The totally off-topic thread

[penegal]

In unrelated news...

It is that time of you when you find out how much you are getting paid for the next year... My number is rather disappointing. In real terms my base pay has been going down for the past 2 years. A bit depressing sometimes.


As an aside I have calculated that I am personally 29% better off financially (after tax) each day that I travel for work due to various allowances and huge tax benefits from the Aussie government.

There is an intangible element of lifestyle, which is difficult to measure in such a simple spreadsheet model. For me personally I would say that I enjoy travelling more than being at home, and when you add in the financial situation it makes a lot of sense for me to travel as much as possible for work.

Unfortunately this is fairly difficult to manage, as so much of my work travel is driven by genuine business need, and I have fairly strong ethics. I have never taken a trip which wasn't genuinely necessary. As such, I can't really "travel all the time", even if I want to.

 

[JohnK]

What's wrong with with crispy bacon you cannot chew?

Everything.....

Yes comment was a little sarcastic.

Interesting to note most of the bacon at breakfast buffets in Thailand is overcooked. I prefer my bacon undercooked and a lot of times it just goes sandwiches as is or after 20-30 seconds in microwave.

 

[Pushka]

One thing cruises do is cook bacon for the masses. They have both English and American bacon on offer. Aussies seem to like the middle road.

 

[JessicaTam]

One thing cruises do is cook bacon for the masses. They have both English and American bacon on offer. Aussies seem to like the middle road.

Back in my carnivore days, the only requirement I had for bacon, and meat in general was that it be hot. I.e. once it was hot, stop cooking it. And yes, a blue steak was about right.

 

[rogerkambah]

Did you know this is bacon week ?

Australia's best bacon | Bacon Week | Food News - Gourmet Traveller

I still prefer the Australian method of cooking bacon compared to the US version which shatters into a million bits as soon as you put a fork anywhere near it

In Thailand some hotels used to deep fry it, with the same result, if you could get a knife into it.

 

[drron]

In Thailand some hotels used to deep fry it, with the same result, if you could get a knife into it.

They still do in Scotland.Fried eggs are also deep fried.

 

[medhead]

Anyone got a job where you won't refuse to give me the information that allows me to do the job, and then accuse me of not doing the job and causing conflict?

Back in my carnivore days, the only requirement I had for bacon, and meat in general was that it be hot. I.e. once it was hot, stop cooking it. And yes, a blue steak was about right.

Sounds like the Nigella school of meat - "Nothing a good vet couldn't fix."
Was chatting to an army cook many years ago, while on dixie bashing duty, he had a 'customer' who was only happy with a steak that had been run under the hot tap for about 30 seconds on each side.

 

[JessicaTam]

Anyone got a job where you won't refuse to give me the information that allows me to do the job, and then accuse me of not doing the job and causing conflict?




Sounds like the Nigella school of meat - "Nothing a good vet couldn't fix."
Was chatting to an army cook many years ago, while on dixie bashing duty, he had a 'customer' who was only happy with a steak that had been run under the hot tap for about 30 seconds on each side.

Ahhh, those were the days! My friends used to comment that for me an undercooked steak was one that was frozen.

 

[anat0l]

Ahhh, those were the days! My friends used to comment that for me an undercooked steak was one that was frozen.

I remember doing a straw poll thread here on AFF about how people like their beef done. Most responded rare to medium rare...in pretty much similar words to medhead's quote from Nigella.

Had some bacon which was approaching it's use-by date, so been making various dishes this week (some to freeze) with bacon in it. I think it's safe to say I'm rather over bacon for now.

 

[Flashback]

Seems a cafe in Perth has gone overboard by issuing workers fines, with one cook issued a $112 "fine" for not cooking the pork belly crispy enough!
No Cookies | Perth Now

I'd like to know which cafe it was so I know not to go there the next time I'm in Perth!

In unrelated news...

It is that time of you when you find out how much you are getting paid for the next year... My number is rather disappointing. In real terms my base pay has been going down for the past 2 years. A bit depressing sometimes.


As an aside I have calculated that I am personally 29% better off financially (after tax) each day that I travel for work due to various allowances and huge tax benefits from the Aussie government.

There is an intangible element of lifestyle, which is difficult to measure in such a simple spreadsheet model. For me personally I would say that I enjoy travelling more than being at home, and when you add in the financial situation it makes a lot of sense for me to travel as much as possible for work.

Unfortunately this is fairly difficult to manage, as so much of my work travel is driven by genuine business need, and I have fairly strong ethics. I have never taken a trip which wasn't genuinely necessary. As such, I can't really "travel all the time", even if I want to.

My wife knows all about that. Her pay has stayed static but the amount they take out for pensions, changes in tax rates, etc. has meant her take home gets less and less as each year goes by especially when you consider CPI on top of that.

 

[anat0l]

My wife knows all about that. Her pay has stayed static but the amount they take out for pensions, changes in tax rates, etc. has meant her take home gets less and less as each year goes by especially when you consider CPI on top of that.

Me thinks the Europeans are not so much into this whole annual increment thing which we seem to take much for granted in this country. The only time you seem to get any sort of raise is if you so awarded based on tenure / time in your position, or a promotion.

That said, given most of Europe is at best in a cautious but mostly precarious position, those kinds of reports do not surprise me too much......

 

[rogerkambah]

They still do in Scotland.Fried eggs are also deep fried.

Deep fried eggs! I am yet to experience that gastronomic extravagance! Last Scottish brekkie I had was in Dumfries and included haggis, which I asked mine host to hold, to which he replied I was only having an English breakfast. I said I was hoping he hadn't noticed.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Deep fried eggs! I am yet to experience that gastronomic extravagance! Last Scottish brekkie I had was in Dumfries and included haggis, which I asked mine host to hold, to which he replied I was only having an English breakfast. I said I was hoping he hadn't noticed.

Good haggis is yum, wouldn't eat it for breakfast though

 

[amaroo]

My old man loves Lambs Fry and Kippers

 

[Grooba]

Ahhh, those were the days! My friends used to comment that for me an undercooked steak was one that was frozen.

I was at a friend of a friends place the other day for a BBQ. He was supplying the meat and grog was BYO, pretty standard gig. He raved about the "quality cuts of meat", We all thought we were on a winner.

After a couple of drinks and a bit of a yarn he fired up the BBQ and went inside to grab the meat... straight from the FREEZER. Then came out and threw it straight onto the BBQ.

OMG did we have plenty to talk about for the rest of the afternoon.

 

[Flashback]

I was at a friend of a friends place the other day for a BBQ. He was supplying the meat and grog was BYO, pretty standard gig. He raved about the "quality cuts of meat", We all thought we were on a winner.

After a couple of drinks and a bit of a yarn he fired up the BBQ and went inside to grab the meat... straight from the FREEZER. Then came out and threw it straight onto the BBQ.

OMG did we have plenty to talk about for the rest of the afternoon.

Uhhh, what!?

 

[anat0l]

I was at a friend of a friends place the other day for a BBQ. He was supplying the meat and grog was BYO, pretty standard gig. He raved about the "quality cuts of meat", We all thought we were on a winner.

After a couple of drinks and a bit of a yarn he fired up the BBQ and went inside to grab the meat... straight from the FREEZER. Then came out and threw it straight onto the BBQ.

OMG did we have plenty to talk about for the rest of the afternoon.

For someone born in Australia, I'm no master of the BBQ by any measure.

But I'm assuming at least two things were wrong:

• Quality cuts should typically be purchased as close as possible to the time they are cooked (this is marginal here), and
• Almost any meat - no matter how you cook it - should be left out to be brought to room temperature before cooking.

I assume the meat didn't cook all that well being frozen then straight on the BBQ.

 

[JohnK]

Quality cuts should typically be purchased as close as possible to the time they are cooked (this is marginal here)

Some of the best meat I have had has been in the freezer for long time. The key is marinating.

 

[Flashback]

Some of the best meat I have had has been in the freezer for long time. The key is marinating.

We're not denying it's ok to freeze meat .. but it should be defrosted and at room temp before it's cooked; not just freezer to hotplate! :shock:

 

[JohnK]

We're not denying it's ok to freeze meat .. but it should be defrosted and at room temp before it's cooked; not just freezer to hotplate! :shock:

That is not what was implied in the post I quoted. Read the quote again.