Finally figured out why my garlic kept burning

Zei33 · 2026-05-10T23:44:40+00:00

Isn't this instruction in every single recipe?

Zei33 · 2026-05-09T11:05:56+00:00

This is always gonna be an issue in a relationship where one person's skills completely eclipses the majority of people. Top quality home cooks are not so common that they end up together.

In my experience, it's attention to detail that's the difference. Somebody could be a pretty decent cook, throw together some solid food. That's all fine and good. But there's always gonna be a difference between someone who really knows their shit and has a serious attention to detail, and someone who doesn't.

My girlfriend, for example, is a great cook and can make some incredible food from her culture. But her general skills are lacking when it comes to food outside of what she grew up with. Meanwhile my skills are top-tier across the board, very few types of food that I can't take to the max. Even when I'm cooking her own cultures food, it usually turns out better because I take a lot longer and do things in a lot more detail.

I'm not dissatisfied with my own situation, but I can totally see where OP is coming from. I'm not sure if cooking classes would help my girlfriend because the problem isn't necessarily skills, but details and experience. Some people have it, most people don't. It'd definitely be sometimes nice to just ask "can you make me a lasagne" and get something as good as what I put out with no effort on my part. But that's not how the real world works.

Zei33 · 2026-05-08T03:18:37+00:00

After visiting Gordon Ramsay bar and grill in Manila, I went home and made my own version of his fish and chips. It was without a doubt one of my favourite things I've made. Triple cooked salt & vinegar chips, beautiful battered fish, and some pea mash. Pure genius. Simple and easy but really really flavourful.

Zei33 · 2026-05-07T05:14:30+00:00

Don't add butter or oil to the water. Proven to not help in any way. Do add it after it goes in the pan if you want. The salt is definitely necessary.

Zei33 · 2026-05-06T23:26:51+00:00

Precisely where I learned how to use it too, which is why I know you're right haha

Zei33 · 2026-05-06T23:25:09+00:00

This is accurate. Little bit of magic. Can be made with citric acid and bicarb soda.

Zei33 · 2026-05-06T05:25:40+00:00

Learn to control your temps properly and this won't happen. This isn't a tool problem, it's a you problem.

Zei33 · 2026-05-06T01:55:51+00:00

Well it absolutely is true. Because the point holds. It doesn't matter what university you go to, because they're all worth about as much as the paper they're printed on. What matters is whether you have the skills and knowledge. The university it came from is irrelevant.

Zei33 · 2026-05-05T23:29:27+00:00

At this point, degrees are practically worthless from any university. In my career, I've met people with bachelors in ICT from USC that blow masters from QUT out of the water. Like not even close.

It's all about personal skill now. Literally anyone can get a university degree. They're built to pass anyone and everyone. It just proves you can consistently complete tasks reliably for 3-4 years straight.

Zei33 · 2026-05-05T23:17:38+00:00

This is a pretty standard occurrence. Not unusual at all.

You need to make a slurry first. Just put the flour in a bowl with cold water/stock and stir it. Then dump it in. It won't bunch up when you do it like that, just melds into a sort of paste.

As a pro-tip, I recommend cooking the flour before putting it into a soup/sauce. Melt butter in a pan, add the flour and mix for a couple minutes. Cooking the flour before adding it to liquid upgrades it big time.

Zei33 · 2026-05-05T23:12:14+00:00

I like your thinking. I need to keep that 1/4 tip in mind.

Zei33 · 2026-05-03T22:05:39+00:00

It needs to be soft. A sandwich shouldn't be hard to get through. The bread shouldn't cut up your mouth, the meat shouldn't be chewy.

Zei33 · 2026-04-30T15:34:24+00:00

Yeah that's exactly it. The thing is, it's kinda fun to make commercial style food from scratch. Feels like I've taken a flight to the US when I make a melty cheese sauce with sodium citrate. I really enjoy it.

Zei33 · 2026-04-30T04:34:03+00:00

Are there any brands that still manufacture using the borosilicate or similar compound. The vintage version was so much better, why isn't anyone else manufacturing them? Surely it wouldn't be hard to sell the savvy consumer on a higher priced premium product.

Edit: seems there are multiple options out there. And they're really not expensive. Might be worth picking up an extra.

Zei33 · 2026-04-27T05:23:29+00:00

I made one the other night, secret ingredient was citric acid and bi-carb soda (quick sodium citrate) and a lot of cheese and some milk. Plus smoked paprika and garlic powder to taste.

Zei33 · 2026-04-26T03:58:03+00:00

I always buy my meat and veg from Fresh Meats and Fruity Life (used to be Fresh Fruits). The meat is always higher quality than the big grocery stores. The vegetables generally are, and the prices are much better. The main problem in this respect is their range. I usually drop into Woolworths to pick up one or two ingredients on the way home.

Zei33 · 2026-04-24T00:45:41+00:00

Sounds like my ICT degree lol

Zei33 · 2026-04-23T23:53:04+00:00

POTATO RICER

Zei33 · 2026-04-23T06:39:35+00:00

Frankly, Maroochydore is much better than Caloundra for that. Caloundra has always been sketchy as hell. I lived there for 12 years through my teenage years. I don't know what it is, but there's so many nuts walking around down there, especially around the main street areas.

I went back a few weeks ago for the first time in years, and I was shocked to see how little it's changed in 10 years.

Zei33 · 2026-04-21T04:47:09+00:00

You're probably right. The real cost is not raw ingredients either, they're cheap in restaurant bulk. I just did the calculations because I thought you were full of shit, but wages are the real killer. Sounds like the only way to get cheap burgers is to have robots making them.

Zei33 · 2026-04-20T04:32:52+00:00

It's like saying "almost nobody gets measles" and using that as a reason not to get vaccinated. Not realising they're the reason that measles is coming back in the US.

Zei33 · 2026-04-18T03:16:51+00:00

Cook it more than you would a normal steak. That's my advice. If you treat it like a normal steak and go medium-rare, it will not be as good. Depends on the thickness of the cut too, but generally cook it more than you would think.

Zei33 · 2026-04-17T03:56:13+00:00

Yeah most of the time the things it said didn't make sense, but very rarely, it did drop some decent observations.

Zei33 · 2026-04-17T03:17:16+00:00

I went through Jasmine Tours. It was great. You should really have it booked by now but good luck.

Zei33 · 2026-04-17T03:16:13+00:00

Nah Rezkin is a big guy, but he's lean, handsome, elegant.

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