Shel_B

In another discussion, it was said that if one leaves the yolks and sugar together too long before blending and adding the other ingredients, that can lead to graininess. The sugar kind of "burns" the yolks. This is new news to me, but I've not baked and made desserts a lot. Is this true? Does the same thing happen when combining whole eggs with sugar? How long is "too long?" What does it actually mean to burn the yolk? At this point I'm mostly making curd and puddings, and some quick breads, like banana bread.

I used their software ... my elevation is about 55 feet above sea level. Essentially a non issue.

No salt in the water - just plain, filtered tap water. I will try again later with water boiled in a pot on the stove, as recommended by ThermoWorks.

Hmm ... I attained 217-deg with basically just tap water (not pure water, if by pure water you mean absent any impurities), and there was plenty of vibration as the microwave table rotated. I'm assuming the Pyrex bowl in which the water was heated is a "smooth" vessel.

OK, super heated water ... thanks.

After a few months of hesitancy, I splurged and purchased a Thermapen which arrived yesterday. The calibration instructions say not to test the boiling point of water using water heated in a microwave oven, but to only calibrate using water heated on a stove burner. Why is that? I did check the boiling point using microwaved water, and, SURPRISE! the temp of the boiling water was greater than 212-degrees. I recall 217-degrees. Assuming the new Thermapen is accurate (and other tests suggest that it is) how can the boiling point of water be greater than 212-degrees? And why when heated in a microwave oven?

Thanks so much for posting the chart. I found the original at CI: http://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/5524-how-to-substitute-dairy-products?incode=MCSCZ00L0 for those who have access and wish to look it up themselves. It has much more info than what you posted here. I'll be happy to share the chart ... just PM me and it'll be on its way.

Back around 1978 I acquired a Krups coffee grinder, like this one: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/krups-coffee-grinder/100211?mcid=PS_googlepla_nonbrand_coffeetea_&adpos=1o1&creative=39230273869&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CjwKEAiA2JqkBRDshIOY_9eMghkSJABvNd1Qt0VCLLPoCb9dm362tEC9W0ofqfQF12bQWrU33gkCNhoCqQvw_wcB I used it for a couple of years and then replaced it with a burr grinder, and put the workhorse Krups in a cabinet somewhere, out of sight, out of mind. Some years ago I started to use it as a spice grinder, and after a while it disappeared. When I moved into my retirement apartment, the Krups reappeared, and now it's on it's third cycle, being used once again as a spice grinder. Works great, but that puppy is showing its age.

What percentages would you use to wing it?

Yesterday I did a trial run using some inexpensive, commercial pork chops that I picked up at TJ's. I chose them because they were thick, like the one's I'll be using for the dinner I'll be making later on. I used my old All-Clad sauté pan for this trial and, for the most part, was very satisfied with the results. The chops had a good crust on the bottom, and ended up with a nice, but not so deep, crust when I turned them and put them in the oven. Next week I'll try the cast iron skillet, but I do like the All-Clad for making the pan sauce. Plus the pan is much lighter than the cast iron and has a better (for me) handle, therefore making it easier to move the pan around. Thanks for all the input.

There are two recipes I want to work with, one of which requires 2% milk and the other full-fat milk (4.0%?). All I have in the fridge is 1% milk and half-and-half. In what proportions should they be mixed to give an overall fat content of 2% and 4%? What's the math for determining the proportions? Thanks!

It's real simple: Toots and I were looking for brandy today to use in some eggnog I'm going to make. She had an almost empty bottle of "Napoleon" brandy in her cupboard, liked it for her purposes, and wanted to get some more of the same. She asked if I knew what Napoleon brandy is compared to other brandies, I didn't know, so I said I'd ask here. Neither of us drink, so we're pretty ignorant of the various types of alcoholic beverages on the market, although we do enjoy an occasional beer and sometimes some wine and, for special times, a bit of champagne. You've answered my question about the different types of brandies. I'm curious to see what others say about Napoleon brandy. Thanks!

In what way does Napoleon Brandy differ from regular brandy? What are the different types of brandy?

Thick pork chops will be seared in a hot skillet, turned, and finished in 300-deg oven. I'm just curious if you'd use a stainless steel pan (in this case either an All-Clad skillet or sauté pan) or cast iron skillet for this, and why you would use your preference over the other?

Assuming a fattier chop, as from some heritage pork, what temp might be recommended?

What's the difference between a center cut pork chop and pork loin chop? From which could I get the thickest chop? I checked a butchery diagram and couldn't see any difference. Thanks!

That's what I did this evening. I crushed a few cloves of garlic and put them into some olive oil, and heated the mixture in the microwave for about 2 1/2 minutes. That seemed to give a nice infusion which was lightly brushed on to the potatoes before roasting. In this case there was a subtle garlic flavor and aroma, just about what I was looking for. I used some of the infused oil to sauté some greens, and tossed some of the crushed garlic cloves into the mix as well. Overall, a satisfying result.

I don't know if steaming the potatoes will work for this technique, but I'm certainly willing to try the suggestion. Thanks!

I'm not looking for a strong flavor. The boiled garlic won't be eaten, it's just to add flavor to the potatoes.

Not the effect I'm looking for ... thanks.

Covering the potatoes with garlic paste, cooked or otherwise, is not the result / effect I'm seeking.

OK, more garlic in the water seems appropriate ... will try it. That's one of the things I was going to try anyway. What does the word "alterating" mean?

There are two roasted potato recipes that I make that require some boiling of the potatoes before roasting them. One recipe uses yellow potatoes, like Yukon Gold, which are boiled and roasted without the skin, and the other uses small red potatoes that are boiled with the skin and then smashed and roasted. I would like to infuse the potatoes with a garlic flavor, and have tried doing so by adding smashed cloves of garlic to the water used for boiling the potatoes. Even though the water is redolent of garlic, the potatoes have virtually no garlic flavor. Would using a substantially greater amount of garlic be helpful (I now use four large, smashed cloves in a quart of water), or perhaps adding garlic juice to the water be a viable solution? Might poking some small holes in the potatoes with a fork get the garlic infused water into the potatoes and help get a more intense garlic flavor to the 'taters? I don't want a very strong garlic taste, just something noticeable but subtle. Adding minced garlic to the spuds when roasting them results in a noticeable burnt garlic taste, so that doesn't seem to be working for me. Thanks for any suggestions. Hmm ... I just thought of something. Instead of coating the potatoes with plain oil before roasting, maybe I could coat them with garlic-infused olive oil. That shouldn't give a burnt taste...