What I learned today (Take Two)

I must be the last one to know this…….

But for years (decades?) I left my avocados out to ripen in a basket on the counter. Sometime I used them in time and frequently they went bad before being used. I recently threw a couple of nearly ripe avocados in the fridge and they stayed exactly that way for a couple of weeks!!

I’m sure you’ve all been doing this forever but since this is “what I learned” thread I thought I would add

[Jenise]

Yes! I grew up in Avocadoland (southern California) so am familiar. Also, you might learn to like your avocados a little less ripe--my preference is 1-2 days earlier than what many consider ripe. Firmer, if you will. But it takes some experience to know when it's there. Can't tell you how often I go to one friend's house in particular and see an avocado sitting on the counter, and this person is so afraid of the avocado not being ripe enough they leave it until it's overripe and squishy. I'll tell them, "Put this in the fridge, stop the ripening!" but I know damned well that if I went back the next day, it would still be on the counter.

You are not supposed to squeeze the avocado. It bruises them and they get bad fast. Press the dark nib at the stem end gently and if it recedes the avocado is ready. Use it...

[Jenise]

Today I went to wrap a gift pair of socks for a friend (dinner at their home always starts with crackers, cheese and salami, which he prepares while his wife makes the main dinner, and I bought him a pair of socks with salami and cheeses on them!) and, lacking tissue paper, I decided to wrap them in parchment. What I learned today is that no tape sticks to parchment! Not scotch tape, not masking tape--nothing! No wonder it's so good for baking.

And yesterday I learned that I'm really not crazy about lentils. Lightly cooked and still left whole, chilled and dressed like a salad--yeah, that's okay. In brothy soups, okay. But thoroughly cooked so they fall apart like red lentils do? Just not crazy about the pasty texture.

And yesterday I learned that I'm really not crazy about lentils. Lightly cooked and still left whole, chilled and dressed like a salad--yeah, that's okay. In brothy soups, okay. But thoroughly cooked so they fall apart like red lentils do? Just not crazy about the pasty texture.

I've never been a fan of lentils. They're edible, but that's about it for me.

But thoroughly cooked so they fall apart like red lentils do? Just not crazy about the pasty texture.

Pasty sounds like they were too dry. Easy fix: just add water! It all depends on taste preferences. I don't quite like them as thinned out soupy as many Indian restaurants will serve them. But I definitely don't like them pasty and dry either. My zone is silky and verging-on-soupy, but still edible with a fork.

Of course we all have our own tastes and lentils don't have the same inherent flavor as great beans. But obviously they can be flavored as aggressively and deliciously as you like. Also great value, very nourishing, and compared to beans much quicker!

Today I went to wrap a gift pair of socks for a friend (dinner at their home always starts with crackers, cheese and salami, which he prepares while his wife makes the main dinner, and I bought him a pair of socks with salami and cheeses on them!) and, lacking tissue paper, I decided to wrap them in parchment. What I learned today is that no tape sticks to parchment! Not scotch tape, not masking tape--nothing! No wonder it's so good for baking.

And yesterday I learned that I'm really not crazy about lentils. Lightly cooked and still left whole, chilled and dressed like a salad--yeah, that's okay. In brothy soups, okay. But thoroughly cooked so they fall apart like red lentils do? Just not crazy about the pasty texture.

I'm with you Jenise, when lentils became a huge thing I tried to like them, tried different colors, bleh. I prefer Farro, Toasted Israeli Couscous, Jasmine Rice, Wild Rice, Bomba Rice, but lentils...NO!

I'm with you Jenise, when lentils became a huge thing I tried to like them, tried different colors, bleh. I prefer Farro, Toasted Israeli Couscous, Jasmine Rice, Wild Rice, Bomba Rice, but lentils...NO!

Interesting set of comparisons. For me, those are all options for the carbohydrate, whereas lentils are the protein in a meal.

[Robin Garr]

Interesting set of comparisons. For me, those are all options for the carbohydrate, whereas lentils are the protein in a meal.

Same here. As for lentils, I'm always ready for just about any Indian or Pakistani dal/dahl/daal.

In grocery stores Lentils are in the same area as the other grains, probably why I threw them into the starches. A cup of cooked farro contains 12 grams of protein, and a quarter cup of whole grain emmer farro contains 6 grams. Farro is an ancient grain that's high in protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It's similar to brown rice but contains more protein. When combined with other plant-based foods, farro can be a complete protein source.

[Jenise]

Interesting set of comparisons. For me, those are all options for the carbohydrate, whereas lentils are the protein in a meal.

Yes, exactly why I'm interested. And like you, give me silky/fork. I really like belugas for this reason, where red seem to go too far too fast. Also, FWIW, these were a recent purchase at a brand new Indian store here in town, so would have been the freshest option available.

And like you, give me silky/fork. I really like belugas for this reason, where red seem to go too far too fast...

Interesting. I will happily eat all kinds of lentils (when I prepare them, and properly sauce/flavor them), but the ones that stay whole - like belugas - are actually less appealing to me. I think the sauce flavor gets more saturated when they break down.

The glories of individual taste!

I'm a fan of amaranth and quinoa, both pseudo-grains that have complete protein.

[Jenise]

I like the flavor of lentils but not the texture of some of them. I used the word 'pasty', but after sampling leftovers of the red lentil soup I made 'powdery' might be a better description. As a child I despised beans of all kinds--again, hated the texture and sometimes the taste (refried beans and garbanzos were especially distasteful). Now I love both; I just avoid the sludge-y style of overcooked bean soups my mom made; mine are brothy. And I won't be bothering with red lentils again.

[Jenise]

Yesterday I made some small tarts to take to a lunch tomorrow. It's a classic Italian recipe for braised radicchio topped with taleggio cheese as the sole ingredients inside a puff pastry case. I've made it many times. The bitterness of raddichio fades when cooked, as many of you probably know.

Well not this head of raddichio I had! BITTER, horribly so. I wouldn't, couldn't put it in a salad. And it didn't fade in the pan.

I had NO idea there was such a thing as extra-bitter in the vegetable world beyond the occasional cucumber.

If you eat a can of Campbell's Chicken Noodle with Ghost Pepper Soup, be forewarned it's seriously spicy hot. Hard to believe.

Late to the lentil discussion, I'm a fan. We make dal, most often with red dhuli (split). With American brown style lentils, most common is mujaddara. But my favorite lentil dish is probably one I got from a wine board, I use either brown or puy. Cook the lentils with bay leaf & thyme, then mix with shallots, walnut oil, white wine and balsamic vinegars, mustard, shallots and parsley. Serve at room temp. Original called for topping with quial breast, too fussy for me , so I serve with grilled spatchocked quail, duck breast, or just as a side.

[Jenise]

Dale, I too love lentils as a salad ingredient. I frequently make something not dissimilar from you described as a way of turning leftover cold cooked fish (usually halibut or salmon but only because that's what we have here) into a main course salad lunch. I would not have considered using balsamic vinegar, though. Will consider that substitution next time.

[Jenise]

This week I learned that there's a heirloom variety apple called Liberty that I just love. I have no idea where they were grown--our Co-Op always gets in some heirlooms about this time of year, many from the east coast. They're small, taller than wide, and the largest is maybe 3 inches with very, very pretty pink skin with streaks of red and patches of white. That coloring is like no apple I've ever seen before. The flesh is very white and crisp with above-average density, and the flavor is intensely tangy. I bought four just to taste them earlier this week, and made a return mission just for these applese yesterday, bringing home about six pounds of them.

If I can find an image of one online, I'll post it back here.

Well shucks, just went to find an Image to share but none really look like the apples I bought. In the photos they're darker, more uniformly red and in some pictures they even have yellow on them. Not mine!

This week I learned that there's a heirloom variety apple called Liberty that I just love...

So many apple varieties in the markets these days. Which is great. I think my youth in the 1980s was a sad time for commercialization of such limited and undelicious varieties.

And the proliferation of different varieties allows different people to get the specific apple that suits them. Even though markets around here have over a dozen options, the only one we've been buying these past years is Evercrisp. Crisp, dense, tangy and sweet, a perfect combination. (Used to buy honeycrisp but too soft and sweet these days)

[Jenise]

Rahsaan, Honeycrisp are generally our favorites as well. I've had a lousy one or two here or there, soft like you describe, but most if not all are grown here in WA so being closer to the source, my luck with them has been much better than yours. I also like an apple called Ambrosia. But these little Liberties are better than either.

Every market generally carries a dozen or so varieties but it's pretty much always the same dozen. I love that the Co-op brings in some interesting variations in the fall. I've never had an Evercrisp.

I miss the apples of my childhood, particularly green pippins, winesaps and red delicious that were half green, which is in fact the proper ripeness for a red delicious. The ones picked all red as they are these days are in fact overripe because some focus group figured out that moms were more likely to buy those for their kids' lunches. (Learned all this from a very bitter former apple-turned-grape grower.) I also miss Macintosh apples for baking. My second favorite, Jonathans, have also disappeared. Just over the border in Canada they're in regular markets, but I can't bring them home. Here? Proper baking apples per se no longer exist.

I just bought some Ginger Gold at the farmer's market. (Yeah, they have the various *crisp kinds, too.)

Rahsaan, Honeycrisp are generally our favorites as well. I've had a lousy one or two here or there, soft like you describe, but most if not all are grown here in WA so being closer to the source, my luck with them has been much better than yours. ...winesaps...

I only buy apples from the farmers market and they're all local to the Nyc area. Nothing wrong with any of them, including the Honeycrisps, just a matter of personal taste. I also used to like Pink Lady apples, but now it's Evercrisp way out in front for us! (Evercrisp are a hybrid of Fuji and Honeycrisp, I think the fuji gives it more heft than the honeycrisp alone).

Several folks at the market have winesaps, maybe I'll try them.

[Jenise]

Rahsaan, the Food Co-op had winesaps last year, but sadly they weren't as crispy or wine-y as the ones I remember from childhood. I'd give anything to taste those again. Hope you try them.