dtremit

Looks like there is a APO 2.0 coming: https://anovaculinary.com/products/anova-precision-oven The folks over on /r/combisteamoven on Reddit seem to have dug up a draft manual and some other details. Other changes seem to include a redesigned water tank (with a second tank for waste water), and movable heating elements for cleaning. Looks like it will have a touchscreen and a camera (similar to the June oven?) and probably a subscription-required app, though the latter is only to "access the latest guides, cooking modes, camera functionality, and recipes and to track your cook history on your oven." No idea if it's the same app / subscription as the sous vide wands. Seems like the 1.0 is no longer available for sale, either.

Re: the starter, we’ve actually had an interesting journey with that. In the past, I’d used Fage as a starter, but it didn’t reliably last more than a generation or two — so we always bought a small cup for each batch. My partner got me tickets to a cooking class (at the wonderful Sofra Bakery in Cambridge) that was focused on Turkish cooking with yogurt, and at the end of the class they sent us all home with a starter. That was I believe March 3, 2020, our last experience being packed shoulder-to-shoulder with folks for a while! When most people were making sourdough, we were making yogurt. That starter made delicious yogurt for us for over a year — but the day after we moved in 2021 our fridge died, and the yogurt got pitched in the aftermath. We finally got another plain yogurt from Sofra about 6 months ago (they don’t always sell it) and that has once again continued to thrive for us. Still happily using the Instant Pot to incubate. So I would say, seek out a non-commercial starter, and your chances of getting one that works in perpetuity are a lot higher. I’m currently thinking of starting to make kefir, as we’ve been drinking a lot of that, but haven’t gotten up the courage yet.

One thought here: the Control Freak's sensor is in the dead center of the pan, which is a centimeter or two from the coils. So heat has to be conducted to the location of the sensor. If for some reason the pan's external cladding conducts heat poorly, it's possible that more heat could be conducted to the inside center of the pan than the outside center of the pan. I wouldn't imagine it would be 15-20 degrees, but it could certainly be some amount lower. I would be tempted to try something with a completely non-clad construction like carbon steel and see if that behaves the same way. As for myself — I am embarrassed to say that I haven't had a moment to play with my CFH since it arrived last week. I suppose this is the risk of chasing a discount!

Randomly, Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, volume 1 is on sale for $1.99 today. Full price for volume 2.

I appreciate the report — I have two each of the S&S points and flats in the coldest part of the fridge, awaiting their date with the Jacuzzi. Did you soak prior or repeat your water-in-bag technique reported upthread? The $0.17/lb cabbage will end up serving some sauerkraut experiments, I think.

I believe that's how the upcoming Impulse cooktop works: https://www.impulselabs.com I'm not sure that $5500 for a 30" cooktop really addresses the segment of the market that's looking to avoid the cost of a 240v circuit, though they claim a significant percentage may be covered by tax incentives. Also looks like it's way too big to put an oven underneath. The 10kw peak output per burner is intriguing, though — presumably a boost mode, but they claim to be able to boil a liter of water in 40 seconds. If I had rooftop solar, this would definitely be an interesting option.

There's definitely both on the screen — this is from the video: Guessing you can tap to switch between them and the dial controls whatever is active?

It seems like they made a pretty good set of compromises compared to the original — the smaller size and weight are definitely a plus for the home, and I can't imagine e.g. the metal vs plastic subframe is something a lot of home cooks would ever notice. Same element, sensor, probe, and max temperature goes a long way. The Youtube video embedded in the project page shows the knob being used to adjust temperature (link is to the timestamp showing that feature), and they mention being able to use it without the touchscreen. Sort of surprising that there's no mention of compatibility with their app. Glad I picked up a half price Studio Pass after Christmas!

Might be a good use for a silicone ice cube tray or Souper Cubes 2TB tray

Insignia is like Kenmore, I believe; they don't manufacture anything themselves. Given that, I'd be surprised if there aren't air fryers under other brand names that have the same issue...

Got it, thanks! I am leaning in that direction. Part of me thinks the one with the single basket and removable divider would be better; I could use it for browning bigger things. OTOH the two baskets would be easier to clean (only have to clean one if I only use one, and would fit in the dishwasher easier). Either way I think they're the same air fryer with just the basket swapped; the buttons are exactly the same. (Yours seems to have a slightly fancier display with the "Add food..." bit.)

@lindag — thanks for forwarding those recs! @rotuts — good catch on the sale, I have been watching for one on that model without much luck. One of the issues I've run into is that there are so many models from the same companies that it's hard to make heads or tails of any review. I had looked at Consumer Reports as I don't have a ATK subscription anymore. They liked 3 Instant models: the 4qt Vortex Plus, the 6qt Vortex Plus, and...the 6qt Vortex Plus (?!) Based on that I would have guessed that similar looking machines from the same brand would be largely interchangeable, but somehow the non-Plus "Instant Vortex 6qt" was their lowest-ranked machine. 🥴 CR liked the Ninja models they did rate, and it seemed like ATK's complaints were mostly about basket shape, which is completely different in the one I was looking at. I trust folks here a lot more than pretty much any rating site which I guess is why I posted. (That and I really did find Chris Young's explanation interesting.) @palo — is yours the dual basket with the removable divider (same AZ link as Rotuts posted, different style)? That's the feature I really liked in the Ninja and it's about the same price (and a little smaller which is probably helpful).

I've been holding out against the air fryer for the longest time, given I have a Breville and a Cuisinart steam oven, and mostly those do what I want them to do. However, I'm coming close to giving in after watching this Chris Young video where he explains why the top-mounted fan and air circulation pattern of (basket-style) air fryers produces better fries in less time using his technique. One of the things I have been annoyed by lately in my Breville is that roasted potatoes end up getting tough by the time they get crispy. I suspect I could do a multi-step boil/steam-then-bake process but it's just too much for a weeknight. I sometimes see the same thing with other foods (e.g., Trader Joe's frozen chicken). Currently very tempted by this Ninja model at Costco with a wide basket that can be divided in two, and a bread proofing function; I don't have a great device for proofing currently.

I'm a bit suspicious of this etymology for the "chile" spelling, given it's universal in modern Spanish — it seems more likely that the Spanish spelling shifted over time on its own, and then migrated into the US. That said, I didn't quite realize until now how indecisive American usage can be — the pepper is almost always "chile" or "chile pepper," and indeed "chili" by itself would be unambiguously the stew. But at the same time, I don't think I've ever encountered "chile crisp" or "sweet chile sauce"...

I don't get the sense that there's been much innovation in bread machines of late, particularly if your goal is making loaves out of normal wheat. The machines are more popular in Japan, and I think there are some newer models there, but mostly they seem to offer additional cycles for rice-based bread.