# (Non-Knife) Food Favorites



## mr drinky (May 16, 2011)

There is a lot of stuff one can cook without using a knife, but I think my favorite is making butter. Creating basic ingredients is just so satisfying. I also like bread, and when I get really motivated I will make my own bread and butter at the same time for the holidays. Doing that amazes people.

Perfectly cooked eggs (hard, scrambled, poached, and sunny) are a close second.

Next on my list for this summer are clarified butter, fresh pasta, and tortillas. 

k.


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## ajhuff (May 16, 2011)

+1 on homemade butter

-AJ


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## MikeZ (May 17, 2011)

+1 on the bread here.. I also really enjoy making meringue cookies and different sweets with egg white foams


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## apicius9 (May 17, 2011)

Interesting. Thats's also on my list for this summer: Canning some tuna, making stock for the freezer, making lemon/lime curd. I like baking my own bread, but having a French bakery across the street has made me a bit lazy...

About the butter: I know how my grandma made it, but how do you guys make butter? Oh, and that sounds like Mike may have an idea what to do with all the egg whites after making lemon curd? 

Stefan


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## mr drinky (May 17, 2011)

I make butter in a very simple and weird way. 

I buy some cream, let it go at least a week past expiration in the fridge, then open the container and let it sit another week or so in the fridge. Once I feel it is going sour (cultured), then I take it out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for several hours. I taste it. Yep, I taste it. If it isn't sour enough, then I let it sit out over night and taste it again. Some ultra-pastuerized cream can literally sit out for days without going sour. That is kind of scary.

(FYI, right now I have three containers of cream in varying states of decay in the fridge.)

After that I just put the soured cream in a mason jar and shake away until I have butter fat separation. Letting the milk go sour gives a nice tang to the butter (like in the old days). Once the butter fat and butter milk have been separated, drain it out (shaking and draining a few times), and then put it in a bowl and work it with a wooden spoon, making sure to drain the remnant buttermilk out several times. If you don't do this, it will spoil quicker. 

The last step is adding flavor. I usually just lightly salt it (kosher or cheese making salt) and mix it in. Sometimes I add herbs or fresh ground pepper.

I also have a vintage wooden butter mold that I use for the leftovers. I form what's left into cakes, freeze it, then wrap in wax paper for later. 

k.


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## stereo.pete (May 17, 2011)

Mr. Dinky, thank you I will be trying that soon!


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## Amon-Rukh (May 17, 2011)

I'm a big fan of the homemade bread too, although in my case it's made by my girlfriend, so not only do I not have to use a knife, I don't have to do anything at all! 

My favorite non-knife-needing foods to make are probably pickled jalapeños and chocolate chip cookies. Like bread, there's simlpy no comparing a store-bought cookie to one you make yourself!


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## Salty dog (May 17, 2011)

I just over whip my cream, salt and press.


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## JBroida (May 17, 2011)

i sometimes add a little lemon for that tang, but i go about it pretty much the same way salty does


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## Craig (May 17, 2011)

I like doing my own ketchup and mustard.


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## MadMel (May 17, 2011)

For me, usually its those emulsion sauces like mayo, hollandaise and I make them kinda often haha. Otherwise, breads, cakes and cookies are fun. If I get the time.


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## Eamon Burke (May 17, 2011)

If I owned a restaurant, I'd purchase only raw ingredients! I love making the simple things, I love food with few ingredients.

Barbeque sauce is a must--I've yet to taste a storebought sauce that's any good.

My daughter's allergic to peanuts, so we make almond butter with a little olive oil, and it's incredibly tasty.

And I reuse the brine from Claussen pickles! When my pickles are eaten, I just put more cukes in the jar, and wait a week or two.


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## SpikeC (May 17, 2011)

I like to make spice rubs and curry pastes in my big Thai stone mortar. Pounding and grinding with that big pestle is very therapeutic! And the resulting product is beyond what can be found in a jar.


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## MadMel (May 17, 2011)

SpikeC said:


> I like to make spice rubs and curry pastes in my big Thai stone mortar. Pounding and grinding with that big pestle is very therapeutic! And the resulting product is beyond what can be found in a jar.


 
Its a great way to de-stress haha.


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## sashae (May 25, 2011)

I'm hugely into canning, especially jams and sweet preserves (though I'm going to work more strenuously on pickling this summer, as I do love pickles.) Lemon curd, multi-fruit marmalade, blueberry-rosemary preserve, apricot jam, chicken and duck stocks, etc. It's great to have supplies of things that you've made ready-made to go into other products.


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## Cnimativ (May 25, 2011)

spicy sauce/past, green onion oil


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