dcarch

"------I think Christine will win in the end. She has an amazing talent for flavor and for plating, if you can believe that (she's legally blind).---" I don't know the definition of legally blind, but she seemed to be able to see very well from on top of the balcony to what was going on down on the kitchen floor. dcarch

Stock Options (for cooking ) : 1. Turkey parts, necks, wings, etc. Very good for "ckicken" stock. 2. Chicken necks, hearts, gizzards. 3. Chicken livers make very flavorful stock, if you like liver flavor. dcarch

I haven't salted my egg water but I can speak to shell permeability. We never use soap to wash the eggs from our henhouse because even just a couple seconds' exposure means the eggs taste soapy. It will also depends on temperature changes. When you boil an egg, you will notice very tiny bubbles coming out from the shell, that is air expanding. When the egg cools down the air inside the egg will contract, drawing in liquid around it. dcarch

If possible, raise you own chicken. Don't expect free range organic anything to cost less. Sorry can't help you much. dcarch

To minmize cast iron cookware scratching glass/ceramic cook tops: 1. You can use fine grit wet/dry carbide sand paper to smooth the bottom. or 2. Use silicone glue to put a few thin drops on the high points on the bottom of the cast iron cookware. dcarch

Because cast iron has exposed carbide crystals, which is almost as hard as diamond. dcarch

A fat/grease separator. Large and small funnel. dcarch

A little off-topic: I have visited a few historic kitchens, i.e. Vanderbilt Mansion, Jefferson’s Monticello Estate, Hearst mansion, etc. It is amazing that great dinners fit for heads of states could be coming out from those tiny kitchens with no appliances and gadgets whatsoever. dcarch

Oh yeah, you have to have a good pair of poultry shears. dcarch

Sous vide cooker. Bread machine. Waffle iron. Toaster oven with convection and Rotisseries features. Instant read thermometer. Pasta machine. Large end-grain cutting board. dcarch

The bottle trick is not perfect. I can't find a bottle big enough for my ostrich eggs. dcarch

Half of the $1,000 should go to a Blendtec blender. The other half should almost be enough for a couple of knives and a sharpening system. dcarch

"----Not sure where you're getting the idea I blamed my cooking on our utensils." Let me put it in another way, which is what I was trying to say: You can be a very good cook with lousy utensils. I am not sure $1,000 is enough for a very good set up that would make you happy for the next ten, twenty years. $2,000 may be? That’s why I think it may be a good idea to delay until you absolutely have a definitive plan. You have done a very good thing by coming here and ask for ideas, and you will get plenty. There are many people here with better knowledge than me. dcarch

Don't blame your knives, pots and pans and plates. The best of them will not make you a better cook. If I were you, I would not spend any money now. Keep cooking, Read all the posts in this Forum, watch youtube, take a few classes, Give it another year, then buy. I am sure there will be some who will disagree. dcarch

There must be about a 100 incredible dishes for me to comment on since I last posted here. I will just admire and drooooool!!! A few recent ones. dcarch Chanterelle Mushrooms and Sous Vide Sea Scallops Soft Shell Crabs Sous Vide Pork Tender Loin on Risotto and Watermelon Rind

Tomatoes and seafood go so well togather. Sous vided Sea Scallops, and Chilean Sea Bass dcarch

Here: simple as pie dcarch: the ice cream sounds very appealing; do you spice it at all? As a matter of fact I spiced it too much. I put in too much ginger. I like ginger ice cream, but this is supposed to be tomato ice cream. Still tasted good. :-) dcarch

Thank you all. I seem to remember there are 6,000 varieties of tomatoes. It will take me a while to try them all. Made tomato ice cream with crispy tomato chips. dcarch

"Uh-oh. What was the official cause of death?" Not a very good swimmer. dcarch

SobaAddict, totally amazing what you can do with tomatoes! I am impressed! dcarch

Yes, I have done many versions of BLTs. I have given away many, I have made sauce, I have dehydrated ---- Still I have more. Some recent tomato concoctions. What have you done with your tomatoes? dcarch From my garden Tomatoes & Tofu with cheese dressing Green Pineapple, Tangerine Tomatoes Mozzarella Cheese Sungold Fried Eggs, CreamOf Corn and Black Garlic sauce Sous Vide Pork, Squash Sprouts and Carmello Tomatoes Sun Gold Pizza Black Cherry Tomatoes, Mozzarella Cheese and Watermelon Salad

It's mugwort potash, so I assume potassium hydroxide (basically, the older form of lye, which these days is more often sodium hydroxide from what I understand). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potash Please do a lot of research. Sodium hydroxide is very very VERY corrosive. Is your stomach made of stainless steel? dcarch

I came across these on youtube. I don't know if they have been discussed here: Amazing series of 12 lectures, all on youtube. So much to learn about cooking. dcarch

Stunning dishes mm84321! Just curious about your mushrooms, I received a package of Chanterelle mushrooms, they look very different than yours. dcarch

I am just totally overwhelmed by all these beautifully plated delicious dishes so skillfully photographed! - - - - - - - - -- - - - - A few of recent dishes. Pulled pork and chayote, brown rice. Pan fried Live tilapia with roasted elephant garlic, topped with fish roe. Sous vide pork leg on celery dcarch