Porthos

Some post-scripts from reading reviews regarding complaints. 1) "The manuals aren't available on-line so you have to keep your hard copy handy." I downloaded the manual last evening. It took maybe 2 minutes from the start of my search to be downloading it. 2) "The drying cycle doesn't get the dishes dry." It's adjustable. The machine comes set for the shorter, more energy efficient time. A simple change to that setting allows for a longer, higher heat drying cycle. 3) "Don't like the angled basket tines." To me this means you don't want to learn to load this new style of basket. I was reminded of a quote from Beckett's Waiting on Godot: "That's man all over for you, blaming on his boots the faults of his feet."

We went with the Bosch. I pick it up tonight.

Real Life Food Funny. I'm in the kitchen doing dishes. my 27 y/o daughter calls from the family room, "Papa, what is the trinity?" I answer, "The Father, The Son..." (thinking now, wait, she knows that - oh) "Onion, celery and green bell pepper."

We are in need of replacing our dishwasher. I bought a large-capacity Whirlpool some years ago that I was very happy with. The electronics went south maybe 5-6 years ago. I liked the model well enough to buy the same one again. The electronics started givng me problems a few months ago. It randomly decides to just stop running mid-cycle and not respond to the control panel. If I reset the power it will pick up where it left off, leaving the "on" button blinking as if you had opened the door, and continue where it left off once you press the button. It has, at this point, all but completely failed. Usage: we average between 2 and 2 1/2 loads a day, including the 3 periods a year when I might run four consecutive loads in a day two or three times a week. If the machine is 5 years old (I wish I could remember better) conservatively that means I've run at least 3600 loads and would not be surprised if it was over 4000 loads. When I talked with the sales person at my local Lowes she thought that I had gotten a good life span out of it. As an aside I think I am going to go with a Bosch this time around. Here is my "seek opinions" question: Is 3600 loads, in a hard water environment, a reasonable life expectancy for a home dishwasher? RE: repairing it: Cost of repairs would run about 1/2 of what the new machine would cost, but what happens if there is something else showing its age that will break in maybe another six months?

RE the pan I found Tuesday: As far as I can tell it is a BSR Red Mountain Size 5. Before: After:

This bowl is marked as a Green's Grip... on the bottom.

It needs to be cleaned up a bit. Here is a picture of the pattern on the outside of the Green's Gripspan bowl

Squeeeee! I just found a Green's Gripstand for 6.99 USD. My daughter gets her bowl.

So if I look at a piece of Pyrex and it says USA, it is still the old formula?

She explained it but I didn't listen well.I believe they have a flat ceramic(?) cooktop. It also may be that her husband has told her that cast iron won't work. If so, I'm not getting in the middle of that discussion.

The lids snap on and off a bit easier with the Ziplocs. YMMV.

I just found my first BSR, a number 5, for $9.71 USD. Crusted beyond words and a small amount of rust. New project. I will most likely put either the Griswold 5 I have or this pan on ebay. I don't really need two number fives. My older daughter doesn't want cast iron since they have an electric cooktop that doesn't work with it. I am not sure if my younger daughter would use it once she and my SIL get a place of their own.

Non-argumentive question: What makes these superior to Ziploc plastic storage containers? Here in So Cal I can buy Ziploc virtually anywhere. If someone has serious space issues buying 40 containers and lids at a crack may be a bit problematic.

My DD and SIL know I have started restoring older cast iron skillets and gave me a new 1 - egg size cast iron skillet.

I don't have the original information anymore, but it was at least 550 F. The coating is a cobalt-ceramic combination. I routinely use them on my 16K BTU burner with no problems. When my DW and I purchased this cookware, it was my DW who really wanted me to have them since I am a "high heat" cook . She constantly worried about the heat when I was using Teflon non-stick pans. She also liked (because it's something which I am big on) that they are NSF registered (has to do with being able to be sanitized to health department standards).

Vollrath Pro-HG cookware. High temp cooking is why I own them.

Made my goal of roasting 3 new veggies. Haven't done much lately. Now for a goal for 2015 (besides hoping to still live in our house through 2015).

MY DW and I received a Farberware Open Hearth Rotisserie as a wedding gift when Carter was still president. We use regularly for several years, less for the rotisserie and more for the broiler mode of use. We still have it but have not used it in years. However, it may come into use again.

The answer to the question in the thread title: Bad idea.

Saw something today that I enjoyed. Click on the link if you're on Facebook and would like a food funnies bit of humor. https://www.facebook.com/noom/photos/a.250465808372999.60280.112936925459222/738594989560076/?type=1

Not a deal that I can pass along to others but just for the humor of it. Between snail mail,email and texts I have received at least five 20% BB&B coupons in the last week. That doesn't count the other two 20% coupons and the $5 off of $15 or more coupon already in the stack. I'll have to think about whether there is something I'd want to spend my Christmas check from my FIL on.

Shel_B, I keep bacon in the freezer successfully for 6-8 months. If you won't even use it up that fast, I suggest that you freeze it for convenience and then give it to a bacon-loving neighbor or friend. Me I'm thinking I'd be cooking the rest of the bacon, crumbling it for salads, and using the rendered fat for potato pancakes. Now I'm hungry for potato pancakes. Solution: I'll cook up a pound for Christmas morning (I have at least 2 pounds in the freezer right now) and make potato pancakes the week going into New Year's Day.

RE: Electric Skillets. As a high-schooler I prepared many a fried chicken dinner in one of those. It was the only thing I had ever seen my mother cook in it and so it was the only thing I cooked in it. I have one shoved away in a hard-to-reach part of a cabinet. The only time I have ever used it was to cook dove for my hunting companions and myself on the dove opener. A table and an extension cord outside of a motel room made for my "kitchen" that day.

Lodge 10 maiden voyage: browning beef for a stew. I had to deglaze it twice to get all of the fond.

Andie, I can't tell you how excited I am that you posted the Brats recipe. I was looking for some comfort food to make for dinner since the rain is making for a rather bleak day. I have transcribed it, added it to my recipe folder, and printed it. I'll make some home-made spatzle to go with it. I've got some Saag's Gordon Bierch Beer Brats that I will use. The only change to the recipe is that after browning the brats I will remove them and cook the onion for a bit. I have two adults in this household that strongly dislike onions that have any real texture left. Thanks!!!