lindag

I can't resist beets! Whenever I see them fresh in the grocery I have to buy them. Love to have them pickled, or just plain steamed with salt and pepper or, even better, Harvard Beets. If I had a garden, It'd be half beets.

I have been using http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dgarden&field-keywords=weston+food+bags&rh=n%3A1055398%2Ck%3Aweston+food+bags. These are heavier than any others that I've tried. I use both the rolls and the cut bags. Very good quality.

We used to go to the Portland OR PF Chang's often when we lived there. Now I just swoon when I remember. One of my favorite restaurants ever!

I don't recall which company made them but I remember from about 15 years ago there was a very thick rippled chip that I loved. I think it was sour cream and onion flavored as well. Mostly likely a Lays or a Ruffles brand.

My Mother used to make a wonderful soup made with spare ribs, cabbage, potatoes and the other usual aromatics. I think it's an old Pennsylvania Dutch recipe. I make it now, trying to recreate hers as closely as possible.

I lunch with a group of friends every Monday. One friend is someone I'd call 'Mikey' because she hates EVERYTHING! She won't eat: eggs, milk, seafood of any kind, beans, mushrooms, beef unless it's WELL done, dark meat chicken, rye bread. You get the picture. I cannot imagine life with so many limitations.

Everything I have ever read about canning says you CANNOT can in a pressure cooker, you must use a Pressure CANNER.

Unfortunately, they chose a lesser model Fissler to test. The Vitaquick was the top choice in the CI test.

Oh my! I have both K-R and Fissler pressure cookers. Trust me, the Fissler (Vitaquick) models are head and shoulders above the K-R which is a really, really nice PC. However, the Fisslers are a whole different product. They are beautifully made and the bottom disc covers the entire bottom of the pan...a really important feature as the smaller discs encourage scorching. I have the 6.5 qt. Fissler and the 4.2 Fissler pressure pan that comes with a steaming basket and separate lid. I have found this pan to be so useful that I use it several times a week. And, it still looks so beautiful you'd swear it was brand new. Literally no comparison between the two brands.

I bought http://www.qvc.com/VacuumInsulated-AutoSeal-16oz-Stainless-Steel-Travel-Tumbler-with-Handle-Search-Results.product.K36795.html?sc=K36795-SRCH&cm_sp=VIEWPOSITION-_-23-_-K36795&catentryImage=http://images-p.qvc.com/is/image/k/95/k36795.001?$uslarge$ this one about six months ago. It's perfect! Keeps the coffee quite hot and it's good-looking. Previously I bought a Zojirushi travel mug off Amazon. Great mug but it actually kept the coffee too hot to drink. I still have it but don't use it because the coffee burns my mouth (my coffeemaker makes insanely hot coffee).

I use Foodsaver bags to store ALL my cheeses. They last forever.

I can attest to the W-S GoldTouch pans. They truly are the best pans available. If you want to invest in pans that will last a lifetime, these are the ones to buy. They need NO greasing. And they stay looking brand-new. They are heavy and very well constructed. I got rid of all my others and use only these; I bake bread on a regular basis. I also got the square pans and the quarter-sheet pans and the regular sheet pans. They are the gold standard.

I have made the CI Chicken curry recipe but haven't tried the new PC version of it. I'm sure it will be every bit as good. It's one of my favorites too.

Good idea, Oliver. I'll have to remember that the next time I have an empty.

Seocnd update! I contacted Fissler customer service and found out that the brown spots on the exterior of my pan are due to calcium deposits in my water. I was told to use a stainless cleaner or vinegar and they'd come off easily. Wow! I used Kuhn Rikon's Swiss Cleaner and with only a little scrubbing the spots were gone. I am in love again. I was so disappointed because these pots are truly beautiful and I thought mine was defective. No more worries!

I like the look of the Norpro better than Guy's; for me 16 oz. is too big. I have some cheapies that I got some time ago and the big problem is they leak around the base of the cap so I have to wrap the threads with a tiny strip of plastic wrap.

Update on the Fissler 4.2 qt. Vitaquick pressure pan. I am deeply disappointed. While washing this pan yesterday after cooking some green beans, I see that the finish is coming off in spots on the outside! I have no idea why. And, my Amazon return period ended a few weeks ago so I will have to return the pan at my own expense and received a pro-rated refund. Because I love this pan and use it so much I will buy a second one but will be watching it closely for signs of defect.

Yep, I'm a big fan of the Rosle as well. I have a couple and they stay really, really sharp. BTW, They make a grapefruit knife that is the best thing ever invented if you are a grapefruit lover. I don't think they make a product that doesn't raise the bar.

I got the Vitaquick, I believe it's a better quality pot.

I have this one http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001E5CWVU/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1. It's a smaller size and has four heat settings. I also have the All Clad but siince I'm cooking for one or two most of the time, I find I use the Cuisinart more often. It's nice quality and performs really well.

I purchased two Fissler models recently: the 6.4 qt. and the 4.2 at pressure pan that comes with the steamer insert and glass lid. I am WOWED! As a devoted K-R user, I cannot believe the amazing quality of these Fissler pans. They truly are works of art. Beautiful and they perform flawlessly! Completely silent while cooking. And that full size disc on the bottom ensures that there's no scorching. For someone who does stocks, the 8.5 qt model sounds ideal. But I believe it is still out-of-stock at most dealers. Cooks Illustrated is on hiatus now while PBS is doing their fundraising. But it should be back on air soon and the CI pressure cooker cookbook will be out on the 15th. Yay!

Breville Smart Oven! Takes up a good bit of real estate and is somewhat pricey at $250 but SO-O-O-O-O worth it. I rarely use my range oven anymore except for really big dishes. I'd never thought I could get so much use out of a small appliance like this but it really is versatile, it does most everything extremely well.

I wanted to add that I buy my parchment, pre-cut to sheet pan size, from King Arthur Flour. It comes in big rolls and lasts forever. And, they frequently offer it with free shipping.

Agreed. Cleaning the silpats can be a giant PITA. For that reason I mostly use parchment these days.