Martin Fisher

I think it certainly does make a difference. This 'toaster oven.' performs noticeably better than toaster ovens I've had in the past. It's faster and heats more evenly.

I've had an eye on the counter-top Cadco and Wisco convection ovens for years. When this piece-of-junk GE range dies, I will NOT have another kitchen range! I plan to have a good counter-top convection oven and an induction hot plate. I don't use more than one burner 99% of the time, I can pair the induction burner with the Waring Commercial hot plate that I already have, when needed.

May I ask a favor? I don't check this thread as often as I should, and we all know that special pricing is temporary. If anyone notices Ronni Lundy's, Victuals: An Appalachian Journey, with Recipes, on sale again—will you please send me a PM or tag me. I have a keen interest in Appalachian mountain cooking—this is a book that I very much want. Thanks!

I was gifted this "poor man's" convection oven for Christmas. It works quite well. Said to accommodate a 9"x13" pan, but I found a Nordic Ware 11.25" x 15.75" 'jelly roll' sheet pan that fits it perfectly!

I can't say "I will never again..." Seems I'm constantly repeating many of the absent-minded, stupid, crazy, lazy, disastrous, etc. things I do!

Yes, there are 2 of us here, in this tiny <400 sq. ft. 'house,' along with two cats and a big dog. I have kitchen/cooking/baking stuff in the kitchen, of course, on the unheated enclosed porch, in the living room, and under my bed.

Yeah, I used to raise them. Prepared them in various ways. Relatively expensive now. I buy a couple a year.

How about Jacques Pépin's Quick-Roasted Chicken method where he splits the bird and cuts into the joints—to ensure thorough cooking—before giving the bird a head start in a skillet over high heat. Also detailed in the following video starting at about 5:18.......

Having a dedicated egg pan certainly helps. A well seasoned Griswold cast iron No. 43 chef's skittlet is a gem. Look for one, and treat it well.

Well, yeah, I agree, all types of pans have their issues. Oiling is an intrinsic part of properly caring for cast iron and carbon steel. I know that for a fact, if there was an easier way, I'd do it! LOL

He's not necessarily wrong, considering the limited tools he's working with, but he doesn't seem to be open to the fact that 'slow cookers' perform in vastly different ways. Gosh, there are a gazillion different 'slow cookers' now. Some with vastly different designs and controls than others. This isn't the '70s.

I'll snap a pic of most of them sometime, hopefully soon.

I love sticky buns and pineapple upside down cake , but I can't shouldn't eat them now! Shame on you! LOL

Okanagan was unknown to me before I became aware of it via you a few years ago. By all accounts it's a very nice place!

I love coconut! LOL I wasn't like a Mounds bar, but, more of a coconut cream.

I didn't make anything special for Easter. Still in a dental dilemma. Who remembers the old coconut filled chocolate Easter bunnies of the 70s and prior? They don't seem to exist now—at least not commercially.

@dcarch, when I see unique gardening or cooking videos on YouTube and the like, I ALWAYS think of you! I still have pics and drawings of your clever tomato trellis from Tomatoville.

I've had two of them—they worked good for a time, but they're relatively short-lived. Advantage, cast iron and carbon steel, non-stick and they'll last a lifetime+ if well cared for. I have 50+ pieces of cast iron cookware and 5 pieces of carbon steel—four French and one Spanish.

Depends on the pressure cookers compared. The recommended operating p.s.i. of some stove-top PCs isn't close to 15 p.s.i.—the Kuhn Rikon Duromatic operates a ~11.6 p.s.i., same as the Instant Pot.

COMMON REASONS FOR INSTANT POT BURN MESSAGE AND HOW TO AVOID IT It's also mentioned in 'troubleshooting' on the Instant Pot website.

Yes, exactly. Laura Pazzaglia says: "match the cooker to your cooking personality" Electric pressure cookers are best for.. those who are nervous about fiddling with heat settings – the electric cooker will do it automatically, just set it and forget it; those who are drowning in electric appliances like slow cooker, rice cooker and yogurt maker – an electric pressure cooker will replace all of them; busy parents who need to schedule dinner to be ready when they walk in the door will appreciate the cooking delay timer available in some models which starts cooking dinner before anyone is home; college students or persons with limited kitchens – the electric pressure cooker is a complete cooking tool it browns/saute’s, pressure cooks and keep the food warm – some do even more; seniors and/or otherwise abled persons-no need to remember if the burner is on or off, the cooker will turn itself off after cooking and can be placed at any height for easy access Stove top Pressure Cookers are best for.. those who want speed and power since they reach higher heat and pressure than electrics; those who value durability over convenience – electrics can last years but stove top cookers last decades, generations; cooks who want to try advanced pressure cooking techniques -many require the higher pressure and lesser evaporation of modern stove top cookers; cooks who like to tinker and supervise the cooking since the pressure releases faster than electrics. Source: Hip Pressure Cooking, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STOVE TOP AND ELECTRIC PRESSURE COOKERS

One of those differences is the fact that electrics are slower, that require more time to reach maximum pressure/maximum temperature. Maximum pressure/maximum temperature is lower, so they cook slower than stove-tops.

In a situation like this, I'd seriously consider gifting a winery/wine store gift card. Eliminates awkwardness, and they can get exactly what they like.

FWIW,

I just read Kenji's article. I agree with some of what he wrote. I haven't found any advantage in using a Kuhn Rikon Duromatic. Mine sits idle—needs a new spring valve. "See, older models of pressure cookers have what's called a "jiggler": a weight that sits on top of a steam vent. As pressure in the pot builds up, that steam pushes up on the weight harder and harder, until it finally lifts it just enough to vent a bit of steam out, releasing pressure and allowing the jiggler to settle back down. This happens at quite a rapid rate, leading to the weight "jiggling" up and down (hence the name). What this means is that in an old-school pressure cooker equipped with a jiggler, the liquid inside actually simmers slowly as pressure builds and is released. This leads to cloudier broths and stocks, and soups and stews with ingredients that tend to fall apart a little more. By contrast, my favorite stovetop pressure cooker, the Kuhn Rikon Duromatic, has a spring-loaded valve that indicates when pressure has been reached long before it actually starts venting. That means that you can adjust the flame underneath to maintain high pressure without any release of steam at all." You can do exactly the same with a 'jiggler' or 'blow-off' pressure cooker. The Kuhn Rikon Duromatic operates at relatively low p.s.i.—11.6 (0.8 bar) when both indicator lines are visible. Same p.s.i. as an Instant Pot.