Martin Fisher

Kerry, That looks great! Thanks for posting! I've been eating a lot of cauliflower in the past couple of years because I have to avoid starchy potatoes and the like. I'll definitely give that recipe a try! ~Martin

Thanks for the review, Pedro! ~Martin

LEM grinders work very well. Is the attachment for the Hobart 20 qt. mixer a Hobart brand attachment? If it is, they usually work without trouble. Are you cutting the meat into small cubes? I use matched pairs of plates and knives so that the two will naturally lap together for a perfect fit. ~Martin

If salt is 393mg of sodium per gram, that equates to approximately 1534mg of sodium per tablespoon of a saturated salt solution. ~Martin

FWIW, a fully saturated salt solution contains 26.395% of salt. ~Martin

X2 Bonkboo, Check out some of the videos on youtube. ~Martin

It's difficult to compare them since they're quite a bit different! ~Martin

That is EXACTLY what I was thinking!!!!!! LOL Hey, it's a heck of a lot cheaper too! ~Martin

Genetics plays a bigger role in quality than diet, no matter how an Angus is fed, it'll never be a Wagyu. Seek out a local grower with a good genetics and feed program, if not Wagyu, then Piedmontese or something similar with good marbling and quality. ~Martin

Here is another article: "As Beef Cattle Become Behemoths, Who Are Animal Scientists Serving?" By Melody Petersen http://chronicle.com/article/As-Beef-Cattle-Become/131480/ ~Martin

It's nothing new, growth stimulants have been used in the production of beef for quite some time. The solution is simple, don't buy questionable beef. Know your grower!!!!!! ~Martin

I decided against the SideKIC because bath size is limited to 9.5 liters and I couldn't get a definitive answer on it's accuracy. In the future, I may go with the Nomiku or the Anova for small batches and portability. ~Martin

When I was doing research before purchasing the Sous Vide Magic, I asked the folks at Dorkwood if the DSV is a PID and this is the response I got: "Yes, the DSV uses an advanced PID algorithm to maintain stable target temperatures. However, despite the core of its functionality being a PID algorithm, it requires no configuration and is designed to work with all different types of water baths. Our goal was to keep it simple and "plug and play"." Take that for what it's worth. From the DSV spec page, Temperature set increment: 1°F and Temperature stability (once settled): ±0.25°F I decided to go with the Sous Vide Magic because it's more accurate and it's a true PID. When you add in the shipping cost for the DSV, the Sous Vide Magic (with free shipping) is just ~$60 more. ~Martin

In addition to the suggestions above, search http://www.localharvest.org ~Martin

I researched all the options extensively before purchasing, the Sous Vide Magic is definitely the best bang for the buck. I've built PIDs for the BBQ, charcuterie fermentation and curing chambers, an off the shelf PID is not as accurate as the SVM. ~Martin

We use mostly bar mops around the kitchen. For direct contact with food we use organic cotton diapers or organic unbleached muslin (preferred for straining and the like.) If there's a chance of them getting nasty or staining I wash them out immediately with OxiClean, by hand, in the sink. By using "choose-a-size" type paper towels and the cloth towels mentioned above, we've cut our paper towel use considerably. I dry and save any used paper towels that aren't nasty for future cleaning jobs. HTH ~Martin

In addition to knives and other obvious tools, I consider stainless steel scouring pads essential. I can't image cleaning pots and pans without them. They make the most dreaded part of cooking a bit easier. ~Martin

I haven't got a lot of extra time this time of year, but I'll try to take some pics and post them. ~Martin

What do you want to see? ~Martin

I received the two SVS pouch racks today. The measurements are ~ 6-1/4" X 6-1/2" X 6-1/2" Slot width is ~1-7/8". Much smaller than I expected. I don't know where the above measurements came from. I'm a little upset at SVS. I asked for the measurements before ordering but rather than give me the measurements, they just sent a link to machine specs, and of course, it was every spec except the pouch rack measurements! The cooler I plan to use would easily hold 4 more racks. It's always good to set expectations real low, that way you won't be disappointed!!! LOL ~Martin

I use a program called Treesheets, the Linux version. "Suitable for any kind of data organization, such as Todo lists, calendars, project management, brainstorming, organizing ideas, planning, requirements gathering, presentation of information, etc. It's like a spreadsheet, immediately familiar, but much more suitable for complex data because it's hierarchical. It's like a mind mapper, but more organized and compact. It's like an outliner, but in more than one dimension. It's like a text editor, but with structure." http://treesheets.com/ ~Martin

Another area where the pay is nonsense is personal care.......been there, done that too.....I had a lot of really bad jobs years ago!!!! LOL Such is life in rural America. I worked with the profoundly disabled...minimum wage...very long hours....a ton of responsibility (not just in the obvious care, but the not so obvious, like dispensing some VERY dangerous drugs!) You could land your butt in the hoosegow over an innocent mistake!!!! Overtime applies, but for the pay period, not on a weekly basis. The pay period was 2 weeks, so overtime applied to a total of 80 hours over the course of 2 weeks! Okay! Problem is, they could work you 60 hours in one week (often double shifts) and just 20 hours the next and not pay a dime in overtime!!! I sympathize with minimum wage restaurant workers, I really do, I've been there and done it...it sucks....but believe me...there are jobs out there that are a LOT worse!!!!! ~Martin

Bad luck can strike at any moment. A few years ago I was busy preparing something (can't remember exactly what now) I turned to walk across the kitchen to retrieve something and on my way back to the counter I stepped on a piece of waxed paper that had drifted on to the floor. You know what came next!!!!! LOL Yeah, I took one heck of a spill, the spill of spills!!! LOL It was like stepping on a sheet of very slippery ice!! I came down hard! Thank goodness I didn't break any bones, but I was VERY sore for many days afterward!!!! You can never be too careful! ~Martin

I've done restaurant work in a few different capacities when I was younger. It was a piece of cake compared to farm labor, a BIG piece of cake!!!!! Many don't know that some small farms are exempt from both minimum wage AND overtime requirements. So let's not forget, there's always someone who has it worse off then a minimum wage dish washer or busser!!! ~Martin

Everything looks SO good! Love me some poutine! The duck confit poutine looks awesome! ~Martin