Taste test: Seattle-style hot dogs

Posted on July 14, 2026 by Burnt My Fingers

Wirecutter did a cook-off and declared Seattle-style hot dogs the winner, so of course we had to do our own taste test. The dog they presented had a toasted potato bun spread on one side with cream cheese, a grilled and butterflied beef hot dog, caramelized onions, squirts of sriracha and spicy brown mustard, and a topping of sliced jalapeños. We had to improvise somewhat, using a supermarket roll with our poppyseed bun hack and a natural casing Kayem beef and pork frank because that’s what we had on hand, but I don’t think it had a major effect on our judging.

Seattle style hot dog

Here’s our rendition of the Seattle-style hot dog.

There’s a lot to like about this dog. The cream cheese adds substance and a background richness I’d like to try with other toppings. The jalapeños offer a vegetal freshness your nose will appreciate as you load it into your mouth. (The finished Seattle-style hot dog is bulky enough that you have to insert it end-forward like a torpedo going into its launcher.) Judge José Andres described the various ingredients as “diplomats” in the sense that they work well together, but the combo seemed a little… Seattle for us. We’ll stick with the street smarts of a New York dirty dog with a generous amount of onion sauce, or a Chicago-style dog when we want to kick up our heels a bit. (And note that the Chicago dog is topped with sport peppers to give those jalapeños a run for their money with a bonus kick of vinegar.)

Incredibly, the Chicago dog and New York dog were paired against each other in the first round of judging. That’s like seeing France and Spain paired up in the group stage of the World Cup. New York won but was knocked out in the next round by the Cincinnati dog, which is essentially Cincinnati Chili on a bun finished with a huge amount of grated cheese. (José Andres loved the cheese and is obviously swayed by muchness.)

You can watch the full video of the Wirecutter hot dog cook-off here.

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Recipe: Mamo’s Rich Chocolate Cake

Posted on July 8, 2026 by Burnt My Fingers

Mamo's Rich Chocolate Cake, served as a layer cake.Our grandmother (Mamo) made Rich Chocolate Cake for our birthdays and it was always a high point of the celebration. Her recipe (found among my mother’s recipe cards) differs from similar recipes by using chocolate squares instead of cocoa powder and 5 whole eggs to make it super moist. Our favorite part was actually the icing which was a thick hard shell that cracked when you bit into it; this first attempt was too soft and we’d use this recipe next time which includes precise temperature measurements. Makes one 9×13 sheet cake or equivalent.

Ingredients:
¾ c Crisco or neutral oil
2 ½ c white sugar
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
5 eggs, beaten
1 t baking soda dissolved in 1 T hot water
1 c buttermilk
2 c all purpose flour
1 t vanilla

Rich Chocolate Cake

Our 9×13 baking pan had gone missing, so we improvised with a couple of Pyrex storage containers.

Method: cream eggs and sugar together then add other ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined. Baked in a greased 9×13 cake pan at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean. When cooled, transfer to a serving plate and add icing to your preference.

Posted in Baking and Baked Goods, Recipes, Sweets | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Recipe: Amish Slaw 1

Posted on July 3, 2026 by Burnt My Fingers

Amish Slaw 1 (on a plate with some barbecue).“Sturdy” is an unusual descriptor for a cole slaw, but it fits for Amish Slaw 1. (Amish Slaw 2 has a vinegar base and will be posted shortly.) It’s the slaw that eats like a meal, thanks to the dense sweet-and-sour dressing that reminds us of our Amish Creamed Celery. (That recipe used béchamel as the binder, this uses eggs.) I expect that I will hear from William Woyles Weaver who will tell me this is Pennsylvania Dutch, not Amish, but the name and original recipe come from Grandma  2969 who says she snitched the formula from an Ohio salad bar which was perhaps Amish-run. Anyway, this is the sort of hearty fare that sets you up for a long day in the fields. Makes about 16 servings.

Ingredients:
2 large eggs
3 T sugar
1 ½ T all-purpose flour
1 ¼ t Kosher salt
½ t ground mustard
2 T celery seeds
½ t ground black pepper
¼ c cider vinegar
¼ c water
1 T butter or olive oil
3 T whole milk or cream
8 c shredded cabbage
1 large carrot, grated
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
¼ c onion, finely chopped
Half a green bell pepper, finely chopped
¼ c minced parsley
cup minced parsley

Method: have cabbage and other veg ready in a large bowl. Combine eggs, sugar, flour and spices in a small saucepan* and beat until sugar is dissolved. Stir in vinegar, water, butter and milk and heat over a low flame, stirring constantly, till the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon. Immediately pour over the veg and stir well to combine. Refrigerate Amish Slaw 1 at least 2 hours and preferably overnight before serving.

*Yes, you could make this in a double boiler but Grandma 2969 saves a dish by making the sauce right in the saucepan and it works well as long as you are very attentive.

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It’s true. Durkee’s Famous Sauce is discontinued.

Posted on June 27, 2026 by Burnt My Fingers
Durkee Discontinued Email

Durkee’s manufacturer, B&G Foods, sent this heartbreaking email to a customer. A check of the Durkee website shows food coloring and various spices and extracts, but no more Durkee’s Famous Sauce. Discontinued.

Reader Lin confirmed the dark news: Durkee’s Famous Sauce has been discontinued by its current owner, B&G Foods. The production line has been closed (Lin thinks as early as 2023) and the Durkee’s found online (at high prices) is leftover stock which will soon be gone forever.

Durkee's jars through the decades. Click for a larger version to read the ingredient lists.

Durkee’s jars through the decades. Click for a larger version to read the ingredient lists.

Fortunately, we have our Durkee’s Copycat Recipe which is about as close as we are ever going to get to the original. It’s a fine substitute in all the places you’re used to using Durkee’s, like after Thanksgiving turkey sandwiches, in deviled eggs and potato salad and so much more.

Google’s AI recognizes the above recipe as the best answer for Durkee’s seekers, which may be why this post (along with the taste test that helped us get there) is consistently the top performer on Burnt My Fingers with close to 2K monthly views.

Now, if only someone could come up with a substitute for the similarly lamented Lan Chi Garlic Sauce…

Posted in Eating | 4 Comments

Update: oven hot spots and the BlueStar range

Posted on June 22, 2026 by Burnt My Fingers
Oven Thermometer

This is Amazon’s top selling oven thermometer. (Affiliate link!) Cheap way to verify temperature of your own oven.

Reader Tyler Morgan shared an article on Why Your Oven Temperature Is Not Accurate (and How to Fix It). If you suspect your oven temperature is not what you set it at (perhaps because your bread/cakes are coming out underdone or taking too long to cook) the easiest fix is to buy a cheap oven thermometer and go by its reading, not the stated temperature on the oven gauge. A more complex challenge happens when zones of the oven are hotter than others, a subject we explored in How to find hot spots in your oven.

That post was written shortly after we bought our 48 inch BlueStar range, which has both a major oven that will hold a full sheet pan and a second oven for simpler tasks such as heating leftovers or keeping food warm during service. Five years in, we use the small oven almost exclusively. Temps are accurate and consistent throughout, except at the very back. That zone runs about 25 degrees hotter, possibly due to heat reflected off the back wall.

The main oven, per our test, had hot spots in the right rear and left front. Your mileage may vary; Tom Thibeault, then of BlueStar, said his spots are top front and bottom rear. His wife Michelle Hines Abram Thibeault, who uses their oven for her catering business, advises simply cooking with the convention fan which solves the hot spot problem by redistributing heat around the food. If you go this route, remember to set the oven temp at 25 degrees lower than the setting you’d use without convection.

We continue to be very happy with our BlueStar which has had zero mechanical problems, in contrast to Old Thermy which was constantly breaking down. Our favorite feature may be the low-BTU burner which we adjusted (easy) to burn even lower. We use it the same way restaurant cooks use the pilot light, to keep stocks and sauces warm and at a food safe temperature. Also a fan of the stovetop broiler which we used a lot during our past miserable winter; to do this you need good ventilation such as the massive solid brass Abbaka vent hood that Tom took on as a project to rebuild. Abbaka has sent been acquired by BlueStar, which should make matching range and hood an easier process (though not exactly cheap).

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Recipe: Hotel Room Salt Salmon

Posted on June 15, 2026 by Burnt My Fingers
Salt Salmon Sliced

Hotel Room Salt Salmon, with a shiso leaf.

Hotel Room Salt Salmon (Shiozaki in Japanese) is an easy, elegant and potentially fatal entrée you can prepare anywhere you have access to a mini-fridge, packets of salt and sugar, and a microwave. Why fatal? Because you do need to pay attention to food safety with raw fish. Be sure the salmon you buy is cold and fresh, and that your mini-fridge is set to 39 degrees or lower. If in doubt, microwave it till flaky rather than eating raw. 4 entrée servings.

Ingredients:
1 lb or so very fresh salmon* filet
Salt, approx. 1 T**
Sugar, approx. 1 t
Ziploc bag
Paper towels

Salt Salmon Curing

Starting the cure.

Method: pat the salmon dry with paper towels. Mix salt and sugar and rub into the salmon on all sides including the skin. Wrap in paper towels, insert in Ziploc bag and cure in fridge 2 days or so. Remove from the bag, wipe off the cure and slice thin to serve, leaving the skin. Very tasty wrapped up in a shiso leaf, if you happen to have some. After the salmon slices are done, crisp up the skin in the microwave for an extra treat.

*If you are near a Trader Joe’s, look for their wild caught Alaskan salmon which is consistently excellent. Wherever you buy, be sure the fish has been kept well chilled.

*We used 1 T Kosher salt but the salt in your hotel buffet shaker is probably finer ground iodized so you’ll use less.

Posted in Eating, Mains, Recipes | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Purefoods Filipino Corned Beef recipes

Posted on June 9, 2026 by Burnt My Fingers
Purefoods Filipino Corned Beef

Filipino corned beef: Ginisang (hash) topped with fried egg.

We found ourselves in possession of a large quantity of Purefoods Corned Beef with Juices. (Not an affiliate link; Amazon doesn’t carry it but Walmart does.) We were prompted to try this Filipino corned beef by this article by Kitchn columnist Jasmine Ting This Canned Corned Beef Is So Good, I’ve Eaten It for Breakfast and Lunch in the Same Day.

According to ChatGPT, “Purefoods Corned Beef is known for its long, beefy strands and rich flavor, making it the gold standard for quick Filipino comfort food.” They recommended the first recipe, which we liked a lot, and also referred us to the Filipino recipes group on Facebook where you’ll find more.

Filipino Corned Beef Hash

Purefoods Filipino Corned Beef sizzling in the skillet.

Classic Corned Beef Hash (Ginisang Corned Beef)
The ultimate Filipino staple. Sautéed with potatoes and onions, it pairs perfectly with hot garlic fried rice and a crispy fried egg.

Ingredients:
• 1 can (15 oz) Purefoods Corned Beef
• 1 large potato, peeled and diced
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp cooking oil
• Salt, pepper, and a dash of soy sauce (optional) to taste
Instructions:
1. Boil the potatoes: Parboil the diced potatoes in salted water for about 5 minutes until just tender but not mushy. Drain and set aside.
2. Sauté aromatics: Heat the butter and oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onions, cooking until soft and fragrant.
3. Combine: Add the parboiled potatoes and the Purefoods Corned Beef. Break up the beef strands with a spatula.
4. Crisp it up: Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. For a crispy, caramelized crust, leave it undisturbed on medium-high heat for the last 3 minutes.

Corned Beef Nilaga (Savory Soup)
A comforting, soupy twist on the traditional Filipino beef nilaga, perfect for rainy days.
Ingredients:
• 1 can Purefoods Corned Beef (chunky-style preferred)
• 4 cups beef broth (or water + 1 beef bouillon cube)
• 1 potato, quartered
• ½ head of cabbage, quartered
• 1 onion, quartered
• Pinch of whole peppercorns
Instructions:
1. Simmer the base: In a pot, bring the beef broth (or water and bouillon), quartered onion, and peppercorns to a boil.
2. Cook vegetables: Drop in the quartered potatoes and simmer until tender.
3. Add beef & greens: Add the corned beef (break it gently into large chunks) and the quartered cabbage. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until the cabbage is crisp-tender. Season with salt to taste and serve hot.

Pepper-Lunch Inspired Corned Beef
A quick, savory weekday dinner inspired by the popular sizzling pepper plates.
Ingredients:
• 1 can Purefoods Corned Beef
• 1/2 cup sweet corn kernels (drained)
• 1/2 cup button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tbsp butter
• Freshly ground black pepper (be generous)
• Cooked rice
Instructions:
1. Sauté: Melt butter in a skillet. Sauté the sliced mushrooms until they release their moisture.
2. Arrange: Push the mushrooms to the sides of the pan. Place your mound of corned beef in the center, and add the sweet corn on the side.
3. Season: Sprinkle black pepper directly over the beef and corn. Toss everything together right at the table and serve over steaming hot rice.

Posted in Cooking, Eating, Mains, Recipes | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Uncle Son’s Blue Ribbon Watermelon Pickles

Posted on June 4, 2026 by Burnt My Fingers
Watermelon Pickles

Uncle Son’s Watermelon Pickles (actually a stand-in from our farmers’ market).

We recently came across a 30 year old packet of recipes from my mother in Dallas, and among them was Uncle Son’s Watermelon Pickles. This recipe was a perennial blue ribbon winner at the State Fair of Texas so finding it was a real treat. (Uncle Son, aka John A. Smith, was a U.S. Army Brigadier General and accomplished polo player.) Here’s the recipe, then we’ll discuss:

Cut off all red meat and peel off green outside. Cut into small pieces about size of thumb. Get tube of powdered slaked lime [calcium hydroxide] from drugstore. Mix ½ tube of lime with 2 gallons of water. Soak melon pieces overnight in this lime water. Next morning wash melon pieces thoroughly and then cook in plain water until it starts to get tender.

 In final cooking put 4 lbs sugar, 1 qt vinegar, 2 T each whole cloves and whole allspice plus 4 pieces of stick cinnamon and add to mixture. (I tie spices in cheesecloth.) Place partially cooked melon pieces in vinegar and spice mixture and simmer until rind is clear (about 20 minutes). Put in jars and cover with syrup.

For specific directions see page 1223 Doubleday Cookbook.

Discussion: there are plenty of watermelon pickle recipes on the web, and all except this one start the watermelon pieces in a salt brine vs Uncle Son’s slaked lime. We have judged a few barbecue competitions and often the decision among preps at a very high level comes down to details. His method probably produced a crisper pickle than others and that swayed the judges year after year.

And what about that Doubleday Cookbook reference? It’s a two-volume opus with no page 1223; if someone has a combined edition with that numbering please let me know. We did find the book on Internet Archive and there’s a watermelon pickle recipe on page 658 of Volume 2; in addition to the slaked lime technique Uncle Son uses 2 T each of cloves and allspice while the recipe calls for 2 t. The transcriber, most likely Uncle Son’s daughter Mary Helen, put a ? after this quantity but it appears on two different recipe cards and “tablespoons” is spelled out on one so it’s not a misprint.

By the way, the Doubleday Cookbook looks to be one hell of an opus, on a par with Joy of Cooking for breadth and detail. Well worth checking out if you find a copy online or in a used book store.

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Recipe: Twice-Pickled Ramps or Onions

Posted on May 31, 2026 by Burnt My Fingers
Ramps Puckers Pickles

Twice-pickled ramps with Puckers product that inspired us.

We are a big fan of the Sweet Onion Pickles from local brand Pucker’s Gourmet. They come in a vinegar and sugar brine but the proprietor confirmed they are also lacto-fermented. So we tried our own twice-picked ramps expecting the recipe for twice-pickled onions would work as well, and we’re very happy with the result. Pucker’s Gourmet evidently drains off all the original lacto brine before adding vinegar (which would quickly kill the ferment) but we left a little behind and like these even better. Makes 1 pint.

Ingredients, for the lacto ferment:
2 c sliced red onions, or ramps with roots and green parts removed
1 c water
1 T kosher salt

For the vinegar brine:
2/3 c water
1/3 c vinegar (I used white but would go with cider next time)
½ t Kosher salt
¼ c white sugar

Method: dissolve salt in water and pour over ramps or onions in a clean canning jar. Add extra water/salt in the same ratio or use a weight on top to be sure vegetables are completely submerged. Seal with a fermentation lock or else plan to burp the jar daily (loosen the top to let air out) and place in a dark place for 5-7 days. Bubbles will form and the water will get cloudy as the fermentation proceeds.

When the vegetables are pickled to your satisfaction, pour off the salt brine (reserving it for another batch or to drink) and replace with the vinegar brine. Refrigerate for a couple of days, then the pickles are ready to enjoy.

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Food for thought: Astro Obscura First Draft Foods

Posted on May 24, 2026 by Burnt My Fingers
OG Caesar Salad

The Original Caesar Salad was finger food… from Gastro Obscura First Draft Foods.

You know the story of how Caesar Cardini invented Caesar Salad in Tijuana in the 1920s. But did you know it was first served as finger food with the dressing coating whole romaine leaves? Or that Caesar had a brother, Alex, who also claimed to invent the salad? These details and many more lurk in The Original Caesar Salad Was Finger Food from Gastro Obscura.

“Iconic recipes have to come from somewhere. Welcome to First Draft Foods, a week where we delve into the legends and controversies behind the world’s favorite dishes.” Gastro Obscura used to have its own newsletter and website but seems to have been folded into the overall weirdness of the Astro Obscura Brand. Thankfully this and two other articles are available in First Draft Foods. It’s not quite a week’s worth, but hopefully the series will continue and expand.

Caesar’s origin story and recipe eventually prevailed thanks to relentless marketing by his daughter Rosa. But Alex was recognized as the inventor by Mexican food guru Diana Kennedy and, more important, is credited with the essential addition of anchovies. A recipe is included which is close to our own (except for the anchovies) but adds a teaspoon of pear vinegar. WTF? Read the article to find out.

A second First Draft Foods story is on the origin of Red Velvet Cake: why it is red (the recipe used a cocoa that imparted a red hue; that cocoa is no longer available because it contains cyanide and the red now comes from good old red food coloring) and how it came to be associated with Black culture in general and Juneteenth specifically. The third article is on the history of chowder—which originally contained no milk, no potatoes and… no clams.

By the way, many of the original Gastro Obscura stories are still available in Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer’s Guide, a hardcover on Amazon. Ready for beer made from fog, a Chilean recipe? Check it out.

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