WTT/WTB: Sharing Modernist Ingredients

[avaserfi]

Some of the more esoteric ingredients in Modernist Cuisine can only be purchased in large quantities or are very hard to find, if not both. This thread's goal is to help facilitate the sharing or trading of ingredients that might be hard to find in small enough for the home cook. Other members have expressed interest in such a thread, so here it is.

I'm hoping this thread is not seen as a money making opportunity, but a way to democratize access to hard to find or expensive ingredients. Ideally, this thread can facilitate bulk purchases among members, or help us split the cost of more expensive ingredients and long term, save us some money.

I'll start off.

Right now I have an excess of Artistre brand iota carrageenan I will happily mail at my cost if anyone needs some. I paid $50 shipped for a pound.

____________________________________________

Host Note: Rules of the Game

Great idea. For this to work, everyone will need to follow a few basic rules:

Use the forums for posting information and follow-up Q&A about the products.

Use the PM system for all aspects of the exchange: requests for products, how much you want, cost of shipping, addresses, payment methods, etc.

To avoid misunderstandings, we ask that anyone posting about product availability provide the following info:

- specific information about product you’re offering

- the cost per unit

- the quantity you have left to share

- a reminder that all aspects of the exchange must transpire on the PM system

Finally, please post an update when you run out and don’t want additional inquiries.

Edited May 21, 2011 by LindaK
edited to add note (log)

[HiRoller]

I think this is a great idea, and this is the place to do it (assuming there's no TOS issues). I also think that the person with the item should set a per oz (or whatever) price. This has the potential to be a big pain-in-the-butt and the person willing to front the money, as well as package and mail the goods ought to at least get theirs for free as compensation.

I'd be interested in a few ounces of the carrageenan.

Fred

[avaserfi]

I think this is a great idea, and this is the place to do it (assuming there's no TOS issues). I also think that the person with the item should set a per oz (or whatever) price. This has the potential to be a big pain-in-the-butt and the person willing to front the money, as well as package and mail the goods ought to at least get theirs for free as compensation.

I'd be interested in a few ounces of the carrageenan.

Fred

For the price I paid 50 grams (about 1.75 ounces) for $6 plus whatever shipping and packaging will be, so about $10 shipped within the USA.

If there is enough demand for another ingredient I am willing to foot the cost order some - assuming it is an ingredient I can use.

[avaserfi]

Just an update to stay in line with the Host requirements.

I have 50 grams of the Artistre brand iota carrageenan left. The 50 grams is $6 plus whatever shipping and packaging is, which will total about $11 pretty much anywhere in the US. PM me if interested. In the past I have sealed it in a zip top bag and mailed the package in a bubble mailer. This seems to work well, if this is not sufficient we can work something out.

I might have more that 50 grams, but won't know until I package some up and see what is left. I will update this thread if I do.

PM me if interested.

edited for clarification

Edited May 21, 2011 by avaserfi (log)

[KennethT]

I have roughly 600g remaining of Genu LMA pectin. It cost me about $0.062 per gram. I'll share for this cost, plus shipping. I'll cover the cost of the ziplock bag and shipping bag. PM if interested.

[KennethT]

I'm looking for Low Acyl and High Acyl Gellan... anyone?

[avaserfi]

Just an update to stay in line with the Host requirements.

I have 50 grams of the Artistre brand iota carrageenan left. The 50 grams is $6 plus whatever shipping and packaging is, which will total about $11 pretty much anywhere in the US. PM me if interested. In the past I have sealed it in a zip top bag and mailed the package in a bubble mailer. This seems to work well, if this is not sufficient we can work something out.

I might have more that 50 grams, but won't know until I package some up and see what is left. I will update this thread if I do.

PM me if interested.

edited for clarification

Update I have 150 grams left.

[KennethT]

I am trying to get a group together to split the cost of purchasing high and low acyl gellans. We currently have 4 people in the group. I was planning on waiting a few more days to see if anyone else has any interest, and then I'll go shopping and get prices. If you are interested in joining the group, please PM me letting me know how much of each you'd be interested in.

Once I have everyone's order, I can figure out how much to buy, and what the total costs will be.

I was planning on putting each order into a zip lock bag, and sending via USPS in a padded envelope.

Thanks.

[KennethT]

OK - I now have 6 people, including myself signed up for the Low/High Acyl Gellans. Each container has 14 ounces (approx. 400 grams), so I'm going to stop taking requests now. I haven't had a chance to write to everyone yet confirming - but anyone who has written to me by this time is in. If we split it evenly, it winds up being about 66 grams per person, which is a lot because you use very little of the gellans, as compared with most hydrocolloids (or so it seems reading MC). If someone doesn't want that much, let me know, because one of the people will take extra if available.

I'm going to get the Kelcogel F Low Acyl gellan, and LT100 High Acyl Gellan, since those are brands specified in MC. It seems like the only place to get it is le-sanctuaire. Their price is $48 for one, and $52 for the other - so that's about $0.76 per gram of each, plus the cost of shipping to me, plus the flat rate USPS to redistribute. There's no charge for the padded envelope/ziplock bags for redistribution since I've got tons of padded envelopes and ziplocks are cheap.

I don't know the exact cost for the shipping to me yet, as that's calculated when you place your order, but I will write to everyone to let them know the exact cost once I have it.

While we're ordering from Le-Sanctuaire, are there any other CP Kelco items anyone would want? I spoke with the CP Kelco rep, who basically said Le-Sanctuaire is the only place that carries small quantities of their product. I'm sure we can save a bit in shipping costs if more stuff is shipped at once.

[KennethT]

Sorry Gellan people.. I made a math error - $100 for 28 ounces (793g) is $0.126 per gram not 0.76 per gram.... plus the shipping of course...

ETA: Sorry - one more error - there's actually 7 of us looking to split the gellans, so that's like 56-57g each. I know this is getting a little low on quantity, so maybe we should get two containers of each - which will be 113g per person? Most people requested about 100g of each...

Edited May 29, 2011 by KennethT (log)

[slkinsey]

100 g each sounds good.

[KennethT]

OK - the gellans have been ordered. The total with shipping to me came out to $0.1384 per gram of each, so 100g of each costs $27.68, plus the USPS shipping to you. The gellans will probably get to me by mid-next week, and then I'll distribute and take them to the post office the following Saturday. Once I know the total cost, I'll message each of you privately so you can send payment at that time.

[ChrisZ]

For those in Australia, I have some excess N-Zorbit M (tapioca maltodextrin). The stuff is so light and fluffy that it takes up much more room than I anticipated, so I'd be happy to offload some to anyone interested- but preferably in Australia only.

I'd be happy to do a swap for some gellan, but PM me if you're interested and we can go from there...

[KennethT]

Just to let all the gellan people know that it shipped last Saturday by priority mail. Everyone should have received it by now... if not, let me know, and I can track it to find out what happened.

[Tri2Cook]

Mine hasn't arrived but there's no reason to track it at this point. It takes a little longer when crossing the border and the postal service here inconveniently chose now to do the strike/lockout thing so nothing's moving at the moment.

[asiebengartner]

I live in Brooklyn, NY, and, like many others, it seems, am reluctant to buy a full kilogram of transglutaminase for myself to start experimenting with.

Is anyone who lives in Manhattan or Brooklyn interested in splitting an order with me? I'm thinking I'll start with Activa RM. Looks like it goes for about $85 for 1kg. I'd only want 250-500g of it for myself.

I've put together a "kit" of other ingredients, but maybe down the line I'd be up for doing something like this again with bulk orders of other ingredients too.

[dmg]

Anybody in Victoria, BC, or Vancouver area who would be interested in tracking and sharing some of the ingredients? So far I only have the Artistre Kit.

--dmg

[jduncan81]

I just ordered 1000 each of Vacmaster 6x10, 8x12, and 10x15 bags (all 3 mil, regular) and I suspect this is far more than I will ever use.

If anybody is interested in taking some, I'm happy to sell them at my cost (incl shipping tome) in 250 bag increments as follows:

6x10: $12/250

8x12: $17/250

10x15: $25/250

Shipping to you will be added at cost. Send me a PM with your email address if you're interested!

Thanks,

Joe

[jduncan81]

Update on the vacuum bags:

250 each left of the 6x10 and 10x15 bags

500 left for the 8x12 bags.

[paulpegg]

Tygon Tubing Kits

I pur­chased sev­eral hun­dred feet of Saint-Gobain food grade tygon tub­ing to make the Parmesan Spaghetto’s on 4–143 and KM-262. I bought three sizes, 1/4″ dia, 3/16″ dia and 1/8″ dia. Six foot lengths of these hold roughly 60 ml, 30 ml and 15 ml respec­tively. (Sorry for the mixed units.) The basic recipe pro­vides 300 ml of the gel which is enough to fill four 1/4″ tubes allow­ing for spillage etc. I decided to try the smaller diam­e­ters to see how much I could get out of the recipe and how the spaghetto held up. All the sizes made very nice spaghetto’s and they held up well. I used a small air com­pres­sor set at no more than 15 psi to blow them out.

I now have an extra 75′ of each size and will break them down into three kits con­tain­ing 25′ of each size. I will put them on ebay when­ever one of you indi­cate they would like to buy one. The title will be “Modernist Cuisine Tubing”. There are only three kits and I will not be doing this again unless there is a huge demand. The cost will be $36/kit includ­ing Priority Mail ship­ping in the US. I will have to get a quote for ship­ping out­side the US. Send me an email at paulpegg “at” optonline.net if you are interested.

My goal is not to make money but only to share with my fel­low members

[paulpegg]

I have packed these kits up and put them on ebay. Search for Modernist Cuisine and you will find them. The listing will remain until all three are sold.

Thanks,

Paul

[Msk]

Guys,

Modernist Pantry sells smaller units and they say they ship almost everywhere (though I haven't tested that) They even sell smaller increments of Activa (Meat Glue)

Mike

I'm not affiliated just a consumer!

[paulpegg]

The reason I did 25 foot lengths is that you really need 4 sections if you are going to serve this to a few people so you can get some efficiency in the process. It would be a real pain to make one 6' piece at a time!

I also found that it is nice to have three different sizes on hand for those times when you want to serve less material but still have a decent length on the plate.

Edited November 2, 2011 by paulpegg (log)

[Tri2Cook]

Guys,

Modernist Pantry sells smaller units and they say they ship almost everywhere (though I haven't tested that) They even sell smaller increments of Activa (Meat Glue)

Mike

I'm not affiliated just a consumer!

I'd be a bit cautious with the Activa unless they've worked something out with the company for smaller packages or are turning it over fairly quickly. I've only seen the 1kg retail packs and the 100g sample packs. Repacking it is going to greatly reduce the shelf life.

[KennethT]

Slightly off topic, but for all the NYC MCers and modernist cooks, I stopped into Kalustyan's (Lex and 28th) today looking for Agar and Xanthan (they had those a long time ago - located up near the front) but after searching for a half hour in the old location, I couldn't find them and finally asked someone... they've been moved downstairs near the spices - and with them are a lot of their friends - Kappa Carrageenan, Sodium Alginate, Gum Arabic, Guar gum, N-Zorbit plus quite a few others. Unfortunately, some things aren't labeled well - like "Gellan" which doesn't specify if it's LA or HA or a mixture. Their prices, of course, are higher than if you were to buy from Le Sanctuaire or another online retailer, but they are convenient in the fact that you don't have to ship (and wait for arrival from SF) and also sell smaller quantities if you need something and no one is willing/able to share at the moment.