Why does everyone use ready made cake mix???

[Pimptress J]

do yo poach and peel fresh tomatoes??? i usualy do that for my
pasta primavera...

Oh yes I do!

I also roast fresh garlic about 3 days before I make it, and then put it in a container with Extra- Virgin olive oil, use that to dip the bread in, and part for the sauce.

 

[SanDguy_22]

I have two main reasons:

I don't have the money to buy flour and vanilla and chocolate and all of the other ingredients required... a box mix costs a buck fifty whereas flour and good quality vanilla alone cost well over 8 bucks, easy... I just don't have the money for all the ingredients. I can make an entire cake, icing including, from a box for $5. Money is a big issue when you have as little as I do, those couple of bucks make all the difference. I know the train of thought is going "if you're so poor then why are you having cake?" Well, a girl can spend her birthday alone just fine, but a birthday alone without cake on top of that is just not going to happen, so I broke the budget and had/made myself a birthday cake.

The flavor is not what I would like it to be. At least with abox I know what it's gonna taste like, I mean you can only fuck up a box cake mix so much... they're made for the masses and the masses can fuck up pretty good. The people at Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker try their best to stay one step ahead of the masses in fuckups. But start having people measure all they're own ingredients and follow recipes that don't have pictures!! Oh NO!! Exploding cake across the ceiling!

I should be ashamed, going to cooking school and still using cake mixes, but I have an excuse I haven't been through bake shop yet!

But I feel the way y'all do about cake mixes about pudding mixes. Pudding requires a little effort but the stuff in the box tastes like poo compared to a hot bowl of pudding fresh from the stove. milk + powder= something that can't possibly be pudding

for the 8 bucks worth of ingredients you can make 10 times more cake than wha the box gives ya... need i say more...
so the money is not really an issue either .

but then again im a young, single, childless, caucatian male with a college level education and im basically pretty frugal...
So i always have money i my pocket... more than i know what to do with... thus far anyways. plus sharing rent cost etc with 3 other guys with similar life situations also helps.. especialy since they are family.
I dont mean to rub it in your face or anything but... just trying to make a point of the box cake not being necessarily cheaper. (then making excuses for my self.)

 

[SanDguy_22]

Oh yes I do!

I also roast fresh garlic about 3 days before I make it, and then put it in a container with Extra- Virgin olive oil, use that to dip the bread in, and part for the sauce.

dude you can make roasted garlic in 45 minutes and its just as good as the 1 week method...

just poach the garlic first and then roast it at high heat.
the garlic is already soft and the high heat will burn some of the sugars causing it to change in color and giving it the charasteristic flavor.

Im a chef by training... so i know all the shortcuts...

+ even when making pastasauce from scratch it usualy doesnt take me more than a couple of hours. (again since most chefs are lazy as shit... we go about finding shortcuts etc.. )



Not that i want to sound arrogant or anything... but still...


oh and your still my honey.. unless my new AV creeps you out.

 

[xeros_girl]

for the 8 bucks worth of ingredients you can make 10 times more cake than wha the box gives ya... need i say more...
so the money is not really an issue either .

but then again im a young, single, childless, caucatian male with a college level education and im basically pretty frugal...
So i always have money i my pocket... more than i know what to do with... thus far anyways. plus sharing rent cost etc with 3 other guys with similar life situations also helps.. especialy since they are family.
I dont mean to rub it in your face or anything but... just trying to make a point of the box cake not being necessarily cheaper. (then making excuses for my self.)

good for you, it's cheaper for me to buy a box cake mix.

 

[Pimptress J]

Bah, I like to let the garlic and olive oil sit for a few days together before I use it. I also make meatballs from scratch that go into it, along with a multitude of other meats, I find that cooking the sauce for 10-12 hours really allows the flavors to reach their full potential. (that and I love telling people how long I slaved over it, they get waaay more appreciative!)

I love the new av!

And I am honored to be your honey!

 

[Vixandra]

good for you, it's cheaper for me to buy a box cake mix.

Nothing wrong with that at all!

I make cookies from scratch and will occasionally do a cake but since I can't even get decent vanilla here, its normally easier to use a mix.
Blasted commissary... oh well.
I know, I know, learn to read Kanji and I can buy the stuff elsewhere...

 

[Nightbird]

Ok I'm going to hijack this for a second.

Where can I find fresh vanilla beans?

 

[SanDguy_22]

Ok I'm going to hijack this for a second.

Where can I find fresh vanilla beans?

well i got mine from sysco (I hate sysco)... about 2 lb worth for about $50...
thats like 200 beans though..

Try trader joes... its not as cost effective but you can get the
2 pack... on ocation... then there is whole foods. (which is horidly expensive)

Also if you know of someone who works in a restaurant or a catering company... ask them to order you some and pay them for it. You can also go to any halfway decent bakery and ask for a special order. (mind you not the local vons or ralphs bakery but rather some small independent shop.)

go for either the tahitian vanillla beans if you have a choice...
well worth the extra cost.

get the bulk stuff since you can store the beans in your freezer for an eternity... or you can pack them in some carster sugar
and make your self vanilla flavored sugar in adition to preserving the beans. Just remember to use air tight containers for them.
When freezing try to wrap them in plastic individualy... and make sure the wrapper is air tight. (for easier use and longer shelf life.)


Also if anyone wants some i have large boxes of saffron for like $40 each... that about an ounce of saffron per box. (nice metal tin too)

 

[Nightbird]

SanDguy, I'm up here in Canada. We don't have any of those stores around where I live.

 

[SanDguy_22]

SanDguy, I'm up here in Canada. We don't have any of those stores around where I live.

Well im sure you have some conglomerate equivalency... anyhow... avoid them... they get everything prefabricated so you cant really make too many special item order with out getting screwed for evely last penny in the price of that item.

Just go to some small bakeshop ask them to make an order for ya... if they make crembrule etc... they will most likely get the vanilla beans.

Oh and i beg to differ on the store thing...

there is atleast one wholefoods in toronto canada...

Here is the adress....
87 Avenue Road, Box 320
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5R 3R9

phone 416.944.0500
fax 416.944.0700

hours of operation
Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

the way you can find it...
You can find us in Hazelton Lanes, just two blocks north of Bloor Street on the east side, in the heart of downtown Toronto. Our 40,000 square foot space is located on the lower level, and is conveniently connected via elevator to the underground parking area where 165 spaces will be reserved for our customers. You will be able to have your groceries sent down to the parking level and loaded into your car by our helpful team members. You'll also receive 90 minutes free parking with any Whole Foods Market purchase.

To find Whole Foods Market from Highway 401:
Take Highway 401 to Avenue Road South. Follow Avenue Road South for approximately 2.5 kilometres. Turn left on Oxton Avenue (Follow signs for Avenue Road South). From Oxton Avenue turn right on Oriole Parkway/Avenue Road South. Bear right to stay on Avenue Road and follow it south. Whole Foods Market is on the East side about .5 kilometres south of Davenport.

How to find us from the TTC
Take the TTC to the St. George Station. Exit the station and follow Bloor Street East to Avenue Road. Go north on Avenue Road. You'll find us on the east side, just north of Yorkville.

oh and here is a small map...
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/toronto/index.html#info

im a cheeky bastard now arent i ...

 

[Nightbird]

Just go to some small bakeshop ask them to make an order for ya... if they make crembrule etc... they will most likely get the vanilla beans.

Thank you for the advice. LOL I live in a fairly small town the only "bakeshop" here is Tim Hortons and I doubt anyone there would even know how to pronounce Crembrule. I make my own bread, bagels, doughnuts, cheese. Just about anything I can find a recipe for I make from scratch. I love to bake.

 

[SanDguy_22]

Thank you for the advice. LOL I live in a fairly small town the only "bakeshop" here is Tim Hortons and I doubt anyone there would even know how to pronounce Crembrule. I make my own bread, bagels, doughnuts, cheese. Just about anything I can find a recipe for I make from scratch. I love to bake.

I also modified the my previous message... now it contains the directions to your nearest wholefoods store...

I could propably send you some... but im not sure if you want to give me an adress nor am i all that sure on how you could pay me.

 

[Nightbird]

Thanks for that SanDguy I appreciate it. Only problem is Toronto is a 3 hour drive away for me at least.
Do they have a web site? Maybe I can order online?
Never mind about the web site question I saw your link. DUH

 

[SanDguy_22]

Thanks for that SanDguy I appreciate it. Only problem is Toronto is a 3 hour drive away for me at least.
Do they have a web site? Maybe I can order online?
Never mind about the web site question I saw your link. DUH

well... they dont sell online... but the site is www.wholefoods.com/

ill check a couple of rebutaple purveyors and their sites...
ill let you know in a couple of minutes.

 

[Nightbird]

well... they dont sell online... but the site is www.wholefoods.com/

ill check a couple of rebutaple purveyors and their sites...
ill let you know in a couple of minutes.

Ok, maybe send me a PM so we don't kill this thread. LOL

 

[SanDguy_22]

Ok, maybe send me a PM so we don't kill this thread. LOL

i dont mind... its one of the living dead anyways... like most of my threads...

maybe i could get some life to it if i promised to tell anyone who posts here how to make a cake the shape of a woman.

 

[Nightbird]

You could get more interest if you explain that you feel about baking the way I do.

Baking is a passion of mine, it's very sensual and romantic and sexy. Making bread for example, kneading and working the dough is just like working with clay like an artist would. Tasting, mixing, putting feeling, your heart into what your making. And when it's finished and ready to eat there is so much you could do with a slice of freash baked from scratch still warm from the oven bread and some fresh butter.
The crust and soft inside, come together to create an orgasmic mix of flavours for your tongue. Gently hand feed this to someone special or use it in other creative ways and you've got yourself some fun.
Or to stay on topic a fresh baked cake can be used with a naked willing partner in so many different ways. And if you have frosting left over your partner can become a frosted tastey delight. Not only do you feed your body but you also feed your soul when you bake.

 

[SanDguy_22]

You could get more interest if you explain that you feel about baking the way I do.

Baking is a passion of mine, it's very sensual and romantic and sexy. Making bread for example, kneading and working the dough is just like working with clay like an artist would. Tasting, mixing, putting feeling, your heart into what your making. And when it's finished and ready to eat there is so much you could do with a slice of freash baked from scratch still warm from the oven bread and some fresh butter.
The crust and soft inside, come together to create an orgasmic mix of flavours for your tongue. Gently hand feed this to someone special or use it in other creative ways and you've got yourself some fun.
Or to stay on topic a fresh baked cake can be used with a naked willing partner in so many different ways. And if you have frosting left over your partner can become a frosted tastey delight. Not only do you feed your body but you also feed your soul when you bake.

true true... no pre mix stuff for those purposes... all has to be made form scratch.

anyways... i checked up on the sites.. jsut try to go to some local pastry shop etc and get them to make a special order for ya.
im sure their purveyors will gladly comply.
I just checked out some of the sites for the purveyors i know...
9/10 of them dont even have vanilla on their online catalogs
and the 1 that did is trying to charge $120 US for 4 oz of beans.

definitely not worth it.

Oh in an emergensy vanilla extract will work just as well... throw a pinch of finely ground cardamom in the food your making and youll get the "vanilla bean" effect.

also avoid at all cost imitation vanilla extract... its made from wood pulp...

 

[Vixandra]

Amaretto (sp) makes a pretty good replacement for Vanilla in many things, I've found.
Sad- only alcohol in my house is used for cooking. Beer for whole chickens, amaretto for baking, etc.

 

[Lady Legs]

Always made cakes by hand, always will. I love the smell of a home baked cake as you are taking it out of the oven. :droolsmilie:

 

[bobsgirl]

I swing either way with the cake from a mix or scratch thing, but I always, ALWAYS make the frosting from scratch. Icing in a can is an abomination. And frosting is so ridiculously simple to make. Even my mom who is the world's most inept cook can do it.

 

[fsumusic1981]

laziness. and a lack of knowledge about cakes.

-Peace

 

[ReadyOne]

In the paper this AM vanilla is up as much as 10x due to cyclones in Madagascar, from $75 to as much as $800/gallon.

Cocoa is also up $1 a pound due to unrest in the Ivory Coast.

Then there's mik prices....

I scream for Ice Cream!

 

[PrincessHoney]

i cook most things from scratch... but do buy cake mixes for my nieces... they can pretty much do it all themselves! and get cartoon characters for put on top...

nothing tastes as good as home made ice-cream.. but i'm not going to turn down a bowl of hagen-daz!

no need to be a food snob!

 

[SanDguy_22]

i cook most things from scratch... but do buy cake mixes for my nieces... they can pretty much do it all themselves! and get cartoon characters for put on top...

nothing tastes as good as home made ice-cream.. but i'm not going to turn down a bowl of hagen-daz!

no need to be a food snob!

hmmm... i dont consider my self a "food snob" but there are things i simply refuse to eat or make...

i refuse to buy the 70 cent bbq sauce bottle from the store even though buying it is cheaper than making the stuff one self. (why... too many preservatives)

I refuse to eat at mcdonalds... why... its poison... and it also tastes like crap.

I refuse to eat geneticaly modified food produce... simply because there have not been enough environmental and medical studies
evaluating the long term impacts those products will have on nature and people as a whole. (hell if the pollen from a batch of corn can kill butterflys... what might it do to a persons lungs over time.)

I also refue to eat home made potatosalad... or anysalad for that matter which has been enundated with mayonase.
Also the person making the potato salad at home may or may not know of food safety... mixing the mayo in with warm potatoes and leaving it on the counter is not a good thing. (especialy if that person has not washed his/her hands after using the bathroom)

im not a snob... im just picky as hell... and usualy for good reasons.