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Gotten any fun stuff lately?

Kim Shook

By Kim Shook
in Kitchen Consumer

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Anna N

Anna N

Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

 

You don't!

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

Fair enough. 

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

Anna N

Anna N

Posted
Posted
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. 

  • Like 1

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

liuzhou

liuzhou

Posted
Posted (edited)
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 by liuzhou (log)
  • Like 2

...your dancing child with his Chinese suit.

 

"No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot"
Mark Twain
 

The Kitchen Scale Manifesto

Margaret Pilgrim

Margaret Pilgrim

Posted
Posted (edited)

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 by Margaret Pilgrim (log)

eGullet member #80.

liuzhou

liuzhou

Posted
Posted (edited)
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 by liuzhou (log)
  • Haha 2

...your dancing child with his Chinese suit.

 

"No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot"
Mark Twain
 

The Kitchen Scale Manifesto

Anna N

Anna N

Posted
Posted
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.

 

  • Haha 3

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

blue_dolphin

blue_dolphin

Posted
Posted (edited)
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

IMG_4283.thumb.jpeg.924e0b500e7fe40ae89f5d4a243407d1.jpeg

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 by blue_dolphin (log)
  • Like 2
  • Haha 1
Anna N

Anna N

Posted
Posted
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. 

  • Like 1

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

Margaret Pilgrim

Margaret Pilgrim

Posted
Posted

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.

647404034_ScreenShot2021-09-04at10_29_30AM.thumb.png.32fee42be9dc98c22d5586c061e73ce3.png

eGullet member #80.

ElsieD

ElsieD

Posted
Posted (edited)
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.

647404034_ScreenShot2021-09-04at10_29_30AM.thumb.png.32fee42be9dc98c22d5586c061e73ce3.png

 

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 by ElsieD (log)
liuzhou

liuzhou

Posted
Posted (edited)

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 by liuzhou (log)
  • Sad 2

...your dancing child with his Chinese suit.

 

"No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot"
Mark Twain
 

The Kitchen Scale Manifesto

TicTac

TicTac

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, liuzhou said:

I'm full of beans, today!

 

beans.thumb.jpg.0c5d48579e41012f3ec35cafdf39c952.jpg

 

Just arrived.

 

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

liuzhou

liuzhou

Posted
Posted (edited)
29 minutes ago, TicTac said:

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

 

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 by liuzhou (log)

...your dancing child with his Chinese suit.

 

"No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot"
Mark Twain
 

The Kitchen Scale Manifesto

Vapre

Vapre

Posted
Posted (edited)
4 hours ago, liuzhou said:

I'm full of beans, today!

 

beans.thumb.jpg.0c5d48579e41012f3ec35cafdf39c952.jpg

 

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 by Vapre (log)
liuzhou

liuzhou

Posted
Posted
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.

 

...your dancing child with his Chinese suit.

 

"No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot"
Mark Twain
 

The Kitchen Scale Manifesto

CentralMA

CentralMA

Posted
Posted
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.

  • Like 2
liuzhou

liuzhou

Posted
Posted

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.

 

bag.thumb.jpg.cb82f561ea9fd430b07307c1e4f39d57.jpg500g 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!

 

tray.thumb.jpg.ea243e24b1e6aef904ef7028dd4d2963.jpg

500 grams fresh green Sichuan peppercorns

 

690113411_FreshGreenSichuanPeppercorns.thumb.jpg.4151ff26ddbba7dfda9a5efd6e152fcf.jpg

Close-up

  • Like 9
  • Delicious 2

...your dancing child with his Chinese suit.

 

"No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot"
Mark Twain
 

The Kitchen Scale Manifesto

Duvel

Duvel

Posted
Posted

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

liuzhou

Posted
Posted
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.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1

...your dancing child with his Chinese suit.

 

"No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot"
Mark Twain
 

The Kitchen Scale Manifesto

Duvel

Duvel

Posted
Posted
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

liuzhou

Posted
Posted
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.

...your dancing child with his Chinese suit.

 

"No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot"
Mark Twain
 

The Kitchen Scale Manifesto

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