Gotten any fun stuff lately?

[KennethT]

@Anna N and @ElsieD That's what I was thinking!!!

[Anna N]

4 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

 

You don't!

I'm just a knife collector - not knife fetishist!

Fair enough. 

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Don't you always curl your butter?

[Anna N]

1 minute ago, KennethT said:

@Anna N and @ElsieD That's what I was thinking!!!

Yes and I’m still researching it and finding all sorts of butter cutters but they don’t look like that. I will continue my search. 

[liuzhou]

9 hours ago, ElsieD said:

For those of us unfamiliar with butter cutters, what does it do that a knife won't do?

 Nothing, except it's sharper than than most knives associated with butter, so can deal with hard, cold, refrigerated butter.

Edited September 5, 2021 by liuzhou (log)

[liuzhou]

1 minute ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

Don't you always curl your butter?

 

Only if I'm going to spread it on bread or suchlike. If I'm going to use it cooking, I don't usually want curls. Takes too long to get a sizeable amount.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Well, er, quite right.   We know you are sedulous, but it's hard to envision your curling all of your butter.  And, as you say, to what end?

Edited September 4, 2021 by Margaret Pilgrim (log)

[liuzhou]

8 hours ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

Well, er, quite right.   We know you are fastidious, but it's hard to envision your curling all of your butter.  And, as you say, to what end?

 

Fastidious? Me?

 

I'm as lazy and sloppy as they come.

 

ETA. Good edit @Margaret Pilgrim

 

 

Edited September 5, 2021 by liuzhou (log)

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, liuzhou said:

 Nothing except it's sharper than than most knives associated with butter, so can deal with hard, cold, refridgerated butter.

Ah. I find three (not-purpose-built as butter cutters) utensils work well. I have a swivel potato peeler, a “harp” peeler and finally my wire cheese slicer. (The aesthetic of the sliver of butter is not nearly as important as its spreadability — to me.
 

I will have to look for a different fetish.

 

[blue_dolphin]

14 minutes ago, Anna N said:

Ah. I find three (not-purpose-built as butter cutters) utensils work well. I have a swivel potato peeler, a “harp” peeler and finally my wire cheese slicer. (The aesthetic of the sliver of butter is not nearly as important as its spreadability — to me.

 

At some point, I came into the possession of this knife which was supposed to be good for getting something spreadable from cold butter

I've found it easier to just keep some butter out on the counter. 

Edited to add that unlike some places, ambient temps in my kitchen rarely result in butter actually melting. 

Edited September 4, 2021 by blue_dolphin (log)

[Anna N]

11 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

I've found it easier to just keep some butter out on the counter. 

That is my normal modus operandi. But every once in a while I find myself with nothing but refrigerator-hard butter and that’s when I turn to one of my other utensils. 

[Margaret Pilgrim]

We. too, leave butter out at room temperature.   In town, that works fine year around but in the country, in summer, butter does melt and pool.    I use a butter bell with some success, although you have to replenish the water with cooler water as it heats up to room temp.

[ElsieD]

12 minutes ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

We. too, leave butter out at room temperature.   In town, that works fine year around but in the country, in summer, butter does melt and pool.    I use a butter bell with some success, although you have to replenish the water with cooler water as it heats up to room temp.

 

I had that exact same one.  Over time, it took on the smell of butter and not in a good way.  We tried everything we could think of to get that smell out but never did succeed.  It is now resting somewhere with all the other butter bells.  They do work nicely, though.

 

Anyone ever see one of these in stainless steel?

Edited September 4, 2021 by ElsieD (log)

[liuzhou]

If I leave butter out on the counter, it turns to butter soup in 15 minutes.

 

It's 35 ℃ / 95 ℉ in the kitchen most of the year and that's before I turn on any stove or oven.

 

Edited September 5, 2021 by liuzhou (log)

[liuzhou]

I'm full of beans, today!

 

 

Just arrived.

 

[TicTac]

2 hours ago, liuzhou said:

I'm full of beans, today!

 

 

Just arrived.

 

You 'gonna be full of something else in the next oh.....8-14 hours?!

[liuzhou]

29 minutes ago, TicTac said:

You 'gonna be full of something else in the next oh.....8-14 hours?!

 

I knew someone was going to say that.

 

These don't have that effect on me. I have had to give up lentils, though.

Edited September 9, 2021 by liuzhou (log)

[Vapre]

4 hours ago, liuzhou said:

I'm full of beans, today!

 

 

Just arrived.

 

Love those beans.

they’re always so pricey near me, though.

 

anybody have a good DIY recipe for this specific style of beans?

Edited September 9, 2021 by Vapre (log)

[liuzhou]

56 minutes ago, Vapre said:

Love those beans.

they’re always so pricey near me, though.

 

 

What price? Those cost me the equivalent of $1.50 USD per can. They are often sold as loss leaders in the UK and you can pick them up for next to nothing.

 

[CentralMA]

7 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

 

What price? Those cost me the equivalent of $1.50 USD per can. They are often sold as loss leaders in the UK and you can pick them up for next to nothing.

 

Stopped into an Indian market yesterday, these were $1.99US. All of their pricing on other items is good, I'm expecting this is one of the better pricing around.

[liuzhou]

I'm numb.

 

I'm happily numb.

 

I'd happily go to the dentist right now and let her do her worst without benefit of anesthetic.

 

That numb.

 

For the second time in the last few days, I have broken my own rule about only buying herbs and spices in very small quantities, but now, as of today, I am the proud possessor of 500 grams / 18 ounces of fresh green Sichuan peppercorns.

 

500g vacuum-packed fresh green Sichuan peppercorns

 

It's the only way I could source them - from a restaurant supply place in SIchuan - wholesale only. In fact, I suspect they were just humouring me allowing me to buy that much.

 

The house smells of the wonderful little things. Neighbours passing on the stairs outside are reeling. The wildlife has all fled. Warnings are being broadcast! Helicopters are flying overhead!

 

I only bit into one tiny corn. Had to go lie down!

 

500 grams fresh green Sichuan peppercorns

 

Close-up

[Duvel]

I was always wondering if it is possible to capture and preserve that flavor & effect in an extract. I had sichuan peppercorn oil in various strengths in HK and China, but was ensured that it is made from dried peppercorns. Also, the potency fades quickly … 
 

I was thinking of freezing the oil or at least immobilize the extract (using a high melting point fat, e.g. lard) to keep the effect from fading.

 

Will you use all your bounty fresh or are you going into some

preservation attempt ?

[liuzhou]

7 minutes ago, Duvel said:

I was always wondering if it is possible to capture and preserve that flavor & effect in an extract. I had sichuan peppercorn oil in various strengths in HK and China, but was ensured that it is made from dried peppercorns. Also, the potency fades quickly … 
 

I was thinking of freezing the oil or at least immobilize the extract (using a high melting point fat, e.g. lard) to keep the effect from fading.

 

Will you use all your bounty fresh or are you going into some

preservation attempt ?

 

I'll be using as many as I can as they are, fresh. A lot I will give away to friends and passing enthusiasts. That 500g only cost me the equivalent of €2.

I've never found any way to preserve them successfully. Like you say, apart from dried, oil is the pretty much the nearest, but it loses potency very quickly. I've tried freezing them, too.  They didn't like that.

[Duvel]

7 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

I've tried freezing them, too.  They didn't like that.

Have you tried freezing the oil ? That would be my last “experiment” before I discard the whole preservation idea …

[liuzhou]

19 minutes ago, Duvel said:

Have you tried freezing the oil ? That would be my last “experiment” before I discard the whole preservation idea …

 

No.