Food, weather, and other completely mundane, trivial, meaningless topics

[widower2]

There was a mom n pop place just down the road and the guy who ran it was from NYC. NY pizza is my fav and this was awesome...more than one Friday night dinner plan meant pizza there.

[Boggled]

1 hour ago, SSC said:

I HATE cold pizza!  Never could understand how people find it edible.

My MIL told me best way to reheat leftover pizza:  big frying pan, stovetop, lay pieces of pizza on a frying pan, turn stove burner underneath pan on medium-low, (cover or not, I do because it heats faster), wait ... turn down a bit more after about 5 minutes so it doesn't burn.  End result:  crispy crust again.

[widower2]

With all due respect, IMO leftover reheated pizza is as unappealing as cold pizza. It's weird how some foods don't age well at all, while others do (like chili). 

[widower2]

I just read that the average American spends about $2000 a year on coffee. ??  I have coffee every day and spend about $30 a year. 

[WithoutHer]

3 hours ago, widower2 said:

I just read that the average American spends about $2000 a year on coffee. ??  I have coffee every day and spend about $30 a year. 

Ahah but you're also not paying 5 to 6 dollars a serving at Starbucks 😆

[widower2]

Not if you put a loaded gun to my head    No offense to Starbucks fans, but we've had it brought in at work and I don't get the appeal at any price, let alone crazy high prices. Then again I'm not a "serious" coffee drinker...I have my one cup in the morning and I'm good. 

[Roxeanne]

9 hours ago, Boggled said:

reheat leftover pizza:  big frying pan, stovetop, lay pieces of pizza on a frying pan, turn stove burner underneath pan on medium-low, (cover or not, I do because it heats faster), wait ... turn down a bit more after about 5 minutes so it doesn't burn.  End result:  crispy crust again.

I'm Italian and read of reheat pizza and cold pizza gives me shivers!!!😂

[Rey Dominguez Jr]

Every now and then I will treat myself to a few cups of good Hawaiian coffee.  The best tasting coffee comes from the big island of Hawaii where the soil is rich and the rains are regular.  I order a 1 pint bag of dark roast that would last me about 5-6 months.  Smooth, flavorful, never bitter.  It’s my Sunday morning coffee.  Veronica would remind  me to order a new bag when she would notice I was running low.  Pricey at $35 for a 1 pound bag but at that price you know it is authentic Big Island coffee.

[KayC]

10 hours ago, widower2 said:

I just read that the average American spends about $2000 a year on coffee. ??  I have coffee every day and spend about $30 a year. 

They must  be talking about buying coffees to go, I'm with you, it's $7.98/lb where I buy my specialty coffee, that goes a long ways away for a pot a day.

[Sparky1]

5 hours ago, Roxeanne said:

I'm Italian and read of reheat pizza and cold pizza gives me shivers!!!😂

Me too Roxeanne, I have to reheat the pizza if I have leftovers. Us Italians love fresh pizza straight out of the oven but being one person, I can't avoid not having leftovers. Who can eat a whole pizza? Not many of us. 🤣

[shawnt]

Love Hawaiian coffee .

I guess I will be kicked out now, reheated pizza bleck, cold pizza ; I would have had it for breakfast if I had it here. Which I never do because I live with 3 son's and if you turn your back for a second all pizza disappears like a magic trick. Spend 70 bucks on pizza and get 2 slices and never leftovers ....

[Boggled]

7 hours ago, Roxeanne said:

I'm Italian and read of reheat pizza and cold pizza gives me shivers!!!😂

oh well, the pan on the stove method DOES help a lot, way better'n microwave ... I've read microwave ends up with "wet."  Which is really bad for the pizza crust.   With the pan on the stove, your crust ends up nice and warmed-up and NOT WET.  

 

1 hour ago, Sparky1 said:

but being one person, I can't avoid not having leftovers. Who can eat a whole pizza? Not many of us. 🤣

I don't order pizza, too far out in "rural area," but when I make it myself, I use a 14" inside diameter pizza pan (with holes in the bottom), so yep, being one person, I can't avoid having leftovers either.

45 minutes ago, shawnt said:

I live with 3 son's and if you turn your back for a second all pizza disappears like a magic trick. Spend 70 bucks on pizza and get 2 slices and never leftovers ....

my heart goes out to you, shawnt!  Growing boys ... mebbe teach 'em to make 18-hour no-knead bread? (easy really!), and start baking pizza?  

My question is about the pizza SAUCE.  Maybe you could answer, Roxanne, what would you use for pizza sauce?  I started out just using a small can of tomato paste, very strong tomato flavor, but not the right texture;  lately I'm trying just using canned crushed tomatoes ... but it's still not RIGHT.  ??

[shawnt]

You have opened a can of worms now. The sauce is what makes or breaks a pizza, sweet, spicy, oregano or not, basil ?,extra garlic?

I start with crushed tomato in a sauce pan and add the taste pallet I want(I favour sweet and hot) simmering all the while , then I add tomato paste to get the texture I want, thin crust I want a thicker consistency but puffier crust I want the sauce to be a little more liquidity. 

And anyone who chops up  anchovies and puts in there sauce is committing a crime against nature( now there is some fighting words)

 

[widower2]

4 hours ago, KayC said:

They must  be talking about buying coffees to go, I'm with you, it's $7.98/lb where I buy my specialty coffee, that goes a long ways away for a pot a day.

I guess, I'm just surprised so many appear to do it so often and so expensively. 

 

3 hours ago, shawnt said:

I guess I will be kicked out now, reheated pizza bleck, cold pizza ; I would have had it for breakfast if I had it here. 

Well if you promise to go to PizzAnon, I'll see what I can do.

[widower2]

2 hours ago, Boggled said:

oh well, the pan on the stove method DOES help a lot, way better'n microwave ... I've read microwave ends up with "wet."  Which is really bad for the pizza crust.   With the pan on the stove, your crust ends up nice and warmed-up and NOT WET.  

No argument there! 

I tried making my own pizza a time or two many years ago with that pizza crust they sell, I think it's called Boboli? It was OK, but not worth the effort. 

 

2 hours ago, shawnt said:

And anyone who chops up  anchovies and puts in there sauce is committing a crime against nature( now there is some fighting words)

Oh don't get me started on the weird gross toppings I've seen or heard on pizza! And while "white pizza" might be good, it isn't pizza.

[HisMunchkin]

Coffee connoisseurs would probably cringe at this, but I actually prefer the taste of instant coffee.  Especially Nescafe Gold Espresso.

I also love cold pizza....  *runs away with my short legs before widower2 can catch me*

 

[widower2]

28 minutes ago, HisMunchkin said:

Coffee connoisseurs would probably cringe at this, but I actually prefer the taste of instant coffee.  Especially Nescafe Gold Espresso.

I drink instant, not so much because I prefer it, I'm just not really into coffee...I drink it for the caffeine. Although I do get the "good" instant, Taster's Choice, which I do think is a cut above the Folgers/Maxwell stuff. 

 

Quote

I also love cold pizza....  *runs away with my short legs before widower2 can catch me*

 The eject list is growing.....tsk

[Roxeanne]

35 minutes ago, HisMunchkin said:

the taste of instant coffee. 

Shivers of horror!!!!😂

 

[foreverhis]

On 3/5/2024 at 12:22 AM, Rey Dominguez Jr said:

I was told that red wine and chocolate don’t mix, but I have had my share of cab with chocolate chip cookies, and semi-sweet dark chocolate.  Enjoyed every bit of it!

Nonsense! Red wine and chocolate go hand in glove. It’s a classic combination. Of course, you want to find flavors that enhance each other like a deep port or a rich dessert wine paired with dark chocolate or a lighter style Pinot or Grenache with milk chocolate.

My friends who own a small winery here have a local chocolatier make dark chocolate port filled truffles using their fortified port-style dessert red wine. Soooo good.

[foreverhis]

22 hours ago, widower2 said:

And anyone who eats cold pizza keep it to yourself or I WILL eject you from the site

Phew, I don’t have to worry. I always reheat pizza in the toaster oven. No microwaves, please. I found it practically gag inducing when the girls were teens and would grab a glass of milk and leftover cold pizza for breakfast. Ick. Fortunately, they’ve outgrown that.

[widower2]

26 minutes ago, foreverhis said:

Nonsense! Red wine and chocolate go hand in glove. It’s a classic combination. Of course, you want to find flavors that enhance each other like a deep port or a rich dessert wine paired with dark chocolate or a lighter style Pinot or Grenache with milk chocolate.

See I'm just the opposite; dessert or other sweet wines are too sweet for me; piling on even more sugar with chocolate, no thanks. For me, just about any chocolate goes with just about any not-too-sweet wine, although I lean to dark chocolate in general. 

 

25 minutes ago, foreverhis said:

Phew, I don’t have to worry. I always reheat pizza in the toaster oven. No microwaves, please. I found it practically gag inducing when the girls were teens and would grab a glass of milk and leftover cold pizza for breakfast. Ick. Fortunately, they’ve outgrown that.

Yeah I knew people who did that in college. Nasty.

[Sparky1]

2 hours ago, Roxeanne said:

Shivers of horror!!!!😂

 

🤣🤣🤣🤣 Nothing like a fresh espresso made in a Bialetti espresso maker, eh Roxeanne? I don't like and won't spend 2000 dollars on a professional espresso maker lol. But that Bialetti makes good enough espresso for me.

[foreverhis]

1 hour ago, widower2 said:

dessert or other sweet wines are too sweet for me; piling on even more sugar with chocolate, no thanks

Understandable.  IMO, red wine with any sweetness at all like late harvest Cabernet must be paired with a very dark chocolate (72% to 78%).  I'm not a fan of anything higher than 80% dark because that's the point where it becomes too bitter for my taste, but pair a sip of late harvest Cab with a bite of 78% dark and it's a perfect match.

[Sparky1]

6 hours ago, Boggled said:

  I started out just using a small can of tomato paste, very strong tomato flavor, but not the right texture;  lately I'm trying just using canned crushed tomatoes ... but it's still not RIGHT.  ??

You have to cook the sauce like you're making it for spaghetti. Saute some chopped onions in a pot with olive oil, then add the crushed tomatoes and some tomato paste. Plus you have to add herbs such as oregano, basil, etc. let it cook for about an hour and then you have either spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce. If you want it thicker, then you have to cook it longer.

 

[widower2]

1 hour ago, foreverhis said:

Understandable.  IMO, red wine with any sweetness at all like late harvest Cabernet must be paired with a very dark chocolate (72% to 78%).  I'm not a fan of anything higher than 80% dark because that's the point where it becomes too bitter for my taste, but pair a sip of late harvest Cab with a bite of 78% dark and it's a perfect match.

Interesting; I don't think I've ever had an even somewhat sweet cab. As for chocolate pairing, the wine doesn't have to be bone dry, but the closer the better. 

[Boggled]

14 hours ago, Rey Dominguez Jr said:

 The best tasting coffee comes from the big island of Hawaii where the soil is rich and the rains are regular.

ever hear of ORMUS?  Fascinated me ... years back when I got on FB I joined an ORMUS group ... ORMUS is supposed to be high in volcanic places.

7 hours ago, shawnt said:

I start with crushed tomato in a sauce pan and add the taste pallet I want(I favour sweet and hot) simmering all the while , then I add tomato paste to get the texture I want, thin crust I want a thicker consistency but puffier crust I want the sauce to be a little more liquidity. 

I'm going to have to start buying tomato paste in a tube.  I've wondered about the "sweet" part too;  add just a bit of sugar???   ????   I tried that years ago but didn't like the result.  

1 hour ago, Sparky1 said:

You have to cook the sauce like you're making it for spaghetti. Saute some chopped onions in a pot with olive oil, then add the crushed tomatoes and some tomato paste. Plus you have to add herbs such as oregano, basil, etc. let it cook for about an hour and then you have either spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce. If you want it thicker, then you have to cook it longer.

okay, I'll try that next time ... tho' seems to me cooking the sauce dulls the bright tomato flavor?  This is the thing about Italian cookery I just don't get, talk about cooking tomato for hours on the stove, but FRESH tomatoes have a wonderful bright flavor so why cook it so long?

[SSC]

17 hours ago, Rey Dominguez Jr said:

Every now and then I will treat myself to a few cups of good Hawaiian coffee.  The best tasting coffee comes from the big island of Hawaii where the soil is rich and the rains are regular.  I order a 1 pint bag of dark roast that would last me about 5-6 months.  Smooth, flavorful, never bitter.  It’s my Sunday morning coffee.  Veronica would remind  me to order a new bag when she would notice I was running low.  Pricey at $35 for a 1 pound bag but at that price you know it is authentic Big Island coffee.

Yes yes yes!  I LOVE Kona coffee!  I first tried it when my husband and I went to Maui on our 25 wedding anniversary.  After that it’s always been my favorite.  Whenever family or friends go to Hawaii they bring me back a bag ..along with a fresh pineapple.  Nothing like fresh pineapple from Hawaii!

[foreverhis]

2 hours ago, widower2 said:

I don't think I've ever had an even somewhat sweet cab.

There's a winery here that does a late harvest Cab that is aged like balsamic vinegar so that it becomes thicker, which allows the natural grape sugar to concentrate.  It's not something I have often and only as an aperitif serving with dark chocolate.

For every day, I drink only dry wines.

[HisMunchkin]

4 hours ago, Sparky1 said:

You have to cook the sauce like you're making it for spaghetti. Saute some chopped onions in a pot with olive oil, then add the crushed tomatoes and some tomato paste. Plus you have to add herbs such as oregano, basil, etc. let it cook for about an hour and then you have either spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce. If you want it thicker, then you have to cook it longer.

I got very confused when I was attempting pizza sauce.  Some say cook it, others say don't.   Some say use fresh tomatoes, others say to use canned.  Some say add tomato paste, others say don't.  Some say you have to use particular tomatoes, others say it doesn't matter.  Some say add herbs and spices, others say to leave it plain... 🌟 🤪❓❔

[Sparky1]

2 hours ago, Boggled said:

okay, I'll try that next time ... tho' seems to me cooking the sauce dulls the bright tomato flavor?  This is the thing about Italian cookery I just don't get, talk about cooking tomato for hours on the stove, but FRESH tomatoes have a wonderful bright flavor so why cook it so long?

This is the way my mom made sauce, her mom made sauce and the way I make it. You have to keep tasting it while it's cooking to see if you like it and then just take it off the stove when you think the taste is good. When I make pizza though, I use an already made Italian canned pizza sauce. But over here we have lots of goods imported from Italy so I don't have to worry about it. This recipe is for those that can't find Italian goods in stores. Oh, and the fast food pizza made in North America is nothing compared to the real Napolitano pizza. Let's just say it's "fast" food 🤣

[widower2]

57 minutes ago, Sparky1 said:

Oh, and the fast food pizza made in North America is nothing compared to the real Napolitano pizza. Let's just say it's "fast" food 🤣

If by that you mean the "chain store" pizza like Pizza Hut, etc, I think most (or at least a lot of) people in America would agree it's not very good pizza and the mom n pop places are almost always much better. 

[Sparky1]

36 minutes ago, widower2 said:

If by that you mean the "chain store" pizza like Pizza Hut, etc, I think most (or at least a lot of) people in America would agree it's not very good pizza and the mom n pop places are almost always much better. 

Oh yes, that's what I meant. The smaller places usually take their time and make way better pizza, and usually the ingredients are more fresh. 

[Rey Dominguez Jr]

6 hours ago, SSC said:

Nothing like fresh pineapple from Hawaii!

So very true, it’s the best!

I order my coffee from Ka’u Coffee Farms on-line.  Usually the dark roast.

[KayC]

10 hours ago, HisMunchkin said:

I got very confused when I was attempting pizza sauce.  Some say cook it, others say don't.   Some say use fresh tomatoes, others say to use canned.  Some say add tomato paste, others say don't.  Some say you have to use particular tomatoes, others say it doesn't matter.  Some say add herbs and spices, others say to leave it plain... 🌟 🤪❓❔

A lot of it has to do with where you are from (or the country of origin from which you are cooking).

[Roxeanne]

On 3/9/2024 at 4:28 PM, Boggled said:

My question is about the pizza SAUCE.  Maybe you could answer, Roxanne, what would you use for pizza sauce? 

Sorry i read now:

 

[widower2]

Not sure if this is "meaningless" or not, but you might read about me in the future: "crazed man murders neighbors due to them being trailer trash losers who let their dog bark on and on and on in the middle of the night."

So if you don't see me for awhile, that may be why.  /rant

 

[Gail 8588]

Don't  do it Widower2, it's  noisy all night in prison too.  Nothing gained. 

[widower2]

But it would feel SOOOOO good.....

[Boggled]

Roxanne, I'm assuming they're speaking Italian?  ?  hahahahaha!   well for "sauce," they have a bowl of red stuff they squish up ... okayyy.

Pizza.  It's good with, yeah, ITALIAN flavors.  Didn't look like they added any spices or herbs into their "sauce" (I don't either, but I do sprinkle on garlic powder, a little "Italian Seasoning," (Marjoram, Thyme, Rosemary, Savory, Sage, Oregano, and Basil, from the McCormick one on Amazon) .  

and putting a few basil leaves on top seems to be standard Neapolitan Pizza.    ... and the FRESH mozzarella, cut into sticks rather than shreds ... 

Maybe just doing A "dough thing" and A "sauce thing" and totally enjoying yourself doing them, is a secret to really good pizza?    

[Boggled]

5 hours ago, widower2 said:

But it would feel SOOOOO good.....

I've noticed with my young kitten/cats, petting them seems to make them less inclined to fight with each other ... so ... HUGS, widower2!  😙   as for feeling "crazed,"  ... join the cl🤪ub!!   

[shawnt]

You got it, do it to your taste and enjoy, next time add a little minus a little and voila masterpiece. I prefer brown sugar or the less refined seems to give it a fuller flavour . As a side note this may become a life long pursuit..

 

[Roxeanne]

4 hours ago, Boggled said:

Roxanne, I'm assuming they're speaking Italian?  ? 

Yes Italian with a strong neapolitan accent!!!😂

 

4 hours ago, Boggled said:

well for "sauce," they have a bowl of red stuff they squish up ...

Only peeled tomatoes not cooked before!

Anyway it's a traditional classic pizza napoletana...called "margherita" only mozzarella pomodoro e  basilico!

Then we have hundreds of different pizzas , for every taste...even with nutella!

But please not with pineapple....that is a crime!😂

 

[widower2]

4 minutes ago, Roxeanne said:

Then we have hundreds of different pizzas , for every taste...even with nutella!

But please not with pineapple....that is a crime!😂

 

And nutella isn't? Gross!

[Roxeanne]

No cos' a pizza with nutella is a sweet pizza!

Pineapples is used like any other ingredients...so pineapple on tomatoes...urghhh!😞

[KayC]

11 hours ago, widower2 said:

Not sure if this is "meaningless" or not, but you might read about me in the future: "crazed man murders neighbors due to them being trailer trash losers who let their dog bark on and on and on in the middle of the night."

So if you don't see me for awhile, that may be why.  /rant

 

Even in the country, we have a ton of hounds about three houses down that bark all night and also German Shepherds across the street (not the one that attacked me, his owners are "responsible" ha!) they do all night too, no one EVER tells them to shut up!  It's particularly nerve wracking in the summer time with windows open...you canNOT get to sleep!  I've been known to go out on my front porch in my night ware and yell like a crazed maniac to SHUT YOUR DOGS UP!!!  Which they never do.

I like pineapple on pizza (not with diabetes though) but nutella???  NO!  Must be something from Italy, not here.

[widower2]

1 hour ago, KayC said:

Even in the country, we have a ton of hounds about three houses down that bark all night and also German Shepherds across the street (not the one that attacked me, his owners are "responsible" ha!) they do all night too, no one EVER tells them to shut up!  It's particularly nerve wracking in the summer time with windows open...you canNOT get to sleep!  I've been known to go out on my front porch in my night ware and yell like a crazed maniac to SHUT YOUR DOGS UP!!!  Which they never do.

Unbelievable. Ever call the cops? I tried that here, but the cops around here are worthless, they don't do anything about it. More than once I retaliated by setting off my car alarm   Generally they get the hint (albeit after far too long, because they're stupid), but not last night. 

[KayC]

We're in county jurisdiction and they always say they're three hours away at the coast. They never help, not even when I had a stalker.

[widower2]

And then people complain about the bad press cops get smh

[Sparky1]

6 hours ago, Roxeanne said:

Then we have hundreds of different pizzas , for every taste...even with nutella!

But please not with pineapple....that is a crime!

I've heard of the Nutella pizza and I even consider that blasphemy 😂 Definitely pineapple is weird, apparently it's a " Hawaiian" style pizza with ham. I like simple pizzas, the more traditional, the better.

[Roxeanne]

1 hour ago, Sparky1 said:

I've heard of the Nutella pizza and I even consider that blasphemy 😂 

Yes Sparky...but it's like a cake for children and greedy...try it!😂