What Foods Seem Easy to Prepare but Are In Fact Difficult?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think truly good pancakes are quite difficult. You have to get the heat just right.

Pancake mix is trash. I didn't know that until about a year ago. Much, much better to just make the batter from scratch.

Agreed, just sure the baking powder and baking soda are fresh. Making your own batter is soooo simple and forgiving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's the issue with mashed potatoes? Lumps?

I usually mash mine with a masher because I like them kinda lumpy, but if you don't, get a ricer. It's like potato play-doh for adults.

My kids like them really smooth so I just whip them on the kitchen aid and it works really well. Usually the solution to mashed potato’s is just more butter. I think it also helps to use nice potato’s to start — I like the golden ones. Also don’t ask my why my phone keeps correcting potato’s to add an apostrophe.

Personally I find things like brisket to be really hard. It’s just always tough. I can’t get it right. I also absolutely cannot do chicken on the grill—I always either overcook it or undercook it. I can do baked chicken, roasted chicken or chicken cutlets.

I also agree with PPs about biscuits. Mine are okay but they are no way as fluffy as what you get at a nice southern restaurant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wrapping a burrito. I swear I end up wearing my food every time.

I am from southern Arizona and the problem is that the tortillas they sell out here are not adequate for burritos. No stretch to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Biscuits. Why do they require buttermilk? We're lactose intolerant in my house and I can't find any substitute. I've read about adding vinegar to milk but that apparently doesn't give the same rise.

How would adding vinegar to milk solve your lactose intolerance? Thats how you make cheese.

A commonly suggested substitute for buttermilk is to add vinegar to milk. I have lactose free milk. The buttermilk in baked goods contributes to the soft texture and the rise. The substitute apparently does not. Buttermilk is very high in lactose. We have lactose free half & half, lf cream cheese, lf cheeses including ricotta and mozarella but no good lf buttermilk substitute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Biscuits. Why do they require buttermilk? We're lactose intolerant in my house and I can't find any substitute. I've read about adding vinegar to milk but that apparently doesn't give the same rise.

I am vegan and use vinegar or lemon juice and baking soda on for muffins, pancakes and scones. I almost always get good results.

The buttermilk is only the acid which reacts with baking soda or powder and creates CO2. The CO2 escaping causes the rise. You can get the same effect by with baking soda and vinegar into your mix

A lot of people say that you should use double action baking powder because you get that extra rise with the heat, but I can't stand the taste of baking powder. I am getting great results with baking soda.

Also make sure your not kneading your dough too much as it can make your biscuits dense and prevent a good rise.

Thanks this is so helpful. I've read a lot about biscuit making and never saw this tip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I made a tartiflette and a salad over the weekend and the salad took more work, with twashing and drying the greens,herbs chiv,es and apple, and chopping everything and making a dressing. Hate that stuff.

Recipe for this? It sounds do good.

It was AMAZING! I used the David Lebovitz recipe, but all recipes are basically the same. You boil 2.5 lbs yellow potatoes, drain and slice. Fry 12 oz of thick cut bacon cut into lardons, drain off most of the fat, then saute an onion (mine were bad so I had to use shallots), and 1 clove garlic. Add 3 T white wine or vermouth to deglaze the pan. Then you layer the potatoes, bacon and onions twice. Pour 1/4 c heavy cream over it. Top with 1 lb semi-soft cheese. Traditionally it is made with reblochon, which we can't import, so I used a taleggio from the cheese shop (could used a brie or raclette). Bake at 425 for 30 min.

https://www.davidlebovitz.com/tartiflette-recipe-potato-cheese-reblochon-bacon/

OMG.

I'm making this today. I'll see if I can find some raclette -- I once went to NYC just because I wanted it and there is (was?) a restaurant there.

The Swiss Bakery in Burke or Springfield has everything you need to make raclette even the raclette makers.

You beat me to it. Trader Joe’s and Aldi also carry raclette on occasion.

(Fun thread minus the one grouchy faux-sophisticate.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the deviled egg/hard-boiled egg people, the hack is to steam, not boil. Twelve minutes in a steamer and they’re easy to peel, with no risk of cracking during cooking.
https://www.seriouseats.com/steamed-hard-boiled-eggs-recipe

For the pie crust people, I make an oil-based crust when I’m pressed for time. Dump, stir, and roll. Results are flaky, not at all greasy. See the crust directions in this recipe.
https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Rhubarb-Strawberry-Pie/

In exchange, can someone please give me tips for better eggs? When fried, I want them bubbly, lacey and crispy — but they are often just blobby and meh. When scrambled, I want them custardy — but they either take forever, get grainy, or separate and get watery. Is it my pan? (Seasoned cast iron — no sticking issues.) Heat levels? Mercury in retrograde?

The absolute best fried egg: https://smittenkitchen.com/2014/10/the-crispy-egg/

My family makes eggs like this. If you don’t mind a strong egg smell in the kitchen, it’s fine. But if you dislike that, it won’t be fine. This is in fact the reason I don’t eat eggs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the deviled egg/hard-boiled egg people, the hack is to steam, not boil. Twelve minutes in a steamer and they’re easy to peel, with no risk of cracking during cooking.
https://www.seriouseats.com/steamed-hard-boiled-eggs-recipe

For the pie crust people, I make an oil-based crust when I’m pressed for time. Dump, stir, and roll. Results are flaky, not at all greasy. See the crust directions in this recipe.
https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Rhubarb-Strawberry-Pie/

In exchange, can someone please give me tips for better eggs? When fried, I want them bubbly, lacey and crispy — but they are often just blobby and meh. When scrambled, I want them custardy — but they either take forever, get grainy, or separate and get watery. Is it my pan? (Seasoned cast iron — no sticking issues.) Heat levels? Mercury in retrograde?

The absolute best fried egg: https://smittenkitchen.com/2014/10/the-crispy-egg/

My family makes eggs like this. If you don’t mind a strong egg smell in the kitchen, it’s fine. But if you dislike that, it won’t be fine. This is in fact the reason I don’t eat eggs.

Swap out the oil and use bacon grease. Then you have a strong smell of bacon instead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pie crust.

This definitely. Pie crust is a pain in the arse.

Completely agree and I don’t think homemade pie crust tastes much better than premade. Not worth the effort.

I guess this is where I truly differ! This one is just practice and studying. I read a couple different recipes and after making like 3-4 pies in a month or two during the pandemic I had it figured out. And homemade is MUCH better than packaged. The last time I tried packaged it literally tasted like a cracker and had the texture of one too.

rolling it out is annoying and never looks as nice as packaged - that’s true!

I agree, it tastes a lot better and it's not that hard (food processor is essential) but I can never roll it out into a good circle. I hate peeling and slicing all the apples more than dealing with crust.

OMFG, I hate cleaning my processor. For grating cheese in bulk, or doing a giant vat of hummus or pesto, I'll do it.

For pie crust? F no. Pastry knife, or even just two knives. Or, if you're really feeling lazy, freeze and grate your butter.

Yes! I hate cleaning food processor too. Plus I feel like it doesn’t get clean enough by hand washing and needs to go in dishwasher but takes up so much space that I end up having to hand wash a bunch of dinner dishes.

But I’ve tried to make pie crust by hand and can’t seem to get it right. Explain exactly, if you would please!

Not PP but I hated cleaning the food processor so much that I finally just got rid of mine. I was intimidated by the sharp blades as well.

I do make pie crust successfully, though, and even though I'm a crappy baker it always turns out well. I make it with butter and shortening and freeze the butter and grate it into the dry ingredients. Then I use a pastry dough cutter/blender thing, the kind you hold in your hand. Just make sure everything is super cold, including the water and the bowl.

Another one with love/hate relationship with the food processor. I only hand wash it. So I line up everything for a big food processing day. Grate all my blocks of cheese, slice carrots, chop onions, make a zhoug sauce and finish with hummus. It's like the Seinfeld sausage episode in my kitchen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mashed potatoes. These days I just buy the frozen kind and reheat.

Wow, there are a lot of really bad cooks on here. Mashed potatoes? Chocolate chip cookies? I made these well as a preteen.

I'm guessing your palate is unsophisticated enough that you don't understand that the people posting here are talking about not being able to get them perfect. You don't know what that is.

Well, I don't consider chocolate chip cookies or mashed potatoes to be in the ballpark of "sophisticated," so you got me there. Also, there's no such thing as perfection, as was demonstrated by the fact that some people prefer chewy cookies while others like them crispy. But if you can't even make such basic items as these to your taste, yes, you are a bad cook.

You really felt the need to triple-down on your mean comment, huh?

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

If you can't read the room, shut up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wrapping a burrito. I swear I end up wearing my food every time.

I am from southern Arizona and the problem is that the tortillas they sell out here are not adequate for burritos. No stretch to them.

You need to heat them a little.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I made a tartiflette and a salad over the weekend and the salad took more work, with twashing and drying the greens,herbs chiv,es and apple, and chopping everything and making a dressing. Hate that stuff.

Recipe for this? It sounds do good.

It was AMAZING! I used the David Lebovitz recipe, but all recipes are basically the same. You boil 2.5 lbs yellow potatoes, drain and slice. Fry 12 oz of thick cut bacon cut into lardons, drain off most of the fat, then saute an onion (mine were bad so I had to use shallots), and 1 clove garlic. Add 3 T white wine or vermouth to deglaze the pan. Then you layer the potatoes, bacon and onions twice. Pour 1/4 c heavy cream over it. Top with 1 lb semi-soft cheese. Traditionally it is made with reblochon, which we can't import, so I used a taleggio from the cheese shop (could used a brie or raclette). Bake at 425 for 30 min.

https://www.davidlebovitz.com/tartiflette-recipe-potato-cheese-reblochon-bacon/

OMG.

I'm making this today. I'll see if I can find some raclette -- I once went to NYC just because I wanted it and there is (was?) a restaurant there.

The Swiss Bakery in Burke or Springfield has everything you need to make raclette even the raclette makers.

You beat me to it. Trader Joe’s and Aldi also carry raclette on occasion.

(Fun thread minus the one grouchy faux-sophisticate.)

+100. This thread has been so helpful for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's the issue with mashed potatoes? Lumps?

I usually mash mine with a masher because I like them kinda lumpy, but if you don't, get a ricer. It's like potato play-doh for adults.

My kids like them really smooth so I just whip them on the kitchen aid and it works really well. Usually the solution to mashed potato’s is just more butter. I think it also helps to use nice potato’s to start — I like the golden ones. Also don’t ask my why my phone keeps correcting potato’s to add an apostrophe.

Personally I find things like brisket to be really hard. It’s just always tough. I can’t get it right. I also absolutely cannot do chicken on the grill—I always either overcook it or undercook it. I can do baked chicken, roasted chicken or chicken cutlets.

I also agree with PPs about biscuits. Mine are okay but they are no way as fluffy as what you get at a nice southern restaurant.

This recipe for brisket has been recommended several times. https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/04/tangy-spiced-brisket/

It was incredible. I didn't bother with the two day process and cooked it in the oven and it was heavenly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I made a tartiflette and a salad over the weekend and the salad took more work, with twashing and drying the greens,herbs chiv,es and apple, and chopping everything and making a dressing. Hate that stuff.

Recipe for this? It sounds do good.

It was AMAZING! I used the David Lebovitz recipe, but all recipes are basically the same. You boil 2.5 lbs yellow potatoes, drain and slice. Fry 12 oz of thick cut bacon cut into lardons, drain off most of the fat, then saute an onion (mine were bad so I had to use shallots), and 1 clove garlic. Add 3 T white wine or vermouth to deglaze the pan. Then you layer the potatoes, bacon and onions twice. Pour 1/4 c heavy cream over it. Top with 1 lb semi-soft cheese. Traditionally it is made with reblochon, which we can't import, so I used a taleggio from the cheese shop (could used a brie or raclette). Bake at 425 for 30 min.

https://www.davidlebovitz.com/tartiflette-recipe-potato-cheese-reblochon-bacon/

OMG.

I'm making this today. I'll see if I can find some raclette -- I once went to NYC just because I wanted it and there is (was?) a restaurant there.

The Swiss Bakery in Burke or Springfield has everything you need to make raclette even the raclette makers.

You beat me to it. Trader Joe’s and Aldi also carry raclette on occasion.

(Fun thread minus the one grouchy faux-sophisticate.)

Going to check Aldi for this!

[Anonymous]

Nothing really. Everything is work...unless you are lucky enough to pay someone to do it for you.