AlaMoi

when I can't stand it anymore . . . I go for the NutterButter wafer style. I am given to understand Social Tea cookies are discontinued . . . local supermarket "aisle specialist" said they have disappeared from the order sheets . . . Lorna Doone is a good second choic - the recipe from my great-aunt for "shortbread cookies" is the utter top of the line . . . but you can't buy them in stores.

is there any wonder / question of why the "new" generations are so astonished when they revert to their parent's cooking?

and the latest . . . how to poach an egg in the microwave . . . wouldn't eat that on a dare . . . https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/i-can-t-stop-making-poached-eggs-in-the-microwave-here-s-how-to-do-it/ar-AA1hScW5?ocid=mailsignout&pc=U591&cvid=b317c0a8525d450eac408998987e7c93&ei=19

apparently the FryBaby is no longer made. there a few small volume models on the market. my experience with the pot&thermometer routine indicts minimum temp drop doing 4-5 shrimp at a time. and, on gas, recovery is right quick.... still it's a bit tricky to get it 'just so' - hence the theory of using a "thermostat controlled" pot. I agree, a one liter max capacity pot using 1/2 the oil volume, should also recovery quickly . . .

empty nesters - no, not deep frying people, [[gotcha']] the irregular prep of butterflied shrimp (12-14 pcs of 16-18 count) which I do in 3-4 batches) the odd chicken thigh(s) - DW does not do dark meat - "it's all for me!!" I would very much like to do (home sliced/battered) onion rings - potentially some deep fried potato "slices" (i.e. not "fries) pork tenderloin 'schnitzel' - maybe - currently pan frying . . . my problem is the size of the deep fryers - using 2 qts/liters +/- per batch goes against my grain. we don't deep fry on any regular basis, so I don't "save" the oil. I have an 'avocado' electric plug in - it works - very wasteful . . . often I do a small sauce pan (on gas) and thermometer - which works . . . temp control is an acquired skill . . . but less than rigorously 'repeatable' - often results in over/under done . . . any experience with the small deep fryers? brand / model? some list +/- 1 qt/lt volume - which I would look to use half as much oil (bad idea?) or , , , how about an induction 'temp controlled' plate with pot-o-oil?

Schnitzel is neuter - only the plural could "der" Wienerschnitzel" appear . . .

I did "consulting" work for decades - which left me more than anyone ever wanted . . . in places like a Residence Inn with some things defined as 'heat producers' for cooking. that "fried egg" just don't git it - nowhere even close . . .

gosh, I know the media is always in search of the next trillion click post . . . but this air fryer "trick" is supposed to change your life. any takers? "Next, she closed the air fryer and set the timer to three minutes at 160 degrees. Once the three minutes were up, she opened the air fryer and took out two perfectly air-fried eggs."

if you come across it, Classico Tomato & Basil is pretty dang good....

we do not use much salt. no salt shaker on the table, etc. we've also never been fast food aficionados, that could explain out lack of salt thirst . . . I date the Morton's Kosher box when I open it, once did the math when it was used up, and we averaged less that half the "heart recommended daily consumption" - this simply stated because when we eat out, our reactions (both) are "ugh, lotta' salt" - curiously,,, dining out with our grown children&spouses . . . they also have reacted with 'ugh, too much . . ' I suspect it may take a bit of time to re-associate the taste buds to less salt - for recipes I use half the salt amount, sometimes no salt (especially if other ingredients are 'salty') - figuring one can always add 'salt to taste' but taking out too much salt is much much trickier . . . the one situation I have intentionally increase my "cooking salt" quantity is potatoes. potatoes seem to need the salt to bring out their flavor.

try Alton Brown's vegetable soup - made some this afternoon. down-to-earth good stuff.... https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/garden-vegetable-soup-recipe-1915670

once upon a time fore-gone . . . most definitely not "banquet" scenario . . . Emeril's "Delmonico" eatery, since sold, , , party of five . . . we experienced the all at once-main-course-delivery&lid lift. impressive, certainly a 'high end' service thing. didn't make the food better - did make the "experience" better tho. if only the second floor dinning area was not so loud none of our party could communicate without yelling . . . (sigh)

rim to rim it's about 13" / 300 mm upon explaining 'paella' DW opined she needed muscles outside the pan more than the mussels inside the pan . . . (she's a big seafood lover, so don't fret - this will all turn out well.....) initially, Darto did not make plain the dimensions of their N.xx product numbers. at last glance, they've gotten a bit more open to sizes. but indeed, , , I too fell victim to buying a piece based on N.xx number - turned out to be a mini-pan. works for "broiled mushrooms for two" but not much else. however comma, if one is into black iron pans. Darto be da' bomb. just make sure you know the size of what ye' be buying . . .

and there will be paella . . . . soonst I get in the bomba rice . . .

rodents will chew thru any kind of plastic in about 20 minutes . . . I also have a 50+ year old i.e. thick heavy hot dip galvanized can for birdseed - here it is getting aired prior to summer put-a-way....

we had a summer 'cottage' which became invaded every fall after it was closed up. my dad lined the cabinets with aluminum - including a "flange" from the sides that extended over the 'sealing' area - with a narrow strip where the doors met the carcass. I'm sure the hinges had to be "reset" but I didn't get in on that part.

they have to have a metal liner. 1/8" aluminum will do. mice will chew through any kind of wood or composite.

the process of turning "wood" into "charcoal" is supposed to burn off all the nasties and leave (nearly) pure carbon. in the world of today's "everything is controlled" that happens most 'reliably' when the wood chunks pieces are a similar size. large tree trunks/roots, etc, do not fully carbonize under the 'usual' circumstances. (this is why I decline to buy Cowboy "Made in Mexico" - it has small to boulder sized pieces....) Mr. Kingsford - a relative of Henry Ford - and set-up (with Ford's financial help) - an operation to coke wood into charcoal for use in Ford's blast furnaces (producing iron/steel) - the smelting process does not tolerate piles of impurities. that's why the wood is "coked" into charcoal - gets rid of everything but the pure carbon for max heat / least 'unwanteds' Kingsford then branched out into briquettes for the trending demand . . . . some brands offer "nuttin' but pure" Kingsford 100% Natural Hardwood Briquets B&B Competition Oak Briquets -They claim to use nothing but hardwood Royal Oak 100% All Natural Hardwood Charcoal Briquets . . . often not widely available . . .

but that's not what your said. "Yes. And the white smoke shortly after lighting is largely steam." so, is it steam, water vapor, or particulate smoke?

not to belabor the point, but "steam" is not visible.

"But I agree with this: " . . . and the research to support that is . . . . . where?

given the number of briquette makers and all their formulas and given the various woods and mixtures of woods used by various lump makers . . . . on any given day one "researcher" / "tester" can "prove" any of them burner hotter or colder than any of the other ones. btw, not many sources agree that borax is flammable.

Cowboy brand is my fav as well, however - they produce in USA and Mexico fyi . . . the USA uses hardwood cutoff from Carolina furniture manufacturing, the Mexico product uses trees. the bag of the Mexico production I bought had huge chunks - as in take a hatchet and chop them up so you can use them . . . over the years any number of charcoal briquette makes have hit the boiling water pot due to their "ingredients" . . . Kingsford: Kingsford Charcoal is made from charred soft and hardwoods such as pine, spruce, hickory, oak and others depending on which regional manufacturing plant it comes from. That char is then mixed with ground coal and other ingredients to make a charcoal briquette. As of January 2016, Kingsford Charcoal contains the following ingredients:[7][8] Wood char - Fuel for heating Mineral char - Fuel for heating Mineral carbon - Fuel for heating Limestone - Binding agent Starch - Binding agent Borax - Release agent Sawdust - Accelerate ignition curiously, borax is banned in food products, it is toxic - but apparently when deposited on your steak by burning charcoal, is not a problem.

most LED are rated for operation up to 80'ish_F there are LED rated for up to 300'F - they tend to the pricey side . . I go with some "standard" LED bulbs and see how they stand up.

if you pull one of the lights, it should have numbers/letters on it - and you can check if there is an LED or quartz light bulb made to fit that socket. an LED will have any&all "guts" needed to make it work "in that socket" LEDs are available in warm through 9500Kelvin "bright sunlight" output. for a "special" light socket, you may have to mail order - many stores no longer stock "everything for everybody" I've replaced just about all our conventional ceiling/canister flood bulbs with LED "bright white" aka 9500k bulbs. then again . . . I'm fixing to get 'the other cataract' replaced shortly.... I use the daylight 9500k bulbs in the kitchen, throughout the house and in my wood shop. seriously better at seeing things using them.