Time to Brine ...

I confess - I am not a good cook. In fact, despite the pasta making and cookie backing obsessions in high school, I didn't really know how to cook up until 3 or 4 years ago. And still, I have fumbled my way through at best.

Therefore, when a coworker began talking about brining at work, I was very confused. I looked it up online and discovered that brining is the process of soaking meat in salt water (and often suger or something sweet) to keep it tender. I then called my mom with posing the question: What's the difference between brining and marinading?? (As well as the question: What the difference between baking and roasting?)

A few weeks ago, after making Pork and Cabbage for the second time (and not wanting to repeat the dry pork from the last time), I brined the pork - sort of. Turns out I did it with only salt and for too long. Nevertheless, it was awesome! The pork was so so tender (albeit a little salty).

So if you, like me, are confused about brining, I have compiled some resources because, baby, it's time to brine!


Generally about brining:

http://bbq.about.com/cs/barbecuetips/a/aa112000b.htm

http://www.cookingforengineers.com/article/70/Brining


Some recipes that were recommended as both the best meat you've ever had and the way into a man's proposal:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_35141,00.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_33782,00.html


Answer to the burning question: Brining vs. Marinading?
My synopsis: Brining is a type of marinading and basically, marinading is typical with a acidic solution and brining is always a saline solution.

http://www.bbqlodge.com/brine/brine.htm
http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking/package/0,14343,734675,00.html (bottom of article)

The Mission ...

Get ready for a shocker: Food in New York City has been my biggest disappointment about living here. The restaurants are just not that good and too expensive for what they are. Grocery stores are terrible. Adam once opened a frozen hot pocket only to find it moldy. Think about that - it had to thaw, sit out long enough to get moldy, and then be frozen again. Gross. And they are expensive. So now I'm a Trader Joes girl all the way.

In a visit to St. Louis, my friend Alissa told me about her CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and about some friends of hers in NYC who are a part of one. I looked it up and found one in our neighborhood. Last spring, with much excited anticipation, Adam and I joined our local CSA.

It's been awesome. Amazing. I love it and preach the gospel of CSA to everyone I know. AND it forced to me to learn to cook and bake. Our first week, we got 2 quarts of fresh, off-the-vine-ripe strawberries. They were amazing ... and gonna go bad quickly. So I decided to bake a pie. I went to the amazing kitchen store down the street, The Brooklyn Kitchen, walked shyly up to counter with my rolling pin, and asked tentatively 'Do I need anything else to make a pie?'

A couple hours later I called my mom, ecstatic: "Guess what I did? I made a PIE!" She laughed. I even rolled my own crust (although I didn't make the dough) and the pie didn't turn out half bad.

After reading and loving The Omnivore's Dilemma, I really hopped on the local food movement (mostly) and decided to get involved with organizing the CSA.

I created this blog to share my joys, triumphs, and failures as I embark on a cooking and baking journey with my organic, locally produced fruits, veggies, eggs, and flowers. Join me.