Mario's Breadcrumbs

[Clove]

Originally Posted by Chap

So dumb question......do you make fresh bread and use what goes stale? Any seasonings or just process the dried bread?

Chap,
Fresh crumbs are made from fresh bread.
I think you'll find that there is a difference between dry bread and stale.
Dry bread has lost some of its' moisture and stale bread tastes "stale"!
I throw out stale bread (actually, I grind it into bread crumbs before it gets stale). I would not use "stale" tasting anything in cooking or eating.
I freeze the breadcrumbs in a zip top bag and never season them until I'm ready to use them (if I season them at all). Normally I season what I'm breading rather than the bread crumbs, which come in direct contact with high heat. That can effect the taste of any herbs or cheeses.

It's the same with cooking with wine. I would cook with any wine that I would drink. It doesn't have to be an expensive bottle, but I keep large 2 liter bottles of good ($12 - $17) reds and white on hand just for cooking. I don't serve them with a meal, but I could.

[Clove]

Originally Posted by BerryBaby

I agree, Clove. You can definitely tell the difference. I'm hooked on the fresh! Even made them for meatballs the other night and what a difference. The meatballs were light and very tasty.

BB,

That's a perfect use for fresh bread.
In Italy, the Nona's use slices of bread and soak them in water or milk. Then they tear them apart and mix them into the meatball "meat" (I put the word meat in quotes because them make meatballs out of many things other than beef, pork and turkey).
The origin of of meatballs (polpettini) comes from the poverty of 19th and early to mid 20th century Italy.
If you had a small amount protein and wanted to serve your family, you added equal or greater proportions (by volume) of bread. That allowed you to elongate the protein and make a meal for 4 or 6 out of 6 or 8 oz of protein.
It also gave soft and succulent meatballs, because they were not all protein.

PS - I miss the picture of you and your puppy!

[Chap]

I agree about the pic of her and the dog. Made me want to read her posts.

I cut the ends off several loaves I cooked this week. I'll process them and freeze them before they get old. I will also refrain from adding seasoning.

Thanks.
I love this place! :smile:

[BerryBaby]

Aw, thank you!!!!

I'll put me and Sophie back up....didn't think anyone really noticed. Thanks for the compliments!!!inkylove: I'm blushing.

[BerryBaby]

Oops...this isn't the same photo but I'll use it for now. Hope you like it, Clove and Chap! Miss Sophie was trying to kiss me:kissy: and I was taking the photo holding the camera in my other hand. Wasn't easy, but I got it!

[Chap]

That pic works just fine. Thanks......

[BerryBaby]

Thanks, Chap!

...guess I'll leave it up for a while.

I did like the photo of the fruit tart..I made that last summer. It was really good!

Although, I think Sophie is cuter than the tart!

[Clove]

Originally Posted by Food Network Fan

I have seen Michael buy pre made pizza crust and I always wonder why. I think that is so easy to make.

I think the point is that they are saying, "don't be intimidated by food, get into the kitchen and cook.
If buying ready made breadcrumbs will get you in there, great!
If you're too afraid of working with yeast and making pizza dough, get some from you local pizzeria, and cook!
After you do some cooking, you'll probably want to buy some RR knives or other stuff we sell."

[Food Network Fan]

Hey it's more fun to buy stuff to make things with than it is to buy food already made with someone else's stuff.

[Chefnot]

Thanks for the posts Clove. I'm on it..