SailingChef's Profile
What is this All-Clad pot?
Well, I went back to the same thrift store and found the support for the pot for another $3. The ceramic insert and top chrome bit were missing. Drat. The ceramic insert would have been nice for sure.
Pizza Tray Works As All-Clad Lid
A kitchen supply store should also have a wide selection of lids to go on industrial pots. I'm no longer sure of the standard sizes, but I'll bet 14" is represented. My local store has them with two different designs. I found one to fit a paella pan for transport.
What is this All-Clad pot?
Naw, I just got the pot. But, thanks for the link! I'm starting to think I'll get $6 of use out of it anyway!
What is this All-Clad pot?
Well, ladies and gents, it seems that I've bought myself a fondue pot. Not a set, but just the pot. Which makes sense because when I looked at in the store, I thought how it might work well with my double-boiler inserts as there's lots of room for hot water and steam to circulate. My inserts mostly fit, but there is room for steam to escape, so it is not ideal. I'd had in mind using it to replace my 2 qt pot that I use for my double-boiler as well as pasta boiling. Can I use this pot for that? Can it stand being used on the stovetop?
What is this All-Clad pot?
I picked up a seconhand All-Clad pot today and I cannot identify it. It is not a saucier or normal sauce pot. It doesn't match any of the shapes on All-Clad's web site's "shape identifier." It is closest to a sauce pot in proportions, but is bowed in the middle like a little cauldron. The top and bottom are narrower. It's only clad on the bottom and is about 3 quarts in capacity (based on filling it from my 3 quart saucier). It has two helper handles, but no long handle. Does anyone know what this pot is supposed to be for?
What do I need for Christmas? What amazing doodad don't I have that I must?
I forgot to mention that I have a small pressure cooker (gift on a previous birthday!), but I have considered getting a pressure canner. Have you done pressure canning?
What do I need for Christmas? What amazing doodad don't I have that I must?
Good thought on the Chef's Choice! Too expensive to justify normally, but that's why it'd be a gift.
I love the idea of the FoodSaver vacuum system. I'll have to research that. I've wanted a vacuum system, but only one that can use re-usable containers.
What do I need for Christmas? What amazing doodad don't I have that I must?
I have an electric kettle. It's pretty basic, but we don't drink coffee or tea! We've only used it on road trips to heat water for instant oatmeal or warming hot dogs! That's fancy eating, ya?
What do I need for Christmas? What amazing doodad don't I have that I must?
I just was looking at instant read thermometers on Cooks Illustrated and discovered the Thermapen. It sounds amazing, but I was stunned at the price! But, that's why it's a gift and not a household expense, right? :)
Thanks for the prize list! It's a great wish list, isn't it?
I have a carafe, but I never use it. We drink neither tea nor coffee in this house! Weirdos, aren't we?
What do I need for Christmas? What amazing doodad don't I have that I must?
I do have the bowl covers and love them! I use them when I'm using the machine to make bread so I don't waste Saran wrap. Can't put them on tight, of course, or the rising bread would pop 'em!
Extra bowls is a good thought. I noticed that they made a glass bowl for a special edition mixer and wondered if it was available separately.
What do I need for Christmas? What amazing doodad don't I have that I must?
I love the idea of the thermometer. One's going on the list for sure!
I have a Little Chief smoker that I rarely use. In fact, I'm planning on selling it. What do you use your smoker for? (Maybe I should rethink selling it!)
I've never made sausage. That's an idea. We don't eat a ton of sausage, but maybe we would if it was made to our exact tastes! I do have the grinder attachment which has barely been used, as well as the slicer/shredder attachment that got superceded by the purchase of the food processor.
What do I need for Christmas? What amazing doodad don't I have that I must?
I'd never heard of a cloche! Now, I realize that I just passed one up at a thrift store a few days ago! That would be nice. The only problem with that is storage. I actually don't have a very big kitchen, so I have to think before getting something so big. But, I'm definately going to consider this one!
I have baking stones and love 'em!
I don't have an instant read thermometer! Fantastic idea!
What do I need for Christmas? What amazing doodad don't I have that I must?
I keep coveting an enameled cast iron Dutch oven, but, then, I wonder what's wrong with my non-enameled ones. What do you see as the advantage of an enameled oven over my raw iron ones?
What do I need for Christmas? What amazing doodad don't I have that I must?
I do have a microplane - and a digital scale I forgot to mention.
I do bake, but mostly breads, not cookies or desserts. You did remind me that I've been eyeing French bread forms.
ISO Digital Scale , mostly for baking
OK, I'm going to go against your request for "not battery powered". First, I've never seen a plug-in one and , secondly, it would be a hassle!
I have the OXO scale with pull-out display. I don't often pull-out the display, but it's nice if you have a big bowl on top which would overshadow the display. It goes from pounds to grams at a push of the button. I've used it more for baking than for anything else and have been very happy with it. It has a nice big weighing surface that you don't have to worry about precariously balancing your bowl on.
It'll run you about $50.
What do I need for Christmas? What amazing doodad don't I have that I must?
My friends and family are bugging me for a Christmas wish list. I love to cook, but, over time, I've managed to outfit my kitchen pretty well - I think. But, then, I thought the same a few years ago and have replaced a bunch of items. Below are the highlights of my kitchen. What do you find essential that I'm missing? I'm probably looking at $200-250 between everyone. It does not have to be spend on one item.
* Lots of cast iron - two 12" Dutch ovens, two 10" Dutch ovens, two combo cookers, a 12" skillet, a 8" skillet, a fajita pan, probably more. (I do Dutch oven cooking while camping, hence all the Dutch ovens! I also have a Dutch oven table, welder's gloves and two lid rests for all that camp cooking.)
* Two All-Clad sauciers - 4.5 qt (James Beard special) and 3 qt.
* One 3 qt Emerilware by All-Clad saucepan - lots of surface area
* One small Sur La Table stainless steel skillet
* Three Kitchenaid non-stick sauce pans in various sizes. Not the best, but generally are just used for reheating, so not worth upgrading.
Stainless steel stock pot with various inserts for boiling and steaming. Not high quality, either, but heating water works okay.
* 6-quart non-stick Kitchenaid stock pot.
* 12-quart El Cheapo stock pot I use mostly for boiling corn.
* Calphalon non-stick omelette/crepe pan - that I use for eggs and crepes
* Calphalon non-stick square griddle - for grilled ham and cheese!
* KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer.
* Sunbeam stand mixer w/removable handle (that KichenAid is just too big for some tasks, like a cake mix).
* Immersion blender. Cheap brand, but not something I very rarely use.
* KitchenAid blender.
* KitchenAid food processor - best recommended by Cooks Illustrated.
* Wusthof 8" chef's knife
* Wusthof bread knife
* Victorinox 10" chef's knife
* Various Victorinox and Mundel utility knives.
* Plenty of bamboo and plastic stirring stuff.
* Enough silverware, serving dishes and eating dishes to seat and serve a garrison.
klamath falls and idaho suggestions?
Eino's Tavern outside of West Yellowstone, Montana (West entrance to Yellowstone). If you don't like the food it's your own fault because you grill your own!
Non-stick Cookie Sheets?
Over the past several years, I've switch to using all high-quality commerical half-sheet cookie sheets and have been mostly satisfied. Today, I acquired a non-stick half-sheet pan and I'm not sure what to use it for! What items would you recommend using the non-stick for? Breaded fish? Bread? Fries?
What to use different chef's knife lengths for?
I have had an 8" Wushof knife for a couple of years now and love it! Today, I scored a set of Forschner knives (http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Cutlery-3-Piece-Fibrox-Handles/dp/B0000CF99O/) at a garage sale for $5! Included is a 10" chef's knife. When should I pick up my 8" and when should my 10" come out to play?
Saucier - 2 quart or 3?
I have the 3 quart and can't imagine having anything smaller, even if I'm cooking for two. I love this pan and use it as my sautee pan, too. (I know purists are wincing!) I just got an email from Willams-Sonoma touting their their new exclusive AC pan that's a cross between a saucier and a sautee pan. At $130, it's a great deal. (I can't believe I just said that!) But, it's 4 qt. http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/sku53173/index.cfm?pkey=ccookware-all-clad&ckey=cookware-all-clad I wish they made a smaller one!
I cannot cook steak. Can you?
I had an amazing ribeye last night thanks to all the posts here. It was even previously frozen (snatched up a good deal last month on a package that was getting old) and was still lovely. Here's what I did.
1. Thawed the steak in running, room temperature water. I was about to cook it anyhow, so it wasn't any worse hygienically to do this verses letting it sit out for a half hour!
2. Patted the room temperature steak dry and sprinkled Kosher salt on it (thanks, Alton Brown).
3. Set my cast iron skillet on a 8-9 burner for about seven minutes.
4. Sprayed one side of steak with canned canola oil.
5. Cooked that side - kept to one half of my skillet - for three minutes.
6. Sprayed other side of meat with canola oil.
7. Flipped steak onto other side of the skillet which hadn't been "cooled" by the steak.
8. The steak was thin enough that I did not follow it up with a bake in the oven.
9. Sprinkled with Spicy Montreal Steak Seasoning.
10. Let rest for five minutes (barely!) before digging in.
11. Enjoyed one of the loveliest steaks I've ever had.
Scratching All-Clad?
The bottom of the pan had a kind of circular rainbow of stain. It kinda looked like that rainbow you see on an oily parking lot after the rain. The staining on the side was more like a water stain. It ended at the level that the rice did. Both of these stains completely disappeared with Barkeeper's Friend. (Amazing stuff!)
I'm just surprised at the scratches. The nylon whisk scratched it? Is it possible that it happened as I was integrating the dry spices and they scratched the pan? Should I be more gentle until they're dissolved? I assumed I'd get scratches over time, but this pan has been used once for something seemingly soft and it's scratched already? At this rate, I'm going to wear through the steel! :P
Do I Need a Saucier?
My old saucier is 4 quarts and it can certainly be heavy. But, I have realized that I never lift it! I tend to scoop out whatever I've cooked, either to plate it up or scoop into freezer containers. Even if I've browned onions, it's usually so I can then add other stuff to that pot.
I'm getting two new sauciers it turns out! Thanks to some help here, I acquired a 3 quart SS All-Clad and a 4 1/2 quart special edition All-Clad. Both are on clearance right now at Williams-Sonoma. The first is $75 and the second is $90. I was able to find the 3 quart in stock locally, but had to call another store for the 4 1/2 quart and have it shipped. If you call the 1-800 number, you'll pay the full $180 for the larger pan and $150 for the smaller! But, they can tell you who has them in stock on their clearance racks. But, hurry, they just went to these low prices on Thursday and are probably selling out quickly.
I cannot cook steak. Can you?
I will try this exactly on our next steaks. Thanks so much for the detail!
Scratching All-Clad?
Unless you count cheap camping pots and pans, I've always cooked on non-stick. Yesterday, I brought home my first piece of All-Clad, a 3 quart stainless steel saucier. I cooked Spanish rice in it last night (because that's what was on the menu). I was shocked at the discoloration of the pan that happened, but it went away without fuss with some Barkeeper's Friend. But, there were also some scratches on the bottom of the pan. I only used a (Pampered Chef) nylon whisk to stir. The scratches to seem to match the stir pattern I would tend to use. The Spanish rice is boxed Old El Paso.
Am I doing something wrong?
I cannot cook steak. Can you?
I am comparing to eating out, but not just fancy steakhouses. I've had better petite sirloin steaks at a buffet place for $7. :( Mine just taste like cooked meat, even if I've bought the best filet mignon or ribeye steaks I can find. Of course, the better the cut, the better even mine taste.
I cannot cook steak. Can you?
I think of myself as a rather accomplished cook. I know what I'm doing and can invent on the fly with great success. But, to say my steaks are average might be generous. :( I've just never learned how to do it right. I have available to me a grill outside, a shallow cast iron pan, a deeper cast iron pan, a couple of All-Clad pans, as well as my KitchenAid non-stick set. I suspect the grill or cast iron are the best bet, but what's the method?
All-Clad Master Chef 2 or LTD? On a boat?
So, I called WS yesterday and asked if they had the saucier in stock. The gal didn't even know what I was talking about. "We have LTD on sale." I trusted you more, so I went there today... and bought the last one! Now, I have two wonderful pans for less than I was going to pay for one! :)
