Cooking and Dining

[NTP66]

I don’t want my patio just littered with grills, so a combo unit would be appealing to me. My BIL has a combo grill/smoker, and if I were going to make a change, that’s the direction I’d go.

[shafnutz05]

I don't like using my gas grill in high wind. Causes way too much temperature fluctuation inside the grill with cold wind blowing through the holes.

[blackjack68]

Truth

[count2infinity]

I don’t use my grill with high wind in the summer, let alone in the winter.

[LITT]

I recommend USA Pan baking products. They're based in the Pittsburgh area and their products are made in the USA. Most of the baking sheets and pans sold by King Arthur Flour are rebadged USA Pan products.

https://www.usapan.com/

they have a biannual factor sale, usually may and november (not in these COVID times) and have some really great deals on factory seconds. i have pretty much outfitted my entire collection this way

[NTP66]

They apparently give you a 20% off coupon for signing up for their mailing list, so there's that.

[count2infinity]

I made kimchi a couple months ago. Gave half to a coworker who absolutely loved it. The other half has been sitting in my fridge. Made up a batch of kimchi fried rice over the weekend for my lunches through the week. Heat it up, top it with a fried egg and some sriracha. Hot damn is this good stuff. Highly recommend it for an easy lunch.

[tifosi77]

When we bought our house in Encino in 2012, I bought a jug of kimchi from the local Korean grocery store. The week we moved out, in 2016, I finished it off.

Kimchi is good.

[count2infinity]

Yeah, this is not lasting that long... it's too good. Unfortunately I'll only be cooking with it for myself as my wife does not like it.

My coworker (who is Chinese for what it matters) said my kimchi reminded me a lot of one of her friend's kimchi in grad school who had her Korean grandmother's recipe/process. Made me happy to hear that.

[DigitalGypsy66]

Hmm. I don't think I've ever had kimchi. Need to get on that.

[NTP66]

Kimchi is really good.

[AuthorTony]

Can anyone (tif) recommend a simple sous vide cooker? I don't need something I can operate with my phone. I'll be cooking for 2 people 99% of the time (if that makes a difference). Amazon has dozens and I don't know if there's any real difference.

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

kimchi is gas for days

[shafnutz05]

Can anyone (tif) recommend a simple sous vide cooker? I don't need something I can operate with my phone. I'll be cooking for 2 people 99% of the time (if that makes a difference). Amazon has dozens and I don't know if there's any real difference.

This has worked extremely well for me over the last five years.

http://www.amazon.com/Wancle-Immersion- ... B07BKSH4KY

[tifosi77]

Mobile device operation is literally the only thing I don't like about Joule. There are no controls at all on the thing itself; I've always felt that was stupid, and I've told them so in person. The app is fantastic, and Visual Doneness is 1000% more useful than I thought it would be when we were testing it. But I hate having to use it.

The only other SV tool I have direct experience with is the Gen 2 Anova, but they're like at least 2 versions beyond that now. In terms of consumer-grade equipment, that's the only other brand I'd recommend. Anova makes a variant of their tool called the Nano which is only a little bit larger footprint than Joule, but their base models are pretty substantial in size. To the point that if you get one of those, I feel like you have to get a dedicated vessel to use as a water bath instead of just using something like a stock pot or Dutch oven. An empty vessel for a water bath doesn't take up much storage space, because you can nest other things in it, but it's still a consideration. (If you get an Anova, don't spend $60 on their proprietary 12L container; it's a marketing gimmick. Go online and order a 12L Cambro or Rubbermaid tank for $30 and call it a day.)

[AuthorTony]

Thanks for the info, guys. It's much appreciated!

[Dickie Dunn]

I have an early generation Anova that is still going strong. Big fan.

[NTP66]

Source of the post Mobile device operation is literally the only thing I don't like about Joule. There are no controls at all on the thing itself; I've always felt that was stupid, and I've told them so in person. The app is fantastic, and Visual Doneness is 1000% more useful than I thought it would be when we were testing it. But I hate having to use it.

I mostly agree with this. Still wouldn't look to another brand if I were in the market for a new one, though.

[dodint]

I laff'd.

[willeyeam]

Boy do I enjoy when I have time to cook some breakfast

[skullman80]

My wife and I started baking Christmas cookies at like 11am and we are still going. I'm about to hit a wall.

[skullman80]

Finished up at like 12:30am. I think we ended up with 32 or 33 dozen cookies.

[willeyeam]

Boy do I enjoy when I have time to cook some breakfast

The haters said I wouldn't do it two mornings in a row

[eddy]

My wife and I started baking Christmas cookies at like 11am and we are still going. I'm about to hit a wall.

I got real excited to make sugar cookies yesterday, got everything ready, then read the recipe that said to cool for 3 hours. Nope. Called an audible and made peanut butter cookies and they were terrific.

[NTP66]

Sugar cookies are trash in the grand scheme of cookies, so you chose wisely.