Utterly ridiculous

[pucho812]

So looks like gardens are a partisan thing now.  Really? Do we have nothing more important to discus?  It’s very demoralizing when people are that petty.

 

[JohnRoberts]

I just planted squash, cucumber, cantaloupe, peppers and tomato....

Yes I remain optimistic....

JR

 

[pucho812]

I just planted squash, cucumber, cantaloupe, peppers and tomato....

Yes I remain optimistic....

JR

nice.

 

[Script]

Among other things we grow Goya (bitter melon). It grows like weed over here. Use it for Okinawan stir-fry dish called Goya Chanpuru, which is very easy and fast to prep and offers a different flavour for a change,,, especially easy in combination with a rice cooker.

 

[cyrano]

I think we know goya over here in Belgium as "bitter cucumber". Certainly different.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momordica_charantia

I don't think many people here are growing those, but Asian supermarkets seem to have 'em. Probably grown in Holland on a semi-large scale.

 

[rob_gould]

I think we know goya over here in Belgium as "bitter cucumber". Certainly different.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momordica_charantia

I don't think many people here are growing those, but Asian supermarkets seem to have 'em. Probably grown in Holland on a semi-large scale.

Yep, really important in South Indian cookery. All the Indian supermarkets in Amsterdam have them.

I've no idea if they're grown in here or imported....

 

[Squeaky]

One of my favourite (sweet) melons has to be piel de sapo.

 

[Script]

Yeah, goya looks a bit like a thick cucumber with warts -- bitter but in a nice way and full of good nutrients. Typical summer food. The plant can grow high though. We needed a ladder to pick some of the remaining ones : )

 

[cyrano]

Is the goya weed as bad a weed as kudzu?

I've seen "piel de sapo" in local supermarkets too. Don't remember what they called them in the shop.

For me, the best sweet melon still is the classic French cantaloupe. If you can get a really well ripened one.

 

[crazydoc]

One of my favourite (sweet) melons has to be piel de sapo.

Reminds me of the saying "Cuando la rana crie nalgas y el sapo pelo", which is when we'll all get together and agree on something. 

 

[JohnRoberts]

I planted the squash, cukes, and melons in the corners of my raised beds so they can send runners out into my yard.

This year I planted the peppers and tomatoes in separate raised beds, last year the faster growing tomato plants stole sunlight from my peppers.

I only planted one course of each so room for more. I will start some more seeds in my green house JIC we get a late hard frost. I will stagger a second planting of tomatoes since they peter out early.

JR

 

[living sounds]

Didn't see the partisan discussion, but I'm happy to say I'll finally have a garden in a couple months. Will grow lot's of kitchen herbs and tomatos. And get a high temp pizza oven to DIY neapolitan pizza. 

 

[JohnRoberts]

Didn't see the partisan discussion, but I'm happy to say I'll finally have a garden in a couple months. Will grow lot's of kitchen herbs and tomatos. And get a high temp pizza oven to DIY neapolitan pizza. 

Over the last couple years I have improved my pizza making skills...

My oven goes up to 500' which seems adequate.

#1 use the right flour... I use some 00 italian soft wheat flour and get good results. I make it the day before and let it rest in the refrigerator over night. I leave the dough hook in it, but cover with saran wrap and a cloth so it doesn't dry out.

#2 make your own sauce... I start with some garlic and one small or 1/2 large onion finely minced. Sweat the onions until clear. Then add one can of whole skinless tomatoes, Or fresh tomatoes in season, and and a 15oz can of tomato paste. You can remove the skin from fresh tomatoes by dropping them in boiling water briefly, after cooling the skin will peel right off. Simmer over low heat for a while.

#3 Load up pies with raw sliced onions and raw bell pepper. I just buy shredded mozzarella (i'm lazy). 

#4 I like hot italian sausage, but can't get the real deal here in MS... :-(

#5 I have two pizza stones and a pizza peel to simplify getting the pies into and out of the oven.

I generally make small maybe 6" diameter pizzas and cook 4 at a time, two on the top pizza stone,  two on the lower stone. I prep the pies on parchment paper and just slide the paper and all onto the pizza stone. This prevents a sticky mess when some dough or ingredients get stuck to the hot pizza stone. 

Mangiare.... 

JR

 

[rob_gould]

Didn't see the partisan discussion, but I'm happy to say I'll finally have a garden in a couple months. Will grow lot's of kitchen herbs and tomatos. And get a high temp pizza oven to DIY neapolitan pizza. 

Seen this?  Really tempted to get one this year.

https://eu.ooni.com/products/ooni-fyra

I prep the pies on parchment paper and just slide the paper and all onto the pizza stone. This prevents a sticky mess when some dough or ingredients get stuck to the hot pizza stone. 

That's a great idea - it's such a pain when the pizza won't slide off the peel after a drop of sauce has got stuck underneath 

 

[living sounds]

We can all agree about loving beer and pizza. 

I've had a small pizza oven that can do 450° C for almost two decades. Used it every day when I was student. High temperature is key. Better than a a household oven but not really suitable for more than one person and lacks some of the qualities necessary.

For neapolitan style even more heat is needed. So is a special Biscotto stone from italy, that transfers the heat without burning the bottom.

I will get an indoor oven (Effeuno P134H 500° version). The Ooni ones (gas powered) are great, but only for outdoor use and not with the kind of weather and cold we are getting here (since it is always open at the sides). The wood powered one is tricky, since you need to add wood almost constantly, and there is smoke and dirt. The electric oven can be cleaned via pyrolysis (just burn everything to cinders at 500° for 10 minutes).

There's special neapolitan pizza flour you can get in 25kg packages. And plastic boxes with compartments for the dough. I will try a poolish recipe (ca. 12 hours rise time of a starter dough, and then another 12 hours for the complete dough, very little yeast). There is a pizza dough app to calculate everything.

There are videos on youtube. Takes not much more than a minute for a neopolitan pizza at those temperatures, so you can actually make enough in time for a group of people.

The rim of neapolitan style pizza is really broad, so toppings won't fall off. And if they do, you can just burn everything clean again.

 

[living sounds]

Here's a video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEXUOHmbxxM

 

[JohnRoberts]

We can all agree about loving beer and pizza. 

that was easy...

I've had a small pizza oven that can do 450° C for almost two decades. Used it every day when I was student. High temperature is key. Better than a a household oven but not really suitable for more than one person and lacks some of the qualities necessary.

My regular kitchen oven (Frigidaire) says it will do 500' I only ask it for 475' but it does take a while to get the two pizza stones heated up to temperature.

For neapolitan style even more heat is needed. So is a special Biscotto stone from italy, that transfers the heat without burning the bottom.

I will get an indoor oven (Effeuno P134H 500° version). The Ooni ones (gas powered) are great, but only for outdoor use and not with the kind of weather and cold we are getting here (since it is always open at the sides). The wood powered one is tricky, since you need to add wood almost constantly, and there is smoke and dirt. The electric oven can be cleaned via pyrolysis (just burn everything to cinders at 500° for 10 minutes).

There's special neapolitan pizza flour you can get in 25kg packages. And plastic boxes with compartments for the dough. I will try a poolish recipe (ca. 12 hours rise time of a starter dough, and then another 12 hours for the complete dough, very little yeast). There is a pizza dough app to calculate everything.

yup the good flour comes in large packages... I think I buy 10# at a pop.

There are videos on youtube. Takes not much more than a minute for a neopolitan pizza at those temperatures, so you can actually make enough in time for a group of people.

The rim of neapolitan style pizza is really broad, so toppings won't fall off. And if they do, you can just burn everything clean again.

Since I started using the parchment paper, nothing to clean up... but there are some old stains on the pizza stones from early spills.

JR

 

[living sounds]

John, are you talking about 500 degrees Fahrenheit or Celcius? I've got a pizza stone for the household oven (does 270° Celcius) and tried that once (heating for over an hour) but failed miserably.

 

[rob_gould]

Interesting info on the wood fired Ooni. I have heard positive reports from elsewhere, but it sounds like you know your stuff!

My kitchen overn will get to 260° and gives fairly good results at that temperature.  But yes, it takes an hour to warm up - a waste if electricity.  And the problem is that it's only that hot for the first pizza. Each subsequent opening of the oven door lets more and more heat out so the pizzas take longer to cook and don't go as bubbly.

 

[JohnRoberts]

John, are you talking about 500 degrees Fahrenheit or Celcius?

500 degrees Celsius would be utterly ridiculous (900+ degrees F).

I've got a pizza stone for the household oven (does 270° Celcius) and tried that once (heating for over an hour) but failed miserably.

270C is 518'F , I never tried to get my oven hotter than 475', but suspect it could do the rated 500'. The temp control probably stops at 500' (it should).

JR

PS: Since I make relatively small pies compared to the massive pizza stones, I don't see much difference between first and last batch. In fact I turn off the oven and cook the last batch of four pizzas using the residual heat in the stones.