#Do NOT take my ass to a restaurant with garlic bread /j | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

aion-rsa · 4 years

Text

Celebrating The Sopranos Review: Three Part Doc Doesn’t Stop Believin’

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

The whole idea of big Sunday dinners in Italian homes may seem like a cliché, but someone’s pouring tomato sauce on top of onions and garlic fried in olive oil on stovetops every weekend. The Sopranos, both the series and the two families at the center of it, brought just desserts every Sunday night to homes across America. Although, Carmela (Edie Falco) had been known to show up at neighbors’ homes mid-week, unannounced, with ricotta pie. It is only fitting that the main setting of Celebrating The Sopranos are fine dining establishments.

Consisting of three separate films, Celebrating The Sopranos is a series of conversations held by critics Matt Zoller Seitz and Alan Sepinwall, and cast members Federico Castelluccio (Furio Guinta), Arthur J. Nascarella (Carlo Gervasi), Vincent Pastore (Salvatore “Big Pussy’ Bonpensiero), and Vincent Curatola (Johnny ‘Sack’ Sacramoni), in restaurants that meant something to the show. For dessert, they serve up an interview with the creator, David Chase, but he only drinks coffee. This is doubly sweet because Chase doesn’t grant many interviews.

The conversations are cordial, which doesn’t add to the mythology or provide new insight. Even casual fans of the series have spotted the actors working together in some form or another in earlier works. We’re not surprised by the respect they show for Edie Falco, who does not have a seat at the table. But things heat up when the actors break omerta. That’s one of the things you have to love about actors who play gangsters: they break the vow of silence as easily as they break off the ass of a loaf of semolina bread to scoop up a stray sausage.

Revenge is a dish best served cold, according to the old Sicilian proverb. But the cast dishes out old grudges warmly. They name names and wink at the camera. They offhandedly drop who James Gandolfini, who led the “glorified” Jersey crime crew as Tony Soprano, thought was a pain in the ass. They mention people who never should have been on the set in the first place, and how you’d be lucky to catch Joey Pants (Joe Pantoliano) wearing pants off camera. The actors talk about who got paid by HBO, and who went without pay to make sure everybody got to wet their beaks.

Vincent Pastore breaks down during questioning giving us some insight into the actors relationship with HBO. His character, Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero, was a rat and a lesson to every character and actor on the show. He was the first major character to get killed off. Big Pussy’s execution taught the audience not to get too close to any of the characters. Look how close Bonpensiero was to Tony. It broke Paulie’s heart. Silvio was beside himself. But Big Pussy had to go.

It became a trend on HBO. They started killing off characters left and right. The Red Wedding sequence in Game of Thrones is nothing if not a major character culling. Nobody’s safe on HBO, characters or actors, and Pastore jokes about getting around that. He carries around a contract at all times, just in case.

Actually, the contract turns out to be a call sheet to an HBO show, and one of the highlights of the documentary is Vincent Curatola, who played New York mob boss Johnny “Sack” Sacramoni, demanding he do a nude scene. It’s an imperative. I don’t know if Pastore will wind up shooting one but, like Curatola, it is something I now need to see. The chemistry between the actors offscreen is no less tangible, and no less dangerous. They’re not out for blood, that’s a terrible expense. But one false word and they are all over each other. They don’t miss a trick.

Matt Zoller Seitz and Alan Sepinwall didn’t miss a trick either. They’ve been reviewing The Sopranos since the show first began airing, and they were doing it for Tony Soprano’s hometown paper, The Newark Star-Ledger. They went on to co-author the book The Sopranos Sessions. The feature length interview, My Dinner with Alan: A Sopranos Session, finds them trying the onion rings at Holsten’s in Bloomfield, N.J., where the last scene of the series cuts to black. Besides hassling the waitresses over cholesterol, “Session 1: The Critics” lets them nitpick the series, the role of psychiatry in mob entertainment, and the origin of Taylor Ham.

“Session 2: The Cast” is served as a four-course meal at Il Cortile at 125 Mulberry Street in downtown New York City. It is also called “The Last Supper” because that Little Italy restaurant was where the cast would take actors after their characters were killed off on the show.

Federico Castelluccio, who played Furio Guinta on the series, occasionally seems like he’s surprised to be at the adult table. He looks visibly shocked at some of the revelations pouring out the mouths of his co-stars. Like a good soldier, he immediately closes rank in solidarity, but it is very revealing just how much he missed while acting. He, like Pastore, is an artist, who is now also directing, but still learning about the politics of TV programming. It was completely refreshing.

But not as much as almost every word which comes out of Arthur J. Nascarella, who played caporegime Carlo Gervasi on the series. He is not the biggest name at the table. He admits his character barely made a blip on the audience, but he’s also got nothing to lose. He says he used to tag along with Pastore to auditions and con his way in. When he told his father he got his first part, his dad went out and got headshots. When Curatola dismisses some of the writers’ choices and asks who made them God, Gervasi says he was happy for every line he got.

This comes in response to one of the new facts we get about the behind-the-scenes doing on The Sopranos. Iconic actor Burt Young put in an unforgettable performance in his one appearance as Bobby Baccalieri Sr. But the series casting people originally wanted Curatola’s father for the part. Another revelation is that none of the cast of The Sopranos will be seen in the prequel movie The Many Saints of Newark, which has been postponed from March to September.

The best part of the documentary is the last segment. David Chase: A Sopranos Session lets Matt and Alan pick Chase’s brain for any memories he hasn’t suppressed. He is very open about how some of the actors blame him for ruining their lives, and gives a lot of credit to James Gandolfini. The star transformed the show, Chase says. He’d originally envisioned it as something like a live-action gangster comedy resembling The Simpsons. But when Gandolfini grabbed Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli) by the collar for talking about a screenplay, the entire dynamic changed.

Chase is interesting to watch. He doesn’t discount anything. He is a musician and thinks like one. Whether something was intended or not, he immediately is able to affirm an interpretation. While the actors may have bitched about the specifics of scripting, Chase seems like he appreciates happy accidents.

The Sopranos debuted on January 10, 1999, and changed TV. Filmed by Kristian Fraga and the team from Sirk Productions, this three-part feature film documenting the phenomenon is an enjoyable viewing for fans wanting to catch up with old friends. It’s a no-frills affair, there are no action sequences. The most dangerous weapon isn’t even the steak knife, it’s Curatola’s side glances.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

Celebrating The Sopranos is slated to hit theaters after its U.K. premiere in December, but is available online for a limited time until March 29. The special International VOD presentation is sponsored by Frankie & Benny’s, who is offering customers 50 percent off movie tickets.

The post Celebrating The Sopranos Review: Three Part Doc Doesn’t Stop Believin’ appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/2NrYt8N

#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

0 notes

easyfoodnetwork · 4 years

Text

Eater Staffers on the Kitchen Tools They Can’t Live Without

Shutterstock

These pots and pans, appliances, and utensils have made cooking in quarantine a little bit easier

As the weeks of social distancing and recommendations to stay home as much as possible stretch on, cooking has taken on both more urgency and more burden. Luckily, there are products that, whether by intention or not, can ease the load, making spending so much time cooking so much easier.

Below, a roundup of the tools and products that have made Eater editors’ kitchen lives better. And if you’re looking for more on what to cook with said tools, check out our guide for folks who literally never cook as well as our pantry-cooking guide.

Pots and Pans

Whirlpool nonstick griddle

“Maybe the best part of a recent move has been playing with the nonstick griddle that straddles two burners atop my new stove. I’ve used it to char tomatoes, peppers, and garlic cloves for salsa, revive leftover steak, toast slices of sourdough, and inflate Indian chapati to accompany this cilantro chutney chicken recipe. A quick wipe down keeps it clean, so that accounts for one less dish to wash while the sink piles up.” — Gabriel Hiatt, Eater DC editor

Cook N Home nonstick wok

“I never knew that I could fall in love with my wok, but here I am. This wok brings me so much joy when I’m cooking. It’s sturdy so it can hold a lot of stuff; it’s big enough to cook a family-sized portion. The pan’s marbling coat makes sure that nothing gets stuck on the bottom, from braising short ribs to frying eggs. I use this pan for everything from stews to fried rice; it’s incredibly versatile! I know it’s overwhelming to look through different wok options, but for home cooks who want to cook many different dishes without having to clean up any residuals, this is the one. The price is also extremely affordable, so what’s not to love?” — James Park, social media manager

Great Jones sheet pan

“This is the first ‘fancy’ sheet pan I’ve ever had, generally preferring basics from restaurant supply stores or else the cheapest available from retailers like Williams-Sonoma. Intrigued by the company’s promise that it doesn’t warp, I ordered one last year and have not been disappointed. Since shelter-in-place started, though, I’ve found myself reaching for it over my other sheet pans, and I’m 99 percent sure it’s because the vibrant color stands out among my pans and makes cooking feel that much more lively. I’ve used it to make cookies, nachos, and all sorts of roasted vegetables, but also as a Bananagrams board and a photo backdrop.” — Hillary Dixler Canavan, restaurant editor

Appliances

Panasonic toaster oven

“I grew up in a toaster oven family — even now, everyone in my immediate family has the same one — but even I, a super fan, did not fully appreciate the appliance until I moved in late March, just as the COVID-19 outbreak hit NYC, and found myself living in an apartment with no gas for about a week and a half. As a result, I spent a lot of time with my toaster oven, sometimes cooking three square meals a day in it. It’s fast and versatile, good for so many things: roasting vegetables, baking brownies and small cakes, and, of course, just toasting bread or bagels or nuts and spices.” — Sonia Chopra, director of editorial growth

Ninja Express Chop

“I never really thought I needed a food processor — big or small, really — until I got the Ninja Express Chop. I had somehow managed to avoid all recipes that required one, since it seemed so bulky to move and a pain to clean. Once I got the Ninja Express Chop, all that changed. It’s small and easy to fit in the cabinet; and it easily comes apart into four simple pieces, all of which fit in my sink or dishwasher, so I don’t mind cleaning it, even when it’s coated with oil from herby salad dressings or flecks of basil from my homemade pesto — all things I never would have made until I got it.” — Ellie Krupnick, managing editor

OXO tea kettle

“Weirdly enough, I have been relying heavily on a tea kettle. I’ve been using it every single day at various times to boil water. I start with it in the morning to make oatmeal for breakfast and continue throughout the day to make tea and repurpose hot tea for iced to switch it up. I am trying to stay as hydrated as possible while I am home.” — Stephen Pelletteri, executive producer

Anova sous vide machine

“We’ve been using the Anova to cook large portions of pork shoulder that we then eat for days and days in tacos, ramen, and more. It’s a multi-day process including a 24-hour sous vide, 24 hours in the fridge, and then oven-roasting before pulling — lots of time, but mostly hands-off. (Try J. Kenji López-Alt’s recipe to start, and then experiment with your own variations. We’ve enjoyed adding a molasses glaze before it goes in the oven.) Hint: Reserve the cooked pork juices after the sous vide process to use with ramen — boil with the water in a one-to-one ratio for the best fancied up packaged ramen you’ve had.” — Rachel Leah Blumenthal, Eater Boston editor

Hamilton Beach panini press

“My cheap-ass panini maker is so much more than a device on which to make grilled cheese, even though that’s its most common use. It’s also a lovely way to make toast (that’s a grilled cheese sans cheese) or just warm up bread enough to apply butter. Going further off-label, I’ve been using it to cook up frozen hash brown patties (they’re done in a flash with a nice crispy crust, way better than the 20 minutes in the oven version) and grill baby asparagus (while full-sized asparagus is too girthy to cook completely, the babies do just fine). Is this why people bought George Foreman grills back in the day?” — Eve Batey, Eater San Francisco senior editor

Utensils

Sur La Table fish spatula

“I’m an evangelist for this tool even under normal circumstances, and have gifted it more times than I can count. One of its purposes is obvious from its name: it’s great for flipping fish without having it break apart or damaging the skin. But I find myself using it daily, whether it’s to remove my meatloaf from its loaf pan or lift up a focaccia to see if it’s browning underneath.” — Missy Frederick, cities director

McoMce plastic bench scraper

I’ve gotten really, really tired of cleaning my kitchen during shelter-in-place, but this plastic bench scraper is a life-saver. It’s good for pushing dough out of bowls or scraping stubborn bits out of pots and pans, but I mostly use it to clean my kitchen sink. It makes quick work of collecting food scraps without having to pile them all into my hand (yuck). Once I’m done cleaning, I rinse it with a bit of soap, so that it’s ready to cut cinnamon rolls, collect herbs on my cutting board, and clean the sink — again.” — Elazar Sontag, staff writer

Storage

Comfy Package plastic kitchen containers

“During this time where I’ve been cooking a lot and ordering a lot of food, plastic food storage containers have been my saviors. It’s a habit I picked up from my dad, who works at a New York City market. The multiple sizes, from the slim eight-ounce cups to the large 32-ounce containers, makes it easy to store anything, from leftover cream cheese to portioned-out frozen lentil soup. The sizes also make it easier to downsize leftovers in the fridge, thus clearing up space for more food.” — Nadia Chaudhury, Eater Austin editor

Ball glass jars

“Last summer we had a crazy infestation of pantry moths, so on the advice of our exterminator I started saving all of my glass jars to store flours and cereals and other moth-attracting ingredients in. Now that my pantry is more valuable than ever, I’m using these jars to keep all of my bulk staples like beans, grains, and pastas organized and easily visible. I use old peanut butter jars for the most part (my kids go through a jar a week), but I’d actually advise going a little bigger if you’re buying them new, with some wide-mouth half-gallon Ball jars or invest in some fancy straight-sided ones like these wood-topped ones from Target.” — Lesley Suter, travel editor

Other Stuff

Final Touch rocks glass with ice ball

“I wanted to up my Manhattan game during the coronavirus pandemic, and the only new tool I bought was this rocks glass that includes a silicone mold to make a round ice cube. The rocks glass has a glass cylinder at the bottom so the round ice cube will roll around the bottom of the glass. It feels sophisticated to drink out of this glass, almost like I’m at a restaurant instead of at home.” — Susan Stapleton, Eater Vegas editor

Aerogarden countertop garden

“Two words: Breakfast salad. Yep, That’s been a thing in my life anytime I have my AeroGarden up and running and this quarantine called for it. Fresh herbs and lettuce in just a few weeks. I even threw some wild flowers in this time for some much needed cheer. Take that shallots-in-a-jar.” — Maureen Giannone Fitzgerald, production executive

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2zxaSRX https://ift.tt/3euFvpS

Shutterstock

These pots and pans, appliances, and utensils have made cooking in quarantine a little bit easier

Pots and Pans

Whirlpool nonstick griddle

Cook N Home nonstick wok

Great Jones sheet pan

Appliances

Panasonic toaster oven

Ninja Express Chop

OXO tea kettle

Anova sous vide machine

Hamilton Beach panini press

Utensils

Sur La Table fish spatula

McoMce plastic bench scraper

Storage

Comfy Package plastic kitchen containers

Ball glass jars

Other Stuff

Final Touch rocks glass with ice ball

Aerogarden countertop garden

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2zxaSRX via Blogger https://ift.tt/2Ajcw9F

#Blogger #cooking #Eater #food #recipes

0 notes

theladypirate · 7 years

Note

2-30 even for Tu'an and 1-29 odd for Ida please :D

Tu'an. Oh Tu'an. My disaster daughter. My awful child. I love her so much she’s a BLAST to play, barbarian for life, yo

2. How good are they at tongue twisters?Awful. But she commits to the awful, like she’ll mess up and then make it worse on purpose. If she can somehow wrangle it into a dick joke she will.

4. Are they formally trained or have they gone through a more organic learning experience for their skillset?

Uhhh…. well… organic is… one way of putting it. She’s a barbarian bc of Vrig, who took a long look at the traumatized child she had saved and another at the long and dangerous road back to Grevenia and made the decision to teach Tu'an how to protect herself. Except Vrig didn’t know how to half-ass anything so Tu'an got the full barbarian training.

6. What’s their theme song?

Good Girls by Elle King

8. Paper or plastic?

Tu'an stares the clerk dead in the eye as she shoves an entire loaf of bread into her pocket and dumps 50ft of rope, 12 caltrops, and 2 entire hams into her pack. The party looks on in resigned dismay.

10. What’s their best stat?

Strength and Constitution are tied at 20. She can (and will) do pushups for days.

12. What’s their favorite beverage?

Alcohol. But only interesting alcohol. Beer is overdone and wine is just rotten grapes. Hard liquor mixed with fun flavors.

14. Most heroic thing they have ever done?

Well she and the party stopped a crazy orc demigod from summoning a dracolich and trying to destroy civilization so that was pretty good.

16. Are they a hero or a supporting protagonist

Tu'an has hero tendencies, she’s not the kind of person who can see something bad happen and just let it go, but also she’s got some weird hang ups about Getting Involved, which tends to manifest with her getting beligerent and forcing a confrontation, bc then the other party was the one who attacked first and she can tell herself she didn’t really do anything.

18. Would they rather fight a hundred duck-sized horses, or one horse-sized duck?

Tu'an wants to fight all of those things.

20. Are they religious? If so, what god or gods do they serve?

She doesn’t care about religious exclamations that happen outside the bedroom.

22. Most amazing monster they have ever killed or helped kill?

A half- risen dracolich, and the sort-of god who was trying to raise it. Personally she thought he was less amazing and more… squishy, than anything. Made a nice satisfying wet crunch when she smashed them.

24. Do they have any interesting skills?

Tu'an: *flexes, sleeveless* Everyone around her: *impressed and mildly terrified*

26. Expansion of civilization or the preservation of nature?

Nature makes the stuff that civilization turns into food/alcohol so… ummm… yes?

28. What do they do between quests?

Go looking for trouble, usually finds it.

30. Would they smooch a ghost?

Is the ghost hot? Then yes. Yes she would.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ira (lol I just realized I mispelled that in the tags cool) is a 10-12 year old half-elven boy whom the party rescued (along with Edna, a very tiny halfling girl he was protecting) from Penny Pincher, the gnomeish ringleader of a band of slavers who specifically targeted children.

1. How many dead parents do they have?

He grew up on the street as far as he knows he’s got no parents at all. Did they die? Did they abandon him? Was he stolen? He doesn’t know.

3. Biggest regret?

At this point in his life he regrets believing Penny when she told him she had a nice warm place for him and Edna to sleep. That’s not really his fault tho, she has a staff that basically let’s her cast charm person at will. He was under magical influence when he followed her into her hideout.

5. If they could hang out with one famous person in 18th century American History, who would they want to hang out with?

Ira would absolutely not want to hang out with famous people from any century, he’s super not interested in history. You can’t eat history.

7. What fictional character are they most like? Was this an intentional or accidental influence?

As far as I know he’s not really like any specific character he’s an npc the party adopted. Like… he’s got tons of empathy but it’s all tempered by anger and a desperate helplessness that feeds that anger so maybe young Anakin Skywalker?

9. What’s their dump stat?

He’s a baby his dump stat is all of them. J/k, he’s actually a pretty good pickpocket, if nothing changes he’s probably gonna end up a rogue when he’s older. His dump stat is wisdom.

11. What is their favorite anime?

If Ira knew what anime was it’d probably be like… Naruto bc ninjas are cool, or Sailor Moon bc it’s very pretty.

13. If they can use magic, what’s their favorite spell?

Fun fact: he ~could~ use magic if properly trained, but he’s got something of an… understandable aversion to it, thanks to a certain gnome sorceress.

15. Most despicable thing they have ever done?

In his opinion he got Edna caught up in all this misery with him bc he stupidly believed Penny.

17. What’s their favorite food?

Spaghetti with meatballs and garlic bread. There was a restaurant in his hometown that would feed the street kids once a week, and they did a lot of noodle dishes.

19. They have to go live on a deserted island. They can take one thing and one person. What do they take?

His knee-jerk reaction is to take Edna bc how can he keep her safe if they’re seperated? But then he’d feel guilty bc she’d be LESS safe on a deserted island (but also she’s like barely 5yrs old if he left her behind she’d have no one to look after her). He’d take a knife. They’re mulit-purpose and useful.

21. How did they become an adventurer?

Teeeeeeeechnically he’s not an adventurer he’s an orphan (but not for much longer if Pi has his say). If he and Edna stay with the party (bc he won’t stay if Edna doesn’t, she’s his sister as far as he is concerned) then he might actually end up as one, bc Hazel will def see his potential and teach him all kinds of neat (read: illegal) tricks and tips.

23. Thoughts on death?

Avoid it at all costs.

25. Favorite animal?

He’s partial to birds and kind of wants to meet a dragon, bc he’s read about them and they just seem neat.

27. They’re at a tavern. They bump into a big burly angry drunk with a combative attitude. What happens?

He kicks them in the shin and runs, at which point the party would swoop in and whisk him off bc what are you even doing in a tavern, Ira, it’s not a good place for kids, are you okay, how did you even get here it’s like, miles from the house, Cathy worried herself into a tizzy when she saw you were gone!

29. Biggest positive and negative influences on their life and development?

Negative: orphaned homeless child captured by slavers and forced to work for them under horrific conditions while slowly developing a healthy dose of survivors guilt.

Positive: has been more or less adopted along with Edna by a group of eccentric well-off adventurers who will absolutely murder someone to keep them both safe.

0 notes

easyfoodnetwork · 4 years

Quote

Shutterstock These pots and pans, appliances, and utensils have made cooking in quarantine a little bit easier As the weeks of social distancing and recommendations to stay home as much as possible stretch on, cooking has taken on both more urgency and more burden. Luckily, there are products that, whether by intention or not, can ease the load, making spending so much time cooking so much easier. Below, a roundup of the tools and products that have made Eater editors’ kitchen lives better. And if you’re looking for more on what to cook with said tools, check out our guide for folks who literally never cook as well as our pantry-cooking guide. Pots and Pans Whirlpool nonstick griddle “Maybe the best part of a recent move has been playing with the nonstick griddle that straddles two burners atop my new stove. I’ve used it to char tomatoes, peppers, and garlic cloves for salsa, revive leftover steak, toast slices of sourdough, and inflate Indian chapati to accompany this cilantro chutney chicken recipe. A quick wipe down keeps it clean, so that accounts for one less dish to wash while the sink piles up.” — Gabriel Hiatt, Eater DC editor Cook N Home nonstick wok “I never knew that I could fall in love with my wok, but here I am. This wok brings me so much joy when I’m cooking. It’s sturdy so it can hold a lot of stuff; it’s big enough to cook a family-sized portion. The pan’s marbling coat makes sure that nothing gets stuck on the bottom, from braising short ribs to frying eggs. I use this pan for everything from stews to fried rice; it’s incredibly versatile! I know it’s overwhelming to look through different wok options, but for home cooks who want to cook many different dishes without having to clean up any residuals, this is the one. The price is also extremely affordable, so what’s not to love?” — James Park, social media manager Great Jones sheet pan “This is the first ‘fancy’ sheet pan I’ve ever had, generally preferring basics from restaurant supply stores or else the cheapest available from retailers like Williams-Sonoma. Intrigued by the company’s promise that it doesn’t warp, I ordered one last year and have not been disappointed. Since shelter-in-place started, though, I’ve found myself reaching for it over my other sheet pans, and I’m 99 percent sure it’s because the vibrant color stands out among my pans and makes cooking feel that much more lively. I’ve used it to make cookies, nachos, and all sorts of roasted vegetables, but also as a Bananagrams board and a photo backdrop.” — Hillary Dixler Canavan, restaurant editor Appliances Panasonic toaster oven “I grew up in a toaster oven family — even now, everyone in my immediate family has the same one — but even I, a super fan, did not fully appreciate the appliance until I moved in late March, just as the COVID-19 outbreak hit NYC, and found myself living in an apartment with no gas for about a week and a half. As a result, I spent a lot of time with my toaster oven, sometimes cooking three square meals a day in it. It’s fast and versatile, good for so many things: roasting vegetables, baking brownies and small cakes, and, of course, just toasting bread or bagels or nuts and spices.” — Sonia Chopra, director of editorial growth Ninja Express Chop “I never really thought I needed a food processor — big or small, really — until I got the Ninja Express Chop. I had somehow managed to avoid all recipes that required one, since it seemed so bulky to move and a pain to clean. Once I got the Ninja Express Chop, all that changed. It’s small and easy to fit in the cabinet; and it easily comes apart into four simple pieces, all of which fit in my sink or dishwasher, so I don’t mind cleaning it, even when it’s coated with oil from herby salad dressings or flecks of basil from my homemade pesto — all things I never would have made until I got it.” — Ellie Krupnick, managing editor OXO tea kettle “Weirdly enough, I have been relying heavily on a tea kettle. I’ve been using it every single day at various times to boil water. I start with it in the morning to make oatmeal for breakfast and continue throughout the day to make tea and repurpose hot tea for iced to switch it up. I am trying to stay as hydrated as possible while I am home.” — Stephen Pelletteri, executive producer Anova sous vide machine “We’ve been using the Anova to cook large portions of pork shoulder that we then eat for days and days in tacos, ramen, and more. It’s a multi-day process including a 24-hour sous vide, 24 hours in the fridge, and then oven-roasting before pulling — lots of time, but mostly hands-off. (Try J. Kenji López-Alt’s recipe to start, and then experiment with your own variations. We’ve enjoyed adding a molasses glaze before it goes in the oven.) Hint: Reserve the cooked pork juices after the sous vide process to use with ramen — boil with the water in a one-to-one ratio for the best fancied up packaged ramen you’ve had.” — Rachel Leah Blumenthal, Eater Boston editor Hamilton Beach panini press “My cheap-ass panini maker is so much more than a device on which to make grilled cheese, even though that’s its most common use. It’s also a lovely way to make toast (that’s a grilled cheese sans cheese) or just warm up bread enough to apply butter. Going further off-label, I’ve been using it to cook up frozen hash brown patties (they’re done in a flash with a nice crispy crust, way better than the 20 minutes in the oven version) and grill baby asparagus (while full-sized asparagus is too girthy to cook completely, the babies do just fine). Is this why people bought George Foreman grills back in the day?” — Eve Batey, Eater San Francisco senior editor Utensils Sur La Table fish spatula “I’m an evangelist for this tool even under normal circumstances, and have gifted it more times than I can count. One of its purposes is obvious from its name: it’s great for flipping fish without having it break apart or damaging the skin. But I find myself using it daily, whether it’s to remove my meatloaf from its loaf pan or lift up a focaccia to see if it’s browning underneath.” — Missy Frederick, cities director McoMce plastic bench scraper I’ve gotten really, really tired of cleaning my kitchen during shelter-in-place, but this plastic bench scraper is a life-saver. It’s good for pushing dough out of bowls or scraping stubborn bits out of pots and pans, but I mostly use it to clean my kitchen sink. It makes quick work of collecting food scraps without having to pile them all into my hand (yuck). Once I’m done cleaning, I rinse it with a bit of soap, so that it’s ready to cut cinnamon rolls, collect herbs on my cutting board, and clean the sink — again.” — Elazar Sontag, staff writer Storage Comfy Package plastic kitchen containers “During this time where I’ve been cooking a lot and ordering a lot of food, plastic food storage containers have been my saviors. It’s a habit I picked up from my dad, who works at a New York City market. The multiple sizes, from the slim eight-ounce cups to the large 32-ounce containers, makes it easy to store anything, from leftover cream cheese to portioned-out frozen lentil soup. The sizes also make it easier to downsize leftovers in the fridge, thus clearing up space for more food.” — Nadia Chaudhury, Eater Austin editor Ball glass jars “Last summer we had a crazy infestation of pantry moths, so on the advice of our exterminator I started saving all of my glass jars to store flours and cereals and other moth-attracting ingredients in. Now that my pantry is more valuable than ever, I’m using these jars to keep all of my bulk staples like beans, grains, and pastas organized and easily visible. I use old peanut butter jars for the most part (my kids go through a jar a week), but I’d actually advise going a little bigger if you’re buying them new, with some wide-mouth half-gallon Ball jars or invest in some fancy straight-sided ones like these wood-topped ones from Target.” — Lesley Suter, travel editor Other Stuff Final Touch rocks glass with ice ball “I wanted to up my Manhattan game during the coronavirus pandemic, and the only new tool I bought was this rocks glass that includes a silicone mold to make a round ice cube. The rocks glass has a glass cylinder at the bottom so the round ice cube will roll around the bottom of the glass. It feels sophisticated to drink out of this glass, almost like I’m at a restaurant instead of at home.” — Susan Stapleton, Eater Vegas editor Aerogarden countertop garden “Two words: Breakfast salad. Yep, That’s been a thing in my life anytime I have my AeroGarden up and running and this quarantine called for it. Fresh herbs and lettuce in just a few weeks. I even threw some wild flowers in this time for some much needed cheer. Take that shallots-in-a-jar.” — Maureen Giannone Fitzgerald, production executive from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2zxaSRX

http://easyfoodnetwork.blogspot.com/2020/05/eater-staffers-on-kitchen-tools-they.html

#EasyFoodNetwork #ComfortFoodRecipes #EasyRecipes #GoodFood #BestComfortFoodRecipes #TastyFoodv

0 notes