• Welcome to Maher's Digital World.

What kind of meat (or cheese) is it?

Started by scarface, October 11, 2015, 07:02 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

humbert

Let me ask you. Those mussels in the picture. Are they inside shells like oysters? If so then are you supposed to take them out of the shell or what? With these foods you're not familiar with it's always the same. I remember once in a trade show they had trays full of shrimp. Nobody was there so I ate a few. When people arrived I was surprised to find out they were taking the insides out with a fork and leaving the exoskeleton behind. I ate the whole shrimp, including the exoskeleton. How was I supposed to know?

And yes, unfortunately we are all conditioned to eat processed foods that can be mass produced cheaply. For many of us it's all we know.

scarface

Quote from: humbert on May 29, 2021, 05:15 AM
Let me ask you. Those mussels in the picture. Are they inside shells like oysters? If so then are you supposed to take them out of the shell or what? With these foods you're not familiar with it's always the same. I remember once in a trade show they had trays full of shrimp. Nobody was there so I ate a few. When people arrived I was surprised to find out they were taking the insides out with a fork and leaving the exoskeleton behind. I ate the whole shrimp, including the exoskeleton. How was I supposed to know?

And yes, unfortunately we are all conditioned to eat processed foods that can be mass produced cheaply. For many of us it's all we know.
Mussels are inside black shells like oysters indeed. 
First off, mussels can be dangerous as far as food safety is concerned, and should be cooked fresh and alive. This means cooking them inside their shells. You have to put them in a saucepan and cover it with a lid. When they are hot, the shells are opening. Then, you are supposed to take them out of the shell indeed...
I'm not surprised you don't really know mussels though. I guess the Paella recipe holds no secret for you. While you’ll find it made with rabbit and chicken meat, shrimps (or king prawns), calamari tentacles and mussels in Spain, it is made with shrimp and pork sausage in South Florida. Note that there is no chorizo in the traditional Spanish Paella.

Here you can see French fries and mussels

scarface

#182
Look at this dish.
Here you can see mussels and asparagus.
As you can see, one of the mussels tried to escape, leaving an empty shell.


humbert

I understand that mussels have to be cooked alive inside their shells. Does this mean they're still alive after cooking?

As for paella, I've tasted it and it's not exactly one of my favorite Spanish foods. I'll eat it only if there's nothing else. Once I was offered gaspacho (a cold soup) and it tasted very good, or at least the cook at that restaurant knew what he was doing.
When it comes to eating I'll swallow just about anything that's not intolerable.

scarface

Quote from: humbert on June 01, 2021, 04:57 AM
I understand that mussels have to be cooked alive inside their shells. Does this mean they're still alive after cooking?
I don't know. Maybe they are half alive. But as far as oysters are concerned, they have to be eaten alive.

Quote from: humbert on June 01, 2021, 04:57 AM
As for paella, I've tasted it and it's not exactly one of my favorite Spanish foods. I'll eat it only if there's nothing else. Once I was offered gaspacho (a cold soup) and it tasted very good, or at least the cook at that restaurant knew what he was doing.
When it comes to eating I'll swallow just about anything that's not intolerable.
According to what I read, paellas in South Florida contain neither chicken meat nor mussels. But you are inwardly comforted with the pork sausages I guess. If you add a Pepsi, you have something that looks like a Mcdonald menu with rice.
Paella originates from the region of Valencia with plenty of chickens and rabbits providing meat, and fresh vegetables. A real paella is excellent.
But I must say that I probably prefer couscous. The texture of couscous is finer and the pieces of vegetables and lamb, as in the traditional Moroccan version, have to be small and compact. A mouthful of couscous releases spicy aromas and slides over the palate, while paella needs to be chewed more and the taste of saffron predominates at all times.

humbert

Quote from: scarface on June 03, 2021, 09:20 PM
According to what I read, paellas in South Florida contain neither chicken meat nor mussels. But you are inwardly comforted with the pork sausages I guess. If you add a Pepsi, you have something that looks like a Mcdonald menu with rice. Paella originates from the region of Valencia with plenty of chickens and rabbits providing meat, and fresh vegetables. A real paella is excellent.

Indeed, they call it "Paella Valenciana". I can't really give you an answer about what you said. They just put this yellow rice in front of me with all kinds of different stuff inside it. I just ate it without even bothering to check. Let me just say you're probably right. Once I made a trip to Taipei. My host told me he was going to take me to a Chinese restaurant. What did I think? Fried rice, egg drop soup and fortune cookies. NO!! It totally different, in fact not even close.

scarface

In a previous message, we have seen that humbert showed interest in mussels. Today, I'm going to show you how to cook mussels in case humbert, maher or aa1234779 have to prepare such a dish.

When buying mussels, look for mussels that have tightly closed shells and that smell fresh and briny like the ocean. One or two cracked shells isn’t a huge concern, but if the majority of the mussels are open or show cracked shells, move on to another batch â€" these are signs that the mussels are old or have been poorly handled.
Mussels are living creatures, and they’re still alive when you buy them at the store. They’re best if you can cook them close to when you buy them, but they’ll be fine for 48 hours in the fridge.
If you need to store them, place the mussels inside a bowl big enough to hold all of them. Cover the bowl with a damp dishtowel to keep the mussels protected and moist, and store in the fridge. The mussels need to breathe, so don’t store them in an airtight container or in water. They may release a little liquid into the bowl; this is fine.


I kept the mussels in a saucepan in the fridge, covered with a wet rag.



Freshly purchased mussels that are prepared properly pose very little food safety risk. Before cooking, look over the mussels carefully. The mussels should be tightly closed. Discard any mussels with cracked shells. If you see a mussel that is open, tap it gently against the counter; in a live mussel, this will trigger a reaction to close its shell. If the mussel doesn’t close, it has died and should be discarded. Also discard any mussels that don’t open after cooking. 
As you can see those mussels are closed.



Start by choosing a large saucepan or a pot with a tight fitting lid. Mussels will take up about 1/3 more space in the pot once they're opened.
Prepare the broth that you plan on using. You can use white wine. Just make sure there is no more than about a 1 inch of liquid in the bottom of the pot. You want the mussels to steam, not boil.
Then bring the liquid to a rapid boil, add the mussels all at once, and put the lid on the pot. Now, set a timer for 3 minutes. When the timer goes off, gently stir the mussels and push any that have not opened to the bottom of the pot. Being closer to the heat helps them to open.
Let the mussels cook for 2 minutes more (5 minutes total) then remove the pot from the heat and discard any shells that have not opened.



scarface

Maybe some of you are wondering what to serve your guests.
If you are making a party and if you are hungry, and thirsty, if there is a heatwave, like today in Ile de France, all this has certainly created a lot of expectation.
Well, I recommend a pastis tomate, with a Spanish fuet.
You can see a photo below.


Humbert must be wondering where the tomato is in this picture. Despite having a name that literally translates to tomato, the Tomate cocktail’s only relationship to the juicy red fruit is its vibrant red color.
To make it, pour Pastis and grenadine into glass. Serve iced water separately in a small jug (known in France as a "broc"), so that you guest can dilute to their own taste. Lastly, add ice to fill the glass.
Maher and aa1234779 must be thinking that all this is not very compliant with religion.
I admit it. All this is neither catholic nor Islamic. But once a month, a glass of pastis with a few slices of fuet won't harm you.

humbert

Quote from: scarface on June 16, 2021, 07:54 PM
If you are making a party and if you are hungry, and thirsty, if there is a heatwave, like today in Ile de France, all this has certainly created a lot of expectation.

According to Google Maps, Ile de France is in Paris (or in the Paris general vicinity). Temp today was about 30°C. That's not too bad. I'd say at least 35° for a heatwave.

scarface

Quote from: humbert on June 17, 2021, 05:03 AM
Quote from: scarface on June 16, 2021, 07:54 PM
If you are making a party and if you are hungry, and thirsty, if there is a heatwave, like today in Ile de France, all this has certainly created a lot of expectation.

According to Google Maps, Ile de France is in Paris (or in the Paris general vicinity). Temp today was about 30°C. That's not too bad. I'd say at least 35° for a heatwave.
You're totally right, the highest temperature were located in Arles near Grau du roi. And yet 30° in Ile de France is a sweltering heat because there is no wind.
You can find an article here: https://www.connexionfrance.com/index.php/French-news/Wildfire-risk-and-heatwave-alerts-as-temperatures-hit-37C-in-France
As for Ile de France, Paris is in Ile de France, since Ile de France is the whole region (or you could say Ile de France is the Paris region). But this is a detail.