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Margaret Pilgrim

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Posts posted by Margaret Pilgrim

  1. On 8/18/2019 at 11:21 PM, JoNorvelleWalker said:

    Deep fry.  The setup:

     

    Paragon08192019.png

     

     

    Paragon, 2.5 liters peanut oil in Fissler stockpot.  The red thing is the Paragon probe.  Quite ingenious actually.  The bent metal thingy is a Thermoworks thermocouple.  "Trust first then verify."

     

    I am an embarrassment to this forum.    A wart on its nose.    I deep fry in a dedicated 50 cent garage sale Calphalon pot using 2 cups of oil.    I turn on kitchen fan and crank up stovetop to high, wait until oil shimmers, then toss in a bread cube.    Fry battered prawns or chicken, potatoes, moderating heat when necessary..   Meanwhile, back in the cave,..

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  2. LOL or wincing in pain.    I have a CSO, but no yogurt maker, pressure cooker, rice cooker or crockpot.   It seems I've been limping along with pots and pans, stovetop and oven.    Our microwave has a dial.    I think it's from the early '80s.    One of these days, I'll learn how to use the CSO beyond simple bake.   

  3. Oh my, now I need a Thermomix in addition to the Joule?    

     

    eta, I have been completely happy with my Osterizer that was given to me as a college graduation present, which was "a few years ago"!

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  4. Every day here I read about some apparatus' extraordinary usefulness.    While I have a lot, really too many, appliances, there remain a lot I don't have.    So I thought I'd ask advice on what you all considered really worth the storage  or counter space.

     

    Starting out, air fryer.    Tell me why or that I need one.    I see the luscious looking stuff coming out of yours.    Are the differences in final product or mostly calories saved.   

     

    Sous vide apparatus      

     

    Please add your own queries.   

    • Like 1
  5. 6 minutes ago, Meanderer said:

    Lunch outdoor on a mild and sunny day in a quiet location (garden, atmospheric village square, quaint side-street, bucolic countryside--any of those will do) where we can linger for a couple of hours with well-prepared regional, farm-to-table food.  A decent, though inexpensive, bottle of wine doesn't hurt.  Sadly, none of those places can be readily found around here so we tend to try to seek them out when we travel.  

    Bingo!

  6. 2 hours ago, TdeV said:

    @Margaret Pilgrim, what brand is that squeezer? @scubadoo97, do you like all your squeezers interchangeably?

    Ooof.    I just took a picture off the web of the style.   

    I bought mine from the "dollar lady" at the flea market.     You know the pegboard kitchen utensils at your local supermarket?    Rather than fill in stock, it is cheaper for the jobber to replace whole categories.    He then sells the mishmash to flea market vendors.   Lots of what I buy from her is preticketed from 5.99 to 9.99.   

    I would just make sure that it is metal, seems to have a good connection top to bottom and feels good in your hand.    I should cost around $8.    My guesstimate.  

     

    You put the fruit in cut side down, which is slightly counterintuitive.   

     

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  7. 12 minutes ago, lemniscate said:

     

    I did this a few weeks ago with Kirkland American Vodka, Tj's cocoa nibs and some coffee beans.   Oh, the eau coming out of that bottle when I sniff it!

    Try to hang on to some.   It only gets better.    Then add a splash to chocolate desserts, cakes.     A couple of tablespoons will keep ice cream from getting too hard.     (Of course, you can always have a nip or so with coffee after dinner.)

    • Like 1
  8. 1 hour ago, gfweb said:

    Good fine dining is the best, but half assed fine dining is terrible. I’d rather have run of the mill Italian than mediocre fine dining.  

     

    I dont need a tablecloth but I won’t eat with plastic forks or on styrofoam. Stand in line?  If it’s short and the bbq is good. 

    The first thing I notice upon being seated in a restaurant is the quality of the flatware.     Your knife and fork should feel good.    They will be your "transport" for the entire meal.

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  9. I am reminded of a little place in Florence, Il Padrone, maybe.    All housemade pastas.     And after the waiter had served the table, this head would pop out of the pass, the chef, looking to see our reactions.    It became almost a game, with our showing our pleasure and his beaming his appreciation.    

    • Like 2
  10. Probably 15 years ago we happened on a garage sale where a jilted lover was selling his ex-partner's toys, among them this Simac ice cream maker, then somewhere a nickel under $500...for $35.     Instruction booklet included.

     

    1289925253_Screenshot2019-08-26at10_31_42AM.png.6f5240200840a87ae9c42cf3e66371d3.png

     

    Today, in the country where this beast lives, temp of 98 is forecast -> PEACH ICE CREAM!

    2114543903_Screenshot2019-08-26at10_32_48AM.png.8e2327ac4f2757fa08d2589e884af850.png

     

    Husband enjoyed the dasher and bowl for 10:30am snack.   The rest is curing in freezer for later on.

    1498330994_Screenshot2019-08-26at10_33_47AM.png.e147577c15b4f19386309d89cf1cbe70.png

    Saying good-bye to the last of the Elbertas.

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  11. Bouncing off a review of an exchange between Eric Ripert and Bourdain re fine dining, I started musing about how I/we prefer a night out.    Asked this question, i always used to gush how we loved "fine dining".    And I guess we did then.    But now I'm just as happy with bare table tops and odd (but comfortable) chairs.    A single flower in a Perrier bottle makes me as happy as a $1000 arrangement.    I care about the food, how well the chef's intentions come across on the plate, the sensibilities of the people dining around us.     (Don't tell me I've gone Brooklyn!)    But we are finding delight in holes in the wall where the chef is living his dream...until he finds he isn't making any money and goes upscale, most of the time losing a lot of charm and soul the process.   But what joy he brought us until then.

     

    You?

    • Like 3
  12. On 8/24/2019 at 1:48 PM, gfweb said:

     

    Same here but I have the Oster attachment.    I almost never use my regular food processor.      This chops raw and cooked meat, veggies, nuts, cheese.    I'd be lost without it.    I have one in town and one in the country, both flea market purchases at $10 a piece.    They are no longer made but available used or ebay.    Oster model 5900.

     

    Also several handheld ceramic mandolins.

     

    French working jars for both storage and making mayo.    A wisk just fits inside for instant emulsions.

    • Like 1
  13. Near 100 today.    Still taking the easy way out with dinner.     Pillsbury pizza dough circle (half price from Grocery Outlet) baked on oven floor.     Sauce from freezer.    Surprisingly decent considering ingredients and effort.

    Starter of red peppers.    

    1592110092_Screenshot2019-08-25at6_40_43PM.png.6a37c51500c72e4bd8dac1f26b4f8eb2.png

     

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  14. 8 minutes ago, gfweb said:

     

     

    I know its heresy, but J of C has let me down many times. Even with their 'cockaigne" recipes.

     

    I'm so glad YOU said it.    I have very little faith in their recipes.    I thought it was just me.

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  15. DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME!     Arrive in the country.    DH asks for something simple for dinner.    "Hamburger".    Some "different hamburger"   Channeling the old SF Hippo teriyaki burger, I found the "Becker burger" in Joy of Cooking.    Essentially, cook burger until slightly under desired doneness.    Anoint with soy and port with dash of hot sauce.    Off heat, cover for 5 minutes and serve over a slice of whole wheat toast.

     

    Okay.   I can do that.     Side of dressed bean sprouts.

    912462436_Screenshot2019-08-25at3_21_32PM.png.1e11db2aa99e316737358fd0e1b5ec33.png

     

    I won't say that it was disgusting, but it came mighty close.     If this is the Becker family favorite burger, I'm happy to claim no relationship.

    This concept might have legs with a Marchand de vin sauce poured over after cooking, or green peppercorn sauce or.... but not reduced soy/port.

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  16. 96+ F degrees here today.    Baguette and soppressata

    1880909668_Screenshot2019-08-25at2_54_05PM.png.c0d9c69327186c451f1c12bec26300f8.png

     

    and a bowl of cool tzatziki

    250687172_Screenshot2019-08-25at2_54_32PM.png.2e1eab453fefd133a795880dcc7f2720.png

     

    and a bowl of Thompson grapes and another of sliced peaches.

    • Like 6
  17. So how do you crack your eggs?     it seems everyone is now touting cracking eggs on a flat surface rather than edge of pan or other sharp edge.    I'm a pan-edge cracker, but willing to learn.    So I've started cracking eggs on the flat stovetop.    They never open with one whack, and many/most times the yolk is broken.     So I'm not convinced and am going back to my old wrong ways.

     

    And do you think that kind of egg makes any difference on shell toughness?    Supermarket, organic, cage free, free range, pasture, farm?   

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