Category "equipment"

Do the improvements touted by the ZPM Nocturn (PID-controlled espresso machine) sound sensible?

I have previously struggled with coffee equipment. I don't know anything about the technical side of making coffee. The ZPM Nocturn claims to have solved a numb

Why did this brown rice recipe fail?

I just tried to bake some brown rice (350 degrees in a convection oven) in a white casserole dish that looks kind of like this. Anyway, after 30 minutes (what t

Will changing the setting on my Crock Pot reset the timer?

If I have a Crock Pot "Smart Pot" set to "High" (or 4 hours) and then I change the setting to "Low" or 10 hours, does the time start over or will it just cook f

Distinguishing the size of tablecloths when folded? [closed]

Has anyone figured out a clever system for distinguishing the size of a tablecloth when folded? Our dining room table is extendable with seve

Thermometer Precision in Different Temperature Ranges

I need a thermometer for a variety of different applications. As such, it has to be fairly precise (plus/minus 2 degrees) at different temperatures. Do I have t

Quinoa in a Rice Cooker?

I’ve recently discovered the loveliness of Quinoa, and the joy of buying it in bulk at Costco, so I’ll be making a lot of it in the near future. I&

What can I do about scratched pots?

I have a pot that is really nice, and I was silly enough to use a metallic spatula. It is not Teflon but looked ceramic, and it has scratches now. Can any repai

How do I control the temperature of water for an extended period of time?

When making the "perfect" mash, Heston Blumenthal recommends cooking waxy spuds in hot water for half an hour at the temperature of 72 degrees Celsius, exactly.

What can I use to strain gritty bloody mary mix?

I like Zing Zang bloody mary mix, but it's very gritty with seasoning. I like to pour it into a strainer to filter out the grit, but the mix is so thick that i

Can I use a tagine on a glass cooktop, and do I need a heat diffuser?

I somehow ended up acquiring not one but two tagines recently. Unfortunately, I have neither a gas nor charcoal stove (the ideal cooking surfaces for tagines, A

Proper grease for a meat slicer blade

I just found an old hand cranked meat slicer which I can use to slice homemade lunch meats. It was free, but it obviously hasn't been used awhile. Inside there

How do I know if my meat thermometer is ovenproof?

Ever since a supposedly "ovenproof" thermometer shattered glass on my turkey Thanksgiving 2006 I have been afraid of these things. Is it generally safe to use t

How can I repair a pasta maker that was washed with water and has started to rust?

My girlfriend has a pasta maker, pictured. Alas, it was accidentally cleaned with water, which is explictly forbidden (!!!) by the directions, which state:

Could a cast iron skillet change its ways and be kosher for a vegan?

If this sounds like a ridiculously neurotic question, that's because it is. That said, and discussion aside, according to Par[e]ve kitchen certifications and or

Gluten tester; simple and fast

I am looking for a simple and fast gluten level tester (electronic is fine) There are the testers available for people with Coeliac's which require making a so

What is a German potato grater called?

I know of this grater via German cooking, but it may NOT be specific to Germany. Regardless, I am trying to determine the name of this kind of grater so I can

What is the practical way to peel off zest of an orange?

Peeling the zest doesn't seem like peeling a full peel of an Orange. Any special kind of knieves to be used? Any special method? What precautions need to be tak

How can I prevent dough from wrapping around a dough hook? [duplicate]

I have a 5.5qt KitchenAid stand mixer with the burnished spiral ("pigtail") dough hook. This is not the C-hook. When I make a small amount (fo

What is the name (in Chinese) of the utensil that is used to prick lots of tiny holes in pork skin to make it very crispy?

I have seen people mentioning this and I've heard it's available in Chinatown in NY or in Hong Kong but I can't find it listed anywhere for sale online. I thin

Recipe generator for randomized meal planning [closed]

has anyone of you ever tried a randomized week long meal planner for dieting ? If you have read the 4 hour body delegating the cycle to an al