The Frying Pan

Which acid works best to keep avocados from browning? Answer: None (of the acids tested) It's not that acid doesn't do much to help. ALL OF THE ACIDS TESTED CAUSED AVOCADOS TO BECOME MORE BROWN AND TO BECOME BROWN FASTER THAN NO TREATMENT AT ALL I am not kidding. Method For acid, I used fre...

SAJ14SAJ

2:20 AM

Not cutting them open helps.

Jolenealaska

I did more experimentation yesterday.

SAJ14SAJ

ARe you watching The Taste? I feel like I am slumming. Nigela is an idiot, and Ludo is ann ass.

Jolenealaska

Vit C or being enclosed with diced onion are key.

I've only seen it once.

Last week

before that I couldn't get the channel.

SAJ14SAJ

Vitamin c is citric acid, so that would contract the no acid helps thesis. But I think it is the physial barrier that helps. Non permeable plastic wrap works. So does the seed if you leave it, for the parts you cover. Or simply, not cutting them open :-)

Hulu for me.

Jolenealaska

no vit C is ascorbic acid

SAJ14SAJ

2:23 AM

Its an acid either way :-)

Jolenealaska

citric acid is different

SAJ14SAJ

I have no need to be right any more, I am retired from writing answers, although evidently still ranked on the rep scales just for my legacy. And still hated by Joe judging by comments in meta.

Jolenealaska

but what it does to avocados is hugely different.

SAJ14SAJ

That might have something to do with typical concentrations.

Jolenealaska

I used 100mg of ascorbic acid / 50 grams of mashed avocado.

SAJ14SAJ

2:25 AM

And how much citric is in the equiv lime juice? I suspect you just had vastly different amounts of acidity.

You can try glacial vinegar and see what happens :-)

Jolenealaska

I could not find the citric acid concentration in lime juice.

SAJ14SAJ

I cannot believe google did not yield up that information...

Jolenealaska

I could find the ascorbic acid concentration.

Same with fruit fresh

SAJ14SAJ

Today, for the first time ever, I met with a jar I could not open. My chili mac is going without roasted red peppers.

Jolenealaska

I could find comparisons between lime and lemon juice as they relate to citric acid.

Pounding it on the edge didn't work?

SAJ14SAJ

2:29 AM

No, tried it twice.

Jolenealaska

wow

SAJ14SAJ

Its a store brand jar. Maybe they didn't want me to find out the peppers arent that good.

Jolenealaska

You still have 10 days to out-rep me for the year.

SAJ14SAJ

Don't care. Although I did notice I was number 10 on the ladder just from residual votes.

I looked at the questions today... couldn't see one I could bring myself to even want to answer.

Jolenealaska

yes...you even make #1 for the week once and a while (for a day or 2)

SAJ14SAJ

2:31 AM

Its good that I stopped.

Jolenealaska

I cant see anything worth answering either.

This is my favorite all time answer.:

(of mine)

33

A: Coca Cola's Secret Recipe

It's no secret, here it is! Complete with the cocaine that was removed from Coke's production in 1903: Picture and text from This American Life The radio broatcast recording on the above link makes a very compelling case that the picture at the top of the page is really the original formula...

SAJ14SAJ

That must be from after I left since I don't recall it.

Jolenealaska

The question almost got closed...I was on pins and needles.

yep, Aug 11

for some reason, I love that little essay.

SAJ14SAJ

You keep the rep on closed questions.

Jolenealaska

until they are deleted.

SAJ14SAJ

2:35 AM

I am sure it was in no risk of being deleted.

Jolenealaska

It wasn't so much about rep, I just didn't want it to lose anything.

SAJ14SAJ

Actually, the core question is good, and you didn't answer it.... :-) Different people create pre-mixses from their half or portion of the recipe, then they are combined. No one ever sees the whole thing. That is how certain spice blends are done, for example.

Jolenealaska

I did mention that in the answer.

SAJ14SAJ

Ah, the lead is well buried then.

Jolenealaska

Hey @Cerberus look who's slumming

SAJ14SAJ

2:38 AM

Have you recovered from your brioche obsession?

Jolenealaska

yep...I've moved on:

I'm pretty proud of my bad-ass self

SAJ14SAJ

Not bad.... I did croissants from scratch twice in my life, I think I have previously mentioned. Julia's recipe. Never again.

I am sure they are very, very delicious, but are they delicious enough on a time/effort to taste ratio? :-)

Jolenealaska

epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Croissant-Dough-103988

SAJ14SAJ

My big maine coon is meowing profusely, which I think reflects her opinion of recipes from epicurious.

Jolenealaska

of course not...those things were a career.

SAJ14SAJ

2:42 AM

It must be Cerby's ghost.

That is why I never did them again.

I might try quick puff paste some day. Maybe.

And I might put shelves up on the walls like steps for the cats. STranger things have happened, but I wouldn't be on either one.

Jolenealaska

they are awfully yummy though. 3 sticks of butter in 24 croissants :)

Yowza

SAJ14SAJ

My black and white kitty just sat on my foot. He is like a heated foot muff

That is barely over a tbl per croissant. Must not have been a french recipe ;-)

Jolenealaska

I used a Paul Hollywood "cheat" of grating frozen butter. It worked a treat.

SAJ14SAJ

That sounds more like a trick for pie crust.

Jolenealaska

Originally the Paul Hollywood thing was for puff pastry, which interests me not at all because the frozen stuff works just fine.

SAJ14SAJ

2:49 AM

Maybe quick puff pastry.

Jolenealaska

no...just frozen grated instead of a pounded rectangle.

the folds were the same

SAJ14SAJ

That doesn't make sense, since it would have to come to plastic temperatures for the folding.

Jolenealaska

Sprinkle on the frozen grated instead of placing a pounded sheet.

then fold

I know it works just fine 'cause I did it.

and followed with 6 folds, without any leakage

SAJ14SAJ

Probably the shreds are small enough to warm from the dough itself.... because they certainly couldn't be folded frozen.

Jolenealaska

well yeah, that's part of the point

SAJ14SAJ

2:55 AM

STill, too much labor even with that moderate short cut.

Jolenealaska

yes, not something I'd do weekly.

SAJ14SAJ

Did you make baker's crossants du boulangere ou patissier?

And did you buy some $80/lb cultured european butter ;-)

Jolenealaska

Is that Pain Chocolat?

And no, just store brand butter.

I was tempted though...but too broke

SAJ14SAJ

No, pain au chocolate means adding a chocolate strip in the center and shaping them differently.

Its whether there is yeast involved.

Croissants du pattisier are essentially just puff paste.

Jolenealaska

I did do that...I don't know the other

SAJ14SAJ

2:57 AM

Cerby?

Jolenealaska

non hat bah humbug......

SAJ14SAJ

?

Jolenealaska

I suggested using paint to make a 3 hat wearing Cerby

but

pfft

SAJ14SAJ

??

Jolenealaska

You know...hats!

like mine!

SAJ14SAJ

3:00 AM

Cats? Mine are very furry, thank you.

Jolenealaska

winter bash

SAJ14SAJ

I must have turned that off last year; I don't see anything.

Jolenealaska

3 "People who opt out of hats should get a bah humbug hat auto-equipped which is visible only to everyone else." I love it! - dec 15 at 7:58 by Jolenealaska

SAJ14SAJ

People who wear hats should get automatic downvotes on every post.

Jolenealaska

bah humbug

SAJ14SAJ

3:02 AM

Yesz, i loatth The Great American Commercial holiday and everything it stands for, and the horrible music and decorations which are now starting at Holloween.

Jolenealaska

I hate much of it too...

SAJ14SAJ

It was fine when they waited until a couple of weeks before, when I were a youth.

Then it went to Thanksgicing, making people suffer it 1/12 of the year. Holloween is just stupid.

So sign me up for 10 orders of bah, and extra humbugs.

Jolenealaska

And considering my devout atheistness, it's doubly annoying

SAJ14SAJ

t hasn't been about christian religious stuff in living memory.

Jolenealaska

yet, I find myself humming, FA LALALALA LA LA LALA

SAJ14SAJ

3:04 AM

Tiny Tim will save you.

Jolenealaska

And, I got a sous vide circulator this year.

SAJ14SAJ

cracked.com/blog/…

@Jolenealaska Which one?

Jolenealaska

amazon.com/Anova-Sous-Vide-Immersion-Circulator/dp/B00NJS0A1O/…

SAJ14SAJ

And have you soud any vides?

Jolenealaska

I know there is an upgrade coming, but I wouldn't care about any of it.

Yep

this beef chuck was awesome:

SAJ14SAJ

3:09 AM

I am too old a dog... that just seems wrong.

Jolenealaska

Great steak for the price of hamburger. Hell Yeah!

look at the edges...no grey

SAJ14SAJ

So I see.

Did you get a searzall too?

Jolenealaska

Nope....I have a torch. That is a NASA hot cast iron skillet.

Chuck that tastes and feels like Ribeye.

SAJ14SAJ

I have a new york strip steak in the frdige.

And two potatoes.

It turns out you can make magnificent mashed potatoes in the oven, in about three minutes.

3

Microwave oven, that is.

Jolenealaska

oh yeah?

ah

SAJ14SAJ

3:14 AM

Cut em up in pieces, leave them somewhat damp after rinsing, nuke in a closed container until cooked through. Add stuff, mash. Fast and easy for small quantities, which since I live alone (felines excepted) is a virtue.

Jolenealaska

21

A: Why would you place potatoes on salt when baking in the oven?

This is what America's Test Kitchen (sorry, paywalled) has to say about it: Sometimes baked potatoes can use a flavor boost. And instead of light and fluffy, most often they are dense and crumbly. We found that baking the potatoes on a bed of salt remedied these problems. Moisture that escape...

SAJ14SAJ

They do many insane things at CI, but you know that.

Jolenealaska

Yep.

My subscription just ran out.

I'm hoping to trade huge volumes of avocado data for 1 more year. :)

pictures included

SAJ14SAJ

SAlt melts at only 1400 degrees. I am surprised they didn't suggest cooking the potatoes in molten salt for maximum moisture extraction and crispiness.

belisarius

HI there

SAJ14SAJ

3:17 AM

Sadly I think that is a fantasy because you won't have nearly the number of repititions nore controls that they would want. Sorry.

Hello.

belisarius

molten salt? ha!

SAJ14SAJ

And I am pretty sure they have a near terminal case of NIH.

Jolenealaska

oh yes.

Serious eats hasn't responded either.

SAJ14SAJ

I keep telling you, you need your own blog: Obsessions under the Aurora. Impractical cooking for you inner foodie.

What is up, Bel?

Jolenealaska

On that note, I need to catch some ZZZZs. Nice seeing you, @SAJ14SAJ!

belisarius

3:21 AM

Have you tasted over-the-charcoal baked potatoes? They are sublime.

SAJ14SAJ

@Jolenealaska Bon soir.

@belisarius No, fraid I havent. But my favorite potato is mashed.

belisarius

@SAJ14SAJ Try them next time you have a barbecue. Just drop some large potatoes over the charcoal, rotate them a few times until really black. Cut in halves. Salt, pepper, olive oil and parsley or cilantro. A smoked heavenly flavor.

SAJ14SAJ

Sadly, the fire codes dictate that my barbecue frequency is zero. But you lost all credibility at "cilantro."

belisarius

@SAJ14SAJ What happens with cilantro?

SAJ14SAJ

Food tastes like dishsoap.

belisarius

3:29 AM

@SAJ14SAJ Ah, yes. It's an acquired taste, I know. I hated it until I had to live in Chile for a year. They use cilantro for everything.

SAJ14SAJ

The horror!

And no amount of acclimation will make cilantro palatable to me.

belisarius

Lettuce is the same for non-lettuce eaters. Soapy.

SAJ14SAJ

I have never heard that, nor experienced it.

belisarius

Cilantro has a strong smell and flavor. I can easily understand why many people hate it. That's why the "parsley OR cilantro" :D

SAJ14SAJ

Cilantro is evil. I think it is the infernal influence that makes it taste so horrible.

belisarius

3:37 AM

@SAJ14SAJ Well, yes. That's why I like it. Hell is the way to go

SAJ14SAJ

Well, its late here... I think the time has come.

If you see a three headed dog, tell him I am not a cat.

Bon soir.

belisarius

night!

@SAJ14SAJ Give my regards to Dante

Cerberus

5:05 AM

@SAJ14SAJ Woof! Missed you again. Welcome back.

ElendilTheTall

6:51 AM

@saj14saj ... why does that name ring a bell...?

Tom W

8:33 AM

Aaah, cilantro discussion. I personally think it's lovely. But I think I remember reading somewhere this is one of the cases where it's been proven that people who dislike it actually have different taste receptors firing to people who do like it. So no wonder it's polarising

Cerberus

2:40 PM

@TomW I used t hate it, but now I like it.

It is possible that my taste receptors changed when I was 20, but...

Tom W

3:30 PM

Well, I didn't like olives until about that time in my life too. There are probably several reasons

Cerberus

Ah, I still don't like olives.

Too intense.

ElendilTheTall

4:06 PM

Green olives are lovely

Black olives, not so much

Jolenealaska

6:00 PM

I kalamata olives...not black really, dark purply. The "black olives" like these:

are flavorless fake food.

ElendilTheTall

6:17 PM

@jolenealaska i.imgur.com/WmM6XbX.jpg

Seven miles from anchorage, apparently

Jolenealaska

HA!

The real big foot.

Article?

ElendilTheTall

@jolenealaska pitted black olives are green olives dyed black

Jolenealaska

turned black by some kind of lye brine or something like that.

Jolenealaska

6:30 PM

I've got one more thing to do before writing the last word every avocado lover (which I know does not include you) needs to know about browning. I need to put all of the combos that work plus a batch of good guacamole with Vit C in little ziplocs in the fridge. Also Guac in a bowl with a lid and a layer of onions, then wait a week. THEN I will have all the data I need.

Nobel Prize stuff

Jolenealaska

6:44 PM

I just looked at Netflix.

I let CN use my Netflix, I gave him the password.

Tom W

porn porn porn porn?

OR:

chick flicks

OR:

My Little Pony.

Jolenealaska

He has (probably somehow inadvertently, although I don't know how you could accidentally do this).

Tom W

Are my bets.

Jolenealaska

Attached a photo of himself to my profile

holding a rifle, no less

ElendilTheTall

It's the law in Alaska

Jolenealaska

6:49 PM

So much for the Catherine Zeta-Jones image :)

ElendilTheTall

Quite

Tom W

Keep an eye on his viewing history, would ya?

I'm sure you are

(by that what I mean is tell us if anything funny/disturbing crops up)

Jolenealaska

It shows up as "recently viewed" every time I watch Netflix anyway. He's as boring as me.

That reminds me.

I am very anti-Facebook

ElendilTheTall

Right on sister

Jolenealaska

I have an account just 'cause sometimes it's the easiest way to log on to somewhere else.

I used it a few weeks ago and got an alert that went on and on and on about all of the ways Facebook digs into my personal shit and the personal shit of all my friends.

I had not seen that particular alert before, and I haven't seen it since.

ElendilTheTall

6:55 PM

If something can only be logged into via Facebook, I don't log into it

Jolenealaska

On Netflix (which is very Facebook linked) a person is listed (photo included, so I know it's the same person)

who would NEVER list me as someone he knows.

the very nature of our relationship is so confidential, we would pretend not to know each other if we met at a party.

Tom W

ooo, suspicious...

Jolenealaska

yet there he is, on my Netflix.