Toliver

I thought I would revive this old discussion with a new article that says sanitizing your sponges is basically a waste of time. "Kitchen sponges are festering germ dens—and sanitizing them doesn’t help" Their solution? Throw the sponge away after using it a week and then start using a new sponge, then throw that away after a week, and so on. Imagine all those tossed sponges (natural sponges or otherwise) in our landfills. Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

This. If I recall correctly, isn't there a Modernist recipe for Lemon Curd that doesn't even have lemons in it? You say potato, I say modified food starch...

I thought the video was well done. The only thing I think was missing was seeing the baked tart, or a piece of it on a plate as if someone was getting ready to eat it (aka the "money shot"). Thank you for posing this.

That was a wonderful story...thank you for sharing.

Ted Allen isn't really a chef, per se, but knows how to cook. He's more of a "personality" now on several of Food Network's shows. You can read more info about his history on his Wikipedia page (click).

Saw this today...I'm a US Prime member and your price may vary. Note it is not a cookbook but is a book about Chinese cooking and her time spent in China. Fuchsia Dunlop's "Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China" Kindle Edition $1.99US

When Life hands you enchilada mush, call it Mexican Goulash and serve it proudly.

I agree with the posts recommending Glad Press 'n' Seal. I also keep Stretch-Tite on hand, as well. If I am packaging say, steaks, from a purchased "family" pack for the freezer, I won't use Press 'n' Seal. I use the Stretch-Tite and wrap them individually. For the refrigerator, instead of finding a container with a matching lid for leftovers, I often just use the Press 'n' Seal over the serving bowl as a makeshift lid.

@ElsieD I thought I would post this US Amazon link in case anyone wanted it: Peter Reinhart's "The Bread Baker's Apprentice, 15th Anniversary Edition: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread" Kindle Edition $2.99US

For any Ted Allen fans out there... "In My Kitchen: 100 Recipes and Discoveries for Passionate Cooks" by Ted Allen Kindle Edition $1.99US edited to add: Bobby Flays's "Brunch at Bobby's: 140 Recipes for the Best Part of the Weekend" Kindle Edition $1.99US I am a US Prime member and the price you see may vary. (Quickly runs for cover )

Franci, I had a question regarding this last video. Once you made the "pastry cream", you put plastic wrap over the bowl for storage in the refrigerator. But you didn't put the wrap on the surface of the cream, which is done with certain cooked pudding-like desserts so they don't form a skin on the surface. So I take it this pastry cream won't form such a skin? Thanks for the nice videos!

Sorry to post again so quickly, but BookBub alerted me to the low price. Again, I am a US Prime member, so the price you see might be different . Rick Bayless' "Fiesta at Rick's: Fabulous Food for Great Times with Friends" Kindle Edition $1.99US @JoNorvelleWalker, I promise not to be offended if you put me on ignore.

From the Cooks Illustrated web site: A lot of people seem to forgo the milk which is odd. It's part of the chemical(?) process/reaction that tenderizes the meat. Otherwise the starch is just a binder/filler. So bread, crackers, oats, whatever...a filler by any other name...yada, yada, yada.

Another Kindle eBook item: "Chez Panisse Pasta, Pizza, Calzone" (Chez Panisse Cookbook Library) Kindle Edition $1.99US I'm a US Prime member so you price might be different..

"Bush's Baked Beans recalled because of defective cans"

I am not sure if this has been posted before...I apologize if it has. "The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking" Kindle Edition $2.99US I am a US Prime member so your price might vary.

When I was a child, my mom would make large Frito meatballs (a ground beef mixture with crushed Fritos in it) in a canned "cream of" soup "gravy" that she would serve over rice. The meatballs did have a good flavor (tasting of Fritos, after all, and what's wrong with that? ). The meatballs did not have a panade and, even as a child, I knew something was wrong with the heavy, dense meatballs. I could barely hack into them with my table knife. Ah, memories!

I've posted about this before. I am equally guilty as I thought I deserved better than the 80-20 stuff. I also left out the panade (bread soaked in milk) thinking it was just a budget stretcher and I wouldn't need it. I was so wrong on all counts. "Meatbrick", indeed! I could have used it as a door stop, it was so heavy. Live and learn...

Ina Garten's "Zucchini & Goat Cheese Tart" I don't think I'd have the patience to line up all the circles of zucchini slices like in the picture on the web site. If they were already pre-sliced for freezing (like @Shelby did) you'd have them on hand, ready for use. And then I thought "Why not use zoodles?" It'd look quite "bohemian", so to speak, but would eat the same, wouldn't it? Thoughts?

Two more previous "Tips" discussions: "The Quintessential eG Kitchen Tips/Trucs" "Tips and Tricks"

Thanks for this note. I found it in the US Amazon eBooks/Kindle books at the same price.

This sounds intriguing! Let us know how it tastes, how you used it, etc. Thanks for taking one for the team!

Due to their mild flavor, I sometimes like to caramelize the shallots and toss them into whatever dish I'm making. They've even lifted my lowly tuna casserole to a higher level which is saying something.

I believe that is called a "sun dog".

Yes. This. I was annoyed with the small shallot cloves...so much work for so little shallot. Then I shopped in a different grocery store and found they had rather large shallots. I've never purchased the small ones since.