Shel_B

What do you consider a reasonable price, and what size saucepan are you looking for? I have a couple of Calphalon Contemporary skillets that have done yeoman's duty for more than five years, and they are still going strong. It's my understanding that the Contemporary series comes in induction ready stainless. I like the skillets I have so much that I bought another set just to be sure that I'd have them for a long time.

So, how does one make apple butter? Got a recipe or some techniques you care to share?

Judy Rodgers has a nice recipe for a roasted apple sauce in her Zuni Café cookbook - it can be found on line easily enough - and she uses those roasted apples in a nice, simple Charlotte as well. There's always an apple flognarde or clafoutis ... easy and delicious. If you need some recipes, let me know. I can send you a few ....

Thanks for the ideas. Later today I'll be harvesting some kale from our garden, and I'll start experimenting with technique this evening.

Well, I don't want chips, just something that has some light crunch around the edges but where a good portion of the leaf has some texture, but not so much as to become brittle. I'm convinced that with the right time/temp, and proper prep, I can get a leaf that has that crunchy-soft combination. I suspect that the edges of the leaves will get crunchy long before the center part. I do like the idea of kale croutons ... that's brilliant! Thanks!

Your question makes it seem that there are several ways to roast kale. I was just going to trim the leaves, add a scosh of olive oil, maybe some S&P, and put the kale in a slow oven for a few minutes. Right now, I'm not sure of the time and temp, but I was thinking of about 250-275 degrees for seven to ten minutes, with constant observation.

I want to make a roasted kale salad, but I suspect that adding dressing, even minimal dressing, will cause the kale to lose any "crunch" it may have. Is there a way to maintain the crunchiness with the use of a dressing? Perhaps adding the dressing immediately before eating would mitigate the problem. Or perhaps a certain kind of dressing would be helpful in this situation. I'm also thinking of adding roasted crimini mushrooms to the kale along with slow baked and well drained bacon, if that makes a difference. Thanks.

Article in The Atlantic: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2010/01/pasta-showdown-artisan-vs-industry/33127/

Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rMUjG07xiA

It can happen anywhere. I trust none of the supermarket olive oil brands, and, sad to say, feel uneasy about buying some of TJ's olive oils. I'm just going to stick to the producers I know and trust. Fortunately, there are many such producers in California, and lots of places to buy their products around the San Francisco Bay Area.

. These additives are the additives of enriched flour. That is required by law I believe.I'm not so sure about that since I have seen the ingredient lists of numerous pastas, and many do not contain these, or any other, additives. If these ingredients are "required by law," how is it Trader Joe's sells pasta without such "enrichment?" Is TJ breaking the law? Shall we call the Pasta Police? <LOL>

I agree with Lisa, but there's also more to the situation. Generally (and I say generally because I do not know how every pasta is made), the pastas made with bronze dies are dried for longer times and at lower temperatures. This time/temp routine changes the taste, and, I believe, the texture of the pasta. In addition, the good artisan, bronze die pastas, are often made with a much simpler ingredient list - frequently no additives at all are used. As an easy example (because I just bought some), TJ's organic Italian pasta is made with just flour and water. Read the ingredient lists of some of the "commercial" pasta brands. The listed ingredients on a box of Barilla spaghetti is: Semolina, Durum Flour, Niacin, Iron (Ferrous Sulfate), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid (Vitamin aB)

No, it's not ... I only made the sprouts like that once, so I never got to play around with the idea and refine it - balance the ingredients, add some other ingredients, play with times and temps, etc. I do believe the idea has merit and with some experimentation could result in a tasty and exciting presentation.

I roasted Brussels sprouts on the stem once a couple of years back. I cut the stem into three or four sections, oiled the sprouts, added S&P, and gave 'em a nice, slightly charred finish. I then served 'em on the stalk. Made a neat and different presentation. If I recall correctly, I rotated the stalks during the roasting to get more even cooking. They turned out OK ...

In a NY Times article, Harold McGee suggests that one needn't use 4 quarts of water to cook a pound of pasta (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/25/dining/25curi.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0). In a You Tube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zkz4ef53YjA) it's suggested that you can get good results cooking your spaghetti in a skillet of water. In this NY Times article (http://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/17/dining/italy-truth-about-pasta-italians-know-that-less-more-call-for-return-basics.html?pagewanted=2) it is strongly suggested that a "one-pound box of pasta ... must cook in at least five quarts of vigorously boiling, salted water, and more is probably better). Experts and mavens, including Lidia Bastianich and Marcella Hazen, seem to disagree on the subtleties and specifics of how much water is acceptable to cook a great plate of pasta, as well as disagreeing on whether to start the pasta in cold or boiling water. So, what are your experiences and beliefs? How do you cook your pasta? Do you use different amounts of water and different techniques depending on the pasta shape or ingredients, or do you follow a one size suits all approach?

What I discovered while searching for a deal is that many places have specials that bring the price down to the same level as mentioned above. Cutlery and More (which I think may have some relationship to Cookware and More) and Metro Kitchen both had prices ever-so-slightly-lower than the above price, but for first quality items. I purchased my 1.5 quart D5 at Cutlery and More. It seems that it's not too difficult to get a good deal on All-Clad. BTW, some of the places that offer such deals also offer free shipping. In my case I paid no shipping charges and no tax.

Today I received my new All-Clad 1.5 quart saucepan. It's a pretty nice looking pot, and a good size for what I needed it for. It's noticeably heavier than the tri-ply Calphalon it replaces, and the dimensions of the two pots seems just about identical. The All-Clad lid fits the Calphalon pot perfectly, as though it was made for it. That means I now have a glass lid that I can use for the All-Clad, a feature that I sometimes like. And the Calphalon lid fits the All-Clad beautifully. The All-Clad lid is clearly sturdy, and it should last forever. The handle is big and easy to grasp, but it's just a scosh wider than I'd like. A very minor consideration, to be sure, and the width in no way compromises the handle's usability. I just prefer a narrower handle. The handle on the All-Clad pot is a definite improvement over the handles on my older All-Clad pots and pans, but it still has that unmistakable All-Clad character. I'm sure some people may not care for it - I like it just fine, but I also liked the handles on the older pots and pans. There's a lot of aluminum between the inner and outer layers of stainless, combined maybe even a bit more than my original Master Chef pots, and it's easy to see the middle layer of steel as well. It, too, seems somewhat thick - thicker, by far, than the inner and outer layers of stainless. The rolled edge along the top of the pot is nicely designed, but the finishing seems a little rough. It looks to me that it could have used one more trip of the buffing wheel. It's not too bad, but it could be a little smoother. The All-Clad uses two rivets to attach the handle compared to the Calphalon's three. I don't think it makes much difference in a pot this size - both handles appear to be securely fastened. I do like the design of the Calphalon rivets a little better - they are wider and flatter, and, to my eye, just look nicer and slightly more "finished." I don't think the pot is worth the full list price that some places ask for it, but with the discounts I got the price was much more reasonable and more in line with Calphalon and other tri-ply pots. I'm looking forward to cooking with it, which I'll be able to do tomorrow.

We've got a family potluck brunch coming up in a couple of weeks, and I was thinking of making a couple of frittatas. They needn't be the same. Here are the requirements: They will be made the day before; They have to travel about fifty miles; They can be reheated at the site, but it would be nice if we can skip the reheating; Meat is acceptable in one, the other will be, more or less, vegetarian; Cheese is acceptable in at least one version; Ideally be able to be served in a couple of pie dishes or 9 x 13 Pyrex dishs Any suggestions?

Nothing new - the son has not arrived, and now he's waffling on the date. My new 1.5 quart saucepan should arrive on Tuesday - maybe even tomorrow as it arrived in town early this morning. I'm anxious to see how the All-Clad D5 compares to other All-Clad that I have, and to compare it to the Calphalon tri-ply as well.

Thanks for your comments and sharing your experiences.

You and I are similar in that respect.

I don't understand. Is a convection oven the one with the fan? Mine is just a regular electric oven. In any case, how can a skillet block the airflow any more than a roasting pan? Or are you suggesting that a roasting pan may not be the best choice for certain items? Please help this poor ol' country boy understand thanks!

That's happened only once - Yikes! I now keep a towel draped over the oven door handle - can't open the oven door without grabbing the towel.

That's a good point. I do, however, know to what temp my skillets are safe, and would pay attention to that. The cast iron skillet has been used to more than 450-deg with no problems.

You suggest not using non-stick when using a skillet, yet the pans you referenced are non-stick. Why is it OK to use non-stick jelly roll pans but not a non-stick skillet. That said, a few years ago on eGullet I asked about such pans, and was referred to a couple of sites that had heavy duty pans - 16-gauge aluminum - NICE! and I grabbed a couple back then. I'm OK for pans right now, but I may get one for Toots who has a small-sized oven and no decent pans.