Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Homemade vs. Store Bought

Slate has a fascinating little piece comparing the wonders of homemade versus store bought bagels, cream cheese, yogurt, jam, crackers, and granola. It provides both a price comparison and a taste comparison, as well as links to recipes. She gives the thumbs down to homemade crackers, which keep getting pushed to the bottom of my "to bake" list. But now I can't get the idea of homemade bagels out of my head.

Found via Re-Nest at a post which also links to an index of recipes for pantry staples from the kitchn (Apartment Therapy's food spin off).

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7 comments:

Bill said...

You should check with my spouse about her parmesan crackers...

Rebecca said...

We should totally make bagels when I visit. Smitten Kitchen has a recipe that looks good.

Thalia said...

...

This is just fueling my desire for a small farm, sheep and/or goats, and time to bake bread, make yoghurt and cheese, practice yoga, and chase barefoot kids around.

Dang.

Sarah said...

Tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese baked until melted . . . Bill, your wife is a genius.

Rebecca, do you mean this recipe? http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/09/bronx-worthy-bagels/
I've never made a sponge before. We must try it. And I've already got a source for high gluten flour. I'll have to look into the availability of malt powder.

Thalia, wow, you go from zero to goat farm in like no time at all. :) I love it. I am also totally confident that even with your current busy schedule you could knock out some no-knead bread this week. I think you'd especially love this olive bread recipe: http://wiemanomicon.blogspot.com/2009/03/baking-rustic-cyprus-style-herbed-olive.html

Thalia said...

Sarah, I think I need a shirt that says that I go from zero to goat farm in under 6 seconds, or something to that effect.

I will have to give the bread recipe a whirl. I haven't been baking at all because E does not enjoy baked goods (and then the loaf of bread or whatever will just dare me to eat it all in an evening) - but perhaps I have not fully thought out the benefits of baking and bringing things in to work.

Sarah said...

Thalia, your wish is my command:
http://www.zazzle.com/i_go_from_zero_to_goat_farm_in_under_6_seconds_tshirt-235671573131023441

E doesn't like baked goods? WTF? I don't know if I support this relationship anymore. Though it does mean more for you. Rebecca is well-practiced at the art of baking for the office.

Thalia said...

AAAAA! I love it!!!

And yes, actually the subject of our first big argument/heated discussion was the fact that... E does not like baked goods, and in general... *doesn't like food*.

I was floored. FLOORED. It took a while for me to understand what he was saying. Like he was speaking a strange dialect that sounded like English, but was actually a completely different vocabulary.