Porthos

In a magazine we get was a recipe for a Rum Raisin Chocolate Bark. We decided to add that to this year's Christmas Cookie Tins. Unfortunately, we don't remember which magazine it was in and now can't find the recipe. This was a rather involved recipe and called for multiple kinds of chocolate and I'm thinking there was some sugar taken to a soft ball (or softer) stage. Can anyone here help us?

@Jacksoup I can't speak for others but the engineer in me likes the photos of the work in progress.

I was out of state for almost a week and finally caught up on this thread. I read with interest the various perspectives put forth on vehicles, trailers, and motor homes. Growing up here in southern California my family of origin progressed from tent camping to a smallish tent trailer just for the parents to a small travel trailer and camper. By the time I was out of high school my parents had settled on a larger travel trailer and pickup with camper shell. I joined the Air Force 12 days out of high school and while in I discovered the wonders of backpacking. Since I had been a lifelong mountians-to-walk-about-in kind of guy I knew that a spouse would have to share a least some enjoyment of this out-of-doors recreation. I met my DW at a summer camp in southern Calif where we were both working. This western-themed camp and her being there was proof that we could enjoy the outdoorsy stuff together. LIttle did I know that she had done some backpacking. As married life moved forward and our children were born we stopped backpacking for a while, not knowing that health issues would prevent returning to that passtime. We did continue to tent-camp through our daughters' growing up years. Several years ago we realized that tent camping would not work when we reached retirement. we also enjoy lakeside fishing from chairs. My attempts at fly fishing are a thing of the past. We very much still want to be in the out of doors when we can but have chosen, when retirement comes for her (I am already unwillingly retired) to pull a smallish travel trailer with a truck but still set up a outdoor kitchen and mostly use the trailer as sleeping quarters, cooking inside when the weather doesn't cooperate. My eldest sister and her late husband did this for around two decades. That is the vision. Here is the reality. My DW has severe arthritis in her feet and has developed scoliosis. I have a degenerative condition in the base of my spine that will eventually cause me to not be able to walk unaided. I want to keep the dream alive and hope we can still travel this way. Only time will tell. I have mulitple large RV sales lots to choose from within a half hour's drive. I think the time has come for me to start looking and see if I will one day be able** to share my DW's and my adventures, culinary and otherwise, with my egullet friends. In the meantime, I welcome this vicarious journey. Thanks, Smithy. ** Able as in seeing that my future mobilty issues can be reasonably worked with.

Susan, it is good to see you again. I I'll be looking forward to new reports next spring.

My daughter and son-in-law eloped on Christmas Eve 3 years ago. They had a vow renewal ceremony at Epcot's Japan Pavillion this past Tuesday and a few parties to celebrate the event. Besides doing the theme park thing we wanted to eat at one place in particular. Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant in Disney Springs, part of Walt Disney World, was simply a must-do. They feature live music and since we are a bit partial to celtic music (but no great depth of knowledge) this was a little slice of heaven for us. My DW had the Fish and Chips but with colcannon potatoes instead of chips. She felt the fish was properly cooked but underseasoned. The tartar sauce made up for that. I chose Bangers & Booz (Guinness and onion banger on top of mash, with a beef stew for a base). To accompany it I had a brew that is exclusive to them, an Irish Whiskey Coffee Stout. It was tasty and well-balanced and went well with my entree. So-so photo - I rarely photograph my food. If you appreciate good pub food you should consider this if you are ever in the area.

Thanks, Shelby. I always look forward to this. I have a brick-and-mortar WS about 4 miles from me. I can't remember the last time I looked around there. In the past I have purchased some appliances that were truly good deals but my buying power isn't what it used to be. The last time I did wander through with my DW I was reminded of just how poor the right store can make me feel.

Nice write-up. My circle of FB friends (unfortunately no one is anywhere near you) now know what wonderful things you are doing.

Such people are always surprised when I tell them that there is no such thing as stomach flu, that influenza is a respiratory illness. I am polite about it. If I ever lose a friendship over telling the truth I will deal with it. Truth is extremely important to me but, to use a biblical phrase, my attempt is to always be speaking the truth in love.

I guess I cheat. I heat the water in my SV pot on the stove, using my 16K BTU burner, to just under my target temperature. I put my choice of meat in the bags and seal them while the pot is on the stove. I am not adverse to technology (I'm a retired electronics engineer) but I never use the Smartphone App to control my Anova. The wheel and button work just fine for me. Side note: I received an email from Anova linking to some recipes. I thought the idea of SV Scalloped Potatoes sounded interesting ... until I saw that you SV the potatoes, then assemble the dish and put it into the oven.

My daughter who lives with me ordered a Black-Friday-priced Multipot. It arrived today. Now I have to store away my larger crock pot (seldom used) to make room on the counter. I told her I would happily make space for it.

Found these this morning for a buck apiece. I just need to get by Arrow Restaurant Supply to pick up a couple of lids.

LIke Martin, I have a folder in my browser bookmarks with links to view all of the markets that I shop at (nope, Aldi isn't in there ). I mostly look for meat prices and soda prices. The major exception to that is in the springtime when I look for loss-leader deep discounts on BBQ sauces and Lawry's marinades and such. We go through a lot of these in my spring ren faire kitchen and, since the feast budget is fixed, every penny I save on these items lets me buy better quality meat and produce.

Can you give me any more info or links on Sous Vide yogurt?

Go to page 7 of the thread and scroll down to the post by Hassouni. It is the method I use. I have 3 pans waiting now, but they need to wait until after the early December destination wedding on the other coast from where we live. I made the mistake, ONCE, of burning off the old seasoning and crud, then setting the pan aside for a month or so, Never again.

This is not an exact anwer to your question but I provide it for an information point. In the early 1900s Berkeley Farms created a process to produce a cream with an even higher fat content, their manufacturing cream. There was a dairy here in southern California that also made it. 2 or 3 years ago the one here in southern CA became unavailable and then we were told tht the law was requiring them to re-label the product and they claimed their "heavy cream" was just manufacturing cream with a new label. Well, they lied. They used lower fat cream and added stabilizers and such. It did not work properly in the applications in my ren faire guild's Tea With The Queen's scones and whipped cream. The whipped cream was not stable and broke down rather rapidly, wouldn't hold firm peaks. Looking at the USDA's Food Standards and Labeling Policy Book pure does not seems to be a regulated term. As I was looking this up I remarked to my DW that is probably like "professional" cookware.

Does anyone have experience with this 1500 watt Tramontina induction how?

My daughter (mid-thirties and cooks well) asked for Yukon Gold potatoes for the mashed potatoes for our U.S. Thanksgiving meal. I have found Yukon Gold potatoes in the past but now all I have found in the couple of markets I checked in are "gold" potatoes. Is this a trademark name that growers and vendors are trying to get around? Something else? Any insights would be helpful.

I restore vintage cast iron as an occasional hobby. Something here just doesn't sound right.

Not much information on the interior surface prior to seasoning. I would be hard pressed to spend my shekels without more, much more information.

I have been nothing but happy with my Bluetooth.

I have learned to not fear failure. Failing means I still trying and still in the game.

After 5 hours I declare this a major fail. The veggies are soft but the volatile essences have cooked away, leaving a soft, rather flavorless mass of cooked veggies.

The Crockpot mirepoix experiement has begun. Two gigantic onions, a head of celery and about 1 1/4 pound of carrots (not quite the classic 2:1:1 ratio).

You left the Spatten on the shelf. That is indeed sad. I am really enjoying your reporting of your latest travels.

@boilsover I agree with the blurring of terminology. Part of it is how written materials on the subject present the information. Because of my curiosity I just consulted 3 books on the subject of knives & knife Skills and a broader book titled Cook's Tools by Susan Campbell, copyright 1980. In her book she clearly differentiates between the bolster and guard. The other three book were The Culinary Institute of America's The Professional Chef's Knife Kit, Knife skills Illustrated by Peter Hertzmann and our own Chad Ward's An Edge in the Kitchen. These three books, all with copyrights of 2000 or later, do not call out the guard as a separate part of a knife.