'CAULKING' A POT

I agree with paulj - any dough that will seal the pot is OK. You're not in it for the taste. For $1.25, it wasn't worth the time (for me at least) to mix and roll out the flour and water. When it was done, we broke off some of the pizza dough and dipped into the sauce - not bad, but not as good as the fresh Acme sourdough baguette that we used for dipping.

Canthespam in Home Cooking

'CAULKING' A POT

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704584804575645042857457282.html

Last night I made Dorie Greenspan's version of the sealed chicken, with preserved lemon and sweet potatoes and it was delicious. The smallest organic chicken I could find was 4.41 lbs. and at 55 minutes (per the recipe) it wasn't quite done. I had to pop the legs/thighs into the microwave for few minutes. The veggies were perfect. I followed a hint in the recipe and used store bought pizza dough, for the seal, at Whole Foods - freshly made $1.25. Of course you can use any chicken or ready made dough.

WF sells preserved lemons in packages of two, but the they were nice enough to sell me only one. Truthfully, if you can't find individual lemons and you only use half anyway, I would omit it and add lemon zest instead.

Did I need the dough seal with my Le Creuset - I don't know, but it was fun doing it and made a nice presentation even though it was just for my husband and I.

Canthespam in Home Cooking

'CAULKING' A POT

Paulj - the chicken recipe looks good and I will be making it soon. My problem was trying to figure out how to put the flour/water mixture on the lid of my Le Creuset - I hadn't realized that the mixture would be so thick, like a dough ... DUH!

Canthespam in Home Cooking

'CAULKING' A POT

Hank and paulj - thanks for the informative answers. What confused me about the flour mixture was the way the way the recipe was worded - 'Combine flour and water, make a ‘caulk’ and use it to seal the lid to the dutch oven.' That seems like an awful lot of flour and water. Am I suppose to use all of it?

Canthespam in Home Cooking

'CAULKING' A POT

I want to try this 7 hour leg of lamb, cooked in a Le Creuset Dutch oven, but I am confused about the caulking part. Although I have never heard of it before, I do understand the concept. What I don't understand is do I just put the flour water mixture around the lid rim or all over the inside to the lid to seal it , or do I use the entire amount and pour over the leg of lamb also. The recipe sounds like maybe both ways????

http://french-food.com/blog/2012/04/03/easter-french-recipe-7-hr-lamb-leg/

Has anyone ever tried a recipe similar to this? I am curious as to how 'mushy' the meat would be cooked covered for 7 hours. I hate to risk a 6 lb. leg.

Thanks

Canthespam in Home Cooking

Pommery mustard substitute?

Today, quite by coincidence, I found two places that sell Pommery Mustard. My husband's co-worker bought some today at Kar'Ikter, 418 Union Street, San Francisco (Union Square), 415-434-1120 - karikter.com. They sell the original and most popular one - in the crock. It is in the $20+ range.

Another source is the Mustard Museum in Wisconsin where you can buy online.

It's also sold on Amazon.

Canthespam in Home Cooking

BEST BBQ IN SAN FRANCISCO

We had worked ourselves in a BBQ frenzy for dinner Saturday night and that is why I made my original post. We then called Baby Blues and after we had placed our delivery order, we were told that their area stopped ONE block from our house! We even offered to walk down and meet the bicycle delivery guy on Diamond St. (the boundary for deliveries) and they said no.

The we decided to give Memphis Minnie's another try and ... guess what, their delivery area ended about 3 blocks from our house... by then we were desperate for BBQ and placed a take out order. We arrived 25 minutes later and had to wait an additional 25 minutes for our order, as it was Saturday night and the place was packed.

The food was excellent, the ribs were meaty and flavorful and the brisket was tasty without too much fat. The mac and cheese was excellent, as were the corn bread and the pecan pie.

So, we are glad that we gave them another chance - they surpassed our expectations.

Canthespam in San Francisco Bay Area

BEST BBQ IN SAN FRANCISCO

We took an out of town visitor there a few years back - our first time. We knew that we would be eating late and I called them the evening before to make sure that the ribs would be nice and fresh at that hour, about 9:30PM or so. I was assured that their meat was always freshly cooked. I even called back about 1/2 hour before we arrived and was given the same answer. Well.... it was absolutely horrible. Everything looked as if it had been sitting for hours and was very very dry. We were not only embarrassed, but very disappointed.

Canthespam in San Francisco Bay Area

BEST BBQ IN SAN FRANCISCO

I'm sure that the answer to this is somewhere on Chow, but I can't find it. Not too crazy about Baby Blues or Memphis Minnie's. Hopefully your responses deliver.

Thanks

Canthespam in San Francisco Bay Area

What's The Oldest Thing You Cook In/With?

On a regular basis, I use the inexpensive collander, with 4 legs and made of thin metal, my seat of Pryrex colored mixing bowls and a few other things that I bought in 1957 when I got married. We didn't have any money, so they were relatively cheap. I have a new heavier collander in my vacation home that I could use here, but I love the old one too much to switch.

The collander and the bowls outlasted my marriage by many many years.

Canthespam in Cookware

The Absolute Best Broiler Pan

http://waterbroiler.com/

I should have shared this years ago. About 15 years ago I was looking for yet another broiler pan, one that was easy to clean and didn't look 100 years old after 10 uses. I saw an ad in Sunset Magazine and called them up, full of questions. The man I spoke invented this pan, and is still selling them via the mail.

He doesn't sell them in stores - I think he said that Williams Somoma (not sure) wanted to stock them, but they wanted to order way more than he wanted to produce. He has them manufactured and works from his home selling them.

I wanted to believe what he told me, and I am so glad that I did. You put a small amount of water in the bottom of the pan to catch the dripping, which makes it so easy to clean. The circular grill top holds quite a lot.

Long story short, I have used this pan 1-3 times a week for 15 years and it still looks like new. I also have one in our vacation home and have given several as gifts.

Fifteen years ago I think I paid $35.00 and they are now $50 plus shipping. He also talked me into the large fork type turner and it too is fabulous - easy to turn who pieces of fish or hamburgers on the pan or on the BBQ.

I spray the grill top with PAM while it is cold. When the food is done, I let it cool for a few minutes, and then put the whole thing in the sink and add hot water and dish washing soap, and let it soak for maybe five minutes and clean with a sponge or a dishwashing brush.

I guarantee you will never buy another broiler pan.

No, I don't work for the company, but wish I did so that I could get them wholesale :-)

Canthespam in Cookware

KitchenAid 24" Electric Double Ovens

My dishwasher is a stainless Miele and I love it, especially the silverware tray (instead of a basket), on the top. My old GE ovens were white as is my fridge. You get used to something and it becomes the norm. The white oven doors were very easy to keep clean. The stainless Miele is a bit more trouble than just wiping off. Last year it replaced a G.E. dishwasher that I bought in 1971. It still worked fine, but the insides were rusting so it was time to replace it :-(

I love your line about 'German engineering overachievers".... my husband is German (1st generation) and fits right into that catagory :-) - sometimes good and sometimes too good.

My Amana microwave (1981) finally went last year too - so I replaced it with a Panosonic and love it. My G.E. dryer (1971) is still going strong and is used several times a week.

I guess I have to stop living in the past,

Canthespam in Cookware

KitchenAid 24" Electric Double Ovens

I was spoiled by the simplicity of my old GE ovens. Turn one dial and the broiler was on. I am so far behind with the new appliances, so it took a bit of doing to get the broiler going.. really no big deal, just what seems to be a lot of extra steps, but after a few more uses I'll be OK. Can you tell that I don't adapt well to new technology :-)

Each time I opened the door to check the broiling meat or to turn it over, a small little notice told me shut the door.

I can't complain about the broiler element. The meat came out cooked perfectly, thanks to the perfect timing by my husband, and there was a nice crust on the top. I have yet to bake in it, but I'm sure that that will be fine too ------ but the ovens still looks looks like plastic, or as my husband said, a refrigerator.

If we had the space, I would have purchased the 27" stainless Thermador ovens. They were absolutely gorgeous and I loved the roll out shelves.

If I can get over the facade, and learn how to operate the controls with ease, then I am sure that I will be more than satisfied with my new ovens. I'm just going through buyer's remorse. I will never buy anything again that I haven't seen in person.

Canthespam in Cookware

KitchenAid 24" Electric Double Ovens

My 30 year old (1981) G.E. ovens finally had to be replaced - basically only the top one, as the bottom oven was used mainly for storing cookie sheets, broiler pan etc...

My new KitchenAid was just installed, and I've been standing in front of it for about a half an hour, saying OMG what have I done. I'm not crazy about stainless steele appliances - my Meile stainless dishwasher is a pain to keep clean. I decided to go with white ovens. Actually the stainless steele is just a thin layer over the oven door - it isn't solid as we would have thought.

Now KitchenAid certainly isn't cheap, but it came with glowing recommendations from people in the business that I respect and their products have a fine reputation.

I looked at the two white doors laying on my kitchen floor, prior to installation, and thought that the piece of plastic on the front, was to protect the door during shipping .... WRONG... it IS the front of the door and it is plexiglass!!! Apparently that is common on a lot of new ovens. It is already full of fingerprints.

Due to the existing space, we had to replace our old 24" ovens with new 24" ovens, or we would have had more of a selection in various brands. I think that G.E. was one of or the only other one that made 24" double ovens and we preferred the features of the KitchenAid.

Bottom line, like most new appliances, this looks soooo cheap on the outside - including the top panel with the control panel and the clock. It all looks so plastic -icky. You have to stand practically on top of it to hear the timer go off. The inside looks fine as do the cooking features. Absolutely no store in the San Francisco area had the 24" ovens, single or double on display, in either the white or the stainless, so we went by catalog and online pictures and of course KitchenAid reputation.

Adding insult to injury .... there was a a piece of paper with the instructions, telling us that we could BUY a broiler pan and rack, at a special price, regularly $26.99, but only $18.99 for us!!!!!!! That's when I realized that it wasn't included. How cheap can you get. Fortunately my old G.E. broiler pan looks like new as I use a water broiler pan and love it.

I will be broiling dinner in a few minutes ... if I can get past the cheesy looking facade. For that amount of $$$$, I don't like the idea that I 'have' to get used to it. :-(

Have any of you had the same visual problems with the quality of a new major appliance?

Canthespam in Cookware

KEEPING FOOD THAT WAS IN FRIDGE DURING LENGTHY POWER FAILURE

I was so lucky that I had no perishables - fresh fruit, veggies, milk etc... It was cleaned out for our trip.

Canthespam in Not About Food

KEEPING FOOD THAT WAS IN FRIDGE DURING LENGTHY POWER FAILURE

I have limited cabinet storage space and I guess I tend to put things in the fridge for that reason. I do find that refrigerating vegetable oil and sesame seeds prolongs their lives., and of course I want my food to stay fresh as long as possible.

If things don't smell, as most of these items don't, how can you tell if they are 'past their prime" during normal storage, fridge or shelf?

I am starting to feel a little better about the spoilage of these items ... thank you.

Canthespam in Not About Food

KEEPING FOOD THAT WAS IN FRIDGE DURING LENGTHY POWER FAILURE

Thanks - no the canned fruit hasn't been opened, I leave a can or two in the fridge, so that it is always cold when I eat it. I never leave anything in opened cans. My mother 'convinced' me as a kid that I would die if I ate anything from an opened can :-)

The labels on most jarred or bottled items say to refrigerate after opening, so that is why I put these things in the fridge.

Canthespam in Not About Food

do you get crabby when hungry?

I would know, my husband says I am crabby most of the time.

I am a diabetic, and I do get a little frantic when I need to eat.

Canthespam in Not About Food

KEEPING FOOD THAT WAS IN FRIDGE DURING LENGTHY POWER FAILURE

This is about food, but I couldn't figure out another board to post this on.

We returned home after a 2 week vacation to find that our power had been off for quite some time - exact time unknown, but everything was very very warm, and of course everything in both freezers was mush and thrown away immediately.

I tossed everything in the fridge that contained oil such as a brand new jar of mayo, salad dressings, butter etc. - the usual stuff..

Can I still use items in jars and bottles like pickle relish, vinegars, mustard, soy sauce, unopened canned fruit, ginger in sherry, sesame seeds, catsup, cocktail sauce, jams, syrup and that kind of stuff? They are sitting (off to the side) in the fridge, waiting to be tossed or kept. All of the jars/bottles have been opened.

I am trying to save a big shopping trip and some $$, but I don't want to risk my life (and stomach) to save a few bucks.

Thanks.

Canthespam in Not About Food

CLEANING FRIDGE & SEPARATE FREEZER AFTER TWO WEEK POWER OUTAGE

Thanks harry harry. He has thoroughly cleaned it out, and is ready for the next step.

o you put the dry grounds in and then turn the freezer on, or do you leave the grounds in the warm freezer, for how long - and then remove them and turn the freezer on?

Canthespam in Not About Food

CLEANING FRIDGE & SEPARATE FREEZER AFTER TWO WEEK POWER OUTAGE

How many coffee gouunds ..1 lb. etc...

Canthespam in Not About Food

CLEANING FRIDGE & SEPARATE FREEZER AFTER TWO WEEK POWER OUTAGE

Harry - did you use ground coffee (dry) or wet used coffee grounds?

Canthespam in Not About Food

CLEANING FRIDGE & SEPARATE FREEZER AFTER TWO WEEK POWER OUTAGE

Thanks for the first hand suggestions. My husband had decided that he is the one who will do the actual de-smelling, so I'll let him choose from one of the above methods.

We were lucky that most of the freezer stuff was in FoodSaver bags or the leaking would have been much worse, and there was nothing in the fridge except things in bottles and jars etc.. - no fresh veggies or fruit.

Canthespam in Not About Food

CLEANING FRIDGE & SEPARATE FREEZER AFTER TWO WEEK POWER OUTAGE

We returned home very late last night to find that power was out in some of my rooms and in the refrigerator and the garage freezer. Apparently a wire had blown down and judging by the temp of the food, it could have been most of the two weeks that we were away. Of course everything was ruined, lamb shanks, osso bucco, stews, wonderful soups and a lot of frozen vegetables. I am going to toss everything in the fridge too, mayo, oil, etc..

I immediately dumped the food and wiped out both freezers. Nothing in the refrigerator leaked, just went bad. Lots of dripage in both freezers and they both stink. Fortunately I used FoodSaver bags, so the frozen foods did not leak ... but the popsicles are all over everything and some store packaged boxes.

What is the best thing(s) to clean both the freezers and the refrigerators sections. I have read - coffee grounds, kitty litter, baking soda but people claim they don't work. Help, we are going through a heat wave now.

Bless PG&E, (San Francisco), they came out at 1:00AM and reconnected the outside wire and restored the power.

Thanks in advance.

Canthespam in Not About Food

It's 90 degrees and my iced tea pitcher needs some inspiration!

I am a purist when it comes to ice tea.... nothing but tea no flavors added. I love it and drink it daily all year round. We used to drink Tea Java and loved it. Then I 'discovered' the Toddy Cold Brew System and am now I am in ice tea heaven.

I use loose orange pekoe leaves and get two batches of concentrate (2 quarts) from 1/4 lb. of leaves, so besides being a wonderful drink, it is also economical. Rainbow in San Francisco has a great selection of loose teas.

My husband is an ice coffee drinker - think Starbucks mocha grande (?) and he came up with a similiar recipe and loves the Toddy too. You can also drink the tea and coffee hot, but we have only had it iced.

I got mine from Amazon for around $25 - the price frequently varies. It is impossible to buy it locally. If you are not familiar with the Toddy, check out their product page and reviews. (no I don't work for Toddy - just love their product :-)

Canthespam in Home Cooking

green bean salad

Thanks Robert. Yesterday I was searching for Des Alpes and found this this thread, that brought back memories of numerous meals there. I can still taste the crisp, skinny fries, the tongue in mushroom sauce, Wednesday or Thursdays, the string bean salad, and their fabulous coffee from Capricorn. I rarely if ever drink coffee, but theirs was always a part of my meal.

I made your recipe for the string bean salad... had to have it as soon as I read it. For old times sake I actually brought a can of string beans. I remember when I ate it there, I always commented that the string beans were canned, but for loved it anyway.

I halved your recipe for the two of us, using one can of beans, and I added a little less salt and more wine vinegar. We gobbled it down and I will continue making it. I feel as if I have found an old friend. Next time I just might try it with fresh beans... no promise.

I resurrected this thread so that others can share this fabulous dish.

Canthespam in Home Cooking

Cold-drop/ice-drip coffee maker

I never use the same baggie twice - that would defeat the purpose....I hate to think about what is in the filters or the bags.

I read a Toddy customer review that said she has friends that have used a Toddy filter regularly for TWO years and she plans on doing the same thing. Maybe it's just me, but I find that really disgusting.

Where are the bacteria police when you need them!

Canthespam in Cookware

DANISH BREAD DOUGH WHISK

Josordoni, please forgive me for overlooking your post. I just saw it today when I came back to this thread.

Since it was over a year ago that I spoke to them, I have completely forgotten their name and contact info. I think that they were in Santa Barbara, CA. I got their name from one of the websites mentioned here, but I don't remember which one.

I am so sorry, I didn't deliberately ignore your request.

Canthespam in Cookware

DANISH BREAD DOUGH WHISK

I am so sorry bakernewbie I completely missed your post which is a year old. Of course I would have given you the name of the importer, but now I don't remember who they were. I think that they were in Santa Barbara, Ca. and were very nice. Once of the sites gave me their name.

Please forgive me for this oversight.

Canthespam in Cookware