paraque's Profile
Things you thought you didn't need but were wrong about, and things you thought you needed but really didn't
Zojirushi's hot water boiler is also at the top of my list of things I didn't think I need but I did. My husband insisted too - now I couldn't live without it. My other ones are a salad spinner (only a necessity if you have a garden or buy at the farmer's markets), chopsticks, and that cheapo spatula my old roommate left behind.
Things I didn't need: Convection oven.
Things I probably should get, but live well without: Garlic press, food processsor. Stand mixer would probably go on the list too, except I have one - I use it but probably don't REALLY need it.
Looking for great coffee maker
I use a french press too, but with a Zojirushi hot water boiler like this : http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-CV-DSC40-Hybrid-Boiler-Stainless/dp/B000MAFJRM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318262737&sr=8-1
I love it. French press coffee is my favorite, and having a constant supply of perfectly heated water on hand makes it almost as easy as a drip pot. We didn't buy a new drip pot when our last one broke - French press coffee all the way.
Need new "big gift" kitchen tool/appliance
This may seem like an odd thing to suggest, but my most favorite kitchen gadget purchase of the last 5 years is a Zojirushi water boiler. This is the one I have: http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-CV-DSC40-Hybrid-Boiler-Stainless/dp/B000MAFJRM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1317934357&sr=8-2
Now, I have oatmeal whenever I want it. Every evening I have a cup of tea while I never would have taken the time to boil the water before I had my Zojirushi. I love it. We got rid of our old drip coffee machine because the Zojirushi makes french press coffee so effortless. I use it for hot water to clean my cast iron pans, I use it to sanitize toothbrushes, I use it to make the kids instant mac and cheese when I'm feeling lazy, I use it to add to pasta water so it doesn't take as long to boil on the stove... When winter comes I plan to have many cups of hot cocoa. It's the best. The first kitchen gadget in a long time that's exceeded my expectations.
KitchenAid mixers are pretty great too though. But even though I have one, I don't like to bother to break it out for the things you listed. I still make quick breads and pizza dough by hand - it seems easier somehow. I make a lot of sandwich bread, though, and grind my own wheat, so that's when it gets used.
What would you buy with $100 on Amazon?
My new favorite kitchen gadget is actually a great timesaver (since you said time is an issue for you). I just bought one of those Zojirushi hot water boilers. It's fantastic and lets me effortlessly prepare things I love like oatmeal and tea and hot chocolate without having to wait for the water to boil. I know it seems silly that waiting for water to boil would be an issue, but it makes a real difference in my tea drinking if I can have a cup of tea instantly vs. having to wait for 5 minutes. I also use it to fill pots for pasta, so it can boil on the stove almost immediately. It's great if you have kids for instant mac and cheese and fabulous for cleaning stuck-on food off of old dishes. I love it when I have to clean my cast iron fry pan - no waiting for the sink to heat up! I bought it initially because our coffee maker broke and I wanted to switch to french press coffee - this machine makes it effortless, so now I don't need a drip pot. I love it.
I read so many reviews when looking into buying one where people said they thought it was such a stupid idea to have a gadget just for keeping water hot, but now they can't imagine life without it, and I feel the same way. You can get one for a little over $100.
http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-CD-WBC30-Electric-3-Liter-Champagne/dp/B0011528S0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1316268861&sr=8-2
Lead in Slow Cooker Inserts?
I have found the settings on the West Bend slow cooker to be VERY accurate. The setting dial runs from 1-5, with 1 being the lowest heat and 5 the hottest heat. At 1, it really just keeps things warm for serving. I usually use 3, which provides enough heat to cook a pot of beans (without pre-soaking) if I put them on at 9:00 am and come back at 6:00 pm. At 3, the pot will not boil (every other modern slow cooker I've used boils even on the lowest settings). However, if you want a boil, 5 will do it.
I imagine if you want to cook for 10 or more hours, 2 or 2 1/2 would work out for you. Like I said - I've been very pleased with it's range of performance on different settings. I will say that it's not thrilling to use - it really is pretty ugly and feels kind of unsubstantial. It also looks like it holds a lot less than it really does (I often will cook a whole 3 lb. chicken in it). But it works well. You can put the pot on the stove if you want to sear or finish something off, too.
Lead in Slow Cooker Inserts?
Here's another alternative by West Bend, for those of you who don't want to blow a good portion of your paycheck on the All-Clad slow cooker:
http://www.amazon.com/West-Bend-84915-5-Quart-Oblong-Shaped/dp/B000TK8SLY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1294855297&sr=8-1
It's pretty ugly, I have to admit - nowhere near as attractive as the All-Clad - but I've been pretty happy with the performance of mine. It also has a non-stick coating, but my understanding is that the greatest health concerns involved in non-stick coatings are when they are used at very high heats (not low heats as in slow cookers).
TODAY ONLY - Cuisinart Elite 12 cup food processor $119!!!
Amazon has the Kitchenaid 6qt Pro in the Meringue color on sale for $279 with a $50 rebate, bringing the total price to $229. I have a nice space cleared out on my counter for mine (arriving tomorrow!).
non-pyrex baking dish
I have dropped my LC stoneware ramekins from countertop height onto a ceramic tile floor twice without even a scratch. I'm sure that the ramekins are much less likely to break than a large casserole dish, but still, I thought that was fairly impressive durability.
Questions re: Le Creuset Stoneware
People keep asking why someone would pick stoneware OVER cast iron. Personally, I think if one can only buy one piece of cookware, there would be no reason to pick stoneware over cast iron. Cast iron is the more versatile choice. That said, there are many reasons I like having a few stoneware pieces in addition to my cast iron.
I'm sure there are some who would disagree with my preferences, but there are certain dishes where I would prefer that the edges not get crispy. For example, casseroles and quickbreads. I think stoneware does a better job of leaving a nice soft edge. Cast iron leaves a great crispy edge when you want that (think cornbread...).
Also, you can stick stoneware in the microwave to reheat.
Since the OP was asking about roasting, I really don't think either one does better at roasting chickens. Really the shape is most important I think for roasting birds - you want deep enough sides that splatters don't escape but shallow enough that the sides of the meat are well exposed to the oven (I find my DO sides a bit too deep, actually). For roasting chickens, I often wish I hadn't gotten rid of my old pyrex brownie pan.
Questions re: Le Creuset Stoneware
I like the Le Creuset stoneware. I bought my first piece because I just needed a stoneware casserole dish and liked that it would match my LC dutch ovens, but I really do feel like it was a good purchase. Now I have a covered casserole, a loaf pan, an oval baking dish, the mixing bowl set, and a ramekin set.
Roasting a chicken is really no problem in stoneware - I used to do it in a pyrex dish before. However, stoneware really cannot be used in place of cast iron, generally speaking. Everyone else's responses are right on the mark. Stoneware is really for baking.
I've never tried the Emile Henry stuff, so I can't compare. However, I will say that the LC loafpan makes a great quickbread, the casserole makes a great casserole, and I've dropped the ramekins from counter height onto a ceramic tile floor several times without so much as a scratch.
They are a bit overpriced, though - I'd watch for a sale.
Le Creuset Redesigned!
Looks like a teenage boy who needs to grow into his ears...
I can't read French - anyone know whether they're redesigning all their DOs or if this is just a new line?
need to buy a mixer for pizza dough
I second the vote for making pizza dough by hand. I have a KitchenAid but find myself unwilling to pull it out and clean the parts when I'm only making pizza dough. Stir it with a spoon, knead with your hands, done...
Wooden spoon
Personally, while I wouldn't worry too much about wooden spoons stirring meat, I probably wouldn't use mine for chili. Chili stains something awful...
spiedini cube
Well, growing up in Texas, we used to make an awful lot of skewered kabobs for our backyard grill. It was a generally a whole family affair, with mom getting the kids to help, and it still took a rather long time to make enough for just the family. I would think this would indeed be quite a time saver... If you needed an awful lot of kabobs, at least.
I would think it wouldn't be so easy to put veggies on your skewers between the meat, though.
Pie crust shields
Maybe this is a dumb question, but why don't you just put the foil on for the first half of the baking instead of the second? That's what I've always done. There's never a worry about burning myself putting it on (because the pie isn't hot yet), and any sort of moisture buildup underneath the foil is taken care of during the second half of the baking when the crust crisps up more. Also, it's pretty easy to pull off the foil while leaving the pie in the oven.
Does my technique produce inferior pie crusts for some reason?
Your favorite Le Creuset color
Oddly enough, I think that Carribbean is my favorite color, but I've never bought any of it. I think it's so beautiful, but just doesn't seem very "kitcheny" to me.
My dishes and cookware are all in variations on the LC Cherry, Dijon, Kiwi, and Cactus (which I like WAY better than the Williams-Sonoma Green). I like the green-red-yellow combination, and it gives me some room if one color's on sale but another isn't. My Fiestaware matches great with those colors, too!
zinc topped table?
I've never had a zinc topped table, but I have had many many pieces of wooden furniture throughout my life, only one or two of which showed any discoloration when I set hot items on them. My impression has always been that heat marks have more to do with the finish on the wood than the type of wood. I had a pine coffee table once that I actually *tried* to make coffee cup rings on and couldn't do it (with either hot items or cold items w/condensation).
A dining room table should be finished to withstand such things. It doesn't surprise me so much that a PB table couldn't take the heat - I always think that if I wanted to spend that much on furniture, I could find something that's much higher quality than PB. If you like wood, I'd just look for a different table. Maybe bring a hot cup of coffee with you shopping to test it out.
Or if you like the zinc, it is pretty...
LeCreuset deal at finecooking.com, 12X9 1/2" enameled cast-iron baking dish for $39.95
I'd be interested to hear what you receive in the mail once you get it. I'm wondering if there's some kind of mix up somewhere. First, a quick search online doesn't really produce a Le Creuset cast iron roasting pan in the dimensions you gave - only a stoneware. On the other hand, you said that the photo showed a pan in the flame color, which I don't think I've ever seen on a stoneware piece. But you also said that the flame wasn't available, so who knows?
Let us know what you get!
Butterbell?
I have one that I use. The butter does fall out if it gets too hot - say around 78 F and up. I've never had it get mold, but I don't live in a particularly humid climate.
My opinion is that they really don't do anything that a good heavy stoneware butter dish wouldn't do. I'm skeptical they really keep a better temperature than a butter dish. The advantages are 1) they kind of look cuter than a butter dish and 2) if it does get hot enough to melt your butter the butter doesn't seep out all over your counter (which once happened with my butter dish). The disadvantages are: 1) they do drip a bit when you pull them apart, leaving a bit of clean-up and 2) if it gets warm enough that you need to put it in the fridge, the cold butter is even harder to use than when in stick form.
Hope that helps!
Other uses for an asparagus pot
Geez, at $25 for an All-Clad pot, just make a lot of asparagus and be guilt-free!
Tortilla Presses
So with all this talk about rolling out flour tortillas, let me ask... Do you guys do flour tortillas in a press? I've always rolled mine - I thought presses were only for corn tortillas. If it works better, I'd love to know. I've gotten to where I can roll a good tortillas pretty quick but it takes some energy, which I seem to be running short on these days...
Does Anyone Have a Bread Maker?
Yeah. I have to admit, I went dumpster diving once when I accidentally threw out my paddle. A real dumpster - I'm not kidding. Yes, I climbed in and sifted through garbage.
le creuset soup pot?
The 2.5 buffet casserole is a very nice pot and would give more surface area for browning. So it would probably be better for braises, small roasts, chicken cuts, etc. On the other hand, I can't see using it for, well, soups. Maybe I'm wrong - anyone tried it?
I f you're looking for a true all-purpose pot, I'd say the absolute best pot to cook for two people would be the 3.5 round dutch oven. It works well for just about anything that's not too large. The soup pot is more limited in what you can cook in it. What I like about to soup pot though is that while it's a great little pot for two, it transitions well to a pot for side dishes when you're cooking for more people. Also, the soup pot's usually sold at a fairly attractive price...
le creuset soup pot?
It's really great for small quantities. I've cooked soup for four in it, but that's 2 adults and 2 toddlers. So realistically, I'd say soup for two with one meal of leftovers - which is just right for a couple. You could also probably fit a very small roast or a couple of chicken cuts in there, although it's not great for browning...
I think it would make an ideal pot for 2.
le creuset soup pot?
Actually, I'd say my 2 3/4 soup pot is my second most used pot, next to my 3 1/2 DO. And I cook for a family of four. I use it on an almost nightly basis for rice or vegetable side dishes. It's really a perfect pot for rice. I suppose maybe LC is overkill for the dishes I cook in it, but I've found plenty of uses for it.
HELP! Is it toooo big? 9-quart Le Creuset
I cook for four (2 kids and 2 adults), and while I own the 7 Qt LC, I find that I most often use my 3.5 Qt. LC. Even cooking for four, I find that I have plenty plus a bit of leftovers of any stew or soup I cook in the 3.5 Qt. This isn't to say you should necessarily go for a 3.5 qt instead of a 9 Qt - I'm just saying that the 9 Qt for 2 people seems like major overkill to me. I'd think a 5 qt. would be plenty of room (you can fit a chicken or roast in there easily). Maybe a 7 qt if you are planning on eventually cooking for more people and don't want to ever buy another LC pot...
Le Creuset and Its Imitators
Not to be a Negative Nellie, but I just thought I should let you know that I bought several pieces of the Cuisinart line of enameled cast iron and quickly replaced them with comparable LC pieces. The main problem that I had was that they chipped VERY easily. I didn't even notice it happening. Now, I have a couple of chips on my most frequently used LC, but it was from me doing stupid things like dropping it.
On the other hand, the Cuisinart performed fine - the chipping was just a cosmetic feature I wasn't happy about. If I were going to buy a cheaper enamel cast iron product, I think I would go with Lodge myself. Lodge seems to have many happy customers.
Enameled cast iron dutch oven
Problems with Le Creuset's enamel chipping are really dependent on how much of a klutz you are. I have about 8 LC pots, and I've had about five non-LC enamel cast iron pieces. The non-LC pieces all developed a number of chips, scratches, and discolorations quickly and when I wasn't looking. The damage just sort of mysteriously appeared.
Only one piece of my LC has any damage. It's my most frequently used pot, and there's no mystery as to how it was damaged. I dropped the lid, which hit the pot hard and chipped the enamel. Twice. So if you're a klutz like me, expect chips in your LC enamel. Otherwise, it should hold up well. Cheaper brands will chip whether you're a klutz or not (although I've never used Calphalon's).
Where to buy tamales by the dozen in Boston area?
Excellent! Close to my place, too...
Where to buy tamales by the dozen in Boston area?
It's not that I object to other kinds of tamales... I've tried several and they're all very good. And I'm sure I'll have to give The ones at Pollo las Brasas a try. But I'm looking for my traditional Christmas morning breakfast...
I've already got the navel oranges from Mission TX... Just need some tamales. And maybe Pan de Polvo...
