/cutter and made it
>>> a
>>> few times. By the time you use the eggs and flour it costs a lot
>>> more
>>> to make it than to buy it. Then there is to work of mixing, kneading
>>> and
>>> rolling. Store bought pasta is a bargain.
>>
>> And as easy as boiling water.
>>
> Yeah, but then do you break it? That is the question.
>
> Jill


Good point!

Fresh is too soft to break, isn't it? I also think if you break dry
spaghetti you take away the option of eating unbroken from people that
prefer it that way. Whereas, people that want it broken, can easily cut
cooked spaghetti in to small parts. Don't even knead a knife.

On Sat, 28 Dec 2013 12:19:38 -0500, "Gus" >
wrote:

> "sf" > wrote in message
> ...
>
> > I prewash my dishes. My dishwasher doesn't have a food disposal and I
> > want the cr*p off them before I put them into the dishwasher. I
> > usually use the Quick Wash cycle and never run a full cycle. I like
> > it because it's a final hot water + soap & rinse that leaves my dishes
> > squeaky clean.
>
> I thought this and my ex said I was wrong. (Rare case where she was
> right! I looked on the internet to for evidence to show her she was
> mistaken-- and discovered I was wrong.) I still don't see how a
> dishwasher is more efficient. But living alone, I don't get many dishes
> at a time so just seems easier to handwash. I only got a new one
> because she wanted one. The dishwasher I'm sure sanitizes better, but
> handwashing seems to be good enough. And in the winter the hot water is
> kind of nice, and it can be kind of meditative washing dishes.
>
>
> Stop pre-rinsing and let the dishwasher do its job
> Consumer Reports News: April 12, 2012 05:28 PM
>

Honestly, I don't care. Like I said before, my dishwasher doesn't
have a garbage disposal, just a screen and I don't want sanitized
scraps of food strewn all over my dishes, which is what happens if I
don't clean them off first. Also, I don't want the darned thing
running for 90 minutes... or in the case of some dishwashers: more.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Thursday, December 26, 2013 9:16:20 AM UTC-6, Dave Smith wrote:
> On 2013-12-25 10:37 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
>
>
>
> >>>
>
> >>> Was there something in my post that suggested that it was a pasta
>
> >>> substitute? All I said was that I tried it one and it was okay but I
>
> >>> didn't bother doing it again. There are other squashes that are much
>
> >>> better.
>
> >>
>
> >> And it's too much work!
>
> >
>
> > A lot less work than making pasta.
>
> >
>
>
>
> Ain't that the truth. I have manual pasta roller/cutter and made it a
>
> few times. By the time you use the eggs and flour it costs a lot more
>
> to make it than to buy it. Then there is to work of mixing, kneading and
>
> rolling. Store bought pasta is a bargain.

You couldn't be more incorrect. Three eggs (~35 cents) and two cups of flour
(~20 cents) makes a pretty decent amount of noodles. Sure, it's work, but
it's pleasurable work.

--B

On 12/28/2013 7:19 AM, Gus wrote:
>
> I thought this and my ex said I was wrong. (Rare case where she was
> right! I looked on the internet to for evidence to show her she was
> mistaken-- and discovered I was wrong.) I still don't see how a
> dishwasher is more efficient. But living alone, I don't get many dishes
> at a time so just seems easier to handwash. I only got a new one
> because she wanted one. The dishwasher I'm sure sanitizes better, but
> handwashing seems to be good enough. And in the winter the hot water is
> kind of nice, and it can be kind of meditative washing dishes.

If you do a lot of spot washing, you might want to try getting one of
those foam dispensers. Dishwashing liquid works a lot better when you
jack up it's surface area by many times. More importantly, you get a
more efficient use out of your soap. I refill mine using dishwashing
liquid diluted around 5 to 1. You can get 2 oz of liquid to last about a
month. Amazing!

As far as this pre-washing before using the automatic dishwasher goes,
it's a basic difference between men and women. There's really nothing
you can to to change people's minds on this. Just accept it and be serene.

>
>
> Stop pre-rinsing and let the dishwasher do its job
> Consumer Reports News: April 12, 2012 05:28 PM
>
> Some time-worn habits are hard to break like rinsing your dishes before
> you put them in the dishwasher. But stopping this ritual pays off in
> time and money. Not only will you save water but the energy it takes to
> heat it as well. Dishwashers are made to do dirty jobs so just scrape
> the excess food from the plates and let the machine do the rest of the
> work.
>
> Pre-rinsing your dishes in the sink can easily waste more than 6,000
> gallons of water per household each year. If you want to wash your
> dishes before the machine is full, use the rinse-and-hold cycle, which
> uses about half the water you'd consume hand washing them. And to get
> the dishes their cleanest, load large items at the side and back so they
> don't block the water. And face the soiled surfaces inward so they're
> hit by the spray.
>
> When Consumer Reports tests dishwashers it puts the dishes in caked with
> foods such as peanut butter, tomato sauce, oatmeal and egg yolks, some
> of the toughest to remove. Dozens of the models we tested were excellent
> at washing and dozens more were very good. So tonight after dinner, put
> a load of unrinsed dishes in the dishwasher and then take a load off
> your feet.
>
> http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/n...-job/index.htm
>
>
>
>
> "Pre-rinsing dishes is a big mistake," said John Dries, a mechanical
> engineer and the owner of Dries Engineering, an appliance design
> consulting company in Louisville, Ky. "People assume that the dishwasher
> will perform better if you put in cleaner dishes, and that's not true.
> Just scrape. Pre-rinsing with hot water is double bad, because you're
> pumping water and electricity down the drain."
>
> It's actually triple bad, according to Mike Edwards, a senior dishwasher
> design engineer at BSH Home Appliances in New Bern, N.C. "Dishwasher
> detergent aggressively goes after food," Mr. Edwards said, "and if you
> don't have food soil in the unit, it attacks the glasses, and they get
> cloudy," a process known as etching that can cause permanent damage.
>
> It's also important not to use too much detergent, he said.
>
> How much do you need? That depends on how much food soil there is, he
> said, not how many dishes. "If you have a light load," he said, "don't
> fill the detergent cup all the way."
>
> http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/21/ga...1fix.html?_r=0
>
>
>

On 12/28/2013 12:23 PM, Gus wrote:
> "jmcquown" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On 12/26/2013 1:17 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
>>> On Thu, 26 Dec 2013 10:16:20 -0500, Dave Smith
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>> Ain't that the truth. I have manual pasta roller/cutter and made it a
>>>> few times. By the time you use the eggs and flour it costs a lot more
>>>> to make it than to buy it. Then there is to work of mixing, kneading
>>>> and
>>>> rolling. Store bought pasta is a bargain.
>>>
>>> And as easy as boiling water.
>>>
>> Yeah, but then do you break it? That is the question.
>>
>> Jill
>
>
> Good point!
>
> Fresh is too soft to break, isn't it?
(snippage)

Yep, store bought "fresh", or homemade, the noodles are soft. Breaking
it would be silly.

Having said that, I don't make pasta. I buy dried store-bought pasta.
The reason is I don't eat pasta very often. If I suddenly feel like
having pasta for dinner you won't find me rolling up my sleeves and
breaking out the flour cannister and the rolling pin.

Jill

On 2013-12-28 17:19:38 +0000, Gus said:

> Stop pre-rinsing and let the dishwasher do its job
> Consumer Reports News: April 12, 2012 05:28 PM

Fascinating. That's always been my conclusion, albeitly a conclusion of
convenience. I'll print this for the wife so she can disregard it in
total.

"gtr" > wrote in message
news:2013122814050745704-xxx@yyyzzz...
> On 2013-12-28 17:19:38 +0000, Gus said:
>
>> Stop pre-rinsing and let the dishwasher do its job
>> Consumer Reports News: April 12, 2012 05:28 PM
>
> Fascinating. That's always been my conclusion, albeitly a conclusion
> of convenience. I'll print this for the wife so she can disregard it
> in total.

lol

Paul Simon said it best years ago.

On 12/22/2013 5:23 AM, Gary wrote:
> Julie Bove wrote:
>>
>> I'll bet you don't have Beefaroni there! That stuff makes me shudder.
>> Bloated up huge pieces of tubular shaped pasta with itty bitty chewy meat
>> bits and sweet sauce.
>
> Funny you should mention that. I have a small can of similar in my
> pantry right now. It's "Macaroni & Beef in Tomato Sauce" (My
> Essentials generic stuff). I haven't eaten anything like that in years
> but it was an impulse buy a couple of months ago. I'll eat it
> eventually and I'm sure it will be "OK" but not something to stock up
> on.
>
> G.
>
I tend to keep a couple of cans for an emergency meal. I wouldn't call
it fine dining but it's ok in a pinch.

--
CAPSLOCK–Preventing Login Since 1980.

"Cheryl" > wrote in message
eb.com...
> On 12/22/2013 5:23 AM, Gary wrote:
>> Julie Bove wrote:
>>>
>>> I'll bet you don't have Beefaroni there! That stuff makes me shudder.
>>> Bloated up huge pieces of tubular shaped pasta with itty bitty chewy
>>> meat
>>> bits and sweet sauce.
>>
>> Funny you should mention that. I have a small can of similar in my
>> pantry right now. It's "Macaroni & Beef in Tomato Sauce" (My
>> Essentials generic stuff). I haven't eaten anything like that in years
>> but it was an impulse buy a couple of months ago. I'll eat it
>> eventually and I'm sure it will be "OK" but not something to stock up
>> on.
>>
>> G.
>>
> I tend to keep a couple of cans for an emergency meal. I wouldn't call it
> fine dining but it's ok in a pinch.

I used to keep cans of gluten free pasta imported from Australia for
emergencies. I had tried a bite once and thought it tasted the way
Spaghettios tasted. Daughter had eaten a few cans but then finally just put
her foot and and she refused. So I said, "Fine! I'll eat one then!"

Pppyuck! I know that Spaghettios taste sweet but this stuff was so sickly
sweet that I had to spit it out. And the past had been cooked to mush. I
do remember eating Beefaroni a few times. It wasn't very good but I didn't
have to spit it out.