JoNorvelleWalker

The thing I like least about the TOMLOV DM202 is that the stand is so small, 4.5 inches. With the 10 inch monitor the setup is top heavy and feels like it might tip over. Worse, as I mentioned, only my little Wusthof 3.5 inch Cordon Bleu will sit on the table unsupported. TOMLOM offers a similar microscope DM402 with a much larger stand and what they say is a higher resolution camera. But for that price one could buy a knife. Do I keep the DM202 and live with its limitations or do I return it to amazon while I can and get the more useful DM402? Or do I forget the whole thing and continue to believe Chef's Choice knows best?

In my picture the knife image is being displayed on the microscope's 10 inch screen. If I connected the output to my 27 inch computer monitor the image would appear larger, but the resolution wouldn't change. I would not call that an increase in magnification. The ridiculous USB microscope magnification numbers rely on the "magnification" of the display device. If I had a 100 inch television* I could make the knife edge frighteningly immense but I would argue that is not an increase in magnification. *I do not have a television.

I hadn't had a steak for months. At Shoprite I found a package of two club steaks. The steaks looked well marbled and they were on sale. Turns out what I thought was marbling was connective tissue. It's bad enough to be eaten but I pity the poor creature's years behind the plow.* I'm sure I've had worse meat but I can't remember when. *technically I think in front of the plow.

@btbyrd, the instagram link would not display for me. Back a couple years ago I measured just how much steel the 1520 Chef's Choice removed from my 9 inch New West chef knife: 0.023 g. Next time I sharpen I'll try to remember to do the Sharpie test, thanks. https://forums.egullet.org/topic/160092-knife-sharpening/?do=findComment&comment=2263659

Me too.

I watched the video again. I may be confused how far up from the edge the thinning process begins and ends. However the blade geometry diagram looks a lot like what is shown in Chef's Choice marketing material. To get an idea what thinning might accomplish I measured my new chef knife. Shown here, second from left. Measured midway left to right, and midway from spine to edge, the blade thickness is 1.355 mm. Measured as close as I could get to the edge, the blade thickness is 0.926 mm. Would thinning after repeated sharpening make a noticeable difference?

Ask me again after I've played with it a bit.

I confess I've had one sitting in my amazon cart for several years. Do you have the laser sight?

Here is a picture of the setup: The microscope table is 4.5 inches wide, and only my smallest knife will sit on it without additional support. I looked at several knives handheld but I don't really know how to see a good edge from bad. They all look similar. I'm guessing there probably is a better angle for viewing than just flat. Ideas welcome.

I thought I knew canned fish. Tonight I opened a tin of Pinhais sardines in olive oil. It was a revelation. A new experience. I ate it with a bowl of Spanish onion, a bowl of shaved fennel, a bowl of Castelvetrano olives, and my bread.

Salt is salt. Pretty much, depending on trace minerals and contaminates. "Saltiness" varies by volume but it does not vary in cooking terms by weight. Weigh your salt till you are familiar with it. If a recipe calls for "salt" I add half as much Diamond Crystal Kosher salt by volume as called for. For pickles you need to be particularly careful about trace contaminates in your salt. However pickles are outside my realm of expertise.

Here at the start of the pandemic Diamond Crystal was like toilet paper*. Not to be had for love or money. At the moment amazon is offering the three pound box of Diamond Crystal for $7.79 -- bargain at any price. Speaking economics, I recall in school being asked to name an inelastic commodity. I responded "blood". I might as well have just said "salt". *not suggesting Diamond Crystal be relied on for urogenital hygiene. Use at your own risk. My amazon order of toilet paper arrives tomorrow.

Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts and concern. I found my missing box of Diamond Crystal. @blue_dolphin, do what I do. When I want fine salt I grind my Diamond Crystal in a mortar. I don't have a Bug-A-Salt, but grinding in a mortar is the method I use when baking bread.

Understood. I was responding to the product page linked by @DesertTinker.

I now have my new USB microscope delivered and set up. What should I look for and what should I be seeing? What type of lighting is best for judging the quality of an edge? What angle to the lens? I have seen random micrographs of knife edges on the internet, but does anyone have a link to a tutorial? I couldn't find more information on eGullet. Perhaps most importantly, what's a good way to secure the blade to lessen the chance of an eventuality? I have a vise, however I don't want to damage the handle or the blade.

I went to check my Diamond Crystal box and it is indeed 3 pounds. Unfortunately it is close to empty. I was sure I had a new unopened box in the bedroom. None could be found. I probably have a box of Diamond Crystal...somewhere. Tangentially, with regard to Fine, doesn't it make more sense to choose your salt shaker based on your preferred size of salt crystal than the other way around?

Beautiful! I have never seen live scallops. My question though is about cilantro flowers. A few weeks ago I needed a bunch of cilantro for my dinner. The store was sold out but they did offer little pots of live herb plants, including cilantro, one of which I brought home. On reflection I decided there were not really enough leaves to use, so I decided to put the plant by the glass door and let it grow. Last night I cooked a mess of Good Mother Stallard, and went to pluck a few cilantro leaves as an accompaniment. To my surprise if not dismay, the plant had flowered. There were no flowers the day before. A google search suggested one should not eat cilantro leaves once the plant had flowered, as the leaves would be tasteless. But rather wait and collect the seeds. I saw no mention of anyone using flowers themselves. I would love to learn more.

Beautiful! What is the sauce in the little cup? Is that your own bread?

Here in New Jersey for years I co-planted marigolds with my tomatoes but the marigolds were inevitably attacked and wiped out by spider mites. Spider mite infested marigolds are disgusting. However what eventually did in my tomato crop was my landlord.

Time Life Dried Beans and Grains.

Thank you for the video. I believe I now understand what thinning behind the edge is and what it is supposed to do. However, unless I am missing something, this is exactly what Chef's Choice purports to accomplish.

Strange coincidence: The New York Times today promotes another Brooklyn butcherblock purveyor: Artisan Revere. But they do not look as pretty to my eye and they possess funky little feet. http://artisanrevere.com

As someone who usually walks for her cheese, I appreciate your situation. However, not to doubt you, I find it hard to believe there is no quality blue cheese within an hour's walk, as long as you walk in the right direction. But should I be wrong: sign up for amazon* prime, and order from Whole Foods. The cheese should be on your doorstep within two hours. One hour if you pay extra. They also offer Ortiz anchovies. *admittedly amazon might not be considered a small retailer.

If it helps, the Wall Street Journal has an article today on roasting eggplant, either outdoors or directly over a stove burner. Neither of those options work for me but I think eggplants would roast fine on my Philips grill. If I am remembering the article correctly, the eggplants in question were grilled whole, so presumably the seeds were still inside.

I've never tried freezing bread. There is usually no room in my freezers anyway. Modernist Bread suggests preventing mold by storing bread under CO2. I never tried that because I don't have a suitable container. But I just had a thought: I keep my baguettes in plastic bags designed for bread storage. It would be easy enough to flush the bags with CO2. Plus if I were making a batch of Methode Rotuts to have with dinner, no CO2 would be wasted.