Shel_B

The problem has been going on for at least a couple of years. And, FWIW, this morning I discovered the same problem with similar sponges sold by Safeway. What's a BOLO?

Maybe I'm missing something, but what has this to do with dyes and/or chemicals leaching out of the sponge?

3M Company, in their reply to me, suggests removing or disinfecting any non-porous surfaces with isopropyl alcohol or Pine-Sol. Hmmm ... I'm not sure what to make of that response. I'm just going to change my sponges to ones that contain no dyes or other chemicals. I'm getting tired of my body being a dumping ground for questionable chemicals.

I have been using these sponges and these sponges for quite some time. Recently, I observed that when putting dishwashing detergent on the sponges, the suds are tainted/tinted with the color of the sponge, purple or blue. It seems that some sort of dye or coloring is bleeding from the sponge. My new dishes are white, so it's very easy to see this. I wonder if anyone knows what's happening? What sort of dyes or coloring is used in these sponges? Has anyone else observed this? I will also write to the manufacturer and see what they have to say. It seems that I'm not alone in this observation. Some people at Happy Baby have observed this as well. I think I'll stop using these sponges and move the more natural sponges, like these (not necessarily Scotch Brite) ... I also came across this as part of a larger article about environmentally friendly kitchen items. I need to look further into this issue and what Triclosan is.: Triclosan and sponges There’s an added environmental danger with many synthetic sponges these days; often they are impregnated with chemicals such as Triclosan. Triclosan is an antibacterial and antifungal agent and is registered with the [EPA] as being a pesticide. It’s also used in many antibacterial soaps, deodorants, toothpastes and cosmetics. Aside from increasing evidence linking triclosan to health problems, it is also believed to destroy fragile aquatic ecosystems; especially algaes that other animals may depend on – either directly or indirectly. As sewerage and waste water treatment plants cannot remove Triclosan and the compound remains stable for long periods of time; it’s posing an increasing problem in our waterways – it’s now one of the most common man-made chemicals found in U.S. streams. Any sponge pack that states is anti-bacterial or destroys odors is probably best left on the supermarket shelf as it’s likely to contain triclosan or something equally damaging to the environment.

Indeed! I bought a New Braunfels back around 1990 +/- and practically cried when I saw the new ones (last year).

This video was sent to me by a friend who feels that stainless steel cookware "causes food to stick" to the pans. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1376ITxF1Oc I understand that in many instances one wants food to stick to SS to help develop fond and flavor. I also know that, if one tries to remove or move certain food before a crust forms, the result may be sticking food and difficulty in removing any burnt on food. IMO, based on my experience using stainless steel cookware, if you know how to deal with the characteristics of stainless steel, sticking and difficult cleanup are pretty much non-issues. That said, many people like to use nonstick cookware because it makes cooking some things very easy, and many people believe that you "need" nonstick surfaces for cooking certain things, such as egg. The linked video shows a method for making stainless steel cookware nonstick. Has anyone had experience with this technique? Does it work well? Does it last a while? Might there be a downside to using the technique? Is it really even needed? Just curious what your thoughts on all this may be ....

Yes, I know that "it depends" is, at least in part, the answer, however, I suspect that in some instances one angle may be better than another, such as in the example I gave when posting the question. I've found that, in the Calphalon skillet, it's sometimes difficult to turn foods with a spatula, and it's certainly been somewhat difficult to roll an omelet onto a plate. I suspect that these situations would be easier with the more gently sloping sides of the All-Clad skillet, but I've not yet done a side-by-side comparison. Maybe the question should be rephrased to "What angles work best for you in what situations?" Shel is much preferred to Sheldon ...

So glad to hear that. My friend, Jack, worked for one of the biggest meat suppliers in Northern California, and probably supplied the meat to S&F. He most likely knows most every butcher and meat purveyor in the area. At least for regular, commercial meat. In any case, let us know how things turned out.

Meat is a natural product and, as such, varies, sometimes greatly.

I just took delivery of a new All-Clad 10-inch skillet. Comparing the design to my Calphalon 10-inch non-stick skillet, it seems that the sides of the All-Clad are at a greater angle, more sloped. Got me to wondering ... is there an ideal angle for the sides of skillets that allow better cooking and manipulation of the food. For example, a greater slope may make it easier to slide an omelet out of the pan. Other than that, in what instances would the angle or slope of the sides make a difference, and what might be a good angle in general?

Not knowing where your son is, I don't know if this information is helpful. Nonetheless, I have a friend who's been in the meat business here in the Bay Area for decades. I asked him for a source, and here's what he wrote: Regarding your brisket question > The place I go for beef brisket is Smart & Final on San Pablo Ave a couple of blocks past McBryde Ave in a small shopping center on the east side of San Pablo....They used to keep the briskets in the back cooler room but they remodeled the store so you may have to ask a clerk. They also have meat on the other side of the store. These are fairly big briskets with a layer of fat. You can always cut it in half and freeze half ... These are fresh briskets, not frozen and of good quality. 13110 San Pablo Ave, Richmond, CA 94805 (510) 233-1756

I went here and typed in $157.92 for Canadian dollars.

Already purchased it for less elsewhere. At the time of purchase Amazon was 20+ dollars more, now it's just a few dollars more.

Info I have says the exchange would be around $130.00 - $131.00 ...

I read that Amazon, as well as some other merchants, adjust the price of various items depending on a person's browsing history, past purchases, and physical location. You and I may not be offered an item at the same price. I recently noticed a big drop in the Amazon price for an All-Clad 10-inch skillet with lid soon after browsing several other sites, one of which had a substantially lower price for the item. Coincidence? I don't know. But perhaps we can find out. Would you be kind enough to look up this item on Amazon All-Clad 41106 Stainless Steel Tri-Ply Bonded Dishwasher Safe Fry Pan with Lid / Cookware, 10-Inch and post the price you received? Just type the description into Google or the Amazon search box. Thanks!

Never encountered the problem, although the Thai Sriracha sauces were quite a bit different from the Huy Fong. Someone used to Huy Fong may use that as their standard and not be too enamored of other brands. Sriraja Panich is one brand I liked. I guess a lot comes down to what you're used to and, of course, personal preferences.

I highly recommend this book. It served me well when I was researching pizza for an article some years ago.

It's in my queue, and I'm looking forward to taking a look. Right now there are a couple of other new Netflix shows that I want to see first. A friend enjoyed what she saw, but provided no specific comments.

I'd disagree. Huy Fong is, for whatever reason, practically ubiquitous, however, I've had other brands of Sriracha that I picked up at Thai groceries that were far more interesting than Huy Fong.

This is Good! Much better (IMO) than the more widely recognized Huy Fong "rooster sauce." Not as sweet, missing the chemical additives, with a bit of smokiness and packed in glass rather than plastic. My new standard sriracha sauce. We combined our philosophy of using fresh, locally sourced ingredients with the age-old craft of fermentation. We age our secret pepper mash in whiskey barrels for between one and three months. The sriracha takes on complex flavors from the oak barrels and the natural fermentation process. Absolutely no preservatives or additives go into our sriracha. Each bottle is handcrafted and made in small batches to ensure the most intense flavors. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpibEm0vFSU

Read a review of this restaurant and visited their site. Am I missing something? I can find no menu, prices, descriptions, etc.

Seemingly not in this case .... what a shame.

How Apples are Grown Here's a short (5-minutes) video about how apples are grown. I learned a couple of things, and maybe you will, too. http://video.pbs.org/video/2365470270/

Cook's Illustrated is where I found the recipes and video ... didn't see the recipes or videos on Cook's Country and didn't check ATK.

I just did a quick search of CI and found several recipes and videos for Brown Rice Salad. I can't send you the videos, but would be happy to send you a few of the recipes. I've still got a few months left on my subscription - don't know if I'll renew it.