Plant a Rosemary bush!

[BrotherRob]

I've grown it for years, couldn't live without it. They can be tough to get started, but once established, they're pretty in destructible.

My favorite way to cook steak is to coat it with minced rosemary and lemon pepper and grill to medium rare. The leftover coating goes on the shrooms with some fresh basil and chives. It doesn't get much better.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Try making a mash of rosemary, garlic, course salt, fresh cracked black pepper and just enough olive oil to bring it together. If you don't own a motor and pestle buy one, they are great for making wet rubs like this.

Rub the mash on a steak, I think rib eye works best for this. Grill to your liking

There could be a French name for this style of preparation, I don't know what it is. It's probably something I learned from watching PBS.

Remember when PBS was the only network that aired cooking shows? Now there are what 3 different networks devoted to nothing but cooking?

 

[Combat Chuck]

Try making a mash of rosemary, garlic, course salt, fresh cracked black pepper and just enough olive oil to bring it together. If you don't own a motor and pestle buy one, they are great for making wet rubs like this.

Rub the mash on a steak, I think rib eye works best for this. Grill to your liking

There could be a French name for this style of preparation, I don't know what it is. It's probably something I learned from watching PBS.

Remember when PBS was the only network that aired cooking shows? Now there are what 3 different networks devoted to nothing but cooking?

I remember those days.
Jaques Pepin, Julia Child, and Martin Yan, all Saturday morning.

I also remember when Food network had cooking shows, and not "fat slobs waddling to restaurants and eating stuff" shows.

 

[spressomon]

PBS still has good cooking shows today too! I switched to a digital attic antenna last year...and have been pleasantly surprised with PBS' Create show, et al.

Lidia Bastianich, Jacques Pepin, Steven Raichlen, Ming Tsai, Daisy Martinez, Hubert Keller, Sara Moulton, Nick Stellino and quite a few more that are worth watching on PBS...for free!

Ok...not quite free as I do donate to the cause.


Try adding some fresh lemon zest to your rosemary mash Rusty...learned it from Michael Chiarello a few years ago and its amazing on any wild game & lamb but even chicken and salmon too! Let it sit on the meat from 30-minutes prior to cooking for chicken and fish to 24-hours for wild game. In fact it was Michael's recipe for same + his Tonatto sauce I tried a couple years ago for the first time...on some wild Nevada Big Horn meat...delicio!


On a social note: Thanks for meeting up with us Combat Chuck! It was great to finally put a face to your posts! Its amazing how fast a couple hours fly by when we're just BS'n about Toyota's

 

[rusty_tlc]

Chuck, your younger than me. You missed Graham Kerr, and Jeff Smith. The cool thing was there were also some other great shows in there like the Wood Wrights Shop.

Spresso, I don't care for the citrus with beef or venison. I'm not sure why.

I think I posted my lamb marinade earlier in this thread, I use lemon zest and juice in that.

 

[Combat Chuck]

Chuck, your younger than me. You missed Graham Kerr, and Jeff Smith. The cool thing was there were also some other great shows in there like the Wood Wrights Shop.

Spresso, I don't care for the citrus with beef or venison. I'm not sure why.

I think I posted my lamb marinade earlier in this thread, I use lemon zest and juice in that.

I remember Jeff Smith, I even have a few of his books.
I used to watch The Frugal Gourmet with my dad on the weekends; we still use his orange-mustard glaze on meats, and a retooled version of his leg of lamb prep, too.

I'd forgotten about The frug. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!



EDIT:
The Frug is on Youtube.
I've been watching his shows all night at work.
I like how he has visible cue cards and occasionally drops things, or bumbles his lines; I'd forgotten how much life cooking shows used to have.

 

[haryv]

Interesting sub forum. I am getting tired of just tossing the baked potato in the microwave, making spaghetti. but not much for spices. Replicating what I eat in fine restaurants is my motivation to try something different when it comes to spices.

When a guy gets into his 30s and 40s, the same food is not the same as it used to be. Yes, been there done that, try something different for once if the metabolism can digest it into energy instead of fat.

Are there some spices that enhance ones mood or increase metabolism? Can rosemary grow in the wet part of the country like Seattle or Vancouver?

 

[BrotherRob]

Can rosemary grow in the wet part of the country like Seattle or Vancouver?

My gut feeling would be no. But if I've learned anything about gardening, it's all about being stubborn. If you kill enough plants, you're likely to stumble on a way to make them thrive. Give it a whirl, plants are cheap, you don't have much to loose.

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Interesting sub forum. I am getting tired of just tossing the baked potato in the microwave, making spaghetti. but not much for spices. Replicating what I eat in fine restaurants is my motivation to try something different when it comes to spices.

When a guy gets into his 30s and 40s, the same food is not the same as it used to be. Yes, been there done that, try something different for once if the metabolism can digest it into energy instead of fat.

Are there some spices that enhance ones mood or increase metabolism? Can rosemary grow in the wet part of the country like Seattle or Vancouver?

Absolutely, you can grow a wide variety of herbs in the Seattle/Vancouver areas..

How-To Project: Planting a Windowsill Herb Garden Seattle WA - Seattle WA, Planting a Windowsill Herb Garden, Seattle WA Windowsill Herb Gardens, Seattle WA Windowsill Herb Garden maintenance, Seattle WA garden maintenance basics, Seattle WA gardenin

Several spices alter mood and can speed up metabolism..

Spices can speed your [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]metabolism[/COLOR][/COLOR] by about 50% and keep the burn going for about 3 hours! That means that by adding low [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]calorie[/COLOR][/COLOR] or calorie free spices to your diet, you can actually burn more calories by doing nothing. They can also help you eliminate unhealthy food additives like salt and oil from your diet because they pack such a flavor punch. Be sure you are adding these spices in conjunction with a healthy, balanced diet to really reap the benefits.
Cayenne Pepper

This spicy addition to tons of Mexican dishes has thermogenic properties, or the ability to heat up the body and increase your calorie burn. That’s why eating spicy foods can make you sweat! Try adding cayenne to chili, potatoes, eggs, or even a pinch to a stir-fry dish.
Ginger

Ginger helps the cells in muscle tissue to utilize more oxygen. This thermogenesis, or activation of metabolism, causes the body to burn more fat and calories. Pair some ginger with garlic and rub it over a chicken breast before grilling for some big flavor.
Cinnamon

This tasty spice has been used throughout history as an embalming agent as well as an antibiotic. Cinnamon lowers blood glucose and bad cholesterol — known as LDL cholesterol which clogs arteries with plaque. Lowering blood glucose will also have an additional effect on abdominal fat, which stores glucose more than the fat in other parts of the body. Try adding cinnamon to your morning cereal and coffee, to smoothies or chocolate desserts. Sprinkle it on toast for a quick breakfast or snack.
Green Tea

Green tea has thermogenic properties, getting your metabolism firing and calories burning. That higher [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]metabolic[/COLOR][/COLOR] rate coaxes fat burn as well. Try swapping 1 of your cups of coffee for 1 of green tea, or look for some green tea extract supplements. The additional benefit of antioxidants makes green tea a top choice for overall health as well.
Turmeric

The super-spice, turmeric, not only reduces inflammation, improves cholesterol levels, and inhibits blood from clotting, but this flavorful addition to Indian or Asian cooking helps increase the production of bile, the acid needed to break down fats during digestion. It also has thermogenic properties to raise your [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]metabolic [COLOR=blue! important]rate[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]. Try some with a sprinkle of chili powder, and a bit of salt and pepper on grilled shrimp for a flavorful entree or salad topper.
Mustard

Not only is mustard a great replacement for fatty condiments on sandwiches or as a dip, but it has extreme health benefits as well. The 10 or so minerals and omega 3 fatty acids in mustard seeds are another benefit, but its metabolism boosting properties are what are amazing for [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]weight [COLOR=blue! important]loss[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]. The heat in spicy mustard will raise your internal body temperature during digestion, so stick to the hot varieties, or add ground seeds to spice mixes for a dry rub on chicken or sirloin.

 

[Combat Chuck]

Absolutely, you can grow a wide variety of herbs in the Seattle/Vancouver areas..

How-To Project: Planting a Windowsill Herb Garden Seattle WA - Seattle WA, Planting a Windowsill Herb Garden, Seattle WA Windowsill Herb Gardens, Seattle WA Windowsill Herb Garden maintenance, Seattle WA garden maintenance basics, Seattle WA gardenin

Several spices alter mood and can speed up metabolism..

Spices can speed your [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]metabolism[/COLOR][/COLOR] by about 50% and keep the burn going for about 3 hours! That means that by adding low [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]calorie[/COLOR][/COLOR] or calorie free spices to your diet, you can actually burn more calories by doing nothing. They can also help you eliminate unhealthy food additives like salt and oil from your diet because they pack such a flavor punch. Be sure you are adding these spices in conjunction with a healthy, balanced diet to really reap the benefits.
Cayenne Pepper

This spicy addition to tons of Mexican dishes has thermogenic properties, or the ability to heat up the body and increase your calorie burn. That’s why eating spicy foods can make you sweat! Try adding cayenne to chili, potatoes, eggs, or even a pinch to a stir-fry dish.
Ginger

Ginger helps the cells in muscle tissue to utilize more oxygen. This thermogenesis, or activation of metabolism, causes the body to burn more fat and calories. Pair some ginger with garlic and rub it over a chicken breast before grilling for some big flavor.
Cinnamon

This tasty spice has been used throughout history as an embalming agent as well as an antibiotic. Cinnamon lowers blood glucose and bad cholesterol — known as LDL cholesterol which clogs arteries with plaque. Lowering blood glucose will also have an additional effect on abdominal fat, which stores glucose more than the fat in other parts of the body. Try adding cinnamon to your morning cereal and coffee, to smoothies or chocolate desserts. Sprinkle it on toast for a quick breakfast or snack.
Green Tea

Green tea has thermogenic properties, getting your metabolism firing and calories burning. That higher [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]metabolic[/COLOR][/COLOR] rate coaxes fat burn as well. Try swapping 1 of your cups of coffee for 1 of green tea, or look for some green tea extract supplements. The additional benefit of antioxidants makes green tea a top choice for overall health as well.
Turmeric

The super-spice, turmeric, not only reduces inflammation, improves cholesterol levels, and inhibits blood from clotting, but this flavorful addition to Indian or Asian cooking helps increase the production of bile, the acid needed to break down fats during digestion. It also has thermogenic properties to raise your [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]metabolic [COLOR=blue! important]rate[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]. Try some with a sprinkle of chili powder, and a bit of salt and pepper on grilled shrimp for a flavorful entree or salad topper.
Mustard

Not only is mustard a great replacement for fatty condiments on sandwiches or as a dip, but it has extreme health benefits as well. The 10 or so minerals and omega 3 fatty acids in mustard seeds are another benefit, but its metabolism boosting properties are what are amazing for [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]weight [COLOR=blue! important]loss[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]. The heat in spicy mustard will raise your internal body temperature during digestion, so stick to the hot varieties, or add ground seeds to spice mixes for a dry rub on chicken or sirloin.

Dude, you rock!
That's some fantastic information to know.


As far as learning how to use spices, I believe the best way to learn how to make a sand castle is to play in the sandbox. Likewise for spices.
Don't risk ruining a good dish with a cayenne overdose or something, but if you have a free hour after work, go raid the spice cabinet, rub them in your hands to get the smell; dip your index finger into a small bowl of water, shake on a small amount of one spice, taste it, drink some water, repeat. Take notes on how these things smell and taste, and return to the notes when you feel the need to add some umph to your food.

Some folks do flights of beer or wine, but treat yourself to some flights of spices; it might burn, or taste funky, but you won't regret it when the results come around.

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Google is a great information tool!

 

[Franz]

II'd forgotten about The frug. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

Me too! Used to watch his shows when I lived in the States, and loved the way he threw the stuff into the pans - such fun! Off course I tried to emulate that and ended up with half of it on the floor. Not that he did much better....