SLB

I've been fixated, longingly, on the Weber since I first read that post. And then the "Standard Pepper Mill", its competitor (according to someone on the knife-fiend forum, those two products reflect a founders split from what was once a single company; I gather the mills mechanisms are very similar). The latter one is a hundred dollars less; but still. I just couldn't justify the price (against my personal tolerance, not "worth"). The Cannon, however, with the discount was not that much more than my Atlas -- which, conveniently, seems to have some defect in the grind-adjustment knob, it's like it can't get tight, let alone stay tight. And the Cannon it promises to produce way more pepper per turn. Hopefully that means I won't be too aggravated by the twist-style. And it just arrived: The instructions include a warning that the interior should "only be cleaned with a brush". I, um, did not know that the inside of the pepper mill got cleaned. Literally could never have imagined such a thing. This other one, which I also learned about on that knife forum, was actually my first choice. But the owner still does not know when any of the interesting colors will be back in stock. https://iron-mills.com/collections/salt-and-pepper-mills

IKNOWRIGHT???

The Cannon is available at a 15% discount through Valentine's Day: ROSESAREDEAD. Just FYI.

At long last: my oven is back in service. Roasting beets as I report in. Pork roast going into brine tomorrow. The tech said: "By the way? You need a new convection fan. It's rusted out." I laughed like a person who belongs in the lunacy hospital.

There are a whole lot of people though -- at least in cities -- whose entire food life is prepared commercially. As a friend of mine put it to me: most of our peers (middle-aged professionals) don't *cook* dinner, ever; they arrange dinner. Daily. In my observation, the food budget for that version of life has exactly no idea how inexpensive soup can be. But, as another friend put it to me when I, unkindly, said something critical about her family's restaurant habits: "well, what you, SLB, don't spend out of your pocket you do pay for in your time." And she was not wrong about that, I've been reflecting on how much time I've spent making things that, in NYC, can be functionally purchased. Anyway -- for them, it might feel totally reasonable/really nice to eat something as delicious as Vivian Howard's food without having to go out to dinner and manage the kids in a restaurant.

I.Am.DYING.

The podcast connected to "Hunter, Angler, Gardener, Cook" -- a site I learned about from @Shelby, and which I know several of us enjoy -- has resumed episodes with a season devoted to preserving. I thought it would interest the folks who follow this topic; but recognize that if the Mods think it more useful in the "Media" thread, that it will be appropriately moved. But, gah. They're nice and long; and so far the guests are lovely. https://honest-food.net/hunt-gather-talk-podcast/#season4

I agree that a cinnamon bun as a dessert -- and not as the starch-accompaniment -- does not sound unpleasant. Meanwhile, I am making @JAZ's chili con carne right now. And I went to put away the stuff, and realized that I used caraway seeds instead of cumin. People I don't really love caraway. I like it in rye bread, alright. The bag is dated 2013, which is back when I was baking bread. I am not happy about this. At all. And -- obviously I still have covid-nose.

God. My mother's face got dreamy at the mere mention of "coffee and cigarettes". She eventually had to give up both. Every now and then, I would make her a cup of full-caf coffee; I really don't have words for how glad I am that I did that, actually broke an actual rule. Meanwhile. I can still summon my first piece of cheese that you cut with a knife. It was at the neighbors, a place I came to hang around often.

I'm catching up in here after awhile away, I'm sorry to see you and yours had Christmas covid too. But it's wonderful to reconnect with your road-life! And I want ribs for dinner tomorrow, along with my peas and collards. I wish I had thought of this before just now, though.

I confess: I am struggling with this. Struggling hard. I got as far, conceptually, as chili with something like that sugar-sweet cornbread like from the ole Marie Callendars (site of my very first job in 1983, at an age when I thought basically everything that one ate in an actual restaurant must be just fabulous. Even it was candy-passing-for-food). But. I could not get any farther. Chili and CINNAMON BUNS???

This. I don't get it.

Two BOXES!!! Jo. You gotta get eatin'. . . .

I enjoyed Rose Levy Berenbaum the other night. Although the opening focus on her book advances was a little odd, and seemed to put her on the defensive. Maybe there's some history there between the host. Anyway, I thought it was great.

Interested! I thought I did not like chili, because I grew up eating it over spaghetti. The noodles were boiled, and then steamed in the top of a double-boiler for several more hours. I do not think this treatment came from the Italian tradition. Saltines alongside, always. Have I ever mentioned, I ran away to college?

For those who use "Light" olive oil as a neutral-ish oil -- including frying -- is there a mass-produced brand you like? In answer to the topic's query -- I like pig lard for almost everything. Which is why it runs out over here before the meat does . . . . I also use peanut or corn oil, and after reading this thread, want to visit refined safflower oil. I love the price of canola oil, but experience a not-always-pleasant taste with it. I am currently trying to avoid other true "seed" oils for my deep-fry purposes (People. I fry a lot of food, is the truth. I like fried food.). My understanding is, "Light" olive oil does not have the taste of extra-virgin olive oil (which is fine, great even -- when you're looking for it); and retains some kind of monounsaturated value. And you can fry with it, and it costs like something that sane people might fry with. [I guess I also need to know -- can you reuse it???]]] Somewhat off-topic -- my neighborhood is generally populated by people from the Dominican Republic, and the oil that dominates the regular-store shelves hers is cornCornCORN!!!! I'm very curious about the corn-oil connection.

Thanks so much for sharing, Shelby. I admit -- this blog makes me want to learn to hunt. It's late for me; but . . . But.

That's quite an endorsement!! @Duvel, this was just spectacular. There is no happy-family like a happy-family, camping in the chilly rain. And, I now know the source of the grumpy when my campsites are rained out: we've been bringing along gin!? Also, I learned a new term of importance to my meat-loving self: "carvery". Thanks so much, Duvel! And to your family for letting you share so much of their fun with us.

Top of the morning to ya'! It's been a strong week!

Oh, it's gone. I was just saying, it was a little crazy. The past few months, I've been patiently waiting on the Falk sales. I just got turned around on the quarts.

I get that, @weinoo, totally. And, it's helpful. The pan which the new rondeau purports to replace was a 3qt Copco enameled cast iron pan which I inherited and loved, but which was ancient and had gotten to where it was chipping enamel into my food. It was hard for me to get rid of, because of how much I loved the cousin who gave it to me. And, oh my goodness, her food. [This is irrelevant, and not merely complex-emotional; in fact, it's totally crazy. Do you know how it beat-down a person gets to feeling when picking enamel chips out of a dish that has been cooking all day??? Sigh.] Anyway, size. I don't know why I'm anxious that what was done in that old pan cannot be done in this new and more awesome rondeau, since I wasn't at all trying to alter the use-case. Honestly? I'm probably just thinking, hundreds of bucks, you better go ahead and gross up. Investment pieces, I get the jitters. Thank you.

I was afraid you'd say that . . . .

One thing these fancy pans can do is rouse you out of cooking slump. In this vein, I ended up with the 3qt rondeau, but I am thinking I need to exchange it for the 4-qt. The 3qt (24cm) seems a touch too small. Just a touch. I'm having a hard time settling. Which is probably because I don't need neither one of 'em. A condition that makes every potentially legit distinguishing principles disappear.

guurrrllll . . . . Damn.

'TIS HUNTING SEASON ON EGULLET!!!