[The Science of Seasoning Metal Cookware]

On 3/10/2024 at 3:17 PM, JoNorvelleWalker said:

For paella I now use Falk.

Jo,

 

I'm confused/appalled/intrigued.

 

What differences between Falk and Darto could lead to this?

 

Please forbear another attack on my wallet. I'm happy with my Darto -- I have 6 or 7. Why would they be unusually susceptible to rice attack or the Falk so resistant? This is metallurgy meets mystery.

 

 

[The Science of Seasoning Metal Cookware]

On 3/6/2024 at 4:12 PM, paulraphael said:

I don't know why your rice is such a good scouring pad

Thanks Paul. As @liuzhou pointed out in the subsequent post, rice has useful abrasive properties. I'm not too worried. As you implied, it's best to just get on.

 

I wonder if others have seen what I have.

[The Science of Seasoning Metal Cookware]

On 2/26/2024 at 5:49 AM, AlaMoi said:

Darto black iron/steel pan(s)

At risk of digressing somewhat, I have and like most of Darto's pans. Once seasoned, they are kind-of-non-stick.

 

My favourite is the big paella, which I use for fried rice. No matter how well seasoned, I find fried rice rips off that built up seasoning.

 

I'm now thinking is might be lecithin in the egg yolk. Yet I'm sure many of you use Dartos and other well seasoned heavy steel pans precisely because they are great for fried egg. Is there some weird chemistry in the combination of rice and egg yolk?

 

["Modernist Bread at Home"]

On 2/13/2024 at 4:20 AM, ElsieD said:

I'm worried some of the ingredients required would, for me, be "odd" items

 

Most of the recipes in the 5-vol set use only traditional ingredients. So long as you have or can get a good range of flours you'll be fine.

 

I'm sure I'm forgetting some breads that use advanced chemistry but even the non-traditional things aren't very unusual. You might, if you see a recipe you particularly like, need to get a little dextrose, maltose or diastatic malt powder; that sort of thing -- cheap and easy enough to find. I recall buying bromelain for something. Just skip that one and there are plenty more.

 

Don't fear needing to buy a chemistry lab, especially if the recipe selection has, as it should, an emphasis on "at home".

[Baking with Myhrvold's "Modernist Bread: The Art and Science"]

23 hours ago, Robenco15 said:

the direct dough French lean bread

That's a great recipe and you did well with it. Congratulations.

[Baking with Myhrvold's "Modernist Bread: The Art and Science"]

10 hours ago, Raamo said:

we like it

That's a totally different beast than I produced. Well baked.

 

Wife happy = success.

[Baking with Myhrvold's "Modernist Bread: The Art and Science"]

8 hours ago, Raamo said:

do the cherry pie and chocolate one

Be prepared for disappointment. I did it. Totally overrated. Report back.

[Gas-fired outdoor pizza ovens]

This seems as good a thread as any to ask if anyone has thoughts on or experience with the Diavolo gas pizza oven. 

 

Reviews appear positive but those I've seen are not well informed.

 

@scott123 any views?

 

Usual retail here is $AU600 but on sale at a convenient shop for $249 -- a suspiciously large discount.

[I come from a Land Down Under]

Welcome Neely from Jack in Melbourne.

[Need help with solution percent]

23 hours ago, FeChef said:

What would 1g Bromelain in 2000g water be? 0.05% ?

Yes.

 

1% = 1 in 100

0.1% = 1 in a 1000

0.05% = half of 1 in 1000; 1 in 2000.

 

Maths hurts.

[Making Vinegar]

After a desultory search I couldn't find a thread on vinegar making. Is there one?

 

I have reasonable wine-making experience but am new to making vinegar.

 

After separately collecting red and white wine leftovers I introduced the same mother to each (in ~3l glass containers) and left them  a few months to do their thing. All good; the mother grew and I took off some and successfully started clones.

 

I racked each container off a couple of times, ending up with clear batches with a decided acidity (I don't have a pH meter). I pasteurised each to prevent any further fermentation and left them a couple more months.

 

The white is very sharp. I'll likely dilute it to tame it a bit.

 

The red is bland. No or near-no acid.

 

What went wrong?

 

Supplementary question: the white was made with quite colourless wines -- no oxidised heavily oaked chardonnay. It has taken on an almost whiskey hue. Do some makers strip the colour from their vinegar? How?

[My Rabbits, or "On Raising One's Own Meat, With Some Discussion of the Attendant Pleasures and Dilemmas"]

@chromedome

 

I'm enjoying these posts very much. Nice writing and a thoughtful approach to husbandry and the table.

 

Thank you.

[Container openers (screw-on, pull-tab) for those with weak or painful hands]

On 3/3/2023 at 4:28 AM, Kim Shook said:

the one on the left many years ago - it works like a bottle opener and releases the vacuum

A vote for the 'key' on the left of Kim's picture. It works like a charm and takes up minimal space in a drawer. I was a sceptic but it's a winner.

[Combustion Inc Wireless thermometer probe by Chris Young]

@ChefChrisYoung

 

Hi Chris,

 

I did my first cook with great success.

 

It was an unusual moment. I had a whopper rib eye on the bone with lots of flavourful fat that rendered off quickly. I'm used to having little spot fires on my grill but this was a near conflagration. I was worried that the yellow tip might take badly to being surrounded by flame but it came out unscathed.

 

As a PSA to fellow EGulleters, I don't think Chris has mentioned he is publishing lots of great notes on Reeddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/combustion_inc/

 

Well worth reading. From there I got the reassurance that the tip is pretty robust against flames and proximity to hot coals.

[Combustion Inc Wireless thermometer probe by Chris Young]

@ChefChrisYoung

 

Thank you for engaging on this.

 

I made an early pre-order and am waiting patiently. I'm grateful for your clear communication.

[Kitchen sounds you hate or love]

On 1/9/2023 at 2:16 AM, Shelby said:

Hate the sound of knife sharpening.  Like nails on a chalkboard to me.

One of the world's sweetest sounds. That gentle shshhh-shsh is grand. I do it on good stones only when feeling serene.

 

Someone doing macho clattering on a steel: not good.

[Greetings from Texas!]

Welcome along. I'm shy. Don't be shy 🙂

[The Food Photography Topic]

On 12/19/2022 at 7:33 AM, liuzhou said:

There is severe degradaion.

Liuzhou are you an Apple man? If so, check out Pixelmator Pro. Made in Blighty with a cheap perpetual licence and frequent improvements.

 

It has a marvellous machine learning 3x upscaling feature you might like. Also excellent denoising.

[Cooking with the Anova Precision Oven: What did you make?]

@FeChef

 

Get a hold of yourself. This oven works well.

 

Take a little time.

 

Enjoy the not-smoky cheesecake, welcome to the club and report back when you've really tried it.

[China Food Deliveries]

Get well soon. Better in one's own kitchen.

[Cuisinart Combo Steam/Convection Oven (Part 3)]

2 hours ago, Kim Shook said:

what I was dealing with

Hi Kim, the others have given good advice.

 

I've had a CSO and now an APO. Both in the same place by an unshaded window. Both apt to contract the dreaded green tinge.

 

It's a contradiction: UV is a great steriliser but in lesser quantity also a promoter of various undesired life forms.

 

My practice is from time to time to fill the tank with water and sodium percarbonate (nappy steriliser) or potassium percarbonate. Give it a good soak.

 

I'm also a fan of phosphoric acid or iodine. These are rapid and easy to use sterilisers, often used for clean-in-place operations in brewing and dairying. It takes a tiny amount -- somewhere in the order of 1 part per thousand -- and does not require rinsing, although I would empty and refill the tank.

 

Think of this in three steps:

 

1 Clean -- remove the lifeforms

2 Disinfect -- nothing wrong with bleach; wash out well afterwards

3 Sterilise -- try phosphoric acid. A bottle will last a lifetime in a domestic kitchen.

 

I'm not really troubled by a touch of green in the CSO/APO. After all, the water is taken to high temperatures in the steam process. I have a coffee maker with a clear tank and also subject to sunlight. I'm more careful with that, given that the water temps in operation are lower.

 

 

[Kenji's "Every Night Is Pizza Night"]

7 hours ago, CookBot said:

Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch

At risk of digression, thank you for that. I read Q's lectures etc 40 years ago. Now quaint but I expect still good.

[Kenji's "Every Night Is Pizza Night"]

6 hours ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

I’m not so keen on Kenji.

Let me exercise my childless inner grump.

 

I like Kneji well enough. He brings good science and ideas.

 

He is also objectionably over indulgent about the darling wife and precious child.

 

I like my recopies without the barf-making domesticity. In short, he needs a more tough-minded editor who sees these as put-offs, not endearing. Murder your darlings. as Dickens said.

[Show and Tell: Knives]

17 hours ago, liuzhou said:

a good one

That is a great looking cleaver. Mine is old and battered. Can I justify getting a beauty like that?

[Season to taste: discuss]

Isn't it received wisdom that the difference between home and restaurant cooking is that restaurants use more salt and more fat, generally butter. Our palates generally respond to hyping things up.

 

When I worked in a pub kitchen *nothing* passed by without a smattering of last-minute salt. Nothing.

 

I agree especially about salt layering in salads. A pinch. And a final touch of acid. Within reason, more is more.