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Thanks for this thread, my wife and I recently got married and we were actually just talking about how a knife block was our one big wedding gift that we wanted but didn't get. Glad to see that we maybe shouldn't bother picking one up? They are hell of expensive. Though admittedly I do want a western-style chef's knife (currently do most of our cutting with a santoku), just because it looks way easier to finely mince things which is something I've been practicing. My knives could probably use some sharpening though, would prolonged use of a pull-through sharpener mess up my knives long-term? What's the best sharpener I could buy using this $50 Williams-Sonoma giftcard we got as a present?
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# ? Nov 9, 2015 01:22 |
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# ? Apr 29, 2024 07:28 |
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Yeah it's not like the 5 inch serrated knife and 6 inch utility knife and other stupid poo poo they include is ever going to be useful. Better to have multiple chef knives, multiple paring knives and maybe a santoku and an 8 inch serrated for bread. I don't think a pull-through will cause permanent damage. I would personally use the Williams Sonoma coupon on something else and get the AGPTek for $30 on Amazon, but if you really want to use the coupon, get an electric sharpener by Chef's Choice Steve Yun fucked around with this message at 04:43 on Nov 9, 2015 |
# ? Nov 9, 2015 04:12 |
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Added rice cookers, food processors and some other things and removed the bit about stand mixers having plastic gears based on Chef's info
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# ? Nov 9, 2015 09:29 |
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Mortar and pestle is great for pesto as well. I'm allergic to pine nuts so I haven't tasted that much pesto out of a jar, but my gf swears the home smashed is miles apart. Being able to make it with toasted sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts is worth the space the mortar takes alone for me. Very coarse ones are good for old school guacamole, baked paprika, etc. Slightly coarse ones are better for spice as the coarsest ones will trap bigger fragments of the spice. Smooth marble ones are completely useless and trying to grind even a dozen peppercorns in it will drive you mad. Spice storage in jam/jelly jars. I'm a sucker for this, recycling, money saving and practical use in one. Instead of buying dedicated jars, wash out used jars, use them to store whole spices, seeds, etc. They are not 100% air tight, but plenty tight enough as they either have a flexible pot metal lid or an actual plastic gasket. A tiny finger coat of sunflower oil or even water helps get the best seal. I also have a small jar I use for dressings and vinaigrettes. Oil, vinegar and spices into the jar, for 6 seconds, thick, lovely fluid pours over your tossed salad. Transmetropolitan posted:Wise goons, what do you think about rice cookers? Although very few people use a setup like that now, I still use a rice cooker + an external PID controller to do sous vide. So if you're interested in that, it's an argument in favor of getting a non-smart rice cooker. I've also used it as a bain-marie, making bearnaise sauce in a steel bowl heated by the temp controlled rice cooker water. Less chance of temps running away and a causing a scrambled egg disaster.
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# ? Nov 9, 2015 12:32 |
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I've been told I need to get a cast iron frying pan so I don't destroy my non-stick one by cooking meat and things in it. I had a look round, and the most common brand I can get here (the Netherlands) is Le Creuset. They're kind of expensive (26cm pan is 140 euros), and I notice that's a brand that's mentioned in the OP. Is it worth investing that much money in the pan, or should I shop around looking for something cheaper? I can afford the cost, and I would like a good quality pan that lasts.
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# ? Nov 9, 2015 15:12 |
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Gerblyn posted:I've been told I need to get a cast iron frying pan so I don't destroy my non-stick one by cooking meat and things in it. I had a look round, and the most common brand I can get here (the Netherlands) is Le Creuset. They're kind of expensive (26cm pan is 140 euros), and I notice that's a brand that's mentioned in the OP. Is it worth investing that much money in the pan, or should I shop around looking for something cheaper? I can afford the cost, and I would like a good quality pan that lasts. Definitely not...cast iron should be one of the cheapest pans you can find. They're made to be abused and are relatively indestructible. Le Creuset makes good poo poo but I wouldn't be caught dead buying non-enameled cast iron anything from them for prices like that. Keep shopping around, or just get a solid tri-ply stainless steel pan rather than cast iron.
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# ? Nov 9, 2015 15:57 |
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I wouldn't spend that amount on a cast iron skillet. It's the sledgehammer of the kitchen, it doesn't need fancy enamel. I'd go for the Ikea one or similar, spend the money you save on wine and steak for the frying pan initiation rites. e: f, it takes about as long to heat up as I do writing a post Ola fucked around with this message at 16:09 on Nov 9, 2015 |
# ? Nov 9, 2015 16:04 |
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Like this one? http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90264845/
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# ? Nov 9, 2015 16:10 |
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No, you want to find one of these.
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# ? Nov 9, 2015 16:21 |
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Cool, thanks!
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# ? Nov 9, 2015 16:23 |
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All-Clads got a factory second sale running from the 9th to the 11th. http://www.homeandcooksales.com/ code: ACVIP15
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# ? Nov 9, 2015 18:10 |
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.Z. posted:All-Clads got a factory second sale running from the 9th to the 11th. Anyone have experience with their Copper line? Any better than their standard Stainless?
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# ? Nov 9, 2015 22:44 |
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THF13 posted:Any ones in particular to look at? I can't find a lot of information in English about them. Sweethome is recommending this ~$220 10 cup pressure cooker model since it cooks faster than their previous pick of a ~$150 Zojirushi. The 6 cup version of their previous pick is what we have and we love it. Can't say one bad word against it. Makes amazing rice. Can't speak to the newer/more expensive pressure line, though they sound good.
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# ? Nov 9, 2015 22:51 |
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Marklar posted:Anyone have experience with their Copper line? Any better than their standard Stainless? Everything I've read says you will not notice a difference between any of the All-Clad lines in terms of performance. The most noticeable things will be handle design and pot/pan lip. So get whatever you think is the best price and feature mix.
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# ? Nov 9, 2015 23:15 |
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C-Euro posted:My knives could probably use some sharpening though, would prolonged use of a pull-through sharpener mess up my knives long-term? What's the best sharpener I could buy using this $50 Williams-Sonoma giftcard we got as a present? Pull through sharpeners are bad for non-disposable knives for a few reasons that are summarized by ruining the edge and not being able to do anything else. They don't do permanent damage usually, but prolonged use can make fixing the damage a pain. I know the Edge Pro and whatever variation of knockoff are quite popular around here, but you could get a good waterstone or a couple good oilstones for inside of $50, and you'd have a lifetime supply of knife ammo for any non-serrated knife you'll ever own.
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# ? Nov 10, 2015 01:36 |
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Marklar posted:Anyone have experience with their Copper line? Any better than their standard Stainless? I own actual, expensive rear end copper pans and will tell you that you should just get stainless, thick, tri-ply. I would not buy all-clad either, because a. they are overpriced and b. they have lovely handles.
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# ? Nov 10, 2015 10:00 |
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THF13 posted:Any ones in particular to look at? I can't find a lot of information in English about them. Sweethome is recommending this ~$220 10 cup pressure cooker model since it cooks faster than their previous pick of a ~$150 Zojirushi.
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# ? Nov 10, 2015 19:53 |
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I'm looking to get my girlfriend a new vegetable slicer. She wants to be able to slice things really thin and while its pretty easy to find decent ones on amazon I want to get her the best slicer money can buy. I realize this is probably a stupid question but can anyone recommend a good one?
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# ? Nov 11, 2015 08:57 |
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In the faq in the op we recommend the Bron slicer, restaurants have been using this workhorse for decades and it's $140: http://www.amazon.com/Original-Stainless-Steel-Mandolin-Slicer/dp/B0001BMZ38
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# ? Nov 11, 2015 09:27 |
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THF13 posted:I also am thinking of buying Sweethome's pick for a toaster oven since it seems more useful than a regular toaster without taking up much more space, but having never actually owned a toaster oven I'm not sure it's worth it. I wouldn't suggest it if you want to be able to use your toaster oven as a smaller oven. It can't do actual baking, just toasting and reheating.
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# ? Nov 11, 2015 19:05 |
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Steve Yun posted:In the faq in the op we recommend the Bron slicer, restaurants have been using this workhorse for decades and it's $140: I'm an idiot ignore me. Thanks for the suggestion!
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# ? Nov 11, 2015 19:37 |
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Knifegrab posted:
Also, even with the guard, use a terry cloth kitchen towel for extra protection (props to chef cuisinart for this tip, btw). As another poster stated in the previous thread, the mandolin demands blood and will not rest until it has tasted it.
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# ? Nov 11, 2015 21:14 |
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1redflag posted:Also, even with the guard, use a terry cloth kitchen towel for extra protection (props to chef cuisinart for this tip, btw). As another poster stated in the previous thread, the mandolin demands blood and will not rest until it has tasted it. I picked up some of those cut proof gloves too!
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# ? Nov 11, 2015 21:27 |
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Any thoughts on making the official non-stick recommendation that 2pack Calphalon? It seems to make sense to me given the lifetime warranty. Even with careful use, the T-fal fails after a couple years.
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 15:37 |
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What are you guys doing to your nonstick, that you just assume it'll be ruined after a few years? I have a cheap Farberware and it's lasted 10+ years. I hardly babysit it, either -- I just don't use metal tools or the green scrubby side of the sponge.
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 15:43 |
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I bet you'd be surprised at how good a new one is. Mine seem to slowly degrade, not fast enough for me to ever really notice, but when I get a new one it works much better.
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 15:56 |
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Anne Whateley posted:What are you guys doing to your nonstick, that you just assume it'll be ruined after a few years? I have a cheap Farberware and it's lasted 10+ years. I hardly babysit it, either -- I just don't use metal tools or the green scrubby side of the sponge. I'm not talking about ruining it, but the degradation of effectiveness of the non-stick is really obvious. I used the word 'fails' purposefully. My expectation is to be able to make sunnyside eggs without oil without any sticking.
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 16:16 |
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Anne Whateley posted:What are you guys doing to your nonstick, that you just assume it'll be ruined after a few years? I have a cheap Farberware and it's lasted 10+ years. I hardly babysit it, either -- I just don't use metal tools or the green scrubby side of the sponge. Just through using it you'll end up with tiny scratches and stuff in the surface at least, which will make things stick more and more as time goes on. Unless somehow you never stir or mess with things once they land in your pan. Also I learned this late, but if you try cleaning it with water while it's still too hot you'll eventually get some warping too.
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 16:52 |
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I think it only visibly scratches if you use metal. I use silicone, and if there are any scratches, they're microscopic. I do typically make eggs with a little butter or water in the bottom, though. I'll try doing it without either next time and report back.
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 17:00 |
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I didn't have scratches on mine when I binned it for what it's worth. It just annoyed me one too many times with a layer of egg that unstuck only after cooling.
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 17:10 |
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Okay, updated the non-stick section
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 22:13 |
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Rurutia posted:Any thoughts on making the official non-stick recommendation that 2pack Calphalon? It seems to make sense to me given the lifetime warranty. Even with careful use, the T-fal fails after a couple years. I think the motion has already carried, but I'm in favor of listing the Calphalon unison nonstick 2 pack. My wife was gifted it and I kind of scoffed at the time, but they're actually heavy bottomed, heat evenly, and are nice pans. we've had them for two years with no scratches or noticable deterioration in quality. It's nice they only have one lid too. I have too many lids edit : actually I looked them up, and I think our "unison" pans are a grade above what's in the OP. so idk. but I'd still recommend the ones I have. http://www.amazon.com/Calphalon-Uni...on+2+piece+10in - like this, but both 10in one with sloped sides, one with straight mindphlux fucked around with this message at 07:25 on Nov 13, 2015 |
# ? Nov 13, 2015 07:20 |
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Unison definitely uses a better type of PTFE. I made the Contemporary the recommendation because you get a 10 inch and 12 inch, instead of an 8 and 10 inch set, I think the 12 inch might be more useful to someone who's a new cook, but now that I noticed that they have a 2-pack of 10 and 12 inch Unisons, I'll add them as a higher end option
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# ? Nov 13, 2015 09:44 |
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I have a De Buyer Carbon Steel pan. It does a lot of the same things as a cast iron pan, except its naturally non-stick due to the seasoning that it develops, is lighter, and requires a bit less maintenance.
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# ? Nov 13, 2015 13:08 |
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Ugh, so recently Cook's Illustrated did a review of carbon steel skillets. Their favorite one was the Matfer Bourgeat, which is also one of the cheapest ones at $44. I guess nobody heard of this brand and then in the span of two weeks now they're sold out everywhere and retailers are price gouging the hell out of it by offering them for $300. Mauviel, Turk, DeBuyer and Paderno all get good reviews and cost $80, except for the Paderno which is $42. Anyone have a Lodge and have an opinion on it? CI said they were a little on the thin side and browned unevenly.
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# ? Nov 13, 2015 21:57 |
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Get a Vollrath. You can never go wrong with commercial quality kitchen equipment.
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# ? Nov 14, 2015 02:07 |
Chef De Cuisinart posted:Get a Vollrath. You can never go wrong with commercial quality kitchen equipment. Yeah, Vollrath stuff is great, I have one of their nonstick pans and it's easily the best nonstick I have ever used. I'd get one of the carbon steel ones but I already have an All-Clad tri-ply that works just fine.
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# ? Nov 14, 2015 02:15 |
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I need suggestions on what and where to get a cutting board and where to get a molcajete.
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# ? Nov 14, 2015 20:25 |
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IKEA cutting boards are so cheap they're almost disposable, if you're into plastic.
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# ? Nov 14, 2015 21:00 |
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# ? Apr 29, 2024 07:28 |
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Their wood ones are also super cheap and work well
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# ? Nov 14, 2015 22:14 |