Lisa Shock

Not to mention the fact that even those who do have a sous vide setup don't use it for every meat all the time. I tend to find it useful to know about as many aspects of cooking an ingredient as possible and not limit myself to just one technique. The beauty of cooking for most of us today is that we have access to a vast variety of ingredients and many types of cooking equipment, unlike in the past where most people were lucky to have the catch of the day, an herb or two, a couple of pans and an indoor fireplace.

I've only seen it cut with roller devices, either small batches with a pizza cutter or larger, full tables cut with steel rolling pins with multiple blades attached. That's how the automated and semi-automated machines work, they send candy through roller dies.

Plastic wrap formulation changed in the late1990s to remove BPA, that's why modern wrap doesn't cling as well as it used to. Also, when I taught culinary school, we had one of those machines that made tart/pie shells from a ball of dough. It was great, you could make hundreds in an hour. We used to sell pumpkin pies as a fundraiser, thousands of them, and we could never have managed without it.

On vinegar chicken, @Shelby I just read THIS this week, what a coincidence! (I think sherry vinegar may be the secret.) As for sharing, I will do it, but, I give my formulas out with weight-based measurements for dry ingredients. I think most home users are not prepared to use commercial formulas at least for baking, where we're talking gallons of water at a precise temperature, sugared yolks, diastatic malt, etc. I am also nervous about my modernist experiments, wondering if the recipient will properly hydrate xanthan gum before use, etc. Let's just say I get weird looks many times when I share. For the hot side foods, I am always up front with people about recipes from cookbooks and websites. I usually also tell a story as I give out recipes because it's the root of my fears about passing recipes on. I shared a recipe long ago with a woman who attended a workshop I had catered. It was for oatmeal cookies. It was pretty much right off the box of that famous brand of oats, except that I used butter and I added a little nutmeg. (the recipe on the box has changed, you have to get the one I am talking about on their website) I got a phone call a few days later, the woman was furious. She just kept shrieking that I owed her money because the recipe was wrong and her ingredients were ruined. I asked if she had followed the recipe and she said, "yes." Really? I pressed her about each step, so I started by asking if she thoroughly creamed the butter and sugar. Well, she then admitted that she had subbed olive oil for the butter and an equal amount of rice syrup instead. I then asked about flour and she told me she used rice flour instead of wheat. I asked about the rest of the ingredients (salt, baking powder, oats) and discovered she left out the baking powder and salt and used steel cut oats instead of old-fashioned. *facepalm* The nutmeg was the one thing she did correctly. So of course, she had a pan of hot sweet soup instead of cookies. I patiently explained that cookies rely on fats which are firm at room temperatures like butter, lard, shortening, and margarine. And how liquid sugars usually cannot be substituted in equal measure for the white stuff. And how wheat gluten binds a cookie, while rice flour can't. And then the oats. Anyway, my biggest fear is recipe tolerance: the fact that people will always tweak the recipe, and I don't want to bear the brunt of experiments gone wrong. I don't usually worry much about recipes getting out and making someone else famous. In my experience, people tweak things so much, it would be a miracle if someone managed to make money off an exact recipe of mine. Every place I have worked, one of the toughest parts is getting people to follow procedures and formulas. I developed a series of recipes for a cafe once, and the owner just let people riff on the recipes so they can be 'creative.' So, one day the tomato soup would be spicy, on another day it would be sweet, and another day it would taste like canned spaghetti sauce. I don't really care that I gave her a bunch of recipes, her employees aren't following them anyway. I also suspect that some people who ask for a recipe may not be emotionally equipped to actually make it anyway. I tend to fuss and add extras and make it all from scratch. Over time, some of my recipes have grown to be large projects. I make a version of Italian Easter Pie with three layers inside, which takes time to make and involves breaking down several raw artichokes, making a red sauce, making a white sauce, making ricotta cheese, making a crust, and more. The last time I typed it out with a complete procedural, like in culinary school, it was eleven pages long. Some of you guys would make it, but, the sweet but not so bright woman who tailors my clothes probably would be stymied by it.

He's gonna have some issues with the health department, though...😎

Greetings! I'm a Johnnie and one of my uncles was a founding member of the Eastport Yacht Club. (but, I live in Phoenix now)

Well, her character was from St. Olaf, Minnesota.

I know that Betty White is vegan, and has been for a long time. I saw an interview with her while the show was still in production. The 'cheesecake' they were eating on camera was a vegan facsimile. (Sorry, but I think some dishes shouldn't have traditional, old names if the recipe strays too far away from the classic ingredients. I just don't think that a cheese-free, dairy-free pie should be called cheesecake.) Anyway, I know she won't endorse anything but vegan recipes.

Basically, some starches form gels as they cool after being heated. That gelling process will give you a better-looking slice. And molten cheese will start to firm up as it cools, also giving a more unified product which slices better. Essentially, ask yourself "does the casserole have starch or cheese, or both?" And if so, allow it to cool a little before cutting and serving.

Actually, black cherry with hot chocolate sounds delicious.

I personally am not fond of marshmallows but also find them fairly inoffensive. I tend to think they are bland, and I prefer crunchy bits in a dessert. I would not order them, but will quietly eat them in ice cream. That said, I think that most people view them as an important perk in hot chocolate. I also think that most of the public doesn't see much difference between factory made and house-made in this case. I'd just use the commercial ones unless you get a commission for a really super-high-end client.

If you get really overheated, you can always fill the bathtub with cold water and get in. Or, a small footbath is nice, too. For food, I tend to make extra portions when I cook during hot weather. Most things will last 5-7 days, so you won't get too tired of them. Chilled cooked pasta can be different kinds of pasta salad over the next week with different dressings and components. Hardboiling a dozen eggs is always a good idea -they can be eaten sliced, devilled, or in egg salad. Sesame noodles are pretty obvious, you can make a large amount (without cucumbers or other watery vegetables) and nibble throughout the week. Fresh Japanese pickles are always refreshing. So is homemade tofu, if you like it, it can be served cold with various toppings. Fried chicken is good cold, and slaw is a classic accompaniment. Don't forget summer sandwiches! The BLT and well, anything with garden produce is good. I like to make a 'salad sandwich' on toasted bread with a little mustard on one side and vinaigrette poured lightly in the middle. You can make veggie cream cheese in a blender by blending down some celery, carrot, raw bell pepper, radish, green onion, chives, shallots, etc. in small amounts then adding cream cheese. (tomato tends to be too watery) Hummus can be the perfect snack or meal, use your slow cooker or IP to cook a couple pounds of beans. You can freeze the plain beans in smaller portions to use later. Use vegetables as dippers. Cottage cheese is a good cold lunch with a little salad or some fruit. Hope your AC is fixed soon!

It's a paper cutter! All joking aside, the one-star reviews are a bit off-putting. (although the one about sausage and parmesan cheese is weird)

Try putting your mixer on a lower speed so that the moment doesn't go by so quickly. Try to remember that you want the ingredients to just (barely) be mixed evenly, no more. With a mixer, that's often just 5-20 seconds. By hand, it can be going around the bowl with a spoon or spat about ten times. Look at the paddle in the mixer and see if you can tell how many times it goes around the bowl. More than 15 rotations is generally unnecessary. Don't worry so much about every last little lump, most will bake out anyway -and, if you sift your flour you won't have much of a lump problem anyway. Also, do not let mixed batters sit around much unless (like for crepes) the recipe tells you to rest it. Wet flour sitting around means that gluten is developing and in some cases, you'll get a result that appears like it was overmixed. With biscuits, if you're making them on the bench, you just want the shaggy mass to come together. You can press into shape and cut them with very little manipulation. A light hand is the key to light biscuits. Try to remember that biscuits are not yeasted bread and you want to avoid anything like kneading. Good luck! Hope this helps!

Yes. There's only so far down you can go on each pass or it will just jam or tear.

I have run pizza dough through a sheeter. You often need to run it through 2-3-4 times to get it thin. What temperature was the dough and what was your room temperature? You should keep the room (and thus the machine) at or below 78°F and refrigerate the dough to >40° before running it through the sheeter. The cold dough should run through the sheeter with a minimal dusting of flour. You can also try oiling the outside. At home, I like to oil the outside of pizza dough. I think it helps with the bake, much like oiling a potato for baking vs not oiling the potato. Dunno how oil will affect your particular machine, it works with some, not so well with others, some machines need to grip the raw flour to prevent the dough from sliding around. Hope this helps!

How are your knife skills? Mastering precise cuts is a fundamental skill that many home cooks don't really have but would serve them well in the long run. Almost all of your food will look better, and, with practice, you will gain speed. Speed is one of the hallmarks of a restaurant cook and will free up time for other tasks in the kitchen. And, when company comes over, they will marvel at the fluted mushrooms and the brunoise celery.

Thanks for pointing that out, I have edited that bit in. This recipe uses the 'Muffin Method' of assembly, wet ingredients mixed together, dry ingredients mixed together, then combined. (with sugar viewed as 'dry' in this case, unlike in other cakes where it's 'wet') @andiesenji, clever business there, tricking the kids! The tangy dressing contains several extra ingredients: garlic powder, sugar, spices, and extra vinegar. It contains less oil (it cannot be called mayonnaise for this reason) and less egg. However, it does contain starch which helps the cake structure. My best results for this cake have been with the MW salad dressing -which I also have a recipe for. (hmmm....)

The basic formula for these cakes was developed by the wife of a mayonnaise salesman in an effort to help him out. I did a bit of research, and have found many variations. Early variants generally involve using less cocoa, which I cannot recommend. Later variants involve using cold water instead of boiling, adding salt, and additional leaveners. I personally do not feel that any additional salt is needed, as mayonnaise and that famous, tangy brand of salad dressing (sometimes the label just says 'Dressing') both contain a fair amount of salt. If you are using homemade mayonnaise or a low sodium product, an eighth teaspoon of salt may boost the flavor a bit. And, of course, somewhere along the way fans who prefer a certain salad dressing over mayonnaise started using it to make this cake. Nowadays, the Hellman's website has a different formula -one with added eggs and baking powder. I have not tried this newer formulation. Some versions of this recipe specify sifted cake flour. This will result in a very light cake with virtually no structural integrity, due to the paucity of eggs in this recipe compared to a regular cake. Cupcakes made this way give beautifully light results. However, every time I try to make a traditional 8" double layer cake with cake flour, I experience collapse. I recommend AP flour or at least a mix of cake and pastry flour. I have never made this with a gluten-free flour replacer. This recipe does not have very much structural integrity and as such does not make a good candidate for a gluten-free cake. I have made this cake many times, the type of sandwich spread you choose will affect the outcome. Made with mayonnaise, the cake has a good chocolate flavor and moistness. Made with that famous, tangy, off-white salad dressing that gets used as a sandwich spread, the cake has a subtle bit of extra brightness to the flavor. If one chooses to use a vegan mayonnaise, the result is tasty but lacking a little in structure; I would bake this in a square pan and frost and serve from the pan. The cocoa you use will also affect the flavor. For a classic, homey flavor use a supermarket brand of cocoa. To add a little sophistication, use better, artisan type cocoa and use chocolate extract instead of the vanilla extract. Supposedly, the traditional frosting for this cake should have a caramel flavor. Look for one where you actually caramelize some sugar first. Modern recipes for the icing seem like weak imitations to me; using brown sugar as the main flavor instead of true caramel. Chocolate Mayonnaise or Salad Dressing Cake makes enough for two 8" round pans, or a 9" square (about 7 cups of batter) 2 ounces/56g unsweetened, non-alkalized cocoa 1 cup/236g boiling water 1 teaspoon/4g regular strength vanilla extract 3/4 cup/162g mayonnaise, vegan mayonnaise, or salad dressing (the tangy, off-white, sandwich spread type dressing) 10.5ounces/300g all-purpose flour 7 ounces/200g sugar 0.35ounce/10g baking soda Preheat your oven to 350°. Grease or spray two 8" round pans or an equivalent volume square or rectangle. Place the cocoa in a medium (4-5 cup) bowl. Add the hot water and stir with a fork to break up any clumps. Allow to cool down a little, then add the vanilla extract and the mayonnaise or salad dressing spread. Beat well to eliminate lumps. In the bowl of an electric mixer or larger regular bowl if making by hand, sift in the flour and add the sugar and baking soda. Mix the dry ingredients to distribute evenly. Slowly beat in the cocoa mixture. Mix until the batter has an even color. Pour immediately into the pans. If making two 8" rounds, weigh them to ensure they contain equal amounts. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the center of the top springs back when touched lightly. (The toothpick test does NOT work well on this moist cake!) Allow the cake to cool a little and shrink from the sides of the pan before removing. Removal is easier while still a little warm. Good with or without frosting. Good beginner cake for kids to make.

One of the best antique books I own is a tiny pocket pastry reference by Paul Richard circa 1900. It's rare, and I wouldn't take one to work so my advice is to make your own pocket reference. Go to an office supply store and buy a couple of those little (3¼ x 4½") blank books that look like miniature composition books and are bound on one side. (these are tougher than the spiral bound ones) Just start writing down recipes and shortcuts and temperatures. Take note of failures, so you do not repeat them. Take notes on what your boss likes/hates. Being clean starts with not leaning. Many home cooks lean up against counters and such, don't do it. Also, try to figure out the cleanest way possible to perform every action, so the cumulative mess is lessened. I used to just imagine I was on a tv competition and a commentator was constantly critiquing my sanitation. Keep your sanitation bucket clean. "Chocolate work isn't messy, you're messy!" -Ewold Notter Stake out freezer space. Freeze small slabs of leftover cake, leftover cookie dough, puff dough, and carefully store ice cream to reduce freezer burn. This way, you can pull out an emergency dessert with very little effort. Good luck!

@liuzhou, thank you and thanks to your friend! For anyone interested, I found THIS with a brief bio of the seven sages.

So, I found this item for $.99 at a local Goodwill. I am wondering if anyone here who reads Chinese (I think it's Chinese, I could be wrong!) can give me any sort of clue about its function. ( @liuzhou ) It appears to be a vase. It has a lot of writing on the side along with images of people listening to a speaker, maybe making a bed and some other tasks. There is just one mark on the bottom, and it is almost unreadable because the glaze apparently flowed too much. I have a feeling that the item has some age to it, as the glaze has crazing. Any thoughts? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I use my cleaver.

All true, but there is a broader study in the works. And in general, restaurants have caved in to rubbish research. Think about how many places advertise that their food is MSG free, despite there being no such thing as 'Chinese Restaurant Syndrome.' I'm just saying, don't be surprised when customers start asking if your white sugar flowers or white bonbons have titanium dioxide in them.

Yes, HERE's a recipe.