andiesenji

The heavy, deep, stainless bowls sold at Costco or Sam's Club are excellent. The newer ones even have a rubber ring around the bottom that makes them non-skid. The large set has 6 bowls from small to huge. I reccomend them heartily for general kitchen work whether homemaker or pro. They can take a beating, do not dent easily, even with being dropped on a concrete patio and clean up easily. The wider, shallower (thinner and less expensive) bowls in stainless also have their uses. The larger ones are great for mixing salads in big batches, and for nesting smaller bowls in crushed ice. I get them at Star Restaurance supply (starkitchens.com) because they tend to "walk away" at neighborhood gatherings and I don't want to lose expensive ones. I also have a set of the melamine type bowls - bright orange - made in Denmark by Rosti which I bought in 1968. Except for a small chip in the rim on the smallest, they are in perfect condition. They were the first bowls I ever saw with a rubber ring on the bottom. However the rubber is now hard and no longer is non-skid. I have several sets of Pyrex bowls, various shapes, colors and patterns which I use for certain tasks. Ditto Anchor Hocking, Corning, and so on. I still use the largest of the "primary colors set" made by Pyrex beginning in the 50s, for gelatine or Jello salads. It is just the right size and cools rapidly in the fridge. I have a couple of huge ironstone bowls for rising yeast doughs. I set them on a heating pad set on low, cover the top with plastic wrap and a heavy towel and the dough rises better than in any other place, including a proof box. Do NOT microwave melamine or "Melmac" or similar type bowls or plates. Not only will they heat up in spots and crack or even explode, they can give off toxic fumes.

That is just plain crass! People who have so little notion of propriety should never be given anything of worth. I have known people like that who discard things given to them as a loving gift and sometimes I have been able to get back at them in subtle ways. (Sometimes not so subtle.) I gave one person a particular cookbook, mostly for her four children, just a few years ago. The Narnia Cookbook, published in 1998, with its wonderful illustrations, became an instant collectible. (I had purchased 2, one for me, one to give as a gift.) I saw this person last year and mentioned that I had seen one of the books had sold on ebay for almost $200.00. She got an odd look on her face and her daughter, now 18, said, "Mom tossed the book in the trash and one of our neighbors took it." I am sorry to say that I broke down laughing. This person was not a friend, but professed to be interested in cooking and often wasted a lot of my time asking my advice which I don't think she really needed to know, or ever used. I felt that she had been taught a valuable lesson.

A friend of mine, who is re-doing her 100+ year old farm house outside of Memphis, TN, is working her way down the "endless yard sale" right now starting in Covington, KY. Last year she found some incredible bargains (in spite of what seemed like endless rain), including some light fixtures piped for gas made by Tiffany. She bought a beautiful stove made in the 20s several enamel topped kitchen tables from the same era and a Hoosier cabinet with all the fittings intact. She moved from California to Ohio and then to Tenn., five years ago and has gone on this trek for four years. Her son owns a small trucking company and sends a truck and driver with her (lucky her). When she used to visit me she always admired all my cast iron and other old stuff but out here had a very modern house (50s modern, all glass, chrome and etc.) and didn't think such things would fit. After her husband passed away she moved back there to be near her son and found this lovely bungalow built in 1902. I haunted swap meets and yard sales for years and still manage to get to a couple each year, usually the one at the Rose Bowl which has a lot of real antique vendors, they vet their vendors very strictly. I also go to estate sales and auctions, particularly those in the more remote area where the dealers are not as thick on the ground. When MGM had their huge auction of things from their studio back in the late '80, a friend and I bought a lot of furniture, decorative and kitchen items that had been used for props since the 1930s. Many of the things were sold in lots and one had to take the "chalk with the cheese,", as the old saying goes, however we did get some incredible bargains. One lot was 8 closed wooden crates full of "china" which we got for $160. and which turned out to include 2 complete sets of Victorian era Spode, each service for 24! As with most Victorian sets, there were many extra dishes not seen in modern service. We also bought 4 huge boxes of "fabric" which were bolts of vintage fabrics still in their original muslin bags, all from the '40s. I bought a lot of kitchen items, some with the stickers or tags that indicated in which movies they appeared, still attached. Most of these were from the 30s and the films are long forgotten but now the items themselves have become very collectible. If I still had the energy I would love to spend more time poking around flea markets, swap meets and yard sales. However I have reached the point that I would have to buy another house to hold the stuff. I also have the feeling that my housekeeper would become a bit "testy" if I hauled anything else in that needed polishing or any special attention.

I have one of the large batter droppers for pancakes (for when I used to do pancake breakfasts for fund raisers). I have used it for filling cupcake pans - I simply used silicone glue (the food-safe kind) and glued a canning jar funnel for the small-mouth jars onto the bottom of the appliance. When finished, the silicone simple pulls off cleanly. I got it at Star Restaurant supply and it cost about $140.00 a few years ago. It's called a Pancake Chef batter dispenser. Pancake Chef It holds a lot of batter, I can fill a 24 x 36 griddle twice with 4 inch pancakes. I also used it for filling "muffin top" pans as it can be set to dispense exact portions - it has 9 settings to control how much batter is dropped at a time. I also use it to dispense sauces, mayo, sour cream sauces, and etc. into small condiment dishes. It has a lot of uses other than just dispensing batter. Again, I simply glue a jar filler funnel onto the bottom.

This site contains some interesting facts about pickling - particularly in using brine without vinegar in the open. (Right side of page, second paragraph). I make sauerkraut in a wide, open crock with just a piece of fine nylon netting secured over the top to keep bugs out. It is just finely shredded cabbage and salt. The fermentation comes from the breakdown of the plant material itself. pickle brine and etc. I have Joy of Pickling too and it is an excellent book. I also have a very old book, published in 1889, (House and Home, A Complete House-Wife's Guide by Marion Harland) that has a long and extremely involved recipe for "mixed pickles" which includes small cucumbers, vegetables etc., and is first brined in salt and water for a few days, then soaked in cold water, changed several times (to remove the salt) then brought to a boil in clear water, cooled and finally jarred with a spiced vinegar. It also calls for a significant amount of fresh grape leaves, not always easy to find unless one has a vine. The author states. "I have been thus explicit in the directions for preparing these, because the same general rules of salting, soaking, greening and scalding are applicable to all green pickles." I tried this recipe, exactly as the instructions listed, several years ago. The pickles turned out okay but not much better than the newer, more rapid procedures.

Do remember that with any mustard, from whatever source, whole seeds, dry mustard powder, etc., you can adjust the heat level by carefully heating it for short periods either in a double boiler or in the microwave. The microwave process is very quick, you do have to stir the mustard and let it rest after each heating (no more than 20 seconds) and taste it. I have done this with some commercial mustards which were far too hot when first tasted. The problem is that the raw heat of the mustard can overwhelm the other flavors and can actually cause the taste buds to have less sensitivity to other flavors for various periods of time. I love the taste of mustard but also like to be able to taste the flavors of the other components that go into the blend and complement each other. Just as too much heat in certain chiles can mask other flavors, so can too much heat in mustard or horseradish, etc. It is fun to experiment. I have mixed my basic mustard, which is somewhat sweet, with various chile sauces, Indonesian sambals, chutneys and etc. The results of some of these combinations have been incredible. Unfortunately I don't always keep notes so have to try and replicate them by guesswork. In any event, it is fun to try.

I have found that it will handle a lot more dough than a KA without the annoyance of the dough crawling up the dough hook - although with the newer machines with the screw-shaped dough hook that hasn't been a problem according to people who use them, however their capacity is still much less. The other thing is that this machine will handle extremely stiff doughs, such as the Struan bread in Peter Reinhart's book as well as the very sloppy and wet doughs I like to use for foccacia, etc. And best of all, one never has to scrape down the sides of the bowl. That always seemed like such a waste of time for me, having to stop the mixer, scrape the doug off the paddle or hook and down the sides. A couple of days ago I creamed together 4 pounds of butter and 4 pounds of cream cheese for an upcoming pastry project and never once had to scrape the sides of the bowl. I specifically wanted it well blended without a lot of air being beaten into it. The other attraction is that the bowl is completely open at the top for easily adding ingredients while the unit is running (and not having it kicked back in your face) and the timer, which allows me to set the time I want something mixed and be doing other tasks while it is running.

If the oven is wide enough to take a full size sheet pan, it is worth it. However don't just "unload" the O'K/M. There are a lot of people looking for vintage appliances for 40s/50s/60s, etc., kitchens and willing to pay premium prices for those in good condition.

The only cast iron pans that won't work on a ceramic cooktop (or an induction burner) are the ones with a raised rim on the bottom. If the bottom is absolutely flat it will work just fine. I had one that had a slight raise in the center, not completely flat. I took it to a metal shop and had them grind it flat. They charged me $15.00 It works beautifully on the induction burner, heats up rapidly.

I only use hardwood charcoal, no briquettes. I save the ashes in a 55 gallon drum for a guy who makes soap. He stops by every 2 months or so to pick up the one with the ashes and drop off an empty one. He also has given me some of the soap he makes for cleaning oil and grease off of concrete - works great. He sells it mostly to mechanics who work on big rigs and heavy equipment.

How about some photos of the finished product? Show off your creations.

This is the vendor where I bought my mill (and several other appliances). They have great prices and are terrific people, very helpful. mill I often mill my own flour for bread and this machine is better than any other I have tried. It also will grind dry beans and peas, rice, etc., for wheat-free diets. One of my friends has an autistic child that has improved greatly since being put on a wheat/corn/dairy-free diet. I have been grinding stuff for her but she is now getting her own mill.

If you get real serious about grits, you can get one of these and grind your own, like this, although this is a finer grind, for cornbread, this mill can grind from very coarse to very fine. Grits, especially from heirloom type corn, turns rancid rapidly unless kept in the freezer. There is nothing better than freshly ground grits.

Back during the latter part of WWII there were 3 Italian POWs who worked on my grandfather's farm. The cook, a woman of strong opinions, scolded them for calling grits 'polenta' - I don't remember her exact words but I do recall her gesturing with her big wooden spoon and pointing at the grits on the plate and repeating the word several times and saying they should not use "furren" names for real American food. They were in awe of her size and commanding presence in the kitchen. Many years later, when I was introduced to polenta in a San Francisco Italian restaurant, I mentioned that it was just like grits and then recalled the incident in my childhood. Yet another cross-cultural food.

Mexican empanadas can be baked or fried. Pumpkin empanadas was my first introduction to them in Mexico 40 + years ago, sold on the street and blistering hot from a pan over a brazier. It was handed to me wrapped in a piece of banana leaf so I wouldn't burn my fingers. Since then I have had them with many types of filling, meats, poultry, fish, cheese, fruit and vegetables. My neighbor makes little "2-bite" empanadas filled with carnitas that are impossible to resist. They are good hot or cold and her kids tell me they were a favorite to carry in their lunch to school.

One of my friends has a Maine Coon cat named Missy Mayonnaise because when she was a kitten she crawled into a mayonnaise jar that had fallen out of the trash, licked it clean and went to sleep in the jar. Now she is a very, very large cat - still likes mayo! No sandwich is safe and she can reach just about anything.

Looks like a kitty with a drum.

Maggie, You are an inspiration!

I don't know how I managed to miss this thread, except for the fact that I have only been able to visit eG sporadically for the past week or so because of a little medical problem. I do love grits in whatever guise they may be presented. Au natural or fancied up, fried or baked, with or without additives. I am not a purist, and have found that grits can be the perfect "fusion" food. Grits cooked, poured into a loaf pan, chilled until set, sliced and fried on a griddle, can be topped with just about anything, sweet or savory, but until you have tasted them with sweet chile sauce, you don't know what your are missing. That spicy, sweet flavor enhances the corn flavor exponentially.. Experiments that have been successful include a grits soufflé that was flavored with parmesan and an inside-out savory pie with a grits filling surrounded by a meat/tomato mixture. eHominy indeed! A worthy name!

Various types of parfait are both tasty and attractive and can be made in advance of a meal and held in the fridge. To keep it from being overpoweringly sweet, add some sour cream to your heavy cream and chill it well before whipping, adding sugar to taste along with your preferred flavoring. Stack cakes, are another way to use preserves, jams and jellies. You can make small ones using tart rings on a sheet pan or just make thin layers in regular cake pans - I find that they hold together better than cutting regular cake layers in half.

Yet another great site discovered thanks to the dedicated work of GG. Thanks for the link, Melissa, it looks like these people share the philosophy of eG members.

I spoke to Maria last night and mentioned this thread - (I keep trying to get her to join eG but she says she is too busy) She said that she lifts the strainer out of the poacher, slides the pasta onto a fairly damp dishtowel and rolls it up then picks it up and holds it vertically so the water can drain out of the interior, then empties the pan and puts the cloth-wrapped pasta back onto the drainer and places it back into the poacher with the lid on to keep it moist. She has the dish or pan and the other ingredients ready to go and immediately starts placing the candele in the pan, starting with a central coil and adding additional coils in a petal pattern around the central one. She says to work rapidly with hands lightly oiled when handling the pasta and add some of the filling as soon as the first row of "petals" is in place to keep them from drying out. I have seen her make this in an oval baking dish, a rectangular baking dish and a round, fairly deep Pyrex mixing bowl (one of the old style that came in primary colors). The coils are about 4-5 inches in diameter as the pasta flattens somewhat during baking.

I learned a long, long time ago that steaming dried fruit, either whole or chopped, softens the fruit without adding more liquid that can throw off the balance in a baked product. Many very old recipes for fruited cakes indicate the fruit is to be placed in a cloth OVER simmering water, not in the water. You may add a flavoring to the simmering water if you wish and this way the fruit will not be overwhelmingly flavored with something else.

Mostly dry but there have been some dessert wines made from this particular grape. It is still fairly rare, or so I have been told, but is apparently becoming more popular. This site has some more information Viognier info.

I forgot about this thread but had spoken to my friend and asked her how she cooked the long "candele" pasta. She told me that she used a fish poacher with the grid in the bottom so the pasta won't stick to the bottom of the pan. That way it stays intact. She cooks it until just barely al dente, otherwise if it gets too tender it will fall apart.