snarkysteff

snarkysteff, 16 days ago to random

So, I had surgery.

All those food issues I’ve increasingly suffered over the last 3-4 years now appear to be the result of a bowel blockage caused by surgical scar tissue that has formed since 2017.

I nearly waited too long to investigate & I am so grateful my surgeon pressured me to let him do surgery.

He operated laparoscopically and WAS DONE IN 45 MINUTES.

I lost 120 pounds trying to solve food-related issues, but if I had not, this quick surgery could not have been possible.

snarkysteff, 25 days ago to food

Hey, #glutenfree people, this is getting shared in my Facebook group and looks incredible. Apparently there are some dairy free suggestions too.

But ooh, it looks great. #food #gf

https://theloopywhisk.com/2024/03/26/gluten-free-chocolate-babka/

snarkysteff, 25 days ago to food

Turned out to be a lovely dinner, for someone who’s using groceries up and getting crafty.

Basmati cooked with orange juice, ras el hanout, & turkey stock, topped with hazelnuts, dates, herbs, orange zest, white pepper, & black pepper.

Homegrown greens with tomatoes, accompanied by a harissa-rubbed pork loin chop, & a splash of Greek yogurt.
#food #cooking

snarkysteff, 1 month ago to food

Amazing Persian-style stuffed peppers. (Do not do 2 teaspoons of saffron! Just a pinch will do.)

I used Baharat spice blend instead of the combo they list — it’s essentially the same. Either will work.

I also used Michael Solomonov’s method of washing and soaking the rice, rather than cooking it beforehand.

I chose to soak the rice in 2L boiling water and I let it sit for 4 hours. With thicker bell pepper walls, I baked it for 75 minutes & it was perfect. #food https://jmoreliving.com/2019/02/13/persian-inspired-stuffed-peppers/

snarkysteff, 1 month ago to food

My friend was given duck eggs.

My tip was to make duck egg mayonnaise. It’s the same, but the duck yolk emulsifies better so you have to add more oil and make a larger batch.

You CAN make homemade mayonnaise that lasts two weeks, but you must ferment it, otherwise it only last 5 days.

Fermented mayo: Just add 1-2 tbsp whey (liquid from yogurt), leave at room temp 8 hours, then refrigerate & enjoy. It WILL thin it some, so make it thicker than you think, before adding the whey. #food

snarkysteff, 1 month ago to random

From my walk tonight.

Somewhere, there’s an HOA that thinks this house would look better with a grass-covered yard. (Idiots.)

snarkysteff, 1 month ago to food

Soup and sandwich.

Bacon-avocado-tomato on a ciabatta* bun, and some asparagus soup.

*Homemade, gluten-free.

#food

snarkysteff, 1 month ago to food

I don’t have any room in my freezer, so I reduced all my turkey stock down to a thick jus.

Now I have to add 425 ml of water to each of these “stock cubes” to rehydrate it.

Space saver! Into the freezer it goes. I’ll pop it into a little container after. #food

snarkysteff, 1 month ago to random

(No, I don’t think we are all going to die in the eclipse. So dumb. There will be an 18% eclipse where I live. It’ll get dimmer. Yay. Whatever.)

snarkysteff, 1 month ago (edited 1 month ago) to random

This post got a lot of buzz yesterday.

If you are new to gardening & have a small space, I highly recommend “grow bags” — they come in a variety of sizes. I use 5-gallon bags for herbs like oregano, thyme, etc, because they can grow abundantly.

For tomatoes, I use 10-gallon bags.

The herb and the bag are about $6, plus soil. My herbs have been performing well since 2021, so that’s a pretty great investment.

Get good quality soil, it helps!

From: @snarkysteff
https://mastodon.online/@snarkysteff/112214578766784020

snarkysteff, 1 month ago to random

April 5th and I already had to harvest 6” of oregano last night. Gave it to a foodie neighbour. I expect to do 5-6 harvests by November.

I still have a jar of dried oregano I’m using from last year.

It was 5 harvests last year, but it is the healthiest it has been since I planted it in 2021. I think my new habit of misting it each evening is going well. Water in the morning, a light mist at night.

Not bad for a plant I paid $4 for in 2021.

Buying established herbs usually goes well.

From above, my grow bag of oregano shows a dense new growth coming in, and a quarter of it is still big and floofy

snarkysteff, 1 month ago to random

If YOU want to buy ESTABLISHED PLANTS so you have a plug-&-play garden with less of a learning curve, then go you!

You buy that shit, man! Plant those plants!

Insta-food-garden? Fuck, yeah!

Don't you let ANYONE shame you for taking shortcuts that get you planting & growing your food. However you get that hobby started, let it empower you!

These "plant seeds, not seedlings" people are HARMING the grow-your-own-food culture.

Whatever gets you gardening is a beautiful thing. Just grow it.

snarkysteff, 1 month ago to random

What’s happening to libraries is right out of Maoist China and Stalin.

When they come for the thinkers, you best be paying attention, because democracy’s on the outs.

I mean, that’s if you already have been sleeping through the terrorizing of women’s bodies and trans rights and racial oppression and all that jazz.

snarkysteff, 1 month ago to random

What the ever-lasting fuck is America doing to libraries?

One of the greatest institutions ever conceived and they are demonizing it.

https://bookriot.com/louisiana-hb-777/

snarkysteff, 1 month ago to food

Learned a new trick that's apparently an ancient Mexican trick for cooking tamales:

Put river rocks in the steaming water.

This way, as your tamales (or whatever) steams, the clattering of the rocks tells you there's still enough water for the job.

When the rocks stop rattling, you've run out of water and things will burn soon.

I know I'll be throwing some rocks in the dishwasher for this little hack!

#food

snarkysteff, 1 month ago (edited 1 month ago) to random

Keith Haring/Grace Jones/Fela Kuti/Basquiat, by Andy Warhol. 1986, NYC.

In the next 12 years, 3 of them died, 2 from AIDS.

If you didn't live through AIDS, you cannot understand how many brilliant creative minds died in its early years.

I sometimes wonder if all the artists dying in the 1980s explaids our soulless corporate world since the '90s.

What a turning point. If you ever want to know how important art, music, & creativity are to a society, look at North America post-1995.

snarkysteff, 1 month ago to food

It’s time, or will soon be time for you colder regions, for planting food gardens.

I’m motivating myself for some patio cleaning, so I dug up this photo from June last year.

My balcony is south-facing in Victoria Canada, just 5x15 feet long.

On it, I grow 15+ herbs, 3-dozen leafy greens (and share with my building), tomatoes, strawberries, sometimes cukes & peppers. I’ve grown carrots & peas too.

You can do a LOT on an apartment balcony!

Grow #food, eat better, save money. :)

snarkysteff, 1 month ago to food

Roasted potato and some turkey breast.

Some tomato salad on the side.

Dry brined the turkey breast overnight with garlic, tarragon, and thyme.

The potatoes, I parboiled in homemade chicken stock with thyme and garlic and salt. They’re (air fryer) roasted with seasoned duck fat.

I reduced other homemade stock with the potato liquid after for a jus for the turkey.
#food

snarkysteff, 1 month ago to random

After two years of being bitter that my apartment building doesn’t clean the windows, I figured out how to pull the window and screen out, and clean the outside myself (with a longer squeegee).

Yay. Oof! Spring cleaning is hard!

snarkysteff, 1 month ago to random

I’m the dumbass who Moved All The Things, so now I’m exhausted but also about 1/3 through deep spring cleaning.

Putting the living room back together. Time to make din-din. Tomorrow, spring cleaning continues.

This was my living room an hour or so ago. I did same on my patio, because I woke up ALLERGY ANGRY. I’m conquering Dust In All Places.

That means vacuuming windowscreens, upholstery, storage boxes, cleaning floors, etc.

Oof. Yay?

My eyes have stopped watering after 2 weeks. YAY.

snarkysteff, 1 month ago to random

Beginning to think that, if I haven’t used it after four years, the “Essential Instant Pot Cookbook” is not, in fact, essential.

snarkysteff, 1 month ago to random

Was Easter Nietzsche’s favourite holiday, because God is dead?

snarkysteff, 1 month ago to food

Decided to make seasoned duck fat for roasting potatoes after I saw it on Great British Menu last night.

I’ve simmered garlic, fresh thyme, bay, & oregano in duck fat, & now I’ll strain it off & put the remainder in the fridge. I have potatoes roasting with a bit of the fat now.

With the air fryer, I only need maybe 1.5 tablespoons / batch, so this will do for 2+ weeks of roasted spuds in my house. (I’m eating them a few nights a week — one of the few foods my body likes these days!) #food

snarkysteff, 1 month ago to random

Man, this is a crazy rain system. It’s stalled right on top of us. My whole body is full of “fuck you.” Wow. The back, the knees, all the things.

I am lowering my expectations for accomplishments today!

But I pulled some pork tenderloin from the freezer and I’m making schnitzel soon, have roasted potatoes already, and braised some cabbage.

Figure German food makes good use of all my stuff I gotta use, and tastes good in a spring rain.

I’ll post a pic later.

snarkysteff, 2 months ago to food

I learned something new!

I always thought “seasoned duck fat” just meant they doctored it up. But it’s when the butcher uses the fat to confit some duck in it. After, they strain the fat and sell it as “seasoned.”

It’s like 40% cheaper and it’s totally fine to cook with. But now I have both in my fridge because sometimes you just want straight duck fat, like now, on the potatoes I’m roasting. #food