KennethT

While these are a lot more expensive than the Crocs, I like the moisture wicking footbed....

@blue_dolphin@ShelbyI used to have a pair of crocs that were gifted to me. I didn't wear them often because I found them to be sweaty and generally not very comfortable without socks. But that was years ago.... any thoughts about this?

I am finally getting to the point where I am thinking about getting back into the kitchen. That being said, because of the fun I've had these last few weeks, I'm nervous to do so without shoes. Unfortunately, I really dislike wearing shoes in the apartment - so I'd to get some kind of shoe that I can keep in the kitchen and slip on/off without any assistance from my hands - clogs first come to mind. Can anyone recommend something that fits the bill?

I love rabbit and years ago used to make it once in a while - grilled saddle, poached legs with mustard sauce... unfortunately, I don't think I'll be in shape for cooking (or walking around too much to get groceries) for a while... but I'll be looking in...

The top left shelf has all of the backup spices that either aren't used much (so don't go on the whiteboard) or have what is leftover.

Nice. But certainly there's some crossover, no? When making Thai food or other SE Asian food, you can use coriander, fennel and cumin seed for starters (as well as cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise, etc.) all of which you could also use for Indian.

wow... green curry paste from scratch in the mortar! old school!!! everything looks great.

That's what I was thinking!

It's not the hand strength - and I've got a set of channel locks - but the metal it's made from is relatively flimsy - so any tool used to grip would probably deform it. And I don't really care - we'll be moving in a couple months and will need to rethink the spice storage since the new kitchen has lots of cabinets but very little wall space, so the whiteboard is going out the window. And I have a bag full of star anise in the cupboard...

I have a lot of similar metal tins with the clear cover. They have a magnet on the bottom and I have them stuck to a magnetic white board hanging on the wall. Really easy access, but some if the tins have gotten gunked up over the years. I can't even twist open the one that holds star anise!

Mine's the All Clad LTD stir fry - stainless interior bonded to an aluminum core with anodized aluminum exterior. It seems like All Clad has discontinued this line. And it's huge - it's at least 14" across the top if not bigger - though I don't think I've measured it.

I have a phony All Clad wok I'd love to get rid of. It's probably about 15 years old and used maybe twice. I haven't touched it, but since it's been hanging on my pot rack for all that time, I'd assume it has a very healthy layer of settled aerosolized oil mixed with dust on it. In fact, I can practically guarantee it. It was quite expensive when I got it - do you think anyone would want to pay to take it off my hands or should I try to donate to some sad sap? OTOH, I got a Joyce Chen carbon steel wok relatively recently and have already used it a bunch of times. It lives on my stovetop since it (was pre foot burning) is the most common thing I use lately.

The cabbage/carrot pickle reminds me of someof the pickles I saw in Vietnam - they pickle everythnig there and basically serve it with every meal.

OK - maybe not, but I certainly have done more than my share of stupid things!

For those playing the Idiot Who Burned His Feet home game, I recently got back from my 2nd appointment at the burn center where they removed the bandages and voila! Mostly healed! Sort of.... What the burn surgeon who removed my bandages said was "from a wound perspective, it's completely healed, however, you're likely to have about a week more of some pain and itching." Bandages/compression wraps no longer needed, but just tons of moisturizer slathered on. But the good news is no infections and it is completely healthy.... So for those keeping score, it is just under 2 weeks since the incident. 2 weeks of discomfort (sometimes downright painful at times), pain in the ass (definitely no cooking for the last 2 weeks - I couldn't take the chance of getting the bandages wet) and just being exhausted - this thing has really sucked the energy out of me. So, I will reiterate... wear shoes while cooking!!!!

Do you make the lobster balls or buy them?

huh. never heard of that... thanks.

Damn that lamb looks good!

@weinoocan have my older Thai basil that I've let flower. it's really pretty and still tasty. If you clip all the flowers, it will continue to grow vegetatively, but at its age it keeps wanting to flower. I have a new plant that's about a week old that still has some growing up to do, but I'm sure will be just as tasty.

I don't think you'd need to add anything to the Maesri brand except a little shrimp paste. That stuff requires no punching. I still haven't made it to Ken Hing... but if they happen to have the Nittiya brand of curry paste (it's refrigerated), it's probably the best I've had outside of Thailand... The Thai store on Mosco St. used to carry it (I haven't been there in about a year) but when they did, they sold out quickly.

That's true. @weinoo that might be really good for planting some morning glory (aka kang kung, aka ong choy, aka pak boong)

@Anna N , @jimb0 beat me to it....

no Thai basil? I'm sure it was just because you didn't have it available, but it would have knocked it out of the park! What brand red curry paste did you use?

I always figured that the layer of fat or caulfat acted as insulation to keep moisture from evaporating out of the surface of the meat. I'm thinking about the diagram in Modernist Cuisine talking about dry heat cooking of meats. I don't have it in front of me, but from memory, there was a desiccation zone (that's what would get browned) on the surface of the meat. Using a layer of fat inhibits the production of the desiccation zone I'd assume more through insulation and the creation of a moisture barrier, keeping the meat underneath cooler than it would have been without it.

I meant in general, over the last couple of years - not specifically right now.