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Everything posted by andiesenji
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I witnessed a bordering on brutal lecture by one customer to another in a local independent coffee place. I felt so bad for the young lady who was getting bullied that I had to step in and tell the obnoxious person to cool it. She turned and said, "I suppose YOU are an expert!" Then the manager (who has purchased several vintage coffee brewers from me) piped up and said, "YES SHE IS!" The bully scurried out the door. I told Wayne that I am not an expert. He said it didn't matter as long as that woman doesn't come back in here.
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Your Daily Sweets: What Are You Making and Baking? (2016 – 2017)
andiesenji replied to a topic in Pastry & Baking
I blanch and chill them to slip the skin off then cut them into narrow wedges right to the stone. I sacrifice one slice to make a "portal" then use a curved citrus knife to separate the flesh from the stone. I've been doing this about 60 years, first with cling peaches, then nectarines, large plums, etc., and have never found an easier method. Once you get the "trick" of it, you will find it is fast and easy. -
First, it is eSpresso. No x,( just so some fanatic in a coffee shop will not spend five minutes lecturing you.) (happened to someone I know) Espresso is brewed by using pressure to force water though coffee that has been roasted very dark, ground very fine so the components can be quickly extracted. There are several threads on coffee, espresso, brewing, roasting, accessories and etc.
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Yard Sale, Thrift Store, Junk Heap Shopping (Part 3)
andiesenji replied to a topic in Kitchen Consumer
Some are made for use on the charcoal braziers that have a ring over the center that the pans fit into so there is no need for the support. The Indian market had them - with longer handles - but I liked the look of the one I had and the clerk recommended it. -
Yard Sale, Thrift Store, Junk Heap Shopping (Part 3)
andiesenji replied to a topic in Kitchen Consumer
I got mine because it worked better on the burner I had for cooking Indian foods - I almost always cooked them outside on the deck because otherwise my entire house reeked of cooked spices. We have an excellent Indian market here in Lancaster. I think it is a chain, India Sweets and Spices. They carry a lot of interesting items besides food. The propane cooker had concentric rings and each one could be used separately or with the others. So only the center ring lit when using the small pans and the bigger ones added as the size of the vessel increased. When I was catering, I had them mounted on carts, along with the propane tank and each cart had a fire extinguisher hung on the end. -
Yard Sale, Thrift Store, Junk Heap Shopping (Part 3)
andiesenji replied to a topic in Kitchen Consumer
It's a "tadka pan or tempering ladle" - I had one but gave it to a friend who was experimenting with Indian foods. It's used to cook or fry spices, seeds, etc., that you are going to add to a dish. Here's one on Amazon India. -
Your Daily Sweets: What Are You Making and Baking? (2016 – 2017)
andiesenji replied to a topic in Pastry & Baking
Yes. I did it partly for Pi day and partly because I had a half flat of strawberries to use up. The "Strawberry man" who comes around periodically, showed up on Saturday with a half flat (6 baskets) of ripe strawberries. He apologized that because of a lot of crop loss this past winter when they had some hard freezes and also some flooding, they had to raise the price to $10.00 (was $8.00 last year). I had some as is Saturday evening but needed to do something with the rest on Sunday. Some I hulled and bagged and put in the freezer and decided to do the pie with most of the rest. I already had the rest of the ingredients. I had made a batch of sour cream on Friday and had plenty of cream cheese left from the batch I had made the previous weekend. I tried it out on three of my neighbors and they were very enthusiastic about it because it doesn't need to be baked, uses a prepared crust and the only "cooking" is in the microwave. I printed out the recipe for them and one says she wants to try a strawberry-banana version. Apparently her grandmother used to make a "cheesecake" that had a similar base but she never was able to get the recipe. She is going to borrow one of my springform pans for her experiment - she said the way her grandma made it the thing was about 3 inches thick and had a cookie crumb crust, not graham cracker. I gave her my recipe for a vanilla cookie crust. There are probably plenty of options, the base could probably be mixed with any fruit. I FORGOT TO STATE - I LEFT THE SPICES OUT OF THE STRAWBERRY VERSION!! -
Yard Sale, Thrift Store, Junk Heap Shopping (Part 3)
andiesenji replied to a topic in Kitchen Consumer
Cylinder vegetable cutter? I have on somewhere in my gadget collection that cuts the center out of long, round vegetables but mine is plastic with steel blades. The exterior had to be "finished" now they have ones that cut the outside at the same time as coring. Your looks like it would cut the core into ribbons. This is similar to the one I have. -
Your Daily Sweets: What Are You Making and Baking? (2016 – 2017)
andiesenji replied to a topic in Pastry & Baking
I "converted" my Peach cream cheese pie to a Strawberries and cream pie. I cut up strawberries until I had 4 cups in a Pyrex measure, sprinkling them with 1/4 cup of sugar. I microwaved them for 5 minutes, left them to cool for 30 minutes then placed a sieve in another measure and dumped the strawberries into the sieve. I placed this in the fridge overnight so they would drain completely without any pressure - I wanted the chunks to stay intact. I used a store-bought 10" graham cracker crust. I beat the cream cheese, sour cream and heavy cream together till smooth added the strawberry liquid and the other ingredients the same as in the peach recipe. I did add an extra tablespoon of the Instant Clear Gel because there was more liquid from the strawberries than from the peaches - and this one was not going to be baked. I folded in the strawberries, piled it into the crust - I had less than a cup left over, it was a snack. Then put the pie into the fridge for 4 hours. Looks good, tastes good, not too sweet, nice texture. I did not try to make the top "fancy" but one could do some swirls. This would also work great with one of the chocolate cookie crumb shell and with chocolate shavings on top would be very attractive.- 489 replies
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Yard Sale, Thrift Store, Junk Heap Shopping (Part 3)
andiesenji replied to a topic in Kitchen Consumer
I recently cleaned one - not taking it all the way to bare iron - using just ammonia. I have one of the Sterilite inexpensive small storage bins with a tight fitting lid. I put an old cake cooling rack that I was going to throw out in the bottom of the bin, put the skillet upside down on it and put four glass cups in the corners, filled each one with ammonia, put the lid on and left it for about 3 days out on my deck - actually forgot about it. I put on my gardening goggles and a dish towel covering my nose and mouth before I opened it and I wore rubber gloves. Most of the gunk washed off and I used a grill brush to knock off some that stuck. It's not 100% bare but it looks good, the heat ring around the outer edge is clean. And the effort was negligible. -
Yard Sale, Thrift Store, Junk Heap Shopping (Part 3)
andiesenji replied to a topic in Kitchen Consumer
After 1922 almost all are marked with the new "Wagner Ware" so yours is older. The company bought the Sidney foundry in about 1898 - there has recently been some argument about the exact date. This is from a cast iron blog. I can't find the attribution but it is on numerous web pages and is not copyrighted. It's a beauty! “It may have “Sidney, Ohio” on the bottom or just “Sidney O.” This indicates that the piece was made by Wagner Ware before 1922. Many early pieces are labeled as “Wagner” with the name in quotation marks. The company used this early marking prior to 1922, sometimes in combination with the Sidney name. This indicates that the piece is an authentic Wagner. -
Yard Sale, Thrift Store, Junk Heap Shopping (Part 3)
andiesenji replied to a topic in Kitchen Consumer
The middle eastern store sells these as "pomegranate press" and indeed they work quite well for that task. -
A few years ago on another thread, I mentioned Bella Viva Orchards - California grown dried fruits and nuts, many organic. And the best roasted, lightly salted almonds I have ever tasted - better than mine. They have organic red walnuts - a UC Davis developed nut. And dried pomegranate arils. I have ordered many times, usually first a small batch, then ordering in larger amounts when I found something extremely good. The DICED dried fruits are wonderful for baking. on the last page of "Dried fruits" The diced pears @ 7.99 a pound, are fantastic for inclusion in scones - I made some pear/ginger scones that were a hit at one of our neighborhood gatherings.
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I got mine in 2009 mostly on a whim, because I love appliances that do multiple tasks. I have not used mine nearly as much as the truly enthusiastic users in Australia and in Europe. and in fact, I suggest you join Forum Thermomix Now to address your particular situation, I have a friend who lives on her boat in a marina and has for years. Because of the limitations of her galley, she had many of her meals ashore. After I got my TM, she spent some time reading stories on the TM forums and bought one. She said the initial cost was substantial but she figured it paid for itself in her savings and she was eating better, much less fast food and even being able to invite one or two friends for dinner occasionally. She got hers in 2010 and is now contemplating buying the new model. A couple, who have been "snowbirds" for quite a few years, traveling and living in a large motorhome, also bought one in 2010 after stopping by for a visit with me and seeing how mine worked. They do have a nice kitchen in their rig but the advantage of having a blender, food processor, steamer and scale, not to mention a cooker, all in the same appliance, where storage space is tight, really appealed to them. They had it shipped to friends with whom they were going to be staying after they left here. I still use mine to make butter, almost every week - it is so much faster than other methods. The risotto has become a regular dish - before I didn't make it because of the stirring (arthritis). Prepping and mixing quick breads that require first mashing bananas, pumpkin, squash, other fruits, etc., And you can cook and stir something in the jug at the same time something is steaming in the varoma. I hope this helps. if you look at the stories on Forum Thermomix, you will see many more applications - some of those folks are amazing.
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I use a Tupperware "pitcher" with a pouring lip, go around the outside first, about an inch in from the outer edge of the iron, then fill in the center. The outer rim of batter "sets" so it contains the the inner stuff so it won't run out the sides. I learned this when I took a course when I first began catering.
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Yard Sale, Thrift Store, Junk Heap Shopping (Part 3)
andiesenji replied to a topic in Kitchen Consumer
You SCORED! This was made before 1959 in the era when they were still using "good iron" and the Griswold molds so the skillets and griddles were thinner and heated more evenly. The cooking surfaces were "milled" after casting so they were smoother and with careful seasoning, as slick as glass and non-stick - as long as nothing with high acid content was cooked in or on it for too long. -
I haven't had that problem but I mainly bake bread on the "turbo" setting so maybe the fan pushing the air around mitigates the heat in the top part of the oven.
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I have a friend who now lives in Vera Cruz - Learned to make her own tater tots because she was desperate - her two years old son was fed them by her mom, who took care of the boy for a couple of months, while she and her husband were moving. He demanded them and howled when denied. She found a recipe on line and makes them three or four times a week. She just got a child minder as she plans on going to work part time and had to teach the woman how to make them. She says the woman is lovely but probably thinks she is loco for indulging a child but she did admit that the boy has a "fine set of lungs." She did say that she made some with the Mexican purple potatoes, which are different from the purple potatoes here, and they were very good. Sweet but not like American sweet potatoes. I'm going to send her the link for the tater tot waffle thing.
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Your Daily Sweets: What Are You Making and Baking? (2016 – 2017)
andiesenji replied to a topic in Pastry & Baking
Not if you want a cohesive and pretty result. You can use the filling as pudding, in cute cups or stemmed dishes but it is not the same. The peaches develop a richer flavor. -
Your Daily Sweets: What Are You Making and Baking? (2016 – 2017)
andiesenji replied to a topic in Pastry & Baking
Peach and Cream Cheese pie. I decided I wanted a peach pie, but not just fruit. I wanted something that would stand on its own and not need a topping. I also wanted to use canned peaches. For once, I wrote everything down as I progressed. And it worked! I didn't make my own pie dough because I had purchased several frozen ones when I got some coupons - buy one pack (2 shells) get one free - back in December. I used Instant Clear Gel because I like it - you can use whatever you like but this works best for this type of pie filling, needs no cooking before baking. PEACH CREAM CHEESE PIE with CANNED PEACHES An Original Recipe by Andie Paysinger 9 inch DEEP DISH pie shell - frozen. You can make your own if you wish. Takes 4 hours, start to finish - when it is ready to serve, assuming you have all the ingredients ready. DO NOT RUSH it! Filling 1 large can sliced peaches 1 8-ounce package cream cheese 8 Ounces sour cream 8 Ounces heavy cream 3 Tablespoons lemon juice 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 cup sugar 5 Tablespoons Instant Clear Gel 1 Teaspoon salt 1/2 Teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon Zest of one lemon - about a tablespoon PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 375° F. METHOD: Drain the peach liquid into a large mixing bowl or mixer bowl. Set the sliced peaches aside. Add the cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream and lemon juice. BEAT UNTIL SMOOTH, NO LUMPS. Add the vanilla extract and beat until fully mixed. In a small bowl, Mix the sugar, Instant Clear Jel, salt and spices, lemon zest stir till well blended. Add the dry mix to the cream cheese mix and beat well. IT WILL THICKEN ALMOST IMMEDIATELY Fold in the the sliced peaches. Place the pie pan on a baking sheet. Pile in the filling, it will be thick and it is best to use a silicone spatula to push it into the corners. Pile it high so it is rounded and well above the sides - the filing will shrink a bit as it bakes. It will look like there is too much filling but be brave, it works. It jells rapidly so there is no need to worry about it running over - but it will be jiggly when it comes out of the oven, which is why it needs to be on a baking sheet. Place it in the center of the preheated oven. Bake for 45 minutes. It should be lightly browned on top. It will jiggle in the middle. Remove from oven and set the baking sheet on a cooling rack - leave for 40 minutes. Move pie pan from the baking sheet to the cooling rack - allow to cool for an hour. Then into the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Then serve. This pie does not require any topping!- 489 replies
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I made ginger leather with some. You have to cook it down a bit more. Also I added some orange juice and zest. I spread it on parchment on sheet pans and put it in a very low oven until it jelled Then into the dehydrator overnight or so, till it was no longer tacky. It's been a few years so I don't recall exactly. After dehydrating it, I cut it into strips about an inch wide and wrapped them around pieces of dried peach and apricot.
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I have used my dehydrator to keep foods warm, sliced meats, whole chickens, roasts, vegetables, also canapes, etc. I wring a tea towel out in hot water, put it over the food and have had no problem with it drying out, as long as it was not left in there for more than 30 - 45 minutes.
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Unless you want a Belgian waffle iron, I suggest you look for a Sunbeam waffle iron from the last century. They produce a better result than any more recent irons. The Sunbeam CG1 is, in my opinion, the best consumer waffle iron ever made. The Toastmaster commercial double automatic iron - made for regular wiring, is even better but extremely expensive.
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You could also make it out of sausage or grind meats extra fine, with out without "fillers" and make something resembling a hot dog. Of course, if you have a meat grinder and a sausage stuffer, you could make a real hot dog in a casing.
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There was a multi one offered quite a few years ago - but it was metal and was for a grill or oven. I see they do have a 4-dog unit which I guess is for the microwave. I think the one I saw back in the 80s ? was for 6 "dogs" . There was one on ebay a couple of years ago.