Author Archives: The Forking Truth

The Forking Truth is that your Thermometer (and your oven) might NOT be accurate

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I was braising chicken in my oven and according to my thermometer my chicken was at 180 degrees. I noticed that it didn’t look done. Then I noticed blood running out of the chicken so I knew my thermometer wasn’t working accurately.

Then I thought my chicken was taking much longer to get done than normal so I wanted to get the temperature of my oven. I had two oven thermometers and they both gave me different readings. I figured my thermometers are old so maybe I need a new one? I ran to Ace Hardware and bought a new oven thermometer. WOW I got a another different temperature. My husband did some research into oven thermometers. According to Cook’s Illustrated the CDN Brand are highly recommended so we bought two of them since I have a double oven.

I put all 5 thermometers in my lower oven that I set for 350 degrees F roast. I let my oven run for around 20 minutes before I took a reading.

This is what I got.

New Taylor Thermometer from ACE read around 300 degrees F

NEW CDN Thermometer read around 320 degrees F

other NEW CDN Thermometer read around 276 degrees F

Old Thermometer read around 335 degrees F

other old thermometer read around 350 degrees F

I got between around 276 – around 350 degrees F

Now I will see what my top oven reads. I set it at 350 roast.

My New Taylor Thermometer reads around 280 degrees F

New CDN reads around 298 F

Other new CDN reads around 278 F

Old thermometer reads around 340 F

other old thermometer reads around 340 F

I got between 280 – 340 F reading on my upper oven set at 350 roast.

I’m thinking maybe I don’t FORKING NEED a thermometer? I shouldn’t get hot and bothered about this……..I have to just cook till the food is done.

The Forking Truth is that your thermometer (and your oven) might not be accurate.

The Forking Truth

Easy Glazed Carrots with Cumin and Orange Recipe

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Joel Robuchon Style carrots and Jean George Vongerichten carrots are very similar and both feature carrots with cumin and orange so that is what we are doing here. I watched someone on YouTube doing Robuchon style carrots and I thought If I cooked them that much they’d fall apart so I am doing them different and easier. I also used frozen concentrated orange juice since I had it in my freezer for a rich concentrated orange flavor. I do note my idea of serving size might differ from your idea of serving size.

Ingredients for around 10 servings

2 lbs of carrots – peeled and sliced into thinner coins on a mandolin

1 garlic clove – ground to paste

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 Tablespoons sweet butter

1 Tablespoon cumin seeds

1/4 cup water

12 oz frozen concentrated orange juice – thawed

1/2 teaspoon piment d’ espelette

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves – chopped

Directions

Steam carrots. You can do them stove top or do them much quicker with less mess in a microwave. If you do microwave it’s just- Carrots go in a microwavable bowl. Add 1/4 cup watering cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high three minutes. Let it sit on the counter.

In a large fry pan on medium high heat add the oil, salt, sugar, butter, cumin seeds,and orange juice concentrate. Cook till it reduces and it’s like caramel. It’s not delicious until the sauce turns to caramel. Drain your carrots.

At this point you can add the garlic, piment d’ espelette and carrots. Cook a few minutes. Add the chopped cilantro and serve.

Easy glazed carrots with cumin and orange

Everyone will love this!

The Forking Truth

Three Restaurants in Metro Phoenix for Jerk Chicken – Caribbean Cuisine, Desert Island Eatery & The Breadfruit & Rum Bar

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My first jerk chicken I had was in Jamaica. It wasn’t as spicy as I imagined it to be but was a delicious flavorful what seemed like stewed chicken dish. Jerk Chicken is typically marinated with a combination of hot peppers, thyme, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves garlic and onion. It can be cooked either on a wood or charcoal grill or in the oven. I think the most similar version of Jerk Chicken that I tried in Jamaica came from Caribbean Cuisine in Glendale. This is a very small restaurant that is open mainly for just take out. (possibly just for take out these days during the pandemic) Their specialty dish is the cows foot soup.

It’s a delicious fall apart stewy kind of chicken. The generous plate comes with lots of rice and peas, plantains with cabbage and a little salad and extra hot sauce is offered.

In the past year a new restaurant opened up near me that is also mostly a take out Caribbean Restaurant called Desert Island Eatery in North Phoenix. (They have added outside patio tables not pictured and the three small tables inside are closed during the pandemic)

Combo with Jerk Chicken and Curry Chicken

I usually get the combo because I LOVE their curry chicken too! Just like the Jamaican jerk chicken and also just like Caribbean Cuisine the jerk chicken is nice and stewy fall apart chicken with the flavors penetrated all threw it. The Desert Island Eatery Jerk Chicken is intense with the flavors, spice and heat. I get legs, thigh and some breast meat at Desert Island Eatery. You get your choice of yellow rice or rice and peas with cabbage and vegetables.

I recently tried the jerk chicken take out special for two people from The Breadfruit and Rum Bar in Downtown Phoenix. This is a nice dine restaurant that is temporarily closed during the pandemic but was open for limited take out.

This was different from the others in many ways. It’s not stewy. It seemed like it was roasted but it might have been grilled. The flavors are intense and delicious but are mostly on the skin of the chicken. They also gave a small cup of hot sauce that should come with a warning label that is MOLTEN HOT (just one drop is INSANELY CRAZY HOT!….I think it could burn a hole threw the center of the earth) This was mostly a large portion of breast meat with some rice and peas fried kale and a few other vegetables.

Those were three places in metro Phoenix for Jerk Chicken.

Caribbean Cuisine – Glendale

Desert Island Eatery – North Phoenix

The Breadfruit and Rum Bar – Downtown Phoenix

Everything is subject to change and we hope it does change for the better.

The Forking Truth

Take Out During The CoronaVirus Pandemic in Metro Phoenix Week 18 – CHZBURGR, The Breadfruit and Rum Bar, Barrio Cafe, La Piazza Al Forno, Szechuan Cuisine

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Dining out these days during the coronavirus pandemic can be deadly. Take out is a less risky option than dining in. Curbside is even less risky. Our first take out of the week was from CHZBURGR in Glendale. They offer curbside pick up.

They also offer the best cheeseburgers, best hotdogs and best chicken sandwiches around. The sandwiches are made with the highest quality ingredients. Sauces and pickles are made in house. A little birdie named Clint said the rolls are from a Philadelphia Bakery. Not only are the sandwiches amazing but they only cost almost the same as fast food. You can’t go wrong with anything from CHZBURGR!

Even my dogs get really wild when we have food from CHZBURGR. They both can’t wait and slap me for food.

Next take out was from The Breadfruit and Rum Bar in Downtown Phoenix.

The restaurant is temporarily closed but they were offering a Friday Night Take out special for two of Jerk Chicken with Rice and Peas and Vegetables.

It was flavored nicely and there was plenty of breast meat. As per usual my dogs couldn’t wait to try some.

Next take out was from the Barrio Cafe in Phoenix. I haven’t been here in a long time and the last few years have been going to the now closed Barrio Grand Reserva. It’s so lively with rich wall art now.

They have the entrance sort of blocked off and there is only room for one person to do the pick up so I waited outside. The traffic is very bad and several roads are closed. It took us about an hour to get home and the food still traveled well.

OH MY GOSH there is so much delicious food! I ordered the salmon and my husband ordered the pork green chile verde.

There is even two types of hand made mini tortillas. My picture doesn’t do this food justice everything taste FORKING AMAZING! There is even good size portions of spicy home made ketchup for those crazy good fingerling potatoes. So many delicious details. Really awesome take out with lots of delicious leftovers. My dogs are lucky dogs and enjoyed some of the Barrio Cafe Food.

We also did take out from La Piazza Al Forno in Old Town Glendale.

We got a meat/cheese/vegetable/fried ravioli plate called a tavola mista and two delicious certified pizzas. These pizzas are different from everyone else’s. The crust is very tender. The mozzarella cheese is also different with a lot of flavor and is made in house. Today my husband got the Italian Stallion pizza (D.O.P. San Marzano tomatoes, house made mozzarella, sausage, pepperoni, prosciutto di parma, sopressata). I got the bianco with added Calabrian peppers (house made mozzarella, ricotta (very good ricotta), parmesan, fresh basil, Sicilian oregano, e.v.o.o.) Everything was DELICIOUS! Very VERY Good! Of course I shared some with the dogs.

We were able to squeak in a 5th take out and took out from Szechuan Cuisine in Glendale.

Today we shared fish with fungus and snow peas in egg white sauce, shrimp kung pao and spicy cabbage. The fish dish was xtra mild and delicate. The shrimp dish was also mild. The cabbage dish had nice flavors and a little heat.

My dogs couldn’t wait to try some.

“Don’t worry we are in this thing together and will help eat all the food!”

Week 18 of Take out during the coronavirus pandemic was from-

CHZBURGR – Glendale

The Breadfruit and Rum Bar – Phoenix

Bario Cafe – Phoenix

La Piazza Al Forno – Old Town Glendale

Szechuan Cuisine – Glendale

Every THING is subject to change and we HOPE it DOES CHANGE for the BETTER!

The Forking Truth

Stuffed Southwest Style Chicken Breast Recipe

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I got lots of odds and ends in my freezer that I have to use. I also stocked up on chicken breast because Safeway has had them on a sale often. I ended up making something like a pie with chicken breast as the bottom crust. It came out delicious. If you fill the butterflied chicken breast with mostly moist flavorful fillings the chicken should come out moist and flavorful. Depending on the filling you might need to add an egg or maybe two so it holds together. I’m guessing that this makes around 6 servings for most people….. I wrote down everything I made the chicken with but I don’t have exactly how I made the corn bread stuffing topping…because I winged it on Thanksgiving and used turkey drippings instead of oil. You can use any flavorful cornbread…I also used the end of my cranberry pickled beets. You can use a chunky not very drippy cranberry relish as a substitute if you want.

Ingredients for around 6 servings

1 lb chicken breast – butterfly and pound thin

1 lb pumpkin cooked and drained – I used real pumpkin

3 oz chipotle in adobo (fine chop any jalapeño)

1 Tablespoon fancy mustard (I used a dijon with some grain)

1 Tablespoon honey

3 eggs beaten (2 go in the corn bread and one holds together the pumpkin)

8 oz corn bread – cut in cubes

1/4 cup fresh parsley – chopped

bbq seasoning blend (I normally never buy a blend…think I got this was a gift and finally used it…It’s a combination oof salt, garlic, onion, bell pepper, unknown spices, natural smoke and paprika) Chicken gets seasoned well with this on both sides.

non stick spray

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F. NOTE I did set my oven at 350 degrees roast. My oven might not be accurate. I think my oven runs slightly less but it’s close enough.

Spray a loaf pan with non stick spray

Season butterflied and pounded chicken breast on both sides and place in pan so it’s like a crust shape.

Add Parsley.

In a medium bowl add the pumpkin, chipotle adobo, mustard, honey and one beaten egg. Mix well and that is next layer.

Next add cranberry or cranberry pickled beets……

In a bowl mix up the corn bread cubes with the two beaten eggs and that is the last layer.

Cover tight with foil and place on middle rack of preheated 350 degree F oven.

Timing will differ because we might not have pounded out the chicken the same. mine was done in 45 minutes. I uncovered mine and put it back in for ten minutes so the top would brown up a bit.

Don’t be alarmed at the juice that is around chicken.

I set mine on counter to cool and then refrigerated over night.

The next day I drained the juice and will serve with the slices.

It came out delicious! Even the chicken is very moist and flavorful from all the flavors.

Stuffed Southwest Style Chicken Breast

Can do this a bunch of different ways.

The Forking Truth

Before You Toss Out Scallions or Romaine Ends Consider Produce Regeneration

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A while ago I read that many produce items can regenerate. One vegetable they recommended was the scallion. They said to put the root ends in water and the plant will regenerate. I tried this a few times and hit did grow but always eventually rotted like after a week. I find that basically doing nothing and letting the ends stay in the refrigerator produces results in about two weeks time and haven’t rotted yet.

You will get even better and faster results if you just plant them.

You can get mini romaine heads off of your romaine ends with just water.

It takes about a week to grow a mini head…..But then you have to use it or it will rot.

Before you toss out scallion or romaine ends consider produce regeneration.

The Forking Truth

Forking Easy Delicious Home Made Pizza Recipe

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One of my favorites…Seasoned Heirloom Tomatoes on top of Cheese Blend

Bread recipes are NEVER exact. Every time I follow a bread recipe I have to make adjustments. I didn’t know until a few years ago I found out that every brand of flour is ground differently and produces different results. Humidity and elevation also produce different results. I find that my pizzas come out best when I don’t measure. I just go by how it feels. I tried to measure for here so you can learn. I think it would be best to watch a video on pizza making. It’s too hard to photo when I’m all doughy. Remember that this is just hints and a guide for pizza making.  You can top it however you feel like. This recipe makes enough dough for TWO 14 in pizzas. A total of 16 slices or 8 light servings. Or in my house about 5 servings depending if you have big pizza fans in your house. This project will be easier and quicker with a double oven.

Ingredients to make 2 pizzas or about 8 servings

1 packet 1/4oz active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 cups water 100-110 degrees F

3 cups bread flour ( more flour is needed)

1/4 cup (scant) extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon course sea salt

1 cup bread flour ( knead in what you need and more flour to rest the dough ball)

2 teaspoons semolina flour (or corn meal)m(1 t. each pizza)

2 big pinches semolina flour (or corn meal) ( 1 big pinch each)

Directions

In a large bowl add the yeast, sugar and water (around 110 degrees F) and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place for a half hour. After a half hour the mixture should look foamy on the top and you can precede.

Add the three cups of flour and hand mix now. After well mixed add the 1/4 cup oil and salt. Hand mix. The dough will be sticky. Add the remaining cup of flour to the bowl. Knead in what the dough needs and when you are able to make a nice dough ball let it rest in the flour that’s left and cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for an hour. The dough should have doubled in size.

After an hour punch the dough down and make into another dough ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for about an hour again.

After another hour leave on your counter and take your time. The dough needs at least few hours to develop flavor. Some people let the flavor develop longer (up to three days but with refrigeration and a few hours to warm to room temperature to bake) and you can if you want to but really a few hours is enough. I like to make my dough early in the morning and usually bake it in the afternoon.

Set the top oven to 500 degrees F. (this is easier with a double oven) Set your bottom oven with a seasoned baking stone on a middle rack and set the bottom oven also to 470 foo start with. Get a 14 in pizza pan and rub it well with olive oil and sprinkle it with semolina flour. Take out half the dough from the big batch of dough. Knead it up into a ball and place it on the pan. Sprinkle a little semolina over the top and now slowly stretch the dough out with your hands and fingers. When done place in the oven till it looks just cooked. (turn light on so you can view) It will take around 5-6 minutes.

Turn up your lower oven to 475 degrees F.  But just about 5 minutes before the pizza goes in crank it up to 500 degrees F **************WARNING that this is indeed DANGAROUS and the stone might crack or burst************ONLY DO THIS IF YOUR STONE IS SEASONED!!!!!!OR YOUR STONE WILL BURST! You won’t get the same crust but it’s much safer if you follow recommended manufacturers heat tolerance for your stone….I think mine is safe up to 460 degrees…….

When you dough shell is out of the oven turn it upside down on to a pizza paddle or very large cutting board. Top the pizza however you like. You will need to drizzle the top with a little olive oil for flavor and to slow down the burning of the cheese or topping. Burnt cheese is not good…you don’t want burnt cheese.

Slide the pizza onto the stone. It’s going to be done in about 5-6 minutes. Have the light on and watch. You want the crust to brown up a little and you want the cheese melted but not burnt.

ENJOY A FORKING DELICIOUS PIZZA!

Arugula Balsamic and Taleggio Pizza

Pepperoni pizza

Pizza with Fresh Mozzarella

Great Crisp Crust

My Heirloom Tomato Pizza

NEW Favorite Italian Style Cauliflower with Taleggio ad Robiola Cheese

One of my favorites…Seasoned Heirloom Tomatoes on top of Cheese Blend

Another FAVORITE……Crispy leek gruyere cheese blend with cheddar mushrooms evoo and fresh thyme
The Forking Truth

Marinated Cucumber Vegetable Salad With Lime Pickled Onions Recipe – inspired by Binkley’s Recipe

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I was sort of gifted with a lot of cucumbers so I had to make a really nice cucumber salad to eat all week instead of my normal salad. I came across chef Binkley’s recipe for marinated cucumber salad on the web. I figure since he is one of Arizona’s greatest chefs that his recipe has to be really great so I sort of based my recipe similar to his. I do note my idea of serving will differ from yours. For me this will make around 10 lunch size meals. This takes two days to prepare for the pickling.

Ingredients for around 10 servings

12 cucumbers – peeled, seeds removed, cut in slices

2 pickled jalapeños (preferably home made) – chopped

2 cups rice wine vinegar

2 Tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup sea salt

1 cup bell peppers – diced

1 large red onion – sliced paper thin on mandolin

1 cup lime juice

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon salt

3 cups roasted corn

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley – chopped

2 Tablespoons fresh mint – chopped

2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro – chopped

2 Tablespoons scallions – chopped

Directions

Rice wine vinegar, 2 Tablespoons sugar, 1/4 cup salt get mixed together in a large bowl. Add cucumbers and jalapeños. Let sit out around one hour and stir occasionally. Refrigerate separate from other vegetables going into the salad.

Get a sauce pot on medium high and heat up the water, remaining sugar and remaining salt till dissolved. Let cool and mix in lime juice. Pour into the onions mixed with bell peppers. This needs to pickle over night. put it in the refrigerator and put the salad to gather the next day.

Next day put the salad together and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Marinated Cucumber and Vegetable Salad with Lime Pickled Onions

Special THANK YOU to chef Binkley for posting his recipe on the internet so I could come up with this delicious salad.

The Forking Truth

Weird Forking Drinking and Eating Masks Out There For The CoronaVirus Pandemic

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We are in a serious health crisis and it is advisable and also the law depending on your location to wear masks when you are in a public space. Scientist have proved that much of the virus can stop spreading if we all wear masks. This mandate upsets some people but wearing a mask is the right thing to do. People who don’t wear masks are selfish and can unknowingly be carriers of the virus. They can unintentionally infect others. I was looking at masks for sale on eBay and I noticed that many people now are selling eating and drinking masks.

I don’t think any of these mask can possibly be effective because they all have openings in them.

For a mask to be effective it is suppose to be tight but breathable. It’s suppose to have layers. I’m not a scientist so I Don’t know if this is true but I read that not all but some masks actually provide partial protection against the virus. The bad news is that you can still the catch the virus wearing a better mask that offers partial protection. (kn95, mask with hepa filter are considered better masks. Best masks are reserved for health care workers) The good news is that chances are that you won’t catch as much of the virus with a better well fitting mask. That can make a difference that is more valuable than any amount of money.

If your FORKING Mask has a hole or slit in it you are spreading germs and more germs can spread to you.

#Don’t Kill Grandma Wear a sensible Mask

There is a bunch of Forking Weird Eating and Drinking Masks Out There for sale during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Every FORKING THING is subject to change and we hope IT DOES CHANGE FOR THE BETTER!

The Forking Truth

Asian Style Cucumber Salad Recipe

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I found a page of recipes for Din Tai Fung Style Cucumber Salad when I searched Persian Cucumbers on the web. I read each recipe. Most were the same or similar but a few were different. Since I never tasted Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad I don’t know what it taste like or what recipe is the most similar. I came up with something that is similar but different. They came out light and refreshing and would be a great appetizer to an Asian Style meal. My idea of serving size will differ from your idea of serving size. I can see two people eating this batch since it doesn’t make much but I can also see this as four lighter small servings.

Ingredients for 4 servings

5 Persian Cucumbers – ends trimmed – cut in inch high chunks

1 1/2 Tablespoon kosher salt (to sweat cucumbers)

3 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 Tablespoons mirin

2 Tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons toasted sesame seed oil

1 1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (or to taste)

splash soy sauce

Directions

In a medium bowl add the cucumber chunks and the salt. Mix well and leave the cucumbers sweat for 20 minutes. Then rinse and dry the cucumber chunks. In a small bowl mix up the vinegar, mirin, honey, oil, chili paste and soy sauce. In a zip lock bag (I only needed a sandwich size bag) add the rinsed off and dried cucumber chunks and the liquid mixture. Try to push air out as you zip lock the bag and refrigerate over night and serve tomorrow.

Asian Style Cucumber Salad

Enjoy!

The Forking Truth