[solvegas]

I was looking at the website kindly provided by Palomine and it's mostly a coastal California thing but SoCal ain't so far. Next time I go there I'll drive over and check it out.

[Palomine]

I didn't check the list of locations before posting, so I didn't know it was local to SoCal... still, there are enough forum users from around here (Bonker, Lisa and others) and enough others visit/vacation in SoCal, that maybe it's of interest to some.

I'm not saying that I'll never go to In'N'Out again due to The Melt... they're of somewhat different genres burger-wise, but I do have to say that based simply on taste, atm I do sort of prefer both the burger and the fries at The Melt to those at In'N'Out... though you pay a little more for them at The Melt so maybe that's to be expected.

The Mission burger is the regular burger but with Monterey Jack cheese instead of cheddar, and with avocados, pickled red onions and charred jalapenos added. It sounds like too much stuff, but honestly, each ingredient was in proportion: the burger itself was never overpowered at all: you could taste the beef and it was good-quality beef. Furthermore, the other ingredients were all top-notch too: the avocados (Haas I assume) were perfectly ripe (I've gotten unripe avocados more times than I care to count at Astro Burger on Santa Monica Blvd.), the jalapenos were properly charred: not too much and not too little, and the pickled red onions a perfect acidy foil, adding brighness to the whole thing. There was also spicy ketchup which, though a bit of a cliche by now (the Chipotle ketchup at The Oinkster on Vine and over in Eagle Rock is perhaps the best example) was good too. Really, neither I nor my sister could find any food or service or cleanliness issues with The Melt at all. A burger, fries and a soda there come to the better part of $10., but we both felt is was absolutely worth it and were very satisfied.

Of course, I've only eaten there once... the only slight/subjective negative I can report about The Melt is that they only have "natural" sodas at the soda fountain, and there's no diet soda. I know it's full of chemicals, but I like Diet Coke because it's not as sweet, which I especially prefer with rich/fatty food like a burger and fries. I'll have the iced tea next time instead.

And there will be a next time.

[solvegas]

Damn, I'm now hungry for a burger ! 

[TheZookie007]

Me too! I should order in some...

[Palomine]

Spent a good part of the day painting (with oil-based paint which I generally prefer to avoid, but it's what I had on hand) and my back was hurting, so by the time dinner was due, I needed some easy and quick comfort food. I haven't been shopping in a while, so it was once again a scavenger hunt... relying on whatever was still left in the fridge. What I wound up with was something like a tofu chili fried rice and it hit the spot nicely. Ingredients:

1 small container of somewhat stale leftover brown rice from takeout, with a bit of water
1 egg, scrambled
1/3 brick extra firm tofu, cubed
1-2 oz. wood ear mushrooms, chopped
1 spoon preserved (salted) Chinese cabbage chopped
1 spoon pickled ginger
Bit of butter, kecap manis (sweet soy), ginger and garlic paste, salt and pepper
Sweet chili sauce to top it off

Quite tasty.

[Palomine]

Impromptu Salmon Teriyaki.

Grilled salmon in homemade teriyaki with garlic and peppers, with buttered furikake rice, picked ginger and a cous cous pilaf with chick peas, cauliflower and preserved lemon (that a neighbor gave me). I swear from start to finish the whole thing took 25 minutes, and I even cleaned the BBQ afterwards.

Off to a (different) neighbor's house for a wine-and-cheese screening of their short film now.

[Palomine]

Please pardon the continual stream of food pron, but cooking for friends and enjoying meals with them is just about the nicest thing I can do with other people that doesn't involve the physical expression of love and the joyous exchange of bodily fluids.

Tonight I had two guests, one almost 90 (but still driving believe it or not). I double-marinated then grilled some chicken thighs about 80% of the way through, then cubed and stir-fried them the rest of the way, along with various veg that I'd done in separate batches before-hand: broccoli, carrot, red onion/garlic, those little baby corn-on-the-cobs and tri-color small/sweet peppers. Once the beautifully carmelized but still totally tender and moist chicken was just about done, I lightly tossed everything in a sauce that was mainly Char Shu, along with sesame oil, jalapeno puree, dark soy, garlic/ginger/black pepper. Per usual, it was served in abundant quantities over a bed of buttered rice.

Made a plate for a third friend/neighbor (who works long hours and will appreciate not having to scrounge dinner on Monday) and still have ample leftovers. Of course, I walked both guests home, bringing a flashlight for the one with seniority.

Dessert, provided the other guest (closer to my age) was homemade pink grapefruit sorbet, with a couple squares of intensely dark chocolate and a huge luscious farmer's market strawberry.

[gOOber]

Each entrée you present seems to be a mélange. Any particular reason?

[Palomine]

Each entrée you present seems to be a mélange. Any particular reason?

Very few recipes (that I'm aware of) are composed of but a single ingredient, so yes, most things I cook tend to have multiple components. Certainly stir-frys and pastas lend themselves to this, but even a beef or pork roast, or a grilled chicken will have other items too. I never have just chicken or salmon (or whatever) on my plate... that'd be a bit boring I think.

Also, though I usually have between one and four friends over for dinner at least once a week (sometimes twice, though that's rare) I tend to make enough to serve several people even when I'm eating alone, so as to have lots of leftovers (which I portion and freeze so I can enjoy them on nights where I get home too late to cook, etc...). I find that interesting mixtures fend off boredom.

Or am I misunderstanding what you mean by mélange?

[pedonbio]

You put my humble skills to shame, Sir.

[gOOber]

Very few recipes (that I'm aware of) are composed of but a single ingredient, so yes, most things I cook tend to have multiple components. Certainly stir-frys and pastas lend themselves to this, but even a beef or pork roast, or a grilled chicken will have other items too. I never have just chicken or salmon (or whatever) on my plate... that'd be a bit boring I think.

Also, though I usually have between one and four friends over for dinner at least once a week (sometimes twice, though that's rare) I tend to make enough to serve several people even when I'm eating alone, so as to have lots of leftovers (which I portion and freeze so I can enjoy them on nights where I get home too late to cook, etc...). I find that interesting mixtures fend off boredom.

Or am I misunderstanding what you mean by mélange?

You satisfied my curiosity and aroused my salivary glands. Thanks.

[gOOber]

Or am I misunderstanding what you mean by mélange?

I could have used aggregate but mélange sounded more appetizing.

[Palomine]

You put my humble skills to shame, Sir.

Hardly! I've seen your pix and read your posts PB and my mouth has watered as a result. Though I briefly dabbled with the idea of going to culinary school years ago, I foolishly got a fine arts degree instead ...hindsight's 20/20, but I probably should've been an engineer or research scientist. Too late now.

I just like to eat. And I enjoy cooking, especially for friends and guests. It's nice having folks over, with their dogs (most of my friends have dogs rather than kidz) and my place is already a bit of a mess most of the time, so I don't really mind if the dogs get a bit out of hand. I can follow a recipe (frankly, I think anyone can follow a recipe if they simply try) and use them sometimes, but most of the things I make most of the time: pastas, meatloaf, pork/beef roasts, grilled chicken/salmon/swai/veggies, etc... I'm just cooking "freestyle" for the most part. Aside from not over-seasoning something (though I often use a lot of different ones, I always use just a bit of each) the main thing is not overcooking. I used to use a meat thermometer (but it broke) but you can usually get a feel for how "done" something is (steak, fish, chicken) by poking it and feeling for firmness. None of it is rocket science.

From what I gather, baking is more complex in that you do have to use precise measurements in order for things to come out right, but I don't have a stand mixer, so I never bake. Of course, if I ever happen to acquire a stand mixer, you can be sure that I will follow recipes and start posting pix of bundt cakes, muffins, pastries, etc...

I'm not quite as y0ung, or quite as dumb, or quite as full of cum as I used to be... when I was in my early 20s, I'd happily spend the entire weekend in bed with a like-minded GF... food, though I enjoyed it, was mainly just fuel. Nowadays, things are different... the next GF will still get all of my attention and devotion in the bedroom, but we'll probably spend more time outside the bedroom than used to be the case... some of it in the kitchen I'm sure.  

[pedonbio]

Watch it, Pal. You're starting to sound like an old man. When I was close to finishing college (where I had switched from chemistry to history--not a big change to me) my Dad, who was a machinist in the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, offered to get me into the IAM's two-year apprenticeship program, which would make me a journeyman machinist. Instead, in a fit of adolescent rebellion I went to law school. Way too late to change now.


-------
*-International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers

[Palomine]

I've been having a hankering for roast pork fried rice and decided to make it last night despite the fact that it was raining here. Since I usually make fried rice the "real" way (in a super-hot wok/moving it around constantly) I prefer to do it outside, with my well-seasoned wok on the small BBQ. However, the rain put the kaibosh on that idea, so I did what seemed right and necessary to make a convincing replica of "real" fried rice using my rice maker (and one small skillet to separately/pre-cook a few ingredients). Photo attached and general guidelines as follows:

In small skillet, I pre-cooked the chopped pork to render off the fat (I actually wound up using thick-cut smoked bacon ends).

Rinsed white rice was put in the cooker, along with a water and chicken stock and soy sauce mixture. To this, the pre-cooked pork was added, along with two kinds of carrots (purple and orange) and baby bok choy (Thai broccoli would have been nice too). You can vary the mix-ins per your own personal preferences... alternate/additional ingredients that might have worked nice: small cubes of firm tofu, peas or pea pods, shelled peanuts, chili flakes (if you like things spicy), shrimp or small scallops, thinly sliced garlic, weird mushrooms, etc... Any ingredient that might not fare well in the 15-minute steam bath of the rice cooker can be done separately in the skillet.

While the rice maker was cooking (took about 15 minutes for two cups of rice) I sauteed a chopped shallot in the skillet and scrambled a couple eggs (not moving them around too much since I like big distinct chunks of egg in the rice). I'd also have liked finely chopped scallions (green onions) but didn't have any in the house.

When the rice maker chimed it was done, the egg/shallot mixture was added and gently stirred into it. Serve immediately and enjoy!

I topped it with sweet chili sauce (reminds me of the duck sauce in those plastic packets from Chinese take-out as a k1d) along with a cold beverage in front of the TV, catching up on episodes of Orphan Black on BBC America.