weedy

The Mugaritz CalX product - Does anyone here know exactly what it is? Obviously a calcium compound or salt? anyone know, or know of a direct substitute? thanks http://store.molecularrecipes.com/calx-mugaritz-750g/

But, with respect, you're making up those numbers. I dont actually believe it's a 1% failure rate after 3 years. It it were REALLY one in a hundred units dying after three years no one could complain. It seems considerably higher. so would I pay more for -a 10% instead of a 40% failure rate? Yes I would. And so would you.

I cook. I'm in no way interested in a science project. But no, it's not that my primary "interest" is repair ability. It's RELIABILITY.

I'm in NY, but a "broken" Anova is apparently of no use to anyone!

I don't know why that reply got all scrambled...sorry I'd be a little surprised if the $800 Polyscience Chef, used in so many restaurants, was really unrepairable as well.... but who knows? I'll certainly post on Reddit... thanks! ps I prefer the A1 as well, for a variety of reasons.

such as? it seems to me the only serious competition is the Polyscience. I'm not at all interested in a wifi ONLY controlled Joule

the circuit wasn't a problem for three years. FWIW the fault is clearly the unit.

it's a toss up between $200 every 3 years or $800 once... assuming the Polyscience Chef model, which so many restaurants seem to use, is built to last

About a week ago, my A-1 immersion circulator (which I love and use, I admit, a lot) blew its internal fuse early on in a 'cook' I replaced the fuse and it went through the next few hours and did its job. I might mention that some 6 months ago or so, it had blown its fuse, which was years old at that point, and I replaced it and it was happy ever since. Apparently, anyway. then a few days ago, I plugged it in and started it up, and then when I wake back into the kitchen a few minutes later, it was off. So once again, I changed the fuse (at the 6 month incident I had stocked up on bag of fuses), and started it up again. But then, again, 5 minutes later, my wife said "isn't your sous vide thing supposed to be running?". It wasn't. And this time changing the fuse again, wouldn't restart it. I don't know if the fuse holder itself is getting a little dodgy, (the plastic holder bit is broken, but the fuses appears to be in place and making contact), or if the unit has an internal problem that's blowing the fuses. But the long story short version here is that I contacted Anova who would, apparently, replace a unit under warranty with a new "precision cooker' model, but won't actually REPAIR, or examine, anything; especially my "obsolete" (their word) A-1 THIS is really disappointing. I've been a big fan and booster of Anova but this isn't making me happy. Having a 3 year old unit only 'fixable' by buying a new one seems like a poor service/business model to me. Shall I EXPECT to replace my circulator every 3 years? I have to admit, it's making me think hard about spending for a Polyscience instead. thoughts?

I'd do the sous vide part at a lower temp...130-132ish, especially as you're following with a high temperature roasting.

http://www.food.com/recipe/karela-bitter-melon-or-gourd-55817

you can certainly do steak with a long low cook in an oven... heston blumenthal showed his version. but my oven cannot maintain an accurate 130F , to do what i can do with the circulator... can yours?

I just reorder these: Polyscience Classic Smokehouse Wood Kit

smoked raw cuttlefish 'noodles' with salsa mexicana smoked swordfish dip smoked coriander infused (ISI whip) mescal margaritas smoked gazpacho all things I made in the last month it's certainly not" sitting in my drawer"

as a friend of mine is fond of saying: "I'm going the other way" I love my smoking gun and use it frequently. not hard to keep clean (you just SHOULD clean out the screen after each use, so it never gets 'gunked up'; as any dedicated hashish user from the 60's would already know <g>) works great, and it's flexibility means I can shoot smoke into the air space in a blender or food processor for integrating smoke into salsas and dips and soups and cocktails and so on... things you cant really do as well in a smoking 'chamber'...and withOUT any heat added

exactly I don't buy into the whole "it's only for tougher cuts" meme it's just a better way of cooking MOST proteins with consistency, precision, and in many cases for a result unobtainable any other way

Sous vide techniques allow you to achieve results unobtainable by other methods...now, if a few luddites or 'traditionalists' want to cross their arms and cry ' but I don't want the texture of a braise with the taste and intensity of medium rare...', then that's fine... enjoy the 19th century but a pressure cooker is about speed; not about new territory or unique results

http://modernistcuisine.com/2013/03/is-it-safe-cook-plastic/ "According to the latest research, the safest plastics for use with food are high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, and polypropylene. Virtually all sous vide bags are made from these plastics, as are most brand-name food storage bags and plastic wraps such as Saran wrap. Polyethylene is widely used in containers for biology and chemistry labs, and it has been studied extensively. It is safe."

that's probably why it's been called Celsius, instead, for 50 years now <g>

as I've said before, my tap water comes in at about 127F... to reach typical sous vide temps (130-145) takes about 5 minutes for my Anova One there's not much reason (any?) to start with cold water

I do skirt in the bath at 132F, and then quick sear or grill, and it is STILL much more solidly rare inside than if I did it on the grill or in the pan the whole time

with sous vide the inside 'never' overcooks, essentially unless you like the 'gradient' (as I know some people do) sous vide, with the ability to get it the way you want it edge to edge, is always "better"

that's my feeling as well

coffee same thing I have for breakfast and lunch, almost every day