Gotten any fun stuff lately?

[liuzhou]

Well, I think these are fun. My pepper grinders have been looking decidedly shabby for a while, so I finally succumbed and ordered these online. Three x 100 gram capacity.

 

 

Why three?

 

Well, obviously I need one for black pepper and one  for white pepper (Chinese cuisine  almosts always defaults to white). Then I need a third for my desk. Bad habit, I know, but I often snack at the computer and often want a liberal dusting of black pepper on my whatever but I'm loathe to move a grinder from its alloted position in the kitchen prep area.  So, a second black pepper grinder was required.

 

All I need now are the peppers to fill the other two - they are on the way.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

27 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

Well, I think these are fun. My pepper grinders have been looking decidedly shabby for a while, so I finally succumbed and ordered these online. Three x 100 gram capacity.

 

 

Why three?

 

Well, obviously I need one for black pepper and one  for white pepper (Chinese cuisine  almosts always defaults to white). Then I need a third for my desk. Bad habit, I know, but I often snack at the computer and often want a liberal dusting of black pepper on my whatever but I'm loathe to move a grinder from its alloted position in the kitchen prep area.  So, a second black pepper grinder was required.

 

All I need now are the peppers to fill the other two - they are on the way.

 

I have two pepper mills:  one for black and one for white.  Neither lives at the computer.  Bad enough having salt in the keyboard.

 

 

[haresfur]

17 hours ago, liuzhou said:

Well, I think these are fun. My pepper grinders have been looking decidedly shabby for a while, so I finally succumbed and ordered these online. Three x 100 gram capacity.

 

 

Why three?

 

Well, obviously I need one for black pepper and one  for white pepper (Chinese cuisine  almosts always defaults to white). Then I need a third for my desk. Bad habit, I know, but I often snack at the computer and often want a liberal dusting of black pepper on my whatever but I'm loathe to move a grinder from its alloted position in the kitchen prep area.  So, a second black pepper grinder was required.

 

All I need now are the peppers to fill the other two - they are on the way.

 

Elsewhere on the internet there was a discussion about white pepper where the claim was that white pepper oxidizes after grinding and develops that distinctive flavour I associate with Chinese cooking. I believe that the person said white pepper was usually sold ground in the Chinese grocery stores (forget if that was in China or elsewhere). I did buy a white pepper grinder, if only for western cooking where it is about colour more than a different flavour from black. But I haven't bothered to buy ground white pepper to compare.

 

What do you do with Sichuan pepper? Grind or use whole? 

[liuzhou]

4 hours ago, haresfur said:

I believe that the person said white pepper was usually sold ground in the Chinese grocery stores (forget if that was in China or elsewhere).

 

Er, no. It is almost alway sold unground.

 

I use whole Sichuan peppercorns, but I'm lucky in that I get them fresh.

Edited December 31, 2022 by liuzhou (log)

[&roid]

Having read and re-read the copper cookware topic on here I'd been lusting after a Falk saucier for some time.  Father Christmas was kind enough to bring me one of their 18cm versions a couple of weeks ago - it's really lived up to everything I hoped it would be.  Such great quality, really nice balance and feel, it's heavy but not TOO heavy and, most importantly, it cooks like a dream.  

 

So far we've tried sauce reductions (very good - rapid, even, controllable), a bernaise over direct flame (excellent) and a couple of times my favourite variety of scrambled eggs - the French ones from Keller's Masterclass videos. Previously I've been doing these in a larger all-clad saucier which has been fine but I'm much happier with them in the Falk. 

 

 

 

Whisked, chinois-ed eggs into a cold pan with some cubes of butter, over a nice low heat.

 

 

 

The evenness of the heat from the copper is great, makes it very easy to get a perfect consistency without overcooking.

[Okanagancook]

@&roidi love my copper pots.  Your saucier looks to be a very useful size.  Even heating and responsiveness to heat changes is what I like about them.  My DH doesn’t even mind polishing after each use.

[Anna N]

 

Go ahead. Laugh. I can take it.

[rotuts]

@Anna N

 

you have inspired me .

 

I looked @ MarketBasket a week or so ago

 

re SPAM.   Id like to try to do something 

 

experimenting w it .  it was $ 3.59 or so 

 

I moved on   , its not going anywhere 

 

that slicing is just what Id like.

 

Id place a few Slab-ettes  in ice https://thegeeks.click/browse.php?c9=1&incldead=0&dur=0&search=&nonboolean=1water 

 

to remove  excess salt , but keep that delicious fat Firm !

 

then pat dry , and fiddle with.

 

thank you

 

a P.S.:  @Anna N  if you then turn the slabs

 

90 degrees :  Julienne ?

Edited January 11, 2023 by rotuts (log)

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, rotuts said:

@Anna N

 

you have inspired me .

 

I looked @ MarketBasket a week or so ago

 

re SPAM.   Id like to try to do something 

 

experimenting w it .  it was $ 3.59 or so 

 

I moved on   , its not going anywhere 

 

that slicing is just what Id like.

 

Id place a few Slab-ettes  in ice https://thegeeks.click/browse.php?c9=1&incldead=0&dur=0&search=&nonboolean=1water 

 

to remove  excess salt , but keep that delicious fat Firm !

 

then pat dry , and fiddle with.

 

thank you

 

a P.S.:  @Anna N  if you then turn the slabs

 

90 degrees :  Julienne ?

Yup. 

[Smithy]

This could easily go into the Hot Sauce topic, but since I don't plan to open it soon I'll post it here.

 

 

I discovered Mazavaroo when visiting my best friends in South Africa, and until recently thought it was a South African chili paste. It turns out to be Mauritian, but the South Africans are quite good at adopting cuisines from other cultures. My friends were back in Capetown over Christmas, and were good enough to pick up a jar of this for me from the place where I first tried it. I've found many recipes for it, so when I'm in a position to open and test it I'll also want to be in a position to try making it. South Africa is a bit too far to jaunt for more.

[Anna N]

8 minutes ago, Smithy said:

It turns out to be Mauritian,

Oh wow. Brings to mind that no matter how many cuisines we think we know there are still others to discover!

[Shelby]

On 1/11/2023 at 1:07 PM, Anna N said:

 

Go ahead. Laugh. I can take it.

😳

 

That.  Is.  Awesome.

[palo]

I have one that I use for cheese - wish it would do thinner slices, but it beats the "egg slicer" types

 

p

[JoNorvelleWalker]

On 2/26/2022 at 3:26 PM, Kim Shook said:

I can't remember who recommended these Gripstic things:

but I'm besotted with them.  We are big (pun intended) chip/snack people.  We just went through our giant 64-quart tub of chip bags and tossed all the stale ones - and we still have at least a dozen in-use bags left.  These sticks are so much better than the chip clips I've been using.  They've passed the ultimate test - I'm tempted to buy a set for everyone for Xmas this year! 😄

 

This afternoon I took delivery of a set of GripStic bag clips.  I could be stupid and don't know how to use them, but at the moment I am profoundly disappointed.  Not to mention I now have a bag of smashed up broken corn chips.

 

[palo]

They work for me - fold bag and slid the gripstix thingie between the fold - think of a "U' and pokie thing goes between the  arms of the U - easier to do than explain - there must be a video

 

p

[blue_dolphin]

9 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

This afternoon I took delivery of a set of GripStic bag clips.  I could be stupid and don't know how to use them, but at the moment I am profoundly disappointed.  Not to mention I now have a bag of smashed up broken corn chips.

 

Have you watched the video on their website: 

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I've read reviews, I've watched videos.

 

[Anna N]

Couldn't live without them! 
 

Edited  to add they are super great in the freezer for vegetables, shrimp, dumplings etc.

Edited June 3, 2023 by Anna N
To add information. (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

9 minutes ago, Anna N said:

Couldn't live without them! 
 

Edited  to add they are super great in the freezer for vegetables, shrimp, dumplings etc.

 

I wanted to like the GripStics, I really did.  Employing all my strength I couldn't get this one on any further than an inch or so.

 

 

 

GripStics are going back.  Another brand of clips are on their way from amazon.

 

 

 

[Anna N]

3 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

I wanted to like the GripStics, I really did.  Employing all my strength I couldn't get this one on any further than an inch or so.

I suspect that all such gadgets have their limits. 

[Kerry Beal]

16 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

I wanted to like the GripStics, I really did.  Employing all my strength I couldn't get this one on any further than an inch or so.

 

 

 

GripStics are going back.  Another brand of clips are on their way from amazon.

 

 

 

Some bags are more challenging than others with them. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

2 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

Some bags are more challenging than others with them. 

 

I bought the GripStic clips specifically for that bag of Xochitl corn chips.  For most bags I use clips I get from King Arthur.

 

[heidih]

29 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

I bought the GripStic clips specifically for that bag of Xochitl corn chips.  For most bags I use clips I get from King Arthur.

 

Gitta share that I just tuck the bag into a large plastic zip lock. Re-use those. Squeeze the air out - golden.

[blue_dolphin]

24 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

I bought the GripStic clips specifically for that bag of Xochitl corn chips.  For most bags I use clips I get from King Arthur.

 

Not to make light of your GripStic failure but I’m entertained at the notion of purchasing an accessory for a single bag of chips as I consider any bag of chips to be a single serving. I rarely buy them for that reason. Not allowed in the house. 

I do love my GripStics for any plastic bag, even zip top bags that no longer zip properly. 

[curls]

2 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

I bought the GripStic clips specifically for that bag of Xochitl corn chips.  For most bags I use clips I get from King Arthur.

 

I use binder clips for chip bags and other bags without zip tops. That should work for your Xochitl corn chips. The GripStics are nice for sealing the large end of pastry bags.