boilsover

This shape is known by several names: "sauteuse evassee", "Windsor", "Fait Tout". You are correct that this shape is of venerable history in the classical French batterie. The one on the right had no place in that history, although now it's called "saucier" (or less frequently here, a "sauteuse bombee"). The splayed shape was adopted for two main reasons: (1) it allows increased evaporation; and (2) as pan contents are reduced, the surface-to-volume ratio remains relatively constant. That constancy relieves the cook from making as many transfers to progressively smaller straightwall saucepans/casseroles when doing a reduction. The increased access with utensils and specifically whisks was incidental, IMO. The Windsor can be made using both the old joinery and the lathe-turning that was later adopted. The bombee would be very difficult (and wasteful) to do the old way, but easy on a lathe with the right mandrel. Only if the curvature turns back on itself (think bean pot or Ruffoni stocker) does it become harder. But it is still do-able--you just need to use what's called a "split chuck" in the turning. In the modern world of die pressing, you can stamp out either shape, but you can't turn the curve back to narrow. For use, I consider the two shapes mostly interchangeable. The Windsor is more linear in the surface:volume sense. I suppose, if you're one of those cooks who buys the theory of whisks better "fitting" into the bombee (I don't), you might be happier going that route. Note that even these compound-curved pans still have a bottom corner, and many whisks are fine and flexible enough to work in even a vertical wall "corner" (all of which have some radius anyway). The bombee probably would be better as a makeshift wok on the cooktop and as a zambaglione/sabayon pan. The Windsor is so versatile it would be my Desert Island pan.

His own houses? It's tough to get as much money out of doing a luxe appliance upgrade as you put into it.

Mashers are a problem with ECI. Better to use a ricer or tamis.

People tend to buy the biggest and best they can install and afford (and know about). It's a pretty sensible rule if you enjoy cooking and eschew flipping houses.

Yet is lame in it's own inimitable way. Alexa, how do I tie my shoe?

OK, someone in an earlier thread asked me to post photos of this effort to make insulated, evap-resistant bathtubs for my new Anova ciculator. I decided to make two. The first was to just use my medium-sized Coleman PolyLite 40Q cooler. This is my Go-To grocery cooler, so I didn't want to sacrifice it just for SV, so I cut a plexiglass scrap into a cover that sits down inside on the cooler's interior rim, and then hole-sawed the corner of the clear plexi to accept the Anova. Someone specc'd the hole at 2.5" diameter, but I found that's a bit too large. 2-3/8" or 2-7/16" diameter would probably have been better. I solved the issue by adding a toilet flush gasket that seals the hole and stabilizes the Anova. The second was a smaller 9Q Igloo picnic cooler I never used, is only $15 new , and therefore didn't mind sacrificing. This I hole-sawed directly through the cooler's removable lid. Because the lid was hollow, I sealed the thing up with squirt foam and silicone caulk. The gasket seals this one, too, just moving from one cooler to the other with the Anova. So far, after a few uses, I can say that the setups hold heat extremely well, and don't lose much water by evaporation. The 40Q only dropped a few degrees after being banished to the back porch overnight in 40F weather. It would not have taken much time or juice to get it back on-temp. I'll break out the Kill-A-Watt later, and compare energy use. Cost was $6 for the IKEA rack, and $3.49 for the gasket. I had everything else.

A mere "like" can't possibly convey my agreement strongly enough. This Smartphone Uber Alles sycophancy is getting so tiresome...

Maybe. These were from a friend's hens, <1 week old.

OK, so I ran the 75C/167F 14-minute program for soft-boiled eggs again. Same batch of medium eggs, but I kept 2 in the fridge until the start. The other two had come to 65F overnight. The Anova was spot on in reporting 75C. The room-temp eggs were marginally better; there was no soupy clear white. The fridge pair was the same fail. After the tops came off, I measured the temp at the center of the eggs. The reefer egg was 149F/65C, and the ambient egg made 152F/66.6C. Obviously, more time would have been required to firm up the whites, but with a high setting of 75C, the yolks would be putty-like at that point. Based on the Arnold video, I'll try the 45-minute at 62C, just for the callenge of it. I just don't see the point of SV for this.

Yup, it is very strange. The whites were much less done than those pictured. They were closest to Dave's 62Cs. In retrospect, I should have done two cold eggs and two at room temp, to gauge the difference. Thanks for the additional information.

Ooh, if you like the Salad Shooter, uou might also want the Jerky Shooter!

I think you misunderstand how firm I want. This was like egg soup. It would have taken additional time or a hotter bath to approach even a coddled state. These were only medium eggs, too. But thanks for confirming that SVing a soft boiled egg is a waste of time. It's what I figured, but I suckered into the whole precision/better texture thing. Silly me. I may give it another go, if for no other reason than to assess the internal temps vis a vis refrigerated start and room temp

Hmmm. The soft-boil attempt (75C for 13:30) was another epic fail. Every bit as liquid and mixed clear and white "white" as the 45:00 at 65C. Basically, the eggs exploded when the clacker was applied. Per advice, this was 4 eggs straight from the fridge into 8Q of water. After the 3 egg grenades, I put the 4th one back in the bath--after breakfast, the white was just barely uniformly white. Next time, I'll verify the Anova does 75C/167F when it says it does.

Well, count me among the people who hate cleaning the FP. So much so, I'd rather take 4x the time doing it by hand. Not completely rational, I know...

You might like one of these graters with West Blade technology. https://www.gourmetinsider.com/lifetime-debuts-west-blade-graters-and-zesters-at-williams-sonoma/ I fooled with these at the 2017 IHHS show. Lifetime Brands' head of development showed them to me. I was prepared to be underwhelmed, but this blade design is truly wonderful. The cutting edges are recessed, they cut in both directions, and are easy to clean. Good ergonomics, too. The West Blade citrus zester is semi-miraculous, insofar as you get all zest and no pith.

Frankly, I was surprised that these small Lacanches were not more expensive. 5 grand isn't terrible for what you get. I cooked on a larger Lacanche in Paris last month (that orange color!), and I see the appeal.

This is room temp, or straight outta da fridge?

It's not especially hot, but it is powerfully aromatic. In my limited experience, it makes the freshest Tellicherry seem like it's been on the shelf for 2 years.

The Passion packets look identical to the G. Detou packets. I paid 9 Euro per 125g packet.

And a cute 1/4 Liter stein, to boot!

This is useful, thanks. I'll try that.

Well, it takes 45 minutes on Day 1, chilling them, storing them, and then "re-therming" them on Day X. How long does that take? Plus setting up the baths and waiting for them to come to temp, dumping them a second time. Sounds like the antithesis of "no time at all". Compared with 3 minutes in simmering water?

Great. I couldn't find any from the better spice merchants where I am. I was told that there was a crop failure, and that the French buy up 98%. I ended up having a friend get me some packets in Paris. Where did you find yours?

I recently learned about and experienced Madagascar Pepper. It's a revelation, but the damn French hold a near-monopoly I've learned.

Speak for yourself on the eggs, kimo sabe. I totally see a value for SV'd meat, especially larger, tougher cuts. But poached eggs? Basically, you wait 45-49 minutes, THEN open and poach them. Why not just poach them? Sort of the same for green vegetables--just blanch and taste...