Smithy

Welcome, @Evan Rahilly! Where in the San Joaquin Valley are you? I grew up near Visalia (Ivanhoe, if you're close enough to know that place) and still have relatives in Fresno. I wonder how you keep the temperatures cool enough for charcuterie at this time of year. We'd love to see your setup. Aside from the geographic connection, allow me to welcome you to the forums. C'mon in, look around, join in the conversations! If you need help figuring out how or where to post, feel free to ask a host. (I'm one of them.)

I'm inclined to agree with you. I got it as a (requested) Christmas present because we spend months on the road, living off the grid, and I didn't want to have to start the generator to run a wand blender. The waste of all that equipment for want of a viable battery, however, really rankles. Even if they offered separate battery packs, or used batteries that could be purchased at any hardware store, I'd feel better about it.

Still more nori experiments. I cooked shrimp using the same Browned Butter with Nori and Fried Capers sauce from the recipe I tried a few posts ago. I also tried the nori oil @Dave the Cook mentioned here as a sauce for lightly cooked broccoli. The setup and cleanup were much more orderly this time. Here were all the ingredients, ready to go before I cooked; the rest of the prep dishes were already washed and put away. I'm afraid my orderliness was almost the only successful thing about the dinner! 😄 See how much less counter space was occupied? On the left, before cooking. On the right, after washing-up. (It may not look like fewer dishes to you, but it was. In fact, he used the "noticeably fewer dishes" to argue this morning that I couldn't possibly have made the same sauce as before!) So, here was dinner. I served the rice, shrimp, sauce and broccoli all in the same bowl for myself. His sauced broccoli was in a separate bowl. I'm afraid this treatment of shrimp was a bust for him. Last night he didn't want to say more than "you've done better things with shrimp" for fear of hurting my feelings. This morning I got him to be more specific: to him it was thin, watery and bland. I thought it pretty good, although nowhere near as delicious as the fish had been. The lesson here is that one person's delicate is another person's bland. I could have perhaps thickened the sauce or made more to compensate for the rice. Perhaps if I'd cooked the rice in seasoned broth it would also have helped. At any rate, I won't be doing this with shrimp again. The broccoli got lost in the shuffle/kerfuffle over the shrimp and rice, and he made no mention of it. I personally think the nori oil went well with the broccoli. It may be a good complement to other vegetables. In non-food news: we were lucky enough to be in a rainstorm a few days ago, and were rewarded with a glorious double rainbow.

If you'd like to go down an eG rabbit hole as to that expression, you can see what we did with it 5 years ago when I questioned a similar usage in this topic. Warning: the discussion is scattered over quite a few posts!

I'm afraid I have nothing to report. I found those lithium batteries, or ones very similar, at local vape shops. They were pretty pricey: I've forgotten now, but at least $5 apiece, and maybe more like $8 apiece. I decided I'd better try to get the old batteries out of the holder before spending that kind of money. They are spot-welded in place. Would my soldering gun take care of that? Maybe. I have a friend who is an excellent tinkerer who might have been able to do something with it, but he was busy. I think it might also be possible to rig a different power supply altogether; it wouldn't look as pretty because the battery pack wouldn't go back into its holder, but it would make the blender usable again. While I was pondering all these possibilities, I got busy with other things...and then found a deal on a much simpler, much less expensive rechargeable wand blender. So there my KitchenAid set sits, still with no power. The wand blender I picked up isn't nearly as good (no speed adjustments, only a whisk and a double blade) but it does most of what I want. I haven't given up on the KitchenAid - that is, haven't given up enough to throw it away or sell the parts - but I left it at home when I went traveling for 6 months. Sorry I don't have better news for you. I still think there are possibilities, but I can't show you how it's done. If YOU figure it out, please post!

That is a wonderful mural and a great story! Thanks!

Lest I forget -- sorry for the data dump, but I'm doing some catchup right now -- I want to note the comparison between the two corkscrew-type pastas I've been carrying around, thanks to @gfweb oh, months ago. We both thought that the Barilla Cellentani looked like a longer version of the Cavatappi no. 87 made by DeCecco. We were wrong. In these bottom two pictures (above) the corkscrews on the left are DeCecco Cavatappi and the corkscrews on the right are Barilla Cellentani. The DeCecco are slightly larger and seem to have a slightly larger bore. Is that a function of the number? Is there a different size of each of these? I don't know. I mixed them in the latest version of mac 'n' cheese 'n' ham. I know gfweb doesn't like the inclusion of ham or anything else in his mac 'n' cheese, but I still owe him thanks for the suggestion of these corkscrews and their use. The previous attempts to use this stuff have left me wondering what their advantage is. In this dish they provided good structure - lots of room for good gooey sauce to run in, and bits of meat to hide among. Maybe I'll keep stocking this type of pasta. I just realized that the photos look almost fluorescent orange, like the boxed stuff. It wasn't that color in real life! Still, it used up the last of the Buffalo Chicken Cheddar, and some frozen shredded cheddar, and it was easy...both in the original version and as leftovers. Also in the "lest I forget" department: I promised to show this wonderful mural painted on the side of a Del Sol grocery store in Yuma. We're long gone from there, but I want to share it anyway.

For those of you who like to look in high-end grocery stores, I have one last trip to a Stater Bros to share. This one is in Indio, Calif and we went there specifically to get more of those wonderful New York Style Calabrese sausages before moving too far away. (I think it's pretty funny that a company titled "New York Style Sausage Co." is in Sunnyvale, Calif, but there you go: for those of you unfamiliar with the geography, Sunnyvale is in the Bay Area of California, near San Francisco and San Jose.) We needed a few things like fresh produce, half and half, cereal and pet food, but the only thing I bothered to photograph was the meat counter. Hubba, hubba! Look at the selection! Look at those tomahawk steaks! And look at the prices!! $4.99/lb for party wings, anyone? For once we didn't yield to the temptation to buy more meat. It was fun to look, though. Across the street is a farmer's market that we think must be a single owner, with the fields immediately adjacent. We didn't stop to check it out, but we loved the inflated strawberry. Quite the eye-catcher. Finally, on the way between camp and Indio, we visited the Oasis Date Gardens. They still aren't fully open due to pandemic precautions, but you can call in an order and pick it up outside. They still have the best dates of any we've tried: not too dry, but well enough tended - in this case, that means frozen for a critical time period - that we're sure nothing will hatch in them. There's nothing like opening a bag of dates to find it crawling with bugs, and that's happened with another grower's dates. As you see, the grounds are still beautifully tended. We got a date shake to go, and shared it.

As promised, last night was a study in contrasts between his cookery and mine. He cooked hash, one of his absolute favorite dinners to cook and eat (as you already probably know). I give you the prepped ingredients and the cooking process. Note that his cooking style does not involve standing over a hot stove or racing between stove and counter. Dinner - ready for its closeup, Mr. DeMille: And the dinner table, and the post-washup counter.

You are such an educational resoure! What is the dressing like, please?

Does "tamarind leaf salad" mean it's using tamarind leaves? If so, what do they taste like? I've only ever had tamarind seed pulp.

Thanks for that. Based on the small unadulterated bit I tried, it isn't something I'd want to put whole into my mouth and allow to dissolve. However, I think you're saying that some people might like it just like this but I might more appreciate the sesame oil / maybe soy variety? Have I got that right?

The nori experiments have begun. In case it wasn't clear, I've never knowingly tasted nori and had no idea what to expect. The stuff is in sheets stacked atop each other in that little plastic container. It seems a little goes a long way. With that in mind, I made some of the nori oil @Dave the Cook mentioned here, a few posts ago. Is it perfectly emulsified? Not by a far cry; we have no blender in the Princessmobile and the wand blender was really only up to chopping it into tiny bits. Still, I have the oil to try on something. Tasting notes: the sheets are oily. The flavor is briny like the ocean - what I expected - but also rather fishy, like fish that's been sitting a little too long. I think I was expecting something more like the bright brininess of good, fresh oysters. I had reservations about the flavor, but decided to go ahead with the oil and with the recipe to which @blue_dolphin linked here. (Incidentally, not one of our 4-footed companions would touch the stuff.) Yesterday I tried the recipe blue_dolphin had suggested: Lemon Sole with Burnt Butter, Nori and Fried Capers, from NOPI. It isn't unusual for me to take liberties with a recipe unless I'm actually testing it for someone, and yesterday was no different. I didn't even know there was such a fish as lemon sole! We didn't have any, but we still have fish from the Wild Alaska company. I wanted to try the recipe using salmon and sablefish. I'm still trying to find fish recipes that my darling will love as much as I, and that's an especial challenge with salmon. His face fell when he saw I had pulled out fish to cook. He hoped against hope: "Will you fry it?" "Nope," I said, and his face fell again. Actually, I fibbed a bit about not frying the fish. The original recipe says to broil that lemon sole 8 - 10 minutes until cooked, then keep warm somewhere while the sauce is being made. I ask you: would any thin cut of fish stand up to that much broiling? Maybe lemon sole is thicker than it looks in pictures. I was quite sure our fish would not take that treatment. I dusted it with pancake mix, shallow-fried it a few minutes' worth until it was done, then set it aside in the oven to stay warm while I made the sauce. (Incidentally, I shallow-fried it in the same oil I'd used to fry the capers. One less pan to clean, and as you'll see that was a good thing.) Before starting all that, I'd made yet another batch of Cookie + Kate's Green Bean Salad with Toasted Almonds & Feta, using pine nuts to stand in as the almonds. I kept the salad in its skillet in the warmish oven, same place as the fish, while making the burnt butter sauce. Note to self: Do NOT start cooking dinner while there are dishes from afternoon prep work in the sink! It doesn't matter if it's only a couple of jars, the stuff adds up! Actually, this photo is from when all the prep work was done and before I began cooking, but you get the idea. Back to dinner: it was a SMASH HIT. In truth, I'm not sure the nori added anything...but it certainly didn't hurt. For once, I didn't overcook the fish: not even the salmon, which is considerably firmer and tighter than sablefish. For once, he liked both fish. He said, both last night and this morning, that I can cook those beans and that fish recipe any time. But. Behold the "before and after" scenes of the wreckage! I washed last night, he put away this morning, and it nearly did him in. Tonight it will be hash. He cooks. 1 skillet, 2 bowls, 2 spoons, and the prep stuff will All Be Washed And Put Away this afternoon. 😉

I'd open it. If I didn't like the smell I'd (heh) chuck it then. I think it should be plenty safe, based on your description. Unless it was vacuum-packed, I don't think I'd keep ground beef in the refrigerator that long. I may have done it, can't swear either way though.

What a shame. I've been with Fine Cooking for, well, a long time. Well over 10 years. 20? Not sure. As long as eGullet? Again, not sure. I'll miss the magazine. I'm trying and failing to remember what cooking magazine to which I subscribed that died (last year? two years ago?) and for which I was offered a replacement subscription to Magnolia. I looked at it once and knew Magnolia wasn't for me. After some discussion (all truly cordial) I was refunded half my subscription, and the other half went to extending my Fine Cooking subscription. I think I'm still subscribed 3 years out. I'll have to see what happens next.

1. I agree that refrigerator looks awkward. Even the Princessmobile's fridge seems better thought out, although it's a lot smaller. 2. No, absolutely you are not giving us too much detail! 3. Will you have to eliminate a lot of your cookware, now that you've gone with induction? If so, will you put it in storage until you're sure about the induction stove, or will you summarily get rid of it?

FWIW *I* like the floor, but I'm curious to know your answer. Of course, we'll see it all as time progresses. Thanks very much for letting us watch the process!

You might be thinking about this post.

Interesting about the word for that. Yes, around here we usually call them tortillas, with a modifier as to what they're made from: "flour tortilla" or "corn tortilla" or "whole grain tortilla" or whatever. "Wrap" implies that it's wrapped or rolled around some contents. I think of it as meaning wrapped so securely that it can be eaten out of hand. What he showed you looked more like a tortilla cone, or bowl...needing a fork or spoon. I may take the term too literally, though. I can't speak for all Yanks. I guess we'll just have to wonder about "weird chicken pasta". 🙂 I am thoroughly entertained by this topic! Please tell him to keep 'em coming!

I'll give it a taste in the next day or two. I've never made sushi rolls and don't have any of the gear, but if it can make a nice snack then I think I can use it.

Thanks! It's cod from the last Wild Alaskan shipment we received before leaving. I used 2 filets and cut each in half along the spinal divide. The coating was a simple dusting of Hungry Jack pancake mix.

I had occasion to use the new blue pan to to hold fried Tater Tots as they drained on paper towels last night, but didn't get a picture of it. What happened was, we sat out admiring the gorgeous sunset far past the time I should have started cooking. I had already promised to do fried fish and Tots. The camp stove wasn't set up and I'd decided to cook inside, despite my usual kvetching about frying inside and the mess it makes. Well. "Mess" doesn't begin to address the mad spattering when the Tots hit the oil; the oil was probably too hot and the Tots definitely have crystallized ice in them. The upshot is that the kitchen is now the cleanest it's been since we left home on this trip. (Another consequence is that he says he never again wants to hear a complaint from me about his frying hash inside!) Tonight I've promised mac 'n' cheese 'n' ham. It can be prepped in the afternoon, then bunged into the oven while we sit outside and admire the view. Much more practical. In other news: I found this unopened package, lost in a ditch crevice, during our walk this morning. Assuming it's really as sealed as I think it is, what shall I do with the contents?

What's it wrapped in, do you think? And does he dislike all pasta, or just pasta in this particular mixture? I'm a bit puzzled by "weird chicken pasta" and must admit that chicken pasta might be a bit strange.

I used the Instant Pot last night to try out a new recipe, using some chicken thighs I picked up at that little market a couple of days ago. As noted before, the Miracle Whip was staggeringly expensive. Chicken, on the other hand, was not: $1.39 for chicken thighs is pretty darned good, I think. This Basque-style chicken piperade involved chicken thighs, canned diced tomatoes, slices of onion and red bell pepper, chicken broth, a touch of white wine, noodles and spices. I am a born beta-tester: if something can go wrong or break, I'll make the mistake or break it. I think my basic issue here was that I didn't cut the recipe down properly for the 3-quart IP mini we carry aboard the Princessmobile, with the result that there was a bit more sauce for the noodles than we'd have liked. Still, the flavors were good. I've discovered some streamlining tips that I'll use next time, and be more careful about the proportions. Definitely a keeper.

Do you have to take any special care to keep them from getting gunk baked onto them? I've never seen @ElsieD's Nordicware version, but I must admit that - like @heidih - the color was part of what drew me in. I'll be glad to get advance advice on how to take care of these. Heck, I might even go back and get a few more. 😁