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The smooth gooey texture is difficult to get without dairy. Some recipes call for gelatine or "fish glue" - The more the product is beaten, the more air that is whipped into it, the smoother it will be. Beating whipped egg whites into the mixture also give a smoother texture. What source are you using for recipes? This site has a few: Italian recipes This is an explanation of the differences: Italian frozen desserts I have made both the Lemon Ice in lemon cups and the peach granita at this site They are both excellent. The peach granita uses gelatin. Italian ices

If you want to do some searching for "alternative" refrigerators, check this site. They have a large listing of links to various manufacturers, installer, specialty products, such as Klondike, which I mentioned above. unusual refrigeration concepts I have to add that I did have a Sub-Z for several years 1988 to 1996 and it was a tree-full of lemons. I had at least 4 service calls a year, replaced the compressor in the freezer twice and in the refrigerator once. It was noisy and the freezer was very bad about drying things out. It just seemed to suck the moisture out of everything. Ice cream in those round cartons, unopened, unless sealed in a plastic vacuum bag, would shrink by 1/2 inch from the sides of the carton, after being stored only a month. I was not at all happy with its performance, particularly considering what I paid for it. I have a friend who lives in Big Sur that has one of the double Klondike refrigerators plus a separate freezer and uses half of one fridge as a wine cooler. When they had a bad power outtage two or three years ago, she told me it stayed cold for a very long time, much longer than most would have done. She was finally able to rent a big generator at the end of the second day of the outtage and did not lose anything in either of the refrigerators or in the freezer. This was the main reason I seriously considered getting one. That and the fact that they are hand built. And still cost less than the Sub-Z.

I dry and smoke my own chipotles. Also have dried and smoked poblano/anchos, habaneros and rocotos.

I have a couple of uses for my asparagus steamer. I also use it to steam cardoons, those big stems just do not fit well in anything else. I cut the base off of celery and store it in water (which I change daily) in the fridge in the steamer. Takes up less room this way than any other method of storage. However the thing for which I use it most is to cool stocks rapidly. I fill it with water to within an inch of the top, put it in the freezer while the stock is cooking, then when it is done I turn off the heat and lower the asparagus steamer with its solid block of ice into the pot. I have hooks above my cooktop and have a rope with a loop on each end which holds the steamer above the level of the stock. I also wrap the pot with two of the large hot/cold packs which are made to fit on the back, (mine have only been used in the kitchen), which also have been in the freezer. I wrap towels around them and pin them together with giant safety pins. (I talked one of the counter guys at In N Out Burger into selling me a couple.) This combination of inner and outer cold application cools the stock down rapidly, thus lessening the chance of nasty critters invading the stock when it is in the susceptible temperature range, 40 to 140 degrees.

There was one on the market a few years ago, briefly, however it did not work very well, didn't get the oil hot enough and it died a quick death. Put a small potato in one end, and it sliced and delivered them into hot oil and then through a chute into a basket. I think it was made by Presto and was on the market less than 6 months! Not a winner.... I know because I bought one as a Christmas gift for a friend who loves home made potato chips (the thicker ones). We tried it several times and it simply was poorly designed. We took it back and I bought her a deep fryer instead. At least it works fairly well but you do have to slice the potatoes.

If you really want to have one that looks like furniture you might check out these, and you can see one in use in Paula's kitchen on food TV. Klondike fridges. For someone who does a lot of food prep the interior has wonderfully efficient storage. They are built to last a lifetime. I considered getting one when I got rid of my Sub-Z but decided that I would go with a regular one plus some refrigerator drawers and a smaller one just for cheeses and some produce that doesn't want to be as cold as a regular one. I still may get one because I find that I need more refrigerator space than I have and I could also use another freezer. However first I want to get a brick oven put in, then I will know how much room I will have for other things.

Rachel is right about the smaller "counter-top" ovens. I have the Cadco 1/2 sheet pan size convection oven that is really terrific in this hot weather. (102 today (Saturday), supposed to be 107 Sunday. My big oven does generate a lot of heat and steam, if I have the steamer on for baking bread. I rarely use it in hot weather. I also have a combination convection/microwave made by Sharp, it is quite large, the enamel turntable is 15 1/4 inches in diameter. The combination roasting really speeds up roasting meats and poultry and the results are excellent. I have another Sharp, just microwave, also the largest made, and I use both to make jams and preserves. Actually cook them most of the way in the microwave and finish on the stovetop. I simply can no longer stand for hours over a cooktop, stirring jam. This way I also do not have to worry about scorching. I do prefer a gas cooktop - however I do have a countertop induction "range" that is very handy for use when I need to cook something over heat but do not want to have to stay in the room for the entire time. I have a total of 9 gas burners but certainly wouldn't go off to the store and leave something cooking over a gas burner. The induction range has a timer which really helps when I am out in the garden and lose track of time. It is also handy to take along when I am going to be cooking at someone's home, and they do not have enough burners. They have come down in price considerably since I purchased mine. induction range

I have had grease burns on my arms and plunged my arms into cold water to which ice was added to heep it cold and I kept my forearms immersed for several hours. I have only minimal scarring. When I was doing a lot of sugar work I often had burns and always alternated between ice water and cool water. No scars. The only burn that I ever had that was a problem was one that happened in a restaurant and I was treated by paramedics. They wouldn't let me put ice water on the burn. It left a large scar on my right calf which later needed plastic surgery. Last winter I tipped a pot of split pea soup and some spilled over my left hand. I immediately plunged it into ice water and got the sticky soup off my skin. I kept my hand in ice water for several minutes then alternated between cool and ice water. I only had one little blister on the web between my thumb and index finger.

I agree, 1000%!

This evening I had leftover pork adobo that my neighbor cooked yesterday evening. (I made hushpuppies as my contribution.) I had some plantains that were completely black, perfectly ripe. I cut them into 3/4 inch slices, poured 1/2 a cup of lemon juice over them and set them aside. Meanwhile I put 1/4 pound of butter and some canola oil in a skillet and as soon as the oil/butter was hot I tossed in 3 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds and a rounded teaspoon of minced garlic, stirred it until the garlic began to color. I added the plantains and cooked them until they were carmelized, added salt and pepper to taste then added 1/4 cup of sweet chile sauce and stirred for a couple more minutes. This was the best plantain dish I have ever made. It went extremely well with the pork.

I have an older U-line icemaker that has been working perfectly for 8 years. ice makers

Just check here: Recipe instructions are detailed.Watermelon rind I will say that when I am going to make watermelon rind pickles or preserves, I "shave" the melon first to remove all the green skin, before I cut it to remove the red flesh. I have an old draw knife, made for wood working, that has a 5 inch blade. It is perfect for taking the skin off a melon, particular the larger, long watermelons with the really touch skin. draw knife Yet another wood-working tool that is very handy in the kitchen for jobs that do not have a specific gadget made for them.

The kosher butcher from whom I buy chickens, usually stewing hens because he has lovely fat ones, always has them beautifully clean and wraps them in white butcher paper which he ties up with a string, then that goes into a plastic bag. So I guess it depends on the butcher.

I use mine for many things. The frozen potstickers that are so gluey when heated in the microwave come out perfectly in the steamer. I found a small metal colander with 1 inch legs that just fits in the steamer and hold things like this above the water. I cook all kinds of grains, plain and mixes, millet, wheat berries, teff, amaranth, etc., You can also make both savory and sweet steamed puddings, cooked in a deep bowl that will fit inside the steamer. You can find recipes for steamed puddings on Recipe Source on line You can find a lot of recipes here:Epicurius

There are several excellent cookbooks available at Amazon. You can click on the Amazon link at the bottom of this page and type in "steam" on the webside to get a list of the books. This site has some good general tips: http://www.grandtimes.com/Hot_Cooking.html This site has some specific recipes: http://freespace.virgin.net/yc.ks/cooking.html

Excellent suggestion for anyone that has to stand for long periods. That is exactly what my boss (ORS) has been recommending for our patients for all the years I have worked for him. Now that I have a back problem it is working for me also. If I have to stand for long periods, it is usually at the sink so I got a block of wood, scrap from a 6 x 10 beam that is a foot long, and put it on the floor of the cabinet under the sink. All I have to do is open the right hand door and I have a place to put my foot. That position locks the pelvis so you do not develop a sway-back as you would while standing flat-footed. At work I have one of the "kick-stools" Rubbermaid stepstool that rolls around as long as there is no weight on it and locks in place when it does. I have it next to the copy machine because that is the only place in the office where I have to stand for more than a minute or two. It has two levels and the lower level is just the right height. The cake decorater over at the Vons market on the west side of town has one and she puts one foot on it when she is doing most of her work and stands on top when she it working with a taller cake or using the airbrush with one of the stencils. (She is rather short.)

Wal-Mart has begun carrying Grendenes (from Brazil). Which have thick cushiony soles which are rather like athletic shoes, wide enough for my foot. I have a wide forefoot and can't wear the flip-flops with a thong between the toes because I have congenitally short toes that are also webbed. (I swim very, very well). I have been wearing these when I have do do much standing and find they are very comfortable. They have a textured insole and an inset in the heel that is nicely cushioned. And the sole is non-skid, even on wet floors, concrete, decking. I liked them so well I bought a couple of extra pairs. I use one pair in the garden, they clean up nicely. These are size 7 and they are a very large 7 - I usually wear an 8 or 8 1/2.

I love the various citrus sodas, and some of the colas. I do have to use in moderation now, since I have developed type II diabetes, but I can't use aspartame. The new Diet Rite, sweetened with Splenda doesn't really have the flavor I like. I have tried Almdudler Krauterlimonade and it is excellent. My absolute favorite soft drink is Topo Chico Tamarind, however their Sangria is also very refreshing. Since it is not readily available I buy the tamarind drink at the local Mexican market, put it in a soda siphon and carbonate it myself. Has anyone shopped at this store or ordered online? http://www.sodapopstop.com/home.cfm I have been considering making a run into L.A. on one of the Saturdays that I go to South Pasadena to shop at Bristol Farms. Their sodas are not cheap, but ever since Schwepps Bitter Lemon was discotinued at regular stores, at least in the ones in which I shop, I have been ordering it through an English shop/tea room and it costs more than at this store. I visited this store in Scottsdale and purchased a selection of soda that I brought home with me the last time I was in Arizona. http://www.popsoda.com/index.html

It also depends on the source of your chickens. I buy some of mine from a local grower who takes the order then scalds, plucks the chickens and immediately chills them so they can be picked up within the hour. It is then my responsibility to eviscerate the chicken, remove the head and feet and rinse off the bits of feathers still sticking to the skin, then singe the remaining little hair-like feathers. Chickens from the store that are in those plastic bags that usually have some liquid (from freezing and thawing) need to have that gunk washed off just before cooking. If you buy from a kosher butcher you don't need to wash it.

Broken saltines, tossed in a bowl with a tomato cut into chunks. Pepper only, the salt on the crackers is enough.......

There is this sweet/sour "thing" I do with green beans. It involves using the pickling syrup I make in gallon batches for bread and butter or watermelon pickles. Or you can use one of the "hot" spinach dressings, such as Marie's, found in the produce section of most markets out here. I snap off the stem ends of the beans, then break into 2 inch pieces. In a large skillet I bring about two cups of salted water to a boil, throw in the beans, stir them around until the water is boiling again and keep cooking until the liquid has reduced about a third. (Time depends on how hot is your burner.) Then I add about 1/2 cup of the pickling syrup (or the sweet/sour spinach dressing) about 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and continue cooking until they look about right. Spear one with a fork and taste to see if the beans are tender and taste o.k. If they still squeak when you bite on one, keep cooking a few more minutes. crumbled bacon sprinkled over the beans gives this a nice finish.

I can just about taste them. They sound sooooo good. With cornbread.... a complete meal.

Everyone seemed to have one of these back in the 40s and 50s. They even had them in restaurants. Silex was the brand of choice but they were made by several other companies. Then the electric percolator came along and they seemed to go out of fashion. I still have the bottom part of a stainless steel one made by Nicro, Model 510. The top vanished a long time ago but the bottom part has been in constant use for at least 40 years. I still have the little hot plate base that is cupped to fit the bottom of the pot and won't fit anything else.

Chipotles are very versatile, just a small amount will flavor an entire dish. I smoke and dry my own because the jals are very prolific producers and I can only give away so many. The flavor of the jal changes as it ripens and though it doensn't lose any of its "heat", the flavor mellows and becomes sweeter. I remove the seeds from the dried chipotles and from equal amounts of ancho, and pimento (Apple Heart variety)peppers, also dried. Grind them coarsly and mix with a little freshly toasted and ground cumin and coriander plus a small amount of ground star anise. The combination of flavors from the sweet and mild peppers, the spices, and the heat from the chipotles, is excellent.

I just made this for lunch. I have to say, this is the best mac and cheese I have ever made. I used the Nacho Cheese soup. I have to admit to adding a couple of spoons of Cheese Whiz. I topped it with aseinto because that is what I had. Wowser. For heartier appetites who want meat, you can brown some hamburger, add onions and tomato sauce (or stewed tomatoes) and mix it in with the mac 'n cheese. My stepson, who would never touch a "casserole" of any kind, loved this and it was the first thing he learned to cook for himself while he was still in high school. His being able to cook something besides hot dogs, that looked like a "real" dish, was astounding to his friends whom he would invite for a dinner of his own making. I used to eavesdrop and listen to them ask him what he was doing as he prepared the food, then when they tasted it would say. "Wow, this is really good!" As Rich became more comfortable with cooking, he would add little touches, such as a small can of diced green chiles or sliced black olives.