Anna N

I don’t think I understood at any point previous to this that you were contemplating cooking the branches as you call them. I don’t think there is much you can do with these unless you have the patience to peel each one which is really challenging. Watching the video upthread even M. Pépin appears to discard them.

Congratulations. Reading the ad copy I was almost convinced until I bumped into this sentence: “Also, this is the only kitchen knife to make the Kessel Run in under 12 par-secs.” I am afraid it would get away from me every single time.

According to the Washington Post Here, There is no need for any special changes to the normal preparation. I apologize if it is behind a pay wall but here is an excerpt. “Macaroni and cheese freezes very well. I ought to know; I worked on a big mac and cheese project last year and was eating the research materials for months afterwards. You don’t need to do anything special when preparing whichever recipe you choose; just make sure that when you cook your pasta, you keep it al dente. That will help stave off the mushiness you’re concerned about. Another thing: I haven’t really noticed this, but some cooks believe that the cooked pasta absorbs too much of the sauce over time and makes the dish dry. The antidote is to cut back slightly on the amount of pasta, to increase the ratio of cheese to mac. If you find that your defrosted portions are too dry, try that technique.”

Hope your family health issues soon improve. It’s great that you’re still enjoying your air fryer, too. Not sure why you are worried about keeping a ceramic top clean and shiny.

Definitely a peeler for celery. I think I was doing that before I even knew anything about Mr. Pepin.

Yes. That is a good plan. And I do think that the stems tell you how much you need to remove in order not to end up with strings in your teeth!

He doesn’t need one. A knife in that man’s hand is just an extension and he can make it dance. I find a peeler less satisfactory than a paring knife for dealing with broccoli stems. I think the biggest difference between the apparent ease with which he does it, aside of course from his brilliance, is the quality and freshness of the broccoli. Assistance seek out the best produce for him. I am usually stuck with the supermarket where the broccoli has been sitting around for some considerable time as evidenced by the condition.

The stems are the best part of the broccoli but I must admit that I have never been able to peel them the way that Jacques Pepin suggests is possible.

A spatula costing $139 had better be able to get itself out of the utensil jar and over to the stove, lift up my egg without breaking the yolk and place the egg carefully on my plate, find its way to the sink, wash itself thoroughly with soap and water, rinse three times, dry itself and return to the utensil jar all the while singing Amazing Grace a cappella.

I would definitely not turn my nose up at either breakfast but that Thomas Keller one is killing me! So happy to hear, just as I suspected, that your meals are not rigidly planned but that within reason you go with the flow and adapt as needed.

Thanks I am challenged in more ways than one! I am particularly technology challenged these days. Fortunately a couple of members have managed to get the essence of the article to me. I do appreciate your suggestion though.

Unfortunately only the subscription page of the New York Times is not behind a pay wall.

Strangely, although I am one of those people who becomes ridiculously over cautious about food expiration dates, I have never given it a thought where milk or cream are concerned. The smell test has always been enough for me. It pre-dates expiration dates by many decades.

Holy Moses. My jaw dropped at the cost of the rice cooker. It is now lying in 20 pieces on the tile after looking up Blendtecs. But I continue to subscribe to the philosophy that we each have the right to choose where we dispose of our income.

Here is an interesting discussion Storage of tomatoes.