Martin Fisher

Jacques Pépin responds...

I haven't been able to find where high-temperature sanitizing has been tested—wish I could, but solution sanitizing certainly has. I don't think a board can be used without scoring it in some way—minor or major. Boiled vinegar may be one of the best all-around sanitizers for poly boards. "The FDA code and health departments across the United States have emphasized the use of sanitizing chemicals as the critical point for making food contact surfaces safe. These data show that this assumption is not always accurate. Wiping the surface with a clean cloth soaked in vinegar appears to be a very effective sanitizer, based on the data. Simply rinsing and scrubbing a dirty surface with flowing water seems to be more effective than cleaning and sanitizing food contact surfaces with a cloth dipped in a quaternary ammonium compound solution. It is also known that when a quaternary ammonium compound solution becomes dirty in an open bucket into which dirty cloths are dipped, the solution becomes susceptible to degradation by filth, dirt, and other debris. As a result, the solution does not remain at its beginning strength over a period of 2 hours that the solution is used. The quaternary ammonium compound solution used in this experiment was dispensed from a squirt bottle to maintain its effectiveness and prevent degradation." Source: THE MICROBIOLOGY OF CLEANING AND SANITIZING A CUTTING BOARD by O. Peter Snyder, Jr., Ph.D.

Or a pea knife! "Don't Eat With a Spoon! You're Done Too Soon!"

I certainly do wash the poly boards but I'm not convinced that any liquid sanitizer is reliably effective in countering germs that may be present in the scores on a board. That's why I prefer to 'sanitize' with very hot water. I've never had a problem with boards deforming—even cheap thin boards. "For common commercial grades of medium- and high-density polyethylene the melting point is typically in the range 120 to 180 °C (248 to 356 °F)."

Those times are starting at room temperature. If you place the tip of the RT600C somewhere that's very warm before it's needed, it's just as fast as a Thermapen—or faster. The Thermapen is okay, but it's annoying in many ways. The RT600C is a bargain.

Much 'oinker' was consumed at the farm. They lived a very simple life but cooked BIG!

Yeah, at the family farm they fast fried them in about a 1/2 inch of bacon fat.

Similar to what I just mentioned.

When fast fried, the browned area is very thin and crisp—it shouldn't be tough and the egg shouldn't be rubbery.

All in what you're used to. Crispy eggs (browned, fast fried eggs) are quite popular in this area, and elsewhere. Crispy eggs video. Crispy egg pics.

I used to be a baker much, much more than a cook. I think I was about 12 years old when I baked my first apple pie, totally from scratch, without any help. Because I have the patience and attention span of a gnat—I couldn't wait for wild apples to ripen so I made a green apple (green as in raw) pie—yes there really is such a thing. I turned out very well, took me a total of about 4 hours to prep it and bake in, and about 20 minutes for my brother and I to eat it. I wish I'd cloned that wild apple tree, it had very big apples that were perfect for pies. I went on to create my on recipes. I like apple pie that's rich and apple-ly. I usually made what I called quadruple apple pie—sliced apple, apple sauce, apple butter, a little condensed apple juice, spices, etc.

Yeah, they replace part of the salt (sodium chloride) with potassium chloride—reduced sodium, but just as 'salty.'

Me too. I agree.

Jacques Pépin on a country omelette and a classic French omelette... [Alex French Guy Cooking] "I Try To Master Jacques Pepin's Perfect Omelet..." HaHaHa!

This is kinda one of those rabbit holes. Depends on the stock, which, depends on the result you ultimately seek, depends on the dish, depends on the the specific ingredients used (not all onions are the same, not all carrots are the same, etc., etc., etc.) The resulting stock is also different based on the method used to produce it—the result is often usually vastly different. Ignore rhetoric and find what works best for you—we all perceive stuff differently, we have our unique preferences. Experiment and go with what works for you. There is no guru, but you!!!

I honestly don't know, I've only seen them in barns, not at home. Contact Texas A&M AgriLife Extension or their entomology department to confirm that they're sawtoothed grain beetles. They'll have suggestions for control.

Yeah, that's consistent with a sawtoothed grain beetle. They're no more than an 1/8th of an inch long. http://www.controlling-pests.com/grain-beetle.html

How long is the bug?

After watching the video a few more times, it looks sort of like a grain beetle. Noting your general location may help.

That would be nice, but what's currently 'affordable' is too small.

Thanks!

@KennethT, are you willing to take a trip to Vietnam and ferret out 'red chicken'? LOL

I've always thought that he may have not been honest in regard to where he was stationed. Intuition led me to think that he wasn't entirely forthcoming—in many ways me seemed 'shell-shocked.' So, I have no idea exactly where he encountered 'red chicken.'

@liuzhou, any more on this? I think about this frequently. I sure wish I could find the answer. Anyone else?

I do think that MSG and black pepper (maybe even some white) are an important part of the recipe. But I think that the flavor (the one or two spices, that are very closely related) that make it truly unique—the cornerstone of the recipe—especially the Kentucky Fried Chicken of 30 years ago and prior, has been overlooked by almost everyone. Hint: They're indirectly mentioned in the Big Secrets book. I can remember James Beard picking up on the flavor in a different account, many years ago. I can't find a reference to it now, but when I read it I remember thinking "YES!" It's odd that he's not quoted as mentioning it in the "Big Secrets" book—which makes me wonder how accurate the Big Secrets book is.