# under/overrated foods



## vapour (May 3, 2007)

What type of foods do you guys feel are underrated or overrated? Maybe it's something about this type of food you never understood why it's so talked about or why customers always "ooo-ing or ahh-ing" over it on the menu.

I'll start first.. 

underrated: tough cuts of meats.
it takes much more skill to prepare a tough cut of meat than let's say a beef tenderloin.. a beef tenderloin, i can just season it and grill/sear it to the right doneness. where as tough meats, take much more time and effort to flavour it and to braise it to a mouth watering, meltingly tender state.. yumm

overrated: souffles. 
it's just a base and whipped whites. to me, it's just a fluffy cake that's too wet,it's flavour diluted with whipped egg whites. egg whites are pretty inexpensive and restaurants charge an arm and a leg for them.

an overrated bakery staple is the genoise cake. in my opinion, it's always too dry and the crumb too coarse. but it's used for practically everything. i much prefer to use a chiffon style sponge.

any thoughts? if anyone can change my opinion about souffles, go right ahead.


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## cheftorrie (Jun 23, 2006)

Souffles are not overrated at all.


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## m2k (Jul 31, 2006)

Explaination?


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

Agree. A well made souffle carries and magnifies the flavor of, erm, whatever it's made of. (sorry for the grammar)


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## psycho chef (Feb 1, 2007)

The mellowing and harmonization of cheeses by the egg whites within a cheese souffle makes it an etheral experience when properly made.


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

You know I don't think there's such a thing as an overrated food. I believe it's just not prepared properly.


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## dc sunshine (Feb 26, 2007)

Underated? 
-Organ meats -you can get some delicious flavours out of kidneys & livers with the right cooking.
-Mutton - getting harder to source it by the day. Its better in some dishes than lamb.
-Cabbage - it seems to be falling out of favour, but its very versatile.
-Eels - delish!

Over-rated?
- Fillet steak. yep its soft, but bland. You've got to add flavour so much IMHO. And the price! I think the attraction is more in the snob appeal.
- Lobsters - ditto as per fillet steak. Crab tastes better - just on its own.
- Turkey. Unless you really know what you're doing - its dry. And all that bone to the ratio of meat. Dunno why some people torture themselves each year trying to make it nice. Tradition I guess.

That's all for today....your turn!

DC


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## bombayben (Aug 23, 2007)

I think the reason the restaurants charge a lot for souffles is because quite a lot of work goes into getting them just right. I had to practice a lot to get mine just right! I agree with all above - a well made and well seasoned souffle is just divine and very satisfying


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## cheftorrie (Jun 23, 2006)

No explanation needed, they are just not overrated, never even heard of such a thing... Plus, Kuan did my explaining for me, haha!


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## henry (Jun 12, 2001)

overrated? 

Meringue on pies. It looks so nice piled and swirled and browned peaks, but does anyone really eat it? ALL of it?

H.


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

most truffle oil......oh man drizzle truffle oil over anything and you can upcharge significantly....most of the time I'd rather it be left off the dish.

microgreens....um ok, unless they are integral they just detract by adding umph flavor, many times missmatched to the other components....read above.

a good pie is a beautiful thing, many times it's so much better than tarts/galettes.....but finding a scratch pie that has had time and good ingredients is a difficult thing.....at least around these parts.

under/overrated....good food is good food, doesn't matter if it's white linen or diner dive....fresh great quality ingredients prepared with a deft hand are what I'd love to have at all our dining experiences.....pretty simple huh.


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## coregonus (Aug 10, 2007)

Underrated: Bony fish. People almost learned that even some fat can be good for you but still are missing whole lot of enjoyment. :suprise:

Overrated: None such. All ingredients are made in heaven. If we can't find them proper use, doesn't mean there is no divine purpose. 

C


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## piracer (Jun 22, 2006)

Oh my god, i hate microgreens, they piss me off so much. I went to this really chi-chi place for like desperate housewives and what not, and my mum who wasnt hungry ordered a microgreen salad for bloody $20 thinking it would come with something else not stated on the menu. Oh wow, bad choice, it came with erm... micro greens and cherry tomatoes, for $20!!!!!


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

I love lamb kidneys and chicken liver.  Once in awhile I get this hankering for chopped liver. Good thing we have a deli nearby.


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

offal....usually thrown in for free from the farmer cus noone else wants the leaf lard or organs.


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## vapour (May 3, 2007)

i really do love the look of a delicate pile of microgreens on top of a seared fish let's say. a restaurant i worked at uses pea shoots to garnish everything!! i mean everything. from the main's with lamb all the way to their creme brule. the look of a the vine-y pea shoot seems so ehtereal, but not on everything!!

next time i'm in a restaurant, i'll order a killer souffle and every bite i take i'll think of what kuan said!


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## allanmcpherson (Apr 5, 2007)

At Home: The horror of the boneless, skin less, water pumped chicken breast. Two of these beauties will generally cost more than a single, whole chicken.

Restaurant: My feelings on this can varry wildly from day to day. A couple of days ago I had a mad hate on for "baby" veg. I think it had something to do a couple bundles of baby carrots that tasted like wood (hum, maybe I could smoke some fish with them) and really expensive patty pans that tasted like somewhat bland, well, squash. Go figure. Pretty, for sure, but when over produced these sorts of veg are like kind of like summer time "special effects" movies. Nice to look at but very little content at the end of the day.

--Al


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## ras1187 (Oct 3, 2006)

Overrated:

Frozen Pre-Portioned Cheesecake (or other frozen pre-portioned desserts): Sits in the freezer forever until it is time to thaw & serve.

Mashed Potatoes: I love mashed potatoes, I really do. Alot of places abuse them and serve them as the starch for every single dish, there are other ways to prepare potatoes and even different kinds of starches on the market, lets get a little more adventurous.

Chopped Parsley as a Garnish: Ok a little green is ok, but sometimes its not necessary, and covering the entire rim is just overkill and can actually appear sloppy.


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## bughut (Aug 18, 2007)

sun dried tomatoes. Love them i really do but why put them in everything.Hmm !
SUPERMARKET BOSS: " folk are really latching on to the whole sundried tomato thing. I know, lets put them in every bloody thing we make"
Underrated... Tripe...And so it bloody should be


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

Tripe- very popular here! Yum
I don't know about overrated but I am certainly bidding a farwell ( gosh, don't even like to say/make it, anymore) creme brulee. SEEEYYYAAAA and don't let the door hit you


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## foodnfoto (Jan 1, 2001)

Overrated:

Molten Lava Cakes-there are so many bad ones, and really, isn't it just underbaked cake batter in the middle-Yucko!
Penne in Vodka Sauce-really, how many times do I have to face this glop?
Veal-its bland tenderness just does not equal the price in my view-same goes for beef tenderloin.

Underrated:
Double crust fruit pies-my favorite dessert in the world! I don't really care what fruit it contains, but that combination of soft, warm, sweet fruit with crispy, slightly salty crust just sends me to heaven! Unfortunately, few establishments do a very good job of producing or serving them.


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## coregonus (Aug 10, 2007)

Underrated? Most beautiful list I have ever seen is posted above. That's where hanger steak and lobster come from. Leave it there! Let cooks enjoy it quietly!

:bounce:No, we can't :talk::talk::talk:

C


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## cheftorrie (Jun 23, 2006)

Underrated - Pommes Dauphin


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## greyeaglem (Apr 17, 2006)

Overrated: hot peppers and foams. I do not like hot spices. To me, hot is not a flavor. I know there are tons of you, probably most, who will disagree with me and I respect your taste. However, I have been to restaurants that have "desert fire" this and "flaming hot" that, which I do not order because I don't like hot. So what happens? I order portabella lasagna, and it comes with this spicy vomit looking stuff on top. Or I ordrer a buffalo steak and am enjoying it, when suddendly this unexpected blast of heat fries my tongue because somebody thinks hot pepper flakes belong on steak. For people who like hot peppers, fine, have at it, but I wish restaurants would stop deciding what I like for me. To those of us who don't like it, heat is miserable and ruins the whole meal. Foams just look like colored spit on a plate. The sooner they die of overuse, the better. Underrrated:simple food made really well to enhance natural flavors without a lot of frou-frou.


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## canadiangirl (Jul 16, 2007)

I must agree!
canadiangirl


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## andyg (Aug 27, 2007)

When you get used to the hot, you start tasting the wonderful flavors of hot peppers! It's a realm for us hot chile people, I guess. Lots of flavors.


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## canadiangirl (Jul 16, 2007)

Miscommunication on my part. I was replying to henry about merague. Spicy!!! LOVE IT!!! Finally have gotten my(very picky)hubby into spicy, but also my sons are learning to appreciate different levels of heat. Keep asking me to up the heat!!! Loving them!!!!


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

Agreed, 100% Well, 92% actually. Some complex and "frou-frou" dishes are nice and quite enjoyable. but for the most part, give me simple, well prepared food made with the highest-quality and freshest ingredients, and I'll be very, very happy.

Shel


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## andyg (Aug 27, 2007)

I thought French food was overrated until I visited France.


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## cheftorrie (Jun 23, 2006)

Im telling you, Pommes Dauphine, we had them as a special today at the restaurant!


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## andyg (Aug 27, 2007)

Very nice.

I wish it was allowed for French unpasteurized cheeses to be imported to the USA. And that fresh ingredients were a vital part of every meal :smiles:


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## canadiangirl (Jul 16, 2007)

ChefTorrie;187316 said:


> Im telling you, Pommes Dauphine, we had them as a special today at the restaurant![/quot
> 
> That sounds AMAZING! I will definitely be making that tomorrow! :roll:Now, what to serve it with.:look: Maybe a nice steak... What would you recommend Chef?
> canadiangirl:smiles:


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

Cheftorrie, dauphin....or the american version....potatoes and cream with garlic.  Still bops around my kitchen in the fall/winter....along with the roots and sherry dish.

One of my regular dining places serve dauphin....and kennebec frites with killer aioli and frito misto with again their great aioli......they also have escarole with currants and pinenuts....one of my favorite meals is fries and greens, extra aioli please.

Made a chai flan last week to go with an Indian meal. Flan, done right is a beautiful thing.


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## cheftorrie (Jun 23, 2006)

Shroomgirl.... im not sure if your had ever had REAL Dauphin then...
The traditional way is mashed, or garlic mashed as we use in out restaurant, mixed with a Pate Choux and made into little balls and fried.... 

and to answer your question Canadiangirl... They would indeed be very nice with a nice steak or other beef dish. We served them with an oven roasted sonoma rack of lamb, rosemary jus, and a bell pepper pipperade.


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

sorry mixing names....yes I've had potato beignets....dauphinous....thin sliced potatoes, eggs, cream, garlic, layered sliced in wedges or triangles.


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## cheftorrie (Jun 23, 2006)

Ahhh, got ya!


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

my version has thicker potatoes and no eggs....plenty of whole garlic cloves, salt pepper and cream....interesting how much the same ingredients change by mashing them.


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## cheftorrie (Jun 23, 2006)

Very true, have you ever had true dauphin?


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

yes, it's been a while.......
do you have a readily available recipe or source (cookbook)? 

I try very hard not to fry at events. Last week's farmer dinner was Indian and I did fry samosas....been years since I'd made them, switched to frozen spring roll wrappers instead of making dough, they turned out very well. Used to swap sweet potatoes for white.....plenty of heat, cashews, white raisins, etc....


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

There's gratin dauphinois and pomme dauphine, different preparations.


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## cheftorrie (Jun 23, 2006)

I know, very different. Dauphine is what im talking about.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

The first time I tried to make them they were out of season. The second time, they were on the endangered species list. go figure.


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

the fish or the french prince?......


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

amazing what changing vowels will do to a dish.


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

Better yet, just make it, decide what you want to call it later.


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## chef bacchus (Sep 9, 2007)

I think "offal" foods are over rated. It seems so 80's like "big game night" at restaurants that think serving rattlesnake ceviche is sexy..D:


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## tessa (Sep 9, 2007)

in New Zealand for a while and i think we have stricter guidelines here , apparantly they taste incredible..
my mind has gone blank in regards to this question , im going to have to think about this one a bit more


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## buonaboy (Sep 5, 2007)

Rattlesnake and wild game are not really "ofal". Ofal is typicly the organs usually thrown away durring meat break down. -But I agree , restaurants need to do a bit more some times, the mere act of serving something does not make it special. Game and ofal need to be thoughtfuly prepaired, cooked properly and above all taste good. These things take time and effort, when they are done well, it's absolutly *not overrated*.


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## andyg (Aug 27, 2007)

Not too many years ago beef tongue sold for prices like soup bones. I used to have it all the time. Now it's priced like t-bone steaks and I hardly ever buy it. I wonder what the deal is with that.


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## buonaboy (Sep 5, 2007)

-popularity I guess, it's the same thing with one of my favs, oxtail. 3 bucks a pound for somthing that 75% bone. really. just think,back in the day they use to throw ribs away.


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## chef bacchus (Sep 9, 2007)

My response wasn't comparing "offal" food to wild game. I am quite aware what organ meats aka offal foods are. I am comparing the popularity of restaurants that serve this to the areas where I worked in the 80's that hyped this type of cuisine like "big game night." Even well done, the number of restaurants I've seen starting this type of cuisine seems now *overrated.* Just like chef reality tv shows. Enough already.


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## ripe (Sep 9, 2007)

Dc,
I have to agree with you on the organ meat!!!! rich, luscious meat I can never get enough of

Fillet topped with an Anaheim, rosemary and garlic infused oil surrounded by roasted brussel sprouts makes my head :roll:

Turkey I really can't stand on most occassions because, yeah, most people's turkey is really dry, but soaked in a brine mixed with a bunch of yummies then grilled and basted in a cherry/ginger sauce....I can handle that.

As for the Lobster, anything drowned in butter and doused with lemon :bounce: I could swim in the bowl~

All of this temptation as I'm sitting here at 9 pm eating a bowl of golden grahams with a bannana in it. Now that's just not fair!!!

I often wonder how one night i'm eating an incredibly flavorful dinner then the next a stacked Chicago Red hot. :look:

Glad to have found this forum to learn, laugh and make some friends!


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

Kuan, you've got the right idea....make it and name it later.


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