Category Archives: Eating

Here we celebrate the best kind of food enjoyment: eating somebody else’s cooking, whether it be in a fine dining establishment or a hole in the wall.

Recipe: Avjar Red Pepper Spread

Posted on June 9, 2023 by Burnt My Fingers

Avjar is a condiment used through the Balkans made with ground red peppers plus some eggplant to stretch the recipe. Serious Eats did an exhaustive experiment to find the best avjar recipe and we followed their method. The result was … Continue reading →

Posted in Condiments, Eating | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Are Trader Joe’s Savory Thins the world’s best cracker?

Posted on June 6, 2023 by Burnt My Fingers

We always have a box or two of Trader Joe’s Savory Thin Crackers around. Luckily, they keep for a very long time. Boxes found after a year in the back of the cupboard do not taste stale. Even open packages … Continue reading →

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Recipe: Cevapcici (or cevabcici)

Posted on June 1, 2023 by Burnt My Fingers

Cevapcici is a skinless sausage popular in slightly different versions throughout the Balkans. The secret ingredient that makes it a sausage, not a burger, is the baking soda. A small amount makes the ground meat firm and springy so it … Continue reading →

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Variations on a pickled onion

Posted on May 30, 2023 by Burnt My Fingers

We grilled cevapcici (an Adriatic sausage) to serve with avjar (a red pepper topping) on Memorial Day. What else do you need? Onion, of course. There are already three pickled onion recipes on Burnt My Fingers, but we went a … Continue reading →

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The Divisive Herb: Unraveling the Curious Case of Cilantro Detestation

Posted on May 25, 2023 by Burnt My Fingers

Introduction: In the culinary world, one cannot underestimate the power of herbs to ignite passion and divide opinions. Among these, cilantro, a verdant and pungent herb, has emerged as a perennial lightning rod, evoking intense love from some and vehement … Continue reading →

Posted in Eating, Something Else | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Food for thought: The Gourmet by Lu Wenfu

Posted on May 23, 2023 by Burnt My Fingers

A few weeks ago I attended my college reunion and sat in on a class called “A Chinese Culinary History” taught by Professor Maddalena Poli. To quote from the syllabus, “This course introduces social and historical developments using culinary history … Continue reading →

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Recipe: Onion Burgers

Posted on May 16, 2023 by Burnt My Fingers

I learned about Onion Burgers in this article on Atlas Obscura. It seems that during the Great Depression a burger joint in Oklahoma had the inspiration to cut costs by greatly increasing the amount of onions mixed in with its … Continue reading →

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What to do with ramps

Posted on May 12, 2023 by Burnt My Fingers

It’s ramps season here in upstate New York. The wild allium will be showing up on Mother’s Day menus in our better restaurants on top of spaghetti, as a caramelized garnish, and in general wherever you might see a garlic … Continue reading →

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Recipe: No Knead Cheesy Bread

Posted on May 9, 2023 by Burnt My Fingers

No Knead Cheesy Bread originated with East Coast Kitchen. I heard about it from a local baker friend and realized it was the perfect way to use some ramps another local friend had brought back from a secret location. Make … Continue reading →

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Recipe: Coronation Chicken Salad

Posted on May 5, 2023 by Burnt My Fingers

Coronation Chicken Salad was created for King Charles’ mother back in 1953, possibly as a tribute to the far-flung British empire which was winding down at that time. It has a pleasant sweetness the late queen doubtless enjoyed, as do … Continue reading →

Posted in Eating, Mains, Recipes | Tagged , | 2 Comments