I like to cook for recreation but prefer to memorize recipes than follow them and dislike planning ahead. Incidentally that's what helped prompt me to create these illustrated recipes http://www.taskandtool.com/blogs/recipes with the goal of making losing my place in a recipe a thing of the past.
Ask HN: Hackers who cook
151–160 of 212 posts
Re: Ask HN: Hackers who cook
#152Earlier quoted context omitted.
“bulk-packaged deli cups” – do you use this for freezing? Or take outs?
I use them for everything. Mise. Leftovers. Mixing small amounts of things. They're reusable, but also incredibly cheap; about the same amount of material as a ziploc. It's like having an infinite supply of small, light bowls with tight-sealing lids.
+this. You can buy them in qty ~50 or so on Amazon fairly cheaply. There are probably a billion, but we have a big stack of these we use for everything from prep to freezing leftovers/taking to work: http://goo.gl/viX1Nh (they come in 8oz versions too, which I also have a stack of). They crack after about 10 cycles through the freezer and in backpacks/lunches, which comes out to about 5c per use. Very reasonable.
Re: Ask HN: Hackers who cook
#1531. Recreation & health. My cooking tends to be more expensive than a simple (unhealthy) takeaway meal.
2. No. I always decide on the day itself.
3. I seriously enjoy Jamie Oliver recipes (they tend to be simple, as in: throw all kinds of nice spices together) and Indian food.
4. Paleo-ish. No sugar, limited amount of carbs.
5. Watch Jamie Olivers cooking show. Plan ahead in order to save money and make your life easier.
Cooking is a wonderful skill that you develop throughout your life. I started at age 18 and am now known for my delicious cooking by my friends and family while I am only aged 24.
Re: Ask HN: Hackers who cook
#154My main occupation is a medical student, but I consider myself a "hobbyist hacker".
1. I am on a low carb diet, which rules out the bulk of prepared food options. Also, I discovered a passion for cooking when I was around 14 and actually wanted to be a chef for awhile, so it's something I enjoy. Keto is actually quite expense for me, mainly because there's less "filler" in my meals.
2. No. When I go grocery shopping, I will have a handful of things I want to make in the next couple weeks in mind and get the ingredients for them. Often times I will make several servings at one time and eat them over the next day or two.
3. A lot of breakfast foods, stir fry, "pasta" dishes, and simple meat+vegetable dishes.
4. I am on a keto diet but it's not per anyone else's guidelines. I basically try to limit carbs to 40 100 5. It comes down to your rhythm and how well you can multi-task. If you do everything linearly, it will take you a long time to get anything done. Learn how long individual passive steps take and determine what you can actively get done in the down time- especially true when making multiple dishes at once. Also, limit the complexity of your sides. It's much faster/easier to steam some broccoli and carrots while cooking a steak than it is to pair the steak with loaded mashed potatoes and caesar salad. But on that note, prepare whatever you can in advance and in bulk quantities (e.g. mashed potatoes are perfectly fine reheated and will keep for a good while).
Re: Ask HN: Hackers who cook
#1551. Recreation. Cooking is the most fun one can have with their pants on.
2. When I can plan, I try to plan 2-3 days ahead. Back in Finland I would drop by the butchershop and request the cuts a few days in advance if I was making something special.
3. Slow food. Cheap meats where the chewy bits get liquefied after 4-6 hours of slow heat. Use herbs as condiments where possible.
4. I try to go for reduced carbs, but it's not a hard goal.
5. Mise én place. Use steel cookware and bowls for everything you can. Avoid plastic like the plague: oils of all kinds have nasty tendency to bind to plastic surfaces. Makes them nearly impossible to clean properly.
There are two items you can't live without: chef's knife and an immersion blender.
Re: Ask HN: Hackers who cook
#156Earlier quoted context omitted.
> the husks just fall off when you smash the garlic. Oh, the looks i get when i show someone that is really that easy :)
Another trick (that really only pays off if you're using a huge amount) is to put them in a pot with a lid and shake the shit out of it. The husks get ripped right off! I never actually do it because A) it takes a lot of shaking and B) you have to clean the pot, but I could see it being worthwhile if you were making a bunch of chili or soup or something. http://www.thekitchn.com/smart-tip-peel-an-entire-head-of-ga...
It just so happens that I have ten garlic cloves at home. I'm going to try this tonight! :)
Re: Ask HN: Hackers who cook
#1571. Why do you cook? Is it to save cash or is it recreation? Or something else? I was a chef for 2-3 years before i went into Web Dev, i still love to cook and have much more knowledge in cooking than most people because of working in commercial kitchens. That said, i usually cant be bothered cooking if its just for me, i like cooking for others. 2. Do you plan ahead? Like a weekly meal plan? Nah, i like to just see w…
Why did you choose to go into web dev? I'm looking to make the opposite transition - web development to cooking full time.
Brutally honest answer? More money in Web dev. Also, i'm better at web dev. If you're going to become a chef prepare for a massive pay cut and the pay doesnt go up as high with seniority as web dev does. I can earn about £100k a year as a web dev (if i chose to work a full year, i don't) and a executive head chef in London would make around £40k a year and work AT LEAST 60 hours a week, you'd also need 8 - 10 years experience. A mid level chef with 3-4 years experience would make around £20k a year.
Re: Ask HN: Hackers who cook
#158> 1. Why do you cook? Is it to save cash or is it recreation? Or something else? Cooking is an old human activity--and I mean OLD! It's easy to forget what you are in this day and age. Tilling, growing, harvesting, cooking, and eating together helps me remember. > 2. Do you plan ahead? Like a weekly meal plan? I've tried that. No. > 3. What kind of things do you cook usually? Veggies. Sometimes I'd pick a random vege…
Clarification: When I said: "The same is true for a variety of veggies."... I meant:
The same concept appears to apply well to a variety of kitchen situations. I certainly didn't mean that you should experiment with smashing different veggies. :) Though...
Re: Ask HN: Hackers who cook
#159Cooking is a form of engineering. I like that there's a science behind it, and I like that if you become any good, your standard-of-living (of eating?) will be vastly improved. Tip #1: get a good knife. If you can, go to a store that'll let you actually hold a knife prior to purchase, to test its heft and balance. Find one that fits you comfortably. (I like Shun knives, but this is a pretty personal topic; don't let…
> Eventually it may get dull to the point where you might want a whetstone to sharpen it again, but you'd probably need to use your knife a decent amount before it gets to that point. I completely disagree. It gets dull slow enough that you don't notice it, but there is a difference after 1 month and big difference after 4 months. Although it probably takes a year to get as dull as most people's knives. Although you…
Apologies if the experience with some other knives differs greatly. I'd gone from not really having a chef knife to having a Shun, and the difference in sharpness was just nuts. I haven't felt the need to sharpen it yet -- not that I can claim to be a superb judge of that, but to me, the sharpness is still very much there.
Re: Ask HN: Hackers who cook
#160I cook for a living in NYC/Brooklyn and do catering around the holidays.
1. I cook at home because I love it. I grew up having Sunday dinners with family so the time in the kitchen and at the dinner table means a lot to me. I cook professionally because I enjoy getting beat down into the ground on a regular basis and feeling like a complete idiot. I enjoy the challenge because every event is a new one. Nothing ever goes according to the plan.
2. I only plan ahead when I've invited non-family guests. The rest of the time I decide based on what looks the most fresh/vibrant in the grocery store.
3. Whatever I think will taste good. A lot of Italian/Spanish food.
4. Nope. I truly believe that you should eat healthy, season appropriately, and enjoy every dish as an experience rather than sustenance. If you follow that, you will eat considerably less and be much happier.
5. Yes I have more tips, tricks, and unusual skills than you would probably care to know. From cooking you become very good at unusual skills like pouring liquids.
The restaurant culture has many traditions but we have one in particular that I think sums up the true importance of cooking. Every day we get together as a team and plan/cook a meal for all of the staff to eat before our busiest part of the day begins...
We call it "family meal" and thats exactly what it feels like.