lindag

I find this topic fascinating, particularly Barb's input. My current home has the first gas range I've ever cooked on (despite the fact that I've been cooking for a very long time). We replaced the old range which was electric when we bought the house. I'd always wanted to try cooking with gas because I'd heard it was so much superior to electric. We bought a dual-fuel range because I love to bake and wanted the electric oven and the self-cleaning capability. Well I quickly learned that there are a lot of negatives with a gas cooktop; all of which were mentioned above. But then, there wasn't really the option of an induction range, or at least in my mind. Now, reading what I see here, I'd love to change out my current range for a better induction model. I am a home cook, certainly not a chef, and I don't want or need a 'professional' range. You posters have really gotten my attention and I just may begin to think about adding induction to my kitchen.

I've been using a Zojirushi rice cooker for at least 6 years and I absolutely love it. It cooks any kind of rice and porridge imaginable. Love the timer as well as the keep-warm function. If the rest of the dinner runs over time my rice is still perfect and kept warm.

Since I make tea for myself only, I've been using the pod method. It's easy and fast and I have it freshly made each time. I have a Keurig machine and I buy the ice tea pods from Amazon (the ones that are tea only with no lemon or sweetener. Although I don't care much for the pods for coffee I do use them occasionally for iced coffee, again, it's really better than one would think. For my coffee, I prefer it brewed in my Technivorm.

I've never steamed eggs before, nor have I ever steamed potatoes for potato salad. I think my life has been changed and I can't wait to try that method.

???

The only sound that comes from my KRs is the normal 'hissing' that goes on. Maybe you have the heat set too high? Do you put it on high heat until regulator pops up and then turn it down as low as possible to achieve the correct pressure?

The cookies that I can't have in my cupboard (lest I eat them all at once) are Biscoff. I think they're my favorite ever!

I like Oreos (also with milk). The only ones I have on hand now are the fudgy type - and they're very good. I also have the Peanut Butter Gaucho cookies. They're back! and I couldn't resist buying a package.

I got some a while back that were fairly good-looking, if not fairly large, but they were juiceless! Those that I'm seeing now are better looking, larger and feel as though they're juicy. I'm hoping that they're on their way back since I can't go without my Gin and Tonics.

I use veg. oil for most things. Olive oil, of course, when you want flavor. Question: Do you store any or all of your oils in the fridge? I have a second refrigerator so I store most of my opened bottles there; such as peanut oil. Some oils, like grapeseed, seem to go rancid more quickly.

I recently purchased the EcoJeannie stainless lemon squeezer (works perfectly on limes too). Best squeezer out there. I replaced an older enameled model that was losing its finish. It also did a poor job of squeezing since most of the juice squirted out the sides and onto the counter.

I confess to not always completely washing pots and pans that are lightly used before putting them away.

Me too.

"I am using my new rotisserie a lot now." dcarch I'm curious about your rotisserie. What kind do you have?

More about Padma from Christopher Kimball: Padma Lakshmi, host of Top Chef, is beautiful, speaks 5 languages, was married to writer Salman Rushdie, and wishes she could invite Confucius and Cleopatra over for dinner #314 MAY 10, 2014 Inside Top Chef with Top Model Host Padma Lakshmi Photo Credit Charles Thompson It is unusual for a beautiful TV host, actress, Versace model, and author to also be thoughtful, world-traveled, and a certified intellectual. I discovered that Padma Lakshmi is all of those things in an America's Test Kitchen Radio interview. One of her most beautiful (her word) images is of being thrown through the window of her parents' car in a terrible crash in California as a teenager—floating through the air in slow motion. But she also loves her work at Top Chef and describes what she looks for in a winner; someone who has to come from behind and struggles to make it to the top. As for dinner with Confucius (she also wanted to invite Cleopatra and Muhammad Ali), I hope that she will give me a ring and an invite too!

I would think that the optional Side Swipe or Metro beater blades would solve that problem. I've used both in my mixer and of the two, the Side Swipe is much, much more efficient.

Oops, I mean to add this part as well: "Padma Lakshmi, host of Top Chef, is beautiful, speaks 5 languages, was married to writer Salman Rushdie, and wishes she could invite Confucius and Cleopatra over for dinner."

If my Hobart-made KA ever dies, I'll go for the 5-qt. Artisan with the glass bowl, it's just so good-looking!!!

Aside from that, there's this: #314 MAY 10, 2014 Inside Top Chef with Top Model Host Padma Lakshmi Photo Credit Charles Thompson It is unusual for a beautiful TV host, actress, Versace model, and author to also be thoughtful, world-traveled, and a certified intellectual. I discovered that Padma Lakshmi is all of those things in an America's Test Kitchen Radio interview. One of her most beautiful (her word) images is of being thrown through the window of her parents' car in a terrible crash in California as a teenager—floating through the air in slow motion. But she also loves her work at Top Chef and describes what she looks for in a winner; someone who has to come from behind and struggles to make it to the top. As for dinner with Confucius (she also wanted to invite Cleopatra and Muhammad Ali), I hope that she will give me a ring and an invite too!

Sorry.

Mostly it will depend on what size recipes you make. If they're smaller, I'd go for the 5-qt. tilt head with glass bowl. Mine is the 5-qt. lift and I like that too. They go all the way to the big 7-qt. While I love it, it's just too big for my kind of baking.

I SO agree with you. It is totally offensive and egregiously bad-mannered. Of course I am from an older generation where men never wore hats indoors. Another reason I love "Mad Men'; love seeing the men in the elevators holding their hats.

I've had my KA since the mid 70s (Hobart-made) and it is still going strong, I hope it goes forever - I love that thing! I bought a Magic Mill DLX in the 90s and thought about selling the KA. I'm sure glad I didn't. While I used the DLX for a couple of years I returned to making smaller recipes and started again using my KA. The DLX has been tucked in a closet ever since.

Yeah, I forgot about my two upright freezers; how would I survive without those? And, of course, I love my little Braun automatic citrus juicer that I bought in 2004. I use a lot of lemons and limes and it's a real timesaver.

I'm not kidding here, these people eat doughnuts and pastries for breakfast and have a lot of take-out or TV dinners. The last time we were invited to their house we had to bring the main dish (salmon) and we also had to cook it!!! Neither of them like to cook (obviously) so they almost never invite others for meals. This positively the most wonderful thread! I adore these stories.