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I haven't had a microplane wear out yet, but I assume they would get dull over time. And I'm with you on the pastry brushes. I uses silicone mostly because I get tired of picking the hairs off whatever I'm brushing, but every silicone brush I own acts more like a sauce mop than brush. I have one of that had strips with holes in sandwiched between the bristles, and it seems ot hold more than than the regular ones, but still doesn't exactly distribute it evenly.
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Apr 26, 2013 19:46
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Are you using the microplane on like wood or the shell of a coconut or something, I'd think it should hold up pretty well otherwise! I have a little one I've owned approximately forever and I've never noticed dulling.
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Apr 26, 2013 19:49
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toby posted:Are you using the microplane on like wood or the shell of a coconut or something, I'd think it should hold up pretty well otherwise! I have a little one I've owned approximately forever and I've never noticed dulling. I've noticed some dulling. Nutmeg and cinnamon are kind of woodlike I suppose.
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Apr 26, 2013 19:52
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I guess now that I think about it, I generally only use mine for zesting fruit, or maybe on something like garlic or carrot or whatever. Not on harder things like nutmeg, yeah. That would make sense.
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Apr 26, 2013 20:02
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I used to microplane horseradish on a nightly basis at work, and definitely found that they would get noticeably duller after only 3-6 months or so. I'm sure nutmeg/cinnamon etc. are much more injurious. edit: Also I hope no one ever bothers to get the microplanes that come with a handle- those will break/bend in no time.
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Apr 26, 2013 20:56
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Jewmanji posted:I used to microplane horseradish on a nightly basis at work, and definitely found that they would get noticeably duller after only 3-6 months or so. I'm sure nutmeg/cinnamon etc. are much more injurious. The ones that are "full tang" so to speak, where the microplane goes through the handle are fine. The ones where it's a molded plastic handle and frame with the metal microplane inlaid into the plastic frame ones are pieces of poo poo. edit: visual aids: A-Ok: http://www.amazon.com/Microplane-40020-Classic-Zester-Grater/dp/B00004S7V8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367006455&sr=8-1&keywords=microplane The Sucks: http://www.amazon.com/Microplane-35002-Home-Series-Grater/dp/B00004S7VK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1367006488&sr=8-4&keywords=microplane
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Apr 26, 2013 21:00
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mindphlux posted:microplanes wear out, right? I'm not just imagining it? These work fine for me: http://www.amazon.com/Metal-Products-Four-Silicone-Brushes/dp/B00200KHK6/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1367009115&sr=8-6&keywords=silicon+brush @Gravi: The good one you linked broke off (the "blade" itself like bent and died) in a month or two.
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Apr 26, 2013 21:46
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GrAviTy84 posted:The ones that are "full tang" so to speak, where the microplane goes through the handle are fine. The ones where it's a molded plastic handle and frame with the metal microplane inlaid into the plastic frame ones are pieces of poo poo. I have both of those and haven't noticed a difference.
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Apr 26, 2013 21:47
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microplanes with handles are fine, I've had the same on for 3 years and it's fine. Nutmeg and harder root veg will dull a microplane over time, it'll last forever if you only use it on fruit.
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Apr 26, 2013 22:12
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Flash Gordon Ramsay posted:I have both of those and haven't noticed a difference.
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Apr 26, 2013 22:16
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GrAviTy84 posted:The ones that are "full tang" so to speak, where the microplane goes through the handle are fine. The ones where it's a molded plastic handle and frame with the metal microplane inlaid into the plastic frame ones are pieces of poo poo. As for a Microplane getting dull---of course they do. They ain't magic, and they'll get dull with use like any other tool with a cutting edge. And in principle you could sharpen them, albeit laboriously, more or less the same way you sharpen anything else. I can't imagine wanting to do this except to prove that it's possible, however.
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Apr 26, 2013 22:27
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SubG posted:And in principle you could sharpen them, albeit laboriously, more or less the same way you sharpen anything else. I can't imagine wanting to do this except to prove that it's possible, however. Or if you wanted to reduce your hands to little nubs.
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Apr 26, 2013 22:32
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Another microplane to avoid is one without a handle like this: http://www.amazon.com/Microplane-40001-Stainless-Steel-Zester/dp/B00004S7V7/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1367014040&sr=8-5&keywords=microplane I can't stand mine because I can't get a good grip on it without worrying that I'm going to grate my palm.
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Apr 26, 2013 23:09
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toby posted:I guess now that I think about it, I generally only use mine for zesting fruit, or maybe on something like garlic or carrot or whatever. Not on harder things like nutmeg, yeah. That would make sense. yeah, I grate a lot of nutmeg and cinnamon on mine. zest, cheese, garlic and ginger being pretty much the only other things I've used it on. except a frozen block of foie gras  anyways I think the ginger and hard spices really put it through its paces. but again I'm doin a sanity check here - sounds like other people have had the same experiences (phew) SubG posted:As for a Microplane getting dull---of course they do. They ain't magic, QUIT RUINING MY DREAMS 
mindphlux fucked around with this message at 23:37 on Apr 26, 2013 |
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Apr 26, 2013 23:32
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mod sassinator posted:Another microplane to avoid is one without a handle like this: http://www.amazon.com/Microplane-40001-Stainless-Steel-Zester/dp/B00004S7V7/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1367014040&sr=8-5&keywords=microplane I can't stand mine because I can't get a good grip on it without worrying that I'm going to grate my palm. I have one of these and use it practically every day, but I got it from Lee Valley Tools with the optional holder, which takes it from practically unusable to amazingly awesome. 
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Apr 27, 2013 01:23
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When I zest a lemon, I run the zester over the lemon, and not the other way around. Makes it hella faster. My microplane wears down fast. I grate a lot of nutmeg, and fresh ginger. It really seems to blunt the fucker.
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Apr 27, 2013 04:54
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whoever invented the microplane must be so rich now.  really makes me want to figure out a superior synthetic pastry brush solution. wish I knew the first thing about prototyping/manufacturing/foreign trade...
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Apr 27, 2013 06:01
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mindphlux posted:whoever invented the microplane must be so rich now. I LINKED YOU ONE, BUTTHEAD.
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Apr 27, 2013 06:49
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mindphlux posted:whoever invented the microplane must be so rich now. Microplane is literally just a wood rasp: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/12/dining/12united.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 In terms of silicone brushes, in my opinion the best one right now is that OXO one with the little grid in the middle.
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Apr 27, 2013 14:01
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I'm suprised it originally wasn't supposed to be a body filler rasp personally. I've heard it was supposed to be a file or something in the hand tool market, but never seen much use of rasps in wood working, when a planer or router could do the job. Files are more metal work, and rasps are more body filler, or "bog" work as far as I knew.
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Apr 27, 2013 16:30
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dino. posted:I LINKED YOU ONE, BUTTHEAD. yeah but I've used ones like that before, they don't hold on to sauces really. you dip them in something and then go to apply to your food item and it's like a giant cascade of poo poo just drops out of them and then you smoorch it around messily with your dumb silicone flexi-bristles. ideally I'd like something that behaves more like a traditional pastry brush...
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Apr 27, 2013 17:19
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Spoon the sauce over top and then use the brush to spread it evenly? Silicon is nonstick. You'll never find one that holds. That's the point of silicon.
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Apr 27, 2013 17:29
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edit^^^ I think the absorption capability of the bristles themselves isn't a very strong a factor for the absorption of the brush as a whole. Besides, the absorption of the bristles would mean that they wouldn't readily release their sauce (think cotton bbq brush). edit 2: and if he wants a brush for plating, silicone will never work. There's just no dexterity or control to with it. mindphlux posted:yeah but I've used ones like that before, they don't hold on to sauces really. Yeah, I know what you mean. Those silicone brushes work hella shittily. Unfortunately, I think that the ability of conventional brushes to hold onto sauces is due to the thinness of the bristles and their proximity to each other, viscosity and surface tension being the main things at work. The further apart the bristles, the thicker the sauce needs to be to work right. Unfortunately, the bristles are hella flexible, like you said, which kills your control the thicker the sauce is. So yeah. They're really only useful for non precise things with thick sauces...which means glazing ribs on a grill and basting food and that's about it. GrAviTy84 fucked around with this message at 17:37 on Apr 27, 2013 |
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Apr 27, 2013 17:32
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Fo3 posted:I'm suprised it originally wasn't supposed to be a body filler rasp personally. Well, isn't bondo pretty similar to wood in terms of softness? I know in woodworking, they're used for things like wood carving, which is different from the tools you've mentioned in that you're working with a curved and complex surface. Body work is I guess the same thing. GrAviTy84 posted:Yeah, I know what you mean. Those silicone brushes work hella shittily. Unfortunately, I think that the ability of conventional brushes to hold onto sauces is due to the thinness of the bristles and their proximity to each other, viscosity and surface tension being the main things at work. The further apart the bristles, the thicker the sauce needs to be to work right. Unfortunately, the bristles are hella flexible, like you said, which kills your control the thicker the sauce is. So yeah. They're really only useful for non precise things with thick sauces...which means glazing ribs on a grill and basting food and that's about it. Yeah, but that sort of continuous work is the cases where you'll overdip the brush or end up with the most bristle loss anyway. Though I'm speaking purely for a home cooking use case. I also use mine for brushing butter or egg wash for pastries, too, and it suits my needs. The oxo one people mentioned has some stiffenign plastic in the middle, so it doesn't totally flop around. Though I still doubt you could do any of those dramatic sauce swipes on a plate with it or anything like that. I know painting is often done with sponge brushes, but I don't know how that would work with a sauce and I don't know of any food-safe sponges.
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Apr 27, 2013 19:35
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dino. posted:Spoon the sauce over top and then use the brush to spread it evenly? Silicon is nonstick. You'll never find one that holds. That's the point of silicon. Like gravity was saying, I think it's more just that the bristles are so thin and close together that makes traditional brushes work. I guess I was just hoping someone made a silicone brush that had a lot of really thin strands or something - I don't think the silicone itself is inherently preventing the sauce from being held. So like, maybe something like those crazy fiber optic lamps, but made of silicone?   I bet that would hold reasonably well...
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Apr 27, 2013 19:48
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Silicone that thin wouldn't be strong enough. Just make a brush out of Dyneema yarn. Although, for all I know it'll cause cancer or something, or maybe it's not heat-safe.
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Apr 29, 2013 04:18
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mindphlux posted:Like gravity was saying, I think it's more just that the bristles are so thin and close together that makes traditional brushes work. I guess I was just hoping someone made a silicone brush that had a lot of really thin strands or something - I don't think the silicone itself is inherently preventing the sauce from being held. You should make a brush out of fiber optics attached to a penlight. Then you could be minphlux, plater of light.
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Apr 29, 2013 14:41
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Flash Gordon Ramsay posted:You should make a brush out of fiber optics attached to a penlight. Then you could be minphlux, plater of light. Wouldn't this just mean that all his meals would just be microwave ready meals that poorly paid Mexicans drop a few sprigs of parsley on before serving to make them hand made?
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Apr 29, 2013 15:23
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mindphlux posted:So like, maybe something like those crazy fiber optic lamps, but made of silicone? Just google Glaspinsel. I have no idea what they are called in English http://www.amazon.de/L%E4ufer-1021-Glasradierstift/dp/B000KT7LO4/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1367250141&sr=8-4&keywords=glaspinsel
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Apr 29, 2013 16:43
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tonberrytoby posted:Just google Glaspinsel. I have no idea what they are called in English Err - a fiberglass pen/pencil? Instead of a pastry brush? I can't see any way that would work.
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Apr 29, 2013 19:12
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I checked the first page and didn't see them listed, anyone got any pressure cookers they would recommend?
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Apr 29, 2013 22:13
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On the low end, Dino recommends the Presto 8 quart stainless steel in the pressure cooker thread Someone said the Fagor heats up more evenly on the bottom than the Presto. Haven't tried the Presto but I'm pretty happy with my Fagor 6 quart stainless steel (although i should've gotten an 8 quart in hindsight) On the high end Gravity recommends Kuhn Rikon because it's a closed system; air doesn't escape at normal operating pressure and presumably therefore doesn't let flavor escape.
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Apr 29, 2013 22:59
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Tiny Chalupa posted:I checked the first page and didn't see them listed, anyone got any pressure cookers they would recommend? I originally bought a 6 qt aluminum Presto and replaced it with a 4 qt and an 8 qt Fagor stainless steel. I like the stainless steel much better. I also agree that the 8 qt size is much more convenient for a lot of things than the 6 qt size. One nice thing about the Fagor models over the Presto is that the Fagor doesn't have the 'jiggling weight' the Presto does -- it's built into the handle. It's just one less little piece to lose in the drawer. Fagor has the Splendid line and the Duo line, the only difference being that the Duo can handle two cooking pressures (8.5 psi and 15 psi) and the Splendid just one (15 psi). I've never seen a reason for 8.5 psi, so I went with the Splendid. You may read that the Duo is made in Spain (as opposed to the Splendid from China), but I believe the Duo is now made in China as well. I personally bought a Fagor Splendid combo set with a 4 qt and an 8 qt for $120 and I'm happy with it. I never really considered it before, but a 4 qt can be handy when you're doing a small batch of something relatively fluid (i.e. rice pudding for dessert or something). It also makes for a decent high-sided pan in regular non-pressure cooking (the set includes a glass lid as well). I liked the build quality on the Fagor pots over the Presto, though to be fair it's aluminum vs stainless steel as well.
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Apr 30, 2013 00:03
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Semirelated: supposedly Williams-Sonoma stopped selling pressurecookers in light of recent events. ...because, you know, terrorists shop at Williams-Sonoma.
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Apr 30, 2013 00:31
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GrAviTy84 posted:Semirelated: supposedly Williams-Sonoma stopped selling pressurecookers in light of recent events. Rich terrorists.
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Apr 30, 2013 00:58
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GrAviTy84 posted:Semirelated: supposedly Williams-Sonoma stopped selling pressurecookers in light of recent events. ?
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Apr 30, 2013 14:42
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It was only in Boston and they're selling them again there now.
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Apr 30, 2013 14:53
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ChetReckless posted:I originally bought a 6 qt aluminum Presto and replaced it with a 4 qt and an 8 qt Fagor stainless steel. I like the stainless steel much better. I also agree that the 8 qt size is much more convenient for a lot of things than the 6 qt size. One nice thing about the Fagor models over the Presto is that the Fagor doesn't have the 'jiggling weight' the Presto does -- it's built into the handle. It's just one less little piece to lose in the drawer. Thank you very much, that seems to have generally favorable reviews on Amazon and it's on sale. Thanks
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Apr 30, 2013 18:01
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Most of my nonstick cookware is just about toast, so I'm looking to replace it all with some stainless steel stuff tonight. It's pretty rare for me to cook, so I'd rather not spend a lot of money. To that end I'm not really looking for brand recommendations (I've seen what's on the first page of the thread), but are there any brands I should seriously avoid for any reason? Also, is there something I should look for on the packaging or whatever to verify that the cookware will work OK with induction heaters? My range is an electric-coil stove and it is so awful, I'd like to try to use my induction cooker when I can for something besides my cast-iron skillet.
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Apr 30, 2013 21:38
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Ciaphas posted:are there any brands I should seriously avoid for any reason? Avoid anything you pick up that seems lighter than a feather. For most purposes, the heavier the better quality, and the better it will perform. The poor quality stuff is generally very lightweight and will be harder to cook with. A major keyword you're looking for is 'tri-ply' or 'aluminum (or copper) core'. As for making sure it will work with induction, bring a small magnet with you when you go shopping. If it sticks to the bottom of the pan, it will work on your induction cooktop.
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Apr 30, 2013 21:47
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