Martin Fisher

@gfweb Yeah! Oh, what I plan to set up—if I decide to follow through—will have plenty of potential BTUs—supposedly. But the orifice distribution isn't as nice as what's on the the fancy high-end cooktops. Hopefully the burners that I have in mind will work well with a very heavy cast iron skillet—if not I'll try a copper or aluminum plate (probably aluminum) under the skillet to better distribute the heat. I'm still pondering. A searing station outside with some nice long utensils sure would be nice! Single burner outdoor hot plate cooker with a 6" diameter 40,000 btu/hr low pressure burner, appropriate regulator and a needle valve to permit temperature adjustment down to a simmer. There are other potential options out there.

Thanks!

Yes, some garlic cloves are 3 or 4 times larger than others!!! Yes, Me too! I hate it! Don't Make Me Think, Revisited: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability (3rd Edition) by Steve Krug My best advise is, keep it short and simple! Unfortunately, I think the web is overflowing with cooking related websites so it may be very difficult to come up with something unique that will stand out. Anyway, David Lebovitz wrote what I think is a good article on Food Blogging a few years ago. There are a lot of good tips in it—not just blogging specific tidbits. Food Blogging by David Lebovitz 02.25.2011 Years ago I thought that the recipe sharing website Recipezaar.com (now Food.com) was good—there were a lot of great contributors there. After Scripps Networks, which owns the Food Network, bought it and changed it to Food.com—it completely destroyed the unique, close friendly atmosphere of what used to be Recipezaar.com.

Yes, it's fine in terms of food safety. If it's vac backed, freezer burn shouldn't be a an issue. To my taste, poultry sometimes develops off flavors when frozen a long time. I would give it a try. YMMV

Can you guys give me an estimate of the diameter of the ring (or whatever) of burner orifices at the widest point? 5"? 6"? Thanks!

Different CO detector, same result! I dug out the paperwork and looked it over closely! Apparently, the oven emissions are what's specifically tested. Oven vent CO emission originally tested 245 ppm—unsafe! I was told that after the cleaning and tuning that it tested 80 something.

At one time, I lived similarly. Out in the country, not a grocery within 15 miles! Not a GOOD grocery store within several miles! LOL Even off grid for a while, except for telephone—the telephone line (and dial-up internet) ran right by my place. I often couldn't make it to the grocery and such more than once a month. Twice if I was very lucky!

Have you got a couple hours? I keep a hoard of almost everything! Some of it I fear using. A few examples: I have several tins of King Oscar anchovies—flat fillets in olive oil—that I fear using. Usually opting to use less fancy anchovies instead. Same goes for King Oscar double layer sardines in extra virgin olive oil. Sausage casings, I have premium salt- packed casings on hand but I fear using them. I generally use 'home pack' casings—various diameters and lengths—which are available at the grocery. I'm afraid to use my real good dried chile peppers. I'm afraid to use some of my premium spices and the like. And many more! It's my OCD!!! Wierd!

My name is Martin and I'm also a compulsive hoarder!!!

I see the Bluestar Platinum series features 25,000 BTU PrimaNova™ open burners!!!

What are, generally, the maximum cooktop BTUs of the high-end ranges? ~15,000 to 20,000 BTUs? What's the approximate diameter of the burner itself? I'm considering setting up a high BTU outside searing station.

That's an interesting idea! Thanks!

'Perennial' can be an arbitrary term in some ways, especially taking into account micro-climates and such. As an example, true tarragon is considered a hardy perennial here, but in some winters in may not survive without special protection. Cool idea! This is an interesting book: Perennial Vegetables: From Artichokes to Zuiki Taro, A Gardener's Guide to Over 100 Delicious and Easy to Grow Edibles, by Eric Toensmeier And another one written by Stephen Barstow, who runs our Hablitzia Tamnoides group on Facebook: Around the World in 80 Plants. Stephen Barstow's blog: http://www.edimentals.com/blog/ The Plants for a Future website is very useful—7000+ edible, medicinal and useful plants. I just noticed that they have some books in their bookstore that I haven't read yet. Something that totally baffles me given all the attention that climate change and hunger get—why aren't there armies of volunteers out planting perennial edibles (many of them ARE well known.) Don't just talk the talk—walk the walk....this is just my opinion, it isn't intended to be specifically directed at anyone or any particular group. Billions of plants could be planted. There are perennial edibles that could/would sequester carbon—mulberry trees grow faster than heck!!! There are millions of acres along interstates and the like where stuff like that could be safely planted. Other areas too! Anyway. I'm doing what I can do in my tiny part of the world.

Thanks! I've known about it for years but I've never grown it and I don't know anyone else who's grown it locally. I'm adding it to the 2018 list.

The k-type probes are generally less via Auber Instruments (assuming their shipping charges haven't skyrocketed) but some may need to have the plug installed—not a big deal. In the past, I've also found k-type probes reasonably priced on eBay.

Sinks... There are three things that I absolutely HATE about my ancient, porcelain coated cast iron sink and one thing that I LOVE! Many newer faucets can't be mounted on it. Only faucets and such that go into individual openings—hence, the overpriced piece of junk Pfister Marielle "French Country Style" faucet! It's not easy to clean! It stains VERY easily which makes it even more difficult to clean! But I do LOVE the drain board! I will not have another sink without a drain board. I wish I could easily replace the ancient cast iron sink, but it would be a MAJOR project! It rests on and old metal cabinet with the water meter and such housed inside it. It would be a major project!

That's supposedly at high temperatures of ~400°F or more. I've compared the readings of the DOT to the readings of my Thermapen and Therma K professional thermocouple and the readings are within a couple degrees at the most.

Especially bimetallic coil thermometers! From Dr. O. Peter Snyder's Food Safety Website: THE DANGEROUS BIMETALLIC COIL THERMOMETER CHOOSING THE RIGHT THERMOMETER TO VERIFY FOOD TEMPERATURE

Yep!

I have a bunch of thermometers. I'll start with a couple of my favorites.... I absolutely love the ThermoWorks Dot—I keep a Dot probe in the oven at all times so I can adjust the oven temperature more precisely. I usually leave it on all the time....forget to turn it off. The batteries last a LONG time! And the oven knob temperature markings have wore off anyway! Although I do have a Classic Super-Fast® Thermapen® (2-3 second readings.) I much prefer the ThermoWorks Super-Fast® Pocket Thermometer (RT600C) (5-6 second readings.) I almost never use the Thermapen! I start taking the temperature of stuff 3 seconds early—makes the pocket thermometer just as fast as the Thermapen! The pocket thermometer isn't as bulky as the Thermapen and I can place it in a beaker or the like without it being top-heavy like the Thermapen. ETA: The Dot has a magnet on the back. I stick it to the range hood.

It's gas. No, it is not/was not any dirtier than the average range. Community development tested the carbon monoxide emissions of the stove top burners and the oven and determined that the range emitted dangerous CO levels. They then cleaned and tuned all the external and internal burners, supposedly bringing it down to safe levels. If the tuning doesn't work, the only other options are a new range (or some different replacement) or exhaust fan that runs permanently. Two, brand-new, same model, detectors were installed at the same time. I've switched them to see what happens.

No, all I can recall is that he said he spent most of his time on a ship off the coast. I don't remember him mentioning a specific or even relatively general location. Thank you!

Yes. I was born in 'wonderful' New York state but I grew up in north-central Pennsylvania in a 'dry' and still 'dry' township. The area where I live, more or less, straddles the state border(s.) The family farm and my father's and step-mother's property in Pennsylvania literally butt up against New York state. No sale of wine in New York State grocery stores—stupid politics—which really irks me!!!

Possible, but the detector is brand new. Installed less than 2 weeks ago.

Even after the tune-up, the piece-of-junk range is setting off the carbon monoxide detector. Maybe it is time to roll it off a cliff!!! I hate to keep the newly installed ceiling vent—yes, thank God (and a friend,) I finally have a powered vent to the outdoors in the kitchen—on all the time!