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Another APO al fresco birthday celebration last night (we like a long birthday season) where temperatures of 52°F started the evening and 45°F ended it. They say there were gusts up to 30 mph but we were well bundled in winter gear. And today we're supposed to get snow! The salad used my neighbour's just picked asparagus, an avocado, and ramps (white parts lightly cooked in APO, leaves cut in chiffonade), sesame oil, balsamic vinegar, white pepper. Duck bacon was steam cooked for 9 minutes at 350°F. Rosemary sourdough boule sliced thinly, piled with duck bacon, 3 grated cheeses (Cheddar, Fontina, Cabot Cheddar), with a scrape of mustard. Using a pastry brush, I mopped up some melted duck fat and painted it over the top slice. Baked in APO (top & convection) at 482°F for 6 minutes. Because of the temp outside, the second half of the sandwich was reheated for 3 minutes before being consumed. Champagne and wine were also consumed. 🙂

I've finished the descaling. As a result of Duvel-inspired ham hocks (and, admittedly, some other stuff) the inside of the oven is filthy. Warmed to 140°F yesterday and sprayed (not quite) fume free Oven Off. Rinsed that off today. But the inside window isn't cleaning well. And the top of the oven is still filthy because the aerosol can won't spray upside down. So for those who have had to clean this APO, how did you clean the top of the inside? Requested upgrades: self clean cycle.

But can you save that Cook Scheme?

@JoNorvelleWalker, are you able to program your own Anova? I heard a podcast which included an APO hotshot who was quite clear that folks mayn't do their own programming (some liability issue), or maybe it was that people can't crowdsource their recipes (same reason). I am only using the keys on the front (because I want to learn how it works). Do tell.

With pepper?😨

@Duvel, I think you have a sharper knife than we do. 🤣 I wasn't clear how far the fat layer went with the ham hock, and was wary of trying to cut too deeply, so we mostly cut only the skin (and sometimes not through the skin!). I think, therefore, that there was no "expanded" skin/fat layer. Still, the skin was pretty tasty. Since the hocks were done sous vide, most of the cartilage and fat did not melt, so large parts of the fatty parts went uneaten. Next time, I would take more care cutting the skin, perhaps cut a bit more deeply, and try to cross cut with your diamond pattern. (I'm going to make split pea soup with the remaining meat and bones. No idea what to do with the remaining skin.)

@blue_dolphin, I took your suggestion for Couscous with Sesame-Roasted Carrots +Feta which was eaten on the patio (with wooly hats) with hocks and wine, from APO thread here. Definitely stands up to being eaten cold. Some variations from recipe instructions because was cooked in steam oven.

Interesting comments by @blue_dolphin on the Flavor Equation thread here which caused me to choose her suggestion for Couscous with Sesame-Roasted Carrots +Feta from the same book, p.154. Because these were done in the convection steam oven, I reduced the temperature to 365°F with 80% steam. Then removed them while oven heated to 450°F. The carrots were then cooked, top element only, for about 4 minutes. The black carrots were originally purple with yellow interiors. Ham hocks cooked to @Duvel's specifications (sorta) thread here. Pork hock cooked Sous Vide on lowest rack for 24 hours at 140°F and 100% steam, then cooled. They were reheated (same temp) to reheat during the day, removed to do the carrots (above), oven cooled, then restarted. A short while before dinner, hocks were removed from the oven while top burner heated to Duvel's spec of 250°C (482°F) where the hocks were placed for 8 minutes. Dinner and wine were had al fresco!

This is a very promising choice, also. Thanks @blue_dolphin!

Nik Sharma's Flavor Equation is a fascinating cookbook, he's preoccupied with these essential components: Emotion, Sight, Sound, Mouthfeel, Aroma, and Taste. See more eG discussion of this book. Right now I'm in sound looking at Crispy Carrots with Garlic and Mint Tahini (p 178). We're having an extended birthday party Wine Tasting tonight; will be outdoors 60°F (15.5°C), windy and cooling. Naturally we don't want anything that's complicated to cook or eat. I've already finished Ham Hocks to (sorta) @Duvel's rule, which skin was sliced (helps fat render), then steam/sous vided at 140°F (60°C) for 24 hours in APO. I plan to reheat them in same way for a couple of hours, and then turn the heat to 450°F (232°C) to bristle and crisp the skin for some minutes. If you have a good idea for making these easy to eat while sitting in a lawn chair, do tell. Nik Sharma's Crispy Carrots with Garlic and Mint Tahini recipe calls for shallow frying young carrots at 350°F (176°C), which have been split lengthwise, for 3 or 4 minutes on each side. I want to convert this step to the Anova Precision Oven (APO). I'm unclear what Nik means by "young". My large grocery store carrots range from 7/8" to 1" diameter at the upper end, but I'm not sure these carrots will be well enough cooked in 3-4 minutes per side. Nik's carrots do not appear to be prebaked. He mentions the sound of Crunch but he's referring to the rice, not raw carrots. Suggestions welcome. One Sound component to the carrot recipe is caused by dipping the carrot in egg and then rolling in rice crumbs. These crumbs are made by drying pre-made rice in a slow oven for an hour or more. There are some intriguing spices added to the rice crumbs and the mint tahini dressing. Do you have any estimates how I can convert shallow fry to baked? Young carrots to not-so-young carrots? Do I precook the carrots, and at what percent steam? Thanks for your help

I have this book and I'm fascinated. But I'm impatient (by nature) and have paused reading in an orderly fashion, so am leafing through recipes. To be fair, Nik lists a recipe as being representative for a concept he's trying to get across, and I've been taking a trip through some of those recipes. Now I'm interested in translating Crispy Carrots with Garlic + Mint Tahini to the Anova Steam Oven and am looking for help. I'll post more about what I'm trying to translate on the Anova Precision Oven thread. Here's the discussion.

Well, to be frank, I love the idea of butter tarts. But it's been 40 years since I had one–who knows if I could handle the sweetness! 😜

True, @blue_dolphin, I'm particularly interested in butter tarts that aren't so sweet. @Anna N tells me that makes them Not Really buttertarts! My brother got his butter tart gift today. I'll report back.

An update on butter tarts here

Unfortunately, Eric has "not yet found a solution for shipping my tarts that makes economical sense for customers... sorry :(" . . . so, sadly, I shall remain butter-tart-less . . . but he does have contactless pickup (clients order via email). And . . . drumroll . . . The full flavour list is: classic classic brulé pecans pecans dark choco pecans raisins walnuts walnuts milk choco walnuts raisins all dressed (pecans, walnuts, raisins) brazilian nuts brazilian nuts raisins brazilian coconut hazelnuts dark choco coconut white choco coconut raisins cinnamon raisins cranberries cranberries white choco skor bits toasted marshmallow apple pie golden raisins bourbon smores

I have had several battery operated immersion blenders, almost all useless. While I wish the Bamix had no cord, it is the undisputed hero at blending. And I can now make mayonnaise! The remnants can be easily removed from the blade, and it rinses fairly easily.

I found this on BlogTO https://www.blogto.com/videos/erics-handcrafted-butter-tarts-toronto/ Eric's Handcrafted Butter Tarts I've written to ask about shipments to Canada and USA, so will update when I know. 🙂

Sorry, I don't do Facebook, @palo, but it seems to me that a Self-Clean switch on the Anova might be preferable to a propane torch. 😜

@jetfin, thanks so much for your soft boiled eggs demo! Yum, yum. 😋 I see that you're going to be a great contributor here. Welcome to eGullet.

Oh the riches! Thanks so much for the links @FauxPas and @jimb0. My goal is to send unusual food items to Canadians made by Canadians. (I've amended my original description). Maple syrup would be interesting if one could find a flight of five maple syrups, which could be tasted with dry crackers alongside some bubbly, for instance.

I'm looking for interesting food gifts for Canadians, maybe sometimes for myself too. So far I have successfully sourced locally farmed lamb, a couple fantastic locally made cheese collections, Kozlik's Mustard, and exotic Gaspé spice blends from Spice Trekkers / Épices de Cru. Sadly none of the prior eG recommendations for Canadian chocolate seem to still exist. Suggestions? P.S. I must be able to purchase these items from afar. And then ship them to Canadians.

Reply from Anova: Thanks for reaching out. The descale process is triggered by hours of boiler usage. You may need to go through the descale cycle to help you preserve the lifetime of the Oven even if you're using distilled water.. I've attached a photo of the process. You can use any store brand descaler. There aren't any specific brands or things like that you should be looking out for. Here's an example. https://www.amazon.com/Keurig-Descaling-Solution-Coffee-Makers/dp/B00FOT9W5Q [\end] So I guess I have to wait for an engineer to weigh in on distilled water. And buy a descaling solution to find out what's in it. 😡

Here is my letter to Anova support: My reading of the Anova Precision Oven manual suggests that the Descaling Indicator is triggered by the number of hours using steam. Is this action necessary if I am using ONLY distilled water? The manual talks about using a "descaling solution" but it doesn't mention what's in the descaling solution. On the internet I've found Branded descaling products for that brand's coffee maker, and commercial products for HVAC appliances, as well as others which sanitize and clean industrial and commercial water systems. Most of these products dissolve mineral deposits such as calcium, lime, rust, lithium carbonate and other types of deposits, from passages in water-cooled or heated equipment. Different formulas are available for metals, stainless steel, potable water systems, and marine applications. Neutralizer helps to make used solutions safe for disposal. Are any of these relevant to the Anova Precision Oven? I have powdered citric acid and white vinegar in my home. What is the name of the descaling product which Anova Precision Oven wants me to use? What are the active chemicals in that solution? [\end] I will let you know what they reply.

I have not received my new pan either. Nor my new water container.

My Descale light has turned on. The manual @palo links to above mentions descaling pages 20-21, but just states "descaling solution" without mentioning what's in the solution, which is added to a litre of water. Then rinsed with another litre of water. Searching "descale" this topic also doesn't produce specifics either. I have both powdered citric acid and white vinegar. How much should I use? TIA.