Mel Z

I can't speak to Schmidt's technique, but in the pastry class I took last year, we did a lot of chocolate tulips and boxes, and I presume bowls could be made in much the same way as the tulips. The key for those is to get high quality (thick, not water-balloon-style which are designed to pop!) balloons (w/o writing is best), blow them up to about a 3-inch diameter, and seal. Stick a metal sheet pan in the freezer while you're doing this. Then rub crisco/shortening lightly on the bottom, where you're going to dip in chocolate. Take the cold pan out and immediately dip the balloon in the tempered and slightly cooled chocolate, either very deep for a bowl, or alternating sides with the balloon tipped...3 dips looks nice for a tulip. Then set the balloon onto the sheet, stick in the fridge, and wait for the chocolate to harden. Then snip the balloon, wait for the air to come out, and peel away from the tulip. There may be a slight hole near the base which you can fill with molten chocolate if you like. Boxes, for anyone who is interested, is more straightforward but I'd argue slightly harder. Pour out a thin layer of tempered chocolate onto the back of a sheet pan. Marble in another color if you like (I particularly like the dark/white swirling effect, but you can use a wood-grain pattern too), and let harden on the counter, just until set. With a sharp warm knife, slice the chocolate into panels the size of each side of your box. Don't forget a lid--this looks really nice sitting or perched diagonally on top of the box. Pop the chocolates into the fridge to set completely, and place a sheet pan in a preheated oven (temp needs to be over 200 degrees, but specifics don't matter). Pull out your cooled chocolates and your warmed pan, and (wearing gloves to not mar the chocolate), begin to assemble your box. On parchment or your staging area, set down the base. Then grab two of the squares for side pieces, and touch them to the warm sheet, the bottoms of both and the sides of one. Place them (melted side down) on top of your base, with the other melted side between them. Continue like this for all of the sides, touching the squares to the pan to form your chocolate "glue." This is all pretty time consuming, though, so if anyone wants an easy shortcut, buy the foil mini muffin liners and dip those instead (no need to grease). Drain upside down on a metal rack and put in the fridge to harden. Then remove and peel off the foil...these make great mini-desserts when filled with a berry mousse or chocolate mousse, and you can use the same base for all of them. Here's a pic of some really sloppy ones I made last summer (raspberry mousse on left, blackberry on right):

I'd like to hear from current KA users as to which model they picked any why...I'm a Cuisinart owner and I love it to death, but my sister is heartset on a KA (and her birthday's coming up). She does a heavy amount of baking for the average household cook--cookies, cakes, and breads--but only a bit of catering work. I think the 5Q capacity would be plenty, but can someone help me figure out all the different lines that KA offers and what would be best? Artisan, Professional, Heavy Duty, Classic? I've used the bowl lift models in some of my baking classes but never actually checked what line they are... Thanks for the help!

I've got a new one for you, then--hot pepper jelly with cream cheese on crackers. I love the stuff, and can imagine it'd be similar to what you're describing. Add me to the list of Kraftaholics, but perhaps worse, a few of my tried & true recipes use onion soup mix. Until recently I couldn't afford sharp knives, and never managed to cut onions without bawling my eyes out...or I'm just making excuses.

I'm a student and regularly have evening classes that let me out at 8pm...by the time I get back to my apartment, I'm usually not in a mood to stand over a stove, so I understand where you're coming from. I've been meaning to invest in a crock pot but am terrified of the stories of them sparking, so for now, I alternate between the heat n' eat and quick cooking methods. I make several gallons of sauce each month, complete with meatballs, sausage, and pork ribs. These get frozen in 2-serving portions of meat & sauce, which I move to the fridge the morning I want pasta. That translates into a nice 20-min meal. I also bake a lot of bread on the weekends, so meatball hoagies (albeit not the healthiest option) are occasional Monday or Tuesday fare. Sometimes I'll make up a casserole ahead of time to bake later, but that's a rarity. For the quick cooking, I'm a big fan of pan-searing. My grocery now stocks deveined but in-shell shrimp, which is fantastic for butterflying and pan-searing...I deglaze with some wine & lemon and serve over rice or on a salad. We do chicken this way too...so quick and so delicious. We also cook our veg this way...maybe not as nutrient-rich as poaching/steaming, but it's quick for broccoli or asparagus. Happy cooking!

I go for a sort of rice porridge--slightly overcooked rice in a little more liquid than usual, with the liquid of choice being homemade chicken broth (with a dash of extra salt). Warm, salty, and gentle on the throat. I wonder why some of us seem to crave salt when under the weather? Maybe it helps motivate us to drink our 8/day!

Thanks, Katie! I used Smirnoff triple-distilled, so the extraction may take longer but I'm hoping for a smoother taste. What is the purpose of adding additional vodka after the infusion? I had planned on adding simple syrup, and only water if I thought it was too strong.

I've been infusing some vodka with lemon zest for the past week (half microplaned and half peeled because I got impatient!) for my first attempt at limoncello, and I was hoping someone could clear up what I see to be a point of contention between recipes. Is it better to strain the zest out before adding the simple syrup and letting the mixture set, or after? With the added water volume, can much more flavor be extracted from the zest? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Having also just graduated, I'll throw in my two cents- Folks are definitely correct on the ban on heat-producing devices. My school was particularly strict and toasters/cookers/hot water heaters were not allowed (along with those multi-headed/Medusa lamps). As someone who absolutely loves to cook, Pyrex everything made up my cooking stash. I didn't have a stove or oven in my freshman dorm, just a microwave, so my 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup was a godsend...you can make soup, mac & cheese, oatmeal, and other late-night staples in it, and of course, it measures. I'm a tea drinker so that's how I got my brewing water, too. I also had a square Pyrex pan which was good for making fudge and simple cakes. These collapsible bowls were also convenient and didn't take up much space. Tupperware and other food storage (aluminum foil, good sandwich bags) are also very useful. I'd be surprised, though, if the school doesn't have some sort of meal plan requirement. Ours did, so I instead focused on being creative with what was in the dining hall--making my own panini, dressing up salad bar creations, etc. Dining hall food can be awful, but most universities today have some elements that you can dress up into something less repetitive. Be warned--this skill is quite in demand. Best of luck to all the new college students!