HowardLi

Buy some good 3/4"UHMWPE boards and cut them so they will fit in the D/W In various positions.(vert Horiz etc.) You can get the material at a commericial rest. supply place. (not cheap.) But infinitly better than wood. After you use em, put them in the D/w and they are clean and ready to go in the drawer...I have 6 or 7 in various sizes and thicknesses, and will never use a wooden board again... This advice is from someone who builds antique reproduction furniture and can build the "state of the art"wood /bamboo, etc boards very easily.. (UHMWPE, is ultra high molecular weight polyethelene) Bud Doesn't the UHMW suffer from scarring like other plastics?

Any particular reason why you do not use sour cream? I like it since it doesn't change the taste too much and "stretches" what is ordinarily a rather expensive dessert.

How would you describe the "set" of the egg matrix? Silky, creamy, or nearing a traditionally baked pasty sort of texture?

How do you think the freezing affected the texture? Did you only do it so that you could handle them more easily?

I just put in an order for a couple of 4000 and 8000 grit belts to pick up the slack (heh) after the 6 micron Trizact belt. Let's see how well they prep the edge for the leather...

Interesting - thanks for the link. Is it possible to stretch and fold too many times?

Yep, that's the one.

I'd like to do CI's Rustic Italian Bread, but a stand mixer is required. Can this recipe be done by hand, and if so, any tips for doing it?

I wonder if anybody's tried a freeze dryer yet.

Better yet, use a box fan with a good HEPA filter taped to the intake side.

The most effective seasoning happens once you bring the oil over its smoke point. If you can, do it outdoors since there will be a LOT of smoke when done properly.

I'm interested in why you didn't consider Chinese cleavers more seriously. They're obviously bigger and heavier, which is an ambivalent factor, but they do include a board scraper with every purchase.

Link posted halfway through the thread.

Any accomplished chef who uses "pure win" in an article is OK by me. I'll try this.

Yeah, if there's no air between the knife and the food, air pressure will press the food against the knife... but if the coefficient of friction is reduced, such as with a Teflon coating on the knife, then it will take less force for the food to slide off.

http://www.chefknivestogo.com/toitkshwa21.html Aren't you supposed to include a "challenge accepted" graphic or something?

Well, there you go. Last I looked you could get their entry level 240mm gyuto for $60 something. I would still generally look to a knife that's made for professional use rather than a brand like Kai, wich is export only, made for the Western consumer market. If you check out the knife discussions at foodieforums.com you'll get more up to date information than what I have. Mean time the Fujiwara carbon steel knives remain a good value, direct from Japan http://japanesechefsknife.com/FKHSeries.html Unfortunately a lot of the bargains from a couple of years ago are now priced over $100. I never made the claim that the Wasabi was the best knife of 2011 but that it replaced the Tojiro as the value champ. It's not the best steel in the world but I challenge you to find a better knife under $50. http://www.chefknivestogo.com/toitkshwa21.html

I can assure you that this happens in America, too. I suspect it happens everywhere (with the probable exception of Japan). I carry a 1000/4000 stone with me everywhere. (I leave the finer stones at home. That's where the all the time goes.) I can't tell you how many knives I've sharpened. Some, I suspect, were never sharpened before, ever. I pity you if you've ever had to repair edge damage with the 1000.

BREAKING NEWS: WINE CRITIC'S FAMILY DIES IN ACCIDENTAL EXPLOSION

What would be the "lowest temp"? Say you prepare 3 SV preparations at 120F, 130F & 160F. You can then chill all the preparations down for storage, and then reheat all of them in the same bath at 120F. Only thing is, I don't have any dishes that are SV-able. Suggestions? Carrots, perhaps?

The broccoli soup is MUCH better when made fresh - don't reheat it! Overall, the menu seems very rich and dairy-heavy. What about adding a salad with assertive greens and a touch of citrus? Anything you would recommend? Thanks for the tip about the soup. What would be the "lowest temp"? About 6.

Thanks for the input, folks. I'll post again with responses after I recover from my traffic-induced meltdown.

Here's what I have so far: Standing rib roast Yorkshire pudding (it's a maybe - requires coordination and deft mental acuity) Broccoli soup Mac & cheese Egg nog Tiramisu Apple pie The latter group will be made ahead of time, though I'm not 100% sure that the MC mac & cheese will hold up well to warming. If anybody can offer suggestions as to what temperature it should be held at for pre-tabling, 'twould be much appreciated. The former group will be cooked the day of, but I don't really see an issue here, if I can make the assumption that a ~6 lb roast cooked at 175 F will render at least a few easily-accessible tablespoons of fat for the Yorkshire pudding. What I want is at least either a potato-, vegetable-, or legume-based dish, and preferably two, that can stand up to warming for 2-3 hours. EDIT: On second thought, I think I might do the broccoli soup ahead of time and get it hot on the range.

Also, it doesn't seem as though it would be possible to use the rendered fat for Yorkshire pudding, as the high-heat browning happens right before serving. Do you all insist on beef tallow, or can butter or bacon grease be substituted?

I'm planning on doing rib roast this way this year: http://www.goodeater.org/2009/12/18/recipes-perfect-prime-rib/ He mentions salting ahead of time for deeper penetration. However, do I leave the salted meat uncovered vs wrapped in plastic? I'm wondering if the water draws out the same way that evaporation normally does for dry aging.