Category Archives: Forking Thoughts

Random Forking Items of Interest

Chef Hugh Acheson’s Bread Leek Pudding Recipe

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.

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.

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

until golden brown and set (about 45 minutes)

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

Weird Bathrooms in Restaurants in the Metro Phoenix Area

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

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

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

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

Barbecue is all Forking Different

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

Leo’s Island BBQ (Hawaiian) Peoria AZ

Bobby Q’s Phoenix AZ

Tom’s Thumb Fresh Market Scottsdale AZ

Pork on a Fork BBQ Grill Phoenix AZ

Forking Truth

More Dining With Dogs

AJ’s Patio Arrowhead Glendale AZ

My dogs are just so forking STINKING Cute! I just had to add these pictures to my blog. If you don’t like dogs just FORKING SKIP this post.

Not all……. but many of the patios around the Metro Phoenix Area are forking dog friendly.

So we take them out as much as possible. They enjoy the ride and they usually enjoy the food.

Nova Lox Bagel from JJ’s Delicatessen Scottsdale AZ

The food isn’t always dog friendly. (sometimes it’s not forking people friendly) (I note you need to check the list of foods your dog can’t eat from your Veterinarian and or on the ASPCA website or other websites)

Cucina Taglianti Glendale AZ

Both dogs enjoy Italian Food.

And other food too.

AJ’s Glendale AZ

Even when it isn’t food they like both dogs still enjoy dining out.

They are both….

Very well behaved.

We always get BIG Smiles when we forking take them out!

Forking Truth

The Saddest Forking Thanksgiving Ever

The Thanksgiving Feast in a Bag Potato Chips by Boulder. A full Thanksgiving Flavored Dinner of Potato Chips.

Turkey and Gravy Flavored Chips.

I found these inedible. These were the forking worst of the bunch for me. There is a nasty powder on them.I can’t stomach them. It was sawdust and chemicals to me. My companion said they taste like cheap turkey gravy.

The Stuffing Flavored Chips.

They taste like thyme and little bit of poultry seaoning with a little bit of something bitter.

The Pumpkin Pie Potato Chips.

Something is missing. I get cinnamon, nutmeg, a tiny bit of sweetness, and something like a buttered potato.

Cranberry Sauce Potato Chips

These Chips have a Slight red tint added. They have a little tartness and a little sweetness to them with a potato taste. They taste almost like children’s strawberry breakfast flavored cereal but with potatoes.

Maybe Sherif Joe had these chips made for the prisoners in his jail for their Thanksgiving Meal? Because these would make the Forking Saddest Thanksgiving ever.

Forking Truth

WTFork is Red Velvet Cake?

I wasn’t forking sure what Red Velvet Flavor is suppose to be? Every-time I tried it I didn’t care for it because it was like not so good tasting bloody looking chocolate with a not so good tasting icing. Not good enough to be chocolate and not yummy enough frosting to eat….to me. I do know most people forking like Red Velvet. Maybe I just haven’t had a good Red Velvet yet?

I did a little FORKING research. (and no I would NEVER eat a red velvet pop-tart)

NO FORKING BODY KNOWS the exact forking history of the Red Velvet Cake.

Some people believe somebody from the New York Waldorf Astoria invented it in the 1920s.

The definition of a Red Velvet Cake is a Reddish Buttermilk Coca Layer Cake topped with cooked Roux Icing or a Cream Cheese Icing. The Reddish Color is either from Beet Root or Food Coloring.

Forking Truth

Mayonnaise and Aioli

Calorically dense food

There isn’t a forking lot of difference between Mayonnaise and Aioli. This is what they are.

Mayonnaise is an emulsion of neutral oil, egg yolk, lemon juice or vinegar. Adding the addition of mustard to Mayonnaise turns the sauce into Remoulade.

Aioli was invented in France. Aioli is hand made by pounding garlic cloves into a paste and then whipping egg yolk, lemon juice, and olive oil into the mixture.

Forking Truth

French Apple Cake Cook’s Illustrated Recipe

There is a bunch of buzz, reviews and Blogs about this French Apple Cake Recipe so here I forking go with mine.

This recipe is forking described as “Neither a Cake”, “Nor a Custard”, “Nor a Clafouti” “But a bit of Culinary Magic That’s all Three”.

A dessert that’s a rich custardy apple filling beneath a light cake light topping. Sounds forking scrumptious doesn’t it?

I thought it was easy to make with mostly easy ingredients. The recipe was unlike any cake I’ve made before so I thought it was worth a try.

I followed the recipe with the exception of one tablespoon of Calvados.

Ingredients

1 1/2 Lbs. Granny Apples (cleaned up and cut in small slices)

1 T. Calvados (I left out because I wasn’t forking going to buy a bottle of booze for 1 forking T.)

1 t. lemon juice. I went a little heavy because I thought I needed to make up for liquid of the Calvados. (and fresh lemon taste good on apples so wtfork)

1 c. +2T. Flour

1 c.+1T sugar

2t. Baking Powder

1/2 t. salt

1 egg+2yolks

1 c.vegetable oil

1c.milk

1 t. vanilla extract

10x sugar For dusting

Adjust oven to 325 degree, grease your springform pan and use your middle oven rack.

Microwave your apples till slightly translucent. They recommend three minutes but I found two was perfect. Toss apples with lemon juice and Calvados.

Whisk1 c. flour, 1 c. sugar, baking powder and salt together.

in another bowl whisk egg, oil, milk, and vanilla and then add to dry mixture and combine well.

Transfer one cup of batter to another bowl. Add your two T. of Flour and mix well to your one cup batter bowl.

To the big bowl of batter add the two yolks and mix well. Fold in your apple mixture. Fill your springform pan with this mixture and spread smooth.

Top with your cup of batter and lastly with the T. of sugar.

Place in your oven and it should be done in about 1 1/4 hours but needs to cool and set before you can forking eat it. (2-3 hours)

It’s NOT BAD but can use some more time in the test kitchen. For me it just needs a little tweaking because it’s slightly too oily. If I made it again I’d cut the fat and sub butter for some of the oil. I note I didn’t have the 1 Tablespoon of Calvados it might have needed but other reviewers also found the flavor too delicate.

The recipe is a blank canvas, there is so much you can do with it. I think ether almond flavoring with some sliced almonds on top with a little cinnamon or less cake with a layer of cheese filling would be delicious with this recipe. Maybe in-addition to Calvados raisins soaked in rum or brandy would flavor it up. I think making this cake with bananas might be more delicious with some cinnamon, butter and dark rum. With the changes it would no longer be a French Apple Cake.

I did like the crisp crunchy top from the small amount of sugar. I also liked the appearance of this cake. The cake had an interesting light layer on top as promised. The apples were perfectly cooked and a cake that held together nicely. People who prefer a more delicately flavored dessert and those who aren’t found of sweets will really go for this cake. I think it’s a recipe you can work with to create your own.

Forking Truth

Cheerios

In 1941 CheeriOats were introduced and became what we all know as Cherrios and are made by General Mills.

Some time in 1976 General Mills said a Forking Cherrio to just selling regular forking Cheerios so today you have maybe TEN flavors to pick from.

Fruity Cheerios (for when your thinking about that cute Birdie Sam, The Fruit Loop Bird)

Multi Grain Cheerios Peanut Butter (unless you have a peanut allergy)

Multi Grain Cheerios Dark Chocolate Crunch (because we hear Dark Chocolate is healthy)

Frosted Cheerios (because original Cheerios are just too forking healthy)

Apple Cinnamon Cheerios (an apple a day keeps the doctor away)

Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch (sometimes you feel like a nut)

Honey Nut Cheerios (without the forking medley or forking crunch but hey there is a free car inside)

Cheerios Protein (????)

Multi Grain Cheerios (For when you don’t really feel like eating forking Cheerios)

In 2009 Cheerios had to pull their Forking Advertising of saying things like “You can lower your Cholesterol 4% in 6 Weeks” because the FDA said that kind of advertising made Cheerios to be an unapproved DRUG due to labeling.

2014 – Cheerios are no longer made with genetically modified ingredients.

Cheerios meets the Criteria to be certified for the American Heart Association.

Forking Truth

The Forking Truth about Red Kidney Beans

The Forking Truth is that Red Kidney are the most Toxic of Beans.

Oddly UNDERCOOKED red Kidney Beans may be MORE TOXIC than raw red kidney beans.

NEVER cook red kidney beans in a slow cooker because the slow cooker doesn’t boil and will never get hot enough to kill the dangerous protein in red kidney beans that can make you forking sick!

Eating as few as 4 or 5 undercooked red kidney beans can onset extreme nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Some forking truth about Red Kidney Beans.

Forking Truth

TheForkingTruth

Forking Thoughts on Food and Restaurants

Category Archives: Forking Thoughts

Chef Hugh Acheson’s Bread Leek Pudding Recipe

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Weird Bathrooms in Restaurants in the Metro Phoenix Area

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Barbecue is all Forking Different

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More Dining With Dogs

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The Saddest Forking Thanksgiving Ever

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WTFork is Red Velvet Cake?

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Mayonnaise and Aioli

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French Apple Cake Cook’s Illustrated Recipe

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Cheerios

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The Forking Truth about Red Kidney Beans

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