andiesenji

I have no trouble dicing one or even two onions but even with my extremely sharp knives, I have to hold the handle of the knife in my right hand. I have arthritis and an enlarged joint at the base of my right thumb. My grip is severely impaired and my hand fatigues rapidly and when I can no longer grip the knife handle securely, the blade is not adequately controlled. Onions in bulk, intended for confit are sliced on a mandoline as I can operate it with my left hand. Ditto when I slice ginger for candying or anything else in quantity. There was a time when I could slice or dice a tub of onions and think nothing of it but now that I am seventy, many things are more difficult and I use some of the gadgets that many people feel are superfluous. Also, I love gadgets.

I use a Reed's Rocket nutcracker for nuts - although I have a different one for macadamias but both of these are unsuitable for shellfish. I use this one http://www.nutcrackers.com/functional-nutcrackers/handheld/squalonutcracker.cfm for shellfish because it is easier on my right hand in which I have severe arthritis. It works better than any others I have used and I think I have used just about every type over the years. You can use it for nuts and it will crack hazelnuts, in the small jaws, without damaging them.

I have to agree with Katie. I am enthusiastic about preparing foods "from scratch" and I am sure that anyone familiar with my posts knows my preference for this. However, I have the advantage of having a well-equipped kitchen and a fully stocked pantry on which to draw and I have the experience of cooking and baking for close to sixty years. I am also retired and have plenty of time to do the various tasks involved in preparing so many of these things. Now that we know the health problems associated with lack of sleep, it doesn't make sense for people who are holding full-time jobs and caring for a family stay up nights to prepare staples and condiments, etc., that are readily available commercially. Save your efforts for the occasional special thing that will give satisfaction. Brownies, yes, the effort expended is fractional compared to the satisfaction. Biscuits, and quick breads, yes, the time needed is negligible compared to the quality. If you have the time and the inclination to make things from scratch, by all means do so but don't beat yourself up if you have to buy some "convenience" foods. That's what they are for.

My daughter composed some cute critters for bento lunches. You can see the most recent here: http://yearoflunches.blogspot.com/ The lunches she prepares are for herself and two teens, not young children and the teens really enjoy them.

You are so right about some people being intimidated by unusual vegetables and the squash family has to be right up at the top of this category. A few days prior to Christmas, one of my friends drove up here from Valencia, (1 1/2 hours round trip) so I could show her how to deal with a large Hubbard squash (the newer red variety) and an equally large turban squash. Her sister-in-law had given them to her in a basket of other winter garden produce but was dismissive when my friend asked her how to prepare them. She was hosting the family for Christmas dinner and the SiL had volunteered the produce and expected it to be incorporated into the dinner. I used my giant antique meat cleaver to split the Hubbard and my battery powered recip.saw to "behead" the turban squash so it could be partially pre-baked to be used as a bowl for squash soup. Now that Ellie knows how to handle these giant squash, she is ready for anything of a similar nature.

I am totally in agreement about the biscuits. I may spend a few more minutes in measuring the ingredients and mixing the dough but the rewards of light, fluffy biscuits far outweigh the "convenience" of biscuit mixes, not to mention the "ice-box" packaged biscuits that have several ingredients that I can't decide are preservatives or explosives!

For those who want to cook things that are temp critical in the TMX, here is what I did. I don't trust the temp sensor in the TMX - I don't think it is quite accurate enough for some things. I drilled a hole in the flange that allows the probe of the Thermapen to be inserted. Should work with other probes too, although the ones with a wire should be taped to the handle so they can't drop through.

Yes. I have been using the half-sheet size Cadco oven for several years. I got it because for years I had a big commercial gas oven which was too big for small things and this one is perfect for most tasks. I got rid of the big oven and now use only the Cadco and a Sharp convection/microwave oven. Here's a photo of the Cadco oven with the largest Staub oval oven, which just barely fits but at least it does fit. and here's a photo with a 10-inch cast iron skillet I take the racks out when I use the half sheet pans because they slide in right on the side rails. I also use them when I bake pies (or anything else that may drip) because it is much easier to clean the sheet pans than it is the floor of the oven. Because the convection distributes the heat evenly, you can bake on all three levels at the same time without having to shift the pans around. The fan is powerful and I do use a "shield" when I bake custards, cheesecakes, etc., otherwise I have ripples on the surface.

Exactly! My meat grinder got a good workout during the past two months, what with making Meemaw's pork mincemeat, grinding raw chicken wings, bones and all, to make dog food, grinding several pounds of dried fruits, nuts, coconut, ginger and citrus peel to make various confections. I doubt very much if even my old cast aluminum KA grinder would have been up to the task. I tossed the newer "plastic" one I got when I bought the 6-qt KA because it seized up when I tried grinding some figs and I couldn't even get it apart with it fastened in a vise and using a 14 inch Channel-lock to grasp the "nut" so I tossed it in the trash. Best place for it. I did get the TMX in November, and that should count as a Christmas present from me to me but I haven't bought much else and so far I have not received any kitchen-related gifts, which is somewhat of a surprise. Perhaps it was because I kept telling folks that my kitchen was about as complete as it was going to get and I really didn't need anything else. I did get gift cards but none for the usual suspect stores. Mostly for Amazon.

I have an old cook book (ca. 1911) that advises "when the soup-stock has been reduced and on tasting is found to be excessively salty, remove from the grate, tie half a loaf of white bread, stale but not hard, tightly into a pudding muslin and submerse fully into the soup-stock, using a weight, if necessary and allow to cool until tepid. Remove the muslin and allow to drain but do not force. Replace the liquid taken up by the bread with clear water." I've never tried this personally but wonder if the absorption of salt by the bread would be similar to that of a raw potato. I am reminded that when dumplings are prepared when intended for cooking in soup, they are made with less salt than when intended to be cooked in water. They definitely do pick up salt from the soup, it is easy to taste. P.S. There is no mention of the size of the loaf of bread but I would guess it would be a 1-pound loaf, which I think was standard at that time.

For my personal preference, I don't think there is truly a way to economize with caviar. The cheap stuff will never have the flavor or texture of the better grades. If there is a supplier of fresh caviar in you area who holds tasting sessions, try to attend one. Personally, I have found that the stuff from "lesser" fish always tastes much too fishy for my palate. Some people like it but I don't. In this case, you have to please yourself.

Katie is correct. Peanut oil is processed differently from corn oil (and other vegetable oils) and there is a possibility that some of the protein factors that cause the allergy remain in the oil. Be safe rather than sorry and don't use any peanut product. On a happier note, there has been some great progress in treating peanut allergies, particularly in children, whose immune systems are still in transition, thus reducing their level of allergic reaction. This is still experimental and has to be done under strict medical supervision but it has great promise. http://www.foodnavigator.com/Science-Nutrition/Breakthrough-offers-peanut-allergy-hope I've mentioned before that I have a rather severe allergy to alcohol. Specifically some of the volatile esthers of ethanol. I can use a certain amount in cooking and baking because the factors that cause my reactions are converted after a time. I don't taste these dishes until they have been cooked sufficiently. Some things are not modified with cooking. I have a "seafood" allergy - specifically, I am allergic to iodine. (Did not have my first major reaction from eating but during a medical procedure.) Some fish and shellfish concentrate iodine more than others. I have NO problems with fresh water fish. With experience, I have learned to live with these allergies (and a few others that cause minor symptoms) and can happily eat out or at the home of friends with no problems. The control is in my hands and I never ask anyone to alter their way of living to accommodate me. In my opinion, as voiced earlier, anyone who is so demanding, is not going to be a happy customer, no matter how much you try.

Keep the pans! They are okay. As Joe says, use cream of tartar to clean the pans. You can also "polish" them with a barely damp cloth and dry baking soda (bicarb) which will also remove all the little burnt-on brown spots and spots of grease. After you have done all your baking and washed and dried the pans, wipe them both inside and out with mineral oil and remove all the excess with a paper towel. Stack them with a layer of paper towels in between and store them in one of the jumbo plastic storage bags (the Hefty xxl size fits the half-size sheet pans) but don't close the zip all the way. You can hang them from the handle of the bag, which takes up less room - mine hang from a hook up near the ceiling in my pantry. The microscopic layer of oil will keep the aluminum from oxidizing and they will be ready to use with either a coating of your favorite cooking grease or with bakers parchment for your next baking project. I have several aluminum sheet pans/cookie sheets that are 20 years old and still just fine. I put mine through the dishwasher and with the above treatment have no problems.

I agree with Steve about using Instant yeast - I get consistently reliable results with the SAF Red. I began using it when I got my first Zojirushi bread machine many years ago. At that time it was difficult to find and we did not have the internet, but I finally found it at Smart & Final in a one pound package. And cheap, when compared to the little packets in the supermarket. I do use regular yeast in a couple of recipes that require making a sponge that includes milk and allowing it to "work" overnight, because when I have tried it with the instant yeast it has not turned out to my satisfaction. These recipes were originally made with fresh or compressed yeast. In any event, Steve, your breads look beautiful and I am going to try the pumpernickel. Just by chance I had ordered the flour early last week and it is supposed to be delivered later today.

Frankly, I think you would be better off without this person as a customer. I have a fair number of allergies myself, but mine are in groups, are specific and have been positively identified by testing by an allergist. I've never had to notify a restaurant ahead of time and would never consider doing so. Her list notes items that are unrelated and non-specific and sound more like whimsy than fact. This also sounds more like one of the compiled "allergen" lists that is pushed by so-called "environmental allergy experts" who convince people that they are allergic to numerous things. Naturally, they have "treatments" that are costly and totally useless. This also sounds like a legal problem in the making. People like this are often looking for a way to squeeze money out of business people. Last year there was a case in Las Vegas where a woman with numerous allergies claimed exposure to something in her hotel room. It was soon discovered that she had made a similar claim in Florida and in another state. It was a scam. Note the inclusion of safflower oil. It is highly unlikely that this ultra-purified oil would be involved in producing an allergic reaction. Even people who are very allergic to corn can use corn oil because the processing removes the protein factors that cause the reaction. (My daughter falls into this category.)

You can use the mincemeat immediately - you can eat the cake immediately. It is not a "fiddly" recipe, it can be tweaked any number of ways to make it work better for you. Either use fresh, very lean pork or use cooked pork leftover from a roast. I put that in the recipe because I happened to have done it that way when I wrote out the recipe, after getting the info from my aunt. The cakes keep very well and are not as heavy as regular fruitcake. They can be moistened with fruit juice as well as with liquor. I don't use raw liquor to "dress" my cakes because I am allergic to raw alcohol. The mincemeat recipe makes enough for (I think) three large cakes or one cake and turkey or goose stuffing or just a casserole of stuffing. If you are not into canning don't bother. Freeze it. It freezes well and maintains its flavor and texture for at least six months. I've never been able to keep it longer because I use it up rapidly.

There are plenty of farmers markets in the greater Los Angeles and Orance county areas. I live in Lancaster and there are none in my area but there is not a great deal of produce grown here, though there are almonds, peaches, pears and apples, and onions, lots of the "sweet" Antelope valley onions. (They are not sweet when compared to Vidalia or Maui, but are okay.) "Down Below," as we characterize the lower elevations, there are many farmers markets on various days. Depending on the area in which you live, you should have ready access to at least three within a reasonable driving distance. Unless you live in the immediate area, don't expect to find one within walking distance, that is rare. To find one that will be near your sphere, click here: http://www.cafarmersmarkets.com/index.cfm and select your location. I've visited farmers markets in Santa Barbara, Oxnard, the San Fernando valley, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Valencia, Northridge, Yorba Linda, 2 in Temecula, Costa Mesa and Del Mar (when there for the dog show). I found the variety of produce and other goods to be enough for me and as I always bought more than I actually needed, possibly too much. The quality was always better than in most supermarkets. However for certain produce, I never buy at regular supermarkets - try to find a Mexican supermarket, such as Vallarta and check their produce. Not only are the prices better, the quality and variety of the more "exotic" produce is terrific.

I've never done this either. Rarely, when I have forgotten to put the (large russet) potatoes in at the desirable time, I will use the "potato nails" someone gave me about forty years ago to speed up the baking. Using these cuts the baking time by 1/3 (at 450° F.). If I want a super crusty potato, I rub the washed and dried skin with lard (or Crisco if I am cooking for friends who don't eat animal or pork products.) I don't get the same effect with butter - have no idea why but as this works for me, I'm sticking with it.

When I was in baking school, back in the mid-'50s and in my mother's bakery, "overnight" was 8 to 12 hours.

I've got a skillet full of fingerlings in the oven now - can't wait! P.S. I'm having this with Marcella Hazan's Fricasseed Chicken Abruzzi-Style and some baby lima beans. I die, I faint, I fail. "Let thy love in kisses rain," eh? Not sure it warrents Shelly but on second thought, maybe it did! The potatoes were spectacular and what a great compliment to this dish! Pic doesn't really do it justice but here goes: That's a lovely presentation, John. The colors of the plate complement the colors of the potatoes.

I found a link to the Martha Stewart salt-crusted potatoes. It is here: http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/recipe_saltcrustpotatoes.htm The crust will separate from the potatoes on the serving plate.

Helene, a Canadian Thermomix fan, who blogs about the machine, and has a wealth of experience with it, has converted one of my antique family recipes for use in the Thermomix. The link is here: http://www.superkitchenmachine.com/2009/3268/thermomix-cake-kuchen-recipe.html This is the cocoa fruitcake that I posted in RecipeGullet some time back - but this is a more manageable size that works nicely in the Thermomix. And much, much speedier than my old version. I have to take my hat off to Helene, this task required some significant juggling.

Several years ago Martha Stewart published a recipe for salt-crust potatoes in the magazine and I have prepared them many times over the years. I buy the little yellow potatoes and the multi-colored fingerling potatoes at Trader Joe's as they make a lovely presentation and the taste is phenomenal. Puts the lowly spud in an entirely new category! I'll have to dig out the "recipe" as I don't think I have it in the computer.

That sounds soooooo good, Kerry. I've lost track of the different soups I have thrown together in the TMX, none with a particular recipe - as in spite of the fine cookbook and many recipes available online, I am still a "seat-of-the-pants" cook and tend to operate as I have ever done, selecting what looks interesting in the fridge and/or pantry. Unfortunately I am rarely able to duplicate my results exactly every time but I like variety and only have to please myself, most of the time. I had some leftover steamed new potatoes and after steaming some broccoli flowerets in the basket, I put some turkey stock (about 1 1/2 cups and strongly flavored with onions and garlic) into the bowl, tossed in the potatoes and the broccoli and turned it on to temp 90 at speed 3 until there was steam coming up. I then tossed in some chunks of sharp cheddar (about 6 ounces-half of a 12-oz chunk), turned the speed up to 7-8 (with the cup in place) for 1 minute and had a lovely broc/cheese/potato soup. For some drop-in guests, I also made a white bean/lentil hummus, using canned beans, olive oil, fresh garlic and lemon juice and with a pinch of pimenton - lovely smoky flavor, plus salt and pepper. I always have pita bread in the freezer as it only takes a couple of minutes to thaw and heat it in the oven - in a damp brown-paper bag. Topped with some chopped parsley.

After using that salad spinner for awhile, I finally understand your frustration. That white thing is a real pain to clean- its gotten all dark and dirty. I end up having to use a toothbrush to clean it. I have both of the Oxo stainless steel salad spinners. Previously I had the plastic ones but one of my helpers put them in the dishwasher when I still had the Hobart and they emerged looking like something in one of Dali's paintings. The SS ones are certainly more expensive but they are sturdy and have handled lots of tasks that make life easier for me. I mentioned in another topic that I use them for rapidly extracting the whey from yogurt to make yogurt cheese. Works like a charm.