scubadoo97

It has been my experience that the unit you buy will not be big enough. Once you start buying wine that you plan to age for more than a couple of years, you will find that the amount of wine you thought you would buy was a lot less than what you end up buying. My wife bought me a VinoTemp 500 for my birthday one year to hold my 300 bottle collection, and now I need another. I'd bite the bullet and buy a larger unit that will store about 100 bottles. ← It's that always the way things happen. I use one of the cheap 40 bottle Sunbeam coolers like the Magic Chef from Home Depot for a cigar humidor, it's full to the brim, but it doesn't regulate like my GE Monogram wine cooler that I have in the kitchen but it is better than no cooler at all. I had a problem with wine going bad after a couple of years. The weather here in Florida is just too warm and especially in the kitchen. I have been enjoying wine so much more since getting a wine cooler.

I was going to post that fish sauce was the nastiest but I just got a bottle of shrimp paste and by far that is the nastiest thing I have ever bought. I am not sure I can bring myself to add it to any soups or marinades. I am doing a Thai dinner tonight and picked this up out of curiosity at my local Asian market. Any hints on how to use this?

I love to shop at ethnic grocers. We have some nice Mexican, Oriental, Greek and Middle Eastern markets near by. So much more interesting, better selection and quality of certain items there than the local big box grocer.

Another link http://www.farsinet.com/norooz/haftsinn2.html

garlic is a bigger offender than onions IMO. I have a little board for cutting small fruits that I don't want to taint with any other flavors.

One of my favorite ways to do chk breast that are moist and tender is to sear with EVOO in a cast iron skillet until golden brown on both sides and then pop into a hot oven for 5-10 min to cook the insides. Do not over cook. Slice and serve

I have a stainless on with a handle. Not as big as some I see. I decided to try it for mashed potatoes a few nights ago. I didn't peel the potatoes but cut them up in small cubes for boiling. This was more work and mess than when I use with a ricer or regular masher. It has 3 discs and none worked well for this job.

Beet greens are fantastic. Too bad they don't sell them in bunches with other greens. I love beets but hate to work with them due to the stain related issues.

a pound of home roasted coffee is what I've been bringing recently. Easy, inexpensive and not your typical gift.

After reading that article by the eGCI I realized that I was not doing my knives justice by sliding them through my Chef’s Choice sharpener. I am now the proud owner of the Edge Pro Apex sharpening system. A purchase for which I have no buyers remorse. My knives are so much sharper now and I plan to keep them that way and learn to do an even a better job of getting a great edge. My knives are a joy to use and it ups your skills a notch when your tools are preforming at their best.

I haven't smoked one but experimented with cooking one in the oven like a brisket. Too salty to eat. I think these are made to be boiled which leaches out a lot of the salt. The long soak should work.

Anejo means old or aged. Most rums are blends of different batches and years if I'm not mistaken. Many time the age listed on the bottle it the oldest rum in the blend. If you are a bourbon drinker this might seem foreign. If I had these rums I would first try them neat, then with a splash of water and then over ice. If there were not drinkable, then they become mixing rums or give aways.

Chk or beef satay grilled kabobs of ground meat, onions, parsley and Middle Eastern spices second the grilled shrimp on a stick. Yum the squid sounds really interesting

Thanks for the link pyrguy. I have not be able to find a smooth steel. Very interesting site. I like the idea of the cradle for the steel so you can more carefully keep a constant angle.

In the video the steel that is recommended is a smooth steel. I have never seen one in kitchen stores. I always see the grooved "butcher's steel". My Edge Pro kit came with a ceramic steel which I use with very little if any pressure prior to using my knifes. I took a set of stamped knifes I was going to let my son take to college and used them first as my test subjects prior to sharpening my 4 stars. I've been using this cheap chef's knife for the last week and it is awesome how well it can cuts things paper thin.

I've had pretty good luck with the Dawn Power Dissolver that was recommended here. My stainless pans end up with a hazy residue after cleaning no mater what I use but is cleaned off with a little citric acid powder and water.

I just got my Edge Pro Apex knife sharpener in a week ago after reading the thread on how to sharpen knifes. I just didn't trust my hand at a wet stone to get a consistent edge. Even though the price was steep I can say after one afternoon with it that it is worth every penny. I use to think my knifes were sharp. Highly recommend it

While the really mushy ones are old I find a lot of the farmed shrimp to be softer than good wild fresh shrimp. One way to firm them up is to brine them. 30 min in a salt/sugar bath drain and cook. The shrimp get firm and you get that pop when you bite into them.

That's always been my feeling. Rat with a fuzzy tail

Here's a link you may find helpful http://www.tbo.com/entertainment/dining/

I will second Berns and Sideberns. Berns is a great steak house. I was at a Ruth's Chris in Birmingham Al and it was no comparison to Berns. Sideburns has a more whimsical menu. One is very traditional and the other more modern. Pan Rustica in Tampa is also a great place. Big wood ovens that turn out interesting foods and good pizzas. What kinds of food are you into?

Sponges and rags do harbor lots of germs. My sponges get either a 2 min spin in the microwave or a 10 min soak in a bleach solution. Bleach does make them smell fresh. I have in the past used the same wood cutting board for all things. I scrub in hot water with plenty of soap and have never had a problem nor I have heard of anyone getting sick after eating at my house. I have not used plastic cutting boards but after getting my new Boos board I have picked up some of those thin plastic sheets and have used it for cleaning chicken or cutting up a roast for grinding. The big board is harder to clean due to the size and weight.

I scrape till I get plastic. No not really but I do try to get the last bit. My kids on the other hand....

Wonderful comfort food. In Mexico it is often served at the end of an all night party after weddings or other festive occasions. Really pushes up the hangover heartburn factor but no way can you pass it up.

What are you doing to break them. I have a plastic pull cord type that I've been using almost nightly for more than 5 years.