Dave the Cook's Kitchen Reno On the Cheap

[Dave the Cook]

Andie, I am hardly a poster boy for piety and clean living. I give credit for all my good fortune to those I believe are responsible: the good People of the Gullet. Thanks everyone.

[Marlene]

Andie, I am hardly a poster boy for piety and clean living. I give credit for all my good fortune to those I believe are responsible: the good People of the Gullet. Thanks everyone.

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Or even a poster boy. Congrats on the range delivery, hero. Now of course, we'll be expecting pics of your T-Day feast.

[maggiethecat]

Andie, I am hardly a poster boy for piety and clean living. I give credit for all my good fortune to those I believe are responsible: the good People of the Gullet. Thanks everyone.

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Or even a poster boy. Congrats on the range delivery, hero. Now of course, we'll be expecting pics of your T-Day feast.

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Whew! We have a delivery date with plenty of time to tune up the piano before the Thanksgiving blowout. One fewer thing to worry about in the wee small hours, though I'm still hoping Susan is chillin' tonight. And, hero, you are so right about giving the sideboard a trail by fire doing some serious holiday dinner prep. (Pix expected.)

[snowangel]

Susan is not chillin' tonight. She got a bug in her butt this morning, that since she is entertaining tonight, she needed to paint the unpainted wall of the laundry room and install shelves and organize the laundry room

Preps for the first gala for my mom (tomorrow) are underway.

Rule number one: Never try and entertain a lot while doing home rennovation.

What was I thinking about this morning? That people would actually care about the effing laundry room?

But, I have made beaded star ornaments for all of the guests, the table is set, the flowers look beautiful. Up early to cook. The ceiling and floor still look like shit. But, who cares? The laundry room is clean.

[Marlene]

Susan, I'm just going to get you up here to tackle my kitchen issues when we move. I figure in three days, you'll have my island build the big range I want installed and a feast prepared besides.

At least have a glass of wine now.

[snowangel]

Got a few floor samples. Need a sunny, clear day and a month or so to make decisions. Leaning toward CVT, as I knew I would. Hooked in, through our relator, to a place that is commercial, unless "you know someone." May be able to have it done for way, way cheap, which will leave me time to smoke a butt, buy some beer, and have some friends over to help me frame and insulate and sheetrock the basement room as well as prep the kitchen/dining room for ceiling work (after an experiment to check on the cracks). My buddies are mighty motivated by beer, or perhaps Lemon Drops and smoked meat. ALthough the "deal" won't be quite as good as Dave's, I'm seriously thinking about having this one done since we have to turn off the water, etc. for a longer period of time than having three kids who are only gone for 5 hours per day will allow. The shut off valve for the icemaker is busted. Maybe I should just figure out how to do this so that I can shut off the water for longer than the kids are gone.

[snowangel]

Paul and Peter have begun the process of mapping all of the circuits in the house; just which outlets go to each circuit. Sure wish they'd done this before I did my electrical, but it was quite the workout. Turning switches on, turning power off, running back in from the garage to see just what was off (at the time, I was only concerned about kitchen).

Reminder to anyone that moves and DIY's -- map the circuits BEFORE attacking the electrical.

Edited November 23, 2004 by snowangel (log)

[Dave the Cook]

Reminder to anyone that moves and DIY's -- map the circuits BEFORE attacking the electrical.

And don't believe what's written in the breaker box.

The shut off valve for the icemaker is busted. Maybe I should just figure out how to do this so that I can shut off the water for longer than the kids are gone.

Good that you found this out early. I didn't realize mine was dysfunctional until I had moved the fridge, laid out the floor, and troweled on the adhesive. I glanced at the bucket I'd dropped the water line in, and saw the meniscus trembling above the edge of the bucket.

I'm amazed and impressed that you're doing this in the midst of these parties for your mother, as well as the weekend trip and the comings and goings of the kids.

[Safran]

Dave, the suspense is killing me! Has the range arrived?

[Dave the Cook]

Dave, the suspense is killing me!   Has the range arrived?

[Toliver]

Dave, the suspense is killing me!   Has the range arrived?

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Wow...and you got a dog in the deal. Talk about an incentive!

[Dave the Cook]

It's installed, and no one died. Turns out it's a good, fresh range -- made in October 2004. Here, we're testing the burners:

[Safran]

Oh cool! You'll have to let us know how your first try turns out. And you even have canine help at the stove!

[fifi]

And you even have canine help at the stove!

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WHEW! I thought he meant that he was going to saute the pup! Well... The wee beastie does appear to be a bit of a ham. (Sorry.)

[snowangel]

Stove looks great, Dave!

The reason I'm having Peter and Paul map the circuits is to keep them busy while I'm gone this weekend! After Christmas, we will put another couple of outlets in the kitchen in new locations. I am so seriously outlet impaired, with none of them where they should be. I'm sick of extension cords.

Has the sideboard arrived?

[lovebenton0]

Installed and working!

Hot dogs for lunch, Dave?

OK, fifi, me too, I'm sorry. Naaaaah! Nobody puts a dog on the stove for this group without expecting to get shit back for it!

[Priscilla]

OK. Is the unimproved sideboard earning its keep?

Is the new stove getting hot when asked to?

Is holiday meal prep in a new kitchen a good way to shake out remaining bugs?

(Please note non-reference to bugs in knife blocks.)

Edited December 3, 2004 by Priscilla (log)

[snowangel]

Yes, Dave, a report, please.

I'm taking a break, and will wait on floors and ceiling until after Xmas. We are discovering some electrical problems which require more immediate attention. I really hate effing aluminum wiring. Thankfully, that little problem only plagues part of the house.

[andiesenji]

I too have been waiting breathlessly (well, almost ) for a report on how the new range performed on T-Day.

Bliss or Blast?

Come on, Dave, it should only take a minute to post a brief note and we are really interested.

[fifi]

Yes . . . We need a report. And please include a picture of the pup so we can confirm that you didn't saute 'im.

[Marlene]

So hero, it's been a while. What progress have you made? Did you paint the sideboard, put a top on it? How is it working out? We'd like some pictures please.

Well, actually, we'd like pictures of the dog, but you could include the kitchen as a background

[Safran]

What progress have you made?  Did you paint the sideboard, put a top on it?  How is it working out?  We'd like some pictures please.

Indeed, we'd love a progress report. Do you like the range? This is the kind of reno that I'm interested in. Suits my tastes and my pocketbook.

[Dave the Cook]

I'm sorry I haven't reported in a while -- I've been tied up with work, both Society stuff and the paying job. I'm happy to report that the range has been stellar. Here are some pictures of the stuff I did the first week:

The first night: New York strips (of course) browned in butter on three sides and finished in the oven, per Alain Ducasse)

Oyster soup with frizzled leeks (Thanksgiving Eve, which was Thursday for me)

(I apologize for the next three pictures, but they're the best I have.)

Sweet potato medallions with pecan praline and whipped marscarpone topping (Thanksgiving)

Molten masher muffins (Thanksgiving; detailed on the thread here), with pressed fried turkey skin garnish:

detailed on the thread here)

And of course, turkey. Since my dining companions had had standard-issue fried turkey the day before, I had to give them something a little different. I did the legs and thighs in the style of Sam Kinsey's Turkey Two Ways, with my own modifications (can't leave a recipe alone, dammit). I flattened the breast, stuffed it with cornbread and smoked sausage, and rolled it up and tied it. It made a nice change of pace:

I didn't get the sideboard until last weekend. It's a little bigger in the space than I anticipated, but I think once it's painted white, it will recede a bit. I moved the Metro rack in from the carport, and even though I haven't deployed the hooks and hung the pans, I can already tell it's going to work beautifully. I'm priming the sideboard tomorrow; I'll post more pictures then.

[lovebenton0]

Thanks, Dave, for the report and pics. And that turkey breast looks amazing.

What are you using to paint the sideboard?

[Safran]

Yes, I'd say the range works well. The pictures are great and the food looks delicious! Looking forward to seeing the Metro rack in place and the sideboard painted! What are you using as a primer? Oil or water-based paint?