mgaretz

I have used it some, not enough to post a recipe. However the manufacturer was insistent that in order to work the Cremodan 30 must be brought to 180f. When I asked if that was to activate it or just to insure it was pasteurized, they wouldn't elaborate. Just kept insisting that it must reach 180f.

My wife loves the soft serve from Disneyland's Paradise Pier (and also Cars Land Cones). We found the source of the mix through a Google search a few weeks ago, but now, search as I might, I can no longer find it. Does anyone know who the supplier is?

I'm a new owner of the smallest Traeger pellet grill (so quite a bit different than the one you are considering), but I love it. The Primo will allow direct heat for charring - pellet grills don't do that. You can get to a max temp of about 450f on the pellet grill (mine anyway) and you can get the Primo much hotter than that, if you care. (I just looked at the Memphis specs and they say you can get to 650f on it and that it can do a direct heat mode with an insert. I would check to see if you can go easily from indirect to direct in the same cook on either choice.) I upgraded my Traeger to the digital controller and I love that I can set and forget it, especially for long cooks.

I use this one: http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Stainless-Vertical-Poultry-Roaster/dp/B00004UE87/ref=pd_sim_k_16 Unfortunately my new pellet grill isn't tall enough for vertical roasting except for game hens, so I'm back to horizontal in a rack.

The Cremodan line of ice cream and sorbet stabilizers are a pre-mixed blend of these ingredients. Various companies sell them in small quantities to consumers.

Split pea with ham and carrots (pressure cooker) Sweet and sour cabbage borscht (slow cooker) Beef barley mushroom Chicken vegetable with noodles War wonton

I want to make cherry flavored ice cream, (ok not ice cream, it will be non-dairy), that is reminiscent of cherry pie. I start with a commercial soft-serve base that is mixed with water. I have tried substituting the water with pure tart cherry juice, and also a blend of 50% cherry juice, 25% water and 25% Torani cherry syrup. The first was edible, but didn't taste like cherry pie. The second was closer, but since the syrup also contains sugar, I'm afraid if I use more that it will get overly sweet and taste too much like cherry cough syrup. In my next try I'm thinking of eliminating the cherry juice and doing 75/25 water to syrup. Any thoughts? Anybody have a recommendation for a good cherry extract that will impart that cherry pie flavor?

Nope. I start with a packaged corned beef brisket - primarily because when they are on sale, and usually even when they're not, it's much cheaper than buying brisket. Not to mention that the curing has already been done which saves many days.

Been lurking for some time but enjoying my new Traeger Pellet Smoker. My wife gave it to me for an early birthday present about 4 weeks ago and so far we've made pulled pork, ribs, hot-smoked salmon, wood-fired pizza, whole roasted chicken (all of the preceding twice each except the salmon which we've made three times), roasted cut-up chicken, tri-tip, pork tenderloin, and now pastrami: (Sorry for the quick and dirty iPhone shot)

Assuming it's something to help them bake or make them, he could use the phrase "muffins and cupcakes" once up front, then refer to them as "your creation" thereafter. Or "oven treats", "baked goods" or whatever.

Been a very long time since I had steak in the city. But our new favorite is an old school dinner house here in San Ramon called the Brass Door. Excellent steaks and plenty of other interesting things on the menu. And it won't break the bank. McNamara's in Dublin is also good but pricier and less non-steak choices. Esin, in Danville, always has a steak or two on the menu and other great choices (see my EG blog for a review) and never disappoints.

It doesn't take much to add smoke as long as you can set up your gill for indirect heat. Simply wrap 2ozs of wood chips in foil and puncture the top. Have two of these so you can replace the first one when it stops producing smoke. It goes over the hot part and the food on the cool part. This will normally provide 1-2 hours of smoke, which is all you really need as hardly any smoke will be absorbed into the food after that. Great instruction for most any grill type at http://www.amazingribs.com. Meatheads Memphis Dust from that site is also a great rub recipe.

Doing ribs today actually. That will be low and slow - 225F for about 6 hours.

Since Keith is keeping tabs, I should expand on the Traeger. Even though it can be used as a smoker, this recipe cooks the chicken on its high setting - about 450F. The chicken gets a light coating of olive oil, a light dusting of rub (so far we've used the free Traeger chicken rub that came with the grill - next I'll be trying my own rub and also Meathead's Memphis Dust) and is placed breast side up on a stainless BBQ tray (lots of holes in it). The chicken is not stuffed or trussed. Only prep is to remove the giblets, trim away obvious excess fat (usually near the tail) and rinse well inside and out. Cook time is 1 hour and 10 minutes with no turning or fussing.

My lovely wife got me a traeger pellet grill for my birthday (which isn't for two months) so she old make roast chicken on it while I'm gone. (Strikes me that this is like the husband buying the wife a power tool for her birthday.). Anyway we've now made two chicken on it an they were awesome and easy. Crispy skin and very tender and juicy, with a nice, but not overpowering, wood smoke flavor.

Years ago I bought a Rosle in a sale bin at WS for $5 and I love it. Still works like new.

I loved my All-Clad aluminum insert model, but then the insert coating started to fail. The second one was ok, but the cooking quit in the middle once, ruining dinner. Decided I couldn't trust it. Since it is a WS product, I took it back exchanged for the Cuisinart multi-cooker, also a WS exclusive. So far it has worked fine, but it does eventually get to a slow boil on low. WS also has a Breville unit that looks nice, but has no timer. Until I got the All-Clad, I really liked this one: http://westbend.com/cooking/slow-cookers/5-qt-oblong-slow-cooker.html Basic, but I liked the variable temperature dial and that the insert was light and easy to clean. Only 5 quarts but looks like they have a bigger oval one now too. Downside is you can't brown or sauté in the insert (which I use often on the above).

Oh, and I take the juice and cook it with the cabbage/carrots/potatoes.

I soak overnight in cold water in the fridge. No change of water. (First rinse off the goo and trim.) Pat dry, put in SV bag. Add spice packet to bag, equal amounts on top and bottom and vacuum seal. 10 hours at 180F. Comes out great!

We like Rivoli near Berkeley.

Yes. My stainless is mainly All-Clad and it cleans up easily. I have a Sur La Table brand tri-ply stainless roasting pan and its very hard to clean.

I second that Tojiro makes a damn nice knife for the money. I have quite a few Tojiros and while they are very good, I find that I much prefer the Shun Classic line. I'm slowly replacing my Tojiros with Shuns when I find them on a good sale.

That looks like a built-in style Blendtec base, like you'd find at a Jamba Juice. I wouldn't choose that one. But I would take a Blendtec over an Oster any day. I love mine!

I'm guessing the pump is not as heavy duty. Doesn't mean that it won't run 24/7 but it won't last as long. The recommendation to only run it a few times a week means it will not fail as soon, and W-S has a lifetime replacement policy. So they are probably hoping when it fails you won't be bringing it back since it will be many years down the road instead of sooner if you used it more often. All conjecture.

According to the W-S site, the offer doesn't apply to Polyscience products.