scubadoo97

I've had fried tender gizzards but don't know how they got that way. For sure, you can not just batter and fry. I've only done them braised and simmered in stock and both ways yield very tender gizzards. So that could be a tenderizing method before frying. Never beat them with a hammer but may try pounding them out before frying.

I use zip bags a lot to store stock in the freezer. They can be stacked one on top of the other in the freezer and they take up very little room.

Due to that alone I would say back off that 300mm knife. Even a 270 will be big for that cutting space but I assume at some point you will move up in board size. For a home cook I find the 240 length to be ideal but those who cut for a living like a 270 for prepping a larger amount of produce. That Devin Thomas gyuto is pretty slick. I really like the look of a wa

The lowest notch on my EdgePro Apex is listed as 10*. I recently dropped the edge on my 240 Tojiro gyuto down to around 10 degrees per side. I started with the EdgePro but then went free hand as it was taking a lot of time to remove that much metal. I used a DMT 8XC and wish I had an XXC. The knife has a whole new feel to it. Cuts into yams without wedging as it did before.

Quality wise you can't go wrong with either the Hiromoto or the Blazen. Both have excellent steel. I have a 240 gyuto which I think is a good size for the average home cook. I have a 300mm Hiromoto HC gyuto that is a monster of a knife. I rarely use it. I know it's all relative because the 240 seemed big when I went from an 8" German chef. If 300mm feels good in your hands then go for it. The Wa-gyuto looks real sexy.

I agree Katie. Limes and Lemons are both quite expensive in my grocery stores. I also hit the ethnic markets. Limes at 4-6/$1.00 are common. I sometimes find lemons at produce stands

I saw an out take short clip on the cigar. I can't remember exactly but it's a Cuban sandwich; roast pork made into like a puree rolled around flattened bread and then wrapped in a leaf. I can't remmeber if it was kale or something similar.

I remember when looking at ranges for the kitchen remodel a few years back that there was some warnings that you really needed to keep the door ajar for the IR broiler to stay on. Like a standard oven broiler it will cycle on and off if the door is closed. Most salamanders are open units. Some heating elements are easily raised and lowered to achieve the desired temperature and browning.

Nathan, to answer your question, very sparingly I have cold smoked corn for a corn soup and then added a few drops to bump up the smoke flavor just a tad. Do the same with hot smoked salmon or other fish when making a fish spread. The delicate smoke flavor can get lost in a spread so the liquid smoke helps highlight the smoke flavor in the dish. A little goes a long way.

Heidi the young tender leaves are excellent. I do dolmades with them. You can pick a bunch, blanch them in salted water, stack and freeze them for later use throughout the year

That's an incredible price for a band saw/grinder combo. I would have no room for such a monster machine but I would love to be able to cut and grind at the same time if I had a large primal to dismantle

No flames here. I totally agree but I would rather have a better knife and a better sharpening stone. No matter how expensive the knife, if it's dull it has little value at that moment.

Pam, your presentations look wonderful. your use of samphire looks so right with the fish. Looks like sea greens

Gray mullet are pretty common in our Gulf Coast waters. Not as thick as they use to be but there are still plenty around. The most common way we see them is smoked. The fish is very oily and they are terrific smoked. The smoked row is also very good. Here is typical sight which reflects my memory of smoked mullet in days gone by in old Florida http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.coastconnectionfl.com/images/smoked_mullet2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.coastconnectionfl.com/Gulf_Seafood_s_Menu.php&usg=__xCyzxTAvpOkG4lrElmDtWOIEitc=&h=341&w=605&sz=61&hl=en&start=19&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=FZOCgxuaBvKLeM:&tbnh=76&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsmoked%2Bmullet%26start%3D18%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rlz%3D1T4GGLD_enUS309US309%26ndsp%3D18%26tbs%3Disch:1

Shel_B, first is your grinder capable of producing that type of grind. Not all are. My Maestro Plus has a FP setting and I would say the grind is similar to a fine couscous. This is what I use when using my FP. There are many preferences when preparing coffee. I know some who steep for 3 min, some use a stop watch and it has to be 3' 30", yet others who grind finer and steep shorter. Let your palate be your guide

Rebecca, it's great to hear you are doing well. With both kids away our Shabbat dinners have been less traditional. No plans made as of yet

Very nice Steven!

Do you mind if I ask where you found the good deal? I've been looking at the PleasantHill site for a while now. I see they recently added the Deluxe to their offerings. I too don't find much need for the other accessories.

Great Find!

Shel_B there are such grinders out there but as with so many things, it's hard to be good at everything. I have a Solis, now Baratza, Maestro Plus I got about 7 yrs ago. Grinds from Turkish to FP. I found a big difference in my espresso when I went to a Mazzer Mini. We still use the Maestro + for everything else. Keeping a grinder clean will improve it's performance and longevity. Many of the problems linked to the Masestro grinder are from poor care IMO. You might have problems with oily beans moving out of the hopper into the burrs but oily beans mean the coffee is old or over roasted. Baratza has several grinders to choice from. The Vario is their latest and is said to be good for espresso but is much more $$. A couple of really nice things about these grinders is that they are relatively quiet and have little if any static issues and have a vertical chute that deposits the coffee in the holding cup so they are very clean grinders to use. http://www.baratza.com/index.php

Our citrus rats have no problems with sour or thorns for that matter.

I will confirm Doodad's ID of hibiscus flowers. The bag well? It doesn't looks so orange in color but I've seen bags of saffron flowers often in Mexican markets. Has s weak taste of saffron at a fraction of the price of the saffron stigma threads. Hard to tell from your picture

Very true but on the reheat is where you will find the additional "chemical activity". But what exactly is going on? With a dish like braised short ribs there will be re-uptake of some of the braising liquid into the meat as the meat cools. Extra fat is removed from the refrigerated dish before re-heating and the liquid is further reduced on the re-heat. All of these things are altering the dish and I assume improving it.

I've been making a cauliflower puree for a few years now. I have not tried first roasting but that sounds delicious. I had made homemade ricotta or paneer and used some in one of my recent batches. It really gave it a good taste and texture. I've use cream cheese, milk,cream, grated cheese and any combination of these with good results. The ricotta was excellent. I'll have to try roasting it now as well and I love shrimp and grits

Maybe I didn't have good enough shears. My honesuki or Henckel is much faster than my shears. I gave up on them. Take a back out in around 8 seconds.