JedocIn the scupperswith the staggers and jagsRegistered Userregular
My gooseneck kettle has recently lost its ability to tell what temperature it's at so it just freaks out until it boils over. My current solution is poking the probe of a Thermoworks Dot through one of the ventilation holes and keeping a close eye on it.
JedocIn the scupperswith the staggers and jagsRegistered Userregular
Electric. When it gets to the mid 100s the temperature readout starts bouncing between a bunch of absurdly low numbers until it boils. Sometimes it'll beep like it's reached 105 but it seems to be entirely arbitrary.
I got my first thermapen as a gift and then I signed up for their newsletter and they have sales all the time.
They discontinued their original wireless system (Smoke), so I bought a whole setup on sale. I have three probes, the little wireless module, then another wireless module on a lanyard and it will interface with your phone.
It rules when you can just put a roast in the oven, probe it up, and the little wireless module tells you when it's to the temperature you wanted.
Especially on Thanksgiving when I can just show people the temp when they demand to know why I haven't checked the turkey yet.
Trying to figure out a spice system. I want to use more fresh spices but I run into a practicality issue. I just don't cook enough to justify paying for fresh spices, since they'll probably go bad. But also I'm tired of dumping spice into stuff and getting absolutely nothing out of it. I know I'm white but I reject my bland, wonder bread ancestry. I demand flavor.
Trying to figure out a spice system. I want to use more fresh spices but I run into a practicality issue. I just don't cook enough to justify paying for fresh spices, since they'll probably go bad. But also I'm tired of dumping spice into stuff and getting absolutely nothing out of it. I know I'm white but I reject my bland, wonder bread ancestry. I demand flavor.
What kind of spices are we talking about here?
Sealed spices work pretty damn well for a long time, especially if you buy the good stuff to start.
Trying to figure out a spice system. I want to use more fresh spices but I run into a practicality issue. I just don't cook enough to justify paying for fresh spices, since they'll probably go bad. But also I'm tired of dumping spice into stuff and getting absolutely nothing out of it. I know I'm white but I reject my bland, wonder bread ancestry. I demand flavor.
Spices generally don't "go bad" as such, it's just that the flavour/aroma have a half-life, longer for some spices than others.
Storing spices in a sealed, dry jar out of direct light is a big help here. Buy seeds rather than powdered spices where practical, and grind them when needed. Another trick I picked up is to put a spoonful of ordinary table salt into the jar to keep moisture away from the seeds or powder. The salt falls to the bottom of the jar so it won't be a problem.
I could probably doo the same thing with some rice maybe. I could definitely start transitioning to buying whole spices and grinding.
I also want to try drying strings of chilis for chili spice.
I grew cayennes on my balcony last summer and threw them in my air fryer on dehydrate mode, then pounded them up with a mortar and pestle. Made the best chili flakes I’ve ever had. Gonna keep doing that whenever I have access toa a garden.
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minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
edited February 2023
Got my new wok seasoned and took it for a spin.
Yeah, this thing rules.
(Yes, my stove is a mess. I was seasoning a wok and then stir frying dinner. Collateral damage was inevitable)
minor incident on
Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
I could probably doo the same thing with some rice maybe. I could definitely start transitioning to buying whole spices and grinding.
I also want to try drying strings of chilis for chili spice.
If you find there's a spice blend you make on the regular, eg: Juggernut's Excellent Stovetop Chilli Blend™, then you could perhaps take a leaf out of India's book and grind up a batch and mix it with some oil and salt to make a spice paste. The oil will capture those precious aromatics, and the paste will be useful for rather longer than a jarful of powdered spices.
They also make neat little low-commitment, workplace-friendly gifts.
Does anyone have recommendations for kitchen towels that actually dry things and absorb liquid?
I swear to God half of my kitchen towels that I've acquired over the years just push water around and don't dry anything and it's finally driving me insane.
I am in the business of saving lives.
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lonelyahavaCall me Ahava ~~She/Her~~Move to New ZealandRegistered Userregular
you might need to do a strip wash, like folks do with cloth diapers. Also, don't wash your kitchen towels with fabric softener, but you likely know that one.
if, after doing a strip wash/soak, they're still not working, you might need to look into getting better all cotton towels.
1 Wash your towels normally.
2 Separate white towels from the dark ones.
3 Fill your bathtub with hot water.
4 Add borax, washing soda, and detergent to the hot water.
5 Submerge your towels in the water.
6 Let the towels soak for 5 hours.
7 Run the towels through a water-only rinse cycle.
Tumble dry the towels and the repeat as needed if they're still dirty
Got a bone in pork shoulder slow cooking for carnitas and used a whole bunch of random, bottom of the pack pasta I had to make a kinda creamy chicken, spinach and cherry tomato pasta... thing. Cooked the sauce up with milk and parmesan cheese and a little white wine to deglaze the pan after searing the chicken, then did up my onions and garlic.
For dinner I'm making roasted red pepper and tomato soup.
This is a cooking adjacent question. Hardware related, blender specifically. I have started making my own hot sauce using fermentation. I have found that my current blender is woefully lacking in the "oomph" needed to really tear the stuff down in a nice texture. I am seeking blender recommendations.
Before anybody says it, I know Vitamix is good, but I cannot swing a 300-400 dollar blender purchase right now. So I am seeking something able to be very good for what I mentioned above, possibly making nut butters, processing frozen fruit and ice for desserts and cocktails, and various other things. When I search amazon for high powered blenders, Vitamix and Ninja were the main ones that came up. Any input?
"If nothing is impossible, than would it not be impossible to find something that you could not do?" - Me
This is a cooking adjacent question. Hardware related, blender specifically. I have started making my own hot sauce using fermentation. I have found that my current blender is woefully lacking in the "oomph" needed to really tear the stuff down in a nice texture. I am seeking blender recommendations.
Before anybody says it, I know Vitamix is good, but I cannot swing a 300-400 dollar blender purchase right now. So I am seeking something able to be very good for what I mentioned above, possibly making nut butters, processing frozen fruit and ice for desserts and cocktails, and various other things. When I search amazon for high powered blenders, Vitamix and Ninja were the main ones that came up. Any input?
I have a ninja setup that has a big, medium, and small vessel and you can put as many as three blades into the large one. It goes on sale all the time and seems to do the job?
This is a cooking adjacent question. Hardware related, blender specifically. I have started making my own hot sauce using fermentation. I have found that my current blender is woefully lacking in the "oomph" needed to really tear the stuff down in a nice texture. I am seeking blender recommendations.
Before anybody says it, I know Vitamix is good, but I cannot swing a 300-400 dollar blender purchase right now. So I am seeking something able to be very good for what I mentioned above, possibly making nut butters, processing frozen fruit and ice for desserts and cocktails, and various other things. When I search amazon for high powered blenders, Vitamix and Ninja were the main ones that came up. Any input?
We have a Ninja that is basically a Vitamix Lite. Does a good job blending things real well but not so well it can heat soups just from friction alone. It was also like 1/6 the price of a Vitamix so I feel bang:buck ratio was appropriate.
minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
The Ninjas aren’t bad, and for home use it’ll probably serve you great. But juuuuust in case a small price drop makes the difference, there’s always this option:
Vitamix Explorian Blender, Professional-Grade, 64 oz. Low-Profile Container, Black - 65542 (Renewed Premium) https://a.co/d/jhhpeFj
We bought one of these for home recently and it’s fantastic. Every bit as good as the $400 ones we have at the bakery.
Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
The Ninjas aren’t bad, and for home use it’ll probably serve you great. But juuuuust in case a small price drop makes the difference, there’s always this option:
Vitamix Explorian Blender, Professional-Grade, 64 oz. Low-Profile Container, Black - 65542 (Renewed Premium) https://a.co/d/jhhpeFj
We bought one of these for home recently and it’s fantastic. Every bit as good as the $400 ones we have at the bakery.
How does the vitamix 5200 stack up against that? I found some site listing that at 200USD. Also, does a Ninja have the capabilities that I was wanting (ie: sauce puree, salsa making, nut butters, frozen deserts...)?
"If nothing is impossible, than would it not be impossible to find something that you could not do?" - Me
The Ninjas aren’t bad, and for home use it’ll probably serve you great. But juuuuust in case a small price drop makes the difference, there’s always this option:
Vitamix Explorian Blender, Professional-Grade, 64 oz. Low-Profile Container, Black - 65542 (Renewed Premium) https://a.co/d/jhhpeFj
We bought one of these for home recently and it’s fantastic. Every bit as good as the $400 ones we have at the bakery.
Alright all, I pulled the trigger an order the above model. I got my bonus at work and decided to splurge. Thanks for the advice/help all.
RightfulSin on
"If nothing is impossible, than would it not be impossible to find something that you could not do?" - Me
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Grudgeblessed is the mind too small for doubtRegistered Userregular
For Valentines dinner I made 80's style fancy food - Steak Minute with crincle cut fries, garlic butter and tomato flowers. I have very fond memories from my childhood of exactly this, and the kids loved it too (well not the garlic butter, they had ketchup instead, but whadda ya gonna do, they're kids).
For dessert the wife made pineapple split (like banana split, but with pineapple instead). Definitely also very much 80's vibe for me.
+14
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lonelyahavaCall me Ahava ~~She/Her~~Move to New ZealandRegistered Userregular
My kid would have devoured that.
Garlic butter? She will do almost anything for garlic butter
Hmmm, I used to do like breakfast muffins or what they're called in the iron pan. It was a really easy and quick recipe and worked great, but I can't remember it and also can't find the recipe again.
I know we've moved past it, but I highly recommend checking craigslist before buying a new kitchen appliance. There are a ton of barely used things out there.
you might need to do a strip wash, like folks do with cloth diapers. Also, don't wash your kitchen towels with fabric softener, but you likely know that one.
if, after doing a strip wash/soak, they're still not working, you might need to look into getting better all cotton towels.
1 Wash your towels normally.
2 Separate white towels from the dark ones.
3 Fill your bathtub with hot water.
4 Add borax, washing soda, and detergent to the hot water.
5 Submerge your towels in the water.
6 Let the towels soak for 5 hours.
7 Run the towels through a water-only rinse cycle.
Tumble dry the towels and the repeat as needed if they're still dirty
Waaaiiiiit a minute, is this why my old towels are all champs at drying stuff and my new towels just seem to spread water around??
you might need to do a strip wash, like folks do with cloth diapers. Also, don't wash your kitchen towels with fabric softener, but you likely know that one.
if, after doing a strip wash/soak, they're still not working, you might need to look into getting better all cotton towels.
1 Wash your towels normally.
2 Separate white towels from the dark ones.
3 Fill your bathtub with hot water.
4 Add borax, washing soda, and detergent to the hot water.
5 Submerge your towels in the water.
6 Let the towels soak for 5 hours.
7 Run the towels through a water-only rinse cycle.
Tumble dry the towels and the repeat as needed if they're still dirty
Waaaiiiiit a minute, is this why my old towels are all champs at drying stuff and my new towels just seem to spread water around??
That and new towels are often made with polyester to prevent shrinkage in the wash and coated with chemicals to feel extra soft and fluffy when sitting on the shelf at the store.
0
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DepressperadoI just wanted to see you laughingin the pizza rainRegistered Userregular
I specifically only use the "old" towels for that reason
I use special a detergent, P&S Rags to Riches, for my car detailing microfiber towels. It's much better at cleaning and reinvigorating microfibers towels than clothing detergent plus white vinegar I used to use. There's a good chance it'll do the same for cotton or cotton/polyester blend towels too.
you might need to do a strip wash, like folks do with cloth diapers. Also, don't wash your kitchen towels with fabric softener, but you likely know that one.
if, after doing a strip wash/soak, they're still not working, you might need to look into getting better all cotton towels.
1 Wash your towels normally.
2 Separate white towels from the dark ones.
3 Fill your bathtub with hot water.
4 Add borax, washing soda, and detergent to the hot water.
5 Submerge your towels in the water.
6 Let the towels soak for 5 hours.
7 Run the towels through a water-only rinse cycle.
Tumble dry the towels and the repeat as needed if they're still dirty
Waaaiiiiit a minute, is this why my old towels are all champs at drying stuff and my new towels just seem to spread water around??
Also that can depend on what they're made of.
There are 2 types of processing for cotton thread, well ok, one type resulting in 2 threads.
The process is called Mercerization, and if the cotton had gone through this, it's called "mercerized". This creates a smoother, shinier cotton thread that takes dye better, feels better, c doesn't shrink, and is absorbent. Usually used for household linens like table runners, placemats, pillows, etc
However, they are not as absorbent as unmercerized, or natural, cotton. It may feel rougher at the start of use, but will soften over time. Very absorbent with water, but harder to get vibrant dye colors to stick. It will shrink over time, but will retain, or even increase, it's absorbency.
This is only for 100% cotton. I know nothing about synthetic stuff.
Posts
Probably just need a new kettle, though.
I have two of these and they're great.
I have this, buy this. I have had other ones but the speed of the thermapen one makes life a million times easier.
Satans..... hints.....
They discontinued their original wireless system (Smoke), so I bought a whole setup on sale. I have three probes, the little wireless module, then another wireless module on a lanyard and it will interface with your phone.
It rules when you can just put a roast in the oven, probe it up, and the little wireless module tells you when it's to the temperature you wanted.
Especially on Thanksgiving when I can just show people the temp when they demand to know why I haven't checked the turkey yet.
What kind of spices are we talking about here?
Sealed spices work pretty damn well for a long time, especially if you buy the good stuff to start.
Spices generally don't "go bad" as such, it's just that the flavour/aroma have a half-life, longer for some spices than others.
Storing spices in a sealed, dry jar out of direct light is a big help here. Buy seeds rather than powdered spices where practical, and grind them when needed. Another trick I picked up is to put a spoonful of ordinary table salt into the jar to keep moisture away from the seeds or powder. The salt falls to the bottom of the jar so it won't be a problem.
I also want to try drying strings of chilis for chili spice.
I grew cayennes on my balcony last summer and threw them in my air fryer on dehydrate mode, then pounded them up with a mortar and pestle. Made the best chili flakes I’ve ever had. Gonna keep doing that whenever I have access toa a garden.
Yeah, this thing rules.
(Yes, my stove is a mess. I was seasoning a wok and then stir frying dinner. Collateral damage was inevitable)
If you find there's a spice blend you make on the regular, eg: Juggernut's Excellent Stovetop Chilli Blend™, then you could perhaps take a leaf out of India's book and grind up a batch and mix it with some oil and salt to make a spice paste. The oil will capture those precious aromatics, and the paste will be useful for rather longer than a jarful of powdered spices.
They also make neat little low-commitment, workplace-friendly gifts.
I swear to God half of my kitchen towels that I've acquired over the years just push water around and don't dry anything and it's finally driving me insane.
if, after doing a strip wash/soak, they're still not working, you might need to look into getting better all cotton towels.
How to Strip Towels
1 Wash your towels normally.
2 Separate white towels from the dark ones.
3 Fill your bathtub with hot water.
4 Add borax, washing soda, and detergent to the hot water.
5 Submerge your towels in the water.
6 Let the towels soak for 5 hours.
7 Run the towels through a water-only rinse cycle.
Tumble dry the towels and the repeat as needed if they're still dirty
Democrats Abroad! || Vote From Abroad
For dinner I'm making roasted red pepper and tomato soup.
Before anybody says it, I know Vitamix is good, but I cannot swing a 300-400 dollar blender purchase right now. So I am seeking something able to be very good for what I mentioned above, possibly making nut butters, processing frozen fruit and ice for desserts and cocktails, and various other things. When I search amazon for high powered blenders, Vitamix and Ninja were the main ones that came up. Any input?
I have a ninja setup that has a big, medium, and small vessel and you can put as many as three blades into the large one. It goes on sale all the time and seems to do the job?
We have a Ninja that is basically a Vitamix Lite. Does a good job blending things real well but not so well it can heat soups just from friction alone. It was also like 1/6 the price of a Vitamix so I feel bang:buck ratio was appropriate.
Vitamix Explorian Blender, Professional-Grade, 64 oz. Low-Profile Container, Black - 65542 (Renewed Premium) https://a.co/d/jhhpeFj
We bought one of these for home recently and it’s fantastic. Every bit as good as the $400 ones we have at the bakery.
Ninja Professional 1000, I think we bought it at Costco a year or two ago for $50.
How does the vitamix 5200 stack up against that? I found some site listing that at 200USD. Also, does a Ninja have the capabilities that I was wanting (ie: sauce puree, salsa making, nut butters, frozen deserts...)?
The Vitamix doesn't give a fuck and turns even the seeds to liquid.
It's like... a normal blender haha
When that happens I watch this.
Julia Childs giving absolutely no fucks making an omelette.
Alright all, I pulled the trigger an order the above model. I got my bonus at work and decided to splurge. Thanks for the advice/help all.
For dessert the wife made pineapple split (like banana split, but with pineapple instead). Definitely also very much 80's vibe for me.
Garlic butter? She will do almost anything for garlic butter
Democrats Abroad! || Vote From Abroad
Anyone has something like that?
I got my 3 in 1 blender for $40
Waaaiiiiit a minute, is this why my old towels are all champs at drying stuff and my new towels just seem to spread water around??
That and new towels are often made with polyester to prevent shrinkage in the wash and coated with chemicals to feel extra soft and fluffy when sitting on the shelf at the store.
they just dry so much better!
Also that can depend on what they're made of.
There are 2 types of processing for cotton thread, well ok, one type resulting in 2 threads.
The process is called Mercerization, and if the cotton had gone through this, it's called "mercerized". This creates a smoother, shinier cotton thread that takes dye better, feels better, c doesn't shrink, and is absorbent. Usually used for household linens like table runners, placemats, pillows, etc
However, they are not as absorbent as unmercerized, or natural, cotton. It may feel rougher at the start of use, but will soften over time. Very absorbent with water, but harder to get vibrant dye colors to stick. It will shrink over time, but will retain, or even increase, it's absorbency.
This is only for 100% cotton. I know nothing about synthetic stuff.
Democrats Abroad! || Vote From Abroad