chromedome

You can also get popup outlets now that fit neatly into the middle of the oversized islands that are currently popular. It leaves your space free when they're not in use, but means you don't have to confine appliances to the ends of the island.

I've had a couple over the years that ran significantly hot. I took to using a small wire heat diffuser, the kind people used to put under their coffee pot, under the insert (or sometimes, two of them). That made a definite difference.

Yup. My GF did without one quite happily until a couple of years before we got together (though in her case, it was because she'd believed someone's tale of them being a radiation hazard). Mine gets used every morning to heat my oatmeal, and through the day to reheat my morning pot of tea one cup at a time. Also for thawing/reheating food as well, though not as consistently. Never really found a use-case for a CSO in my own kitchen, though doubtless if I tripped across a working specimen on a buy-sell site for a suitable price (which in my case means $50-$60 CDN) I'd splurge. It would be a dull old world if we all had the same preferences and predilections. Edited to clarify: I make a large batch of steel-cut oats and then reheat it one portion at a time over a period of days. I'm not talking about the (shudder) instant kind.

Having seared, scalded or outright ignited various portions of my clothing and anatomy over the years, I'm averse to reaching over the stove for anything. As always, though, it's useful to hear opposed views.

I'm kind of curious about this, so I'm going to ask for clarification. Is it your current microwave that you're specifically attached to, or the general notion of an over-range microwave? I've always considered an over-the-range microwave to be the sort of thing one does from stark necessity, when there's no other practical place to have one. If there are specific advantages to such an arrangement I'd be curious to hear them.

Beet greens are my very favorite. But really, I like all of the greens.

One of the amusing things about all of this is that an executive at Giphy, the GIF-creation site, is cited as an authority for the hard-g pronunciation. All along I'd thought the whole point of the site's name was to be pronounced "Jiffy."

There's a TQ-equivalent recipe here, and probably on many other similar forums: https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/tender-quick-substitute-with-prague-powder.261212/

Jif and its natural-brand counterpart Adams have recently been pitching "dark roast" peanut butter, with a darker hue (which turned out to be due, at least in part, to molasses) and an allegedly deeper peanut flavor. I bought a jar for curiosity's sake, and found it to be...peanut butter. It did taste slightly more peanutty and less sweet than my previous jar, but that wasn't Jif so it isn't a direct comparison.

Ars Technica weighed in a few days ago, as well. https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/02/a-peanut-butter-brand-has-put-its-spoon-into-the-gif-pronunciation-debate/

Aqua Okeano/Seven Baskets fish balls, possibly national (at least On/Que), because of botulism. https://www.inspection.gc.ca/food-recall-warnings-and-allergy-alerts/2020-02-25/eng/1582678216429/1582678216779?utm_source=r_listserv

I can guarantee that's exactly what it is, because I regularly get paid (by lesser sites, alas) to create exactly that type of article.

Didn't Ruhlman have a story in The Making Of a Chef about a Chinese-American instructor at the CIA taking a chicken from live to cooked and plated in something ridiculous like 30 seconds? (Only a small portion of the chicken, one would presume)

Sadly, some guards - to misappropriate Orwell - are more equal than others.

...and also, fried rice. https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/02/georgia-tech-physicists-unlock-the-secret-to-perfect-wok-tossed-fried-rice/

A whole sleeve and whole stick is no longer a snack, it's a "light lunch."

A couple of thoughts. First, there's nothing wrong with using a commercial gravy browning product, if you're otherwise happy with the flavor and texture of your gravy. The one I use (Kitchen Bouquet) gets most of its color (and its smidge of flavor) from roasted mirepoix, the way I'd do it myself if I had time. I don't use it often, but when I feel the need I apply a few drops without shame or apology. Just be aware that anything more than a drop or two will give your gravy an over-darkened, artificial appearance. Second, a dark roux requires practice and *all* of your attention while it's under construction, lest it simply be a burnt and acrid roux. I'm seldom willing to invest the time. I'll offer up my "go-to" tip here. Take a small portion of the jus - say, a quarter-cup or so - and transfer it to a separate small pot or pan. Simmer it until it boils completely away (an occasional glance is all you need to give it, up to that point), then turn down the heat and watch carefully as it darkens to a deep mahogany. Seriously, it should be almost coffee-colored but not quite black. Now deglaze with some water or broth, or whatever other liquid you choose (I generally just use water, but it depends on the dish). Stir and scrape to get up all the browned-on bits and dissolve them into the water, which should be quite dark as a result. Stir that into either the jus (if you haven't started the actual gravy yet) or the finished gravy, which could be under construction on the next burner while you do this (that's how I usually approach it). The browned-on "fond" will darken your gravy quite acceptably, but that's just the first benefit. A second is that you're taking the flavor of your main (lamb in this case, but it applies to anything) and enhancing it through the browning. The browning comes from the actual amines in your main dish, just as they do when you brown the meat itself, which means you're creating the very same flavors you'd get from a good, hard sear and adding them after the fact. It's a powerful technique. You can use more of the jus if you have lots, and want to really kick up the flavor. Alternatively, you can use the same technique with a prepared broth (chicken, beef, whatever) if you haven't got enough jus. It concentrates the broth so it tastes more like the drippings from your roast, and if you then combine it with the actual jus it works really well. That's a great option when you want to stretch the gravy for a family get-together...I'll often do that at holiday meals, for example. It's a lot easier to press leftovers on everyone as they leave, if you can assure them there's plenty of gravy included.

Oysters from BC's Sawmill Bay Shellfish, recalled for norovirus. Affects BC and Alberta. https://inspection.gc.ca/food-recall-warnings-and-allergy-alerts/2020-02-21/eng/1582331627441/1582331632510?utm_source=r_listserv

...and then there's this stuff... (from the "weird crap I legitimately find while working" dept...)

Fresh Sprouts brand bean sprouts, Ontario only. Salmonella. https://inspection.gc.ca/food-recall-warnings-and-allergy-alerts/2020-02-21/eng/1582331627441/1582331632510?utm_source=r_listserv

It is to me, though I've certainly received my share of odd looks. At the end of the day a cracker is nothing more than a crisp flatbread, and why should anyone think it odd to put butter on bread?

IIRC oat groats are routinely steamed in processing, to inactivate an enzyme that would otherwise cause their oils to quickly become rancid. I doubt it especially matters in the context, though.

They were featured prominently in the most recent flyer for one of the big Canadian chains (Superstore/Loblaw's).

I should also mention that he built small-item storage into the doors of the pantry (a sacrifice of a few inches in depth, but to great effect in practicality). Basically each door has a 3-inch deep (I think, it might be 4") double-sided rack on the inside. The rack itself is hinged, so when the door is opened it can swing out from the door to give access to both sides. That's where spices, shelf-stable condiments and small-volume baking ingredients go, for easy access and visibility. It's hard to envision without a photo, but I don't get to that part of NS but once or twice a year. I'll maybe message my cousin (their daughter) and see if they might have a pic or two kicking around on someone's devices.

I have only a few inches at the top of my cabinets, but I've got a bunch of stuff stashed in those few inches. I'm the first to concede it's not pretty, but there's usable space there. You just need a step-stool to get at it (or I do, anyway...don't know how tall you are). I also have suitable-sized totes filled with stuff on top of tall furniture pieces in other rooms, and less-used items in my basement. Lots of them. Far too many, in fact (though I'll be culling some baking pans to pass along to my daughter and her neighbour before my next trip to NS). My uncle built the dream home he and my aunt had wanted for years, when they retired and moved home to NS. Instead of a kick plate at the bottom of the cupboards, he built in "toe drawers" that slide out, and hold things like frying pans, lids, serving trays, oversized utensils and less-used casserole dishes. They have the push-to-release type of catch, so you nudge one with your toe to make it release and then hook said toe under the handle (or bend over) to slide it out.