Shel_B

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

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.

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.

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 ...

Today I saw the Le Creuset Grill Cover on a 7-qt oval Dutch oven. What is a grill top? I couldn't find it listed on the LC web site.

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?

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.

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?

Hmmm - I just returned from TJ's and didn't see anything like that. It seems that not all TJ's stores in this area carry the same items.

Today while at BB&B I saw a few Calphalon Katana knives and handled the 8" Chef's knife. I liked the way it felt and the way it looked. However, it's a new knife to me and I've no idea about the quality and how it might hold an edge. Does anyone know about this knife and have any comments about it? http://www.cookware.com/Calphalon-KN4008V-CPH1263.html Thanks,

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?

Apple sauce?

Yep! I should have mentioned that there are a few of TJ's boxed soups that I like and which seem to be pretty good. The organic roasted red pepper and tomato soup is on of my favorite TJ's offerings, and the butternut squash soup isn't too bad either.

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.

http://meyenberg.com/wheretobuy I've had Meyenberg products and found them, especially the butter, to be quite satisfactory.

I think you misunderstood me, and perhaps I didn't explain too well. I'm not talking about cheap pots, but rather pots like All-Clad, Calphalon, or other heavy, quality pots. I believe I said straight gauge.

Sounds like it's worth a try. Thanks!

I bought a couple of pounds of unsalted nuts with the intent of adding my own blend of salt and pepper to them, but the seasoning doesn't stick to the nuts and just falls to the bottom of the bowl. How can I get the salt and pepper to stick to the nuts, preferably without adding a lot of oil, fat, or sweeteners like honey?

Is there a disadvantage to a straight gauge pot? When using a disk-bottomed pot, does more heat concentrate at the bottom, and, if so, how does that effect the overall heating of the entire contents of the pot? Might there be instances where more or less heat conducted by the sides has an advantage or disadvantage? Could the thickness or material of the disk outweigh or be offset by a good single gauge design?

I like to make stock, broth, and soup, and am fussy about technique and ingredients. I need a new stock pot and have looked at a few that might be suitable. They are all single gauge pots. However, I am on a fixed income, and don't have a lot of disposable income at this point, so if I can save some money I'm all for it. What advantage does a single gauge pot have over a disk bottomed pot, assuming both are of good quality and materials? Apart from a couple of small items, all my cookware is single gauge, and I'm quite happy with the way they cook. Will I notice any difference between a single gauge and a disk bottom stock pot, and if so, what might that difference be? FWIW, I'm not too interested in brand recommendations specifically, but more interested in the technical and practical advantages and disadvantages of the two types of construction. Thanks!

Supposedly the gelatin extracted from the bones thickens the stock (and gives it a nice mouth feel). I've read in a few places that adding gelatin to stocks will do pretty much the same thing as long simmering of bones. You might want to try adding some gelatin sheets and see how that works.

Last count was 56 ...

My current coffee grinder is a 30+ year old Krups burr grinder and it's getting a little long in the tooth. It's almost time for a replacement. It would be nice to find a grinder that's a little quieter, and that can grind fine for espresso and coarse for a French press. One that will last for twenty or more years would be desireable as well. Price: under $100.00, and best under $50.00 or so. Any suggestions?

There's a site called Sweet Maria's http://www.sweetmarias.com which sells green beans and small roasters, among other coffee-related items. The site is rich on information. Friends and I have been buying beans from them for years. It's easy to roast beans using small, counter top roasters, and the results are outstanding!