FauxPas

Finally located some of my pics (moved from one house to another, just switched to a new laptop, etc): Pork tenderloin cooked at 150F with Steam only (for about an hour?). When meat was a little above 140F, seared it in a hot pan for a few minutes. Meat was a little above 150 when served, I believe. Still had a lovely little bit of pink (not sure how clear the pic is) and meat had a lovely texture - so easy to dry pork out, but this stayed moist. Probably best pork tenderloin I have made! I thought I also had pic of final presentation but details are meat sliced and served over fresh baby spinach, fresh chopped mushrooms. Blueberry-onion sauce served on top. Some fresh sliced Campari tomatoes on side.

rotuts, thank you so much for your complete write-up and photos! I hope you'll share your future 'experiments' also. Really happy to hear that you have finally had a chance to try out the Cuisinart. One question: When you say (above) that you used Full Steam @ 400, do you mean the Super Steam setting?

I also liked the write-up that accompanied that image on the Web page: http://www.genuineideas.com/ArticlesIndex/combi.html Nice little discussion about how humidity can improve the cooking process - and very interesting comparison of using the Cuisinart Steam Oven for cooking chicken!

I've been using the oven so much that it requires topping up every few days. Instead of just adding more water, I rinse it out and occasionally add a bit of vinegar to the rinse water before refilling with tap water. I don't think I'd leave it sitting for more than a week or two without rinsing and refilling but maybe the steam function itself makes this unnecessary?

There is the Sharp SuperSteam Microwave Convection but it's a bit pricier: http://www.sharpusa.com/ForHome/HomeAppliances/Microwaves/Archives/AX1200S.aspx Amazon reviews here: http://www.amazon.com/Sharp-AX-1200K-SuperSteam-Multi-Purpose-Black/dp/B001QFYDRE

I don't work with chocolate so I can't speak to the specific tools and equipment you might have. I'm no expert on organizing either, but I like the challenge of creating good work space so I'll throw out a couple of general ideas. Your tables take up most of the lower wall space and it looks like have you already have filled most of the space below those tables. However, there are inexpensive plastic units with sliding drawers (in various sizes)if you wanted to put some smaller items together and still keep it below the tables. That might help organize a few things. It looks like you have used lower wall and floor space around the edge of the room. That leaves upper walls (where there are no windows), the ceiling and the middle of the room on the floor. If your space allows it, you could have some kind of central island (making use of the middle of the room/floor) - can't tell if the room is large enough for this, though. You could use the ceiling to suspend something like a pot rack or baskets. You have some single shelves above the tables - it looks as though those shelves would fit below the windows and you could then use this space for cabinets which could hold more than a single shelf. This does mean buying some cabinets but home stores usually have less expensive ones for storage. But as I said, I don't know your working materials and tools very well, so these types of storage may not suit your needs!

I have an LG fridge with separate digital temp control for fridge and freezer also, but i have never tested to see how accurate the interior temps are compared to the settings. I suspect that you may have done so - if so, wondering how they matched up? Or maybe I should get one of those little Thermoworks ones and find out! :-) Also, your dog story made me laugh, especially filing down the dog bite marks.

I recently bought the Cuisinart Combo Convection Steam Oven and it has a Super Steam function recommended for rice cooking. I just tried it and was very pleasantly surprised. It's very easy - I just used a Corningware casserole dish, put in rice and water, covered and let it steam cook at 300F for 25 mins. The rice was almost perfect (I'd probably use a tad more water for my rice than what they recommended.) Although I occasionally thought about buying a rice cooker, I just kept using the stovetop. Most of the time, the results were OK but the Cuisinart is far easier!

Anna, I completely understand that you don't want more countertop appliances! But if you could find the space, I would love to see what you do with the steam functions of the Cuisinart!

They tell me that the middle upper element has a lower wattage than the others and its function is to help balance the heat in order to create a more even baking/toasting outcome. It's not required for broiling.

I find it really useful. Keep an eye out for sale prices!

I have been using this little oven quite a bit and really feel that it was a good purchase. I've made mini-baguettes, reheated a lot of leftovers, steamed a lot of veggies and used it more and more for basic cooking. I steamed a pork tenderloin the other day which turned out wonderfully. Steamed at 150F and then pan-seared and it came out with just the slightest hint of pink in the centre and not at all dried out. It's a great little oven to use for cooking for two. In warm weather it is a great alternative to a full-size oven as it doesn't require much or any preheating and the room stays cooler. I have a few pics that I took but can't find them right now. I'll try posting them later. In the meantime, I have a question for other owners. There are two elements in the bottom of the oven and three in the top. Four of the five elements heat up and illuminate or turn orange/red at high heat but the centre upper element never does get that hot. I was wondering if this was a defect in my oven but when I emailed the support site, they replied and said it was working properly as is. Still, I'd like to check with other owners - do all five of your elements heat right up or just the same four as mine? Also here is a blog devoted to cooking with the VZUG Combi-Steam oven. Because it has some unique settings, not all recipes are easily translated but it looked like there might be a few ideas: http://combi-steamqueen.blogspot.com.au/ And here's a web site that has similar intent but I think the content is different. (Sorry, only had time to quickly glance at them, but thought they might be relevant to this thread.) http://steamcookinguk.net/

Apparently not all of the Chicago Metallic bakeware is made in the US; some is made in China. Some items still get good overall reviews, but the quality may vary and I don't think they identify the gauge. Some of these are lower-priced items. For example, see the first review on this Amazon product: http://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Metallic-26639-Nonstick-Petite/dp/B00134LXB2 And from the Chicago Metallic website: While there are consumer pans that bear the brand name Chicago Metallic, there is only one Chicago Metallic that carries the Bundy Eagle and offers pans that are made exclusively in the USA. http://www.cmbakeware.com/ I believe the bakeware that is made in the US will have the Bundy Eagle and state "made in the US". When they sold the rights to a Chinese company to use the name Chicago Metallic, I think they excluded the Bundy Eagle. Can someone correct me if I am wrong on this, please?

rotuts, the Chicago Metallic is 16 gauge, made in USA. I did see the ones you linked to and wondered about them, as they seem to get very decent reviews overall. I suspect they are made in China and gauge is a mystery, but might be worth a shot at that price.

Amazon has an individual one of the Chicago Metallic 41800 listed, sold by Drill Spot. It's not inexpensive though - $11.88 + $6.77 shipping, US. I don't see the same one on the Canadian Amazon site and not sure about shipping costs to Canada. It's only 16 gauge but that may be the best available? I wish more of us lived closer together because I think it would be easy to find six of us who each wanted a couple of these pans! Chicago Metallic 1/8 sheet pan

French is not my first language and I do struggle with correct translations. Google will translate but it's not perfect, as Tri2Cook says. Here's what I get running it through Google Translate: I do think that the translation of 3 cl to 3 cups of water is wrong. I think it's more likely that it should be 3 cl or 3 centiliters which is 30 ml or close to 2 Tbsp. Can anyone else comment on this? Also, as jmachaughtan says, they are basically just meringue and French buttercream, so you can always search for techniques for making these individual items as well. For example, here is a nice little post on how to make French buttercream - I liked it because it shows something going wrong and how to correct it. http://www.joepastry.com/category/pastry-components/buttercream/french-buttercream/

Wow, thanks for posting with all the pics! What were your faves? Anything that didn't quite work? How did your visit compare to previous visits?

Here's a recipe in French. (If you need help with translation, just give a shout-out, there are several here who can help!) http://allrecipes.fr/recette/10884/merveilleux-individuel.aspx The link came from this PRI piece: http://www.pri.org/stories/2013-12-04/got-sweet-tooth-belgian-pastry-chef-brings-merveilleux-new-york

Are those forsythia blossoms?

I'm a southpaw and there are definitely some things in kitchens that are designed for R-handers more than L-handers - serrated knives have the serrations on the wrong side for things like bread-slicing, manual can-openers are a super-pain, ladles pour the wrong way, measuring marks on cups or pots often can't be read while holding in the left hand, and spatulas are always slanted the wrong way (is this the problem with the batter-folding that you mentioned, by any chance?). I bet i organize my home kitchen differently than a R-hander would. I prefer my spoons and ladles and tongs handy to my left hand while cooking. I stand to the right when using the controls on a right-handed appliance like a microwave or a toaster oven, while a R-hander stands comfortably in front. If I'm chopping a bunch of veggies, I want to direct the end results to the left in most cases, not the right. If you have a tight kitchen and it's set up for right-handed work, a southpaw might find it more awkward to do the same tasks. Their ideal work flow will be a bit different. There are some nice kitchen tools for south-paws. If I worked in a kitchen I would probably bring some of my own knives with me. Check out web sites like Lefty's in San Francisco or Anything Left Handed in the UK to see why these might be beneficial. http://www.leftyslefthanded.com/Lefthanded_Kitchen_Tools_s/3.htm http://www.anythinglefthanded.co.uk/videos/kitchen-tools.html#sthash.hsPIUqer.dpbs Try working in your kitchen with your left hand for a few minutes at several different tasks, I bet you'll see how some things differ. I don't think you'll find many left-handed appliances, by the way. And I'm not sure why your L-handers seem to be bad at chopping or cut themselves a lot, but you could encourage them to try bevelled blades for L-handers? (thought I wouldn't think this would be necessary, in most cases) http://www.amazon.com/Shun-DM0706L-Classic-Left-Handed-Stainless-Steel/dp/B000FR5TB8 http://www.anythinglefthanded.co.uk/acatalog/chef_knives.html

Looking forward to your participation in the forums!

It's a pretty good price. I bought one for about $69 through Target - the Aroma. I think they would be fairly similar though the Rosewill seems a bit better. The Rosewill has 8 heat settings, the Aroma has 7. Also mine is only 1500 watts, while the Rosewill is 1800. And the Rosewill allows you to set either by wattage or temp, the Aroma just gives you a setting of Warm, or 1 - 6. The Aroma single cooktop was my introduction to induction cooking and I love it. I might get a full-size induction cooktop soon, as a result. If you are interested in trying out induction for the first time, $50 is a great intro price. More reviews at Amazon, where the price is a bit higher (note that people say the pot that comes with it is pretty crappy): Rosewill 1800 watt induction cooker

Also, if Canadians are interested in this oven, I see that HBC (The Bay) has it on sale for $224.99 Cdn. http://www.thebay.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/en/thebay/combo-steam--convection-oven-0016-cso-300c--24

Your bread looks quite appealing! It seems some toaster ovens give overcooked areas but yours looks nicely and evenly baked, is that the case? I tried out the oven for the first time last night (have been travelling), and I love the Steam Bake function. I made a meat loaf in the full-size oven the night before and wanted to reheat some for a second dinner. The Cuisinart's Steam Bake was perfect for reheating - nicely heated throughout and no drying out. The bit of steam really kept things moist. About 15 minutes on Steam Bake at about 300F. Really want to try some fresh salmon and artichokes.

I often do this as well - sometimes I dice them before freezing and then use them in fried rice or chili or soups or a cooked salsa. If I'm really rushed, I throw them in the freezer whole. They can be cut up later. Also, here is info from UNL Extension: https://food.unl.edu/preservation/freezing-peppers (I also freeze raw tomatoes whole - just wash and cut out the stem, they can be peeled later.) More guidelines for freezing veggies: https://food.unl.edu/preservation/freezing-vegetables Raw onions also can be frozen, though I have never bothered.