I've had my V-M for a couple years now and tried cooked vs raw. I always prefer raw unless it's specifically a soup where I want some of the nutrients specifically to be heat-enhanced. Tomatoes release more lycopene when cooked/heated than when raw so I prefer them in a hot, fresh soup over a tomato drink 100% of the time. Similar for broccoli. Almost all veggies suffer nutrient loss (or in many cases ability to deliver nutrients) when fried or cooked too long in heat though.

As to the ultimate decider for me, it's a matter of taste. Even slightly nutrient-diminished veggies are good for you as long as they're prepared or blended sensibly.

Sultan Wok's the name. As OG said, they might not be too happy about SB opening. On the other hand, food and service will decide. SW's stepped up it's game in recent years so I don't think it's going to get severely crimped. They also do a very healthy takeout and delivery business that SB might have a tough time getting. SW's portions tend to be rather generous so SB will have to do meet or exceed that standard.

I wish I had time to do a head-head. If I ever do and this thread's still around, I'll do it and post results. Don't see it in the cards this summer though:( Too many other places to try.

If you make your own PB from just peanuts, it's possible. Nut butters made in Vita-Mixes come out much smoother and less dense that just about anything you buy from a store, and they don't have any added oil as a preservative for shelf stability. You have to play with the amount of butter too - start with 50%.

It will be a little denser than plain buttercream though, but you also don't have to use much peanut butter to get the taste and flavor you want. Too much would be overpowering to the rest of the dessert.

Cusinart's product return site is in E. Windsor, NJ. I think the nearest full-service repair site might be in eastern PA. Try calling the 800 number to find out which you should use. I'm not sure, but there may be a few authorized repair places that are small shops that sell the products, but those have gone the way of the Dodo through the years.

The CG is not a grill so if that's what you want, go DeLonghi. Just remember that it will be a one-use appliance and the non-stick grill surface probably means it doesn't reach true grill searing heat temps.

The grill plates on the CG are good to keep items from basically boiling in their juices, but so is the fact that the CG has a slight tilt that has everything draining off anyway.

Let us know how it is. The Asian restaurant at the end of Washington right outside the PJ NJ Transit parking lot is also worth a trip.

Beer-can roasted chicken. Flat beer would be perfect for it.

I wouldn't worry too much about the reheating. The rice and potatoes are likely going to be a benefit as freezing veggies in any liquid can lead to breakdown. The potatoes and rice aren't going to be any worse off. The onions and zucchini are going to be the re-heat villains as they will continue to release water.

Freeze time varies according to how well it was sealed and how cold your freezer actually gets. Could last a few months to more than a year.

As to what to do with thawed fish. Keep it as cold as possible - just above freezing. Even in fridge, put it on an ice bed with drainage below the ice to keep the liquid from soaking into the fish. Should look like fish is displayed at fish shop. You can get another day out of it, but going beyond that will first affect the fresh taste. More than 2 days gets into bacterial development issues, which will begin long before you smell it.

Not really cookware, but my lust is for a Kalamazoo K1000HS hybrid grill - with the full double-side cook center setup. Not in my budget no way, no how. However, it's lustworthy for those of us who like to cook outdoors during the summer.

I only marinate meats that will be cooked using a long, slow method such as slow cooker, braising, smoking, etc.

Otherwise, I've found that most "marinades" brushed at the end of grilling or other high-heating cooking taste as good without any uncontrolled char flavor.

Use less soap. I spoke to VM about cleaning, and they recommend using the blender to self-clean because it does a good job on the blade assembly and bottom of the jar.

The other thing VM advised is to slowly turn the speed knob to a point where the soap-water begins to reach the top of the lid but not create enough pressure to push up through the lid. Then let it run for 1-2 minutes at that speed.

You could use a bottle washer, but I avoid the handwashing since it doesn't clean any better.

I've tried lots of things. The CI fajita skillet works. Just did blackened catfish for some friends and they were shocked because they'd never considered using a fajita pan for anything other than fajitas. I just preheat the pan for a few minutes and then I can do multiple pieces pretty quickly even if they're one at a time.

As to the griddle, I have nonstick and CI. I prefer the CI because it's well-seasoned through lots of use so sticking isn't much of an issue.

The advantage of the CI is that it excels at blackening and other "fry" methods without requiring deep frying. When I really want to sorta blacken but not quite I just throw a dome over the fish and it creates a blackened-steamed cook with no need to flip the fish at all.

The one thing I've learned through the years with CI though is that it's far more versatile than you'd think. There's a reason it was the go-to cooking item for so many years.

It's also gained favor with me because despite being so heavy, it's the easiest to clean. Literally just deglaze while it's blazing hot using a wok-scrubber, rinse, wipe clean, and re-oil most of the time.

I'm a huge CI fan too because CI's practically indestructible. Can't think of a single one I've ever ruined. The only one I've ever seen someone else ruin was due to a crack from dunking a searing hot pan in ice water. This was a demo to show how CI could be damaged. Essentially a demo for someone explaining how the Liberty Bell crack most likely resulted from a microfracture inherent in the casting process.

I've heard of CI cracking on induction, and that's likely due to induction burner's ability to come to high heat so much faster than CI pan's can absorb the heat.

Scientifically, I learned that the vast temperate difference of a cold pan and high heat source causes the pan to expand faster than it's metal material's natural expansion would like, resulting in a "crack."

Good luck. Big thing to keep in mind though is that green smoothies focus on the greens and aren't usually as sweet as most expect from a smoothie. That said, it's impossible to get the nutrition green smoothies offer by eating the vegetables separately. Way too much chewing would be involved there.

I've come to think of it as a way to get most of my veggie-provided nutrients first thing in the morning in a way the body can immediately access them since the blender did much of the breakdown that teeth, lacto-bacteria, enzymes, and acids normally have to do.

The DB chef's pans aren't for flipping/tossing - way too heavy even though I can do it with ease. It just doesn't make sense. I do have a flat-bottom wok if I need to flip. As for cooking fish, I cut them to size if necessary. In most cases though if I need it to be fully intact, I use a cast iron griddle that fits on a full-length burner on my stove. I don't flip that either. I also use that burner for poaching fish in a fish poacher, but the poacher is aluminum and wouldn't hold up to searing heat.

Now for thinking outside the box, if the fish isn't too long, I just use a cast iron jfajita skillet. This works just as well, and you can find these skillets anywhere for a decently low price. You can't toss fish on them, but you can easily fit big pieces and flip them using a fish spatula.

+1 on grinding your own. Chill whatever cuts you like - brisket and chuck are very tasty together - and pulse in a food processor for about 15-30 seconds. No pre-ground meat can touch that.

Spoke to someone who was a long-time fan and had just eaten there at the end of April. The weekend lot was full when I passed by on the way to meet him (I didn't eat there). Was always a hit-miss. My friend loved it. I ate there once and vowed never to return.

Haven't tried to fill it to the rim, but I easily holds 5 quarts liquid even though I don't use it for that purpose. Just used it to fill a 5qt Dutch Oven and it had plenty left. Heavy with that much in it though.

I like it better than my wok for stir-fry. Just takes longer to heat up. Once it gets going on a high burner, gotta keep the food moving though just like they do at the restaurants.

We do the "Glowing Green Smoothie" from Kimberly Snyder. Gets the day going perfectly and adds lots of nutritional goodies. It's mild for a green smoothie. I don't care for any other fruits in it even though I will sub lime for lemon and adjust the sweetness with frozen grapes.

VM will pulverize anything as long as you let it blend. I've spoken to VM support and they recommend the greens + water mix first, then adding other ingredients with frozen/ice last.

Blue Point Grill - best in Princeton by far.

I have the DB Cheff's pan - best stovetop cookware item I own. I leave it on top of the stove because it works for just about everything even though it's a bit large and heavy. I think DB makes the Tim Love pans any way.

SLT has good deals here and there.

Slice into even pieces, heat in pan until just warm, serve with some over-easy eggs and toast. Nice little breakfast that hardly a meal the rest of the day will stand up to.

Good luck. Do you need to cook in volume? Why the desire for pressure frying for small batches/home cooking? On the whole, you're probably only going to save a scant few minutes for the added fire risk.

If you're doing large batches, let us know the address so we can all come check out the goods once you get your new fry unit:)

The advice you've gotten doesn't sound right. Most quartz products even tout their stain resistance in comparison to granite and other stone/cement products. Several homes in my area have quartz, and no one's ever complained about stains even on the white/light-colored installations. Anything can be stained under the right conditions. Almost all stains need time to set so a quick wipe pretty much eliminates staining from sealed and non-porous surfaces.

As to your redo, the GE Profile line of products are stylish yet very functional. I have GE fridge (albeit I did go for a Monogram model because I liked that it's full stainless, not just on the front), a stainless dual-oven stove, and an upgraded stainless hood vent.

You can get sealed granite at a decent price by simply visiting the granite yards and going with a reputable fabricator and installer. The guy who did my work used to subcontract for some of the big box stores - the price difference was about 50% cheaper when the big box store is cut out.

I didn't do my floor (wish I had), but I'll probably just do wood because it's durable and versatile. I looked at cork, but I just prefer a hardwood's durability.

If you registered for them, can store them easily, and plan to use them, keep them all. You'll be doing yourself and the givers a service, and you'll find that good, complete sets last for years. No reason to give/sell anything if you wanted it in the first place.

If some of the sizes showed up without request, sell, trade, re-gift, whatever you choose.

Prices have and will continue to go up because people pay it. I have less of a problem with the increased cost as I do with the fact that so few pies are worth anything anymore. There are probably 50-100 pie joints within 5-10 miles of my house, and I like the pie from exact 1 of them. Even from that place, it's only the wood-fired with fresh mozz/toma/basil.

Love Bleeker Street pies in NYC, but can't find that consistently crackly crust in NJ so easily.

Cuisinart Griddler has removable parts and different types of plates. As to cleaning them in the dishwasher, it will shorten the life of pretty much any non-stick material as the cleaning detergent for dishwashers is pretty harsh.

That said, I clean my grates when they're still a bit warm after I've eaten. It's always easy and worth not putting them in the dishwasher.

Not sure where you are, but many of the major metro cities with notable Chinatown sections have a few Asian stores that sell or can order you the wok you want. I got one years ago by visiting a shop in NYC. They had them on hand - usually do - but they also order upon request.

Another option is to simply ask someone who owns or works at a Chinese restaurant/takeout where and how to get one. Most will be more than glad to tell you locally how to get one. They're also just as likely to tell you they can have one made and sent to you - I've had that done before too. My current wok was a gift from someone who's extended family still lives in China.

I've never been, but I feel for him. I do my own consulting with small businesses like this and wish they'd just reach out to get a little help. Bringing the right combination of communication, performance observation and management, and leadership would keep places like this from slipping. Most business owners don't realize that there are consultants out there who have only an interest in making them operate more successfully and profitably without the fanfare of the TV show. Many of us offer expertise in leadership and management that small biz just never considers important enough until it's a bit late.

I break all fasts with a green smoothie and then food 1-2 hours later. Smoothies get nutrients back into the system asap. Then, I eat whatever I want as normal. Having the smoothie also tends to reduce the desire to overeat right out of the fast.