Tropicalsenior

The labeling is intriguing. It can't be it an attempt to defraud the Chinese customers because it is written correctly in Chinese. Is it possibly something that is also exported and in that case, is it meant to defraud or just a poor case of translation? That's just a thought but it's interesting. I'm not familiar with Pollock. Is it similar enough to get away with fraud?

Maybe a couple of ordinary magnets glued to a shim that could be moved up and down to vary the width of the the opening.

This sounds really good in theory but I was looking on the internet because I questioned how easy these would be to remove from the surface without damaging it since they are so strong. I came acrossed this fact while I was looking. https://www.kjmagnetics.com/safety.asp "They can also damage televisions, VCRs, computer monitors and CRT displays. Avoid placing neodymium magnets near electronic appliances." it might not be the best thing for this type of oven.

Okay,,, I guess.

Okay. Thought about it. Gotta ask! How in the world did you get it well done on a warm setting?

I have a 35 year old Maytag washing machine that has only ever had to have hoses replaced. My repairman loves it so much that he has seriously ask me to leave it to him in my will.

Or put a lid on it and it costs a lot less than that pseudo salamander.

My appliances are all old and I am so thankful for it. Not a chip in the bunch! They are reliable and just keep on working. My repairmen love them, not because they have to come very often, they don't, but because they are so easy to repair.

Thank you, that is good to know. At that price you wouldn't expect to find a commercial grade salamander. But it's not really a cheap item either and if I'm going to pay that and sacrifice counter space, I want something that will be a workhorse not a one-note pony.

So great to hear from an expert and someone that has actually used this. Are you speaking of the 24in model or of the 17 which they themselves simply list as a cheese melter? Another question. Is this used primarily for pizza or would it be able to handle a steak?

You can make steak tartare with the leftovers.

With the Iranian sturgeon come from the Persian Gulf or the Caspian Sea?

From the fact that they have such an international market I guess the Chinese caviar is comprable to the Russian?

Ah, now that is something that I will not be envying you about. I have never developed a taste for caviar but I do love salmon roe in sushi. There is just something satisfying and soothing about those little balls popping in your teeth.

I like the way that you do it all on one pan and I like those flour tortillas.

I think my grandfather bought it new for the house when he built it in 1900. Before that I think my grandmother cooked in a fireplace in a sod house. My mother inherited it in about 1930 when my grandparents retired.

My mother absolutely hated hers. It was over 70 years old and in perfect condition but when she got her modern stove she took it apart and threw it in a garbage dump in a far Canyon. Coming from antique crazy California I really cringed when I heard that. Even then, those things were selling for big bucks. But to her it was just an ugly old used stove.

I'm not an electrician, far from it. But even that looks suspect to me. That also raises the question of how good is the electrical system in your house. I had a Farberware table top rotisserie grill that I just loved but it blew the breakers in every house that I ever lived in. The only way that I could ever use it was to plug the rotisserie in the kitchen outlet and run an Industrial extension cord to the outside BBQ area for the grill. That got old very quickly. Lots of things to consider when buying a high powered countertop appliance. Another thing is how much would you actually use it compared to a bright new shiny wall oven that would also turn out beautiful casseroles and baked goods. Another thing you need to consider. Is it a want or a necessity. I have a Hamilton Beach countertop oven that I use constantly because we are just two and sometimes three people for dinner. Although I have a full size oven I can't remember the last time that I used it. I do all my baking in the little oven. Char sui bao Stomboli It has a broiler; it's not much shucks compared to my big oven but it does get the job done eventually. Another thing that I had to consider was the fact that I live in a tropical country and to turn the big oven on can turn my whole house into an oven. Besides, if I turn my big oven on, where would I store my sheet pans and my skillets?

When I saw this I got all excited because anyone that has worked in a professional kitchen has used a salamander and they are wonderful. Then I went to check this one out. They offer two models and they both have very low reviews. The biggest oven sounds like it might, might be able to broil fish. Steak, forget it. And they even called the small one a cheese melter. I don't think that this is the way that you want to go. Sounds pretty wimpy to me.

I am just starting to see those here in Costa Rica. Guess I'm going to have to try them. Thank you

Staff note: Split from the Food History Articles and Links discussion, to maintain focus. A very interesting article, thank you. Until the early 1950s my mother cooked on one that looked exactly like this. (Picture from Bargain John's holiday sale page) Only hers was white. The compartment on the right is the hot water reservoir and the one on the left is the separate heating unit to heat the house on cold days and to start first thing in the morning to make coffee so that you didn't heat up the whole house in the summer. That was kind of an exercise in futility though because you had to heat up the whole stove to make breakfast eventually.

Wow! I just found this thread and read it end to end. As always, I am grateful to you for sharing your knowledge and for your determination to find information to share with us. Growing up in the Midwest we did not have access to fresh fish except for that terrible, boney carp from the irrigation canals. I have never been a fish aficionado but your beautiful presentation has inspired me to go buy some fish. Thank you.

As you say, so much of this is regional. I should have prefaced with, 'Here in Costa Rica...' In so many ways, Spain and Costa Rica speak an entirely different language. This is predominantly used here. I studied Spanish for years but when I came here I had to learn Costa Rican.

I always open this with trepidation when I see your name. Thank goodness, this time, the only problem is you're nuts. No body parts damaged. Oops! Typo! Your nuts.