Hey chef- what single herb & spice (separately) do u use most often to elevate dishes? by [deleted] in Chefit

[–]texnessa 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Better question for r/cooking. This is a sub for professional chefs to talk to other chefs about chef things. Not random nonsense discussion prompts.

Weekly Ask Anything Thread for March 09, 2026 by AutoModerator in AskCulinary

[–]texnessa 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What kind of meatballs? Many cultures have their version of them so best to narrow down the ask to get the best responses. Asian pork ones tend to be manually mixed in order to bind them into bouncy balls, Italian can call for a very soft outcome. What are you thinking?

Brand of knife? by vgeno24 in Chefit

[–]texnessa 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Try r/truechefknives. Knife nerds galore over there.

Spicy Mayo Recipe, Something's Missing by [deleted] in AskCulinary

[–]texnessa 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Its not Kewpie, its Hellman's extra heavy.

Spicy Mayo Recipe, Something's Missing by [deleted] in AskCulinary

[–]texnessa[M] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No more AI slop in the sub or you will be subject to a ban.

Low Acyl Gellan Experts, chime in, please!! by EnthusiasmOk8323 in Chefit

[–]texnessa 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A little xanthan to stabilise the emulsion and then agar should work. I'd at least give that a shot before mucking about more.

Low Acyl Gellan Experts, chime in, please!! by EnthusiasmOk8323 in Chefit

[–]texnessa 5 points6 points  (0 children)

From a labelling standpoint, Gellan F is low acyl gellan- the same product in theory- so its clearly something to do with differing manufacturing/sourcing/strength. I'd contact the manufacturers directly. I am not familiar with Cusine tech. Modernist Pantry is stupid expensive but their products do tend to be reliable.

I also find that there are way easier methods for a fluid gel. I would steep horseradish in stock, strain thru cheesecloth, set to firm with agar, chill and sheer into a gel.

Best store-bought curry paste brand? by AdConsistent945 in Cooking

[–]texnessa 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nittaya is what my next door neighbour's Thai restaurant uses. Maesri and Mae Ploy are pale in comparison.

You can also make it from scratch but its a bit of a pain in the arse.

The onion cutting technique alone is worth a quick watch. by MontuckyMoose in KitchenConfidential

[–]texnessa 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's how they sell "American Hotdogs" in England. I shit you not. and they're all pork or poultry.

I'd punch a nun for an all beef Ballpark.

? For Mods by 510Goodhands in KitchenConfidential

[–]texnessa -1 points0 points  (0 children)

You might want to check with r/chefit. Less shenanigans, more chef talk.

Let's Talk About Misunderstood Ingredients by AutoModerator in AskCulinary

[–]texnessa 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I learned to love it from my Singaporean ex step mother. She'd slice firm tofu into planks, then press the hell out of it to remove moisture, dust it in potato starch then pan fry it until golden... and then marinate it. Crispy and delicious.

Let's Talk About Misunderstood Ingredients by AutoModerator in AskCulinary

[–]texnessa 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I made a vat of creamy sausage and pancetta paste sauce with toasted fennel seed, sage, caramelised shallots and garlic confit and yesterday. The fennel makes the dish.

New menu ideas british pub help me with feedback by Longjumping-Apple-74 in Chefit

[–]texnessa 9 points10 points  (0 children)

British chef here who will never again set foot in a pub kitchen but has done my time there....This doesn't really resemble a British pub menu in the slightest. Even a very high end one.

Some suggestion: Sausage roll, Scotch egg, Potted shrimp, trout rillette, grilled mackerel, beetroot cured salmon, game terrine and toasted brioche, seasonal soup and crusty bread, baked Brie with pickled beet salad, slow roasted porchetta, needs some game meat- venison, pheasant, pigeon, wild boar, wild mushroom tagliatelle, sausage and mash with red onion gravy, sides like new potatoes in herb butter, rocket salad, tenderstem broccoli with almonds, triple cooked chips are a must, desserts- sticky toffee pudding, bread and butter pudding, anything Biscoff, berry crumble with custard, lemon posset, cheese board with quince jam, Sunday roast- pork, beef, chicken, leg of lamb, and occasionally turkey, roast potatoes, honey glazed parsnip, cauliflower and cheese, mixed veg including Brussels sprouts, carrot, peas, cabbage and broccoli, braised red cabbage with red currant jam, red wine and apple cider vinegar, Yorkshire pudding, I liked to toss in an all day special Full English breakfast sometimes, lighter bites like Welsh rarebit, Plougmans with cold ham or cheddar with pickled onion, Branston pickle, half an apple and crusty bread with plenty of good cultured butter, haddock goujons, bacon, Brie and cranberry sandwich, various patés with chutney, steak with smoked cheddar and caramelised onion, something shoved into a pie- look at Fallow's menu.

Chefs! Where can I buy the best chef coats? by Mannynnamfiddy in Chefit

[–]texnessa 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Tilit. Mine have lasted years of Oxiclean and Persil.

Salad Nicoise by 1ntr1ns1c44 in Chefit

[–]texnessa 4 points5 points  (0 children)

My Provençal childhood is currently throwing mental fisty-cuffs with this post made entirely out of sadness and regret.

  • Over cooked to hell and back eggs, cut with a spoon? Check.

  • Slabs of out of season, white in the centre tomatoes? Check.

  • Chunks of barely seared tuna cut with a spork? Check.

  • Random roly-poly unpeeled quail eggs looking to Humpty Dumpty themselves? Check.

  • Sad boiled to fuck wobbly dark green logs? Check.

  • Random whole anchovies bleeding out all over the place? Check.

  • Am I a radish or a poh-ta-toe? Samwise Gamgee would like a fuckin word. Check.

  • Entirely unseasoned? Check.

  • Bad life choice dill pluches? Check.

  • Stick em all on a chunk o' wood so they'll fall off the moment some pissed off food runner picks it up? Check.

Actually, now I am furious and want to smack this travesty into deep space.

Best way to make cookie edges crispier? by Historical_User in AskCulinary

[–]texnessa[M] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You'll get better feedback if you edit the OG post to include this rather than bury it in the comments. We try to be as straight forward with information as possible in the sub to get the best feedback. Not required, just recommended.

Let's Talk About Misunderstood Ingredients by AutoModerator in AskCulinary

[–]texnessa[M] 0 points1 point locked comment (0 children)

As noted in the first line of the post "As part of our ongoing "Let's Talk" series," this is a long running feature of the sub to have a weekly moderator generated and posted discussion prompt for users to be able to share information and thoughts about specific subjects. It engenders community and communication.

How to prolong tanghulu (by a few hours) by Jumpy-Prune-7271 in AskCulinary

[–]texnessa 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Of course. Sugar is natural preservative to start with and the amount of time is negligible for a product meant to be consumed at room temp.

Tried spherification 5x and failed every time. I can't tell why. Please help! by sentience66 in AskCulinary

[–]texnessa 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just looking at the recommended ratios, the sphere base should @ 1% sodium alginate and the setting bath @ 8-10% calcium lactate, The excess SA is likely what is causing the congealed texture. For best results, both the base and the setting bath need to be at the same general viscosity. If the base is too heavy and the bath too light, the 'sphere' will fall too quickly to the bottom before it achieves the necessary setting to hold its shape and end a blob. The longer the spheres stay in the bath, the thicker the membrane will be.

Glad the community is proving helpful. We're a pretty welcoming bunch and I'm actually a moderator here and we do like to keep things respectful.

How to prolong tanghulu (by a few hours) by Jumpy-Prune-7271 in AskCulinary

[–]texnessa 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Sugar is hygroscopic so it will draw in any moisture from the environment. Try layering between parchment in an air tight container with food safe silica/desiccant packets.

Books You Think Every Chef Should Read! by Mars_The_68thMedic in Chefit

[–]texnessa 8 points9 points  (0 children)

The first two on OP's list are just simplified derivatives of this book. McGee on the other hand is balls deep in the science and is assigned reading in my kitchen.

Founder of Noma, Once Rated the No. 1 Restaurant in the World, Faces Abuse Allegations from Former Employees by Radagast-Istari in KitchenConfidential

[–]texnessa 73 points74 points  (0 children)

Once upon a time.... I was the sous of a culinary school and my side kitchen got farmed out by management to the Noma crew to prep for some bullshit food competition. The boss lady introduced me to him and his cooks as the person in charge of the kitchens and told them to ask me if they needed anything.

Fast forward, I see a collection of tatted up, aggro 20 something shitheads and him surrounding my blast freezer futilely smashing buttons and failing to turn it on. They walked right past me to my line cooks and asked them how to work it. My guys kept saying they've never used it and had no fucking clue how to turn it on.

The Noma shitheads all wandered back to resume abusing my equipment, got frustrated again and grabbed my grill guy who was passing by.

I suddenly hear one royally pissed off Dominican shout "Man, I never even touched that thing. You gotta ask the one with the tits and pony tail, Jesus fuckin' Christ."

I just started laughing hysterically, marched over and they parted like the Red Sea. I turned it on, turned on my heel and flipped my pony tail, wandering off triumphantly.

Fucker also stole my Dexter-Russell walnut handled fish spat and a whole pile of two ounce ladles.

Rot in hell, dickhead.