andiesenji

It has been proven time and time again that one of the biggest selling points in a home is the kitchen. When I sold my home in the Valley, in the early 80s, the first people who looked at it, made an offer, over the asking price, (which was somewhat high at that time compared to other homes in the area) simply because of the kitchen. It was a very large kitchen and this was before the "gourmet kitchen" became commonplace. (36 feet of free counter space plus a free-standing butcher block bakers bench 42" x 72" and a huge round table at one end, two full-sized sinks, two refrigerators and an upright freezer plus a walk-in pantry). I had a huge old Garland range with 8 burners plus a grill/salamander (grill plate on top over the salamander) with two ovens that would take full sized sheet pans and two warming drawers under the ovens. And the ovens and cooktop had separate gas lines. The lady, without even looking at the remainder of the house, said she wanted it and was adamant about it. She said she had always dreamed about having a stove like that but didn't know one would work in a home. I did have to go back a couple of times and teach them how to use the range and advise them about the type of cookware to use but they got the hang of it and still live there and one of their daughters has said that if they ever decided to move, she wants it. My kitchen was certainly not a status symbol, we were a big family and it was used a lot, my husband was in the building trades so when we enlarged it, I was able to have it exactly the way I wanted it. It wasn't fancy, but it was easy to work in and easy to clean and keep neat. Plus, several people could work in it at the same time without getting in each other's way. I did a lot of baking, baked bread three or four times a week, so the range was necessary. A regular home kitchen range simply would not have worked.

Toliver, They have had these in the factory outlet "Kitchen Collection" store since last fall and I think they have just put them on sale because they aren't moving. I should have asked but I don't believe they have sold even one. I check in the store every few weeks because they have some really good stuff on sale from time to time. Yesterday I bought a box with 6, (3 small and 3 large) of the silicone bowl covers for $11.45. On TV they were selling 2 for 9.95 plus shipping a while back. I bought one of the large ones at a holiday "botique" fund raiser in December and have used it a lot because it fits a couple of odd-shaped bowls that nothing else works on (the sticky Saran wrap won't stick to textured crockery). I also bought some small glass bottles with cone-shaped SS tops with small holes, similar to "dasher" tops. I am going to try them with my home-made hot sauce and if they work okay will buy a bunch. At 1.99 each they are a bargain. I can't imagine using this or any of the folding-type pans for omelets, I learned to cook an omelet when I was 10.

I don't know about other states, but I am intimately familiar with California and in particular, Los Angeles County. Very, very strict. In 1994 I added onto my house, converting my kitchen into a commercial facility. Because I have dogs, it had to be separated from the rest of the house by what is essentially an "airlock" entrance, that is, two sets of doors with a chamber in between. My contractor was experienced in commercial kitchens so he did whatever was necessary and it was expensive. The exhaust system for the commercial oven and the stovetop had to move a certain amount of air. The walls, ceilings and floors had to conform to the rules, as did the countertops, storage cabinets, water and light fixtures, and so on. It had to be inspected every step of the way, not only by building and safety but also by the healt dept., and since I had a well, the state also had to certify the water. Jumping through hoops is an inadequate simile, wading through neck-deep mud sounds more accurate. However it was finally finished and I did get the certification, followed by inspections every three months for the first two years, then every six months. A year ago I decided not to apply for renewal of the certificate because I no longer do any baking or cooking for sale, because of health reasons (and age). I also want my kitchen to again be part of the house so I have a little renovation going on at present. I am also getting rid of the commercial oven - I have a buyer for it who has been after me to sell it to him for quite some time and I seldom use it. I did enjoy working in my own kitchen but I could easily have continued to rent space in the kitchen at a private church school that had a certified kitchen. They could use the money and I worked in their kitchen in the evening and on some weekends. I did carry product liability insurance and workers' comp insurance for my helpers and of course had to pay Social Security and Fed, State and local taxes. I didn't do any retail sales. I did contract baking for a small bakery, a couple of local restaurants and for three caterers whom I have known for many years. Our arrangements did not include delivery, they all picked up their orders because I would have had to charge quite a bit more for maintaining a delivery vehicle, insuring it and a driver and so on. I couldn't use my vehicle legally because I had dogs that occasionally were transported in it. The rules here are very strict, children may not be transported in any commercial vehicle that transports food products. I know people do it but they can lose their certification as it is clearly spelled out in the rules. Get a printout of your local laws and rules for caterers, bakers, food processors, etc. Don't take anyone's word for anything, get it in black and white. Don't leave yourself unprotected legally. And just because other people get away with doing something similar, don't expect that you will. There is just too much to lose if something goes wrong. I formed a corporation, leased the kitchen and the equipment which I personally owned to the corporation, and carried insurance in the name of the corporation. That cost too but it protected my personal assets from any legal action. I never had a problem but I didn't want to take the chance. I also kept meticulous financial records and had a CPA experienced in food service to handle my taxes and such. I didn't make a fortune, but I did okay, however I had a customer base before I ever began and knew the business. There are a lot of "hidden" expenses that one doesn't think about until they pop up. You have to think about all of this before you get into it, it will save a lot of grief later on. It is satisfying to produce a product that people rave about and it is possible to be extraordinarily successful, even starting on a shoestring. After all, Mrs. Fields and Martha Stewart began small......

What was the brand? Both Eagle Brand and Carnation produce Dulce De Leche which is sold in Mexican markets (and some others that carry a lot of Hispanic products "Magnolia" is the Eagle Brand product). It is unusual, but on rare occasions one of the processed cans will find its way onto the wrong labeling line and into a case of regular sweetened condensed milk and this can surprise whoever opens it. When I was helping in a friend's bakery a few years back we opened a newly delivered case of the stuff (Eagle Brand) and opened a bunch of cans and came across two that were obviously the Magnolia Dulce De Leche. The numbers stamped on the cans were not the same as the plain stuff but they had the regular label. He contacted Eagle Brand and they send two replacement cans of the regular stuff and explained that occasionally cans do get "shifted" from one line to another. (They probably fall off one conveyor labelling line and when picked up they all look the same and no one bothers to check the batch numbers on the cans so get put in the wrong lineEagle Brand Magnolia.

I have some lovely rendered beef fat in my freezer. One of the advantages of raising a steer is that the feed and activity of the animal can be monitored and if it is raised by 4-H kids for competition, it packs on a lot of muscle and fat because that is what wins at the shows. In particular there is the pure white, kidney suet which renders out to a clear, almost colorless liquid that imparts a wonderful flavor to anything fried in it. Baby Yukon golds, cut in half and fried with the skins on are especially nice. It also adds a lovely texture to steamed puddings and short pastry for savory pies. It has to be almost frozen before cutting into the flour and is a bit of work, however the results are well worth the effort. Bacon drippings are a staple both for cooking fat and for flavoring everything from cornbread to green beans, greens, brussell sprouts, baked beans, dried beans, etc. Duck fat is always on hand, too many uses to list but certainly I couldn't make paté without it. I also have some goose fat in the freezer. I don't use a lot of chicken fat because for some reason it doesn't set well with me. I use lard in most pie crust, biscuits, scones, some fruit cakes, and etc. I use Crisco for a couple of recipes that simply do not work with anything else and I have tried various substitutes. Olive oil of various grades and tastes, the greener ones do have to be fresh. Canola oil, corn oil, avocado oil, tea oil, all have their uses. I use coconut oil in smoothies and for a few special recipes.

I actually have a lot of illogical kitchen habits but I am not about to admit to all of them. People think I am a bit (or a lot) quirky, but as long as they don't try to reform me, that's okay.

I finally decided, after the third failure, that I simply was not cut out for marriage. I was and am too independent, opinionated, want to have things done MY way, in my house, and my motto has always been: "I may not always be right, but I am never wrong!" It is a very rare man who can cope with this attitude.

That's where mine are. I have drawer dividers in every drawer and all my spatulas must be together in one slot, my measuring spoons in another, my whisks in another. My husband never gets it right even though you can clearly see what belongs where. ← It has been many years but I recall my husbands had the same problem. I could never understand why a man, who had a pegboard with each tool shape carefully outlined in paint in the garage, could not understand that kitchen tools also should be stored in an orderly fashion. His method was to throw everything in the "junk" drawer instead of putting the various utensils in the crocks where they belonged. Retrieving a whisk from the drawer when it was intertwined with a meat fork, a narrow spatula and a set of measuring spoons, could be a frustrating experience. I finally managed to get him to pay attention after I went out to the garage and threw all his tools into an old wooden box and dumped several containers of nails, screws and bolts on top!!! As the old saying goes, I don't get mad, I get even!

Not all the presses have "automatic" measuring ratcheting. A couple of the powered ones do. I have an old Salton (wired) that presses out an exact amount and the VillaWare cordless rechargeable that also does. The Marcato is also sold under at least three other names but made by the same maker in Italy. I have many recipes for spritz cookies and almost all are made with butter. There is one recipe on this site that is made with shortening (I use Crisco) and I also use an egg substitute I found at a health food store, for my vegetarian friends. It is by far the best I have ever tried that doesn't use butter. (The Spritz Cookies II Recipe) If you have a similar situation, you might want to try this one. I added 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder and 3/4 teaspoon of water to convert it to a chocolate cookie.

Regarding salting beans, in my experience it doesn't matter when salt is added. It is acid that will keep beans from becoming tender. I have always lightly salted dried beans of every type at the beginning of cooking, whether soaked overnight or with the "quick-soak" method. However, if anything acid is added,( tomatoes are a particular problem), the skins will remain tough. Also keep in mind that as the liquid reduces the salt becomes more pronounced, thus the "lightly" salted in the beginning. I would like to add another online vendor from whom I have received excellent products, beans, grains, etc. Indian Harvest (click on the Retail button) I particularly like the autumn lentil blend, the black garbanzos and the black beluga lentils. I just placed an order a few days ago for two new items, wild rice flour and grano, an Italian whole grain wheat.

Bread pudding pure and simple (or not so simple).

Heat, of course, and flexibility of the "skin" - which is why moisture, steam or ?? will promote more spring, it makes the surface of the dough more flexible. You really notice it when you slash the tops and see the dough expand greatly where it is cut. Back in the mid 50s, when I went to baking school, we brushed water on some of the formed loaves (not in pans) that had been proofing outside a proofing (steam) box. In my mom's baker, the ones that proofed in the steam box were on rolling racks and we rushed them from the box to the oven and got them into the oven as soon as physically possible. The box would only hold 8 racks so we had to leave some of the loaves out if we had a big batch and there was an obvious difference between those that were exposed to steam and the others. We had a 16 shelf Peterson revolving tray oven which originally did not have a steamer. In the early 60s a steamer was installed, which made a big difference, however I was long gone by then so it didn't help me much. You might want to take a look at Baking 911 lots of information at this site.

I found one like your mom's: on ebay. There is also a Wilton Pro for a good fixed price here I have one which works very well. Mine is an older one that came with 24 metal dies but you can also buy plastic ones to fit this press that work as well.

This is the one I have. There are always quite a few of the ones with copper ends on ebay. ebay

I am just thinking about the amount of rust I inhaled when I used to grind and polish old iron hardware I found out in the desert back in my rock-hounding days. Since that was nearly 40 years ago, it apparently hasn't done much harm. I did wear a respirator whenever I worked on anything containing lead or stuff from the old mine tailings - cyanide not good. However the rusty iron never bothered me. Heck, when we went camping in the Sierra's, I had a steel skillet that used to rust overnight if someone was silly enough to wash it, but I just wiped it out with some grease on a rag and cooked in it. I usually wiped it clean and hung it over the fire to keep it dry, but it seem there was always someone along who felt the stuff should be washed with soapy water. Not a true camper!! I have an ancient spatula that gets a bit rusty now and then and I still use it. I also have some of the old "waffle-pattern" tinned steel baking pans that get rusty in the corners, where the tinning has worn away, but I still use them for baking, they are an odd size that I like and I always figure that the grease I use will be enough of a barrier.

I take my own because they do not carry any sugar-free snacks and I am diabetic. One of my friends and I went with another friend who is a quadriplegic in a powered chair and one of the ushers objected to her rack of liquids but she shut him up in a hurry when she informed him that the theater would be in violation of the Disabled Persons Act if he attempted to remove the necessary liquids she needs constantly. I was ready to hit him across the knees with my cane!!!

That is a great cookie press. I have several in my collection, but none exactly like it. Really nice design and the box is also a big plus. Your cookies/biscuits are beautiful. I have an old one made by Mirro aluminum that is copper colored. It came with a small cookbook that has some unusual recipes, including a lemon-butter cookie, made with lemon zest for flavoring. I have to dig that little book out. Your post reminded me that I love those cookies and I can even make them with the Splenda/sugar mix to make them more diabetic acceptable.

There are several "Roast Vegetable" threads which should be merged. There is a great deal of information in just these few. Roast Vegetables, crispy golden sweetness Roasted vegetable thread Scrumptious roasted vegetables Roasted Beets I haven't included the roast potato, roast tomato, etc., threads.

I have to add that selecting a shallow sheet pan or deeper roasting pan depends entirely on the end result you want. I want roasted vegetables with a deep, rich combined flavor that, odd as it seems, actually end up with a "meaty" flavor, even though nothing remotely meaty has been added, and this can be considered a strictly vegetarian dish. For my purposes, I want this either for a side dish, a base for soups or for my vegetarian friends, a main dish. If I want roasted vegetables that have a crusty exterior, then I roast them in one layer on a sheet pan. This way each retains its own distinct flavor and that is okay too. These are fine for serving with roasts, or as a bed for grilled or fried meat, fowl or fish. It all depends on what you want for your particular needs. When I do the large batches, as shown above, I stir the vegetables several times during the roasting. This is not possible on a sheet pan, I know from experience. When I prepare vegetables in this way, I can divide the batch, add vegetable broth or stock and blend some of the vegetables into the stock then add some of the still chunky to this for a wonderful vegetarian soup. To another part I can add chicken or beef stock and do the same thing. Each will have a distinctive flavor. The roasted vegetables can be stuffed into pita bread, for a very flavorful (and vegetarian) "sandwich" . To me, and this is simply my personal preference, the vegetables roasted in this manner are more versatile than those roasted on a sheet pan. I suggest that one try both ways, preparing small batches, and see which result is to your taste.

I have never had a problem cleaning it. If something sticks, I just put in on a burner with enough water to cover and let it simmer for a while, scrape with a wooden paddle and it usually comes right off.

Could it be decaliter? conversion site

Information re: botulism If the organism is subjected to high enough heat for long enough it will destroy both the oranism and the toxins produced by it. It grows and produces toxins only in an anerobic enviornment, that is, without air, or rather oxygen. When cultured in the lab, it has to be stabbed into a test tube containing growth media, it will not grow on media in a petrie dish. (I was a laboratory technician in the Army many years ago and we cultured samples from suspect food items after an outbreak - canned salmon was the culprit, insufficiently processed.) Low acid foods, green beans are the "classic" example, that are not processed long enough, fish, meat, fowl and even cheese can be a problem. However, once the food is cooked for long enough at a high enough heat, and stored properly, and nothing new is introduced to contaminate it, botulism doesn't come floating out of the air unless you are living in a barnyard. If you are concerned, use a thermometer and check to be sure the oil reaches the critical temperature (at least 250 degrees F) and remains at that temperature for sufficient time. Two plus hours is plenty. The last batch I made was in the oven at 275 degrees for three hours.

I just happen to adore pasta (linguini in particular) with garlic and oil, nothing else but perhaps a little salt. Having this on hand makes it so simple to cook and drain the pasta then dip a ladle of the roasted garlic and oil onto the pasta and toss, instantly ready to eat.

Nah, not to worry. As long as it doesn't eat into the metal and cause it to break, no problems. The rust is simply oxidation of the metal from moisture and esposure to oxygen. rusty nails that have been exposed to dirt, particularly outside and most especially around barns, where there is a puncture wound, is where one gets tetanus. The bacteria is anerobic, that is, it like a closed enviornment where there is no oxygen. Having stepped on a rusty nail, outside the stable, when I was a child, hiding the fact from my grandmother and developing the tell-tale red streaks up the leg, along with a lot of pain and having to have shots of the tetanus antitoxin to stop the progression of the infection, I speak from experience. It ain't fun. Almost as bad as the shots for getting bitten by a possibly rabid raccoon. (What can I say, I was an adventurous child.) If you want to remove the rust, get a jar of Naval Jelly Paint it onto the wires, wait 5 minutes or so, then rinse it off with hot water, swish the whisk in hot soapy water and rinse well. Dry the whisk. I usually dry mine as well as I can with paper towels, then put them into the oven and turn it to very low (140 degrees) and turn it off after 10 minutes or so. During the summer I just put them out on the deck in the sun for a few minutes.

I can tell the difference if I have a particular whole dried corn that I grind myself but otherwise there is not a great deal of difference in the commercial brands. If I am short of time, I often cook polenta in the microwave - using a micro rice steamer and taking it out, allowing it to sit for a bit, stirring then returning it for two or three short periods of cooking, until it is the way I like it. It takes a bit of experimenting, every microwave is different, but I can usually finish it in less than 15 minutes, depending on what else I am doing and how long I let it "rest."