Category Archives: Forking Thoughts

Random Forking Items of Interest

Stop# 3 – The Search for Lox in Metro Phoenix – Part 3 – Partial Success

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My forking search for Lox means a Deli that serves a proper tasting Pastrami on Real Rye Bread, A traditional Potato Knish and of course Lox. Since the closing of Abe’s Deli in Scottsdale AZ I haven’t found anyone that actually serves real hand carved Lox. The word lox is a lose term and all that I found available anywhere so far has been Nova or Nova style salmon to be technical.

We stopped in at New York Bagels and Bialy’s in Scottsdale AZ. I ordered a Whitefish Plate with an Onion Bialy.

I received forking this.

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Look close and notice all the bloodline and how DRY the fish is.

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I never forking seen a bialy that looked like this.

I was expecting something like forking this.

Picture from www.thefreshloaf.com

Picture from www.thefreshloaf.com

When the waitress checks on us I do mention how dry the fish is.

The manager soon runs over and is very upset because her help accidentally gave me the forking fish ends you don’t serve people and runs me out some fresh fish.

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The fresh fish is forking better and not dried out and fishy and condensed with salt.

My husband got a 1/2 corned beef, half pastrami on their house made rye bread.

The corned beef was a little weak tasting but OK and not bad. The Pastrami was almost the same in taste as the corned beef.  I didn’t taste the rye bread but my husband said it was the fluffy kind that doesn’t really taste like rye. I’m certain some people prefer the sandwiches this forking way and they are perfection to them.

We took home some lox, cream cheese and 6 bagels.

So the next morning I ate this.

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The fish was better quality than what I found at my previous stops and also cut much nicer too.

I liked the size of the bagel it wasn’t too big but it tasted like it was missing salt and lacked the chewy doughy texture that you look for in bagels. Maybe on some days it’s better than other days.

I didn’t try a knish on this stop but I do consider this partial success because the lox was good.

At this point I doubt I will be able to find Good Lox and a Good Pastrami on Rye in one location but I still will forking try.

Forking Truth

Forking Truth

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Thank you for your response. ✨

 

The Veggetti Spiral Vegetable Slicer verses The Paderno Spiral Vegetable Slicer

Veggetti

Veggetti

I just got a Veggetti spiral vegetable slicer. It’s basically built like a pencil sharpener for zucchini. You insert the zucchini and twist and then you have pasta shaped vegetable strands in spaghetti or linguini shape. They suggest you can use carrots but I tried one and got the forking thing all jammed up.

I also have the Paderno Spiral Vegetable Slicer.

Paderno Spiral Vegetable Slicer

Paderno Spiral Vegetable Slicer

The Paderno also promises to do carrots but it doesn’t. The Paderno has three easy to clean blades for small or thicker strands and it also can do ribbons.

Pros for the Veggetti

The Veggetti is easy to work

The Veggetti takes up less room

The Veggetti cost less (about $12.00)

The Veggetti does produce a thinner strand

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CONS for the Veggetti

The Veggetti is VERY HARD TO CLEAN. The Blades are almost impossible to clean and the vegetable gets the whole forking middle all clogged up.

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Pros for the Paderno

The Paderno is easy to work

The Paderno cuts the zucchini three different ways

The Paderno is very easy to clean

CONS for the Paderno

The Paderno takes up more room

The Paderno cost more (about $30.00)

I’m not so sure I’ll ever forking use the Veggetti again. I do prefer it’s thinner strands but I doubt I’ll ever be able to get it clean again.

In my forking opinion the Paderno Wins over the Forking Veggetti.

Forking Truth

Forking Truth

 

 

In Phoenix You (almost) have to Kiss Your Forking RYE BREAD Good-Bye

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Rye Bread has been around since the Middle Ages.

Rye Bread is High in Fiber and very low in fat.

Rye Bread taste particularly good with Swiss Cheese and Pickled Meats.

You Forking NEED Rye Bread if you want to eat a Patty Melt or a Reuben Sandwich.

I can’t imagine Corned Beef or Pastrami on any other kind of bread.

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I didn’t know that when I moved to Phoenix that Real Rye Bread would be so forking difficult to purchase.

Just Last Week I visited most of the bakery sections at the Grocery Stores near were I forking live.

No Rye was to be found at the Safeway Bakery.

No Forking Rye was to be found at the AJ’s Whatever The Fork they call their Bakery.

No Forking Rye was to be found at Sprouts Bakery.

I did find something called Rye at Fry’s but it didn’t look like rye so I didn’t buy it. The bread was very fluffy and forking white and almost seed free.

The only Rye Bread I can FORKING purchase within a half hour drive was to be found at TRADER JOE’S.

In Phoenix you almost have to kiss your Forking Rye Bread Good-Bye!

Forking Truth

Forking Truth

A little Forking History about Lasagna

Experimental Pomodoro Pizza Lasagna

Experimental Pomodoro Pizza Lasagna (developed or developing recipe)

There is some forking confusion about the origin of lasagna.  You know lasagna! That dish made with several layers of lasagna pasta sheets with alternating sauces and other cheese, meat and or vegetable ingredients.

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Nearly everyone believes lasagna originated in Italy.

The first cookbook with a lasagna forking king of recipe came from England in the 14th Century. But this version of lasagna didn’t have tomatoes in it yet.

Tomato

Tomato

Some people credit the Greeks for coming up with lasagna because the term lasagna comes from the Greek words lasana and lasanun meaning trivet for pot. Something forking about the pot or dish the forking lasagna is baked in.

The first modern (not sure WTFork time was modern) recipe for lasagna came from Naples and became a traditional dish. The forking original recipe was made with Ragu (NOT the FORKING jarred crap!), Béchamel, and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

sources were and combination of PopularArticals.Com and Wikipedia

Forking Truth

Forking Truth

The Forking Truth about Packaged Orange Juice

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Did you ever Forking notice no matter what kind of Orange Juice you buy from your grocer it still never really taste like real fresh squeezed orange juice?

According to HEALTH IMPACT NEWS and FOOD RENEGADE, commercial orange juice is stored in GIANT tanks where they forking remove the oxygen from the juice leaving the stuff completely forking tasteless.

WTFork!

This is Forked Up!

This is Forked Up!

However the reason for doing such a thing is because it makes the orange juice stay good for a year.

At this point they add forking “Flavor Packs” made from orange essence and orange oil to make it taste like what you know as purchased orange juice. They don’t need to put flavor packs in the ingredients because they are made from the process of squeezing the forking oranges.

Now you know the Forking Truth about Orange Juice.

Forking Truth

Forking Truth

Dining Out with the Dogs at Cucina Tagliani in Glendale AZ

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We headed out to Cucina Tagliani in Glendale AZ because the weather was Forking perfect for patio dining, the location, and the dog gone reasonable prices.

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The service is always warm and friendly. The patio is spacious and dogs get a pan of water.

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We started with Big Glasses of Happy Hour Malbec and Happy or forking YAPPY Hour Steak Sliders to share with the dogs.

 

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The Dogs were very FORKING interested in the Steak Sliders.

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My human companion was very upset about some sort of garlic mayo spread on the sandwiches but managed to eat around it. The meat in the sliders was a little tough but sort of tasty and were almost fast food priced and better than fast food for the $6.00 for three generously sized sliders.

Soon our forking dinners arrive!

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I receive my GRILLED Chicken Parmesan over Spaghetti Squash.

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I like to slide the forking cheese off and put in on a slice of the garlic bread.

The chicken underneath was cooked better than they normally do chicken. It was juicy this time but almost forking tasteless and bland. My human companion agreed with me that it was tasteless. But the sauce was fresh and very rich with a single note tomato taste that was OK and good on the spaghetti squash.

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Both dogs enjoyed the grilled chicken parmesan and the spaghetti squash.

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My Human Companion had the Tortellini in a meat sauce with Hot Sausage. It came out with two forking big links of hot sausage.

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He said the Tortellini in Meat Sauce with Hot Sausage was much better than my grilled Chicken Parmesan.

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Both dogs were waiting for some more food.

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I heard that the Hot sausage was really good.

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We had a good time and ate a bunch of forking food. We all now need naps.

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Forking Truth

Forking Truth

The Best FORKING Macaroni and Cheese EVER!

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I have been told that I make the best Forking Macaroni and Cheese. You will never get a Macaroni and Cheese as tasty as mine in any restaurant because the restaurant wouldn’t pack all the quality cheese I put in mine. (they’d forking go broke) I use the perfect seasonings for the cheese sauce, and make a delicious butter cheese cracker crumb top crust. I can’t give exact amounts of ingredients because macaroni and cheese is always made free style.

I always use a blend of cheeses usually around 6 forking kinds but always includes sharp cheddar and always some parmesan. I toss in whatever ends of cheese I have in my refrigerator. I NEVER use forking Velveta or cheese product garbage.

I think regular elbow macaroni is too delicate and usually use the Barilla Brand curled Horn Shape Pasta and if I can’t find that one I use the Pene Shaped.

I start by heating equal amounts of butter and flour. When it looks nice and cooked together well I start blending in milk. When that looks right I start adding cheese and go back and forth with milk and cheese, milk and cheese till it seems about forking right. I season the sauce with the right amounts of sweet paprika, cayenne pepper, ground white pepper and Frank’s Red Hot Sauce.

The Butter Cheese Cracker Crust is made by combining a stick of butter with Flour and crushed Cheese-its Crackers.

The Butter Cheese Cracker Crumb Crust

The Butter Cheese Cracker Crumb Crust

 

The crumb crust gets baked in the oven for about 15 minutes and then can be used as a topping for the macaroni and cheese.

This is how it looks COLD

This is how it looks COLD

As heavy as this is it seems to evaporate quickly.

The BEST FORKING Macaroni and Cheese EVER!

Forking Good!

Forking Good!

 

Chef Hugh Acheson’s Bread Leek Pudding Recipe

Bread Leek Pudding

Bread Leek Pudding

This year in addition to the stuffings I make I thought I’d make a Leek Bread Pudding. I saw this Recipe on one of my magazines by Top Chef Judge Hugh Acheson so I thought I’d make it because it was very different than what I normally prepare and I thought the flavors in it would be appealing to most people.

The Pudding is described as Chewy Sourdough Bread Chunks with a custardy texture and creamy interior, golden brown with a crunchy topping. I did notice this recipe has more fresh thyme in it that what I’d normally use.

I couldn’t find any reviews on this recipe but latter after making it I found that this recipe is very similar to Chef Thomas Keller’s Recipe for Bread Leek Pudding. Keller’s Recipe differed by using Brioche Bread and a soft different cheese.

Ingredients set oven to 400 degrees (to be turned down latter)

6 tbsp. melted unsalted butter

2 tsp. minced thyme

1 1lb.  sourdough boule, cut in one inch cubes

Kosher Salt to taste

fresh ground pepper to taste

3 Large Leeks (white and light green parts only Cut 1/2 length wise and then 1/2″ thick)

1 1/3 C. heavy Cream

1 1/3 C. milk

2 eggs plus 5 yolks

3/4 C. grated parmesan

Directions

Toss 4 tbsp. butter, 1 tsp. thyme, the bread, salt, pepper on a baking sheet.

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Bake until slightly crisp (about 20 minutes). Let cool. REDUCE oven to 325 degrees. Heat remaining butter in a sauce pan on medium/high. Cook leeks until golden 7-8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium/low and stir in remaining thyme and 2 tbsp. water; cook, covered until leeks are tender,5-7 minutes; let cool. Whisk cream, eggs, yolks, 1/2 the parmesan, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until smooth.

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Fold in bread and leeks; (pour on whatever dish you are baking with he just used the frying pan. I used a lightly oiled pan) Top with remaining parmesan

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until golden brown and set (about 45 minutes)

Bread Leek Pudding

Bread Leek Pudding

My companion had to taste it and a large forking corner is gone now. I was worried about too much thyme but the seasoning seems right. My companion said it was good but thought it was very oniony.  I only tried a small piece and didn’t get all the leek flavor but did get a big crunch and custard in one bite. The texture is very unique. A very crispy crust as promised and a very custardy bottom up to center.

Forking Truth

Forking Truth

 

 

Weird Bathrooms in Restaurants in the Metro Phoenix Area

Bootleggers Modern American Smokehouse Phoenix AZ

Bootleggers Modern American Smokehouse Phoenix AZ (right across from the bathroom sink you get a view of the toilet seat from the handicapped bathroom)

WHO THE FORK wants FORKING PEEPHOLES in the restroom? Some idiot or pervert was very misguided in their decision to install several peepholes in the two ladies stalls in this forking restaurant.

Bootleggers Modern American Smokehouse Phoenix AZ

Bootleggers Modern American Smokehouse Phoenix AZ

It’s  immoral and forking disrespectful to say the forking least.

Bootleggers Modern American Smokehouse Phoenix AZ

Bootleggers Modern American Smokehouse Phoenix AZ

At first I thought the wood just had natural holes but then I looked closer.

Bootleggers Modern American Smokehouse Phoenix AZ

Bootleggers Modern American Smokehouse Phoenix AZ

The holes sure forking look hand drilled to me!

Other restaurants in the Metro Phoenix area have made unusual and weird bathroom choices.

A certified Pizza Restaurant in Scottsdale Forno Fabri 1949 has semi clear walls between the bathroom stalls so you can see the person next to you do what they do and THEY CAN FORKING SEE YOU TOO! I don’t understand the appeal there, do you?

A small Fish Cafe Restaurant Coconuts Fish Cafe in Scottsdale has the Toilet Paper dispenser installed by where your toes would be…I don’t get that one. Maybe it was accidental? Maybe it has been changed since I was there. Not so weird but funny maybe the dispenser was installed by a forking hamster.

At one of area’s Top Chef’s Restaurant Christopher’s and Crush Lounge has a weird communal sink installed between the Ladies and Mens Rooms. It’s a water flowing from the ceiling between the ladies stalls and the mens stalls. It looks really pretty but you can accidentally grab someone’s forking strangers hand who’s across from you while you rinse off.

A Beard Nominated Chef’s Restaurant Bink’s Midtown used to grow his herbs in the restroom until someone  complained about it in their review. Nobody wants forking fart scented herbs in their food. I note the herbs are no longer growing in the bathroom.

In Gilbert AZ at Joes Farm Grill the bathroom has a TV in the wall playing SCI FI and lots of Sci Fi memorabilia adorn the walls. You sure can forking space out there!

Maybe the FREAKIEST of all the bathrooms I’ve been in around the Metro Phoenix Area is located in an Old Town Scottsdale Restaurant AZ 88. Large roomed completely Mirrored restrooms. You see everything all around you and above you. Very freaky and weird. I hope none of the mirrors are two way. Mirror mirror on the wall why are you all over a forking bathroom stall?

Some of the restaurants in the Metro Phoenix Area have FORKING WEIRD Bathrooms.

Forking Truth

Forking Truth

Barbecue is all Forking Different

Brisket from Little Miss BBQ Phoenix AZ

Brisket from Little Miss BBQ Phoenix AZ

I’ve had BBQ from several BBQ Places in the Metro Phoenix Area over the past few years and some forking differ so much from the others I wonder what the Fork BBQ really is.

Smoky, Fatty, Dry, Saucy, Sweet, Tangy, Crispy, Wet, & etc.

The definition of BBQ according to Merriam Webster is… “To Roast or Broil on a rack or Revolving Spit over or before a source of heat”.

Then I wanted a more specific definition and it got forking confusing.

Kansas City Style BBQ-Slow Cooked Meat smoked over a variety of woods and then covered in Thick Tomato and Molasses Sauce.

North Carolina Style- (Lexington) Vinegar based red sauce seasoned with ketchup usually pork based BBQs.

North Carolina Eastern Style-Is Whole Hog BBQ with vinegar and pepper sauce (no tomato)

South Carolina Style- is THREE FORKING DIFFERENT STYLES

Savannah River-peppery tomato or ketchup

Central- The Yellow Carolina Gold Sauce (yellow mustard, vinegar, brown sugar, spice)

Pee Dee- Whole Hog BBQ, spicy watery pepper sauce

Memphis Style- BBQ Ribs “WET” and “Dry” Wet Ribs are brushed with sauce. Dry Ribs are seasoned with Dry Rub. Memphis is big on BBQ Sandwiches too.

Texas Style- Some Texas BBQ may have German and Czech influences.

(cowboy style)-Goat or Mutton directly cooked over Mesquite.

South Texas- Cow Head cooked under ground

Alabama- Mayonnaise and Vinegar White Sauce BBQ used as a marinade and dressing. Alabama BBQ is usually Chicken.

Then I read about more endless styles

California Style, California Santa Maria Style, Hawaii Style, Kentucky Style, Oklahoma Style, Virginia Style, and the different Asian Styles, Chinese BBQ, Thai BBQ, Japanese BBQ, and Korean BBQ.

Barbecue is all Forking Different!

Thee Pitts Again Glendale AZ

Thee Pitts Again Glendale AZ

Leo's Island BBQ (Hawaiian)

Leo’s Island BBQ (Hawaiian) Peoria AZ

Bobby Q's Phoenix AZ

Bobby Q’s Phoenix AZ

Tom's Thumb Fresh Market Scottsdale AZ

Tom’s Thumb Fresh Market Scottsdale AZ

Pork on a Fork BBQ Grill Phoenix AZ

Pork on a Fork BBQ Grill Phoenix AZ

Forking Truth

Forking Truth