Gualtier Malde's Profile
Bamix on ice= safe?
I would be wary of using any model of any immersion blender for crushing ice from cubes. If the cubes were broken up a bit into half-inch pieces, and with some fluid, I might try it with a close eye and ear on the operation for any straining.
If you are making lots of smoothies and things that need crushed ice why not just get an electric crusher? Not awfully expensive. Ours is so noisy (96 dbA) that hearing protection has to be used.
BaMix shaft very warm after moderate use
Now that I have gone back and re-read my post I agree with you. I am beginning to think that, after 76 years of age, a type of wide-eyed naivete returns.
Back to the Bamix, though: Long experience with other mechanical equipment has made me a bit wary of lubricating rather than disassembly and cleaning, though if it comes to that i will choose WD-40 over peanut oil which, I think, ultimately would gum up as well and add to the problem, while WD-40 has some cleaning action in my experience.
Thank you for your reply.
BaMix shaft very warm after moderate use
I do not recall from 20 years ago whether the owner of a BaMax is supposed to do some preventive maintenance. We do not use the unit much, but last night after making a Caesar dressing the shaft was almost too hot to touch. My instincts would be to lubricate it but I would prefer having instructions on how to proceed.
Appreciate comments.
Sauteed or baked bananas - "platanos manzanas"
I'm glad to find another with the terminology. Fact is, I hadn't thought about these for some time and now I'm hoping for the taste again. If I can find some in Seattle I will try to duplicate the cooking process of slicing crosswise and sauteeing in butter. Trouble is I wasn't at all into cooking in my wasted "yout" and don't recall more than the vision of them in a stove-top pan.
Sauteed or baked bananas - "platanos manzanas"
Looked around and FWIW it looked as though this one from Epicurious is one of the better ones:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Platanos-Maduros-15743
Thanks to all who replied.
Sauteed or baked bananas - "platanos manzanas"
Overruled, and now embarrassed: I do recall the term exactly, but realize it was not applied to plantains, but to small, very green bananas (same skin, linear striations, etc.) which were not sauteed but sliced into thin cross-sections and fried.
But I do recall what I now accept is called platanos maduros and will seek the recipe. Thanks for the assistance.
Sauteed or baked bananas - "platanos manzanas"
Many years ago I spent a summer in pre-Castro Cuba. I was served bananas in many ways. There were little green ones which were cut into discs and fried, some were baked, and I believe some were sauteed. I was a kid then, not into cooking, but I do recall that the bananas used for the dish I am after were ripened to the point of being brown and I thought they were called "platanos manzanas" -
The over-ripe bananas were cut lengthwise and either baked or sauteed and I think some sweetness (honey) was added.
Can you help me find the recipe? Thanks
gm
What is an allowable oven cycling temperature range?
Alton Brown and others frequently stress the importance of oven cycling temperatures, and how they should operate within a certain maximum range and how to use terra-cotta or tiles etc. to compensate for that.
I have just acquired an inexpensive remote thermometer which has a "max-min" function for testing range. I have tested with equivocal results from people opening the door and other travesties. While getting ready for another test, I would like to get some opinions for the point at which I should call a tech for a "real" test.
Can Danish pastry dough be frozen for later baking?
My wife makes a Christmas twist every year. The recipe makes two twists and we used to give the second one away to various people. As we have become older the number of people who could enjoy this on Christmas has dwindled, but if we can keep the second pastry dough and bake it a week later it will be gratefully received.
Is that a safe thing to do?
Blues Brothers-themed lunch
Beef it is. Can you clear up a discrepancy in what I have found? One guy talks about using chuck and slicing it:
http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/italian_beef.html
Another site from allrecipes.com wants it cooked in a slow cooker and pulled, and they use Italian dressing with other spices for the cooking:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slow-Cooker-Italian-Beef-for-Sandwiches/Detail.aspx
The second one is easiest for us but I want to be authentic, too.
Which do you like? - Thanks again.
Blues Brothers-themed lunch
Right! That reference went by me so fast in the movie it didn't make an impression. Thanks - Got the recipe. That should lay waste to the afternoon activity schedule. I have a feeling that it is a sneak attack drink. Excellent help.
Blues Brothers-themed lunch
That's a whole lot, and I have some research to do. Thanks. We will be cooking on the boat, most likely, but it is a 34' trawler and there are a few bigger boats to which I can farm things out. This is a great start.
Blues Brothers-themed lunch
I have agreed to prepare lunch at a boating rendezvous with a Blues Brothers theme. Have not been to Chicago in decades and cannot recall what I once knew about favorite foods there, like Philly CheeseSteak, Cincinnati Chilli - I remember that there were some but the memory faded.
Please give me some leads. -Thanks
Old recipe wants sour milk
An old Vermont recipe for Sour Milk Doughnuts calls for sour milk. While it is possible to sour un-pasteurized milk it is my understanding that pasteurized milk doesn't sour, it goes bad.
I don't think buttermilk is what is wanted, or was "sour milk" an expression for buttermilk? Anyway I'd like to hear some thoughtful answers on the subject.
Biscuit Tortoni in Seattle area?
Thank you for your reply. I have sent them an email today, but whether or not they have it I am very happy to find this place. My wife and I don't get around a lot but when we do go downtown this is going to be a stop.
Biscuit Tortoni in Seattle area?
Two nights ago at a dinner at Lombardi's I asked about Biscuit (Bisc) Tortoni and they didn't have it. I have asked in a few Italian restaurants without success. In my early years, 1950s, it was available in all Italian restaurants in New York City and northern New Jersey (or at least it seemed so to a kid). It is addictive. The Wikipedia description -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biscuit_Tortoni - doesn't describe it as I recalled it: Not a classic biscuit but a custardy ice cream served in a cup of paper like the ones that sometimes came with bottled water dispensers. It was just a bite or two, but OMG!
Does anyone know of any restaurant (or private home - I'm getting desperate) were I can get this?
Cleaning a coffee mill - Rice?
Thanks jaykayen and scubadoo97. I will give the instant rice a try with Grindz as my fallback. BTW: Do you suppose it is possible to buy instant rice in a plain wrapper so no-one will know?
Cleaning a coffee mill - Rice?
We have heard that one should put 1/4 to 1/2 cup of rice into a coffee mill from time to time to clean it. We have a DiLonghi and I am thinking of doing that. It is possible to dismantle the mill to show the milling parts, and perhaps that would be a better thing to do.
I'd like to collect some opinions about the matter
Thanks
Kraft "Higher Flavor, Extra Cure" - can I duplicate?
Many years ago I had a cheeseburger at a place in San Diego which had a great meaty flavor. I asked about it and was told the cheese was Kraft "Higher Flavor - Extra Cure" which, I believe, became simply "Extra Cure". Trouble is that they only sold it to the trade.
For a while, Jack in the Box had an approximation of it, but I have never found anything on the consumer market to equal it.
Is there anything that anyone knows to add to regular pasteurized process cheese food (American Cheese) to get that flavor? Is there some sort of Velveeta mix or recipe?
Jaccard Meat Tenderizer
They are sold in Cash and Carry stores throughout Seattle. One is just north of N130th St just east of Aurora. Another is down in the Industrial area off Holgate, I think. The one we bought several years ago has two rows of blades but all the ones being sold now seem to have three rows.
Steak - put the frying pan in the oven after searing?
It's pretty universal for skillet cooking. The steak is seared on one side and then flipped and put in the oven until about 10 degrees under desired internal temp for serving. Has to wait, covered, for at least 10 minutes after.
An alternative, described in Cooks' Illustrated, is for thick steaks: Cooked in the oven to an internal temperature of about 95 degrees or so, and then seared on both sides (I'm going on memory here, but I'm pretty sure it was 95 degrees). That avoids the gray line just under the surfaces.
French in Seattle?
We are rather fond of Entre Nous on Stewart street across from the Bon/Macy garage. All day Saturday they serve a tapas type menu which is great for sharing and relaxed eating.
Also we found "Portage" on Queen Anne Hill across from "How to Cook a Wolf". Both serve tasty things at a good price.
Yolks pulling away from whites
Thanks for the reply. I've been using pretty fresh, cage-free eggs from a local supplier. Now I am going to be able to get the odd dozen eggs from my dentist, who has a farm on Vashon Island, and I'll see if things improve. Even with regular commercial eggs the yolk separation hasn't happened a lot, so it may take some time to get statistical information on the subject.
The dentist's eggs are typical farmyard product: all different colors, and the yolks stand up so high that one almost wonders if enough of it is touching the pan to get cooked --- Best wishes
Yolks pulling away from whites
I have noticed something that occurs occasionally when I poach eggs, and even once when frying: As the egg is coming to the fully cooked stage, the white and yolk can separate. I have never tried it but I get the impression I could gently remove the yolk intact.
What causes this?
Good fish monger in Seattle?
We agree on that place. They are all fisher... persons. I don't have any comparisons, but think that their prices are quite good. Easy to get to by taking the Ballard bridge, turning right off the bridge, right again and again and then just keep on that road when it becomes Shilshole Avenue and becomes 24th when it crosses Market. At 80th st turn right and park - they are across the street to the north.
On the way, two blocks up from Market, look for "Scooter's" just past the construction. Wonderful burgers, shakes - featuring avocado BLTs and peanut butter shakes. They only take cash, but you won't need much, comparatively.
AKAs for High Fructose Corn Syrup?
It seems that manufacturers of products with High Fructose Corn Syrup as an ingredient have become sensitive to a growing concern over that product in the general public. In Seattle, Puget Consumers' Co-Op has banned the sale of any product containing HFCS.
Are the manufacturers using other names for the product? I see things on labels that don't make sense and wonder if there is a movement to obscure the contents. Have any of you with chemistry backgrounds detected this type of thing? If so, what are some of the euphemisms?
"Don't use mirin, use ****?"
Thank you. I will look for that. I didn't realize that "mirin" is actually another "sake". I think the brand we had was Sun Luck and the ingredient list (in the context of this discussion) is a joke.
I'll buy the good stuff now.
Dinner suggestions--Port Angeles and Westport, WA?
A couple of months ago I requested this type of information and was told about the Dockside Restaurant at the John Wayne Marina in Sequim. My wife and I went and thought that it was an excellent place from food to service.
That Econo-Lodge in Sequim is pretty decent, too. $66 for a nice room with a love seat in front of the TV and such.
What to do with produce bags
Some time ago I read/heard about a nifty way to recycle produce bags. The major problem with recycling things is storing them between uses. Now we take an empty nasal tissue (Kleenex type) box and as we empty each produce bag we fold it and put in through the slot. We then can pick them out just like tissues. Exception, of course, is a bag that contained raw poultry.
We use the bags for storage, discarding stuff, putting glasses in when we are going to store them, as quick "gloves" for messy jobs like putting bird suet in a holder... Once they are handy the uses suggest themselves.
