[Show and Tell: Knives]

Here is the Sakai Kikumori "Nihonko" SK-carbon steel Petty 150mm that I got for Christmas. The choil shot is from the website because I'm terrible at photographing knives.

 

My impressions so far is that it is great for its purpose. Came very sharp. I'm not used to a knife of this length and it drew first blood immediately. The pokey bit is farther away than I expected. I wash and dry my good knives right away but it is already developing a patina. Fine by me. I'll let it do its thing as long as it doesn't rust.

 

 

[Show and Tell: Knives]

12 hours ago, paulraphael said:

Edited to add: lots of restaurant cooks like the simple carbon steels that you like. They just sharpen after every shift. 

 

From my reading, there are a number of non-stainless carbon steel alloys that are extremely hard so it gets confusing. I actually lean towards tougher and easier to sharpen but that may well change if my sharpening skill comes along. I have a long way to go.

[ChatGPT A.I. and solving the "why" in cooking]

I think brining inhibits crispy skin

[Cast iron: seasoning, care, and restoration]

2 minutes ago, paulraphael said:

We just bought a house with one of those. I drag my iron pans across the top with impunity. Could I be secretly hoping it breaks so I get to replace it?

 

Replace with induction then polish the outside of your cast iron?

[Pepper and Salt Mills/Grinders]

I bought salt and pepper grinders not too long ago and the salt was clogging up with fine dust. I was cleaning it out when I discovered that the grind could be adjusted. So I guess there is a reason to pay for the fancier grinder. The cheap one I bought for white pepper doesn't adjust as far as I can figure out.

[Food Funnies]

Important local news from the Betoota Advocate

 

https://www.betootaadvocate.com/uncategorized/mixologist-immediately-reaches-for-the-midori-as-group-of-18-year-old-boys-enter-pub/

 

[Rancho Gordo: Beans and More]

22 minutes ago, heidih said:

An ad for S&W canned(!) heirloom beans popped up yesterday . Appears introduced in 2019. Really? Hardly competition but drafting on RG trend.  https://www.swbeans.com/products/heirloom-series/  https://www.facebook.com/SWBeans/videos/

 

Now that's a sign of success for heirlooms. Seems worth a try

[What Are You Preserving, and How Are You Doing It? (2016–)]

I have some vacuum seal pouches of Thai peppers in the freezer that seem to last forever and a few birdseye in ziplocks. I only have the fridge freezer so tend not to do too many.

 

I may get a small deep freeze but have been trying to keep my energy footprint low and they have terrible energy ratings. Some new freezers seem better but they may be gaming the system. Probably another topic.

[What Are You Preserving, and How Are You Doing It? (2016–)]

13 hours ago, lemniscate said:

Would drying them be an option?

 

It's happened before but I really only used them for decoration

[What Are You Preserving, and How Are You Doing It? (2016–)]

I ended up with an incovenient 3 pints and went ahead and processed them since refrigerator space is at a premium. These were all from one plant and I don't know what I will do when the others really get going, too. Didn't do anything fancy for the brine, just vinegar and water.

 

[Gardening: (2016– )]

19 minutes ago, heidih said:

I am in such a different climate and gardening zone. My usual advice is to talk to fellow gardeners in your area or maybe there is a governmet  agency for farmers that accomdates individuals or offers resources. Most gardeners are eager to share expriences.

 

I divided the irrigation zone into two parts so I could manage the water better. But overall it is mainly a matter of going out in early afternoon and seeing what is wilting. Those plants are looking better. They are next to a double gate that wasn't closing properly today. Turns out a butternut was holding up one side

 

 

[What Are You Preserving, and How Are You Doing It? (2016–)]

On 1/29/2023 at 6:46 AM, heidih said:

Somebody in another topic who lives way north posted about fresh cherries the other day. Now? I thought. Well at market this morning $3.99/lb. No great source or type info. Dark red. I caved and they re pretty good so I used most to pickle. I so enjoyed the ones I did couple months ago - both the fruit and the liquid. Today one jar with balsamic (cheap stuff), crushed black peppercorn and rosemary. Another with orange zest and fresh ginger with apple cider vinegar. I did keep a bowlful for snacking. 

 

Where are your cherries coming from at this time of year? Bing type cherries are marketed heavily for Christmas here (red and festive) but this year the weather and flooding wiped out a lot of the crop.

[What Are You Preserving, and How Are You Doing It? (2016–)]

I have a question that maybe someone could help with:

 

I have some Hungarian hot peppers that are ripe and want to make some pickled "pepperchinis" but don't have enough for a big batch. What is the deal with refrigerator pickles? Do they keep as well as ones I've processed in the water bath? Is the texture different without the heating? I usually slice them thinly then water-bath can.

 

Thanks for any insight. 

[Rancho Gordo: Beans and More]

1 hour ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Now I am torn.  The price has gone up and the Bean Club delivery is about to happen.  I have no lack of beans, even if not the varieties I would most want.  Do I cancel my subscription before it is too late and risk missing out on something wonderful?

 

 

Too bad the subscription doesn't come with an NFT that you could sell to the highest bidder 

[How do you take your whiskey: neat or with water/ice?]

I find tiny sips from a flask works well. You could dilute a little when filling but ice cubes wouldn't be very successful. 

[The Year of the Rabbit]

Here are some photos of the blessing of the take-away, just up the street from my primary coffee place.

 

 

 

 

[Country treasures]

The Koreans have established a beach head. In contrast to my previous post, where the focus was on selling meat, especially pork and duck, without a lot of effort on the rest of the food, we now can get cook-it-yourself on the table grill Korean BBQ at the somewhat dodgy looking Cambrian Hotel, aptly named for a gold rush town. It was a bit expensive but plenty of food including a variety of marinated and non-marinated beef, pork, and lamb. I forgot to take pictures of the dipping sauces and sides but the homemade kimchi was very good. Nice selection of microbrews, too.

 

 

 

[The Year of the Rabbit]

Hmm, here the lions eat heads of lettuce then spit it out into the onlookers

[The Year of the Rabbit]

One of my coffee places along with many other businesses makes a donation to our lion teams to come around and bless the store for the New Year. Haven't seen them this year but a nice tradition. 

 

There are celebrations in the Dai Gum precinct and out at the Great Stupa but it looks like the Stupa is featuring Indian food.

 

I'll see if I can talk the cat into catching another rabbit.

[Potato "scallops"]

Obligatory rant from Victoria, "They are called potato cakes!!!"😉

[Share your favorite potato recipes.]

I'm not a big potato fan but have grown to want to eat them now and then since I was a kid and hated anything but chips/fries. I generally go for crispy.

 

But today I made a decent German potato salad that I think will be better when I get proportions right - the main recipe I more or less followed had way too little vinegar but I ended up with a bit much. I also used beef bacon which was nice. Ate it warm and it will be interesting to see how it is cold.

[Leftover Egg Whites...Share Your Go-To Uses]

I'd say pavlova if your oven can manage. Otherwise lots and lots of cocktails like whiskey sour and Ramos gin fizz

[Gardening: (2016– )]

Summer has hit with a vengeance in southeastern Australia, after our insanely wet winter and spring. At least I don't feel as guilty pouring the water on when the reservoirs are full. The predictions are still for higher than average rainfall this summer but I'm not so sure. Here is a view of part of the garden bed along our west fence. This area is mostly watered by a spray hose that is upside down under some mulch. I hope that keeps the tomatoes from turning brown with whatever gets them just when they are looking good. One of the little raised beds is a wicking bed and the other is not. The butternut pumpkin is doing much better in the non-wicking one, maybe because there is more soil for the roots. 

 

 

I got my zucchini and another pumpkin covered with shade cloth in the back bed and harvested my first small zuke so not all the effort is going to waste. My pole beans are looking ok - at least the ones that survived the earwigs when they were small. I'm not a great gardener and I find the clay soil and weather here really difficult to manage.

[Pizza Carrello in Gillette WY]

Friend in Gillette posted this article about the pizza place they took me when I was passing through. Not all traditional pizza but seriously among the best I've had. I mean Gillette? Really? Always inspiring to see good food off the beaten track. Worth a visit if you are anywhere within a few hours.

[Show and Tell: Knives]

I got a nice petty for Christmas but haven't photographed it yet. So here is the Kiwi I bought myself for around $8.00 in with the every day knives (4th from left).