Martin Fisher

It would definitely be a positive if you're sealing several bags per session, but if that's the only difference, I'm not sure it's worth the extra money for the small batches I'd be bagging most of the time. The reviews are largely positive, but I'm not sure they're useful in determining how well the machines will perform in the long run. I have a feeling that most folks post their reviews shortly after receiving their units, while still very excited about their new purchase. What about 5 years or 10 years down the road? One commenter on youtube complained that the pump burned out after just 8 months of use, hopefully that's just an isolated incident! This place has the VP-210 for just $859, with free shipping. The VP-215 is just $90 more. ~Martin

It appears that the VP-215 cycles a bit faster than the VP-210. Is there any other difference? ~Martin

This is always a fascinating subject! FWIW, Here are NOAA's Relative Humidity/Dew Point tables for various elevations for anyone who may have a special interest. ~Martin

I'm going to use an Igloo 48-Quart cooler for the vessel. The insulated vessel will allow me to setup the outfit on my unheated enclosed porch. I've ordered two SS sandwiched circulation plates from FMS to ensure good circulation. Because the air pump isn't adjustable, I'll install a vent valve in the air line so I can fine tune the bubble action. I'd rather not alter the lid, so, instead of making a hole in the lid, I'm going to drill a hole up high in the back of the cooler well above the water level and install a bulkhead fitting to seal and finish it off nicely. ~Martin

That will certainly work too. I learned about equilibrium brining via the FSIS' 'Processing Inspectors' Calculations' Handbook many years ago. They use the total weight of the meat to calculate the amount of cure, salt, etc. in one of their brining methods, so that's what I have always done. If it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me. "Method Two: The second method assumes that the submerged meat, meat byproduct, or poultry and the cover pickle act as a single system. Over time, the ingredients in the pickle, such as nitrite and salt, migrate into the meat, meat byproduct, and poultry until levels in the tissue and in the pickle are balanced. This system is actually very complex and dynamic, with components in constant motion, but it will reach and maintain a state of equilibrium. Therefore, the calculation for ingoing nitrite is based on the green weight of the meat block, using the percent added as a relevant amount." http://www.fsis.usda...ives/7620-3.pdf Using total weights also makes it a cinch to use the meat curing calculator on my website for calculating an equilibrium brine. http://www.diggingdo....com/page2.html ~Martin

It's true that the water content is the part of the meat that will take the salt (and sugar and/or cure, where applicable), but if I know that I like bacon that's 2% salt when using the whole weight of the meat and weight of the water used in the brine to calculate an equilibrium brine, I don't need to unnecessarily complicate things by guesstimating the water weight of the meat. Same deal applies to any meat, K.I.S.S. I've been doing it that way for almost 20 years, it's always worked perfectly for me. ~Martin

This may help, http://www.pizzamaking.com/thincrust.php Also search their forum for many threads about cracker crusts. ~Martin

Homemade cheddar cheese straws! ~Martin

Thanks! ~Martin

I've been waiting for over a month for the Baldwin book to again be available on Amazon. The notebook is a great tip, I keep one for all of my projects, general cooking, baking, charcuterie, cheese making, wine making, vinegar making, lacto-fermenting, etc. I'm currently working my way through all of the 2100+ posts in the 2011 and 2012 sous vide threads. ~Martin

Yeah, I've got one setting right here. Allegedly safe at a continuous 80C, some say 110C, we'll see. ~Martin

No polycarbonate container with the FMM, he said the shipping is too much. I'm only 160 miles from Niagara Falls. Oh, well. ~Martin

I've had one on my wishlist for some time......guess I'll have to spring for one soon. My local rinky-dink restaurant suppy doesn't stock 18 or 22 quart polycarbonate containers. Grrrrrrr!!!!!!! ~Martin

I think that's a much better idea. I would also pipe in the smoke with an A-Maze-N smoke generator (piped in only because I think that high humidity may interfere) The A-Maze-N smokers are great. I highly recommend them. http://www.amazenproducts.com/ ~Martin

Yippee!!!! The FMM and the Geratherm basal thermometer both arrived today! ~Martin

re: Italian tomato preservation without canning. In the case of Pomodorino del Piennolo del Vesuvio, they're bred to hang on the vine for many months. As I understand it, they're often lightly smoked before hanging. They're not dried like a sun-dried tomato, their acid level is what preserves them for later sauce making. I have seed to plant, I'm anxious to see exactly what they're like. re: sauce making I'm not sure if it's original, but I came up with a technique to create conserva and consomme without the harshness of lengthy cooking and canning. re: tomato varieties. If we're talking tomatoes available at a farmer's market and the like, it's possible that there could be any number of dozens and dozens of Italian tomato cultivars. More likely, generic San Marzano and Roma, which are the most well known, but, unfortunately and IMHO, they're not great flavorwise. re: green-shouldered tomatoes Same deal with the green-shouldered tomatoes in Spain, I was surprised at how tasty they are. A couple suggestions if you want to included cultivars that folks can grow themselves. Red Pear Piraform, for a green-shouldered slicing tomato of Italian origin. Martino's Roma, for a good, highly productive and flavorful tomato for sauce or drying. There are, of course, others that I highly recommend, but, some are not so easy to obtain. HTH ~Martin

Looks real good, Syzygies. Fatalis are great! ~Martin

No doubt, but I I'd like to keep the set-up as neat looking as possible. I don't want to hear any complaints from "the one who must be obeyed"! ~Martin

Thanks! I'm getting there! I ordered the Geratherm basal thermometer today. ~Martin

Thanks! I'll look into it further. Drilling several holes would certainly help, but I'm afraid that may encourage cracking. I've noticed on some coolers owned by family & friends that the lids have a tendency to crack, but that may be due to excessive UV exposure when folks leave them out in the sun for an extended period of time. Unfortunately, I didn't pay close enough attention to determine if a certain brand is more prone to cracking. ~Martin

Urethane spray foam is a powerful insulator. How would one ensure that it expands to all areas in a long oddly shaped lid? ~Martin

It's good to know that ping pong balls can take the heat. I looked at 25mm polypropylene balls, but they're expensive, no matter the source. Surprisingly, solid polypropylene balls are typically less expensive, but of little use. ~Martin

No doubt, but the old Coleman coolers were insulated all the way around. ~Martin

It appears that most, is not all, Igloo, Coleman and Rubbermaid cooler lids are not insulated, other than the dead air space. Does anyone know for sure? I'm thinking that it may be good idea to drill a hole and fill the cavity with expanded perlite and then close-up the hole with a stainless steel toggle bolt and washer. Thoughts? Sorry! I have OCD! Thanks! ~Martin

A combination square could also be used, there are many makes and models available in a wide price range. ~Martin