CRUZMISL

'Wheylow' is the only real sugar substitute. I find all forms of artificial sweeteners abhorrent but whey low is truly amazing. It has 75% less calories than sugar, used 1:1 in recipes and also has a very low glycemic index (75% less than sugar). I do everything with it from stir it in my coffee to baking to making ice cream. Follow all recipes as you would normally just switch out the sugar with wheylow. . with It's not really artificial since it's a blend of fructose and lactose (IIRC) which makes it that much more palatable. It is truly amazing. Joe PS. I have no affiliation with the product or company.

Hi All, I'm in the process of sharpening my Hattori knives (VG-10) and have gone up to 1000 grit stones and they're quite sharp. I was curious if I should go finer though using wet stones or strops. I can go up to 10000 grit but not sure what the best balance is between polish and tooth. Thanks for any thoughts or advice. Joe

I have owned both a komodokamado and a Kamado. Kamado is not the "original". Kamado cookers have been around since WW2 (do a wiki search). My first experience was with Kamado. Initially all was OK but as the unit started to age its faults were revealed. Its essentially a portland based cement product covered with mosaic tiles. As the unit ages the cement shrinks and the tiles begin to fall off. Its not engineered very well either. The lid doesn't stay up on its own (you need to screw down a prop tube) the bands that secure the lid are visible and the customer service borders on ridiculous, and not in a good way. I could go on.....and on. I then bought a komodokamado and its like comparing a Bentley to a Chrysler. The crafstmanship and engineering is beyond reproach and the customer service is fantastic. The unit is made with a true refractory material, has a larger cooking area and has a spring loaded lid that holds itself up on its own. And I'm just scratching the surface [the differences]. The reality is they both cook the same (if you can get the Kamado to seal tight). The komodokamado is four times the cost of the less revered Kamado. As with anything though you get what you pay for. For me it was well worth the money Here is a picture of mine. In fact, Al Roker ate food off my cooker since it was featured on the Today show

Hi, I was poking around and came across this recipe for Thai sausage. Everything looks OK and I have all the ingedients but the recipe specifically states to leave the pork on the counter for 1-2 days. It doesn't sound safe. Here is a link, http://importfood.com/recipes/esan_sausage.html Any thoughts? Thanks, Joe

That's what I thought. Thanks!

Hi, I am making some cinnamon rolls that use baking powder as leavening instead of yeast. Can I assemble the rolls, leave them on the counter and bake them in a few hours with no ill effects? I'm not sure if there any leavening occurs once mixed. Thanks, Joe

Ha ha, I'm not usually lucky at the tables. I say luck because I know I don't have any skill Thanks a ton for the thoughts.

Thanks for the thoughts. I found American Wagyu to be very good but the most fat/meat ratio I am comfortable with is a strip loin or tenderloin. I found the rib eye's too rich for my liking. I'll take a look at the steak raw before I order it and evaluate from there.

Hi All, I have a dinner scheduled at Bourbon Steak at the MGM Casino in Detroit tomorrow night. Anyway they have a 6oz. Japanese A5 Kobe ribeye and I was thinking about ordering it. It's $150 for just the steak but hey you only live once right? I have had American Wagyu and have been very pleased. I'm just curious if the true Japanes Kobe is worth the price premium. Any thoughts? Thanks, Joe

The Kobe steak and duck fat fries are a perfect winter treat though Let me know how they are if you go.

I'm om the east side (Grosse Pointe) and I haven't found anything too exciting. I always order 5-6lbs at a time from Intelligentsia. Ground shipping is $6 and it arrives the next day. Best plan IMO. You'll burn more than $6 in gas and sit in traffic to try and find something good.....

Hi All, I'm thinking of going. The menu sounds good but would like to gather some feedback before I drop the money. A link to their website here Thanks, Joe

And yet another sourdough addition for the cause

The thicker the better.

Not sure, it's still cooling :-)

Hi All, I made a sourdough loaf today. If I made it any larger it wouldn't have fit in my oven. For reference my cutting board measures 16" x 20". I think my wife and I will be eating toast for a week Just thought I'd share. Joe

Thanks for the responses. Please don't misinterpret how much fat I take in. My diet consists of a significant amount of nut fats, olive oil and fish capsules. I do get enough fat but try to limit the amount of saturated fat such as animal fats. I'm not one of the low fat zealots from the 80's/90's, we all know that doesn't work. Everything in moderation I suppose. I'll let you know how my taters turn out Joe

HI All, I was in the store today and saw a tub of duck fat. Now I must say I rarely use fat (aside from olive oil or my fish oil capsules) but sometimes to satisfy a craving I may add some fat once in a while (one every week or two). The label reads as follows, Better than butter! Nutritionally similar to olive oil; low in saturated fat, with a good combination of poly and monosaturated fats. Is this true? Any opinions? I've tasted duck fat before and it tastes really good which leads me to beleive it's not good for me Any favorite recipes to use the duck fat with? I bought the tub anyway regardless of it's health implications. Only live once Thanks, Joe

Ok, sounds good. I'll give it a try and let you know how I make out. Should I omit the yeast using this method too? Thanks for the help.

I thought I read the slower the proof the more flavor will be developed. With the dough becoming more liquid will the loaf still come out of my banneton?

Hi All, I was thinking of making a sourdough loaf and having a long slow proof to develop more flavor but was curious how long it would take at 57 degrees. I plan on putting the dough in my banneton in the wine cellar. Any ideas? Thanks, Joe PS The dough only uses 1/4 tsp of instant yeast, the rest of the leavening comes from the starter.

Ok, I bought a foodsaver cannister to use with my foodsaver. Should provide the same end result and saved me $180 in the process! Thanks for the advice. Joe

It sounds like a great tool but just wondering if it really works as advertised or if it's a gimmick. Any thoughts? A link is here Thanks, Joe

Thanks!! The one I was thinking of though was Aceto Cesare. Your link led to my discovery so I appreciate your efforts. Thanks again!!!

Hi All, A while back David wrote about a wine vinegar made in small batches by a man in Italy but I can't remember the name. Does anyone know the name of it? Thanks, Joe