Kitchen Tool Upgrades and Additions

I was on the hunt for a few things.  I purchased an All Clad tri-ply skillet (12") with lid from Metro  Kitchen.  It was on sales, but still pricey.  I don't have a skillet this size that is not in non-stick format.  In general, the only non-stick pans that I buy are for frying breakfast stuff.  (Notwithstanding my Scanpan ceramic titanium pan that I purchased at the salvage store for 19.95).

I used it last evening to prep some refried beans.  Work very well.  No sticking.   I do not find the handle comfortable though, an must levy the harsh criticism of extremely poor design ergonomics.  

I also had to upgrade my garlic press.  My Zyliss, which I love and purchased as it was recommended on America's Test Kitchen, is aluminum.  That makes it strong and lightweight.  Unfortunately the coating started flaking off, and the aluminum oxidizes giving a nasty hue.  Plus you have to wonder what might be flecking into your dish.  ATK now recommends Kuhn Rikon Epicurean.  I found that at Amazon at significant savings.  Still pricey, but I have a high reliance on the garlic press in the kitchen, and I've not found a suitable replacement for my Zyliss.  I've not put it through the paces yet. {Update...I have and WOW!.  Hopper is small, but darn if it is not one of the finest pieces of kitchen equipment I own.  View it here.

I've been wanting a Taylor folding probe thermometer.  I found the best price at Zoro.  I've never ordered from them before, but the experience was pleasant.  I rely on thermometers quite a bit in the kitchen.  I appreciate that many can touch the meat and know exactly what the doneness is.  Not me.  There's a huge difference in meat quality between 135 and 140 for nice cuts of beef (which we rarely eat beef anymore due to expense and digestion).  And if you are making bread, well this will work to ensure that your water is not too hot, and to test for doneness.  Here's a great website , Crafty Baking, for some temperature (and tactile, visual) guides for testing for doneness.

I've done pretty well on my cooking commitment this week.  Last night, I had to go to Sam's, so I brought back their chicken enchiladas.  They are easy and good.  I did use my new AllClad pan to heat up refried beans with some garlic and onions.  Fast and delicious, though hardly a fulfillment of my cooking commitment--but shopping commitment and cooking commitment cannot be crowded together in a time blight.

And speaking of fast and delicious, here's a link to 5-Minute Dinners. For the starved and time starved weekday cook.  Though not a 5 minute meal, I'm going to try this recipe from Bon Appetit for Weeknight Porchetta.







The Ubiquity of Learning Opportunities

While the Internet can be a mindfield of opinion presented as fact, porn, trolls, and the democritization of all sorts of blather, it is worth having to put up with all of that 'stuff' to find the many gems online that can satisfy a healthy craving for satisfying good curiosities.

I turn to the internet often for help with thorny Excel functions that I don't use often enough to have a great understanding of--but when I need that understanding I can get it quickly.  All things cooking are there in abundance.  I recently found the America's Test Kitchen videos on You Tube.  However, what I wanted to share with you is something that I found for free on Craftsy.  The title of the course was Complete Knife Skills with Brendan McDermott.

If you like to cook and want to hone your knife skills to improve safety and efficiency and have better looking end product, this video is worth your time!


Knife Therapy and Lipstick on a Pig

My knives were in some serious need of sharpening. Unfortunately, my waterstones were in need of flattening, and you cannot have sharp knives without flat stones.

I've been resistant to investing any more in my sharpening stones by adding to my collection a flattening stone.  I have a DMT extra coarse, but that doesn't quite do it. Again, the ubiquitous wisdom of the internet was at my disposal.  I saw a video using a turned over piece of ceramic tile.  The back is unglazed and had a grid to provide abrasive qualities.  The combination of water and elbow grease helped get my stones in shape.  Not ship shape....I didn't have quite enough energy, and my hands and arms are sore today from the effort of the flatteneing and the knife sharpening. But my knives are sharp!

There is a therapeutic value in the the rhythmic effort of moving a knife blade over a progression of stones under water.  Not great for a manicure, but I don't have a manicure.

I had to forage for some food and visit home.  I'm 30 minutes away from my folks, and once I'm home, my inertia is high.  But I made a mission westward and had a quick visit with my stepmom.   My dad was away at his 'meeting'.  I then worked my way back eastward topping at Tuesday Morning because it was in the shop of the Aldi's that I wanted to visit.

At Tuesday Morning, I winnowed my way through the aisles.  I have many very nice things, that I've purchased from TM over the years.  My Sabatier and Deglon knives are part of that trove of treasure.  Still beautiful and useful after all of these years.  (And sharp too!).

I picked up some gift bags...particularly wine bags which are nice to have handy; a couple of double wire journals, and sauntered down to the housewares aisle.  I spent an inordinate amount of time on the kitchen stuff.  Picked up a Paula Deen french rolling pin, some silicon tipped tongs and then turned my attention to the cookware.

In the past, I purchased two enameled cast iron oval pots, one small, one large.  But at $35, you truly get what you pay for.  The enamel stained, cracked and began to peel on my largest pot.  Oh, there are still grill or water for wood uses for it, and it will not be retired--merely repurposed.  But you cannot confidently cook food in something if you are are concerned that your dinner will contain enamel chips.

Now to the lipstick on the pig chapter....

That's when I spied them...beautiful "Staub" 6.5 quart round enameled cast iron dutch ovens--at significant savings: 129.99 v. $300. The Staub identifiers were the  Staub sticker on the outside, Staub rooster nob (which I see costs about $30 on line), Staub  ribbon and Staub insert. However, I'm a natural researcher, and I think that what I bought is a dressed up Kirkland Signature pot with a Staub knob.  How did I find out?  Naturally, I'm going to check out my deal.  I noticed that the top is different on my "Staub".  Further, I note that my pot only says "Made in France".  There is no "Staub" on it.  And...the Kirkland pot has tab handles v. the loop on the Staub. The only difference between my pot and the Kirkland pot is the Staub handle. 

Do I feel ripped off?  Well. . . YES!  The euphoria of finding a fantastical deal v. a so-so buy is obliterated.  Buzzkill.  Sniff.  Buyer must always beware.   If I'm buying Kirkland Signature, please identify it as such. I guess that some of the following must be true:  (1) Kirkland Signature is made by Staub; (2) Tuesday Morning was either duped; and/or  TM knows what it is doing.

I no longer have a Costco membership as it is just too far away from me (40 minutes) and not within my traveling realm as I don't work close by).  If I want to buy Kirkland, (and the pot I have is here) I can do so for about $100 to 109 on Amazon (or 90 with a Costco Membership).  With the $30 Staub nob, I have a pot for the same price as I would spend otherwise sans the membership.

Sigh...  A good value, but not the good deal that I thought. And the pot is not so much a pig, but there is a great deal of lipstick on it.

I did email TM this a.m. 


Copperhead Encounters

We are firmly in my favorite time of year.  Unfortunately, within the last two weeks there have been two copperhead encounters.  One had sidled near us while we were on what I lovingly call our 'redneck' porch, the apron in front of our garage, enjoying a lovely evening.  The sun had already set, so we were only illumined by the fluorescent light streaming through the narrow windows of the garage doors.  Crickets were rythmic--an auditory heralding of fall.

Dexter kept looking under my Thunderbird in the most curious way.  "There must be a cat under the car," I said to Mark.  Dexter continued his look--ears forward, tail up, eyes intent on something. It did not appear to be his greeting look for the cats.

"Mark, why don't you look and see if that is a cat under there, because if not, it may be a copperhead."  Mark obliged and looked tentatively, then hurriedly said, "get the animals inside!.  I shepherded all the dogs in and grabbed a long-handled metal scraper by the door.  Our serpent visitor was dispatched to the Netherworld humanely. All I could think of is if I had entered my car, the snake could have bit me on my ankle so easily.

I understand that copperheads are not far ranging, so this was number 2 kill within 8 feet of our home perimeter.  Too close for our comfort.  Just a week later, Mark was weed eating and found another snake nestled in the comfort of the over growth.  That perimeter may have been 15 feet.

Soon the weather will be cool enough to send them underground for the winter.  We live these guys unperturbed if we see them from afar.  But slinking about our house, close underfoot foot for canine, human and feline, is just too much.  I always remember Garvey Winegar's admonitions about these  vipers--and my vigilance has likely kept be bite free and wary of objects of interest by either my cats or dogs.

Dexter has alerted us twice now.  He has earned his keep.

Mark is in West VA riding dirtbikes with his friends.  I'm enjoying some solitude with the pups.