# Ask a Chef a Question: Quick Answers to your Cooking Questions



## salgy

I am beginning this thread as an easy way that I can give back to the fora & its members that have helped me so much in the past. I am a classically trained chef with a degree from the Culinary Institute of America and almost 20 years of professional cooking experience. There aren't too many questions I haven't asked or answered in my years of cooking, and I look forward to helping any budding culinarians out there!


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## JerseyJohn

Thank you for your offer. I enjoy cooking, and while I don't have any questions at the moment, I appreciate your offer.


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## salgy

JerseyJohn said:


> Thank you for your offer. I enjoy cooking, and while I don't have any questions at the moment, I appreciate your offer.


If that changes, come on back!


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## Andy

This is great! I've talked to Chef salgy about doing this thread and just made it a "sticky" so we can easily find it.

Thanks Chef!


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## Andy

Chef salgy:

Got a question. I've given up trying to cook pork chops at home. Even in restaurants they are usually dry and tough. I've tried several methods, but I think the pork is so lean now there is not taste or tenderness.

Any suggestions or move on to chicken? :icon_smile:

Speaking of chicken I made fried chicken last night and it turned out very well. I used a buttermilk brine overnight.


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## upthewazzu

Salgy, being from Memphis I suspect you know a little something about pork rubs. Can you divulge a favorite of yours to be used on a slow-grilled pork shoulder?


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## salgy

Andy said:


> I've given up trying to cook pork chops at home. Even in restaurants they are usually dry and tough. I've tried several methods, but I think the pork is so lean now there is not taste or tenderness.


Great question Andy, sorry for the lengthy reply, but there are several factors at work here:

1. know where your pork is coming from:
as early as the 1970's the pork industry started "slimming" down the size of the pigs that were being bred for consumption. they chose a slimmer, longer (longer pigs have longer loins... loins bring more $) pig and basically stopped breading all others. today there are several farmers, around the country, who have brought back the "other" breeds of pigs that were bred & readily available in the past. they are generally referred to as "heritage breeds" or "heirloom pork"... one farm that has some amazing pork is right in your backyard! is a conglomerate of 700 farmers that raise animals the way you should: humanely, free range and without any antibiotics or hormones. you can even order online from them! most chefs will acknowledge on their menus if their pork is from one of these farms & their is a _huge_ taste & juiciness difference. this natural juiciness cones from the additional intramuscular fat, and as any good cook will tell you fat *is* flavor... in moderation, fat is good... where pork in concerned fat is necessary!

2. stay away from enhanced meats!
the pork industry realized that by breeding a slimmer hog, they were taking the juicy, delicious animal off the grocers shelf... they decided that pumping the meat (sometimes up to 30% of the total weight!) full of a solution to "enhance" the juiciness & flavor... due to the extremely high sodium content of all of these solutions, it basically pickles the pork from the inside out, rendering the final product dry, lifeless, dull & gross. there is a great & informative article here on enhanced meats & how to spot them... personally, i want to be the one who decides what i put on or in my meat, and i would never buy an enhanced protein...

3. most people overcook their pork 
the reason that the vast majority of people overcook their pork is due to the way they were taught. people were taught that you _had_ to cook your pork well done. which was true decades ago, the roundworm, trichinosis _was_ a huge issue after the great depression and was extremely prevalent in the pork industry. in todays day & age, trichinosis has been eradicated from all livestock (it can be found in wild animals though!), you can (and should) cook your pork like you cook your beef... want a medium pork chop? have at it!

in summary, follow these few steps for great pork chops at home or in a restaurant:
- at a restaurant, if it doesn't list a farm by the pork, don't buy it
- eat your pork chops, loins & tenderloin the same temperature you eat your red meat
- at home, do not buy anything that has any other ingredient other than pork on the label

* before completely giving up on your quest try this: buy some Niman Ranch pork chops (3/4-1 inch thick), season with just salt & pepper, put a little olive oil & the chops in a _cold_ pan (i know it sounds weird, but trust me...) put on medium high heat & cook until it is golden brown & delicious on the first side, flip the chop over, turn off the heat (keep the pan on the burner thought, you want the residual heat), wait 5 minutes, enjoy (pork should be medium!)

let me know how it works for you!


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## salgy

upthewazzu said:


> Salgy, being from Memphis I suspect you know a little something about pork rubs. Can you divulge a favorite of yours to be used on a slow-grilled pork shoulder?


here is a basic rub for you, this should yield you about 2 cups, should be enough for a shoulder:
1/2 cup chili powder
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (regular table sugar)
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons dry mustard
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoons black pepper
1/2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
1/4 tablespoons white pepper

mix the above then tweak it to your taste... the easiest way to taste test your rub? toss a little on some plain lays potato chips! if you like it hotter, add more cayenne or find a hot paprika... sweeter, add more brown or white sugar... write down what you change & make it your own!

let me know how it turns out!


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## Andy

Chef salgy:

THANKS for the pork tips!


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## WouldaShoulda

I eat pork rarely but moved to pork loin to avoid the typical dryness of the modern pork chop. 

The ease of preperation and presentation of the resulting medallions are a bonus.


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## zzdocxx

Dang you are making me hungry for pork chops.

Do you have any tips for making food that is delicious yet healthy?


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## salgy

zzdocxx said:


> Do you have any tips for making food that is delicious yet healthy?


while this isn't really my area of expertise, there are a few tricks i have learned that can cut way down on fat & calories in a recipe... 
- chose lean cuts of meat at the store (anything with the word 'loin' in it, regardless of the animal)
- all seafood & poultry is lower in saturated fats than red meats (and, yes, pork is a red meat)
- buy low-fat or non-fat versions of dairy products
- substitute evaporated skim (or fat free) milk for heavy cream in recipes (especially cream of _____ soups)
- broiling, roasting, baking or steaming are the healthiest cooking methods
- substitute 2 egg whites for each whole egg in recipies
- substitute applesauce for oil in baking recipies
- a great substitute for mayonnaise? puree firm tofu in a food processor... use this in place of mayo in dressings & sauces for sandwiches


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## David J. Cooper

Andy and Chef. I've been using a practice called Hillbilly Sous Vide to cook pork loin chops.

First I brine them and then then I place them in a double lock Zip Lock bag with all of the air removed. I then bring a pot of water up to 150 degrees. The chops have been on the counter for a half hour and the water and chops go into a small cooler. The lid gets locked down and the cooler gets wrapped in towels.

After an hour or so the internal temp gets to about 145. I then sear the chops in a hot pan. |It's not quite how they do it at WD 50 but it works for me.


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## salgy

that's a great method! i have never tried this easy home method!


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## Andy

David J.Cooper:



> It's not quite how they do it at WD 50 but it works for me.


Don't you mean WD 40 ? :icon_smile:

Actually America's Test Kitchens had a similar chicken method which might workon any meat.

They poke holes in chicken breasts, then bake, coat, then fry! Here's someexcerpts from their method:

A Better Way to Cook Boneless Chicken Breasts

...Adjust ovenrack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Using fork, pokethickest half of each breast 5 to 6 times; evenly sprinkle each breast with ½teaspoon kosher salt (or ¼ teaspoon table salt). Place chicken, skinned sidedown, in 13 by 9-inch baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Bake untilthickest part of breast registers 145 to 150 degrees on instant-readthermometer, 30 to 40 minutes....
​​...While pan is heating, whisk butter, flour,cornstarch, and pepper together in small bowl. Lightly brush top side ofchicken with half of butter mixture. ...


*Technique

POKE AND SALT

*Salting chicken seasons meat and keeps it moist. Poking the thicker part ofthe breasts ensures even seasoning.

*Flour and Cornstarch Coating*

To end up with moist exteriors, our pan-seared boneless, skinless breastsneeded light protection. But slurries made with melted butter and the usualsuspects-cornstarch and flour-each had issues. Cornstarch is a pure starchprone to forming a gel that left pasty spots on the meat. The proteins in flour,on the other hand, link together to form gluten, leading to an overly tough,bready coating. Using a combination of cornstarch and flour, however, createdthe perfect light, crisp, evenly browned coating.

The explanation is simple: Each ingredient tempers the effect of the other.With flour in the mix, the cornstarch is sufficiently diluted by protein toprevent it from forming paste, whereas the protein is diluted enough that itdoesn't cause the crust to become bready. 
​


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## Andy

Originally we though the way to go was to make this thread sticky, but maybe it will get too long and unwieldy!

Any suggestions?


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## salgy

Andy said:


> Don't you mean WD 40 ? :icon_smile:


no, he did mean wd 50, its a restaurant in manhatan with chef Wylie Dufresne at the helm... most of the "cooking" is done chemically... not my idea of a meal, but they do make some beautiful food


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## salgy

Andy said:


> Originally we though the way to go was to make this thread sticky, but maybe it will get too long and unwieldy!
> 
> Any suggestions?


I don't think it would be much of an issue, I see more individual questions being asked, and I have been trying to answer them quickly (except your long winded pork chop answer!)... even if the questions repeat, I don't mind... there are repeat questions in all forums, this would, at least, keep all the cooking questions in one thread!


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## hardline_42

I'm a little late to the game with regards to the porkchop question, but I've always had great results cooking my porkchops like I cook my steaks. I crank my oven up to 450* and stick a cast iron pan in there to heat up. Once it's up to temp, I put the pan on the stove over high heat, season the chops, brush lightly with oil and sear them in the pan on all sides. Then, I transfer the pan back to the oven and finish them to my desired level of doneness. The results are always a crispy sear on the outside and a juicy chop on the inside.


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## Snow Hill Pond

*Beef Roast on the Grill*

Hi Chef,

Last weekend I cooked a beef roast on the charcoal Weber grill. I thought it turned out pretty good but was wondering if you could critique my methodology?

My steps were as follows:

*Fire:
*1. Filled a Weber charcoal chimney about 3/4 full and lit with newspaper.
2. Waited 5 minutes and dumped the coals on either side of an empty aluminum drip pan. Most of the coals were still black. 
3. Placed a couple of pieces of water-soaked hardwood over the black coals.
*
Cooking:
*1. Purchased a 2-lb rump roast 
2. Applied a cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, salt, and sugar rub to the roast.
3. Immediately placed the roast on the grate over the empty drip pan and covered.
4. Cooked undisturbed (ie, no turning or peeking) for 1 hour. And then checked every 15 minutes thereafter until internal temperature was 160F. 
5. Took roast off the grill and let sit for 20 minutes.

The roast was smoky, salty, and sweet-and-savory. I thought it turned out pretty good and my wife and kids agreed. In terms of texture, I thought the roast was very good. Not tough at all, but not overly tender like prime rib can be. However, the taste wasn't perfect. The roast was almost too smoky...if that's possible.

Could you suggest an alternative way to cook a roast on the grill? Also, what easily available cuts might work better than the rump roast?


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## salgy

Snow Hill Pond, your method sounds great... A few nuggets I can share with you:
1. Never use a briquette... Always use a natural or lump charcoal. In order to make the briquette, they have to add binders & chemicals that, when used in conjunction with real wood, can produce "off" flavors... Natural/lump charcoal will cost more, but it burns hotter & lasts longer, so the cost is not really a factor... *briquette trivia: charcoal briquettes were invented by Henry Ford! 
2. "too smokey" is possible, but easy to fix... Use less hardwood! Just kidding, if you used briquettes, try your method again, exactly how you did it before, just without the briquettes... You might be tasting the off flavors I was talking about above. If you did use a lump/natural charcoal, add less of the soaked hardwood... it's going to be trial & error to get the smokiness right for your family.
3. As for cuts of meat, there are voluntary muscles & involuntary muscles in all animals... Voluntary muscles are the ones you have to "think" about before using (legs, arms, shoulders, etc) they are generally tougher & will only be tender through stewing/braising... There are few parts of the cow that are contained within the voluntary muscles, that are tenderer than the surrounding parts, and the rump roast is one of these. It will never be as tender as involuntary muscles (most common: the sirloin, strip loin, rib all run along the back, tenderloin in inside the rib cage). for your next attempt, try finding either a tri-tip (an involuntary muscle, but is more tender) or a sirloin... any butcher should be able to source either of these for you, even a butcher at a grocery store...


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## Snow Hill Pond

salgy said:


> Snow Hill Pond, your method sounds great... A few nuggets I can share with you:
> 1. Never use a briquette... Always use a natural or lump charcoal. In order to make the briquette, they have to add binders & chemicals that, when used in conjunction with real wood, can produce "off" flavors... Natural/lump charcoal will cost more, but it burns hotter & lasts longer, so the cost is not really a factor... *briquette trivia: charcoal briquettes were invented by Henry Ford!
> 2. "too smokey" is possible, but easy to fix... Use less hardwood! Just kidding, if you used briquettes, try your method again, exactly how you did it before, just without the briquettes... You might be tasting the off flavors I was talking about above. If you did use a lump/natural charcoal, add less of the soaked hardwood... it's going to be trial & error to get the smokiness right for your family.
> 3. As for cuts of meat, there are voluntary muscles & involuntary muscles in all animals... Voluntary muscles are the ones you have to "think" about before using (legs, arms, shoulders, etc) they are generally tougher & will only be tender through stewing/braising... There are few parts of the cow that are contained within the voluntary muscles, that are tenderer than the surrounding parts, and the rump roast is one of these. It will never be as tender as involuntary muscles (most common: the sirloin, strip loin, rib all run along the back, tenderloin in inside the rib cage). for your next attempt, try finding either a tri-tip (an involuntary muscle, but is more tender) or a sirloin... any butcher should be able to source either of these for you, even a butcher at a grocery store...


Thanks for the advice! Looks like this weekend might be a chance to try it out.


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## firedancer

Andy, 
If you're hankering a pork chop and can't find a good one, might I suggest a steak cut from the pork shoulder. Here in the Midwest we call em pork steaks and when done right are fall off the bone and super tasty. Not sure if you had these in KS but I'm sure the chances are good.


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## Shaver

Hello Salgy

if you were preparing a three course meal to impress a very special lady then what might it be?

Please provide recipe and instructions too. :icon_smile:


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## salgy

Shaver said:


> if you were preparing a three course meal to impress a very special lady then what might it be?


wow, Shaver, what a fantastic question... there are a lot of factors that would go into planning this... time of year, what is locally available for produce or proteins, any allergies or food aversions, etc, etc, etc...

is this a dinner you are planning? or are you just asking what i would do for my special lady?


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## Shaver

salgy said:


> wow, Shaver, what a fantastic question... there are a lot of factors that would go into planning this... time of year, what is locally available for produce or proteins, any allergies or food aversions, etc, etc, etc...
> 
> is this a dinner you are planning? or are you just asking what i would do for my special lady?


The meal is for my partner's birthday next week. There are no allergies nor aversions to consider but my partner is extremely keen on lamb, if that helps. Also I am quite capable with pastry, if that may inform your recommendation. As it is a special treat calorific content can be high. I am a reasonably competent cook, with a recipe to guide me, and will attempt to turn my hand to any challenge. I prepare meals often but am lacking perhaps in the range of dishes I provide.

Your suggestions would be most gratefully received.

This thread is an extremely kind idea by the way, thank you Salgy.


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## salgy

alright, now i have something to work with - if you need more information, or different ideas, let me know... also, remember i am giving you the american measurements/weights... i'm not sure if the UK uses metric or not... i can help with any conversions if needed... anytime i say salt, i always use kosher salt, anytime i say pepper, its black pepper...

1. pan seared scallop - lobster succotash - herb oil
Ingredients:
SCALLOPS: try to find Atlantic scallops if possible, you want the bigger the better... also try to find "dry-packed", if these are unavailable in the UK, we might need to change this course... the "wet" packed are pumped full of sodium tripolyphosphate, and gives the scallop a strange whitish-purplish hue and while cooking the liquid leeches out of them making them impossible to cook correctly... you are looking for roughly .5 pounds total
LOBSTER: try to find a "cold water" lobster, i am a little partial to the variety that come from the state of Maine in the US, but it is not necessary... 1 whole lobster 1-1.5 pounds in weight should be sufficient
CORN: not sure what its called in the UK, sweetcorn i think, should still be on the cob, and fresh (not frozen) if possible. 2 ears should be plenty.
SHALLOT: 1 each should be sufficient
THYME: fresh, never use dry thyme, it tastes like dirt! just a sprig or 2
PARSLEY: fresh, .5 bunch
CHIVE: fresh .5 bunch
CREAM: you will not need much
BUTTER: 1 tablespoon
OLIVE OIL: i don't know how it's sold there, but here i would use an extra virgin, not really olivey in flavor, just using it for its high ignition point... if you don't have options, just mix olive & vegetable oil together at a 50/50 ratio
- MISE EN PLACE - getting everything together
1. boil lobster, place whole lobster into boiling, salted water (2 tablespoons salt per quart of water). once the water begins to boil again, start your timer (1# = 6 minutes, 1.5# = 8 minutes) when done, pull out of the water and immediately put in a pot/pan/bowl/vessel full of ice water to chill it fast.
2. clean the scallops, you are looking to remove the abductor muscle from the side of the scallop, they will not necessarily have this, but you should be able to notice it if it is intact... it looks like a little tab on the side, just pull it off... after cleaning, set on a plate on a paper towel & refrigerate 
3. shuck the corn and carefully cut the kernels off the cob, do this over a plate & with the back of your knife scrape the cob (the milky liquid that will come out is sweet, corny, goodness...)
4. cut your shallots as thin & small as you are comfortable cutting them... size & shape are not 100% important, just try to get them smaller than your corn kernels!
5. place the leaves from 1/2 your parsley & 1/2 of your chives in about .5 cup of your oil mix, in a blender & puree... you want this smooth... when done, funnel it into a squeeze bottle, if you don't have one, you can pour it into a rocks/juice glass...
6. clean your lobster. follow the steps , just don't listen to the time he tells you to cook it! once out of the shell, cube it up slightly bigger than your corn.
- METHOD - 
heat a 10-12 inch sauté pan over medium high heat. take your scallops out of the fridge and salt & pepper them. add a drizzle of your oil mix to the pan & add your scallops. cook until golden-brown-delicious then flip, once golden brown on both sides, remove from pan and set on paper towel. in the same hot pan, add your shallots and a spoonful of butter. sweat the shallots until they are soft, but have not browned (lover heat if needed). add your corn & all its liquid to the pan, and stir... heat stirring 3-5 minutes & then add the lobster, salt, pepper and enough cream to just cover the bottom of the pan heat stirring 3-5 minutes. hold your sprig of thyme from the top & pull down towards the bottom, releasing the leaves from the stem & throw the leaves into the pan (stem is trash). continue stirring and check your seasoning... adjust as needed... pull from heat... cream should be thick at this point... spoon succotash into the bottom of a bowl/plate, top with scallops & garnish with a little of your herb oil

2. dijon-herb crusted lamb rack - cauliflower mousse - confit potatoes - asparagus
Ingredients:
LAMB RACK: what you are looking for is this (bottom picture), don't know what it is called in the UK
DIJON MUSTARD
PARSLEY: left over from above
CHIVE: left over from above
PANKO BREADCRUMBS: may also be called japanese bread crumbs
CAULIFLOWER: 1 head is sufficient
CREAM: probably 1 cup
FINGERLING POTATOES: long, small, thin potato... see ... 4-6 per person
DUCK FAT: ask a butcher, you are looking for rendered or clarified duck fat, if not available, butter will work
ASPARAGUS: 5-6 spears per person
RED WINE: whatever you will be drinking with dinner will be fine, you will need to sacrifice about 1/2 cup
BEEF STOCK: not broth, the stock has a higher gelatin content from exposure to the bones... about 1 cup
SHALLOT: 1 should be sufficient
- MISE EN PLACE -
1. clean lamb, what you are looking for is this. the fat cap has been removed, start by hand (no knife) opposite the bones and pull towards the bones, there is just a thin membrane that holds the fat on there... a butcher can do this for you if you don't want to get your hands dirty! 
2. heat a 10-12 inch sauté pan over medium high heat, salt & pepper the lamb, add some of your oil mix and sear the lamb on all sides until golden-brown-delicious. remove from pan. add your shallot (cut similarly as in the scallop dish) sweat the shallots until they are soft, but have not browned, then add the wine, reduce by 1/2... add the stock reduce until the sauce coats the back of a metal spoon. remove from heat & reserve
3. wash potatoes, toss in your oil mix and salt & pepper them, place in an oven safe container that is just slightly bigger than them, add your duck fat (or butter) until it just covers the potatoes & put in a 350*F oven until soft (40 minutes-ish), once soft, remove from oven, but not from the fat
4. cut cauliflower as thin as you can, place in a pot with a tight fitting lid and add just enough cream to cover the bottom of the pan, put the lid on & reserve
5. in a food processor, place your breadcrumbs, parsley, chives, salt, pepper & a little of your oil mix & pulse until the herbs are finely chopped & the crumbs are a nice green color (if you didn't get enough herbs, use some of the herb oil from the scallop dish, you wont need much for the first course)
6. trim about an inch off the bottom of the asparagus. in boiling salted water, blanch the asparagus until just barely soft, 4 minutes. immediately cool these with the ice method described above.
- METHOD - 
start the cauliflower, by turning it on to low heat, once the cream boils, cover & leave cooking until soft (20 minutes). when the cauliflower is soft, put it and any remaining cream into a blender. blend smooth... add only enough cream to keep the cauliflower moving, if necessary. season with salt... should be thick & smooth... coat the outside of your lamb rack with a thin layer of dijon mustard, roll in the breadcrumbs until coated all over, set on a baking sheet with rack. 350*F for 12-15 minutes should yield you a nice medium rare *let lamb rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing*... while lamb is cooking, return sauce to a boil, taste, adjust seasoning & turn off heat... add a tablespoon of butter & whisk to incorporate it in... in a hot saute pan, roll the potatoes around until golden-brown-delicious (don't worry about any fat adhering to the outside, it will actually add to the dish... when close to golden brown, add your asparagus to the pan... once your asparagus is hot, start plating!

molten mint chocolate cake - creme anglaise - ice cream
MOLTEN CAKE
* this recipe will give you 10 individual cakes, i would divide by 5 & then convert to grams for accuracy... for accuracy and consistency, all my dessert recipes require a kitchen scale... 
4 ounces semi sweet chocolate
3 ounces buter
.25 ounces flour
.5 ounces cornstarch
5 ounces sugar
4 ounces whole egg
1.5 ounce egg yolk

1. melt chocolate & butter together over double boiler
2. combine dry ingredients
3. mix chocolate/butter mixture into dry
4. mix in eggs
* let batter sit over night
1. butter & sugar a 3" x 1.5" ramekin 
2. fill 3/4 with batter
3. push a chocolate mint candy into the middle (i use york peppermint patties... don't know if they are available, but i'm sure cadbury's makes something... you want something soft all the way through, not crunchy of wafered)
4. add batter if needed to completely cover the candy
5. 350*F oven for 16 minutes (serve immediately)

CREME ANGLAISE
8 ounces half & half
1 ounce sugar
.25 ounces cornstarch
.25 ounces egg yolk
splash of vanilla extract

1. combine sugar, cornstarch & egg yolk, add just enough 1/2 & 1/2 to make smooth
2. bring remaining 1/2 & 1/2 and vanilla to a boil, add sugar mixture & return to boil
3. strain & cool on ice

for plating, pool vanilla sauce on plate, invert cake (should fall right out of the buttered ramekin) and top with your favorite ice cream (try raspberry, it works really well with the mint/chocolate combo)

enjoy & let me know how it works out!


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## Snow Hill Pond

Chef, the lobster-scallop succotash sounds delicious. Great use of in-season ingredients!


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## Shaver

salgy said:


> 1. pan seared scallop - lobster succotash - herb oil
> 
> 2. dijon-herb crusted lamb rack - cauliflower mousse - confit potatoes -
> 
> 3. molten mint chocolate cake - creme anglaise - ice cream
> 
> enjoy & let me know how it works out!


Thank you very much Salgy. That must have taken you some considerable time to post! OK, I think I can stretch my meagre talents to attempt this so that will be the menu for a week Saturday. I can make my own ice cream and will use that with the pudding. I promise to report back with the results.


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## salgy

Snow Hill Pond said:


> Chef, the lobster-scallop succotash sounds delicious. Great use of in-season ingredients!


Thanks! It's one of my favorites!


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## Snow Hill Pond

salgy said:


> Snow Hill Pond, your method sounds great... A few nuggets I can share with you:
> 1. Never use a briquette... Always use a natural or lump charcoal. In order to make the briquette, they have to add binders & chemicals that, when used in conjunction with real wood, can produce "off" flavors... Natural/lump charcoal will cost more, but it burns hotter & lasts longer, so the cost is not really a factor... *briquette trivia: charcoal briquettes were invented by Henry Ford!
> 2. "too smokey" is possible, but easy to fix... Use less hardwood! Just kidding, if you used briquettes, try your method again, exactly how you did it before, just without the briquettes... You might be tasting the off flavors I was talking about above. If you did use a lump/natural charcoal, add less of the soaked hardwood... it's going to be trial & error to get the smokiness right for your family.
> 3. As for cuts of meat, there are voluntary muscles & involuntary muscles in all animals... Voluntary muscles are the ones you have to "think" about before using (legs, arms, shoulders, etc) they are generally tougher & will only be tender through stewing/braising... There are few parts of the cow that are contained within the voluntary muscles, that are tenderer than the surrounding parts, and the rump roast is one of these. It will never be as tender as involuntary muscles (most common: the sirloin, strip loin, rib all run along the back, tenderloin in inside the rib cage). for your next attempt, try finding either a tri-tip (an involuntary muscle, but is more tender) or a sirloin... any butcher should be able to source either of these for you, even a butcher at a grocery store...


Hi Chef,

Just wanted to give a debrief on the roast. We cooked a sirloin roast yesterday over lump charcoal. It turned out great!

Firstly, the sirloin was an excellent recommendation...much more tender and beefy than the rump roast we typically use. The lump charcoal was another great recommendation. The combination of that and some wet hardwood produced a "cleaner" smoky taste that was more subtle than what we typically get with Kingsford...a big difference in the right direction.

Thank you.


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## dks202

What is the advantage, if any to stainless cookware vs anodized aluminum? i.e. Calphalon professional grade


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## zzdocxx

Oh man that sounds good!

I've been fooling around with the soaked hardwood, but I did buy regular briquets, the ones with bits of mesquite mixed into them.

I used to practice up where the Santa Maria style barbeque was the standard, and so so good!

They scoff even at charcoal up there, everything must be cooked on red oak, they have those bbqs with a wheel to move the grill up and down.

It is commonly thought that tri-tip is what is used, but I was informed that the original S.M. BBQ used "top block". I'm guessing those are similar but not exactly the same cuts. Salgy can you enlighten us as to the difference? Are you familiar with this style BBQ?

Good stuff though, unbelievable flavor!

(My current experiments are being tempered by not wanting to eat too much red meat, for health reasons.)


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## salgy

Snow Hill Pond,
glad i could help... i assumed from your description of the smokeiness that briquettes were to blame! glad you liked the sirloin... it shouldn't be too terribly more expensive than the roast you were using...


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## salgy

dks202 said:


> What is the advantage, if any to stainless cookware vs anodized aluminum? i.e. Calphalon professional grade


dks, good question... there are subtle differences in the 2, most troubling to me in the anodized aluminum is that in the type III anodizing process the surface of the aluminum has technically been converted to a very thin, but hard layer of aluminum oxide, which is basically ceramic. this makes stainless my pan of choice, since the aluminum affects your results during sauteing (which is typically the majority of what i cook)... i would also warn against the professional line and steer you towards the commercial line of calphalon if you are thinking about a purchase, there is something "wrong" with the handle construction, the professional line's handles get hot fast (and stay that way)... ultimately, i would whole-heartedly recommend for anyone buying cook wear that they buy all-clad... you are going to pay more on the front end, but you won't regret it!


----------



## salgy

zzdocxx said:


> I used to practice up where the Santa Maria style barbeque was the standard, and so so good!


not familiar with Santa Maria BBQ, you have piqued my curiosity... i must research this!



zzdocxx said:


> It is commonly thought that tri-tip is what is used, but I was informed that the original S.M. BBQ used "top block"


i have never heard of a "top block", but i am going to go out on a limb & guess it is actually the "cap" of the brisket... it would be a well suited cut for long, slow, smokey cooking... let me ask a butcher friend & get a real answer for you.


----------



## zzdocxx

Thanks Salgy, this is interesting.

Also, my mom recently bought a new non-stick pan. Supposedly they have recently phased out the last generation as it lets off some toxic substance(?)

Anyway, the new one, she says the instructions are to never use high heat, and don't use any oil. She claims it works like a charm.

Personally, I've got some stainless ones from Costco that an old girlfriend gave me as a Christmas gift. I use them and sometimes an old teflon one that I have.

She and I were looking online the other day at different types of pans. She has a copper bottom one from long ago that is still holding up. That got us into a discussion about "all-clad" and copper bottoms, and so forth. But we couldn't figure out which was best, per the internet. Except if you figure the most expensive are the best ones.

I saw a thing on TV that showed big sheets of the clad metal being bonded together in what was basically an underground explosion, it was pretty interesting.

So what's the best?

Also, she would like a dutch oven, but says the ceramic coated ones are way too heavy (she is 87 years old). We saw two types online. One of the types has little feet which seem to be for cooking right on top of coals, how interesting! Very rustic!


----------



## salgy

zzdocxx said:


> Also, my mom recently bought a new non-stick pan. Supposedly they have recently phased out the last generation as it lets off some toxic substance(?)


they have found out recently that teflon, when exposed to high heat gives off toxic vapors (really high heat, you shouldn't have to worry too much)



zzdocxx said:


> she says the instructions are to never use high heat, and don't use any oil.


the toxic teflon smoke & oil too hot smoke look identical, i think that they are just covering their a**es... i rarely use non-stick for anything other than eggs... since egg protein coagulates at 160*, you never have to worry about the toxic vapors



zzdocxx said:


> She and I were looking online the other day at different types of pans. She has a copper bottom one from long ago that is still holding up. That got us into a discussion about "all-clad" and copper bottoms, and so forth. But we couldn't figure out which was best, per the internet. Except if you figure the most expensive are the best ones.
> 
> So what's the best?


in my own personal order:

full copper pots & pans are like bespoke, really nice if you can afford it... overkill for the regular home cook (even if i could afford all copper, i don't think i would buy it for the house...)

my personal favorite is all stainless, from all-clad... think of it like allen edmonds: buy it once, spend a little more on them and with proper care you can have them for life & pass them down to the next generation

anodized aluminum - would only recommend the calphalon commercial model - see comments above to dks in post #35... think of it like brooks brothers... there are better/higher end options, but for the money, it's not a bad buy

copper core - the closer the copper is to the actual cooking surface, the better... copper cores can come on stainless, aluminum or copper bottomed pans... think of it like JAB, you can find something serviceable if you are willing to pay...

copper bottom - see above, only really worth it if the core is also copper... if the core is stainless or aluminum it is not really doing you much... also JAB... copper bottom with a copper core in a stainless pot would be there top of the line, copper bottom with aluminum core in an aluminum pot would be the bottom

non-anodized aluminum - better off saving your money... most cheap pots & pans are in this category... think of it like mens wearhouse, there are much better options out there, but if you are just staring out, it will get you started (new college student, recently divorced, lost everything in a fire, money is really tight, etc, etc, etc)... as with MW, you won't have these for life and they will need replacing with a better, higher quality replacement... there is a link to Alzheimer's and aluminum, but the manufacturers claim that aluminum pots & pans do not contribute to that...



zzdocxx said:


> she would like a dutch oven


best advice is to buy the largest one she can _safely_ take out of the oven... and keep in mind you don't just want to check the weight at the store, add the weight of what she's planning on cooking to it! most cast aluminum or cast iron options (le crusset & emile henry are the best) are great because they hold heat in really well, but if she can't lift it, she won't use it... most of the above companies make a "dutch oven" and will be serviceable, just not 100% as good in heat retention... she won't notice the difference if she's never had one before...


----------



## zzdocxx

Thank you, Chef.

That is really interesting, when you say stainless by all-clad, All Clad is a brand, right? Do they have copper inside them?

If copper is so good, then I wonder why it wouldn't be good to have it inside rather than just stainless?

OK I'll go look it up.

Meanwhile, is there anything worthwhile that Costco has? Or is the stainless just too light of a gauge?

https://www.costco.com/Common/Categ...at=55004&eCat=BC|90608|56625|55004&lang=en-US

About the Dutch oven, I was thinking she might use it on the stove, are they normally used inside an oven? Haha, shows what I know! ! !


----------



## zzdocxx

Thank you, Chef.

That is really interesting, when you say stainless by all-clad, All Clad is a brand, right? Do they have copper inside them?

If copper is so good, then I wonder why it wouldn't be good to have it inside rather than just stainless?

OK I'll go look it up.

Meanwhile, is there anything worthwhile that Costco has? Or is the stainless just too light of a gauge?

https://www.costco.com/Common/Categ...at=55004&eCat=BC|90608|56625|55004&lang=en-US

About the Dutch oven, I was thinking she might use it on the stove, are they normally used inside an oven? Haha, shows what I know! ! !


----------



## salgy

yes! sorry... all-clad is a brand... web site here... a fully (inside & out) copper pan is the ultimate, but the most expensive... i find that there really is no need for a copper bottom or core, i can't justify the increased cost (as a clothing analogy, buying anything at JAB retail!)... there is not _that_ much difference in the final outcome of the item being cooked... all-clad has a copper core version, but if you are looking at all-clad, i would suggest just their stainless version...

dutch oven - either stove top or in oven... in oven you have more control since the heat is coming from all sides not just the bottom... either way weight will be a factor for anyone... especially with the cast-metals...

costco link: I personally do not like glass lids... Ever... Not a great choice to retain heat & easy to break... That being said, skip the full non-stick version for the reasons in post #38... Of the stainless versions, the ramsey's look to me like your best bet, i have never used any of these, but the handle construction is one that should stay cool to the touch (important if you have a lot on the stove)... Look at the pictures of the Henkel & Kirkland sets, they look identical to me... Just as an FYI, a 10 piece all-clad stainless set is around $350, but they sell it at Macy's, you could (if you wait & are lucky!) find an all-clad set for the price of the Ramsey set at Costco


----------



## zzdocxx

That sounds like great advice, thank you!

Going to start looking online now, hehe I really don't even neet a set, maybe for my mom though.

Don't even get me started on knives, I got on a kick a couple of years ago from an article in the New Yorker and from there to the book An Edge in the Kitchen.

OK, while we're at it, my next knife purchase I think will be either:

Akifusa
https://www.epicureanedge.com/shopexd.asp?id=85652

or the Blazen BL2 130mm petty knife

https://www.japanesechefsknife.com/RyusenBlazenSeries.html

They both have a powdered steel core, but the Akifusa is hardened to around 65HRC and the Blazen to 62-63HRC.

They are the same price but the Bu Rei Zen does come with a wood scabbard thing, which would be handy because all the slots in my block are currently taken up.

What do you think, Chef?


----------



## zzdocxx

The All-Clad at Macy's 10 piece set is currently on sale for Labor Day:

A $1105.00 Value
Only $699.99 

The Ramsey set does sound like a similar description, the set is 12 pieces for $269.

Am I reading that correctly?

The All-Clad set has one deep and two shallow frying pans, whereas the Ramsey has one deep, one shallow, plus an egg poacher and a steamer. Not sure if the steamer also somehow functions as a double boiler. I don't think the egg poacher would be very useful to me, hmmm.

I wonder if the quality is really similar, the gauge of the stainless is the same.

Oh these are the hard questions of life!


----------



## salgy

zzdocxx said:


> OK, while we're at it, my next knife purchase I think will be either:
> Akifusa
> 
> or the Blazen BL2 130mm petty knife
> 
> What do you think, Chef?


i always advise my cooks who are looking to invest major money in knives (most of us like to obtain a matching, complete set) that knives are like shoes. they fit everyone differently. you can give your opinion on what is and what isn't a good product, but until it is in your hand (or on your foot) you will not know if it will work for you...

i am in the dark here since i don't know what style of knives you currently have, or if they are a good fit for you. i also don't have the luxury of knowing you & being able to judge your body style.

most typical sets that are readily available fall into two styles:
1. they model the solingen, germany style of knives (most common)
2. distinctly asian (think bamboo handles)

i'm going to start with #2, since it's easier... if you look at the cuisine of most asian countries, there's a lot of vegetarian cuisine & a lot of seafood... these knives are very very good with these 2 items, but after that they tend to be out preformed by the german style... (just as a note, the akifusa is a german style... the blazen link was dead)

the german style, best example seen here, is by far the most popular in the US. many national & international companies have modeled their offerings off of this style. for the most part, most home cooks have german style knives. the major benefit to the culinary world is that each country who copied this style also looked at their customers and made determinations based on their target audience... due to my production load in a commercial setting & average sized hands, if i were to use a german style knife from: germany, france or the US, it would make my hand ache. it is too heavy. i actually prefer a japanese version of the german style. overall they are lighter & i find them easier to sharpen & stay sharper longer. my knife of choice is the kasumi.

my advice to you after that long-winded reply would be to go to william sonoma, they carry both styles... ask to see both an 8 inch wustoff classic chef knife and an 8 inch global forged chef knife... hold 1 in each hand & squeeze your hand around the handle for a minute or 2... once you let go, if your wustoff hands doesn't ache, you're in luck, you can buy pretty much whatever you want! if it does, you might be relegated to japanese styles (which is not a bad problem to have!).


----------



## salgy

zzdocxx said:


> The All-Clad at Macy's 10 piece set is currently on sale for Labor Day... Only $699.99


that't their MSRP! classic macy's move... jack up the "value" and make people think they are getting a deal... keep looking at prices, check after thanksgiving... once a year bed, bath & beyond "forgets" to include all-clad in their 20% off coupon disclaimer... all-clad doesn't usually go on sale, but i have seen seconds at william sonoma outlets...



zzdocxx said:


> The Ramsey set does sound like a similar description, the set is 12 pieces for $269. Am I reading that correctly?


 yes sir



zzdocxx said:


> The All-Clad set has one deep and two shallow frying pans, whereas the Ramsey has one deep, one shallow, plus an egg poacher and a steamer. Not sure if the steamer also somehow functions as a double boiler. I don't think the egg poacher would be very useful to me, hmmm.


the poacher should just be an insert into that pan, once removed, it will be a very useful pan... steamer would not (most likely) be able to be used as a double boiler, it is a pan with holes in the bottom that fits inside another pan...



zzdocxx said:


> I wonder if the quality is really similar, the gauge of the stainless is the same.


not typically... while at william sonoma checking out knives, wander over and look at the all-clad...


----------



## zzdocxx

Thanks Salgy, gosh I am really making you work, sorry!

I think I read something about the All-Clad pans having the aluminum core going part way up the sides, but the Costco ones not.

As for knives, I have a set of Henkels that I bought at Costco several years ago, which actually work fine when I put a good edge on them. For that I have an Gatco sharpening system, only thing is that my Shun Premier 4" knife should have a 16 degree bevel but the Gatco has "preset" angles and the closest is 15 degrees. But I just took it down to 15 and it seems fine.

I also have a MAC MTH-80 chef knife, I like it a lot. But I will say that when the Henkel chef knife is sharp, it is better for heavy work such as cutting through a pineapple, due to its greater heft.

The MAC has a granton blade, which looks very cool but I suspect is mostly marketing.

My Henkels are just an average stainless hardness, but when they are sharp I like the 4" paring/petty knife, and then I have found the 5" steak knives are also handy for little cutting jobs as well.

So I thought I might get something more high-end in a 5" to use as a petty knife, I suppose it is like clothing in a way. Take my Shun knive, for the same price I could have gotten the pro model with a harder steel core, but I liked the hammered finish on the blade! That is probably pretty silly but there you have it!

Yes I like the Japanese knives built with a western shape and handle, minus the large bolster to facilitate sharpening. Though I have not yet tried a Santoku, which seem to be all the rage right now!

Yes they are tools but I appreciate craftsmanship as well, just as something to have in the kitchen. Something to do with accumulation of possessions, and maybe the consumer culture in which we live, lol, but seriously. Otherwise I'm sure I could get a great set of knives, one of the above companies makes a great line with nylon/plastic type handles, for restaurant kitchens.

Salgy, you have gone above and beyond the call of duty, and I feel a little guilty about imposing on your kind offer to help out. So I do appreciate it!

That Kasumi is a beautiful knife, I see it is made from the VG-10 steel.

Here is my 4" Shun Premier and also a pic of the Blazen, strangely I seem unable to link to photobucket, so here they are as attachments.

Also the MAC MTH-80, as you mentioned, a European style with Japanese style blade. Not sure if this is closer to German or French, anyway here it is.


----------



## salgy

zzdocxx said:


> Thanks Salgy, gosh I am really making you work, sorry!


no worries! really... i can talk about cooking and all the aspects really easily... hence why i started this thread :biggrin2:



zzdocxx said:


> I think I read something about the All-Clad pans having the aluminum core going part way up the sides, but the Costco ones not.


all-clad has a line of copper-core pans, but the stainless line is solid stainless... i would seriously doubt if the home cook would notice a difference between copper core, stainless core and aluminum core... i would also seriously doubt if costco's line had copper cores, i would bet it is aluminum...

as for knives: sounds like you lean the way i do towards the japanese version of the german knives... as you stated above you can really feel the heft behind your henkel... that heft after 8 hours would really make your hands ache... MAC is really the first company that broke out of japan and onto the american cooking scene & make a really nice product... i really like the kasumi... it has a wooden handle that is impregnated with resins & plastics so it keeps the nice wood grain, but is sanitary... the blade (unlike the shun or kershaw, which both copied the kasumi) is actual damascus steel... the pattern you see is through the process they make the knives with, its actually individual folds in the metal! each one is slightly different too, kind of like fingerprints...


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## Snow Hill Pond

*Your Thoughts on Non-Stick Frying Pan*

Hi chef,

I'm of the opinion that you should buy the cheapest non-stick frying pan that produces a reasonably consistant heat (i.e., no hot spots). Knowing it's going to wear out, I just can't see myself spending big money on a non-stick fry pan. So tend to go to Marshalls or TJMaxx or Walmart and buy something that is relatively heavy and cheap (< $20).

Do you have an opinion on non-stick fry pans? I have no problem with buying quality cookwear, but I just don't want to replace it every year or two.


----------



## salgy

Snow Hill Pond said:


> Hi chef,
> 
> I'm of the opinion that you should buy the cheapest non-stick frying pan that produces a reasonably consistant heat (i.e., no hot spots). Knowing it's going to wear out, I just can't see myself spending big money on a non-stick fry pan. So tend to go to Marshalls or TJMaxx or Walmart and buy something that is relatively heavy and cheap (< $20).
> 
> Do you have an opinion on non-stick fry pans? I have no problem with buying quality cookwear, but I just don't want to replace it every year or two.


it's amazing the correlations i can make between menswear & cooking!

just think of a non-stick frying pan like white bucks... if you are going to wear (use) them very infrequently, would you spend a lot of money on them? if you did spend a lot of money on them, would you be more careful not to damage them? expensive non-stick pans, to me, would be like buying AE players in white suede... i would wear them infrequently (i only use non-stick for eggs) & i would be really, really careful using & cleaning them... it all depends on how often you are going to use your non-stick & how you care for it...

more expensive non-stick _is _a better product, the pan itself is better, the teflon is better & more durable... the issue with any teflon is that it is susceptible to scratching & once the coating is scratched, there's nothing you can do... i do have a nice non-stick, as i said above i only cook eggs in it, but, that being said, my 2 year old eats eggs for breakfast every single morning... i only use high-heat plastic utensils in the pan, and never use anything rougher than a kitchen sponge to clean it... i am also careful that when stored, it is the top pan on the stack (i don't want an inadvertent scratch) i received the pan as part of the set my wife & i registered for when we got married... in 2005... it is in like new condition due to the care it receives...

* it's funny, after re-reading my post, i just have to share that the only white bucks i have are a vintage nunn bush pair that i found for $3 at a thrift store...


----------



## Snow Hill Pond

salgy said:


> it's amazing the correlations i can make between menswear & cooking!
> 
> just think of a non-stick frying pan like white bucks... if you are going to wear (use) them very infrequently, would you spend a lot of money on them? if you did spend a lot of money on them, would you be more careful not to damage them? expensive non-stick pans, to me, would be like buying AE players in white suede... i would wear them infrequently (i only use non-stick for eggs) & i would be really, really careful using & cleaning them... it all depends on how often you are going to use your non-stick & how you care for it...
> 
> more expensive non-stick _is _a better product, the pan itself is better, the teflon is better & more durable... the issue with any teflon is that it is susceptible to scratching & once the coating is scratched, there's nothing you can do... i do have a nice non-stick, as i said above i only cook eggs in it, but, that being said, my 2 year old eats eggs for breakfast every single morning... i only use high-heat plastic utensils in the pan, and never use anything rougher than a kitchen sponge to clean it... i am also careful that when stored, it is the top pan on the stack (i don't want an inadvertent scratch) i received the pan as part of the set my wife & i registered for when we got married... in 2005... it is in like new condition due to the care it receives...
> 
> * it's funny, after re-reading my post, i just have to share that the only white bucks i have are a vintage nunn bush pair that i found for $3 at a thrift store...


I agree that if I had an All Clad NSFP I might make it my top priority to take care of it. But on the other hand, given there are multiple cooks, pan washers, and storers in the family, I don't think a top notch care regimen (as you have admirably done) would last very long in my household, unfortunately.

You've had a NSFP since 2005? That is impressive even if you're using it sparingly. Thanks chef for the reply.


----------



## David J. Cooper

I bought two giant commercial non stick pans about a year ago, Volrath I beleive they are aluminum. I put a towel inside them when I put them away and they seem like they are going to last forever. I only use them for eggs and when finishing family size pastas.

BTW I bought a giant (9 or 10 inch) Wusthof Grand Prix chef's knife when I got my first restaurant job. I would never cheat on it with another knife. New and better ones come along but I stand by my vows.


----------



## hardline_42

salgy said:


> it's amazing the correlations i can make between menswear & cooking!...


I like your approach! As a true trad, I prefer classic versus "newfangled." I've culled all of the Teflon out of our cabinets and replaced it with well-seasoned carbon steel and vintage cast iron. Enameled cast iron takes over all the braising and stovetop-to-oven duties. I wish I could say that I had a cabinet full of tin-lined copper pots, but alas, I can't afford it and have no need for that kind of heat control, so day-to-day stainless pots are all thrifted/eBayed pre-1968 Revere Ware. I think everyone's cookware should correspond as closely as possible to their wardrobe!


----------



## salgy

David J. Cooper said:


> I bought two giant commercial non stick pans about a year ago, Volrath I beleive they are aluminum. I put a towel inside them when I put them away and they seem like they are going to last forever. I only use them for eggs and when finishing family size pastas.


volrath is great... they primarily sell to commercial kitchens... those pans should hold up for a long time if you continue to treat them the way you do!



David J. Cooper said:


> BTW I bought a giant (9 or 10 inch) Wusthof Grand Prix chef's knife when I got my first restaurant job. I would never cheat on it with another knife. New and better ones come along but I stand by my vows.


wusthof is a great company... i just find that the japanese versions of western knives are lighter & allow me to be more productive!


----------



## salgy

hardline_42 said:


> I like your approach! As a true trad, I prefer classic versus "newfangled." I've culled all of the Teflon out of our cabinets and replaced it with well-seasoned carbon steel and vintage cast iron. Enameled cast iron takes over all the braising and stovetop-to-oven duties. I wish I could say that I had a cabinet full of tin-lined copper pots, but alas, I can't afford it and have no need for that kind of heat control, so day-to-day stainless pots are all thrifted/eBayed pre-1968 Revere Ware. I think everyone's cookware should correspond as closely as possible to their wardrobe!


nice! revere ware was a great company back in the day...


----------



## hardline_42

salgy said:


> nice! revere ware was a great company back in the day...


Yes, it's a shame. Are they even around, still? I know that once they started lowering the copper content of their cookware, it started to go downhill and the newer stuff is just a shadow of what it used to be. The older stuff ('49-'68) still gives All-Clad a run for its money.


----------



## salgy

hardline_42 said:


> Yes, it's a shame. Are they even around, still? I know that once they started lowering the copper content of their cookware, it started to go downhill and the newer stuff is just a shadow of what it used to be. The older stuff ('49-'68) still gives All-Clad a run for its money.


they (barely) are still around... here's a link to their companies history... looking at this, i grew up using the line from 1955 when i got my start cooking in my mother's kitchen!

i will bet that post WWII, the surplus of metals available led to their thicker pots & pans, allowing them to make their name...


----------



## Andy

I've been happy with the new ceramic non-stick fry pans. They seem to work fine.

We've just remodeled the kitchen and have a glass top electric range and some of our old pans seem to leave some "dirt" on the range. Easy to clean, but I'm more sensitive to smooth bottom pans now.


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## salgy

Andy said:


> I've been happy with the new ceramic non-stick fry pans.


haven't used these, do you know the brand name?


----------



## Andy

salgy said:


> haven't used these, do you know the brand name?


I got mine from an info-commercial.

But Amazon has them - make sure you go to the Amazon site though their banner on this site (Selected Merchants).
https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&k...vpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&ref=pd_sl_4juaex8bqk_b


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## Snow Hill Pond

Andy said:


> I got mine from an info-commercial.
> 
> But Amazon has them - make sure you go to the Amazon site though their banner on this site (Selected Merchants).
> https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&k...vpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&ref=pd_sl_4juaex8bqk_b


Interesting suggestion...the price is certainly right.


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## zzdocxx

That's weird, on my screen it looks green.


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## salgy

zzdocxx said:


> That's weird, on my screen it looks green.


it is green! here is the company's website... mixed reviews online, mostly people feeling "duped" by the company when trying to order just the trial pan, not the full set... i can't find anyone who has used the whole set for a length of time to determine if the nonstick properties hold up or not...

Andy, keep us posted as to how yours last!


----------



## dks202

*Calphalon Warranty*

I think we made out over the weekend. My wife and I went to the Labor day sale at the Calphalon outlet in San Marcos. That's just after our OP suggested All-Clad or Calphalon Commercial Try-ply stainless. I've been using Calphalon Commercial hard anodized for many years. In talking to the manager Tina and SA Betty I told them about the hard anodized finish wearing off inside all of my pots. They suggested bringing them in for a look. We then bought a few things, including 10in Try-ply stainless fry pan for $49!

A week later we returned with the older pots and pans. Tina said no problem, she'll honor the lifetime warranty and she told us to go pick out what we want! My wife inquired about stainless and Tina again said no problem.

_*Altogether Calphalon replaced several 12 year old commercial hard anodized with brand new commercial try-ply stainless. All I can say is WOW!!
*_
We also bought their counter top convection oven and some other stuff!!

I highly recommend their store.


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## zzdocxx

^ Wow that is amazing!



PS Yeah I know it is green, just my offbeat sense of humor!


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## salgy

dks202 said:


> _*Altogether Calphalon replaced several 12 year old commercial hard anodized with brand new commercial try-ply stainless. All I can say is WOW!!
> *_


I love hearing about companies standing behind their products! You made out like a bandit!


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## Shaver

*Part 1*

Ref. Salgy's recipe post 27.

Chef may I offer my sincerest gratitude. Your recipe was an outstandingly delicious success. The generosity that you also exhibited in your follow up PM's was above and beyond any reasonable hope or expectation. Take a bow Sir, you assuredly deserve it. :icon_hailthee:

I opted to prepare only the main course (for reasons which are too boring to relate, but include in small part a lack of confidence from your pupil). I very much intend to undertake the starter and pudding you kindly provided but at a future date, please do not believe your time to have been wasted. I will post images once available.

Some alternatives to the ingredients called for by the recipe were utilised (the Fingerling potatoes and Panko breadcrumbs could not be obtained and so were substituted with Charlotte potatoes and golden breadcrumbs) otherwise I followed your instructions precisely. The difficulty level of the meal was in accord with my advised experience but stretched me just enough that this was a 'special' meal.

Dressing the joint was a minor challenge in itself - I was vegetarian for nearly 30 years until very recently. I managed it without any fuss, though.

Also resultant of said vegetarianism where you mentioned pulse (point 5 of mis en place) I momentarily thought I had missed chick-peas from the ingredients, until I realised you meant a pulse of the food processor. Sad but true.

My partner was absolutely thrilled by the results and I include three photos, the coated lamb prior to roasting, a plate prior to serving, plus my partner with her cleaned plate (continued in following post)


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## Shaver

*Part 2*

If I may describe the highlights of this sublime meal. The cauliflower mousse was a novel experience and one I would recommend to all, very tasty. The reduced sauce possessed a toothsome tangy bite that accompanied the medium-rare lamb perfectly. As did the mustard breadcrumb coating. The flavour combination of all the elements enhanced one another. As I say, a delicious success.










My partner has asked that I express her heartfelt appreciation to you, she was absolutely delighted by the meal.


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## salgy

Shaver said:


> The difficulty level of the meal was in accord with my advised experience but stretched me just enough that this was a 'special' meal.


i was a little worried that i might have extended your expertise too much! when you described your self as "a reasonably competent cook" i tried to give you an obtainable & executable challenge... pictures look great!



Shaver said:


> I momentarily thought I had missed chick-peas from the ingredients, until I realised you meant a pulse of the food processor.


:biggrin2: this made me laugh out loud!



Shaver said:


> The cauliflower mousse was a novel experience and one I would recommend to all, very tasty.


on of my favorites... the "trick" is the amount of cream... the less cream you use, the more intense the cauliflowery flavor



Shaver said:


> My partner has asked that I express her heartfelt appreciation to you, she was absolutely delighted by the meal.


it was my pleasure... give her my sincere belated birthday wishes



Shaver said:


> I very much intend to undertake the starter and pudding you kindly provided but at a future date.


let me know how it turns out


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## Snow Hill Pond

Shaver said:


> Ref. Salgy's recipe post 27.
> 
> Chef may I offer my sincerest gratitude. Your recipe was an outstandingly delicious success. The generosity that you also exhibited in your follow up PM's was above and beyond any reasonable hope or expectation. Take a bow Sir, you assuredly deserve it. :icon_hailthee:
> 
> I opted to prepare only the main course (for reasons which are too boring to relate, but include in small part a lack of confidence from your pupil). I very much intend to undertake the starter and pudding you kindly provided but at a future date, please do not believe your time to have been wasted. I will post images once available.
> 
> Some alternatives to the ingredients called for by the recipe were utilised (the Fingerling potatoes and Panko breadcrumbs could not be obtained and so were substituted with Charlotte potatoes and golden breadcrumbs) otherwise I followed your instructions precisely. The difficulty level of the meal was in accord with my advised experience but stretched me just enough that this was a 'special' meal.
> 
> Dressing the joint was a minor challenge in itself - I was vegetarian for nearly 30 years until very recently. I managed it without any fuss, though.
> 
> Also resultant of said vegetarianism where you mentioned pulse (point 5 of mis en place) I momentarily thought I had missed chick-peas from the ingredients, until I realised you meant a pulse of the food processor. Sad but true.
> 
> My partner was absolutely thrilled by the results and I include three photos, the coated lamb prior to roasting, a plate prior to serving, plus my partner with her cleaned plate (continued in following post)
> 
> View attachment 5156
> View attachment 5157


Impressive homecooked meal! Congratulations Shaver.


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## zzdocxx

Dear Chef Salgy

On the subject of stainless pots and pans:

Since ordering a wedding gift from a colleague's "registry", I am now receiving emails from Sur La Table.

Today's special is 
*Sur La Table® Tri-Ply Stainless Steel 13-Piece Set*

for $349.

Here's the link:

https://www.surlatable.com/product/...13-Piece-Set?om_u=Nsq1xD&om_i=_BQri-hB8vUt1g0

Good deal or commonplace?

Also, they had a special on a set of Shun Bob Kramer knives/block for $999. I was sorely tempted, and probably would have done it a year ago, but it is not in the budget at the moment.

What do you think of those? The Kramer chef knife felt just a little light in my hand when I picked it up in the store.

Oh yes and Happy Thanksgiving!


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## salgy

zzdocxx, a very happy thanksgiving to you...



zzdocxx said:


> *Sur La Table® Tri-Ply Stainless Steel 13-Piece Set* for $349.


the sur la table tri-ply is very serviceable, and that is a great price... aluminum core, so wont give you quite the even heating a stainless core would, but is a nice looking set... they also have a limited lifetime warranty, so you, theoretically, wouldn't have to worry about pots & pans ever again... i like the metal lids (as opposed to the glass ones you usually find on "cheaper" sets... likening this to menswear, i would put this set in the BB-346 area... a step up from MW & lower end JAB...



zzdocxx said:


> they had a special on a set of Shun Bob Kramer knives/block for $999....What do you think of those?


wow! thats a great deal... i remember when those came out, the 7 piece set had a price tag of $2,000... Bob Kramer is a rock star knife maker specializing in kitchen knives...



zzdocxx said:


> The Kramer chef knife felt just a little light in my hand when I picked it up in the store


if you liked the knives, but not the weight, he made a line with j.a. henkels, which should be heavier, since henkles are a german company as opposed to shun being modeled after Japanese knives...


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## zzdocxx

Thanks Chef.

But I have a couple of Japanese knives and was thinking of adding more.

What I have now, oops I think I've already posted this, but a Mac 8" MTK8 Chefs, and a Shun Premier paring knife. The Premier doesn't have the hardest steel, but I like the look/style.

The Kramers were a one-day deal, but once priced there, I imagine they will come back on sale again. I'll have to check out the Henkels that you mentioned.

I have a cheap set of Henkels from Costco, and if I have something really massive/hard to cut through, I do prefer the heavier chef's knife to the Mac for those jobs.

About the stainless, thanks for that. Somehow I had the idea that aluminum in the middle was a good thing! But yes thanks to you I at least noted the metal covers for this set. One thing that came out on our last discussion was how far up the side the cladding went, or whether it was just on the bottom.

Lol, to hear me go on about this, you might think I'm some master cook. Fact is I barely cook an egg or steam some vegetables occasionally!


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## salgy

zzdocxx said:


> What I have now, oops I think I've already posted this...


you did already post that... i had forgotten! it's weird then that you found them to be too light... typically you either like the japanese style or the german style... i will admit that i have never held the kramers, they made big news when they first came out...



zzdocxx said:


> Fact is I barely cook an egg or steam some vegetables occasionally!


if that ^ is the case, you should just buy all-clad, just the pieces you would use... go to a site like cutleryandmore.com


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## zzdocxx

Thanks again Salgy, funny the compulsion to buy unneeded stuff, isn't it?


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## zzdocxx

Dear Mr. Salgy

What do you think of the DeMeyere cookware that SurLaTable is always offering? They claim it is a favorite of their staff and they often have the saute pan on "sale".

The thing is, once I bought a couple of things there (and the cutlery site you mentioned), I get constant emails to entice me to part with my hard-won $$$.









> Demeyere's superior technical approach to producing the most advanced clad cookware available has made them a cult favorite with our staff and customers for years. The unmatched quality, sleek design, and highly engineered and tested construction ensure each and every piece of Demeyere cookware is crafted to perform beautifully and last a lifetime.
> 
> Our exclusive new Industry5 cookware collection is the culmination of a two-year collaboration between Demeyere and Sur La Table to produce the most innovative clad-metal cookware on the market. Designed to exceed the exacting standards of both professional and home cooks, Industry5 cookware boasts a five-ply 3mm-thick aluminum and aluminum-alloy core for fast and even heat distribution. The interior is nonreactive 18/10 stainless steel for easy cleanup, and the gleaming 18/10 stainless steel exterior is magnetic, which ensures exceptional performance on any heat source-including induction.
> 
> Each pan also features a pouring rim to prevent spills and a tight-fitting lid to lock in cooking aromas and flavors. The superior base stability of Industry5 cookware guarantees the bottom of the pan remains almost perfectly flat when heated, even to higher temperatures. Oils and other liquids will evenly coat the bottom of the pan and never pool on the sides for even cooking results time after time.
> 
> Each piece of cookware features Demeyere's proprietary Silvinox finish-a unique system of electrochemical surface treatments that removes iron and impurities from the surface, the main causes of discoloration over time. The stainless steel exterior remains silvery white, even after many years of use. It also resists discoloration from fingerprints and heat, even when subjected to temperatures over 500°F.
> 
> The oversized stay-cool cast stainless steel handles are shot-blasted to ensure a secure grip, and make transporting a hot pan to and from the oven or stovetop easy even while wearing oven mitts. Each handle is welded directly to the pan, making it significantly more durable and hygienic than a traditional riveted handle. Food, grease and dirt will never accumulate inside the pan, so cleanup is a breeze.
> 
> Suitable for use on all cooktops, in the oven up to 600°F, and under the broiler. Dishwasher safe (hand wash recommended). Made in Belgium. 3-qt. capacity. 10" d x 3" h.


And I thank you, sir!


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## salgy

zzdocxx,

The Demeyeres Industry5 (DI5) is the first pan to really compete with All Clad's (AC) 5 layer pots and pans... Many have tried & few have succeeded... The major difference, which should go unnoticed by home cooks, is in the actual layers themselves... 

AC is: ss, al, ss, al, ss where a true stainless center core is sandwiched between a layer of aluminum & then another layer of stainless...

DI5 is: ss, al, ala, al, ss with the center being an aluminum alloy that's heat conductivity is not quite what a stainless core would be, but it's pretty darn close... 

I would say, if the price is right, these would be great pans for the house... with one caveat, 9 times out of 10, whenever a pan has a pouring spout & claims to have a tight fitting lid, they don't... If purchased, before cooking, fill the pan with water & stick the lid on it, then over your sink, hold the lid & turn the pan like you are trying to pour out of the spout & check any leakage... A little moisture is ok, but the more water that leaks out the less tight your lid is... If it doesn't have a tight fitting lid as advertised, return them...

Cheers!
Chef


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## Langham

Salgy, can you tell me the purpose of the aluminium layers in the pans you describe? Why not solid stainless steel - weight?

I've always been suspicious of aluminium pans, a suspicion increased by something I recently read connecting them with cancer. I favour the French type of enamelled cast iron pans - they're heavy but good at distributing the heat evenly, when cooking stews for example, and last forever if looked after.


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## salgy

Langham said:


> Salgy, can you tell me the purpose of the aluminium layers in the pans you describe? Why not solid stainless steel - weight?


Weight is a small reason, but cost is the major reason... Aluminum is much cheaper, but not as durable... The cheapest pots & pans are 100% aluminum... Where the more expensive ones are solid stainless... When you are talking pots & pans, the layers are only 1 millimeter thick, the cheaper pans are 3 layers, the expensive pans have 7... 7 millimeters of solid stainless are going to weight less that the enameled cast iron pans you favor... The issue with the cast iron is their weight & although they will last forever, you will get to an age where you physically cannot comfortably put a full pot into or out of the oven...



Langham said:


> I've always been suspicious of aluminium pans, a suspicion increased by something I recently read connecting them with cancer.


Everything has a link to cancer... I heard a stat yesterday that 50% of American men over 50 will develop some form of cancer & 75% of men over 80 will... It was really staggering... Aluminum has always had a link to Alzheimer's, but "they" claim it is aluminum in its natural form, not in cooking pots, pans & etc... I, however, have always been wary of using aluminum at home because of that link...


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## salgy

Langham said:


> they're heavy but good at distributing the heat evenly.


forgot to mention, the best heat distributor/conductor is actually copper... But the cost almost makes it not worth it... For a home cook, who cooks frequently, the 5 layer All Clad brand line of stainless cookware is, in my opinion, the best bang for your buck... YMMV


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## Langham

salgy said:


> forgot to mention, the best heat distributor/conductor is actually copper...


My wife and I started out married life with one copper saucepan (a wedding present). It was coated with (I think) tin to prevent the copper reacting with certain foods. Unfortunately we didn't know how special it was and didn't look after it properly.


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## zzdocxx

Now that you mention all of the above --

Some brands make models where just the bottoms are clad copper, others boast of a copper core that goes all the way up the sides. I've noticed even on the cheap stuff that the sides tend to be hotter ie. the soup will start sticking and burning on the sides first.

So eg. Costco has their house brand stainless which has a copper core but just on the bottom. But oh they are rather heavy!

_*So is the copper bottom better than aluminum, <<all other things being equal>>?
*_
The Costco ones do have metal lids, as you have recommended.

Here this shows the copper bottom.








Dang these junk emails trying to make me buy stuff! ! !


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## salgy

zzdocxx said:


> _*So is the copper bottom better than aluminum, <<all other things being equal>>?
> *_


Tough to put such an absolute on it... There are several variables here... Bottom line: the "best" would be all copper, but the upkeep is not worth it

Aluminum: worst heat distributon, cheapest & lightest

Copper: best heat distribution, most expensive & heaviest

Stainless is right in the middle...

I find that a copper bottom cheap-o pan typically is: co, al, al, al, ss... Where any benifit to having the copper bottom is lost in the aluminum layers... If you want copper for the heat distribution, look for: ss, ss, co, ss, ss, like the All Clad copper core... Pans with copper all the way up the sides are not my favorite, I find it very difficult to control the heat very well...

One last nugget about pans... Anyone who has read the OP in this thread knows i have spent my lifetime cooking, and this is just IMO... But out of all the pans in the world, I use All Clad stainless in my house... YMMV


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## salgy

zzdocxx said:


> Dang these junk emails trying to make me buy stuff! ! !


No different than all the other clothing & shoe companies emailing you though?!?


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## zzdocxx

Right.

OK well the Costco stainless plus copper on the bottom, I should have explained better, the copper is in the middle of the stainless layers.

I'm going to try to find some pics and/or documentation on that.

And thanks!

But they are so dang heavy! ! !


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## salgy

zzdocxx said:


> But they are so dang heavy! ! !


If you think they are heavy empty, don't buy them... You will never use them... Just think how heavy they will be full!


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## zzdocxx

Yeah not to mention if my 87 year old mom wanted to use them, and thanks for confirming that feeling.

For the same reason she also doesn't like those enamel cast iron pots and pans that are in vogue. Though she does acknowledge their beauty.









Looks tasty though! Can one realistically expect results as shown, or is this as staged as reality TV?


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## salgy

zzdocxx said:


> Looks tasty though! Can one realistically expect results as shown, or is this as staged as reality TV?


Attachment will not pull up for me... But I can say with 99% certainty, whatever the picture is, if it is in an ad for cookware, it's staged...


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## LordSmoke

*French toast fail*

What a great thread. Thanks, salgy.

So, trying to recapture memories of my youth, I tried my hand at French toast on Saturday (we called it "eggbread" back home). Alas, it was disappointing. The insides we unpleasantly squishy and overall too eggy. I admittedly did not do too much research as I thought it was a foolproof dish. Current theories as to the cause of my less-than-palatable result:

Mrs. Smoke - too much egg, I started with four eggs and a cup of milk.
Mother Smoke - what milk? Bread too fresh - leave it out in the morning if you are going to prepare in the evening.

Both - cut slices in half before frying.

Suggestions? Comments?


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## salgy

LordSmoke said:


> What a great thread. Thanks, salgy.


Lordsmoke, it is my pleasure...

Now to your French toast conundrum, I think there could be a few factors here... And unfortunately, I don't think that mrs. smoke or mother smoke are on the right track... Your milk amount is a little high, but not high enough to make a huge difference... Having not been invited for breakfast, i can only guess what went wrong, but what I think happened is 2 things: your bread absorbed too much liquid (you left it too long in the egg mixture), and it was cooked on too high a heat (outside cooked too fast & when the outside looked done, the middle was undercooked)... 
Try this next time:
4 eggs
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt, cinnamon & nutmeg
1. Mix together & dunk each slice of bread right before putting them in your pan...
2. Over medium heat (even lower if you're using a gas stove) melt 1.5 tablespoons butter & cook until golden brown, flip cook until golden brown & remove
3. Sprinkle with powdered sugar & enjoy!
*I usually use Texas toast for my French toasting...


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## LordSmoke

salgy said:


> ...Having not been invited for breakfast, i can only guess what went wrong, ...


Count your blessings, it was not a particularly appetizing affair. That said, consider yourself invited should you ever find your way to the Tallahassee area. Or, I can recommend Sage or Cypress for a very nice meal.

Your words ring true. Many of the recipes online mentioned letting the bread soak for 30s a side. I suppose they were referencing two day old brioche, and not Sunbeam I had let sit out for a couple of hours.

I am confident in your advice and can't wait to try it with some proper bread. Now, all I have to do is convince Mrs. Smoke to give me another chance.


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## salgy

LordSmoke said:


> Now, all I have to do is convince Mrs. Smoke to give me another chance.


Wake up earlier than her & surprise her Thursday? Extra brownie points!


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## Duvel

So it's true, this rumor I keep hearing that we all die? 

Hope everyone's holiday cooking goes well. I've started a new tradition--beef bourguinon for Christmas eve, and a full-blown roasted turkey dinner for Christmas. I am by no means a chef but I do enjoy cooking, and I am pretty good at following recipes and having things turn out right. My beef b recipe includes marinating everything in wine and cognac for 2 days.

At the risk of seeming total social outcasts, we are purposely avoiding family gatherings this year. We're relaxing amongst ourselves, just eating and drinking with a couple of occasions to get out downtown to the local independnet art house movie theater.



salgy said:


> Everything has a link to cancer... I heard a stat yesterday that 50% of American men over 50 will develop some form of cancer & 75% of men over 80 will... It was really staggering... Aluminum has always had a link to Alzheimer's, but "they" claim it is aluminum in its natural form, not in cooking pots, pans & etc... I, however, have always been wary of using aluminum at home because of that link...


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## VPCEH91

General technique for fish consomme?


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## salgy

VPCEH91 said:


> General technique for fish consomme?


This will work for any consommé:

Stock
6# fish bones
1 onion, rough cut
2 carrots, rough cut
4 ribs celery, rough cut
1 bay leaf
4-6 black peppercorns 
Spring of thyme
6 quarts water

1. Combine all and simmer 45min - 1 hour. Strain through fine strainer.
2. For anything other than fish, increase water to 2 gallons and increase simmer time to 4 hours

Consommé:
6 egg whites
1 onion (grated)
2 carrots (grated)
4 ribs celery (grated)
1 pound ground meat
2 tomatoes, diced
2 quarts stock

1. Combine vegetables, ground meat and egg whites, whisking well, until frothy (this forms the "raft")
2. Place stock in a stock pot and whisk in the raft.
3 stirring often, over medium heat, heat mixture until raft starts to form (ingredients will all coagulate and start to get spongy)
4. Once raft forms, STOP STIRRING and lower heat to low. Keep on low for 45 min - 1 hour. A natural hole should appear in your raft allowing you to see the clarity of the consommé. 
5. Ladle consommé out of the pot, being careful not to disturb/destroy your raft. Strain through fine sifter & enjoy!


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