Chris Amirault

I think this makes perfect sense from a theoretical perspective. A hamburger should be loosely held together when carefully formed and has air pockets between the strands of meat. Put it under vacuum and you make a sense puck out of it that won't crumble the same way a loose patty will. I'm sure the myocin protein has something to do with that as well. There is more meat to meat contact so the protein binds more of the meat strands together. My guess is: what Jason said. I can't confirm with double-blind anything, but if you had had the burgers I sealed to 99% using my spiffy new chamber sealer, well, you'd have no need for blindfolds. Same meat, same patty formations, same temps, same time: the four additional burgers I made using the Ziplok method were perfect (yes, best burgers ever, all that), whereas the four that were chamber sealed literally bounced when I dropped them on the counter.

The modernist fried chicken would be an excellent thing to teach, and you'd get to play with a wide variety of techniques and ingredients, most of which (save Activa) are easy to find.

Agreed. Background in so many things...

Don't vacuum seal them, though, as they get rubbery. Just put 'em in a Ziplok bag and push the air out by submerging them in water.

Doh! Thanks.

No, never have tried or heard of it.

After spending the better part of an afternoon waiting for chana dal to cook, I threw in the towel and ordered this Presto 6Q stainless steel pressure cooker. Given the recent outlay for MC-related purchases, I decided to go inexpensive at first. Photos and info to follow.

Agreed with all the advice above, and would add that ex-Society host Ed Hamilton's Ministry of Rum is an invaluable source of information. Don't use Bacardi. Just don't. Instead, look for relatively inexpensive quality rums like Don Q, Matusalem, and Flor de Caña. See if you can find some rhum agricole. Whole nother world.

I'll be following this closely. If possible, I'd set up a few different baths at different temperatures -- 55C, 60C, 75C, 85C, say -- and stick a few different things in each. Having a 24h gap between classes could provide some pretty informative results.

Has Kansas City suddenly experienced accelerated climate change? Or are those limes and lemons coming from, you know, elsewhere?

I think that "cured" is a key component of confit, as it is a preparation that historically existed to preserve the meat. I'm not sure, therefore, what a non-cured confit would be. Oil-poached?

I generally avoid these things, but on trips they are a cheap, portable alternative to the sort of expensive, crappy transit food that you find in airports, on planes, and so on. At the store preparing for a road trip to NYC last weekend, I grabbed a bunch of Clif bars on sale. I like the peanut butter and black cherry almond best, though the family devoured the cool mint chocolate" ones. They aren't the greatest things in the world, though, so I'm eager to hear your recommendations. Surely there are better versions out there....

Now and then I'll dash in a few drops of Maggi seasoning for the glutamates. Last night, to give a dish (brussels sprouts with coriander & lemon) a bit more tang, I sprinkled in a bit of citric acid. No need to broadcast it to everyone eating, of course. You?

Mais oui! Those are some surprising numbers!

Don't feel dumb! This is how we all learn around here. While you're using that fat in emulsions, try it in your favorite vinaigrette. Warm bacon dressing served with a frisee, egg, and lardon salad is one of life's great pleasures.

Tiresome how?

In support of a dedicated deep fryer: I've moved our Waring out to the "three-season room," where it sits with oil and good ventilation. I've found that, with the extra room now, it's much easier to decide, "Hey, what about fried X?", fire it up, and have it on the table along with everything else. Of course, you could do the same with a dedicated induction cooktop and dutch oven....

What happened?

I'm with Mitch. I hate, hate, hate having dirty dishes in the sink throughout the day. It effectively prevents using the sink as a tool in cooking, prep, etc.

Does the effect of salting the fat change its texture markedly? I'd think it would for fresh sausages in particular...

We have two friends that have installed two dishwashers in their newly built home for exactly that reason. They also have two sets of dishes, glassware, and silverware so that they're never "out." Finally, they built less cabinetry since, well, virtually all of the stuff that would go in cabinets goes in dishwashers.

It's been a while since we last talked about the Edible Communities publications. Given the news that The James Beard Foundation awarded the group its 2011 Publication of the Year Award,it seemed high time for a new topic. Full disclosure: I am a regular contributor to the RI publication, Edible Rhody. What are the Edible mags in your neck of the woods? What are they like? What role do they play in your food community?

I'd like to think that it does, indeed, offer better release, but... no.

What pressure cooker do you have, Andrew?

So just to be clear: you #2 types let the sink fill with dirty dishes from several meals until it's filled? Do you just avoid using the sink during that time?