Porthos

I buy Alta Dena manufacturing cream at Smart & Final but I've never seen it anywhere else. Schlepping around in an RV has never really appealed to me but I'm very much enjoying the opportunity to go along with you! California law changed last year., Manufacturing cream as a product was originally created by Berkeley Farms up in the San Francisco area. Last year thanks to our intrepid state lawmakers "manufacturing Cream" become illegal to use as a product title. So for now Alta Dena HEAVY whipping cream is their 40% butterfat product. I have to acquire this in the springtime for use in our Ren Faire Tea With The Queen kitchen.

"My curiosity question is this: If you went to a culinary school ... " You may have indirect ties to the culinary program, but this question was asked of those who went to culinary school. Is there anyone else out there who went to culinary school that would like to answer the question I posted in the beginning of this thread?

Peeps-flavored milk? The end must sure be close at hand. Now to go treat the nausea that just thinking about Peeps-flavored milk has induced.

I would if I could. I just know that it is his first class. I am not in contact with him all that much when it is not faire season. I will start seeing him weekends soon. If i know him, he probably doesn't know much about the content, just that it's his first class. Did you have to take any business courses when you were getting your culinary training?

A "faire nephew" who cooks in my ren faire kitchen will be starting a 2-year culinary program that leads to an AA from a local college. Something that impressed me is that the first class you take is on business. This is not terrilby important but got me to wondering how common is it . My curiosity question is this: If you went to a culinary school, were business classes offered, and if offered, were they a requirement for completion of your certificate/degree?

I finally bought some cushion meat, 3 pieces. I'm thinking that my first go will be a low-heat crock pot treatment to make pork tacos with.

I have pulled out the filter, very easy to do, once to check for buildup and saw none. I wasn't too surprised since I scrub the dishes before they go in. Since I can't give up this practice (we all have our idiosyncrasies) I use the express wash cycle which in the high-heat drying mode is still only an hour long.

I more carefully read that part of the manual dealing with drying temperatures and I had misunderstood the difference in drying choices. There is no drying heater element. The lower-energy setting uses a lower rinse water temperature and a very short evaporation time before indicating the end of the cycle whereas the higher-energy drying cycle is achieved by heating the incoming rinse water to a higher temperature and then lengthening the drying cycle to allow for more evaporation. I'm glad for the feedback that challenged me to check on what I was missing. Thanks.

I thought I would comment on my thoughts regarding the Bosch Dishwasher since I used it for several weeks now. Things I really like: The "add rinse aid" light is way better than the "float in a window" on my last machine. It is very quiet. It does a very good job of the final cleaning of the dishes (see post 17). I like the fact that the steam vents out though the drain instead of into the air directly. I appreciate the flatware basket design, 2 identical halves which can be split apart, allowing you to remove one, when you have only a few pieces of flatware and want extra space for other things. Things I don't care for: The angled tines in the rack having various spacings and directions made learning to load this machine efficiently a bit of a chore; I mostly have that down now. The count-down timer doesn't count down linearly when it goes into the drying cycle. The flatware baskets have an odd 2-level stepped bottom and you need to be a bit careful to get the flatware in all of the way. Something that I missed when looking at the machine that I feel is sorely needed but doesn't have: You can not choose an unheated drying cycle. You can choose a shorter or longer cycle but not a "no heat" drying cycle. I prefer to dry my food processor parts on a no-heat cycle. All in all, I am happy with this machine.

Sounds tasty. I see you use the Better Homes and Gardens brand of seal-able canisters. They are what I use in my faire kitchen for the few things that are stored in canisters. I like flipping the latch and having the latch provide a handle to handle it by. The Oxo with the push button isn't bad, I just like these a little more. Of course there is the bonus of lower cost than Oxo also.

Shel, that is a really nice looking cutting board.

Although mirrored, your kitchen reminds me of the second apartment my DW and I rented. I found the layout of that galley kitchen very easy to cook in. In those days we never cooked for more than 4 people including ourselves when we had friends over to dinner. Does you space serve you well?

Copper was my first thought.

Liz, it's interesting that they effectively give themselves away. I spent 18 months in Daytime Custodial Guest Services (yeah - that's sweeping, emptying trash, etc) and was mystery-guest-shopped several times. They have several things that you are "tested on" but I never once knew that the guests I assisted were mystery shoppers. You may be doing the company a favor if you alert them to the fact that their mystery shoppers are easily identified after a few visits. It is skewing the data they receive.

Love your offset smoker.

No. Since I don't own any and I've been very happy with my results I doubt I will. Nothing against others doing it.

Upthread a few posts Hassouni posted the video that I follow. Jeffery Rogers made this most informative video. ETA: If the pan is especially gunky I use my BBQ with the burners turned up enough to reach 550 F. Gunky pans can really stink up the house.

I use his method and I choose do it with Crisco. I have been pleased with the results of his system. I have a BSR #8 skillet waiting for me to get feeling a bit better (been under the weather) to finish prepping and then season. I've used this method on Lodge, Griswold, BSR and on both a no-name griddle and a no-name dutch over.

From my original post: I call foolishness in asking someone to stock unsalted butter in cases like the one above, which is very typical. (Bold added for emphasis). I also, in a post down from my original post, clarified the point that I don't really bake. My point was in reference to cooking as opposed to baking. I thought that the recipe I referred indicated cooking, not baking. I can't ever recall baking something that called for chicken stock.

On the issues of preferences: I detest the taste of unsalted butter on my toast. That's me, others are allowed to enjoy a different taste.

Since I don't bake to speak of I do not weigh ingredients for my everyday cooking When I do bake the majority of the time I do weigh.

I am always fascinated by recipes that call for unsalted butter but have you add salt. I use only one brand of butter and I know how much salt is in a stick. I saw a recipe yesterday that called for 3 Tbl of unsalted butter and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Since 3 Tbl of my butter contains 1/8 tsp salt, for that small amount I won't even adjust the salt going in, particularly since the recipe uses chicken broth and DOES NOT specify sodium-free. I call foolishness in asking someone to stock unsalted butter in cases like the one above, which is very typical. For people with salt sensitivities they already know what they need to do to control their exposure so that certainly shouldn't be a factor in creating a generally available recipe.

I'll be trying the ATK recipe after my current mild illness is behind me. I also bought some carnaroli rice for another run at risotto.

No pictures from last week but... I found a made-in-USA Corning French White shallow casserole in mint condition for 1.80 USD. I found 2 Cambro 4 qt round containers for 89 cents each. I don't normally post my "ren faire finds" but I did score an RWP WIlton fluted bowl for putting messing things in for serving the head table for 6.00 USD. A couple of weeks ago I found a BSR Red Mountain series #8 cast iron skillet to recondition and sell on ebay. I paid 7.19 USD. I am still enjoying the cleaning-and-reseasoning of cast iron but I don't begin to need every piece I find and as I have commented there isn't anyone in my current circle of friends that want them. I spend one afternoon a week going to thrift stores, anywhere from 5 to 9 stores.

I used orzo and basmati rice. I am pretty sure that when my wife and I made it maybe 30 years ago we used long grain rice and vermicelli.