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Shel_B

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    Trader Joe's Products (2002–2011)

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    Whoa. I just opened a jar of Trader Joe's Dijon mustard and spread some on a sausage, took a bite -- and only 10 minutes later am I beginning to recover from the all-out assault on my nasal passages, throat and tear ducts. Jesus. Straight wasabi isn't this extreme.

    Interesting. I bought a jar of TJ's Dijon last year and found it rather mild, certainly nowhere as intense as you've described.

    Cooking Class for Seniors

    in Cooking

    Posted

    OK. Just HOW OLD are these OLD people?

    People that use the center regularly are between about sixty and 100yo, but I have no idea who will be taking the class and what their ages are other than they'll probably be older than sixty. The attendees may not all be regulars at the center.

    Cooking Class for Seniors

    in Cooking

    Posted

    Shel, I cook for my mother who was a pretty good cook in her day.

    I don't know that technique and basic skills are a primary focus. This is a generate that learned and knew how to cook. They probably need just a brushing up on their skills rather than in-dept training. Here are some of the things I've learned from my very active and very lucid 90 year old mother

    1) If they're going to cook, it needs to be quick and easy, with a few key ingredients

    2) You can make a lot of things in a 9" omelet pan other than eggs. There can be lifing difficulties in handling big and/or heavy pans

    3) Don't overwhelm with big portions,

    4) Don't dumb down the recipes and don't be afraid to use bold seasonings. My mother eats chile and mole and doesn't bat an eyelash.

    5) NO al dente vegetables and maybe no salads depending upon the digestive system

    6) Play to their favorite foods. Conversely, if your audience went through the Great Depression there may be aversions to some foods; it was canned pink salmon in my mother's case.

    7) Stress the importance of adequate fluid intake

    My mother eats well and enjoys her meals, and most of her friends - who are all between 83 to 95 do too. They eat regular foods, very few special diets, they just eat less of it. They're also usually on the look out for cheap eats. It's a frugal generation to the core. Sometimes how good it tastes isn't as important as how economical it is.

    Good luck with your classes, I'm sure they'll be great

    Hi, thanks for your suggestions. A fair number of participants in the class are expected to be men who have depended on their wives to prepare meals, and who really do need some basic cooking skills.

    I was concerned about big and bold seasonings and spicy dishes. Glad to hear that that may be acceptable. A lot of the folks that I know at the center are more interested in milder food, but they may not be the ones signing on to a cooking class. There are definitel some folks there who are more adventurous - guess I'll just ahve to see how each class shapes up and be prepared to go either way, although leading those who are more interested in milder meals to something a little more exciting might work - plus seasonings can always be adjusted up or down.

    I'm definitely aware of lifting difficulties, especially since I suffer from back pain and sometimes have problems in that area. Hadn't thought about fluid intake. That sounds like a good point to touch on.

    Kind regards,

    Cooking Class for Seniors

    in Cooking

    Posted

    It's possible that I may be giving a few lessons in basic cooking skills to some seniors at the local senior center. The plan as it is now is to describe various cookware and how it's used, teach a few basic skills such as sautéing, making pasta, baking and roasting, and provide a few simple, inexpensive, and easy to prepare dishes as well as describing ingredients and the places where they can be conveniently and perhaps inexpensively purchased. It might also be nice to take a group on a field trip to one or two markets to point out ingredients that might be appropriate, such as low salt items, items that are good for diabetics, low fat foods, and the like.

    So, if anyone has some additional ideas for this class, maybe some recipes or techniques that would be good for the older folks, fire away. I'd love to hear them.

    Thanks!

    Le Creuset

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    Here's a link for caring and use of LeCreuset enamled cast iron cookware.

    --Dave M.--

    LC mentions that their enameled cast iron pots are dishwasher safe, although they recommend hand washing. FWIW, my first LC pot went into the dishwasher quite a few times during its life, and now, 30 years later, it's still as good as new. I would not recommend the dishwasher on a constant, regular basis, but it sure seems that every now and then a trip through the machine won't hurt anything.

    Le Creuset

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    Here's a link to LeCreuset's site (USA) where you can select your state and search for a factory store. near you.

    --Dave M.--

    While poking around the site I came across a Le Creuset "Signature" store. Anybody know what that is and how it may be different from the factory outlet? Thanks!

    Le Creuset Grill Top

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    I think there's some confusion here. The LeCreuset pots that appear to be bare iron are in fact enameled. Janet describes it as "black;" I would call it gray, but the fact remains. This is the clear "ground coat" that LC applies before adding color; see here (scroll down to "Enameling." Since it's clear, you can see the raw iron through it.

    Further proof: it doesn't rust.

    Thanks so much for clearing that up. Now the lack of rust on my pots makes sense. And all along I thought it was the excellent care I gave them <LOL>

    Ostrich Eggs

    in Cooking

    Posted · Edited by Shel_B (log)

    ostrich eggs have pretty much the same taste as a chicken egg, just a lot larger. They shouldn't be smelly, maybe the one the lioness was eating was no longer being taken care of and had turned. Yeah, from my experience, they taste the same. You need to drill a hole into it and scramble the egg inside the egg so it will come out. The shell is very thick. I'm sure it could be cut open with a dremel tool, but I've only seem a chopstick or skewer inserted into the hole to scramble and help drain it. Hope this helps. If I had one at the local market I would buy one, if of course it was less than 10 dollars. How much are they asking per egg?

    Hi, sorry for the delay in replying. Thanks for you information. I think the eggs were about $8.00 apiece, but it may have been as much as $12.00. The next time I'm at the store I'll check.

    Since the eggs are pretty mild, and not stinky, I may get one and give it a try. Probably best to invite a few friends over for brunch ...

    [edit]

    Well, I just checked a couple of web sites and blogs, and it seems that I was mistaken about the price. How does $39.00 strike you!?

    Le Creuset Grill Top

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    I have a set of LeCreuset which is at the very least 10 years old and they have enamel on the bottom of all of them. I gave the skillet to my daughter as her older flat-top said that these pans were safe to use on it. Two older skillets do not have the enamelled bottom but are plain cast iron and would easily scratch the older flat tops.

    OK, my LC is older still, purchased 30 years ago. That may explain the difference.

    Le Creuset Grill Top

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    While it's true that the bottoms of older Le Creuset pots were coated in a matte black enamel (they weren't untreated cast iron), LC pots have had hard enamel coating on the bottom for years (Staub does too, as does Lodge enamel coated cookware). It's perfectly safe directly on the burner.

    I'll had to disagree with you, at least in part. My Le Creuset pots do not have an enamel coating on the bottom, but they are older pots. I just bought a new pot yesterday so I'll have a chance to see what the current pots are like when it gets delivered in a day or so.

    Le Creuset Grill Top

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    I assume it means the lid can be used as a grill?

    Lodge sells a dutch oven with a lid that can be used as a skillet.

    I saw that while searching for information about the lid. The Lodge lid isn't enamel coated, and it's easy for me to understand how it can be used directly over heat. My concern and confusion is explained in my post to nickrey, above.

    Le Creuset Grill Top

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    If you look at the third picture on the link you included, it shows the grill pan, which is in essence a frypan with ridges for grilling things on.

    Thanks. I saw that after posting my question. However, my Sunday morning haven't-had-coffee-yet brain is still not understanding completely. Can the top be put on a burner enamel side down? Won't the enamel get damaged by coming in contact with direct heat? The pot itself doesn't have an enamel coating on the bottom where it meats the heat. I'm assuming there's a reason for that. Time for cawfee ...

    Le Creuset

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    Posts here seem to indicate that Le Creuset has excellent customer service and is extremely helpful with replacements, even when damage is caused by use.

    Last year I dropped and broke the lid on my 30yo LC Dutch oven. I called LC and asked for a replacement lid and was told that A) they no longer made that size Dutch oven and B) they don't sell lids separately. However, they did offer to ship me a brand new, complete Dutch oven for only 25% of the selling price. Quite fair, I thought. So, it cost me a few bucks but I got a brand new, slightly larger, pot delivered right to my door.

    Today I bought a new pot, in Black Onyx. I was looking for a less expensive model but realized how pleased I was with LC and the company's service, that reviews are almost universally 100% positive, and that many lesser expensive model reviews often mention problems: cracks, chips, lids that don't fight just right, staining, etc. Why look for problems and aggavation?

    The eGullet Hall of Shame

    in Food Traditions & Culture

    Posted

    I use el cheapo wine for wine-based stews, saving the good stuff for the table.

    This NYTimes article suggests that cheap wine for cooking might be just fine. I've done some unscientific testing myself, and have to say I agree based on my experiences so far.

    Some time ago I started using Two-Buck Chuck in a lot of my cooking, and y'know what, all the dishes worked out very well. I prefer the Merlot to the other reds, but, IMO, any freshly opened bottle of Two-Buck may be a better choice than a partially used bottle of some better wine that's been sitting around waiting to get used up.

    Ostrich Eggs

    in Cooking

    Posted · Edited by Shel_B (log)

    One of the local markets around here sometimes carries ostrich eggs (they look positively HUGE next to the quail eggs), and it's tempting to try one but they are quite spendy. So, maybe someone's had some experience with them. How do thewy taste - strong, mild, any "off" or unusual flavor profile? This morning while watching Big Cat Diary on Animal Planet, a lioness was shown eating a few ostrich eggs and the observer mentioned that they were "stinky." Do the eggs have a strong, or perhaps disagreeable, odor? Any other thoughts on these eggs?

    Babies/Children in Restaurants (merged topic)

    in Restaurant Life

    Posted

    I think the restaurant has the right to throw out customers who won't or can't control the behavior of their babies, within reasonable limits.

    I agree 100% - in fact, I've been to restaurants that just don't allow babies younger than a certain age. Many movie theaters don't allow babies, so why not a restaurant?

    Looking for Good Quality Canned Soup

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    Hi, Finding some high quality canned soups, perhaps even organic, has become something of a priority. The usual soups, Campbell's, Progresso, and even some of the organics, tend to be overly salted, watery, and sometimes lacking in quality and quantity of solid ingredients. Around here a can of soup can be as much as $3.00 or more, and while soup can be had on sale, for that kind of money it would be nice to have better quality ingredients in the can.

    So, what do you recommend as a quality canned soup? All types interest me - chowders, vegetable soups, meat soups, etc.

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