Just about any "Hotel Pan" cafeteria type restuarant-like Horn&horn,Morrisons,Marreiot,etc.I ALWAYS get the "Hershey Squirts" from these places--NO MORE!!!
The WORST cooks that you have ever known?
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arbilab
Well-known member
Geezus, if you can't make a grilled cheese sandwich what CAN you do? I could do that when I was 15.
Ever hear the joke about "so bad she could burn boiled water"? Turns out there is such thing. Overboiled water de-oxygenates and makes it taste flat. A friend who went to culinary school told me that.
Ever hear the joke about "so bad she could burn boiled water"? Turns out there is such thing. Overboiled water de-oxygenates and makes it taste flat. A friend who went to culinary school told me that.
Flat boiled water
Quite true.
In fact, for the best tasting tea, it's important to remove the water from the heat source as soon as the desired temperature is reached (green tea is best brewed at a temp well below the boiling point).
It's also true, to a lesser extent, of coffee.
Quite true.
In fact, for the best tasting tea, it's important to remove the water from the heat source as soon as the desired temperature is reached (green tea is best brewed at a temp well below the boiling point).
It's also true, to a lesser extent, of coffee.
Unfortunately I MARRIED Her...!!!!!!
We can't have most "easy to make" frozen meals you can just microwave at the touch of a button or canned stuff in the house & my wife is simply not as coordinated as I am to make stuff (unless you want wasted food & a messy house!)
Not a slam, just the truth!
Lucky for me, though, I do the cooking, and like to cook, but there are those nights when I get home from work, that I'm too tired & I need someone to make me my evening meal!!!!
(Sigh...)
-- Dave
We can't have most "easy to make" frozen meals you can just microwave at the touch of a button or canned stuff in the house & my wife is simply not as coordinated as I am to make stuff (unless you want wasted food & a messy house!)
Not a slam, just the truth!
Lucky for me, though, I do the cooking, and like to cook, but there are those nights when I get home from work, that I'm too tired & I need someone to make me my evening meal!!!!
(Sigh...)
-- Dave
lordkenmore
Well-known member
I'm fortunate in that I've never known anyone who was such a bad cook that even the dog refused a bite.
Most of the bad meals I can think of are recipes I don't like, recipes that got done to death by the cook, or some freak accident that turned a good dinner into a terrible one. I can think of people in my family who made things that I positively hated--but each of these people also made things that were very good, and sometimes something I haven't seen duplicated elsewhere.
Of course, I have bad days in the kitchen, too. Indeed, since almost meal I've eaten recently has been prepared by me, I guess I might actually be forced to give my Worst Cook of 2011 award to myself!
In a way, I think the worst cooking on average may be convenience type items--frozen and canned dinners, etc. Some products have been unbearably awful. Even at best, there is very little that I think equals what a decent cook can do. At best, many convenience products often seem bland--and I wonder if it isn't by intent so as to maximize sales. Boldly spicing might interest some customers, but might lose other sales.
Most of the bad meals I can think of are recipes I don't like, recipes that got done to death by the cook, or some freak accident that turned a good dinner into a terrible one. I can think of people in my family who made things that I positively hated--but each of these people also made things that were very good, and sometimes something I haven't seen duplicated elsewhere.
Of course, I have bad days in the kitchen, too. Indeed, since almost meal I've eaten recently has been prepared by me, I guess I might actually be forced to give my Worst Cook of 2011 award to myself!
In a way, I think the worst cooking on average may be convenience type items--frozen and canned dinners, etc. Some products have been unbearably awful. Even at best, there is very little that I think equals what a decent cook can do. At best, many convenience products often seem bland--and I wonder if it isn't by intent so as to maximize sales. Boldly spicing might interest some customers, but might lose other sales.
whirlcool
Well-known member
Ugh, over my career I have tasted some pretty bad stuff from airline kitchens. The worst that comes to mind was back in the late 70's our airline had a eggs benedict that was beyond horrible. The eggs were so soft cooked that lots of people who ate it also wore it on their clothes. And the ham that went on it was so rubbery.. but then there were lots of things like that. Another time we had lasagne and I bit in to a bit of broken pottery that was baked into it and cut my gum! Imagine if that had been a passenger!
Sometimes if I do favors for our neighbors they'll respond by baking us a cake or make some cookies for us as a token of appreciation. Last weekend I fixed one of our neighbors wooden gates. It had sagged and needed to be repaired. Simple job. The next day the neighbor responded by baking me a chocolate cake. You could tell it was from a mix, and the poor dear who made it poured way too much cooking oil into the mix. The cake tasted like you were eating chocolate canola oil. Another time another neighbor baked some cookies for us that you could use to hammer nails with they were so hard. But I do have to remember that it was the thought that counts!
When we bake a cake or make cookies, we always make them from scratch. No mixes here. Maybe that's why I am so sensitive to other people's cooking? When instant ingredients are used you can really taste it!
Sometimes if I do favors for our neighbors they'll respond by baking us a cake or make some cookies for us as a token of appreciation. Last weekend I fixed one of our neighbors wooden gates. It had sagged and needed to be repaired. Simple job. The next day the neighbor responded by baking me a chocolate cake. You could tell it was from a mix, and the poor dear who made it poured way too much cooking oil into the mix. The cake tasted like you were eating chocolate canola oil. Another time another neighbor baked some cookies for us that you could use to hammer nails with they were so hard. But I do have to remember that it was the thought that counts!
When we bake a cake or make cookies, we always make them from scratch. No mixes here. Maybe that's why I am so sensitive to other people's cooking? When instant ingredients are used you can really taste it!
lordkenmore
Well-known member
Baking mixes
The thing that puzzles me about baking mixes is that often they don't really seem like they save much time or effort. Particularly given that there are from scratch recipes that are pretty fast and simple.
The thing that puzzles me about baking mixes is that often they don't really seem like they save much time or effort. Particularly given that there are from scratch recipes that are pretty fast and simple.
Not only airline food-but how bout the school cafeteria food?Most of that was ---HORRIBLE!so I went to bringing a sack lunch-was a lot better.Remember the jello prepared in the school-you could bounce it off the floor like a Superball!
lordkenmore
Well-known member
I never ate school lunches. (I can recall only a few times I did eat the school lunch--and they were mostly "special" days when the principal would run a barbeque outside.) But I do remember vividly how AWFUL the smell of the cuisine was.
But it was a model of amazing efficiency. At one point, they actually did most cooking in my junior high school's kitchen for the entire district. They'd ship vats of swill to each school to be reheated as needed.
But it was a model of amazing efficiency. At one point, they actually did most cooking in my junior high school's kitchen for the entire district. They'd ship vats of swill to each school to be reheated as needed.
lordkenmore
Well-known member
As I think of school lunches
a new diet idea comes to mind. It would be a residential program where you can eat all you want--but it's all public school cafeteria grade cooking! Pounds would probably very quickly drop in this program.
a new diet idea comes to mind. It would be a residential program where you can eat all you want--but it's all public school cafeteria grade cooking! Pounds would probably very quickly drop in this program.
filterflo58
Well-known member
my grandmother was not a great cook..hell she was a bad cook.
my mom(her daughter in law) used to say about everything she cooked..>"if you ran it under the faucet it would have more flavor"So you see your typical sicilian grandmother..elis island..blah blah blah..there is always an exception.come to think of it she wasnt good for much else..hated by most..sad.
my mom on ther other hand...amazing cook!
my mom(her daughter in law) used to say about everything she cooked..>"if you ran it under the faucet it would have more flavor"So you see your typical sicilian grandmother..elis island..blah blah blah..there is always an exception.come to think of it she wasnt good for much else..hated by most..sad.
my mom on ther other hand...amazing cook!
arbilab
Well-known member
Oh my, now that you mention it I do remember that school cafeteria smell. On days it smelled like that I just got a box of choc milk and 3 or 4 cloverleaf rolls. Even that was tricky, could take 3 trips through the line to catch them still hot and not burned. Their chili-mac was adequate but most everything else inedible.
School Lunches:
Well, they never appealed to me, until I was in the 3rd grade & everyone was eating TACOS...!!!!
And these seemed to be so much like they were from TACO BELL!!!!
All it took was for me to lean over someone's tray, from my dried-up peanut butter sandwich, for the kid eating from it to tell me to "Buy My Own"...
I then begged my mom to get me lunch tickets & after that, not even ONE meal--even those tacos, which went from DON PABLO'S to the sub-mediocre quality of a typical school lunch--was (you guessed it!) of even "slightly" redeeming quality! Yes, a BIG "YUK!" for every meal!!!!!
I went starving & criticized for "wasting food" & "the government's money" (who provided Lunch Tickets) for many years until I started going back to bringing my own lunches from home,--and then when I was in high school & we had "open lunch" going out to the Coney Island, our local pizza place or nearby burger joint (a HARDEE'S, actually)...
-- Dave
Well, they never appealed to me, until I was in the 3rd grade & everyone was eating TACOS...!!!!
And these seemed to be so much like they were from TACO BELL!!!!
All it took was for me to lean over someone's tray, from my dried-up peanut butter sandwich, for the kid eating from it to tell me to "Buy My Own"...
I then begged my mom to get me lunch tickets & after that, not even ONE meal--even those tacos, which went from DON PABLO'S to the sub-mediocre quality of a typical school lunch--was (you guessed it!) of even "slightly" redeeming quality! Yes, a BIG "YUK!" for every meal!!!!!
I went starving & criticized for "wasting food" & "the government's money" (who provided Lunch Tickets) for many years until I started going back to bringing my own lunches from home,--and then when I was in high school & we had "open lunch" going out to the Coney Island, our local pizza place or nearby burger joint (a HARDEE'S, actually)...
-- Dave
whirlcool
Well-known member
On Fridays at our high school they served mac & cheese for lunch. Whew! The high school would reek of it until Monday! And it was NASTY! But in all my 4 years I avoided it by bringing my own lunch on Fridays.
norgeway
Well-known member
School Cafeteria!
I must say, my elementary school had THE BEST! food I think I have ever eaten!! It was wonderful, Lower Creek Elementary School, Lenoir NC. I would put their food up against most any restaurant, at leat the years I was there 1971-1977, and before that, in the late 50s my Grandmother worked there, so I am sure it was good then, my Dads first Cousin made the yeast rolls every day, and I have never tasted any better!
I must say, my elementary school had THE BEST! food I think I have ever eaten!! It was wonderful, Lower Creek Elementary School, Lenoir NC. I would put their food up against most any restaurant, at leat the years I was there 1971-1977, and before that, in the late 50s my Grandmother worked there, so I am sure it was good then, my Dads first Cousin made the yeast rolls every day, and I have never tasted any better!
polkanut
Well-known member
I went to a parochial school for 6 years, and like Hans, our school cafeteria food was outstanding. Our head cook would make fresh french bread everyday and it was served warm w/ real butter, OMG! My favorite was the hot cooked rice made with milk, and served with pieces of cooked ring bologna. The next favorite was the homemade pizza w/ seasoned ground beef topping. In 8th grade I was a kitchen helper, so I know how hard those 3 ladies worked to make that delicious food for 250+ kids everyday.
arbilab
Well-known member
Lord! How does one make Mac&Cheese that reeks for 4 days? I spoze if it can be done, a school would do it.
Speaking of good institutional food, I went to tech schools at the companies who made the products, Ampex and Grass Valley Group, and both their employee cafeterias were excellent. Better overall than chain buffets like Ryan's and Golden Corral. Though both are tolerable, certain of their features turn out better than others. In no case do they "reek".
Our local commercial cafeterias like Luby's are really pretty good. Not saying my palate is refined, I once ordered seconds of an airline breakfast. Even *I* can't remember how long ago that was. But do remember what the entrees were. Omelette with sausage, or Swedish pancakes. I had one of each.
Speaking of good institutional food, I went to tech schools at the companies who made the products, Ampex and Grass Valley Group, and both their employee cafeterias were excellent. Better overall than chain buffets like Ryan's and Golden Corral. Though both are tolerable, certain of their features turn out better than others. In no case do they "reek".
Our local commercial cafeterias like Luby's are really pretty good. Not saying my palate is refined, I once ordered seconds of an airline breakfast. Even *I* can't remember how long ago that was. But do remember what the entrees were. Omelette with sausage, or Swedish pancakes. I had one of each.
As far as cafeteria restaurants, I liked Morrison's quite well, though they tended to vary by location. I especially liked their coconut cake; still remember getting that at the one in Gulfport, MS back around 1961 or so. Morrison's was bought out several years ago by Picadilly, but they still use some of Morrison's recipes. I usually get chopped steak or shrimp there, along with slaw, mashed potatos or french fries, a roll and dessert. It's a lot of food for the money. Will likely go to the one in Jackson, MS in the next few weeks when I visit my Aunt Doris there.
There used to be a Luby's at Turtle Creek Mall in Hattiesburg that my Aunt Julie and I would eat at. They had excellent coconut cream pie.
There used to be a Luby's at Turtle Creek Mall in Hattiesburg that my Aunt Julie and I would eat at. They had excellent coconut cream pie.
autowasherfreak
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This lady that I worked for in the 80's has to be worst and cheapest cook. She would take frozen hamburger, boil the hell out it and then take cornstarch and water and add the over cooked hamburger to it. We called it bugs in wallpaper paste, she didn't even add an seasonings to it. It was GROSS, LOL.
arbilab
Well-known member
BOILED hamburger? That is just SOOOO wrong.
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