baloo's Profile
Illy Espresso Makers -- Are they worth it? Would you recommend one particular model, or another brand?
I have a Francis Francis X1 and I'm very happy with it. I got it around 5 or 6 years ago, and it makes good espresso. It uses either pods or your own beans. I am still kind of learning with selecting a grind and tamping, and coffeegeek.com is a great source.
48" Pro Style Range Need Help on Decision Making!!!
We have a viking 48 inch dual fuel with 6 burners and griddle. We have had it for a little over two years and I love it. The open burners are really easy to clean (everything comes apart, so I think it's actually easier than sealed). The griddle is actually more useful than I expected, because you can use it for lots of things besides the usual pancakes that you would think of. I actually use it to heat up leftover pizza (that way the crust doesn't get soggy like in the microwave). It's also great for making quesadillas and I'm sure you'll think of things too. I don't find the ovens on the bottom to be a problem, as long as you have adequate space for the doors to open. If you do end up getting the 48inch range, you might not really need a wall oven since you will have two ovens on the range. Mine has two--one is larger than the other, which is kind of nice since you don't have to heat the large oven if you're not cooking something so big.
All-Clad Deluxe Slow Cooker Replacement Lid
I would ask at Williams Sonoma. Even if you didn't get yours there, they do sell them and they have really good customer service, so perhaps they can order you a lid.
Using Pre-Finished Wood Flooring in a Kitchen
I have prefinished wood in my kitchen and most of my house (we built it around 2 years ago). It is solid, not engineered. It is tigerwood and it's from Shaw. It is great. We have never had any problems with it. Scratches and dents aren't really a problem because it is a very hard wood and the finish is pretty tough. Before we picked out the wood I ordered samples from several places and abused them (I am still using a piece of tigerwood as a coaster on my desk at work and there are no stains or water damage). We have a few scratches (from our cats) here and there, but it's really not noticeable to anyone but me. My best advice to avoid scratches is to make everyone in your house and everyone coming into your house take off their shoes. People may think that's weird, but it really works. Lots of grit gets tracked in on shoes, and high heels are the worst!
Reduced points for Williams Sonoma and Crate & Barrel gift cards from Amex
Was the discount just for those two stores or were there others it applies to as well?
Salad Spinner
I have the oxo in stainless and I really like it. It's heavier than the plastic version and the outer bowl looks nicer. I previously had a plastic oxo and it gave out after many years of use.
Archer Farms Spice Bottles.
Penzeys sells their glass jars empty (online and in the catalog). I don't remember what the archer farms bottles look like, so I don't know if the penzeys bottles would work for you. I would check places like penzeys (spice companies), and maybe the container store. I have little metal cans from dean and deluca and I have found empty ones at the container store (which were kinda pricey) and at Michaels (which were cheap). So maybe try Michaels and other craft type stores too.
Miele Dishwasher decibel level
I've had my miele for about a year and a half and it is virtually silent (the only sound I ever hear is a little bit of water gurgling when it first starts, but really, it's nothing). I don't recall the model number we have, but it does have the third shelf for cutlery, which I heartily recommend, as it makes it so much easier to load silverware and it gets so clean. It's a great machine. I have had many dishwashers, most of them bad, but this miele is great and worth every penny.
As for the decibel levels, I seem to recall that when I was researching dishwashers (also deciding between bosch and miele) I found something online somewhere showing that the mieles were a slight bit quieter, so if you google it you can probably find something. Also, check out the home appliance board on gardenweb.com. Those people know a lot about appliances.
Am I the only one who finds Al Clad difficult to clean?
Barkeeper's friend should definitely take the eggs off with no problem. Just soak the pan in hot water & dish soap for a couple of minutes, then use the barkeeper's friend and a scrubby sponge thingy and it should come off easily.
Bread and Brew in Dupont Circle?
I went there a couple weeks ago (right after they opened) for lunch with coworkers. We sat in the downstairs bar area where there is table service. We were all happy with our food. Sandwiches looked good and people who ordered soups really liked them. I had pizza and it was great. The service was a little rough around the edges, but they seemed to be still learning and very eager to help, so although it was a little slow, it wasn't bad. I think with a little more experience, their wait staff will be fine. The chef came to our table and asked how everything was. Everyone there was very friendly. One guy at our table remarked that he thought they may have to raise their prices after a while (he had the soup and half sandwich, both of which were pretty big, and it was only around $6).
Also, they have added some tables and chairs on their outside deck, so now that it's getting warmer, that's probably the best place to sit.
Dreaded IAD overnight: where to eat nearby?
Yes, definitely try Wegmans. They have a lot of variety and the sit down options are good too.
Zojirushi Rice Cooker - Which one?
mine has a separate function for making "GABA" brown rice which does take several hours. The difference between this and regular brown rice is just that the cooking cycle takes longer and it is supposed to conserve enzymes in the rice.
Need help - Where to find turkey parts in NoVA?
Try Whole Foods. I haven't been there recently, but in prior years, they have always had the bone-in breast. They also have legs usually, but I don't recall seeing thighs.
White with blue trim bakeware
There is some bakeware and from Dansk currently that is similar (although the blue is more of a navy color). I believe it is called "Bistro" or something like that. There is dinnerware that is similar that is called "Concerto" that kinda matches if you like that look. If you go to the Dansk website they have all their current patterns. I have the Concerto dishes and they are very nice looking and durable. I have a couple of Bistro pieces and they are nice as well (I think the difference is that they are heavier than the concerto pieces, which makes sense since they are more for baking and serving). They all coordinate pretty well.
Looking for anniversary caliber place around Loudoun County
patowmac farm near lovettsville is really nice and romantic. it's in western loudoun and has beautiful views of the mountains
Williams Sonoma returns/exchanges—any experiences?
I have purchased a lot of things at williams sonoma and they have great service. I have a capresso coffee maker with a grinder that got jammed a couple years after I had purchased it. When I took it in to ask them to send it for repairs, they simply gave me a new one. I had some trouble with a blender that they no longer carried and they gave me credit for the purchase price of the original blender and let me pick out another one. If your kitchen aid breaks, they will probably just give you a new one. Really great customer service.
ideal number of bowls for kitchen sink? 1, 2, or 3?
We just built a new house and have one really big sink (big enough to soak our thanksgiving turkey roaster), and then a second smaller one on our island. And we absolutely love it. And definitely get undermount, because it's much easier to clean.
Toaster love - Dualit
I have it too and love it. You are so lucky to have gotten such a great deal on the price! I paid full price and it's worth every penny. I can see why you're so giddy. Take a bit of the $$ you saved and get one of the sandwhich cages--they make for great grilled cheese and toasted sandwhiches. And I seem to recall you can buy them separately online.
Swanky bar near Dulles?
Go to Wegmans instead. You'll be very close (a quick cab ride) and you'll have enough time to peruse all the aisles at leisure, and have a quick dinner or lunch.
New Le Creuset Color--Slate!
I think it would go well in a kitchen that had a lot of anodized cookware (think Calphalon or all clad ltd). But I personally prefer their bright colors (I have some of the cobalt blue, a red, and an orange pumpkin). I have a black Staub, but I just think bright colors when I think of Le Creuset. As for how the food looks, I assume it has the same interior color as the colored pieces (that cream color), so I bet food would look about the same in it.
And there's another new color that looks cool to me at sur la table. It's a bright turquoisey blue.
Soho Cafe & Market
on M street between 19th and 20th, there is a similar place (really big buffets, I'm not sure if there is Korean stuff because I go there for salad). It's on the same side of the street as Pizza hut and a chineses take out place. Also, just around the corner from there (on 20th going toward L street--across the street from CVS), there is another buffet place that is pretty good. Again, I'm not sure whether they have Korean, because I get salad, but the quality is good.
Toaster ovens
We have the dualit toaster oven. We have had it since december (purchased online from target). It's a great little oven and it even has convection. It's very durable, like the dualit toasters. It may be a bit more pricey, but their products are built to last. We've had one of their toaster for many years without a bit of trouble.
Subzero or Thermador Refer/freezer?
I have a subzero, 48 inch, side by side. We just built a new house and have had it since October, and it's fabulous. The dual compressors are great and produce and cheeses especially seem to stay fresher for much longer than in our old fridge. I don't have any experience with Thermador. As far as noise is concerned, our subzero doesn't really make any noise, so I wouldn't let that scare you away.
Cabinet knobs & door pulls?
If you have a home expot design center (it's an upscale home depot store) near where you live, you could go there and look at their knobs and pulls. They have a pretty good selection but not so many as to overwhelm you. You might want to actually purchase them online though because the price kind of adds up quickly depending on how many cabinets and drawers you have.
Professional Reviews of Ranges
You should also post your question on gardenweb (they have a forum on kitchen appliances that is pretty extensive). If there is such a source for reviews, someone there may likely know of it.
Stove with grill question
I have a viking range with the griddle and LOVE the griddle. Get a griddle, you'll love it too! I don't have the grill but everyone I know hates cleaning it and so never uses it.
Flame on the Viking vs Wolf vs DCS
I have the viking 48 inch dual fuel. I'm not sure what exactly you mean, but I have never had any troubles cooking with small pots and pans on my viking. If it's a really small sauce pan, then you don't really need the burner turned up to the highest level. If I'm missunderstanding your question, let me know and I'll check it out for you.
Granite counter and drying dishes
I had the same problem in my new house. We got a new rack that is stainless that came with a plastic liner that sits under it (it's slightly sloped so that the drips drain into the sink next to it). I got it at Container Store, and I think it was made by Oxo. It works really well, and it has special slip-in slots for knives. I think it was around $40 or so.
As for the water sitting on the granite, though, I doubt it would be a problem really as long as your granite is properly sealed. When the granite is sealed, water will bead up on it and it doesn't absorb (it may show spots depending on your water and the color of granite you have). When it comes time to reseal, then it can absorb.
