Hi

If your cakes are hard and overcooked on the outside, but undercooked on the inside, then it may well be that the oven temperature is too high.

It could be that although you are setting your oven to the recommended cooking temperature, your oven is running hotter than the dial setting.

You can check your oven with one of these:-

[link]

Give the oven a good 15 minutes to heat up, then with a shelf in the middle position, take readings from the middle, and then from each of the four corners, i.e. at the back and at the front. Each time you reposition the thermometer, allow ten minutes for the temperature to stabilise again before taking another reading.

Such an assessment will tell you a lot about how your oven is running, but not the full story.

When you put a cake into a hot oven you are introducing a cold mass into a chamber that has been heated to a pre-selected temperature, which causes a sudden drop in temperature. The act of opening the oven door also adds to that drop in temperature.

When your oven thermostat picks up this sudden drop in temperature it powers up the burner/element to restore the temperature - it's a bit like pressing the throttle pedal in your car right down because you have lost speed.

This "power on" effect to restore the set temperature is very important when cooking cakes.

The reason why cakes rise is because there are tiny air bubbles in the mix - these tiny air bubbles are created by beating in air (aerating) the batter mix during preparation. Most cake recipes also include a raising agent, such as the bicarb in baking powder, which adds to the air bubble mass.

When you put your raw cake mix into the oven these tiny air bubbles become full of steam, and as the steam pressure increases so the bubbles inflate like thousand of tiny air bags. This process cause the cake to rise, and in the case of a sponge, produces a light and springy texture.

This inflation process happens mainly in the first half of the cooking time. During the first quarter of the cooking time your oven will be on full power so that the temperature can be restored to whatever was set on the dial. So by analogy, if you were aiming to keep your car at a constant 60mph and your speed had dropped to 30mph, then you might press the throttle pedal to the floor to get back to 60 mph as soon as is possible.

In your oven this process of heat acceleration creates what is known as: 'a thermal curve', and this thermal curve is all important to successful cake baking.

If this curve is disturbed (distorted) by something like opening the oven door during the first half of baking a sponge cake, the chances are the inflation process will be incomplete and the cake will have a poor rise and be heavy. If it's a fruitcake the lack of rise and solid texture might be less noticeable, but the fruit will probably have fallen to the bottom of the cake during baking.

The other thing that can happen when the cooking process is failing due to temperature problems is that the fats in the mix can become separated and sink to the bottom half of the cake. If chocolate has been added as pellets or in liquid form, then the fat content may mean it settles at the bottom of the cake.

When this happens the cake structure is likely to become divided into a heavy bottom section with a lighter top section.

Because the top section will be comprised of much lighter ingredients (more of the original egg foam content) it's going to cook quicker and so may become hard. While the heavier fat-laden bottom section is going to take much longer to cook.

Although you may not be opening your oven door too soon when baking cakes, it might be that the thermal curve is not forming due to a faulty burner/element, or a faulty thermostat.

What I would suggest is that you test your oven by getting a reliable recipe for a sponge (a Delia or Mary Berry recipe will be reliable).

Use fresh ingredients and follow the instructions to the letter - be sure to use the size of tin specified.

Pre-heat your oven for 15 minutes and check the temperature with an oven thermometer.

Prepare your mix so that as soon as it is ready it can be put swiftly into the pre-heated oven and baked on the middle shelf. Just bake the cake with nothing else in the oven.

If you have a glass door, watch what happens in the first ten minutes - the cake should start to rise after about five minutes and inflate quite rapidly, it might fall slightly, but if it rises and falls too much, then it may due to the mix being too heavy, which means that although the inflation process has worked the cake structure is not strong enough to support heavy ingredients.

However, it could also be that the heat has accelerated to too high a temperature, which has enabled the inflation process and cooked the outside, but has failed to cook the cake through evenly, leaving the middle of the cake mix not cooked enough, and so without a strong enough structure to support the orgiginal rise. So if the walls of the cake remain up, but the middle sinks, then that's probably a clue to what has happened.

Hope this helps.

If you try what I have suggested and it doesn't work, it would be interesting to hear about the results.

Baking cakes can be tricky, and a sponge cake is the ultimate test for any oven.

Good luck!

These are 9cm:-

[link]

These are 6cm, but perhaps a tad pricey for occasional use...

you will need to scroll down to the Silverwood mini cake pan set:-

[link]

A much cheaper way would be to use small cans - just remove both ends and you have a steel ring. ASDA do small cans of pears for around 40p each.

Not Lidl, that should have been Aldi!!!

Nesbits have some 10cm loose bottom tins, but I will keep looking for you.

If you have to innovate, Lidl sell a reusable baking fabric called 'alio cooking liner', it's under £2, and if you cut out some discs and place them in the bottom of an ordinary tray, e.g. one of those big Yorkie trays, you will find the contents almost jump out of the tins when required

It's brilliant stuff, the more you use it, the better it gets.

Hi there

I recommend this one, it's very good...

[link]

Hi

For a basic oven thermometer I recommend this one:-

[link]

It will do the job and at a bargain price.

If you want to spend a little more and gain some extra functions, then I recommend this one:-

[link]

The one above has an oven temperature function that will take the highest and the lowest temperature readings of the cycle and give you a mean figure on the digital display screen.

You can also use it to monitor the temperature of foods as they cook in the oven - the probe is inserted into the food to be cooked and is linked to the main sensor by a thin metal braid. It also has an alarm that you can set so that it lets you know when the internal temperature of the meat has reached the desired temperature.

It can also be used as a general timer.

Unfortunately, it doesn't pick up radio one! ;-)

Try Lakeland's muffin cases and if you are not entirely satisfied they will give you a full refund.

[link]

BTW, my previous probe thermometer, which was a simplified version of the above but a different make, went kaput after three years of regular use, and when I emailed Lakeland's to inquire if they still sold them, not only did they reply straight away and apologise saying that they no longer kept that model, they gave me a full refund on the three year-old thermometer!

Not surprisingly, I then went along to my local branch and bought a new one, being the model I have recommended to you.

Hope that helps.

Tried it last night - a nice recipe- really liked the kick of the lemon in the sauce.

Of the two types that you mention, I think on balance I would go for induction. Induction has some excellent features, particulalry around safety/minimal use of energy, but the problems that can occur when attempting to pre-heat pans, i.e. cutting out when the pan is empty, keep me firmly in favour of gas. If you are a wok user, or like to pre-heat iron pans, you could incorprate a stand-alone or portable single plate, or even a gas wok burner, which would be my choice.

If you have a Neff Circotherm that is giving good service, personally I would think twice about changing it.

Modern domestic appliances usually offer more in terms of technical features, but often with less build quality than the older versions.

If keeping your existing oven could be an option, have you thought of buying a good quality combi? I have a Panasonic combi that (subject to the user's efforts) produces excellent results, and I would pit it against a Circotherm any day - the accuracy when baking in convection mode is incredible, and it has fully programmable functions, including a rapid pre-heat phase that signals when the required temperature is reached, plus turntable, auto-off, etc.

As for new ovens, I think AEG is good, but if you have been happy with Neff, then perhaps their latest "upgrade" is the way to go.

He is a legendary figure up there with Delia and the Rouxs - a great loss.

May he rest in peace @>--->------

Don't forget to put the cat out, and I would sleep with the bedroom window open if I were you

You may do it already Gloria, but thought I'd mention using tin foil for lining - it's cheap as chips in the supermarkets, and I use it to line my grill tray under the grid, then when finished, just screw it up and in the bin. If something is liable to boil over in the oven, I roll an edge on the foil to make a tray and put it underneath, then in the bin when done.

The other god's end is reusable fabric cooking liner, which you can buy at Aldi for around £1.60 for a sheet measuring 250x1000mm that you cut to size as required. It's called alio and comes in a green packet. It's excellent for lining baking trays, cake tins, etc. The more you re-use it, the better it gets. Fantastic stuff. Completely non-stick and washes out in a trice in hot water.

Hope this helps - I've always said: "the down-side of cooking is the washing up"! Oh for a kitchen porter that fits into the broom cupboard!

Another thought is (hopefully more helpful) have you thought of lining your oven to save the lower surfaces?

With something like this:-

[link]

There are cheaper versions around, but Lakeland's products generally work well.

It's a job I hate as well - I just turn the oven on full and then take a chisel to the carbon when it cools

If it's any consolation, the heat in an oven will kill off most germs and bacteria.

But if any do survive, then you really do have a problem because they will be thermoproof

Options:-

1/ If the oven is still under warranty, find a reason for it to be replaced.

2/ If the oven has a ‘catalytic clean’ setting, use that.

3/ Use a proprietary brand oven cleaner.

How about this one?

[link]

Add milk until you have a creamy consistency, and see what the results are like, and then adjust as required.

It will probably buckle and the concentration of heat in one place may damage the non-stick coating.

Roasting trays suitable for hob-top use are usually heavy gauge aluminium - the extra thickness and nature of the metal means that the heat is evenly distributed through the base. The better quality ones have a hard anodised non-stick coating. ASDA used to do one for about £25, which is the cheapest I have seen with a hard anodised finish.

This one looks good value, albeit that it has a Teflon coating.

[link]

Good to hear from you murdrobe - it sounds as if you are on the road to where you want to be.

It rarely seems like it when you are there, but starting at the bottom of the ladder is a very good place to start, it's where a lot of those that have got to the top started - particularly good if you intend to head for a management post later on.

A "decent wage" and some time to develop your interest sounds good too.

Thanks for letting us know how things are going for you, and I hope you keep in touch.

All the very best to you

gastro

Wondering how things went for murdrobe, as it's just turned a year since the original post?

It is hard for youngsters, because while the colleges train students to cook, many of today's employers want chefs to re-heat and get things on a plate at break-neck speed.

If you see this murdrobe, it would be great to hear how things have gone for you.

Half a cup of cream (Euro measure) is around 120 grams, so if you work with half a cup, i.e. 120 grams, you will have allowed 20 grams for wastage when you whip it up.

Whipping cream isn't going to affect the weight, other than the wastage produced as part of the process.

You will be increasing the volume by mixing in air, so go with the weight of the neat cream.

Be sure to keep it cool after whipping.

If you mean one of these:-

[link]

The concept and design is great, but because they are made so cheaply they tend not to last long - generally a year or two, and parts can be a problem, i.e. either hard to obtain or near the cost of a new unit.

If you intend to give one a try, suggest you take out as long an extended warranty as is available.

Best price is at makro, but you will need a trade card.

Another thought is: you could take a casserole pot with you, which would enable you to make curries, chiliconcarne, stews, etc? You could prepare your veg at home, and if you want to make it very straight forward, then use tin meat - Delia express style.

Cast-iron would be best because they will simmer away on very little heat, but if the weight is an issue, then an aluminum one. Once you have browned your onions, meat, etc, added water and a stock cube, you could leave it simmering on a flicker for hours and dip in as required.

If you don't have a casserole, you can pick up cheap ones for a few pounds, which would be good enough for the odd outdoor cook-up.

This one is pretty cheap:-[link]

How about freshly caught fish? Or is that too risky?

You could cook it on one of those disposable barbies?

Failing that, there are a host of thing you could do on such a barbie - depends what your tastes are of course, but lots of vegetables that can be roasted, or any meat based dishes that you can keep cool long enough. You could perhaps freeze some dishes made at home and then keep them in a cool-box to defrost on the trip? Have you thought of getting one of those cooler-boxes that plugs into your car's cigar lighter?

Your billy-cans sound a bit limiting - although there are 'boil in the bag' options, etc?

If you contact Tesco customer services at the store, or by telephone, they will look into it for you. It might have been temporarily out of stock.

According to this link Tesco have it:-

[link]

Take a look here:-

[link]

Fish sounds good, but there are a lot on the market already?

How will you make yours special?

The price of fish has risen a lot of late too, so if you have to work to a price, you may find it a squeeze.

You could aim for the kiddies market by designing the packaging like a fish (cartoon style), and marketing it as "healthy food for kids" - Omega 3, etc.

Or, fish and chips was a very popular choice for kids on Master Chef this week, so maybe an oven-ready pack aimed at kids would go well - fish with low fat chips, and maybe some mushy peas. Play up the nutritional value and low fat element. Batter will raise the fat and calorie levels a lot, so you might want to think about bread crumbs, but batter will get the kids asking for more!

I'm going to leave the rest to you - as it's your project.

Have you done a tour of the supermarkets to see where any gaps in the market are?

A vegetarian dish for one might be popular - most of the ready meals are meat orientated.

I think you need to argue that you ordered "a dish", not a cut of meat, and state what you would like them to do to compensate you.

If your claim is reasonable, you may find that they will settle with you while not accepting responsibilty for the mix up.

The cut is called "a supreme of chicken", but the dish: "chicken supreme" usually comes with a sauce.

If the sauce was an optional extra, then they should have told you that before the event.

If you order "a gammon steak", you don't expect to get a gammon steak on a plate with nothing else.

Such issues are really for 'front of house' management, the fact that they have to "ask the chef" suggests that they don't really know what they are about.

As suggested above, if it's a large company or a chain, contact Customer Services and state your case while also saying what they need to do to settle this with you.

Good luck.

I would be inclined to replace around 15% of the sugar with Lyle's Black Treacle, and heat it until just molten, then let it cool and use as prescribed.

I know very little of the flours sold in Canada, but I do know that flour sold in Britain comes from all parts of the world.

Manufacturers are required to state the protein content of flour on the packet, which may help when buying. Generally, flours range from soft to hard - soft being used in things like sponges, and hard being used in bread and pasta products.

It would help if you describe the problems you are having?

If it's about rising, then double sifting as advised above should help.

Other issues could be: getting enough air into the egg mix; using fresh raising agents, and correct amount; using a good recipe; getting the ingredients mixed as required and into the oven swiftly at the right temperature; the right size of tin.

If your oven is faulty in any way, then it's most likely to show up when baking sponges.

Have you tried replacing all your ingredients with fresh, particularly any raising agents, and if possible, baking in another oven – perhaps a friend’s oven?

P.S. - as I expect you know, a lot of chefs do not relish the thought of desserts and patisserie, so maybe a way in for you is to develop your skills as a specialist in this area. You will be looking at the bigger establishments - large hotels, etc.

A lot of colleges of FE do specialist short courses on patisserie, and if you don't have it already, I recommend Michel Roux Snrs book: 'pastry - Savoury & Sweet', which is a 'must have' read for any pastry chef.

Such a move would definitely narrow down the field of competition for you.

1/ Have you thought of doing a level 2 professional cookery course at your local college? Or maybe a short course, such as bakery/
patisserie?

2/ Talk to a training provider in your area and see if they can offer you any kind of on-the-job training package.

3/ Sign on with an employment agency as a Kitchen Porter, and then when you get some work, grab any opportunities that arise to show what you can do cooking wise - quite a few chefs have started out this way.

4/ Try self-employment by offering various services to your local pubs, e.g. curry nights, pies, etc.

5/ Get yourself a hygiene certificate - which should help - employers are responsible for their staff re hygiene and good practices when handling food. Your local college of FE will probably do this as a one-day course in their catering department. Then make up a portfolio of dishes that you have cooked - photographs, recipes, etc, and take with you to any interviews you get.

Have you talked to Job Centre Plus to see if they have any ideas?

You could always put your name down as a contender on Master Chef, if you think you could handle it.

A lot of pubs with restaurants are supplied by their breweries, who have the food cooked in bulk and shipped frozen.

Some training providers now offer a choice of catering courses for chefs, i.e. to learn to cook from scratch, or to learn how to manage and re-heat food that has been previously prepared elsewhere.

The main reason meat ends up dry is because it's overcooked - it's easy enough to dry meat out by taking it up to a high temperature, at which point the meat fibres tighten and so the natural juices get squeezed out (rather like the way moisture leaves a sponge when squeezed) and then if the remaining meat is left in a dry heat (which will carry on the cooking process, albeit more slowly) it will end up dry and probably tough.

By contrast, if the toughest of meats is cooked in a slow cooker in some form of fluid, it will stay tender, moist, and succulent for hours.

Finding some middle ground between the above two methods should give optimum results - how different chefs achieve that may differ.

At one end of the spectrum you have a piece of dried up tough meat, and at the other extreme you have a piece of meat that is almost raw sat in a puddle of blood, which can be off-putting for many people.

It boils down to understanding how various foods cook, and controlling the temperature to suit the occasion and the end product.

Heston B has probably done more than any other TV chef towards illuminating that process.

"frizettes"?

Weren't they on the Motown label?

Well ty none160 ... the quizmaster!

Tricky one, as there isn't just one way.

But most likely done by pre-cooking to a certain stage, and then finished off when ordered.

Vacuum packing and cooking meats 'in the bag' (not necessarily for long periods at very low temperatures) helps to keep meat moist and provides some flexibility.

However, it might be said that the combi-oven is the chef’s best friend!

A lot of commercially available sous-vide packs are prepared in large (factory) production kitchens, being cooked in huge steam ovens, as opposed to water-baths, and then frozen, so that they can be defrosted and reheated in combi-ovens.

A process that is a closely guarded matter of confidentiality by many a Michelin Star chef. Mentioning no names, but there was a bit of leakage around a few weeks ago in the National press on this.

makro have a convection halogen oven in their current mail - it's not nu-wave, but same kind of thing made by PROlectrix... 7 litre capacity... £29.99 +vat.

makro usually give a 12 month exchange / money back guarantee.

You will need one of their trade cards though, or go with someone who has one.

I think it would make a good subject for a school science project, i.e. explore ways of cooking an egg at 65c.

Cooking an egg in sand might be one way, or by using halogen lights, warm air stream, etc.

I saw this earlier, and thought: "if only the temperature scale was a bit lower! "lol

[link]

Hope the barbie goes well posset, and that you have a great weekend - you too none160!

TTFN

Hi posset

The egg had the most amazing flavour to it, although it was just a very ordinary supermarket egg.

It was in for the best part of an hour - I gave it that long because it was taken from the fridge only about 15 minutes previous to cooking, and was still quite chilled. The white had just formed into a gel-like texture. If I do another one, I'll reduce the cooking time to 45 mins, and see how that looks.

But its a lot of fiddling around for a boiled egg, so I'm not rushing to do another.

I did draw up a design for custom made version, but probably won't take that forward - I doubt that there are many people willing to spend up to an hour cooking a boiled egg.

This subject also reminded me of the guy who appeared on The Dragon's Den with his egg encasing jacket that he added microprocessor temperature control to - if the temperature was controlled low enough , I can't see why that couldn't be used for very slow cooked eggs. The water is no more than a medium for transferring heat.

Such a gadget would be very user friendly, and if fitted with a timer and an alarm, it would be easy and convenient to use.

I'm putting the links you are posting in favourites - they are very interesting.

Nice to hear from you posset :-)

I've just tried an experiment on this using a steamer with a heavy stainless steel saucepan suspended over the steam , i.e. the saucepan has a lip which means it can be suspended over the steam with minimal contact with the body of the steamer.

Quite honestly, I am amazed by the result

After a bit of fiddling around to get the temperature stable at 65c, it has remained constant. When I added the egg, which was quite cold as it hadn't really reached room temperature after coming out of the fridge, the temperature dropped down to 64c but was back at 65 within a few minutes.

Because the saucepan is smaller than the steamer, it's possible to get a fine regulation of temperature, literally 1 degree, by controlling how much steam can escape - I used some folded foil to do this.

I'm doing this on a gas hob, and trying to regulate within 1c by controlling the gas is hit and miss, but controlling the steam outlet seems to work really well., bearing in mind that most water-baths operate at + - 1 degree.

I've tried it with around 600mls water and one egg.

Because the pan acting as the water-bath is being heated by steam, it has remained not only stable, but has given the same temperature reading across the pan.

You will need plenty of time and patients; it took around 30 minutes to get the pans well heated through, and stable, and be prepared to practice with controlling the steam outlet - any adjustments are likely to take some minutes to work through.

Another important factor is to have minimum metal to metal contact between the pans to avoid the build up of heat through the pan bodies: the heat needs to be transferred via the steam.

This picture shows the arm, i.e. the projection on the left-hand side of the lid.


[link]

Correction to the above - the small arm that triggers the safety switch will be on the lid.

There are some user manuals here, not sure they cover your model though:-

[link]

Have you located the micro switch that provides the safety factor?

I think it's on the motor body, and is triggered by a small projecting arm on the top of the food bowl that slides into it when the bowl if fully locked in.

Has that small projecting arm been broken off?

Or has the micro switch in the motor body become stuck?

Have you tried locking the bowl in and out quite sharply for a couple of dozen times - that might free it up if it's stuck.

Or, if you have some WD40, spray a drop into a bottle top, and with an ear bud just trickle a drop into the switch.

If its been laid up for some years, the contacts may have got rusty.

If none of that works, it's going to need dismantling to check the safety switch, and activation switch, and then the motor. The light doesn't tell you much, other than the fact that the power is on.

I suspect that monkeysuncle is right, but I'm more than happy to sign "the petition" anyway.

As far as food show hosts go, they don't get much better than Jeni B imo.

Her wit and her humour were the tools of her trade, and combined with her knowledge of food, she could cut to the chase within one sentence. Jeni has the ability to stand in the viewer's shoes and ask the kind of questions that a live audience might produce.

So often she would ask a chef: "and why do you do that?" And quite often many of them didn't know 'why' they did what they did, i.e. they just 'did it'.

But no doubt any chef with any sense would 'know why' before appearing on the show again.

I also miss Jeni's honesty - on most food shows the reaction following tasting is invariably: "mmmmmm"; even when you wonder how such a recipe could ever produce such a result. But with Jeni, if it didn't taste: "mmmmmm" then she would say so, and even if the words were unspoken, her facial expressions often spoke volumes.

As we know from past postings on this board, Jeni can have a polarising affect on audiences: many people loved her, but some found her hard to take, and what was magic for some was little more than an irritating distraction for others.

Rather like many foods that have a strong and distinct flavour that some people love and others can't abide, Jeni would delight or disappoint.

I suspect the program makers looked for someone(s) more middle of the road than Jeni, i.e. with personalities that would have a wider appeal. But when the vivid colours of a spectrum are toned down and merged, you end up with a grayness that has the bland appeal of magnolia walls in a newly build house. The effect is bland and uninspiring, but it's unlikely to upset anyone to any great degree.

Even though it has already been said by so may people before, I still remain hopeful that one day Jeni will return to our screens.

Hi

The middle shelf on your oven should correspond to the temperature that you set on the dial.

If it's not a fan oven but a conventional one, then the shelf above middle will be hotter than the dial setting, and the one below cooler.

But to get to know your oven you really need one of these:-

[link]

The 'sprouting' or cracking top is going to to be related to your mix and your oven temperatures.

Cakes rise because the rising agent in the flour creates carbon dioxide which produces lots of little bubble-like air bags that lift the mix just before it starts to set. If eggs are used, then any air that has been beaten in will be held within a mesh-like structure created by the beaten egg mix. The combination of the egg and the trapped air acts like a scaffolding that inflates as the temperature rises. How wet the mix is also makes a difference.

While all this is going on inside your cake, the outer surface is becoming solidified as the heat from your oven begins cooking from the outside in.

If the outer surface is starting to cook and sets while the internal air bags are still inflating, then at some point something has to give and the surface will break up.

So basically to reduce the 'volcanic' eruption you need to balance your mix with the temperature (thermal) curve within your oven.

My advice is to be sure of your mix and your oven temperature before going any further. I recommend Delia or Mary Berry recipes for cakes.

Once you know what produces what, then if the tops of your cakes are still cracking, try reducing your oven temperature and see if that helps.

It may be that you need to reduce the raising agent to avoid cracking, but then the trade-off might be the amount of rise that you get.

So basically, get to know your oven and then experiment with your mix and oven temperatures.

Hope this helps.

What you really need is a Thermomix:-

[link]

Was the creme fraiche cold from the fridge?

It might have been that if it was.

If its uncoated cast-iron then it will probably need seasoning - get the pan really hot and coat with oil or better still rendered pig fat or lard, allow the oil/fat to smoke and when it looks dry put the pan in the oven on a low setting for an hour or so, then allow to cool. You may need to repeat the process to get a good non-stick surface. Wash the pan in soapy water but don't use metal scourers otherwise you will wear away the coating you have built up.

Another thought is that maybe you are moving the meat too soon after putting it in the pan - most meats will stick initially but then will free up as they seal.

The fact that you are having to add extra water does suggest that the temperature control is not operating as it should due to the thermostat not cutting the power when it should.

Up to you of course - but I would definitely recommend trying another one.

Cooking rice is not rockt science - you shouldn't be having all this trouble.

If you are following the instructions for the cooker and those that come with the rice you are using, it might be that the thermostat in the cooker is unreliable. If it's within a period of warranty still, I would suggest changing it for another one. From what you are saying, it seems it might be running on boil all the time.

It can sometimes take a while, six years perhaps, but most people do get a helpful answer sooner or later on this board

Mary Berry is very good on cakes - and Delia of course.

[link]

Various online ones available here:-

[link]

I think staying healthy on £1.43 per day for an adult is a real stretch, and I wouldn't recommend it for any length of time. Have you thought of having a "lean week" every other week? That way you would place less risk on your health. In the past, the link between diet and mental health has been grossly underestimated, and some of the essential sustaining foods, such as fish, nuts, wholegrain, etc, are quite expensive. There are also many physical illnesses and diseases that are linked to poor diet. The emphasis at the moment is on people's size, rather than healthy eating, and in my opinion, there is a health crisis in the making because people are dieting and failing to eat properly, which will show up in five or ten years time.

But some general thoughts:-

ASDA do some very cheap deals on basic items - such as muesli in poly-bags for around 80p, also rolled-oats - if you ad a little plain water to muesli and leave to absorb for ten minutes before adding the milk, you can save a little on milk. But try to have at last a small glass of pure fruit juice with breakfast - research shows that starting the day with fruit juice is generally protective of good health.

To manage on such a tight budget I would suggest going for tinned and frozen foods - frozen veg is often more nutritious than 'fresh veg' bought through supermarkets because freezing preserves the nutritional value of many types of veg. Very often 'fresh veg' is far from actually being fresh and will have lost a good deal of nutritional value while hanging around.

Tinned tomatoes are really cheap, as are tinned kidney beans. You can now get all sorts of salad type beans in tins, also good value, if not as cheap as kidney beans which you can buy for as little as 14 pence for a large can.

You can also get large tins of peaches for as little as 17p in the supermarkets. Tinned pears are also often cheap during times of being on offer, as are other fruits.

If you get a small pack of stewing steak/casserole steak or even mince, you can make chilli-con-carni for around £1 per head plus the cost of a large potato for baking.

The two big supermarkets sell cheap cheap chickens (around £2), and if you remove the breasts and the legs, you will probably be able to get four portions out of a chicken. Add some potatoes, frozen sweet corn (one of the cheapest veggies) and a carrot per portion, maybe some frozen beans, and you have a meal for one at around £1 per head.

Buy a poly-bag of casserole veg (around a £1 in the big two SMs) and a pack of casserole beef, and you should be able to knock-out a casserole for just over £1 per head - as you probably won't need all the veg from the £1 bag.

Pasta and rice are the obvious cheap sources of carbo - ratatouille is quick and easy to make, and fairly cheap - medium sized aubergine 84p, large courgette 48p, cheap tinned tomatoes 30p, bell pepper 40p, cooking onion 10p, tomato puree and a large dollop of cheap tomato sauce 5p - serve with a small cup of pasta from a giant poly-bag, and you have a meal at just over £1.10p.

Risotto can be made with any kind of rice (best made with arborio or carnaroli, but such rice tends to cost a lot more than the large SM bags of rice) ... I recommend using sunflower oil with a nob of butter, add your rice and work around the pan so that it becomes well covered in the oil and butter, then having made up a pan of chicken stock from a cube (I seriously recommend buying decent stock cubes and not the cheap SM ones) add a ladle of stock and simmer it off, then add another ladle of stock, and so on until all the stock has been incorporated, then add frozen peas, or any other suitable ingredients. I like chicken scraps taken from the carcase added with sweetcorn – make sure the chicken is fully reheated though. Add a nob of butter right at the end, it makes all the difference.

When it comes to fish, mackerel is one of the healthiest and cheapest of the fishes, and is easy to prepare and cook. If you buy fresh from somewhere like a large ASDA store, they will probably cut the fillets for you.

To stay healthy you need a varied diet that includes calcium, so you are going to need some dairy produce, milk, yogurt, cheese, etc. All of which has risen in price recently, particularly cheese, which has shot up in price.

You can make paneer by heating up some milk and adding yogurt and a squeeze of lemon juice - once it becomes solidified, press out the water by wrapping in cloth and wringing it tight, or press it out in a sieve. Store in the fridge - you can add chives, spices, etc, to add flavour.

Growing your own herbs will also save you some money.

The supermarkets are using some very astute marketing strategies by spotlighting certain foods as 'fantastic value', but in truth, the price hike that has taken place over the past year, (much of which was justified in relation to rising fuel costs which have now fallen) still remains and "the bargains" are few and far between.

Forgive me if this seems impertinent, but have you spoken with the Citizens Advice Bureau about the best way to manage your debt? If not, I would urge you to do that - they have a huge amount of experience and expertise in debt management and will advise you on how to target the outstanding debt while reducing, or maybe even in some areas eliminating, the interest you are being charged. If your debts are very large, it may even be possible to get some of it written off.

Hope this helps – but my advice is to think twice about cutting your diet to a point where it may mean your health suffers, and take some advice on managing your outstanding debts.

If you want something a bit special, try this - it's delicious:-

[link]

You're not imagining it posset - my post disappeared too!

I don't think I used any offensive words

Hopefully no one took the term "thickening agent" personally!

I did mention cornflour, tomato puree, and dusting casserole beef in flour before adding to the stock. Also, switching to chopped tomatoes instead of plumb might help – if plumb were being used of course.

It cooks out fine.

In theory, if you cook said chicken in the circo at the same temperature setting as your old oven and for the same amount of time, it may well end up cooked unevenly.

The problem with roasting chickens - as I'm sure you know - is that the legs take longer to cook than the breasts - which is often dealt with by covering the breasts with bacon, or foil for part of the cooking time, or removing the legs and cooking them on the top shelf in a separate tray in a conventional standard oven. There is also the issue of whether you stuff the bird or leave it empty.

Cooking the circo way should produce a good result, because once you get used to it, you should have tight control over the cooking process, i.e. it should be precise and consistent. But it sounds as if you had your old oven worked out to a T, and that the temperature control was pretty reliable. There will also have been a different balance over time between convection and conduction in your old oven.

There are pro's and cons re fan driven ovens - my gas oven is not fan assisted (there is a fan that keeps the outer casing cool, but no circulation inside) I find this useful for cooking foods simultaneously that require different temperatures.

I think the only way you are going to get really in tune with your new oven is to try out the combinations of time & temperature for the chicken and see what you think of it.

There is quite a narrow window for the breast meat, and if you up the temperature in the circo, you may narrow that window considerably.

There is no magic to the circo, the three main variables are the density of the food, time, and temperature.

There was a poster on here about 18 months that was having problems cooking with her new circo – and as part of trying to get things right she had called out the engineer, who did a temperature test and confirmed that the internal temperature was as the setting on the dial. Because of the way Neff market the circo, the poster felt that the internal temperature should have been higher than that set on the dial – understandable enough I guess – and judging by what she posted, she was pretty frustrated with the engineer.

That's what I call 'fast food' none160

Col. Sanders, eat your heart out!

The Neff achieves it's gains by accurately targeting the food, i.e. it's directly in line with the heat flow, and by producing a powerful and almost immediate heat source the cooking process is up and running very quickly.

In a conventional oven the cavity has to be pre-heated, and then when the food is placed inside there is a heat loss due to (a) the door being opened and heat escaping from the cavity, and (b) the presence of cold food immediately lowers the ambient temperature. So the thermostat senses the drop and opens up the burner/element and the temperature in the cavity is gradually raised again.

Whereas in the Neff circo, the food is hit with powerful and targeted heat jets from the word go - hence the rise and fall in temperature is leveled out.

As an analogy, think of a Ferrari driver challenging a Ford Focus driver to a race through a conurbation, while accepting the handicap of keeping the top speed to 10 mph less than the Ford Focus. The Ferrari wins due to the power of acceleration up to the agreed top speed at every possible opportunity - so even though it's top-end speed is capped, the average speed is greater.

But if they get onto a motorway to do a long journey, 'the trick' doesn't work, i.e. when cooking a chicken.

Neff market the circotherm as energy saving on the basis that the temperature dial is on a lower setting than the average oven, but personally, I would question that, as I would re the fuel consumption of the Ferrari v the Ford Focus.



However, with something that cooks in say 20 minutes, it might be that the extra power and efficiency that cuts down pre-heat times is enough to justify a saving in energy - if compared to a conventional electric oven that is. But if placing any bets re economy, my money would be on a gas oven, no matter how low tech.

Personally, I try to get the best of both worlds by using a conventional gas oven for anything that doesn't require critical temperature control, and when I'm not in a hurry. And then I have a Panasonic Combi, which is absolutely fantastic on temperature control and speed, for when more accuracy is required and I have less time.

Pre-heat times are short because the cavity is half the size of a conventional oven, and the quartz grill assist with raising the temperature quickly to that which has been set. The oven signals and pauses when the temperature is achieved, once the food is entered and the time has been set, hot air is blown from the back of the oven while the food rotates on a turntable.

The results are excellent, and the Panasonic has exceeded all my original expectations - I never thought it would be so good. But of course it doesn't run as cheaply as the gas oven.

If you ever need a back-up oven, I highly recommend the top end Panasonic Combi.

Prince Charles does a weekly food shop, does he?

The use of a hot air stream produces short pre-heat times and a flatter thermal curve, i.e. the food is cooking for longer at the optimal temperature, which allows for a slightly lower setting on the temperature dial.

But the longer the cooking time, the less gain there is from the greater efficiency produced by cooking in a hot-air stream, so the basic principle that applies is: 'that if the cooking temperature is lowered, then the cooking time will be longer'. However, I wouldn't be surprised if you can trim the timing a little - depends on how well you like your chicken done. A need for a little experimentation, I would think.

re 4 in 1 slow cooker question

The Tefal has a good reputation:-


[link]

"Are they safe though?"

They should be.

I think it's always best to give a new slow cooker a couple of trial runs while you are around so that you can make sure that the thermostat is working ok.

On the slow setting the cooker should cycle around 95c (- / + a couple of degrees)

The 'auto' setting (if it has one) should take the temperature up to virtually boiling point and then settle back to 'slow' cook after a set period.

The 'high' setting' should hold the contents at near boiling point - 96 / 100c.

The most likely problem to arise is a faulty thermostat - there is actually very little in a slow cooker to go wrong.

If it is running at too high a temperature on the slow setting, the food can become mushy and even meat may fall apart and break up. If the temperature is too low, then the cooking time may be too long.

If a thermometer is not to hand, then after an hour or so (with lid on) the liquid content should just show some slight signs of movement due to the heat. If it's a brisk simmer, then the temperature is too high. If there is no sign of activity at all, it's probably too cool.

Some slow cookers have vented lids, others don't. If the lid is not vented, then it may rattle every now and then as the steam pushes out, an unvented lid that rattles continuously is a sign that the cooker is running too hot.

Lifting the lid too often on a slow cooker will set the cooking times back considerably - some of the lower powered ones are no more than a 150watt - which is what the old type large light bulbs used to run at.

Obvious safety factors are to stand it on a hard surface with plenty of space around it.

Always make sure the right value fuse is fitted in the plug - a low powered slow-cooker will be fine on a 3 amp fuse.

...and don't forget Paul's dictum, ie: "most important of all, you must start off with a happy chicken!"

I think the media, i.e. TV, etc, has created a very narrow and somewhat romanticised image of the catering industry. No doubt some chefs swear a lot in real life, but then so will a lot of plumbers, carpenters, etc. But yes, I don't doubt that some chefs live up to the TV image of Ramsay and the like - well in their language, if not in the standard of their cooking, lol.

TV producers feed the public on what they like to watch.

I'm not a great fan of MK, but at least they don't reinforce the image of the ranting and raving chef who bullies people into meeting their standards.

I'm not a chef by the way - my mother was a head cook and I grew up helping in a commercial kitchen from the age of 9 - it's very hard work. Cooking 4 meals (services) a day for 130 people is a world removed from what is shown on TV. Plus, it's not that well paid, which is why I didn't go into catering.

My mother was totally supportive of her staff and would never have dreamt of swearing or raising her voice to them.

My sons a trainee chef, and he won't watch most of what is shown on TV re cooking. Most of the TV chefs just throw things into pots and have food technicians to back them up (i.e. "the one I made earlier") - of course they are never seen by the public.

The term 'chef' is a designation applied to skilled cooks in commercial kitchens.

Contrary to what Wikipedia states, in larger kitchens there are often a number of chefs carrying out different roles: the Executive Chef is the overall kitchen manager; Sous Chefs are understudies and assistants to the executive chef and may supervise the work of other chefs; Chef de partie is a chef covering a particular section in a kitchen; Commis chefs are next in line, and may be junior chefs who are gaining experience.

Traditionally, men have been referred to as 'chefs' and women have been called 'cooks', but that is changing.

Hi none160

I'm not sure that we disagree about the texture issue, particularly if the 00 flour is purchased in the UK.

Italian 00 flour is traditionally ground from Durum wheat.

But if 00 flour is bought in the UK, there is no guarantee that the flour has been derived from Durum wheat - it may well be a blend of hard common wheats, similar to bread flour. The blending of flour tends to be a very secretive process, and very often all it will say on the bag is that the contents is a blend of various wheats. Because Durum wheat is generally more expensive, my guess is that most producers will label it as such as a selling point, but leave flour blended from common wheat and packed as 00 to the assumptions of the consumer.

However, they are required to put the protein rating on the bag, and the way it pours, or doesn't pour, says something about the contents.

I think we may agree on somethings, but not all aspects of the discussion - such is life!

All the best to you.

You might find this link helpful - they use T & G boards on RSC - they mention that they use mineral oil - there is an email address, maybe they will sell you some.

[link]

To be honest, I think it's done more for cosmetic reasons than anything else.

I use a laminated bamboo board, which I just wipe clean with a damp cloth and then clean with salt and lemon every so often.

All the best.

If you don't have any luck in Tesco, ASDA keep it, it's usually with the pudding/dessert mixes.

Durum wheat is one of the hardest wheats and has a high protein content which produces the gluten that gives the dough it's elasticity.

It's more expensive than common wheat, and if it doesn't say durum wheat on the packaging, then it probably isn't, being instead a hard flour ground from common wheat.

The softer/weaker flours, such as 'plain flour', have less protein in them.

Flour produced from hard wheat tends to be more free flowing than flour milled from soft wheat, because the hard wheat grinds to a more granular texture - so it will pour in a way that soft/weak flour doesn't (rather like the difference between granular sugar and icing sugar).

Hard flours are used for bread dough, pizza dough, pasta, and some pastries, such as puff.

Weak flours are used for cakes, some pastries, etc.

You haven't caused an argument – I'm always happy to agree to disagree.

I would have thought it would have been treated before it was sold?

It's not something I've ever done, but I believe you can use a medicinal mineral oil - which is sold as a laxative in some chemists.

Careful not to over do it though!

none160

It's more the terms you are using, than what you are saying about when to use what and where.

00 flour may, or may not, contain durum wheat.

Durum wheat can be milled to 00 or other grades.

Most of the cheaper flour sold in supermarkets is blended from various sources.

If someone buys semolina flour, then it should be derived from 100% durum wheat, although it may, or may not, be milled to 00 grade.

Hi posset - hope all is well with you.

After posting to Moglia yesterday, I did wonder whether the tinned tomatoes are breaking down during the day, thus creating more liquid, especially if they are plumb tomatoes. If that were the case, chopped tomatoes might make a marginal difference.

I always end up with a lot more gravy than I need, so I just take what I need of the main contents and serve in a bowl - it's nearly always casserole beef with me. Then I boil and mash some potatoes and add some Dijon mustard or horse radish sauce before forming into quenelle shapes with a couple of spoons and dropping into the casserole - as you would a dumpling. They then begin to dissolve, and the flavour as they mix with the beef gravy is yumshush! It does thicken the gravy somewhat as well.

On the 'slow' setting a slow-cooker cycles at around 93-95c which is barely a simmer, consequently there will be very little 'reduction' taking place, plus any steam that rises will condense on the lid and so drip back into the pot.

If you want to 'reduce' the contents, you will need to turn your slow-cooker up to high and remove the lid.

But adding a thickening agent might be easier and quicker for you.

If you brown your meat before putting it into the cooker, you could dust it with flour just before transferring to the cooker.

Or mix a little cornflour or arrowroot with about 20 mils of water and add that to the pot - tomato puree can help to thicken as well.

You will need a certain amout of fluid in the pot to enable an even cooking process.

OO is the grinding grade and says little about the type of flour - traditionally, pasta in Italy is made from durum wheat.

The last time I was in Tesco they had pasta flour in the flour section.

I use semolina flour (which is made with duram wheat - it's on the pudding sections usually) and mix it 50:50 with strong bread flour - makes great pasta and works out a bit cheaper.

I do exactly the same re keeping a separate board for chicken (even from my general meat board) and the cleaning down routine afterwards with the anti-bac spray. Since having had a nasty bout of food poisoning about 5 years ago (which I don't think was related to chicken) I have been slightly paranoid ever since ... lol.

I cringe when I see cooks on TV handle raw chicken and then use salt and pepper grinders, pick up bottles of soy sauce, etc, etc, without washing their hands. Even when they do show some awareness, it's usually just to dip their fingers in a bowl under the counter for a split second.

It is tempting just to buy the boned chicken thighs and avoid the fiddle of doing it yourself, but I have found that the cook and strip method is pretty good and is a way around it.

One of my sons is a trainee chef, and as part of his 'preparation of poultry' assessment he has to joint up the legs and remove the long thin bone while leaving the rest of the leg in tact around the main leg bone, and with the skin undisturbed - it's like keyhole surgery and a real fiddle.

I said to him the other day: “I can't see you ever needing to do this once you leave college!” ... hopefully not, anyway.

I've been buying whole chickens of late due to the sharp rise in the cost of chicken pieces. I take the breasts off and use them as required, and then brown the legs, thighs, and wings in a flat casserole on the hob before adding chicken stock and then popping into the oven with the lid on. If the meat is slightly overcooked it will come away from the bone easily, while the flesh is still moist. Which is much quicker than boning out when raw.

Add some chopped onion, or mushrooms, veg, whatever, and there are many variations on a theme possible.

The other night I added some garam masala, and other spices, and although it wasn't exactly a curry, it was highly flavoured without being too hot.

I have found Luminarc products very good, and they have had it in stock at makro at very competitive prices.

[link]

I don't think any of this ware is actually 'unbreakable' though - just more resistant.

If you like the look of Luminarc, it is cheap enough to consider buying more than you need so that you always have replacements to hand - it comes in sets and separates.

I definitely believe that your Paella pan is a sign of what is to come posset, i.e. something that is a cross between a cooking pot and an oven. The small cooking appliances that have a dish with a cover containing an infrared element and a fan seem to work well, although from what I have heard of them, they are don't last long - but that could be due to being built to a price and using inferior components.

But I feel sure that a worktop appliance that will bake, steam, fry, roast, grill, toast, slow-cook, fast cook, and keep warm is just around the corner. The conventional oven is just too wasteful of energy.

Still haven't had my gas/electirc bill yet, so still resisiting any new purchases...

I must resist...
I must resist...
I must resist...

Deep breath...



lol

Take care posset.

Nice idea for storing pots posset - unfortunately my garage ceiling is about 12' high

The Paella pan looks and sounds very versatile - if it will brown meat and then slow cook it, that's something I could make good use of.

I get very frustrated with my gas hob at times - it doesn't put out enough power for a wok of any size, but then it won't shut down enough to simmer when using cast iron pans. Plus, it's not really big enough if using larger pots and pans.

I bought a stand-alone induction hob, but it seems oversensitive and cuts out too easily for my liking - I think it's probably faulty - now out of the warranty period of course

However, I'm waiting to see what my gas and electric bills look like before buying any more appliances - have the Paul McKenna CD standing buy to help with the shock!

But I have added it to my 'wish list'.

All the best.

Wow, that paella pan looks really useful posset.

Thinking I'd better go for a lie down in a dark room and play my Paul McKenna CD, else I'll end up ordering one!

I've just been trying to find a place to stack 4 large SS stock pots - don't ask me why I've ended up with 'four very large SS stock pots' ... it's a long story!

All the best.

Many thanks for the above posset - I really enjoyed reading it.

I don't know much about Thomas Keller, but your mention of him prompted me to google, and based upon what I have seen so far, he seems to be a quietly spoken man who has an inspirational love of his craft and an amazing knowledge of food and its preparation.

I found a couple of relevant links (hopefully they won't get modded)

[link]

[link]

In the interview on the second link he talks about being in the kitchen and surrounded by the sounds of the kitchen, and how those sounds tell him something about what is going on. Which reminded me of your comment re missing the smells of cooking with SV. Although I'm not a professional cook, I can relate to how being in a particular working environment can feel like being in your 'spiritual home', and how smells and sounds can resonate with 'feel good' memories of past experiences.

Everything about Thomas Keller seems to exude a love of what he does and a passionate commitment to detail - I intend to try his Gnocchi recipe and the method used.

I loved the tour of his kitchen at Per Se - fantastic layout and absolutely staggering attention to detail regarding how the environment has been developed around the working process - and not the other way round, as is the case in many a kitchen.

If you haven't see it already posset, then DON'T look, because some of the equipment shown is truly impressive - but it also looks extremely expensive

His labelling of all the produce when they first arrive caught my eye - something I really should take up, as I frequently end up pondering how long I've had some vegetable or other in the back of the fridge. My stress test on carrots, i.e. if they bend through 180o without snapping, then its time for chucking out, does seem a bit crude compared to his dating system.

What a treat to have a window into the life-style of such a master of his craft, he projects a love of every aspect of what he does, i.e. the people, the environment, and the object of his passion: the preparation and cooking of food.

Thanks again for the post posset – all quite inspirational imo.

BTW, I look forward to the review of the commercial vacuum machine when you get it!

Hi posset - thanks for taking the time to feedback on your experiences with the water-bath.

As you say, I can't see them catching on in the domestic kitchen. Apart from the initial investment and time involved, your post underlines what I have heard elsewhere about the need for great precision and attention to detail - unlike the: "throw it in and let it simmer away" approach that can produce good results with conventional crock-pot cookers.

A couple of questions do come to mind: I wonder how you covered the risk of not killing off bacteria when cooking at 61c?

I know that "they" say the usual 72c includes a wide safety margin, but I would have thought 61c was risky?

Did you perhaps make sure that the temperature of the meat was raised to a safe level in the oven?

Also, do you feel anything was lost by putting the crown in the oven? Such as a rapid loss of moisture?

Plus, if you did raise the temperature, would that not "tighten" the meat and cause juices to be squeezed out? Although presumably, most of the collagen had already been soften so much that any reaction to a higher heat would be minimal. But then I would have thought that raising the temperature would have produced some drying and caused some draining of juices?

I'm thinking along the lines of the gastrovac process, i.e. where they re-moisturise the meat by way of creating a vacuum at the end of the cooking process, and whether finishing off in a conventional oven would create an effect somewhat opposite to gastrovac?

Whatever happened, it sounds as if you produced some exceptional results.

I have wondered about the browning issue with red meat. I see that on some foodie websites people are saying that they have stopped browning skirt, etc, when using a slow cooker because of the tightening effect that has been given a lot of publicity by Heston B.

But I've carried on browning mine, and I also raise the temperature in the slow cooker to high in the early stages to get everything underway and speed things up a bit - even on 'low' it's going to be around 94c anyway. After browning the meat I deglaze the pan with wine or stock, and then add it to the crock pot. So I don't think I am losing anything much by browning my meat, and as I understand it, even if the meat tightens up because of the initial high temperature it will "unwind" again if returned to a lower temperature for long enough.

Does this square with what you have read posset?

If it does, do you think it might be possible to brown a steak in a pan and then SV afterwards? If the pan was deglazed with a little wine or stock, and the ju was added to the bag pre-vacuum, do you think it would produce a good result?

I would have thought that any attempt at browning afterwards would lose much of what has been achieved by using the SV process?

But then again, if the initial browning is going to adversely affect the structure of the meat, maybe it's not a good idea.

It's a shame that water-baths are so unlikely to catch on - I was hoping that someone like Prestige might turn out an economy model - but no hope it seems





I was reading an article about a commercial food production company that produces SV, and apparently they use steam ovens - which presumably, must be incredibly accurate in their temperature control mechanisms. Have you come across the use of steam with SV in your reading?

Anyway posset, I hope you have a relaxing weekend - the sun is shining as I type this, so maybe global warming will bring us an exceptionally early spring.



All the very best.

I think this is the thread posset - it seems to have had some posts removed, can't think why!

I recall some posts by jack who was trying out his own version of sous vide - not sure if that was this thread tho!

Hi posset

I never had any doubts about your ability to get good results with the waterbath - just wondered whether the long cooking times were compatible with daily life in a domestic setting - as opposed to a commercial kitchen. I've often wondered how you are getting on with it.

As for the high tech devices - I think I have been beaten to it

It's now more about having the technical infrastructure in place to support the integration of it into peeps daily lives - 3G technology and the Internet being part of that structure. Plus of course people have to have the money to buy into the changes.

If a microwave has a link through the Internet to a suitably programmed server, then setting a program remotely with a mobile would be fairly straightforward, as would auto-diagnosis of any faults that developed.

All joys to come for the next generation.

No doubt the technology will even take the initiative when being set up, i.e. "please grunt once for ON... twice for OFF ... or three times if you would like me to ASK YOU AGAIN LATER

I think your idea of using youth compatible technology is a very good idea - even if they are only in the next room ... lol

All the very best.

righty'o posset - I'm working on it at this very moment...

press 1 to start microwave

press 2 for wash and spin

press 3 to trigger revolving bed

for all other inquiries please press 4

Please continue to hold as we do value your call (honestly we do!)



Should I include 'press 5 to set up waterbath', or is that a sore point? i.e. has it ended up in the back of the cupboard?

Being able to set your microwave while away from home by using your mobile phone sounds very high tec though

Personally I wouldn't bother as it will be a waste of energy and the end product will probably be poor.

You can buy a steamer that will cook rice for a reasonable sum - i.e. this one is cheap and even comes with a 3 year warranty - no wonder they are doing so well.

[link]

It doesn't take long to steam rice, but if you want it ready when you get home in the evening, then put it on a timer like this one:-

[link]

If you can find a rice basket that fits into your slowcooker, and the cooker has a 'high' setting, you may be able to get away with buying just the 13 amp timer. Worth an experiment I would think - obviously when you are around to monitor the process.

You can also get rice cooking dishes for microwaves - which might do the job if you have a microwave that can be pre-set to start and finish at the right time.

But if the rice is to accompany curry, or something similar, I would put the curry in the slow cooker and set the steamer up on the timer, and will have a hot meal to come home to.

Hi

Take a look at these links:-

[link]

[link]

I get the impression that the increase in the price of food has attracted more people to the cheaper (and often tastier) cuts of meat. I usually add beef stock - and the brown ale recipes are delicious!

Having tried various slow cookers I have found one of the cheapest to be the most accurate:-

[link]

A real bargain, and extremely cheap to run too.

A fan circulates the heat more evenly around the oven and should not effect rising.

For Yorkshire puds, I recommend one-third plain flour, one-third egg, and one-third water/milk mixed - season as required.

Mix well (I use an electric hand mixer) and leave to stand in the fridge for at least an hour. Aim for a substantial creamy texture, but not too runny, and also not too thick and gloopy.

Put a teaspoon of oil/fat in the trays and heat up until the oil is smoking in an oven set at 8/9.

Add the batter - about half filling each chamber.

Cook until golden brown.

The sooner you get them on the plates to serve the better - don't leave them to stand in the trays once cooked.

High heat is key with YP's.

As for sponges - they are the ultimate test for an oven, and if your thermostat is faulty, or your burner is not opening up when it needs to, then you may need to call in an engineer to check your oven out.

Try a good quality plain sponge packet mix on the middle shelf having pre-heated the oven for at least 15 minutes - follow the instructions to the letter and see what results you get.

If you go for a home mix, then make sure everything is fresh, including the flour and any rising agents used. Don't open the oven in the first half of the cooking time.

I would also suggest checking your oven temperatures with a thermometer


Good luck!

And also:-

Highly recommended diamond knife steel...

[link]




How about a good quality apron?

[link]

For all those Chefs who haven't yet got the T-shirt:-

[link]

More here:-

[link]

[link]


Just to make sure everyone knows who's in charge:-

[link]

Handy for those with a busy hob:-

[link]

For JM fans maybe:-

[link]

Another handy chopper:-

[link]

and even more:-

[link]
Or maybe for Marco fans:-

[link]

[link]

Some ideas for the last minute rush to get pressies for cooks:-

[link]


[link]

Although the prices are low, I've usually found that these retailers provide good value for money :-)

Also, a bargain for Rosemary Shrager fans:-

[link]

Anyone else spotted ideal pressies for cooks?

Anyone got any ideas for Christmas pressies for keen cooks? :-)

Run your oven for 30 minutes set at 350 with a thermometer on the middle shelf, then take the highest and lowest readings on 3 cycles of the thermostat, then add them all up and divide by 6, which gives you the average running temperature, which shouldn't be more than 25 degrees out.

However, I think you would probably be better placed arguing re functionality rather than specifications, so I would suggest you bake a basic sponge cake to test out the oven's performance, i.e. the thermal curve. A good quality packet mix should be OK for the purpose – follow the instructions to the letter. If you get a really good result, then unless your oven is faulty at other settings, perhaps high or low range, it should be ok.

Presumably your oven is not meeting your expectations, so I would stick with complaining about what it's not doing for you, rather than getting into an argument with the manufacturers over technical specs. Hope this helps.

Quote>>"WELL SAID - PADDA1! What can be more useful!"<<

How about the effects of factory farming and supermarket domination re the profit motive in relation to the declining quality of food in the UK over the past 30 years?

Well said Grisinni - people have been cooking for thousands of years, and the very great majority of recipes have been developed in families and handed down through the generations.

Over the past five years there has been an upsurge in the popularity of cooking programs on TV, which has produced quite a few millionaire celeb chefs who also make a lot of money out of selling cookery books. Very often they add a pinch of this, or that, and then claim it's 'their' recipe.

If they write articles and pay for photographs for their books, then it's fair that they can copyright their own work, but I don't believe any recipes should be subject to copyright.

Unfortunately this kind of capitalising is a manifestation of the greed that people develop as they accumulate money, i.e. the more they get, the more they want. The wealthy who want to appropriate and ‘gate-keep’ for their own continuing profit then become a target for lawyers who also want to profit from getting on the bandwagon.

I see the idea went down like a lead balloon on the BBC Food board too – good for them.

I agree with Barshedale: find something useful to do after you leave school.

Before making any substantial claim to copyright the claimant needs to establish that their idea is original and that no one has done it previously - which in cooking is quite a difficult thing to argue. Although it might be possible to show that the originator was not a money grabbing capitalist, and that they were willing to share their ideas with the community without making a profit from it and so didn't cash in.

The process of carbonation creates carbonic acid - the addition of sugar or acidic fruit juices is a separate issue - although such additives will increase the risks to teeth enamel.

[link]

[link]

[link]

There is some relevant information here:-

[link]

Carbonated water can promote dental decay - which is why drinking large amounts of sugar-free fizzy drinks is not as good an idea as it might seem.

Fruit juice also contains natural sugar and is acidic and so can promote dental decay and weight problems if taken in large quantities.

Health-wise, a glass of tap water seems to come out as the ideal drink, because various studies have shown that bottled water is often not as "pure" as the adverts claim it is.

Only problem is, tap water is a bit "boring", i.e. "I'll have a glass of tap water please - shaken but not stirred!"; or: "tap water on the rocks please" ... it just doesn't sound the same does it!

>>>>"Yes I have used Global knives, and they cut well but I'd still say that a big organisation like Waitrose that decides that a knife like Giesser or DF Dick is better than Global is probably correct."<<<

...............................................................................................................

The key word being "better" for the purpose the company are purchasing knives for. The Giesser knives I have seen are much cheaper than Global and they look more robust, i.e. Global knives don't stand up that well to rough usage, such as being dropped, used for heavy chopping work, etc. The glass hardening process does make them brittle, the advantage of the hardening process being that that they hold their edge for longer.

I can get almost as good an edge on my old Sabatier knives as I can on my Global, but as you use it you can feel that the cutting edge is starting to lose it's ultimate finely honed edge. Whereas, I have never had a knife that holds its edge like the Global I use.

Butchers and fishmongers are trained to sharpen their knives regularly, and it only takes a few seconds to reinstate a fine edge on a cheaper knife. Plus there are some very good electronic knife sharpeners these days that will re-edge a knife in seconds. Another vulnerability with Global is that if they become hot on a grinding wheel they will lose their glass hard quality.

For any home cook who is going to look after their knives and use them carefully, with dry hands, I would recommend Global every time.

As for differentiating between the better and lower quality Sabatier knives, that's a tricky question. I would say the Judge/Horwood are likely to be good quality, but I honestly don't know which of the others on the market are better.

As a general guide, I tend to think that most of the time "you only get what you pay for", so I would avoid the very cheapest available. It’s very difficult to tell where many of the well-known brands are made these days because so often the right to display the ‘badge brand’ has been purchased from the original source, but the manufacturer may have no other connection with the well-known label.

There's a set here that looks as if they could be good value:-

[link]

But then it depends on what kind of a knife set you are looking for - most of the lower priced sets on the market don't include a flexible bladed knife for filleting, or a narrow bladed knife for boning.

Also, as I'm sure you know, there is a wide variation in the length of the blade on cook's knives. If you use a classic cutting action where only the rear of the knife is lifting while the knife pivots on the toe, you may want a longer blade than if you use a lift and chop action.

If you want to assemble your own set of Sabatier knives, then I would recommend makro - in my local store they keep the longer length chef's knife, the boning knife and the flexible bladed filleting knife, plus the turning knife and bread, etc.

They look well made to me - but I haven't used them, which of course is the ultimate test.

As you can buy them as seperate items, you could buy just the cook's knife and see what you think of the quality and feel. If it's not to your liking, you won't have spent a lot of money, and you will have a useful second knife.

Another thought is that if you wanted to pick up a set of the early French made Sabatier knives, you would probably find a set ‘going for a song’ on ebay.

I appreciate that your question may not mean that you are looking for a set of Sabatier knives, but then if someone else is, what I have written might be useful to them.

Try the Bush helpline:-

[link]

If you scroll though past posts you will find lots of satisfied Bamix owners - I don't own one, but I do know they have an excellent reputation - this Ramsay model looks good for the money:-

[link]

If I was looking for a set of HA pans I would go for these:-

[link]

NO PTFE and they come with a lifetime guarantee from a well known company.

They were used by MPW on Hell's Kitchen - not that that's a reason to buy them - they just seem very good quality and outstanding value.

I thought about buying one like the JML because in theory they are ideal for saving on power and cooking things quickly, but then I was put off by what I found out about durability.

If you are only going to use it for baked potatoes, how about one these:-

[link]

I've always found items sold under the cookworks label to be very good - the customer feedback is very positive too.

I have a Stoves New Home set up - thankfully, not too old, it came with the house . So they want £90 just to look do they? Phew!

Have you tried phoning around the local gas fitters - there are usually some advertising that they do appliances in the local evening papers. Maybe it just needs cleaning, or perhaps something not too expensive, the closing down sounds like a safety mechanism kicking in.

If mines starts to fail it will be going out the door and I will have an electric oven fitted - especially after what you have told me. Gas hob / electric oven - every time imo.

I only use my gas oven for slow cooking nowadays, the Panasonic produces fantastic results. The halogen grill comes on to speed up pre-heating when in convection mode, so pre-heating is very quick, then once the correct temperature is reached the oven signals audibly and a message on the LED tells you to enter the food, then when you close the door it tells you to set the time, then when cooking is finished it signals again and switches off.

The only thing it doesn't do is swear at you, but no doubt if they bring out a Gordon Ramsay model it will

Ian

The easiest way won't cost you anything at all - just set up a board at one of the free sites, such as:-

[link]

Peeps with other handbooks and the like will then be able to post up the details for others to print off.

The only thing I can think of, other than the above, is for you to use a measured amount of oil in the same pan each time, and on the same level of heat, and experiment while noting down the pre-heating times, then once you are happy with the results, use the same pan, amount of oil, heat level and timings at every session.

People have cooked chips for years by judging the heat by how the oil/ fat looks, and using approximate timings, and you can drop a chip in to test whether the oil is hot enough, but if there is a way to "read" the heat at the levels you mention I will be very interested in hearing how it's done!

You've got me thinking now: "is it possible to do a litmus test using a chip in hot oil to discover differing temperature levels"?

I might even experiment with it , i.e. how long does a chip take to brown at different temperatures. The problem is that the moisture content is going to be an unknown variable.

You may have made a good point here: take away all their gizmos, and just how good-a-cook are these gastronomic wizards?



I look forward to seeing whether you get any other, more informative, answers!

Good luck!

I haven't used one myself, but all the reports I have seen on these small ovens say the same thing, i.e. that they work quite well, but tend to break down early on, not long after they are out of warranty in many cases. If you get one, I would take up any offer of extending the warranty - if parts are available, I suspect they will cost nearly as much as a new unit.


What's wrong with your oven? Have you telephoned around for estimates? There are a lot of rip-off merchants around, particularity if it's gas, and it's the worst time of year for getting anything done at sensible prices, however, I would recommend trying several repairers. If it's a common-a-garden standard oven, there isn't that much to go wrong.


I use a Panasonic combi as a second oven, and it's one of the best things I've ever bought - brilliant, and I would recommend it to anyone wanting all the advantages of a high spec oven at a budget price, e.g. halogen grill on timer, convention oven with signaled pre-heat and timer, plus all the usual micro modes, plus of course you can program the different modes to work in sequence if you want to.

This is one of the cheaper ones in the range:-
[link]


If you have a makro card, they often have them in their makro mail offers.

Sorry I can't help with direct experience of the JML oven, as I have stated, all the reports I have seen on such ovens have said the same thing: "ok till they break down".

You will either need a thermometer or a deep fat fryer - I would go for the deep fat fryer - much safer and they are not expensive, as here:-

[link]

Good luck

If you want to give your oven the ultimate test, bake a plain sponge cake made from a good recipe, such as one of Delia's or Mary Berry's. Keep precisely to the recipe and baking times.

If your oven has a fault, it will almost certainly show up when baking a sponge cake.

I suspect your oven has a faulty thermostat - best to get it sorted within the warranty period if that is the case.

Forgot about the yeast - I use the dried powdered yeast you can buy in supermarkets.

You don't really need any special equipment to make a pizza - a large plastic bowl maybe, and perhaps a rolling pin - but then you can shape a pizza with your hands just as well.

A pizza stone is useful for baking, such as:-

[link]

I use one of these ovens, and it works very well if you want to invest a little cash:-

[link]

I usually use 50% bread flour and 50% semolina flour for the base, with a little salt, splash of olive oil and some water, starting with this base you can add herbs, or other ingredients to add flavour.

Lots of recipes here:-
[link]

Frozen oven-ready chips usually cook at gas 7 for 25 minutes on the middle shelf.


If they are raw in the middle, the oven is not reaching, or maybe not recovering, the desired temperature quickly enough.

When you put frozen food into a pre-heated oven you create a temperature drop, the oven burner then opens up at full power again so as to get back to the set temperature as soon as it can.

The thermostat triggers the opening up of the burner and then levels off the flame when the set temperature is reached again - it's based on a thermal curve and the product producers’ work out the right cooking time for their products using such curves.

As Chef has suggested, an oven thermometer is a very good investment - they are cheap and yet invaluable for assessing how your oven temperatures balance out. To give you an example of how ovens can vary through the range: my oven is very accurate up until gas 6, at which point it begins to gain slightly - so 8 on my oven is actually 8.5. But because the discrepancy is at the top of the range, and I know about it, it makes no practical difference to what I cook in the oven.


This is a classic oven thermometer that will do the job just fine:-


[link]

Your oven should pre-heat to gas 7 in around ten minutes - try opening the door after ten minutes, and you should see that the flame has died down, then if you hold the door open for a minute or so, the burner should open up again.

You might also want to try pre-heating your tray – which will mean the oven has to work less to recover the set temperature when you put the chips in.

Give it about 5 minutes - if you get the tray too hot you will find it will buckle when the ice cold chips hit it.

quitegoodcook posted:-

.......................

[["I think Global knives are as much a fashion statement as anything"]]

.......................


Have you used Global knives?


I have a set of the original French Sabatier knives - and they are very good for conventionally made knives. I also have knives made by Richardson, Victorinox, Zwilling Henkels (five star), and some custom made knives produced from Damascus steel, but none of these knives holds an edge like the Global knife I use.


Global knives are far more than "fashionable" - they are award-winning knives that justify their reputation in use.


Obviously any knife should be used with dry hands – but in situations when that is not possible, a knife with a hilt or a shaped handle should be used, as on this link:-


[link]


I never recommend anything just because it is "fashionable".

"Sabatier" is brand name used by a number of companies - Judge (Horwoods) for one, and the quality varies considerably between manufacturers.

The majority of the more expensive knives use 'ice hardening', which allows for a finer edge that lasts longer.

For sheer quality of steel, I think Global takes some beating. But then the weight and feel is a very personal thing, as you say.

I've never heard of a: 'try before you buy' workshop - sounds like a good idea though.

I have a plastic one from Lakeland too, and can recommend it also.

It comes with three interchangeable stainless steel die plates with different sized holes and spacings - so you can use it for noodles/spaetzle as well.


Lakeland give a life-time guarantee of satisfaction too.

It has handles of a good length, and is easy to wash up as it comes apart in a flash. At £9.99 it's a very good buy.

What kind of equipment are you using?

This shows how to produce good coffee using a machine:-

You can pick up vids on latte making on the same page.

You need to grind your own coffee and use it more or less straight away.

The amount of crema produced gives a good indication of how well the shot process has gone.

Cleanliness and temperatures are very important, as shown in the video.

If you want a low cost machine that produces good coffee, I can recommend this one:-


[link]


I bought a hand burr grinder for around £15 in TK Maxx.

Lakelands have some 225ml and 400ml

[link]

You might also try your local chemist/ pharmacy - it's surprising what chemist shops keep in their storerooms. The large arts and handicrafts stores might keep them as well.

Hi Sommersunshine

If you want to maintain a really glossy surface without scratching, I recommend the green fibre pads that they sell in the supermarkets. Also, Prestige do a stainless steel liquid cleaner - larger ASDAs usually keep it - it last a long time as you only need a tiny amount each time, and it is very good at removing stains or discoloration. You can also use bicarb with lemon juice, but I find the Prestige SS cleaner is better.

Nice to hear from you again.

They have had some of these MPW pans in TK Maxx - around £16


[link]


The handles DO get very HOT though - as Barry McGuigan will tell you.

The Prestige ones I have seen with "oven safe" synthetic handles only go up to Gas 4 - which is probably too low a temperature, as I would guess you are thinking of at least 6 or 7?

I always think it's best to go for a pan with an all-metal handle if you are going to use them in the oven. If you think you might invest in one, ASDA have been doing a hard anodised pan with an all metal handle, very securely riveted, for around £12 - which is the best value for a HA pan I have ever seen.

I would go for the cast-iron version - aluminium alloy will heat up slightly more quickly, but cast iron will retain heat longer once the working temperature is achieved.

Cast-iron will also season better than aluminium alloy, and on a domestic cooking hob cast iron is virtually indestructible - but if you drop it, it may break.

With time and use at high temperatures, any non-stick coating on an aluminium alloy griddle will be susceptible to flaking or peeling.

I would recommend going for one with handles that fold and unclip when not required.

[link]

[link]


[link]

It definitely pays to shop around Danzan - the way things are going in the UK economy, it's likely that there will be a lot of stuff sold off at cut prices.

The post Christmas sales are a very good time to buy - Amazon.co.uk often have some real bargains at that time of year.

Anyway, good luck with your move and settling up your kitchen.

Hi posset - nice to hear from you too - all the best.

Great value here:-

[link]

ATB

They have them here:-

[link]

James Martin had a thing at one time for suggesting that you buy a drain pipe and cut it up - so if you want 50 or so rings, that might be a cheap way to go.

The only thing with plastic is that you can't use it in hot pans.

I haven't heard JM mention it lately - perhaps the average cook found that the cost of buying a chop-saw made it less of a money saver than it first appeared!

There are two types generally available on the market: a 'burr' grinder that crushes the material - usually between two metal plates that have a knurled surface machined into them. The distance between the plates can usually be adjusted to produce a co@rse or a fine grind.

Or a 'bladed' grinder that works like a mini food processors and chops the material up.

The burr grinders tend to be more expensive - most of the cheaper grinders I have seen are the bladed type.

I bought a hand driven burr mill for coffee - and I'm quite pleased with it.

A pestle and mortar does provide for a great deal of control over the grinding process re how far you want to go, i.e. co@rse or to a powder. I think you will find that some machines are going to struggle to match such a degree of control, so I would suggest you get some recommendations or 'buy and try' on the basis that you can take the grinder back if not happy - Lakeland offer a guarantee of satisfaction or your money back.

I haven't tried this grinder, and it sounds like a bladed one, but the feedback in Customer Reviews re turning granulated sugar into icing sugar sounds good:-

[link]

It might be worth a try?

Hope this is the kind of response you were looking for.

Lakeland do stainless steel rings of various sizes for presenting food as you describe:-

[link]

There's quite a few folk on this board that wanted to see the return of good food live - but not sure this is what they had in mind posset!!

Hopefully it's not a Black Forest gateau posset - could be a bad omen!!

A mixer that cooks the mixture as well as mixing it, is a novel idea though but not if it cooks the cook as well

Hi jenny148

You may already know this, but I'll mention it anyway just in case; it is quite important that you make your position clear and get a response from them as soon as you can, so that you protect your rights under the 7 day cooling off period, explained here:-

[link]

I think the carriers were acting "astutely" by telling you that they required payment to return the parcel - if you had refused to sign for it, then they wouldn't have been able to claim that delivery had been completed, and so they would have had to send it back.

But I can appreciate that you wanted to do the right thing, and so accepted their advice. I think you need to mention the carrier's response in your letter.

Even though you don't have a copy of your email, make it clear that you sent it, with a date if possible, and say that in your mind, that any initial order that had been placed had been cancelled. I think the extended time scale is on your side. The fact that they apparently fail to make it clear to customers what is happening on a regular basis, works in your favour and not in theirs, in my opinion.

When writing your letter, I would be inclined to emphasise the fact that you changed your mind early on in your dealings with them because they were unable to supply your goods within a reasonable time scale.

Even the most reputable of companies will refer to their policies, terms and conditions when discussing the sale of good, which they have a right to do, but in law, they don’t have a right to remove or reduce the customer’s legal rights under consumer protection legislation - if the companies policies, T & Cs, etc, extend the customer’s rights over and above those set out in law, then all well and good.

However, if you can't get written agreement from them within the 7 day cooling off period to the effect that they will refund you in full and accept all postage charges, my advice is to return the goods at your own expense and then argue for refund of your postage costs afterwards. Be sure to get a receipt from the carrier, and keep copies of all your letters and emails.

Once that 7 day period lapses it may be harder to recover your purchase costs.

Good luck – hopefully they will do the right thing by you.

I agree - she was showing plenty of cleavage but didn't seem very foodie.

I like Silvana because she combines glamour with enthusiasm, and has a good knowledge of food and cooking, and she is also down to earth.

I also like Jun who I think is a great chef and a good presenter.

I don't watch MK that often these days, and when I do I wonder what is going on - just lately it seems to be like a foodie version of Stars In Their Eyes ;-) ... tonight Mathew I'm going to be a chef

I quite like Aaron, and think they should give him a go as an in-house presenter.

He's always very good with members of the public when showing them how to do things - probably a reflection of his own learning experiences - perhaps a few brownie points there for JO and his training organisation.

Do you have a copy of the email that you sent?

I you do, I would suggest sending a copy of it to them with a letter that says you have cancelled the order some time back, and consequently it is their mistake by now sending it, and so they should send you a returns postage paid label and give you a full refund.

Even if you don't have a copy, I would write with that explanation anyway - pointing out that two and half months to respond is not "reasonable", and that when you deal with companies you expect reasonable business practices to be followed.

If you need advise give this number a ring:-

[link]

Good luck!

I have a pizza oven like this one [link] which has a pizza stone, and I find it excellent - it will cook a home-made pizza in around 5 minutes.

I have heard that a pizza stone works very well in an ordinary oven too - quite a range here: [link]

Some people say a tile from B&Q works well too, but not quite the thing for a pressie.

Whichever type you go for, I think it would be a very useful piece of equipment for anyone who likes to make/bake their own pizzas and be a useful present to receive.

Hi posset

While an excessive build of carbon dust might have caused a bridge and produced a short to the case, for the case to remain live when the machine was switched off seems strange.

I had a look in a service manual, and there is mention of a 'radio interference condenser' causing problems with short-circuiting. The manual suggests removal and discarding. Condensers are sometimes capacitors by another name, and they can store and discharge electric current even when disconnected from the mains supply.

Did the short trip anything to cut off the power?

If not, I would suggest checking any RCD fitted, or to get one fitted - this kind of thing:-

[link]

Or better still, a mains RCD on the meter board.

All the best posset and take care!

This link might be useful posset:-

[link]

Good heavens posset - glad to hear you are ok!

Sounds like someone needs to take the casing off and see if perhaps a wire has chaffed through and shorted to the case.

I seem to recall you mentioning that hub is in engineering?

Could he have a look for you?

It might be the motor - but I would have thought a replacement was available even if it is.

Hi Sommersunshine

Just a few thoughts on your most recent post:-

Most pans these days are made to a standard size, and so swapping the lids around is easy enough - I prefer glass lids because it's much easier to adjust the heat to the right temperature when the lid is left on.

Lids without any vent at all, which work to keep the heat and steam in, are usually made for steamers or slow cookers.

A well fitting lid with no vent at all will bounce up and down as soon as the contents of the pot gets to a high simmer - and be more likely to boil over.

One of the great advantages of Hard Anodised pans is that they are so much easier to wash up than other types. But they can get marked on the outside, and the exterior anodising is not usually as durable as the inner coating. However, leaving the pan to soak in soapy water after use for 10 minutes or so, and using a HA cleaner every now and then, should keep them looking good. In hard water areas they sometimes get a white'ish watermark, but the HA cleaner (or even a wipe with a little vinegar) should remove any build up.

Salt should be added when the water is near boiling, so that it doesn't float to the bottom of the pan, which can lead to marking or pitting.

Stainless Steel pans can be a little harder to clean, but SS is extremely durable and you will have to work very hard with an aggressive SS pot scourer to mark SS. It also has "self-healing" properties if scratched - more info on that here:-

[link]

Prestige do a specialist SS cleaning fluid, and it's great for removing stains and discolouring.

I use those fibrous green (non-metallic) pot scourers on the outside of my SS pans and a fairly aggressive SS wire pot scourer on the inside - which works fine. On HA I use the green fibrous ones all over. But imo, soaking prior to washing is the best way to clean and maintain a pan.

I love HA pans because they are so easy to wash-up, but really, SS and copper with an inner thermal layer of aluminium makes for the ultimate pan.

Whenever you see some of the world's top French chefs working in their kitchens, you will often catch a glimpse of their copper clad pans hanging up in the background - but then they do have Kitchen Porters to keep the copper gleaming!

Just had my marko mail arrive, and they have a five piece Circulon 2 set of pans for £59.99 + vat. (4 saucepans and a skillet).

You will need a makro card though - or shop with someone who has a card.

I think Rick Stein and Paul Rankin are two of the nicest chefs on TV

Hi Beebee6

First of all, I recommend you contact Horwood's customer services (who produce Stellar cookware) and explain the problem, and see what they are prepared to do about this pan. Their telephone number is on this link:-

[link]

I have had dealings with them in the past, and I found them to be excellent.

Stellar produce pans with various types of non-stick coatings - I always go for Hard Anodising, because it is about the most durable of the non-stick finishes.

Having said that, I used to use a Hard Anodised frying pan for making 'toad in the hole' and it went into an oven pre-heated to 240c on a regular basis. After a year or so, it started to look slightly the worse for wear, but it was a cheapish pan anyway - btw, it wasn't a Stellar pan.

These days, if I want to use a pan in a very hot oven, then I use a cast-iron frying pan.

Pans made from cast aluminium alloy don't need much in the way of pre-heating. Hard anodised pans will have such a body, as do many Teflon coated pans.

My guess is that your pan has a Teflon non-stick coating, or something similar.

Extended pre-heating, and use in a hot oven, is usually not recommended for Teflon coated pans.

A common problem is that people pre-heat non-stick woks empty, and then find that the non-stick coating flakes or gets pitted.

The best way to use a non-stick pan of any type (including woks) is to wipe the pan with a little oil as soon as the heat is applied, and then either test for sizzle with a little bit of the ingredients to be cooked, or, if a really hot pan is required, wait until the oil just shows signs of smoking.

The only type of pan I would recommend for extended pre-heating dry is a basic cast iron pan that has been seasoned, or a carbon steel/ black iron pan.

If the pan is to be used for frying steak at high temperatures, then I would suggest oiling the steak and not the pan - preferably a cast-iron one.

Stainless Steel pans are more durable than non-stick, but it is still possible to damage a SS pan by extended pre-heating when empty.

Personally, I like to use SS pans for cooking with vinegars or anything highly acidic, or when caramelisation followed by deglazing is required. You can use Hard Anodised pans for this, and some people would say that I'm being over cautious, and they might be right. But when it comes to pans, I take the view that each type of pan has its place on a 'horses for courses' basis.

I never use metal utensils in non-stick pans, even when Hard Anodised and the manufactures say you can. Stainless steel utensils will have an effect on the very best of coatings - which is why Circulon use their ridge system.

Hope this helps?

In summary, I would recommend cast-iron pans for extended pre-heating on the hob or long-term use in ovens over and above gas mark 4 /180c.

For non-stick, I would go for Hard Anodised pans every time - durable and so easy to wash up. ASDA are the cheapest I have seen for HA pans - and they are of good quality. However, I do think it's worth paying a little more to get a lifetime guarantee on the non-stick coating, i.e. the last time I looked at the ASDA HA pans they were about £12, and they come with a 12 month guarantee; whereas the Stellar ones were around £24, but came with a life-time guarantee (see Robert Dyas for latest prices).

I haven't tried 'theromolon' coated pans as yet - but I am very tempted:-

[link]

I would really like to hear from anyone who has used the MPW Thermolon pans?

I'm usually wary of chef-endorsed cookware, but I have to say that I have bought several items that MPW has put his name to, and they have all been excellent.

I would be very interested to hear how you get on with Horwood's customer services?

All the very best.

Hi Sommersunshine

We are in a 'buyer's market' at the moment, so s/he who bides their time is best placed for a bargain - and boy oh boy, does that apply to property right now!

I think the best advice at the moment is: "walk don't run!" ... whatever you are in the market for!

All the best.

Hi Sommersunshine

Not sure if this will help with your dilemma because I know what you mean about the look and feel of a pan, but if a pan is hard anodised it will almost certainly have an aluminium alloy body which will tend to be somewhat lighter than a steel pan.

When comparing like with like, the weight of a pan is usually a good indication of quality, but because aluminium alloy has superior thermal qualities to steel, even though the pan may be lighter, it will transfer heat more efficiently.

With regard to handles, if the pan has some kind of plastic/silicone sleeve or insert, such an addition usually limits the 'safe oven temperature' of the pan - Circulon usually quote gas oven 4 as a limit. Possibly not so relevant with saucepans, but with frying pans and sauté pans it can be a drawback.

BTW, for checking out prices I have found ebay to be pretty much unbeatable - I'm not suggesting that you buy from ebay, but for checking baseline prices I have found ebay to be better than google.

If it's any consolation, I often get into dilemmas when buying kitchen equipment and stand looking at the item for ages, sometimes picking it up and putting it back down again, then walking round the shop and coming back to it only to go through the same ritual again. TK Maxx is one of the worst places for such dilemmas because I think wow that's cheap and even though I have one at home already, or something very similar, I think it's too good to leave on the shelf! lol

posset and I have discussed the possibility of a cure many times, but it seems once you are addicted it is very hard to beat - if there was a website for Gadgets Anonymous it would probably be swamped in no time with similar addicts ... lol

Happy shopping!

You're very welcome Sommersunshine ... I love chatting about pots, pans, kitchen equipment, etc, - some might say it's a sad hobby, but I don't mind that!

If you do go for a mix of non-stick and Stainless Steel pans, which personally I think is the best option, these SS copper clad with an aluminium thermal core are top dollar pans:-

[link]

Copper, aluminium, and SS in a tri-ply construction, is as good as it gets in the stainless steel ranges.

However, they won't work with induction hobs - just to mention, in case you were thinking of going down that route.

All the best.

Hi MarkCasey

Yes, the prices on the link you have posted are very good, and free postage with orders over £25, which is excellent. Thanks for posting the link, I've put it in 'favourites'.

All the best!

Hi Sommersunshine

I like the look of these - but I haven't tried thermolon - I wonder if anyone else has?

The frying pans were used on Hells Kitchen - Barry McGuigan burnt his hand on one!

I think hard anodised pans are brilliant - although it's useful to also have a couple of stainless pans.


[link]

TK Maxx have had some very good deals on Beka pans - MPW again - (they are German and excellent), and also Stellar - laminated James Martin pans, which are very good.

Hi Sommersunshine

I use cake racks in the oven for various things, and they have been fine.

But if you don't feel happy about using the cake-rack that you have, how about the rack from your grill pan, or, if you have one, the metal stand from your microwave?

I always buy silicon tools that have a metal insert - quite often it won't say on the pack, but if you try and bend them, you will feel the rigid inner structure.

As for range of knives in the kitchen, I think that is a very personal thing, as is the feel of a knife.

Buying knives like Henckels as seconds can be a bit daunting if you are unsure what to look for- also, if they are packed up in those rigid plastic packs, you can't really check them anyway. But, I have to say, that I have found that TK Maxx will change things if you are unhappy and the packaging has not been damaged and the item is in a 'as sold' condition, even if it's marked as a second. But you might want to check that with Customer Services at your local store before handing over any cash.

You can't check a knife fully in the shop anyway, and they don't identify specific faults, so I think you are on safe ground as far as the Sale of Goods Act goes.

A quick guide to checking knives:-

Find a picture of the knife on the net, and check that the construction is the same as the one you have purchased - some manufactures make cheap versions of their knives, and at first glance they look like a bargain, and it's easy to assume that they must be seconds which explains why they are cheap. Cheap versions of various brands often don't have a 'bolster' - so it's worth comparing with a knife that is full price on the net. Some of the more upmarket knives don't have bolsters at all anyway, such as Global, but then that is how the full range is made.

With the knife removed from all packaging, rest the tip of the knife on a board, and supporting the knife from underneath, look down the entire length of the handle and the blade, checking to ensure that the whole knife is straight - a common fault is that the blades run very slightly off at the point where the handle joins it. The blade itself should also be free from any slight distortions.

Check that the handle is fitted square to the blade - i.e. not slightly skewed. Check that the handle is tight and buts up tightly to the bolster.

Check the blade and other metal areas for fine cracks or uneven grinding.

Turn the knife on its side and the check the top of the blade (the blunt side) it should be straight, or show a smooth, even, profile. Slight defects here may not be a problem at all when using the knife.

A common fault is that a knife has been ground badly leaving a 'wave' or a 'hollow' in the profile of the cutting edge.

How much this is likely to affect the knife in use depends on how you use the knife.

If you use a chopping style, i.e. you lift the whole knife with each stroke, and then it probably won't affect your cutting.

But, if you use a guillotine style, i.e. if you leave the toe of the knife on the board and lift the back of the knife, as the style most chefs are trained in, then you are likely to find that veg with skins, or anything fibrous doesn't get cut right through.

To check the blade for this fault, you need a perfectly flat board, and starting with the tip of the knife resting on the board, lift the back of knife and then slowly lower it down, taking note of the light between that part of the blade edge that is in contact with the board as the knife come down - checking from the side of the knife that is in shadow is the way to do this.

If the blade has a wave or a hollow in the ground edge, then you will see two contact points either side of the "hollow" with light showing through at the point of the 'hollow'.

A practical test is to take some thin spring onion shoots, and see if the knife will chop them cleanly through at all point along the edge of the blade. Needless to say, you do need a dead flat board and a good knife action.

Most likely the blade can be reprofiled by re-grinding, but it does need doing by someone who understands how to handle metals that have been ice hardened, because if the metal is taken to a high temperature during grinding, it is possible to lose the benefit of the original hardening process.

However, by the time you have paid someone to regrind and resharpen, any saving at the point of purchase is probably going to be lost.

Don't let the above put you off, you can pick up some real bargains in TK Maxx - but giving them a close look re the above can help to make sure it really is a bargain.

A couple of links you may find interesting.


[link]
[link]

The best value I have seen lately on first quality knives, is makro - a set of Henckels for £99 + vat, or for single knives: paysan.co.uk

I suspect that your granite worktop has been sealed, and that it's the sealant that has produced the colour change.

Contact the company that produces them, and see what they can suggest.

Thought the OP might be interested in this article re SV:-

[link]

Hi sommersunshine

Can I suggest putting the silicon tray onto a wire mesh grid, which might help with the sticking. A solid tray will affect heat circulation to some extent and the heat from the tray will also be absorbed by the silicon to some extent.

If you try a mesh grid, I would be interested to hear if it helps.

I might try them one day - TK Maxx have had some resonable quality ones at good prices.

To be honest though, I've not really had probs with things sticking in metal tins - I use springform cake tins, and I line them with baking paper (lidl's is very cheap) and that seems to work fine.

I use silicon spatulas and spoons when cooking, and I think they are the bee's knees - all from TK Maxx

Yes I agree - that was my thinking too, and why I floated the idea of using an agency chef to set things up in the first instance.

So much depends on what the menus are to be, which in turn need to be constructed in relation to the area, the premises, staffing, the customer base, etc.

At the moment the big challenge is the divide between healthy food and tasty food, the two often not going together, plus good value at a keen price. Difficult times indeed.

It takes time to build up a good reputation, but a lot less to lose it, getting it right at the outset is very important.

I think this is the kind of issue that raises the difference between good quality home cooking to a high standard, and delivering food in a commercial setting that pulls customers in and shows a profit. A lot of different skills are involved.

I haven't gone silicon myself - mainly because I've always been put off by the floppiness of the trays - but from what I have seen and heard, I gather some people use a vegetable oil spray on the moulds prior to adding the ingredients, even though the manufactures always seem to say no additional greasing/oiling is necessary.

Perhaps it depends on what the ingredients are?

You're very welcome h31p.

I forgot to respond to your question on knife care.

It is true that the better quality knives need looking after, but only in the way that most serious cooks will look after their equipment anyway, by making sure they are dried well after washing, and stored in a way that means they don't rattle around with other cutlery and get blunted or damaged.

Because of the blend of metals in the higher quality knives, they can be more susceptible to corrosion- but they would need to be left wet for some time. Knife rolls can be risky - if the knives are put away wet and the roll gets very damp, that will create the ideal conditions for corrosion to set in.

It has been known for ice hardened knives to break when dropped on to a hard floor, Global tend to be especially vulnerable because of the ice hardening and the form of construction. But I think you would need a rock hard floor, and to be very unlucky to find that a knife broke when accidentally dropped.

It's common-place to see chefs lay their knives flat on garlic lobes and bash down hard on the knife blade to crush the garlic - I wouldn't recommend doing that with a ice hardened knife, a Global knife especially, because if you were very unlucky you could cause a break at the point where the handle meets the blade.

I would also recommend against using ice hardened knives as you would a cleaver - the ice hardening allows for more acute grinding angles to be used, which works well for cutting and slicing, but when metal is very hard and very thin it is more prone to chipping.

Finally, if your ice hardened knives ever need re-grinding, make sure you get someone who really understands how to handle the kind of metals they are made of.

If someone puts them on a standard engineer's grinding wheel and gets them too hot, they will be ruined. They may look fine and be nice and sharp, but if the hardness of the metal has been negatively affected by heat, they won't hold an edge for long.

Hi posset

Thanks for the explanation.

I'm having difficulty in imagining how a steak would taste when cooked that way, but still, "the proof of the pudding", etc.

I have tried out various ways (not SV though) of cooking steak, and I'm pretty much sold on Raymond Blanc's method, i.e. to remove any excess fat, and fry the steak in butter in a medium hot pan so that both sides develop a nice degree of caramelisation. Followed by de-glazing the pan with a small amount of plain cold water and pouring that over the steak to finish off.

An old episode of Saturday Kitchen with him in has been on again this week show the method.

I've tried all different types and qualities of steak, marinades, and different methods, and I have to agree with RB that the quality of the steak 'sets the standard' and the most important thing is not to degrade the steak by the cooking process - which I have been known to do



Have you tried SV'ing stewing steak posset?

I do wonder how that would come out and compare with slow cooking it casserole style in a slow cooker?

I've been shopping this morning posset, and I've come back with a bad case of 'shelf-shock' - the prices seem to go up even more every week, while the quality comes down

So I'm thinking I'm going to have to re-think my shopping expeditions and be a lot more choosey about "where I buy what".

The cheaper cuts of meat are looking more attractive than ever, and my slow cooker is calling out to me: "let me out of this cupboard and I will save you some money!"

Talk about: "the food speaking for itself", now the equipment has developed a voice too!



Take care posset - and have a nice one too.

Almost the same as the ones on this link:-


[link]

I see in my makro mail, received this morning, that they have a six piece set of Zwilling 5 Star Henckles knives in a very hansome block for 99.99 + vat.

10 cm Paring knife
13 cm Utility knife
16 cm Slicing knife
20 cm Chef's knife
20 cm Bread knife
23cm Sharpening Steel

Bamboo knife block included in price.

If you price those knives up individually on the net, you will get an idea of what the saving is.

It's a real bargain - the best price I have ever seen for knives of this quality.

You will need a makro card, or to go with someone who has one, and the offer starts on 18th June.

I use Henckels 5 star and Global, and I find the Global holds its edge longer.

TK Maxx have had some 5 star Henckels in recently, very cheap, seconds and non-seconds.

But personally I would go for Global and Nisbet's Diamond steel, which is excellent and a real bargain...

Some good prices on Global and Henckels here:-

[link]

and the diamond steel:-

[link]

Just wondering what kind of food you are thinking of serving?

You might get a better response if you give a little more info in that area.

There is this magazine, and if you are thinking of serving souse vid dishes, the company mentioned is one of the biggest around, and when I last saw their price list, it was reasonable for that kind of product:-

[link]

A lot of restaurant food is semi-cooked and frozen these days, and defrosted and finished off in combi-ovens when required. Is that the kind of thing you have in mind?

I use a Panasonic combi, and it's really excellent. It comes with a very comprehensive manual that gives details on defrosting and combining the various modes to prepare food quickly.

There are various meat-based sauces and ragus, like curries, bolognaise, cottage pie, shepherd’s pie and chilli con carnie, casseroles, etc, that can be kept hot all day in slow cookers and served as required. You can use cheap meat cuts/mince and the flavours get better as the day goes on - easy to prepare a day in advance and keep in the fridge.

There are a lot of websites that give info on freezing, defrosting, and cooking times - google will find.

As I say, I'm not sure what you are looking for?

Have you thought of employing an agency chef for a couple of weeks to get the restaurant up and running?

Hi posset

Had to smile at your comments - only the other day you were trying to add some quality to your son's army rations, now it sounds as if you feel you should have left him to it! Kids eh! I get the same kind of thing - they don't take any prisoners when providing feedback on 'experimental' cooking!

But at least when they something is good, I know they are being honest!

My first reaction to SV'ing sirloin steak is: "why?"

I'm just thinking aloud, having not looked into SV in any great depth, but I would have thought that grilling a steak was about as good a method as any?

Thinking in terms of slow cooking generally, I thought the idea was to break down the collagen in meat at a low temperature over an extended period of time, and that the 'under vacuum' element ensured that no juices, flavours, etc, were lost in the cooking process?

I wouldn't have thought that sirloin steak had that much collagen in it, and that the searing was an important element in bringing out/ developing the flavour, while leaving the inner regions (if rare anyway) "unspoilt by cooking".

I realise "unspoilt" is a very subjective term, but I'm sure you know what I mean?

Something I have wondered about with SV is whether the change in texture is always desirable? A little chewiness in a steak almost seems power for the cause when eating a steak - chewing and tasting going together to some extent. Obviously not if it's as tuff as old boots :-)

I'm just thinking about when Heston went on the trail of "the best steak" he could find, and ended up in that casino in the States (a likely excuse I know ;-)), but as I remember it, they were grilling them.

As I say, I am thinking aloud here posset, and I might be missing the point completely.

If you do get the time to post the rationale for SV'ing sirloin steak based on your reading about SV, I would be very interested in learning about the advantages.

All the best posset - I bet the dogs love you even more than ever!

Contact your Local Authority and ask to speak to someone dealing with Food Hygiene - they should be able to point you in the right direction.

There is a start up guide mentioned on the last pages of this link:-

[link]

As I understand it under the 2006 Act, a Hygiene Certificate is not a legal requirement for all staff employed in handling food, however, the employer has a duty to make sure staff are aware of, and following, a system that ensures the hygienic handling, storage, etc, of food. So you need to check out where that leaves you.

However, apart from the legal requirements, I would suggest you start from the point of Public Indemnity Insurance - if (and I' m not suggesting you ever would) but if, you were accused of causing a serious case of food poisoning that lead on to someone suffering serious health consequences, then you may need legal insurance to defend your case. Any insurance policy is almost certainly going to require you to take all reasonabale precautions to ensure that an incident does not arise.

If such a situation ever arose, then a defence of 'due diligence' would be the kind of response you would probably want to muster. Which is where a Hygiene Certificate that confirmed you had completed the recommended training, would come in to its own. You do the training in a one-day workshop and it's not ridiculously expensive and your local Community College/ FE Catering department can probably provide the training for you.

As for premises being inspected IF that is necessary, people that I know who have had it done have said it’s not an onerous inspection in any way, apparently it’s mainly about monitoring fridge/freezer temperatures, recording and marking foods with dates frozen, etc.

And as mentioned above, its really when something goes wrong, or at least if you are accused of causing a problem, that having taken every precaution comes into its own. So I wouldn't advise going with the minimum legal requirements.

It's explained here:-

[link]

Was it this one?


[link]

Paysan did look to be a very good price, particulary as they included P&P.

As long as you don't exceed a kilo of scone dough at any one mixing, I really don't think you will get any problems.

I um'ed and ah'ed for ages over whether to go for a more expensive model, but as I only use a mixer a couple of times a week at most, I thought I would go with that model and take out the 5 year insurance, so that if anything does go wrong, it will be covered.

It's been fine so far, and hasn't even showed any signs of slowing up or getting hot.

The variable speed motor is great - I think they are cracking little machines and excellent value for money.

And it's British - how nice to see something like the Kenwood flying the flag for British engineering.

Happy Baking - take care.

The KMC510 is a somewhat better quailty machine, but you don't actually gain anything in terms of capacity. It might be a better buy in the long term, as it may well last longer.

What I would strongly advise, is that you take out the 5 year insurance on whichever machine you go for.

According to the details I have, the insurance is based on the purchase price of the machine: up to £150 - the charge for 5 years is £32.90

Over £151 - and it goes up to £42.90. It's done through Domestic & General if you want to confirm the latest rates.

Personally, what I definitely wouldn't do, is to go for the dearer model and not take the insurance.

I've tested mine with a kilo of bread dough, and the motor didn't even slow up - when I increased the speed, the machine started jumping around a bit, but the motor didn't waver at all. Not something I recommend doing too often, but I wanted to see where the limits lie, and that particular test suggested the motor had a lot of torque in it.

If you are working commercially, and the mixer will be running for long periods every day - then I would say go for a mixer with a commercial motor - don't be put off by the wattage rating of the motor, a commercial motor is a different kettle of fish from a domestic one:-

[link]


[link]

If you are thinking in terms of the bowl size, the Chef has a 4.6 litre, and the Major range increases to 6.7.

But as you say, a big jump in price.

Some details here:-

[link]

If you are working domestically, I would have thought the 4.6 bowl would be ok - that is quite a large bowl. You could also just do two or more batches one after another.

If you want to do exceed 800 grams in each single session when kneading bread dough, then I would definetly recommend a bigger motor.

But for the more fluid mixes, as long as the bowl is big enough for you, then things should be fine.

If you take out the 5 year Kenwood insurance, you will be covered for whatever happens anyway. It was £32 something last year. It's on-site too, so you don't have to worry about sending the mixer off anywhere.

This price is even better:-

[link]

I've got a Kenwood and I am very pleased with it.

You get a whisk, a K beater, and a dough hook included. Plus a liquidiser that slots into one of the power attachment slots.

Kenwood also offer the option to extend the warranty to 5 years, which covers accidental damage as well as breakdown. Just over £30 - last I heard, but it may have gone up since then.

I don't think there is much on the market for around £130 that can compete with them. Paysan have them at £124.49 - vat and P&P included.

I would say an important issue for deciding whether the KM336 is big enough for you depends on how much bread dough you want to work at any one time - I usually mix around 800 grams for each mixing, and I wouldn't recommend going over that with that model. For other mixes you can go way over that, but bread dough does test out what the machine can manage.

You can get lots of accessories that fit into the power drive slots, and you can pick them up on ebay for a song. Parts are still available for the older machines - which I think in this day and age is brilliant.

Heston Blumenthal uses Kenwood, which must surely say something about the quality of the brand.

I've heard it's a common fault with the coated non-stick woks - I suspect it's the pre-heating that does it.

Whereas with the hard anodised wok, all you need to do is to wipe it with some oil, wait until it just starts to smoke, and off you go.

So easy to wash up too!

Modern technology has its advantages

00 is a milling grade, and doesn't, per se, tell you that much about the composition of the flour - flours tend to be blended quite a lot, just how, tends to remain a closely guarded secret of flour millers.

If you buy some semolina flour (which is made from Durham wheat) which you can get it in supermarkets, but it's likely to be on the pud section rather than the flour section, and mix it 50:50 with strong cheapo supermarket bread flour, I think you will find it makes very good pasta.

Hi Animal

You won't need to season a hard anodised wok - anodising provides a very durable non-stick surface that is easy to wash-up and requires little in the way of maintenance. The aluminum-alloy body will absorb the heat from your burner far more efficiently than a carbon steel wok will.

The problem with a standard gas burner of around 3.kw is that it really doesn't produce enough heat to run a decent sized wok, plus they tend to be too small to throw a flame up under the sides of the wok.

The idea with a wok is that you keep the food moving around the very hot walls of the pan - but if the walls don't get that hot, what's the point? You are better off using a frying pan.

Woks were designed to be used over a fire-pit.

A large commercial burner with two rings would do the job - but do you have that?

It partly depends on what size wok you want to use, and what you hope to gain from using a wok rather than a frying pan. If you can make do with a small wok, say between 7 to 9 inch, then maybe you can get away with it on a 3kw burner.

But if you want something around 14 to 16" inches, and you have a standard burner, then I would recommend a HA wok.

I think a lot of people like the idea of using a wok, but in fact end up only use the lower section of the pan, which really is no different from using a good frying pan. In fact, a good HA frying pan will run much better than any wok on a standard gas ring.

Because of the shape of a wok, and because of the size of the average domestic gas ring, there is too much reliance on radiation of heat to the upper walls - the larger the pan, and the farther it is away from the flame, the more air there is to cool it down. The upper walls act as cooling fins do in a heat sink.

You can pre-heat it of course, but when you add the food, it will just lose heat and settle to a soft fizzle, as opposed to a busy sizzle, which is why you don't get crispy veg like they produce in traditional Chinese cooking.

Plus, if you are using oil, you will end up with a sticky ring around the upper region of the pan, which when left for any length of time, will become rancid because it hasn't been turned into carbon - yuk!

But anyway, if you are a seasoned wok user, and you are happy, then go for whatever rocks your boat (or rather woks your saute!) :-)

If you go for uncoated carbon steel, I would recommend Swift or Typhoon, two quality brands, and I have seen them both in TK Maxx for around £8.

Happy woking - may your veg always turn crispy!

TK Maxx sell a wide range of woks, starting around £5 or so for a carbon steel wok.

I always think it's worth investing a little more in a hard anodised wok because they make much better use of the heat available from a standard domestic burner, and you don't have to worry about seasoning, flaking, etc. Plus, they are a doddle to wash up.

TK Maxx had some really nice MPW, Beka, HA woks, for around £30.

Or, the larger branches of ASDA do one for about £16.

They are trouble free and very versatile.

Now come on you students, this is like walking into a church and asking the congregation what they think the future of religion is!

If you have anyone supervising your research, then you need to ask them about the sourcing of information.

Home cooking is no longer the norm for most people, but the members of this board are an exception to the rule.

A walk around the major supermarkets will give you a very good idea of the balance between ready meals and pre-prepared foods – if you want to get some valid data, then create a questionnaire and interview shoppers leaving the supermarkets.

Check out the turnover and profits of the major players in the provision of food, and offer up some sampling of how people spend their money, and on what.

Nice set up Grisinni

The electric burr grinders are a tad pricey though.

There is a fourth way, sometimes used by TV chefs, which involves putting the pepper-corns, or whatever, onto a steel worktop and beating the blazes out of them with a sauce pan!

Not sure it produces such a fine end product though!

Yes, good point Mrs Woof Woof, it's best to keep a seperate grinder for coffee.

Hi looby10

There are two types of grinder generally available: there is a "burr grinder", which actually crushes the spices or beans, and then there is a "mill" that works by chopping the material up - in a similar way to a blender, but with a smaller blade spinning at high speed.

A lot of coffee buffs prefer to use a burr grinder, because it really does crush and grind the beans into a powder and they claim it gets the very best flavour from the bean. They do tend to be more expensive though. I bought a hand one in TK Maxx - about £15.00.

Amazon or Robert Dyas sell the mill type - there is a James Martin one that sells for around £14.99.

Another way is to use a heavy pestle and mortar - bought mine in Tesco, about £6.00 as I remember, but it was a few years ago.

All three methods work with spices, but I think you will find that many people prefer the grind and crush method over the milling process.

Good luck Jack!

Just watched Richard Phillips poaching a chicken breast on MK - which he had oiled and added a few herbs and butter to, before rolling it up in some cling film.

He then poached it in boiling water for 8 minutes - followed by browning it lightly in a frying pan.

It looked really juicy and moist - think I might try it.

I want to get more into steaming and poaching, as it's so much healthier and less drying of the food.

I'm not feeling completely easy about the effects of using cling film in boiling water though - perhaps because it's just new to me.

All the best.

"Old Spikey" ... lol

It has been a very strange transformation, as he used to be this rather quirky looking perfectionist, who seemed, on screen anyway, as a pleasant and sensitive guy who loved cooking and showing people how to do things in the kitchen.

I do wonder what the change has been about?

Is it due to success alone - or is it perhaps due (in part) to "grooming" by producers/ directors, etc, to shape his image in line with the stereotype of the aggressively competitive, i.e. the ego-manic knife wielding man in a white suit that the media boffs like to put on screen as a modern-day TV chef?

In the very competitive world of TV foodie programs, it seems that increasingly it is not enough just to be able to cook!

You need "an image" - likeable or not, you must have an image!

I'm waiting for: "the stig" of the cooking world - i.e. an anonymous chef that appears on screen with a mask (possibly made of cheese cloth) who is a whizz of a cook, but you never actually get to know who s/he really is!

Hi there Jack

This is the link with the vacuum packer on - I'm wondering if the region makes a difference, as they ask for a post code to be entered, I'm down South and it says available from Thursday, i.e. tomorrow.

If it is to do with regions, then no doubt it will come your way soon.

[link]

Hi posset

Will look forward to hearing how you find the water-bath.

How did the Thermowhip go posset?

I see some of the chefs on the GBM were given a hard time by Prue Leith over foam - as apparently she hates it. I felt is was unfair to make such a fuss over something that is very vogue in the restaurant scene just now - she seemed to hung up on the foam in one or two cases to the exclusion, or at least lack of interest in, the quality of the cooking generally.

I've found the this series of GBM to be quite disappointing generally - shame, as I thought the first series was very good.

All the best Jack and posset onwards and upwards

Saw a bargain on Lidl's website that Jack might be interested in - they have an electronic vacuum packing machine for £14.99 - which includes a 3 year warranty and 3 ms of bag material.

Amazing value!

Apart from cooking in the bag, very useful for packing food to avoid freezer burn, and of course to preserve certain foods when vacuum packed dry.

All we need now is a water-bath for about a fiver, and we'll be all set for some fancy cutting-edge cooking!

lol

Hi there posset

I'm not sure it's the kind of thing anyone would want to be known for - lol

Must be a joke about being potty there somewhere !



I do my best though - with an emphasis on value for money

All the best posset

You have tried the conservative solutions that I would normally come up with.

I think you have got to the stage where you may actually cause more damage by trying to do good if you use more aggressive methods.

What usually happens with enameled cooking pots is that after a while the glaze on the enamel wears thin which exposes the underlying enamel surface which has a degree of porosity.

As an analogy, imagine the pores in your skin and think of getting a strong ink on your hand that stains deeply. You can scrub and scrub, but after a while you are left with a stain that just won't shift because the ink has penetrated down into the pores of your skin. That's where the apology ends, because as you are a living organism and your skin will almost certainly rejuvenate, whereas things are not so straightfoward with your pot.

What has happened with your pot is that the carbon created by the process of burning the food has filtered down into the pores of the enamel on your pot.

Getting that carbon out is difficult, and you could easily do more harm than good by trying to get the surface to look good.

One thing that comes to mind is making a paste out of bicarb and smearing it over the affected surface and leaving it to dry out over night - you may need to repeat that process a number of times; it might just draw the carbon out.

Another approach would be to bleach the carbon so that it doesn't show - you could try using ordinary household bleach to do that, but it will just be an aesthetic solution as opposed to anything else.

When you have a porous surface in a cooking pot, the best practical approach is to get oil/fat into the pores - which is what seasoning is about.

However, what happens when you try to clean the surface to make it look good is that you tend to strip out every last gram of oil or fat.

The bottom line is that if you can live with the staining and carry on using your pot that is probably the best way forward.

You may find that after a while it fades anyway.

I have an old casserole that I sometimes get frustrated with and I boil a solution of vinegar and bicarb in it and then leave to soak overnight - it's a powerful way of stripping the enamel and it looks nice and clean again, but to be honest it's not an approach I could recommend for a treasured pot.

The best advice I can give you is to keep using your casserole and don't get too aggressive with the cleaning process. An efficient working tool doesn't always look like it belongs in a magazine.

Hope this helps.

Be careful when buying a non-stick wok - the ones with the red heat spot have been known to peel if used over and above the temperature that the heat spot indicates (which is not very high at all), and the carbon steel non-stick woks scratch easily and also don't stand up to high heat very well.

The hard anodised ones are durable and stand up to high heat and are easy to wash up. The cheapest I have seen is ASDA - larger branches, around £16. TK Maxx have also stocked the Beka MPW HA woks - about £30, but with a long warranty.

The traditional way to season a carbon steel wok is to burn fat or oil onto the pan so that a coating of carbon is formed which then acts as a non-stick surface.

If you want to use oil, then one with a high smoke point is best, such as groundnut oil.

Cleaning off any coatings that have been applied to prevent rusting pre-sales is very important.

I would suggest using a stainless steel scourer on the new wok, and then scouring it with bicarb, followed by simmering a solution of bicarb and salt in the pan for around 20 minutes.

Then thoroughly dry the pan and check that the surface looks spotlessly clean and free of any anti-rust coating.

The next step involves heating the wok until it goes a straw colour and then blue - you will probably need to tilt the wok so that the flame from your burner can heat the sides so that they turn blue.

As I'm sure you can appreciate, this is heating a pan to a level that is never usually reached and so safety is an important factor - keep your bottle of oil well away from the wok, just put about a table-spoon of oil in an egg-cup and then drizzle it around the sides of the wok so that it runs down to the base - but make sure you don't get any over the edge and on the outside of the wok because it may flash - if it does, it will soon burn out, so don't panic.

As soon as the oil goes into the pan you need to wipe it around - kitchen paper towel works well enough, but it is very easy to burn your fingers, so you might want to put a piece of folded kitchen towel in a pair of tongs and do it that way, or your local Chinese store probably sells bamboo brushes that will do the job. Another way is to use chopped chives, or even spring onion stalks, to swish the oil around inside the pan.

The aim is to burn the oil over the entire surface of the wok until it stops smoking and begins to form a thin layer of carbon.

Open your windows and disable any adjacent smoke alarms.

Unless you have a very powerful burner, you may find you have to tilt and roll the wok in order to get the side walls hot enough.

Having burnt on the first layer, you can then repeat the process three or four times more until you have a good layer of carbon building up.

The next step involves keeping the wok at a lower temperature for an hour or so in order to consolidate the seasoning. You may be able to do this in the oven if the handle will unscrew - very often the wooded handle is held in place with a long metal spindle that has a ring at the end, and if you put a bar through the ring and turn it, it will unscrew and release the handle.

If you use your oven, set it to one/low, and leave the wok to bake for at least a couple of hours - turn it upside down and put a tray underneath to catch any drips.

You should then end up with a well seasoned wok.

To be frank, I've found carbon steel woks to be more trouble than they are worth. I know people say you can pick up the 'real deal' for about a fiver and season it, and it will last a lifetime as long as you don't scrub it, but I've never found things are that easy, because when adding anything liquid the carbon tends to flake off - plus the average large burner on a domestic hob is not really powerful enough to run a wok at the high temperature it needs to be used at to produce crispy stir fried vegetables.

Whenever cooking on TV these days, Ken Hom uses a non-stick wok, as does Ching, and I think that says something about how versatile such pans are.

If you get fed up with re-seasoning your wok, I suggest getting a hard anodised aluminum-alloy wok, which will have much better thermal properties than a steel wok, and will work more efficiently on a standard domestic hob. They can be used as a large generic 'chef's pan' for all sorts of cooking, and although the initial investment is higher, I feel sure you will never regret the outlay.

Good luck - I hope this helps.

.... and 3 years later

You could also make some mint sauce.

I'm sure it's possible, but the cost will almost certainly make buying a new pan many times cheaper.

The cheapest hard anodised pan I have seen is only £12 in ASDA - a really excellent buy. The Stellar HA frying pan has a lifetime guarantee on the anodising but costs twice the price.

I have dealt with Stellar's customer services in the past over a faulty pan (not a non-stick one) and they were brilliant, and replaced the pan without even asking to see it.

I've never seen a HA pan to match the two mentioned above on value for money and outstanding quality at such a low price.

That will be because of the inserts on the handle - the Beka ones in TK Maxx have all metal handles, as do the ASDA ones.

I doubt the inserts will suffer that much because of an extra 20 degrees though.

If that doesn't stand up to the task, try one of these:-

[link]

I use a Kenwood smoothie maker and it works fine.

Were the blenders you used designed to cope with ice chopping? Not all blenders have blades strong enough for ice chopping.

As mentioned, always put the ice in and then start the blender.

Leaving the ice for a couple of minutes to thaw a little, and adding any other ingredients right at the beginning will reduce the strain on the blades.

For thermal efficiency and durabaility hard anodised alluminium will be the best performer.

Silverwood do a hard anodised range, as do Lakelands, Amazon, etc. It's worth looking in TK Maxx, as sometimes they have some real bargain buys in cake tins.

There is some info here re probs with Circotherm ovens re making adjustments, etc.
[link]

Something I always question is the justification used by program makers that says they just provide the viewing public with what they want. I think there is a great deal more dissatisfaction with TV programs on all channels than viewing figures will ever reveal. Plus, I think the sheer volume of programs and the high level of exposure (possibly having an addictive element) tends to shape viewer's expectations and preferences. Of all the TV that I watch, I would only bother to set the Sky box to record about 10% of it if there was a chance of missing it. Missing the other 90% wouldn't really bother me, however, if I am at home I will probably watch it.


To really understand the celebrity culture I think you have to look wider than the TV screen and at the economic and political context that such reverence has developed in. Also, in Britain over the past ten years, we have imported a great deal of rubbish from America - in terms of TV programs, lifestyle trends, and political ideas.

Oh all right then!

But it's fairly basic stuff as the main object of the exercise was to find the cheapest materials available that would do the job and be fairly durable.

First was a base made of cheap, treated, fencing timber - all it involves is a rectangle the size of your tunnel - I bought the timber in B&Q for about a fiver.

The struts are made from round plastic tubing - i.e. the pipe they use for overflows sold at B&Q again. Holes are drilled into the base on each side so that the plastic tube can be pushed in at each end to form an arch.

Then the frame is covered with heavy duty polythene sheet. A good couple of feet need to be left spare at the base so that it can be weighted down with paving slabs, gravel or soil, otherwise come a windy day, it will take off like giant kite! The ends need to be well secured too, so that the wind doesn't get into the tunnel.

That's all that is involved - as I remember, a reasonable sized tunnel costs about £25 to make - and it should be fairly weatherproof.

I think there's a lot to be said for growing one's own food.

A few years ago I came up with an idea for a very cheap polly tunnel for use in domestic gardens - even made a prototype - I might revive the idea soon.

If only life were that simple.

Unfortunately these days prices are adjusted according to supply and demand, rather than just the production and transportation costs.

The increases in demand in places like China are causing food prices to rise anyway, and the higher transportation costs will just add to that factor.

The supermarkets are pretty unpopular with farmers and some foodies, but if there wasn't the competitive edge in the market place, then food would cost a lot more than it does now.

I accept that factory farming and intensive breeding methods have a distinct downside to them, but without such methods the price of food would be soaring even more than it is - I'm not justifying poor treatment of animals in any way, which is never acceptable.

I don't pretend to know what the answers are - but one things for sure, the price of food is rising fast and is likely to go on doing so.

The price of food will go up and up in line with supply and demand - if you think you will be enjoying cheaper food grown locally, think again, well unless you are going to grow it yourself.

No blessing in disguise I'm afraid.

If you contact your Local Authority - Environmental Health - they will tell you what the requirements are. It may be that you need to have your kitchen inspected at home - I know people who work from home and they have had it done - it's no big deal.

You may also need to get a Food Hygiene Certificate - but that's not expensive, and is usually covered in a one-day workshop.

Good luck with your venture.

Re the flour, was it a duram wheat based (hard) flour?

00 is the grade it is ground to, and it may, or may not be, ground from duram wheat. I use 50% semolin flour (pure duram wheat) mixed with 50% bread flour - always works well.

It sounds as if you have worked the dough pretty well.

My first guess is that when you added the pasta to the water the temperature may have dropped so low that the dough became water-logged.

You need a large pan of boiling water, so that when the cold pasta is dropped into the water, the temperature doesn't dropped so low that the cooking process is slowed right down.

If you don't have a very large pan, I would suggest using two pans and get them to a rolling boil before dropping the pasta in.

You could do it in batches, but then you don't really want fresh pasta hanging around prior to serving.

I'm 80% sure that was the problem.

It would be nice to hear how your next attempt goes.

When you say: "pasta-maker" do you mean the rollers, i.e. a pasta machine?

It might help if you say what ingredients you used for your pasta?

Type of flour, etc.

Did you work the dough well by running it through the rollers several times - going to thin, then folding and starting again?

Did you let it stand in the fridge prior to rolling?

Was the water boiling, and was it a large pan?

Hi murdrobe

I use the term sub-contracting to mean a working situation where you are not actually an employee of the employer, but that you do work for them on a regular basis while paying your own National Insurance and dealing with your own tax liability. Such an arrangement can be quite attractive to employers - however, you need to make sure you charge enough to cover all your costs and any tax liability.

I used the term 'theory' in a very general sense - I'm sure you completed various practical tasks in college.

There are three primary elements in training: knowledge; practical (manual) skills, and the emotional side of things - which includes attitude, motivation, self-image, self-confidence, etc.

Self-confidence comes from being sure of your knowledge and practical skills.

Trainers can be encouraging, say well done, etc, but the important bit is to make sure that people are sound in the knowledge of their subject; have the necessary manual skills, and have achieved some self-confidence by having had their knowledge and skills tested and found that they could respond to the challenge presented.

It is possible for someone to have good knowledge, and good practical skills, but to feel unsure about how they can respond when challenged and put under pressure.

Getting someone in touch with those three areas requires a sound knowledge of training and a little sensitivity in the right kind of situation.

From what you have written so far, I think you need to bring these three areas into balance so that you will be able to move on.

If you were working with some skilled chefs and with a good training co-ordinator over-seeing your progress, I think you will find you will discover your confidence. The shouting and balling that Gordon Ramsay produces for the TV screen has nothing to do with training - unfortunately some cooks may be more influenced by such TV drama than have any idea about how to train and develop a student.

I hope you will take the time to have a conversation with a good training co-ordinator. At 19 you have a great deal of time to do all sorts of things, but getting your foundation right is so important for your professional and personal development.

The LSC will advise you of local resources.

Hi again murdrobe

Re further training: have you spoken to the Learning & Skills Council about opportunities and funding that is available for you?

If not, I would encourage you to do so, explain the full picture to them and I feel sure that they will be able to point you in the right direction. You sound right for an apprenticeship to me - you've done a lot of the theory work already.

[link]

As far as starting your own business goes, HM R&C have an advice site and a help-line:-

[link]

I started my own business when I was 21 (not catering though) and the paper-work wasn't anywhere as demanding as I expected.

If you open a business account and keep it solely for your business, then the Bank statements provide most of the information needed to sort out your accounts - I used to do my own book-work, and then pass the books to an accountant before the figures went to the Revenue, they do the fine tuning to ensure you don't pay more tax than you need to.

If you pay for everything with your Business account debit card, it really is very simple to keep track.

I would imagine you will be well below the VAT level, at first anyway.

Not having transport is a real disadvantage though.

However, to be frank, I think you would be well advised to consolidate your training up to at least NVQ level 3, and 4 if at all possible.

You might have to prepare food that is not your first choice, but once you show an employer that you have talents in certain areas, the chances are they will give you some rope and let you develop your special dishes within their kitchens.

I appreciate you may say: "but why do it for someone else when I could do it for myself?" ... but it will be a two way thing, i.e. you will get the opportunity to test your specials on their customers, and then later on, there will be no reason why you can't start up on your own account. Maybe you can get transport by that time too?

Again being somewhat direct about this, I doubt that the books, etc, will be the problem, most people in business take some knocks at some point, often early on in their venture, and that can knock your confidence too, and if you're the only one around to take responsibility, it can be very hard at your age.

Believe me, a lot of business people "talk big" and "act small" when it comes to being fair over money.

So my advice is to have a 'ready smile', 'talk friendly' and keep a 'sharp eye on your back' at all times, because if you don't, you can bet other people will.

Getting your money in your bank, in reasonable time, can be quite tricky when someone is dragging their feet over paying you - the problem tends to be that you don't want to get too heavy with them because you need their business, and of course they know that only too well.

Anyway, I don’t want to discourage you, just a word from one who has been there – I learned quite quickly that there are “friends”, and then there are: “business associates”, and it doesn’t do to confuse the two.

Have you thought of sub-contracting to local pubs, even if they do their own food, maybe you could sell the idea of them having an “Indian” evening once a week based upon your menu?

Good luck!

Hi murdrobe

NVQ Level 2, at best, gives you a foundation on which to build your professional skills, and you really need kitchen experience to develop your skills and the speed at which you work, plus teamwork ability and general work routines.

Could you do an NVQ level 3, perhaps at another college, paired with a work placement or a part-time job?

Or, you might be able to complete an NVQ Level 3 as an apprentice facilitated by a training provider in your area.

NVQ2 gets you onto the bottom rung of the ladder, but from your first paragraph, it sounds as if you don't feel very confident about working your way up in a commercial kitchen environment?

Working for yourself is hard at the best of times, plus you need capital, and not having your own transport will be a disadvantage.

Additionally, if you are working for yourself, then you won't get the interaction and learning from other kitchen staff.

One thing that comes to mind is whether you could find a pub that doesn't do food, but has some basic facilities, where maybe you could work on a sub-contract basis as their menu provider. Possibly preparing some of the food at home and some on their premises. Just a thought.

I think maybe you need to decide which way you want your career to go - if you want to develop your professional cooking skills and vocational skills for working in commercial kitchens, then I think you need to aim for that setting so that you get the contact with other chefs and the benefit of sharing your ideas while learning from them as well.

From reading your post my impression is that you are badly in need of some good careers advice/ vocational counselling, i.e. a conversation with someone who understands the catering trade and available opportunities well enough to be able to help you decide which direction you want to take next?

Have you contacted any of your local Training Providers specialising in catering? They often have very good people who will talk through all options, within and outside of, their own organisation?

From the details you have given above, I think working as an apprentice with support from a training provider to get you to NVQ Level 3 - 4 while working in a commercial kitchen could be a good career option for you.

But of course, it depends on how you see your future and where you want to be in say 5 years time.

Whichever route you take, I wish you the very best of luck!

I think you are spot on there Grisinni.

MPW was the youngest chef in the world to obtain 3 Michelin stars when he achieved them, and he was voted chef's Chef of the decade in 2000 by his peers.

But then if it comes to a popularity contest with the general public, then I can see that he might not feature so highly. Plus, I believe he now refers to himself as 'retired' from the world of professional cooking.

"Dark brown"

Well I think I had some from Somerfields that was 'darker' than lidl's, but it was a while ago, so I might be pointing you in the wrong direction . One things for sure, it was about 3 times the price of lidl ...lol

It may go somewhat darker after being heated in the oven - how about trying a bit?

I've never pre-heated it, and it's been fine.

How very strange - are you greasing it maybe?

Can't think what the problem can be - maybe someone else can.

Try lidl - long rolls and very cheap, plus it works well.

Personally I would go for an AEG electric oven - some of the TV shows use them, but I don't know about AWT and JM shows.

I see AWT has put his name to an oven and hob now, but as is so often the case, he probably doesn't use it himself:-

[link]

PS.

I don't think it makes any difference whether it's a fan oven or not - the main thing being that it's pre-heated to a high temperature.

Using hard anodised trays may well help, but I just have the usual metal non-stick and they seem alright.

Letting the mix stand for at least an hour does help a lot.

I use one third milk, one third egg, and one third plain flour, S & P to taste, then mix well and stand in the fridge for an hour or so.

I get the oven up on 8 or 9 and pre-heat the trays with about half a teaspoon of oil in (ground-nut works well).

Then keep a watchful eye because once browned they will burn very quickly.

They always rise up OK.

Can't help about the freezing question as I never have, but they sell frozen YP's, so presumably you can.

The Global G5:-

[link]


The Global GS-36 Anniversary edition - one of the best buys on the market at just over £20:-

[link]

Diamond Steel (highly recommended):-

[link]

Ceramic roller sharpener:-

[link]

General information about knife construction:-

[link]

Hi Jencatcar

Can it suggest that before committing yourself to any particular make of knife that you take a moment to handle them. Perhaps by visiting a store that sells quality knives so that you can get a feel of the different characteristics between brands. Once you know what suits you, you could perhaps buy on line.

I have a Henckels cooks knife, which is an excellent knife, but in comparison to the Global knife that I have it is much heavier and has a completely different feel – my pet name for the Henckels is the Kaiser’s bayonet.

If you have handled Global knives and the ‘feel’ suits you, I would encourage you to go for Global – they are excellent: the Global G5 veg-knife that I have sharpens to a razor edge and holds that edge longer than any other knife that I use.

When you say you want “a set” of knives, what is it you are looking for?

Do you do a lot of filleting? In which case you may want a knife with a flexible blade? But if you don’t fillet fish, or do so rarely, perhaps that option can be dispensed with? Or, if you need to target your cash on the knives that you will use most, but you want a filleting knife, then perhaps buying a cheaper brand just for that particular knife might fit the bill? Victorinox make good quality, lower price range, knives.

Something else you might want to consider before parting with any cash is your personal knife skills and the methods you use when handling a knife.

For example, do you leave the front part of the knife on the board and lift the knife up and down in a guillotine like movement – as you see many of the chefs do on TV. Or do you lift the whole knife and ‘chop’ downwards through veg, etc?

The reason I ask is that your chosen style - lets call the two above: “guillotine” versus “chopping style”, needs to be born in mind when choosing your main knife.

For the guillotine method, a long classic cook's knife with a convex edge throughout the entirety of the blade is ideal. With such a knife, as you work the knife up and down leaving the toe on the board, there is a slight push forward in the movement, or, a slight pull backwards, depending on the task in hand. Depending on the curvature of the blade, only a small part of the blade will be cutting at any one point in time – imagine the runners on a rocking chair: as the chair pivots on the rockers only a small section of the rocker touches the floor throughout the motion.

This brings me to a very important point that needs bearing in mind when checking out a new knife – particularly when buying seconds.

A common fault that gets a knife graded to a second is for it to have a concave wave in the blade edge. To illustrate this, back to the rocking-chair analogy: imagine someone has taken a rasp to the load-bearing edge of the rocker and made a hollow in it, as the rocker moves through the arc of motion a section of the rocker doesn’t actually make contact with the floor.

When such a concave wave is present in a knife blade, the blade doesn’t cut at that point.

There are various ways to check a blade – the most obvious way is to look down the edge of the blade, but it does take a keen eye.

Another, easier way, is to hold the knife at a right angle on a perfectly flat board and check for daylight as you lower the knife through the arc of the ‘guillotine’ motion. Getting a window on the right side of the knife helps, as daylight will show up better on the shadowed side of the blade.

A practical test is to take the green shoot from a spring onion – the thinner the better and just one layer – and check to see if the knife cuts cleanly through it at all points along the blade.

When you see veg that has been chopped but remains joined at the lowest part by uncut skin, the most likely reason is a faulty blade edge or a poor working action.

I am a great fan of TK Maxx, but the Henckels cook’s knife that I bought there did have a concave wave in the blade – it wasn’t marked as a second, but it was almost half the normal price. Because of the price I reground it and now it’s fine, but my guess is that a lot of people are not going to want to get into knife grinding – and you do need to know what you are doing.

Getting back to how you use a knife: if you use a chopping action, then you might find something like the Global G5 suits you, or a Santoku – which are very popular with TV chefs at the moment. You can use them in guillotine mode, but they don’t have the length of a full sized cook’s knife, so they need lifting that much higher.

I bought a couple of Santoku knives made of Damascus steel a while back, they are beautiful knives, but both had a concave wave in the blade. I ask to see them out of the packing in the shop, and spotted it straight away, when I pointed out the faults, they reduced the price down to a fraction of the original cost. I reground them, and so got a real bargain on that purchase.

Something else to bear in mind when browsing in TK Maxx is that being such a large company they do at times commission manufacturers to make products exclusively for them. They ran a range of Wusthof knives last year – which sold around the £20 mark. At a glance it would be easy to think these knives were being sold at a fraction of the usual cost, but in fact, they had been made to a different specification to Wusthof's usual range. Don’t get me wrong, still a good buy, but it would be easy to imagine one was getting a much bigger bargain than was the reality. I would add I regularly shop at TK Maxx, and on the odd occasion I have taken anything back, they have refunded without argument.

If I haven’t worried you enough already, I would also mention that there is quite a market in forgeries of the more expensive knives – so my advice is to buy from a well- known source. The best prices I have seen are on line, and I would have no qualms about buying from the larger Internet retailers.

I will post some links for you to compare prices with, but in a separate post, as sometimes posts containing links get removed.

Something else to consider is: do you have a good knife sharpener?

If not, I would recommend you buy a diamond steel, or a ceramic roller sharpener.

Diamond steels cost around £15 to £20 for a budget one (but still very effective) up to a great deal more for a Global original.

Good quality ceramic roller sharpeners cost around £20.

Finally, the more you pay for a knife, the more you will need to look after it.

Global knives have been known to break like a piece of glass when dropped – the method of manufacture and the hardness of the steel makes them vulnerable.

Also, the blend of metals makes them unsuitable for dishwashers and more prone to corrosion if not dried properly.

Good luck – I hope I haven’t put you off, but have given you a few pointers in the right direction.



All the best.

Large branches of ASDA - hard anodised pan, under the label of 'George' or 'Extra Special'. An aluminium alloy pan with a hard-anodised non-stick coating and a solid metal handle - around £15. Make sure you have a good oven cloth or glove - check out Robert Dyas for their heat resistant oven gloves - they were doing two for £10 at one time.

If you want something a little more posh, post again, and I can probably come up with something that will drain your budget a little more, but you won't get any better value for money anywhere.

But not suitable for induction hobs - Stellar at Robert Dyas, (see recent previous post for details) if you have an induction hob.

All the best,

Hi posset

I have a portable induction hob and as far as pro's and con's go I would say:-

Pro's:-

Quick to heat up the contents of the pan, combined with a very quick response to any adjustment made, i.e. if something was about to boil over, turning down the dial will halt it almost immediately - but then so will lifting the pan off with any kind of heat source.

Good control over simmering, but the temperature is maintained (on mine anyway) by an on - off process (rather like a digital process as opposed to an analogue one) - so as you watch liquid at low temperature you can see by the bubbles on the floor of the pan that the power is cycling on/off..on/off...etc.

Safety is very good as the power is disconnected (i.e. the magnetic field that creates the heat is broken) as soon as the pan is lifted off - and the plate top doesn't get anywhere near as hot as a conventional hob does.

A sometimes annoying feature on mine is that if the pan is lifted off for more than 30 seconds the hob closes down and resets to zero.

Easy to wipe clean plate top – a nice feature.

Con's

General structural durability - I really wonder how an induction hob would stand up to heavy use in a commercial setting where heavy pans were being put down hard without any great care - or if a heavy pan was dropped onto the top plate. I also see a high potential for scratching of the plate surface, with cast -iron pans especially.

Also, as with any piece of modern technology, there is a much greater potential for breakdowns and faults than with a conventional electric/gas hob - and expect to get some fair bills for labour and parts when something does go wrong.

I would definitely suggest buying an induction hob with a full 5 year parts and labour warranty.

Another down-side is that you can't pre-heat pans: not with mine anyway. So preheating a griddle for steak is not possible. As a safety feature, as soon as the pan gets hot without food in it, the power cuts out. So pre-heating steak pans, and woks, is completely out of the question.

As far as economy goes, it may well be cheaper than a conventional electric hob, but a gas hob is going to be cheaper than induction for most people.

Another down feature is that many of the older pans won't work with induction.

The above poster has got it wrong re the type of metal required, i.e. the pan needs to contain high levels of ferrous metals.

Some stainless steel pans will work, but it depends on the composition of the steel. The chances are that the older and cheaper stainless steel pans won't work.

Aluminium alloy pans won't work unless they have a steel plate in the base, as some now do, but it's a factor that needs checking out before buying any pans - as you know posset, most new pans have a symbol on the base to indicate compatibility with induction.

Most cast iron should work - it might be prudent to check out any very heavy enamelling on the base of a cast iron pan just in case.

Copper based pans won't work, as copper is a non-ferrous metal.

I think induction hobs are ideal for anyone who is a bit forgetful or careless when using a hob. I cringe at the adverts about them being safer for children, because in my opinion young children shouldn't even be in a kitchen when pots and pans are boiling on the hob.

If someone definitely wants, or only has the option of electric, then I would say go for induction. But personally, I think a gas hob with a portable induction hob standing by offers the best of both worlds.

Hope that helps posset - all the best.

This is the kind of pan I was thinking of:-

[link]

Even comes with a life-time guarantee, which for £24.99 is pretty unbeatable.

If it's from the Aga range, I believe they have a 10 year guarantee. I would be inclined to contact them and see what they say Dungie ... they might just replace it without getting too picky about the temperature rating - for 70 quid it should stand up to a bit of misuse, surely?

The worst that can happen is that they say no - but they might just replace it to uphold their reputation.

They might ask for proof of purchase – but if you haven’t got the receipt, a lot of companies will accept evidence of the sale from a monthly statement.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained, as they say.

I bought a wok made by Stellar, which was disappointing, so I telephoned them and told them what I thought, and they were quite apologetic and sent me two woks from other ranges sold by them, totally free of charge! They never asked for proof of purchase or return of the pan I was complaining about.

Worth the price of a telephone call I reckon!

Hi Dungie

£70

Have you been pre-heating this pan to high temperatures without oil or food in it?

If so, that might account for the flaking.

If you haven't, and have cared for the pan as you describe, then I would suggest taking it back armed with the words from consumer protection legislation to the effect that: "any item sold as a retail purchase should be fit for the purpose which intended" and for £70 quid, it's perfectly reasonable to expect that it lasts a lot longer than 18 months.

If you want a pan that you can pre-heat to very high temperatures, then I would say go for cast-iron or black-iron.

If you just want a versatile pan that you can pre-heat to quite hot (say for 3 to 4 minutes on a high burner) then a hard-anodised pan would do the job very well.

The cheapest start at around £15 - ASDA larger stores.

Or try TK Maxx, they have some very good quality pans at very reasonable prices - I bought an extra large MPW - Beka- hard anodised griddle pan a few months ago for £16 - I could hardly believe the price, and hurried out the shop quickly looking guilty!

It's brilliant to use - has a bonded copper base and is a dream to wash up.

Another place to look is Robert Dyas - they do Stellar pans, but look for a hard anodised pan, not a pan with a non-stick coating.

But as I say, if you have not overheated your existing pan, I would take it back and ask for a replacement or a refund. If they argue, have a word with Trading Standards – just the mention of their name often works wonders!

Hope this helps - all the best.

Hi again sarah

I found this graph which I posted for Lisa in June 2007, as she was also having problems with the circotherm - I notice that you also posted on that thread, but at the time you were waiting for your oven to be fitted.

It's only the "oven simulation results graph” that I am referring to, as it may help to explain the point I was making above more clearly.

The graph illustrates the way the temperature rises in different foods, i.e. with meat, the rise is gradual and plots a fairly straight and progressively rising flat line (the pink and yellow lines on the graph).

Whereas with bread, the rise in temperature happens more quickly and the heat curve is much steeper (the brown and purple lines).

If the curves become steeper because the oven provides heat more efficiently and quickly, consequently the cooking process becomes more advanced, and the temperature can be lowered.

In a conventional oven, the chamber has to be heated to the desired temperature, which involves raising the heat levels in the various metal structures of the oven, and then there is a heat loss when the door is opened and the cold food is introduced. So an oven that was at 180c may then fall back to say 120c, it then has to increase the heat input in order to aim for the heat setting governed by the thermostat, i.e. the temperature set on the cooker dial. With bread it will achieve the set temperature relatively quickly, whereas with a large joint of beef, the heat penetration will take much longer and the thermal curve will be much flatter.

[link]

The problem with the conventional method of cooking meat in an oven (circotherm or otherwise) is that by the time the middle is cooked, the outer section is very overcooked because the outer 50% of the joint has been at a high temperature for much longer than the inner portion.

Hence Heston Blumenthal's ideas of cooking a joint of beef at low temperature for around 20 hours - the time scale and low temperature setting allows the heat to cook the beef in the middle without subjecting the outer 50% to high levels of heat for long periods. Such a process also allows the collagen within the joint to be broken down without drying the meat up.

A strong selling point for the circotherm is that it is saving energy by bringing down temperature settings, but I really wonder just how much energy is saved, when all factors are taken into account – for example, raising and maintaining the hot air-stream is bound to use up a considerable amount of energy. To my way of thinking its rather like accelerating hard in a car whenever the road is clear in order to bring down the average time and top speeds when making a journey from A to B. The Ferrari driver may be able to claim that s/he never went above 50 mph, but the lower top speed was achieved by the use of more fuel due to the power required for rapid acceleration whenever possible.

The ultimate test would be to cook two identical dishes and clock the energy consumed by the circotherm and a conventional electric oven.

But anyway, I hope it works out OK for you sarah – all the best.

sarah

I80c is 180c - the lower temperature is achieved by "greater efficiency" because the hot air-flow is almost immediate, and unlike a conventional oven where when you open the door and put the cold food in the temperature drops right off, the temperature in the circotherm recovers more quickly.

The temperatures given for cooking food in a domestic oven are based on the shape of a thermal curve - the setting you make, i.e. 180c, is the point where the input of heat will be cut off, i.e. at the top of the curve.

A steeper curve in a more efficient oven means you can drop the level of heat that the oven has to reach - hope that makes sense.

The two straightforward variables are the temperature setting, and the time setting, the more complicated issue is the thermal curve, which has to be considered when cooking foods of different densities and with different moisture content.

But if those temperatures work for David then they should for you – if not, I would get an engineer to call and have a sponge cake mix ready and waiting to show him the problems you are experiencing

Hi

If you look back far enough on this part of the board you will find a post saying exactly the same things as you are.

These ovens reach the temperature setting more quickly because they blow hot air and create an air-stream which saves on pre-heat time and, to some extent, the temperature drop that takes place when you put something in the oven.

Have you got an oven thermometer? They are quite cheap to buy - Robert Dyas sell them for under a fiver. It might help you to work out what is happening to the temperature levels - also, it might be faulty anyway.

AEG make good ovens - if it's faulty or not operating as per their instruction manual, you might want to consider getting your money back and starting again?

The standard practical test is a basic sponge cake - if that won't bake satisfactorily having followed the hand-book, then I would suggest calling out the engineer, then if they confirm it's faulty, you might want to consider your options - I know what I would do.

Gingerbread men, with smarties for eyes and buttons - will sell like hot cakes! (terrible pun I know!)

I buy the little herb plants from ASDA and they always last at least a week - the parsley might be wilting due to too much sun, or at least too hot a position.

I have a basil plant that I bought a month ago, still going strong.

After a few days on the window ledge I water them using one of those small iron filling pots - that way it's easy to avoid over watering, which is a risk because there is so little soil in the pots, a little and often is the way to go. If you lift the pot, you can tell by the weight if they are getting dry.

If you want to revive a wilting plant, try adding 2 fluid ounces of fizzy water to the pot, they love that. But if you want them to last, make sure they don't get too dry or too hot.

You're very welcome.

This Kenwood chef is at a very good price:-

[link]

You will probably get a blender jug that fits into the attachment drive in the box and included in the price.

Kenwood also offer the option of extending the guarantee to 5 years for around £30 - that's on-site repair and includes accidental damage - pretty good eh?

You will find lots of extra s/h attachments on ebay going for a song.

Good luck, I'm glad I could help.

PS

If you are just starting out and not sure about whether you will get into baking in a big way (i.e. re Food Mixer), then I would suggest considering one of these multi- purpose tools - you will be able to do a wide range of tasks with this one:-
[link]

Most food processor run at high speed and use two flat convex blades to cut through any ingredients put in them - you can get other attachments, but the cutting blade is the main mode of operation usually.

When making pastry, a food processor works quite well because what you need to do is to reduce the fat down to a fine grain and integrate it with the flour - so the blade can be used to 'cut the fat in' without working the flour too much and developing the gluten. This kind of technique should produce a 'short,' melt in the mouth, pastry.

The important thing to remember is to stop the machine as soon as the dough starts to roll up into a ball - if you keep going after that point, then the dough will get overworked and may well produce tough pastry. You may also find that, unless you have a very good food processor, that the motor burns out quite quickly.

Food mixers provide a somewhat different function: they usually come with a whisk that can be run at high speed for jobs like whisking eggs for meringues, etc. Plus a mixing iron for things like cake mixes. And then a dough hook for bread or pasta type dough. These attachments will normally be run at different speeds.

The dough hook is usually run at the slowest speed, and the idea, in contrast to the use of the Food Processor when making pastry dough, is to develop the gluten in the flour/dough mix to produce an elastic, stretchy-like dough - the dough-hook providing a kneading action.

Most of the quality Food Mixers have some method of varying the speed - by way of gearing or a variable speed motor. Working bread dough needs a machine with some power to provide umph (torque) at low speeds.

For a really good domestic Food Processor, I would recommend Magimix, but they are fairly expensive. Kenwood do some good machines at a lower price.

The main contenders in the domestic Food Mixer market are Kitchenaid and Kenwood – some people argue that one is better than the other, personally I don’t think there is that much to choose between them.

For anyone on a budget, the Kenwood Chef mixer is a very good buy, and they can be bought new for around £120.

With regard to which type of machine is best for you, it really depends on the kind of cooking you have in mind.

You can get Food Processors with whisk attachments, and you might get away with using it for a light cake mix, but I wouldn’t use a Food Processor for heavy dough work.

Hope this helps.

The word "Iconic" is the latest BBC buzz-word - Iconic Gherkin and all that (very Freudian ;-o )

If selecting the most dynamic, serious chef, of the last 25 years, then I would have thought Marco Pierre White was the man to choose, because of his achievements and awards, and influence on some of the celeb cooks we see on TV today.

JO may well be the most popular face cooking on TV, but I wouldn't have thought the two things are the same - personally speaking

I thought Nigella was a "domestic goddess"? Surely the word Chef refers to a professional cook, i.e. a role in an organisation, rather than just what someone does with food?

Tamasin present herself as a 'housewife/ family cook' - often having a bad hair day, and usually 'loving' or 'hating' something or other.

Rosemary is nearer to a chef: but I find her almost military attitude a bit of a turn-off. I think she might upset more kitchen staff than run a smooth commercial kitchen.

One of the few chefs who looks to me as if he could turn his hand to a busy day in a commercial kitchen, and manage staff efficiently, is James Tanner - I think he comes over as a true professional.

I always smile when the TV chefs go with a camera crew into their own commercial kitchens during working hours – the staff usually look well put out and the expressions suggest they wish their celeb bosses would just push off and let them get on with the job.

or even: "How to Cook" ... (I should have checked the title before posting )

If you are just starting out with cooking, can I suggest Mary Berry's book: 'Learn to Cook'.

It has a range of recipes that she has chosen to take the beginning cook through most of the basic cooking methods using a wide spectrum of ingredients. It also has a section on condiments, spicing, etc, plus information on raising agents, flours and much more including advice and explanations on equipment.

Best price I have seen is here:-

[link]

The main reason for sifting flour is to get more air into it - when packed the flour is compressed and air is removed, but when baking, well-aerated flour will work better and help with rising and lightness. Using a large bowl so that you can hold the sieve up high helps the process.

If sifting sugar, it's more likely to be done to ensure there are no lumps, but you may need a larger mesh sieve than you would use for flour.

Unless the recipe specifies the two should be done together, I would definitely sift the two ingredients separately.

Google will find some very good glossaries or detailed information on just about everything under the sun.

I hesitate to post a link because links to other sites often get removed.

Hope this helps.

If a ddf is the same as a deep fat fryer, try doing a double fry: the first being for a few minutes at 150c, then let them cool right down, and then fry again at around 190c until as required.

What spuds are you using? Maris Piper are good for chips.

Yes, my original recipe was deleted - not sure why.

But the second recipe has more or less the same ingredients and the measures are specified. I think a full fat double cream works best.

I have added the methods I use, so together it's almost the same.

Hope it goes well.

P.S.P.S

I bought one of these, and it works really well with CB - once filled with gas (from the cans used for lighters) it last for ages, and it has a safety catch that ensures it has been turned right off and can't get knocked on accidentally.

[link]

P.S.

They have suggested heating the ingredients to infuse the flavours, but if you want a straight-forward CB, just add a teaspoon of vanilla extract, mix together cold, and go for the longer period of time in the oven (50-60 mins or until the outer 60% has started to set).

White granulated sugar works best for the topping - nice and crunchy.

This recipe has similar ingredients and with precise measurements Old Thatch - just leave out the flavouring that is not wanted:-

[link]

I think cooking in a water-bath on as low a-setting as your oven will go is the safest way - around an hour, or until the centre is just starting to set. Then remove from oven and allow to stand and cool until the water bath has cooled - then chill. If you want to shorten the time scale - pop them in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Thinking about the problems you've had previously, I would suggest not over mixing the ingredients (not suggesting you have, just trying to think of any possible causes) - I use a hand whisk and just mix lightly rather than heavy whisking. To get the temperature stable, I would recommend putting the tray of water in the oven well in advance, so the water is at temperature and not too hot or cold. The fresher the eggs the better. Can't really think of anything else at the moment.

Good luck if you try it anyway.

Hi posset

I am actually quite partial to fizzy grape juice, especially when it's been in the bottle for a few years

After posting the link for the Roner Digital Thermostat I searched for a price, and got a shock without even having to plug it in: around £1200

There was me thinking it might be a cheaper alternative to a water-bath

I did find a link for a company that supplies sous vide frozen meat dishes, and they were quite reasonable: £5 or £6 per unit. So in a commercial setting, I doubt that it's worth doing yourself. They use steam ovens apparently to provide the heat and do hundreds at a time.

Also came across this little gismo - but I do wonder about the level of accuracy that can be achieved with them:-

[link]


Ah well! ... back to poached eggs done in boiling water with a splash of vinegar and a quick spin of the water - "the appliance of science to cooking eh"
easy

and also:-

[link]

There are some recipes published on the same site if you click around posset - but you may have to run it through google translation.

...or even:-

[link]

How about one of these for Christmas posset?

[link]

Hi posset

The thermo whip sounds great, and look forward to hearing more as you experiment.

I didn't buy the Le Creuset after all - the largest round one they had was 22cm, which I thought would be OK, but they weren't very deep when I took it out of the box, and I wanted one that would hold around 4 lts or so. Shame, because it was a very good price: £55.99+ the vat ... in makro, it's the last day of the offer today though.

I was tempted to buy two oval ones, because they would have fitted on one shelf in my oven - I have started cooking two slow dishes at once now, it seems a waste to put the oven on for six hours on two days running when it could all go in together.

But I bought one of those flat look-a-like Le Creuset cast iron dishes that Aldi were selling a few weeks back, so that I can put that on the top shelf and the deeper casserole I have (got it from Nesbits in their sale 18 months ago, but the glaze has started to go) on the lower one.

The bottom line is that after much deliberation I ordered a Chasseur on line this morning at 1 am

It's a 5lt one for around the same money - hope it's ok, I really like to examine things like that before I part with any cash, still, they do have a good reputation and it has a 10 year guarantee.

I thought of the saus vide issue as I was coming out of makro yesterday - they had a range of Buffalo commercial catering equipment on display, which included a very snazzy looking bain marie unit with two large water baths - the temperature control range went right down to about 10c as well. They were £145 +vat. But then I doubt that they are going to get anywhere near the level of control a good water-bath provides. But even so, brilliant bit of kit for a commercial kitchen.

I hope your son keeps active so that he burns up the calories - sounds like he's in for a lot of treats.

I made a crème brulee last night for pud - spent ages fiddling around with it; well, one of my sons said: "hmm nice" and ate it up, but the older one took a small spoonful and said: "it's a bit sweet", and then tactfully said he was "full up"

Anyway, have a good day posset – I can see you getting tempted by all that tasty looking foam!


I know what would happen if it was me - I would be tempted to think of all the brilliant things I could do if I had two of them!

I hope someone discovers a cure for gadgeholics one day

Two fifths of a teaspoon is the easiest way.

If it needs to be really accurate, see if your local chemists will sell you a graduated dropper - the kind of thing you use for putting drops in your eyes or nose.

[link]

Hi posset

Well based upon my own self-analysis as a long suffering gadgeaholic, I don't think there is a cure - the best you can do is to stay in recovery day-by-day.

If your symptoms are similar to mine, the anticipation of waiting for delivery is one of the 'highs'. I find the excitement and tension is usually increased by the gamble and odds of being at home when the item arrives.

Although I'm at home for most of the time, the delivery van nearly always turns up on the odd occasions that I do go out - I swear they wait round the corner until they see you leave! How could they take advantage of such vulnerable people in so heart-less a way!

You did well on the water-bath posset - but I sense it's still not out of your system - can I suggest you avoid all the early temptations to browse - I find that is one of the early warning signs.

So the sauce needs to be of a high fat-content then ... hmmm ... could be tricky that one! I wonder if there is a healthy work-around?

Have a nice day posset - I look forward to hearing more

No word from Jack as yet I see, I hope it's only the steak that was put to rest!

I'm off out now to buy a new Le Creuset casserole - I have tried resisting, it's been a month now, but then I think: "you only live once, so blow it!"

Ooooooooooooo posset!!!

The therapy hasn’t worked then? … lol

At least the cherry stones were a low-cost distraction!

Seriously though, I hope you get some good recipes.

How about a review?

I’ve never used one, and would be interested to know how you are finding it?

Have you used it for hot and cold so far?

I’d love to know what with, and how it worked, and what it added to the dish?

But what about wastage?

Handiness?

Cleaning and washing up?

Cupboard-space footprint looks very reasonable, should it go that way?

Worktop cred looks to be very high – particularly with The Great British Menu running at the moment – most of the chefs so far seem to be using them.

Had a look, and Lakeland still do the hand-pump.

They will give you your money back if you try it and it's not very good - they're great that way - no quibble money back guarantee

My vacuum machine is a Rival, which works very well, but I'm not sure that they make them any more.

But this looks like a good buy for the money - it looks very similar to mine:-

[link]

Just checked my facts on the temperatures and timings:-

Sat's Quail was cooked at 58c for 30 minutes

and the

Pork at 68c for 36 hours

Cooking at such low temperatures for 40 hours plus is not unusual.

Sat Baines was cooking at sub-simmer temperatures - around 68c, if I remember correctly. Simmering starts around 90c upwards.

There can be health risks involved with cooking certain foods at such a low temperature because harmful bacteria may not be killed off if things are not handled just so.

The chefs who use it know what they are doing when walking the fine line between producing a finely cooked dish and giving someone food poisoning.

The water-baths used are built to laboratory standards that allow a high level of control and accuracy to be employed.

My portable induction hob will hold 68c - plus or minus one degree, but then the next temperature on that particular scale is 100c.

There is a lot more to it than meets the eye.

To vacuum-pack to any reasonable standard, you need to buy a machine, the cheaper ones can be picked up for around £30 upwards. Lakeland used to do a hand-pump for around £10, but I've never tried one, and I doubt that they are anything like as effect as a machine that uses a motor to produce the vacuum.

You can buy vacuum bags that are suitable for boiling and freezing - so it's a handy way of producing your own pre-prepared frozen foods.

A lot of restaurants use such a method now.

There are also bags that are made with a special seal that allows a temperature probe to be inserted without losing the vacuum - I don't know what they cost, but I suspect they don't come cheap.

Preparing your own 'boil-in-the-bag' frozen meals is fairly straightforward, but cooking at low temperatures is a big step upwards and if you want to get into it I suggest you do some in-depth research including the health risks.

I would have thought that what a finalist on Master Chef goes on to afterwards will depend very much on opportunity and personal goals.

Perhaps more opportunities came Tomasina’s way, maybe by her good fortune than anything else?

Or maybe Steve Wallis just wanted to increase his skills and experience before branching out on his own?


Steve Wallis has a blog site if anyone's interested - google will find.

I bought some in ASDA on Saturday - it was on offer too. As mentioned above, it's usually in the pudding section rather than with the baking stuff.

If you want it for pasta, the co@rse or fine grind will do - mixing it with 50% bread flour works well.

P.S.

I have just summarised the kind of pans found in mainstream retail - in commercial kitchens, black-iron pans, cast iron, and plain uncoated aluminium pots, are frequently used.

Black-iron and cast iron being almost indestructible on the hob. While aluminium pots have very good thermal properties whist also being relatively cheap.

Some well made general points there chef.

It’s always worth bearing in mind that Stainless Steel is a man-made alloy of different metals, and that the combination of metals used varies quite a lot in one production of SS to another.

Looking for the most suitable blend of SS when buying a pot, is very different from the best mix when thinking of buying a high quality knife.

When buying pots and pans look for 18/10 stainless steel - explanation here:-

[link]

To capitalise on the best of three different metals, some pots have an outer layer of copper (excellent thermal properties but an expensive metal); a middle layer of aluminium (very good thermal properties and considerably cheaper than copper); and an inner layer of stainless steel (one of the best metals for resisting corrosion and staining - but not full proof).

Such pans don't come cheap and they will require handling with tlc - copper changes colour with the heat and to maintain that initial mirror gleam they will need polishing up after every use. But if you just wash and dry them well, the copper will produce an attractive range of colours as the heat transfers through the metal. I would never put such pans in a dishwasher.

Rather like a high quality kitchen knife, they need more care than their cheaper counterparts.

A more durable option is to buy an 18/10 pan that has an inner and outer layer of stainless steel with an inner layer of aluminium – often referred to as Tri-ply, Tri-wall, Multi-ply, or a ‘laminated pan’ – the middle layer of aluminium is frequently termed a ‘thermocore’.

Coming down the price range, the next type of pan, and the most frequently seen in the shops, is a SS (18/10 or otherwise) pan that has a thicker looking base to it, which comprises an outer layer of SS with an inner, thicker, layer of aluminium – known as an ‘encapsulated base’ around a thermocore. Such a pan will be quite durable, but it won’t have as good a thermal properties as the ones mentioned above, because the walls of the pan don't have the benefit of the inner thermal core. Within this type of pan there exists a wide range of options in terms of quality and cost. The better quality ones will be 18/10 and made from a heavier gauge SS than the cheaper ones, and with a much thicker encapsulated base. When faced with a range of pans of this type, lifting the pan to feel the weight will usually tell you something about the quality, and also the cost. Pans of this type are available for £5.00, or even less, with the better quality ones running up to £60 or more.

When moving to non-stick pans there are two basic types: a pan made with an aluminium body that has been given a very hard and durable coating – known as ‘hard anodising’. Such pans have very good thermal properties and are quite durable – although not as durable as SS. Personally, I would never use metal utensils in such a pan, even if the manufactures indicate that you can. Check out any warranties given and see if scratching of the inner surface is covered – I think you will find most cover flaking or peeling of the finish, but not everyday damage – if they do cover everything, then fair enough, but worth a check. One manufacture uses a ‘ridge’ system, which is basically a series of rings that form ridges, i.e. ^^^^^^^, the idea being that if the coating is worn away by metal utensils, it will only be the peaks of the ridges that get stripped of the non-stick surface, thereby leaving most of the non-stick coating in place.

The other kind of non-stick pan frequently seen in the shops is a pan with a coating that has a ‘T’ in the trade name. As a general rule, the better quality ones have had more layers of the coating applied. The cheapest of the range usually has an aluminium body. The more expensive ones may have an aluminium inner layer, with a SS outer layer.

There has been a debate about what happens to the coatings used on these pans when taken to a high temperature – there is a lot of information about that on the net. The manufactures say that unless the pan is taken to an extreme level of high heat – for example, leaving a pan on a high flame with nothing in it – that the risks are so slight as to be insignificant. However, some people claim that fumes given off by such pans have caused injury/death to their pet birds. If anyone is concerned about such an aspect, the best thing is to google for the debate, which from what I have seen, has mainly been held in the States. From what I have read on this, none of the bodies responsible for Safety Standards have issued any serious warnings re the health of the users of such pans. Over the last few years, one major manufacturer has also incorporated a ‘thermo spot’ that indicates when the pan is ready for use.

Three further points worth considering when buying pots and pans is the handle: (1) what it is made of, and (2) how it is fixed to the pan, and (3) do you want a plastic cover on it. Most of the better quality pans have a metal handle that is riveted to the body of the pan – without doubt, the safest kind of fixing. It has been known for pans with spot-welded handles to break away from the handle after extended periods of use, and if that happens when lifting a pan of boiling water, the results don’t bear thinking about. The third point is whether you want a handle with a plastic sleeve or cover on it. Personally, I prefer an all-metal handle so that the pan can be transferred to a hot oven - you will need a good oven cloth/glove though. You will find pans on sale that are marked ‘safe for oven use’ that have plastic/ silicon covers, but check out how high / low a temperature the manufactures recommend for the safe use of such pans.

BTW, if you have a saucepan that has a wobbly or flexing handle because the area around the spot-welds has become pliable, throw it away, they tend to hang together until enough strain is put on them and then suddenly fly apart. People have been known to suffer terrible scolding when that happens.

Returning to the issues around knives made of SS, in the case of the more expensive knives', it's often the addition of metals that make the blades harder that also make them more susceptible to corrosion.

Whereas an indication of 18/10 SS is a good sign to look for when buying pots and pans, it means rather less when buying a knife, because although it indicates a good balance of materials in relation to resisting corrosion, it won't have the ice-hard properties of something like a Global knife - the additional hardness thus enabling more acute grinding angles that hold their edge much longer than basic 18/10 will.

If you want a knife that you can put in a dishwasher, drop on the floor without risk of harm, and throw in the draw with the rest of the cutlery, then buy a cheap knife - it won't perform like the up-market brands will, but it will be more durable.

Some more information about the blending of metals here:-

[link]

A classic used by many catering colleges in the UK for their first year courses is: Practical Cookery by Foskett, Ceserani and Kinton.

There are many editions of it, and the latest one is about to be released - it has a DVD included with many demonstrations on it. It costs around £20 UK pounds.

You may find earlier editions slightly cheaper, but I don't think they have the DVD included.

Hellloo posset ... nice to see you back on the board ... I have been wondering where you'd got to ... lovely to have you back

Sorry Pamy1 - just had to say hello to posset - who I know will be able to help you sort out your dauphinoise with a little bit more info!

I would be more inclined to slice the bread up and then freeze it - then when you want some breadcrumbs, toast a slice and then blitz it into crumbs.

I think Delia may have been inspired by flat-pack furniture - instead of needing a screwdriver and an Allen key, you just need a tin-opener and a freezer :-)

I'm expecting to see her fronting adverts for frozen foods soon - M&S perhaps ... "these are not just any old frozen prawns - these are M&S frozen prawns as recommended by Delia!"

Although a lot of foodies think she has sold her soul to the devil - I hear the shops are struggling to get the kind of foods she is recommending out quick enough.

The only time I've ever kept fresh pasta dough in the fridge wrapped in film for any length of time, was when I was practicing with a new pasta machine, and that went a rather grey colour, but as I hadn't saved it with the aim of eating it anyway, it didn't matter. The more I worked it, the more durable it became, and by the time I had finished, it was like a piece of latex - but I certainly wouldn't have eaten it.

The pasta flour you have used may well have yeast in it, and mixing that with fresh eggs and olive oil doesn't sound like something that is go going to keep well in a moist state - in my opinion that is.

If you have fresh pasta dough left over in the future and you want to store it for a short while, I would suggest rolling it out and slicing it up in narrow ribbons, and then holding each ribbon by it's tail, lower it down so that it forms a random pile in the style of Tagliatelle - I would go for a flat, box-like, plastic container that has enough room to allow you to make a number of small piles. I think the less you handle it the better, because the more it is handled, the more likely it will be to stick together.

Personally, I try and make just enough to be used on the day - there are some really good dried pastas on the market that can be prepared in about 10 minutes or so, and if short of time, I use one of those.

ASDA do some very reasonably priced and tasty pasta in their Extra Special range - worth a try if you haven't already and you want a packet of dried in the cupboard for busy moments.

"I can maybe understand the Videojug one being removed, a lot of that site is a little "unsavoury"

Hi Rosti

Well it was a video-clip showing how to make fresh pasta - so I would have thought that was savoury enough - boom, boom !


But thanks for the message anyway, and I will try again at some point in the future.

I had some links removed on Good Friday - one was for Lakeland, one for Videojug and another for a non-commercial site.

I though they might reappear on Sunday, but they never did




I find the criteria for removing links puzzling - there doesn't seem to be any consistency involved.

Unfortunately David it's often for things that don't matter, rather than for things I should remember

I thought that question looked familiar:-

[link]

Hi Grisinni

I've only seen one of Delia's programs so far - mainly because I keep forgetting to record them.

I'm not sure I can see very much practical value in what she is demonstrating and it looks to be quite costly. But I can't see why some of the people on the BBC food board are getting so worked up about it.

I use tinned tomatoes, tinned beans, lentils, etc all the time, and occasionally I add a jar of bolognaise sauce into meat dishes - I put half a jar in to a cottage pie the other day and it gave it a lovely rich flavour.

In the program I saw, Delia was using frozen potato wedges - my son had a thing for those when he was small and the darned things are a nuisance to cook because they come in such a wide range of sizes, so if the large ones are just cooked then the smaller ones shrivel up. It's much easier to slice a few similar sized potatoes into wedges and give them a swish around in a little oil with some spicing added. But hey ho I suppose the frozen ones fit with her general way of doing things, even though it's a more expensive way and likely to be less successful. However, in terms of her previous high standards of teaching about food prep, it goes against the principle of chopping veg uniformly in size to ensure even cooking, so I think she has let herself down in some ways.

I do like Delia though and I feel slightly sorry for her - she even got a spot on the Harry Hill show, which I couldn't help but laugh at.

ATB.

BTW if you want a microplane try Kitchenaria.com or The Cook's Kitchen.com - who have a free PP offer on this weekend. Quite a bit more expensive though.

Have a look in TK Maxx for a 'Trudeau' hand held grater - they do them in fine, medium and course. The fine is ideal for zesting. It's a microplane type grater and they are brilliant - they have been selling them for under a fiver.

Or, Robert Dyas have been selling a 'Clearcut' hand held grater - which again is a microplane look-a-like - around £5 to £6.00.

Glad to hear that someone likes the idea Kamila.

A couple of suggestions that might help - begin by making a template from thin card - a large cereal box should do the job just fine.

When you make your folds in the template, allow a couple of millimetres over the size of the base of your silicon mould - when it gets hot the mould will expand and take up any slack.

When you bend the cake stand, don't try to form the angles in full straight away, rather, just start each fold and take each one to about a quarter of what the final angle needs to be - once you have all of the angles started, it should be easy enough to pull the frame into the final shape.

I'd love to hear how you get on - I was tempted to make one myself, but I don't have any silicone moulds.

If you go into production, I'll settle for 10% ..lol

Good luck!

posted by maggie93

"I just wonder where she gets her toilet paper and soap from if not from a supermarket"

Probably from her local Post Office - I don't think many places sell organic toilet paper

As I mentioned in my reply to your other post, if you mix semolina flour 50% with any of the cheaper bread flours, you will end up with very much the same thing, but at a lower cost - pasta flour tends to be relatively expensive.

Try both and see what you think.

Because ovens vary so much, the stated settings are just a guideline - as any professional chef will confirm.

Ask a good pastry chef to bake in a strange oven, and they will turn slightly pale. Marcus Wareing in the GBM, Cooking for the Queen, was a classic example of that.

Good luck with your new ovens - a simple sponge cake would be a very good test of how accurately it is performing, if you buy a good quality branded mix, you will be able to check out the timings and temperatures given on the pack with your oven's performance.

The hygiene of many TV cooks leaves a lot to be desired - double dipping when tasting, not washing hands after handling chicken, cross contamination on chopping boards and knives, etc. Not having their hair tied back or under a cap is the norm - I bet there are some film crews that could tell quite a story.

Have a look in Sainsbury's for Jack Scaife bacon.

I've never heard of any agreed protocol on this - most shop-bought products state both, but a lot of recipes don't make any such distinction.

If unsure, I would suggest checking the item at minus 10% of the stated cooking time.

Just to complicate things a little further, there are different types of fan ovens: the basic fan oven has a fan that helps the hot air to circulate, others have a fan that also blows hot air into the oven, and some of the more expensive ovens have more that one fan and raise the temperature very quickly by created a hot air stream.

I always think an oven thermometer helps you to get to know your oven - it's not unusual for an oven to run at plus or minus 10% of the setting on the dial.

I also sometimes use a probe that has a metal braid which links to a thermometer that sits outside of the oven - which I find is really useful, especially when the item needs to reach a certain temperature, such as chicken, or when re-heating food that needs to reach a certain temperature to kill off bacteria.

Sorry I can't be of more help - I think the best answer is to keep a close eye on things in the latter stages of cooking, particularly with cakes and pastries.

Do you mean how do you stop the bacon turning watery? Or, how best to clean the pan?

If it's the first, then you will need to buy better quality bacon, i.e. one that has been well salted during the curing process. Sainsbury's stock such bacon - but it is more expensive.

Using a hot griddle-pan helps to drain the water away and allows it to evaporate - but it needs turning frequently. If you slightly undercook it in the pan and then put it under the grill for a moment or two it helps with getting it crispy. Or to crisp up, finish off on a rack in a warm oven.

As for cleaning a badly stained pan - simmer some soda crystals or dishwasher powder in it for 15 minutes or until the residue is loosened.

If you buy a hard-anodised pan, you will find it just washes off quite easily.

Semolina flour is made from Durum wheat and is available in all the of the major supermarkets - mix it with 50% bread flour and it makes very good pasta.

If you use plenty of eggs you will get a lovely rich colour to it as well...

This shows the idea described above:-

[link]

I would think such a frame would withstand the pressure, but if it had a tendency to spread, then it would need some ties at the base, or, standing the frame in a flat baking tray (as smaller image) would make it stronger.

Interesting problem - I wonder if anyone makes a silicone bread tray with a reinforced wall - looks like there could be a gap in the market for such a product.

It seems a pity to have to use a metal tin as well, plus, presumably you need to match the sizes up.

I would have thought putting a silicone mould into a bread tin would have reduced the thermal efficiency - but having never tried it, I don't actually know.

It sounds as if a mesh metal cradle would do the job ok - if you feel a bit adventurous, I would suggest buying a cheap metal mesh cake-stand (the sort of thing you use for cooling cakes on) and bend it into the shape of a cradle. Use a table or a worktop with a nice square edge and make your folds using the edge of the table as a former - i.e. with the mesh laid flat on the table just push downwards so that the material bends over the table edge. At a guess I would think the ends are not such a problem, so perhaps an open ended cradle would do the job - much easier to form up.

I use ordinary non-stick bread trays and they don't seem to stick - the walls slope outwards and the corners are rounded which seems to help.

If you are looking to buy some new trays, I recommend TK Maxx - they sell good quality trays at very reasonable prices.

These posts have put me off using silicone bread trays, because quite honestly I can't see the point.

If sticking is a problem then I would have thought adding a home made silicone liner would be cheaper and probably better - lidl's had sheets of silicone in their offers last week - they will probably still have some, can't remember the exact price but it was very cheap.

Also, Lakeland do a custom built liner, but a little more expensive - although they say they are reusable.

What is way overdue is shopper friendly labelling on food packaging.

A lot of it is so small that you need a magnifying glass to read it, and you need a degree in food nutrition to make head or tail of it.

I looked at the calories on a tin of something or other yesterday, and thought, hmm, that's not too bad, but then on a second look saw that the calories mentioned were for a third of the can?

I think we need a 'at a glance' system of labelling that is standardised to say 100g - perhaps a bar chart with white for salt, yellow for fat, red for calories, etc.

Has anyone tried those frozen mash tablets that Delia uses? Come on be brave and own up ! lol ... I'm curious to know what they taste like?

I was pondering just the other day whether what Delia is doing is a sign of what we all might be doing in 20 years time, what with an approaching world shortage of food and the ever increasing price of fresh ingredients... hmm!

Stainless Steel is an alloy and is made up from a blend of different metals.

The main difference between an expensive kitchen knife and the cheaper models is the blend of metals used - the more expensive knives, such as Global, Henckels, etc, contain metals that can be taken to a higher level of hardness than the cheaper versions. Which is why dropping a knife like a Global can result in it breaking as a piece of glass might - i.e. because it is so hard it doesn't cope well with the vibrations created when it hits the ground.

Stainless Steel Knives resist corrosion far more than a basic carbon steel knife would, but most of the metal blends found in SS kitchen knives are susceptible to corrosion if not dried properly after use, or placed in a damp knife roll.

Most of the leading manufactures recommend that their top of the range knives are washed by hand and dried well afterwards, and advise against putting them in dishwashers - in part because of the risk of damage to the edge, also the extremes of temperature created, and the risk that the metals within the construction might be affected by the detergents used.

I don't have any experience of the knives you have purchased, and I hope you get your money back, but thought it might help you to know the above so as not to let them get you 'on the back foot'.

Good luck with your efforts.



A lot of the so called 'expert' information that is posted on cook-boards about knives is misleading - if you go for a top of the range knife, then you are looking at spending £50 upwards for a cooks knife, and you will need to really look after it. The main advantage over a cheaper knife is that it will hold its edge much longer - which is down to the hardness and quality of the materials used.

Top of the range includes Global, Henckels, Wusthof, Tojiro, to mention just a few. They tend to be either German or Japanese and fairly expensive - apart from that, they are all very different and the best thing to do is to handle the knife you are thinking of buying before parting with your money. What appeals and feels right to one person, may feel too heavy, too light, or slightly unsatisfactory in some other respect, to another.

Another good quality knife in the cheaper range that is made from fairly standard materials is Victorinox.

I can't see what all the fuss is about - all Delia seems to be doing is to encourage people to assemble their own DIY 'ready quick' meals.

The target group being people who are at work all day and want something as quickly as is possible (i.e. not labour intensive) when they get home.

Personally, I would rather go for a nice frozen ready meal that you just pop in the oven and plate up when it's done. I usually have a frozen oven-ready fish pie with some frozen peas once a week.

But if you want a bespoke version, then Delia's ideas are probably a good way of going about it.

I doubt that it will encourage many people to get further into the basics of cooking. Delia has clearly seen a gap in the market and has gone for it - but then isn't that what most of the celeb chefs do?

Not many TV chefs actually use the kitchen equipment that they endorse and get paid huge sums of money for. They know it's inferior to what is generally recognised in the catering trade as good quality and fit for purpose, and so they wouldn't look twice at it in their own kitchens.

I don't suppose Delia would give her family one of her quickie meals, but then that's life.

I suspect a lot of cooks add tinned tomatoes, tinned beans, lentils, and frozen ingredients, etc, to their recipes and don't look upon it as cheating.

Delia has just taken things a few steps further.

If someone enjoys cooking and has the time to do it all from scratch, then that's fine, but why on earth start being all judgemental about people who don't have the time or interest to do so?

The truth is a lot of the people on the BBC cook-board have little else to do other than make jam, bread, etc, etc, in between spending a good part of their day sat in front of a computer posting on the Food board.

From the posts above it sounds as if school dinners improved quite a lot in the 60's and 70's - I used to have them in the latter half of the 50's.

The teachers didn't eat with the kids - in fact we only had one teacher on duty with a few mums helping - this was first and middle school ages.

In those days it was expected that you would eat what was put in front of you and that you cleared the plate - which wasn't a problem for me other than the fact I couldn't face cooked cheese, particularly macaroni cheese, which wasn't normally on the menu. But one day we had it and I couldn't face it. The duty teacher made me stay behind and she stood behind me for an hour right up until the bell rang. Then all she said was: "you can go now", and that was that! I felt it was unfair because it was the only thing I just couldn't stand and I think I would have been sick if I had eaten it. Nowadays I love macaroni cheese - so clearly it didn't 'scar me for life' – lol.

I had school dinners in the days of meat and two veg - we had carrots and cabbage most days, with watery gravy that splashed everywhere when certain kids insisted on pouring it from a great height. The cabbage was always cooked to death and soggy, whereas it was potluck with the carrots as they varied from overcooked to raw in the middle. As I remember it, we often had tiny wafer thin portions of beef and the traditional scoop of mash potato - two if the dinner lady liked the look of you.

We had long tables with a bench each side that provided places for 4 each side. There was a large jug of water on each table and we had plastic beakers that used to get stacked in each other and formed huge towers. They had a little plastic dimple in the middle of the base and if you clicked that dimple with your nail the sound was amplified - of course everyone did that when waiting for the water jug to be passed around.

We had various puddings, rhubarb crumble was one and there was a chocolate tart thing that was brick hard - it was cut into fingers and when you pushed your spoon into it to break it up it would suddenly snap and pieces would fly in all directions - it was fortunate that we had long tables so that people could pass you your piece of exploding tart back.

The custard was always very watery, and again, some kids would insist on pouring it from a great height and splashing it everywhere.

But the real nuisances were the clumsy kids who went for seconds or to get more water and rocked the whole table when climbing out over the long benches and sent beakers of water flying or even upset jugs of custard, etc.

Every now and then there would be a loud bang followed by giggles as a row of kids went flying over backwards because they had been rocking back on the bench.

Teachers had quite a lot to put up with, even in the good old days, although the kids were quite respectful to the teachers, even if not always well behaved. I think kids were allowed to act like children in those days without getting labelled as “a problem”. I also think children were a lot happier compared with kids of today – having a laugh didn’t cost money and kids found entertainment in being together rather than sitting at a PC or a games console.

Even though the food wasn't brilliant, I always enjoyed school dinners and often went up for seconds.

Kids nowadays wouldn't look twice at the food we used to have at school, partly because they have much higher expectations of presentation and taste, even though what they eat may not be as healthy.

homebrewer

The most recent messages disappear at night and return the next morning - that's how the board works - don't ask me why!

There's another firm here that sells Goblin spares.

[link]

All the best.

There's a firm here that might be able to help you - I would suggest emailing them to see if they have the part you are looking for:-

[link]

If they can't help, google with: 'swan goblin spares'.

Good luck.

If you find the cost is prohibitive, silicon trays will almost certainly work as well.

Not sure about the amount of sugar making a difference, but if they are going brown, then try reducing the length of the cooking time, or lower the heat - possibly by using the bottom shelf. It could be that your oven is running hotter than it should.

I would suggest turning your oven off earlier, but leave the meringues in the oven untill they are cold.

When the board closes for the night the most recent posts disappear until the board opens up again the next morning - if the links you mentioned work now, then thats what it will be.

Just add sugar until it's sweet enough for you...

general recipe is:-

soy sauce or teriyaki, grated ginger, crushed garlic, lemon juice, sherry or wine - sweet for you maybe, a table-spoon of oil, and sugar (brown if you have it).

Play around with the proportions until it tastes sweet enough for you.

I posted you a recipe, which was second in line, but it got removed

Leaving the chicken to marinade overnight in the fridge will help with the infusion of flavours.

Hope this helps.

...mind you, if your chicken ends up tasting like spare ribs, then you may have overdone something

I'm not sure I've got the picture - are you wanting to avoid the one-on-top-of-the-other oven set up?

To some extent, how much you can use the width of the oven is going to be governed by the trays you will be using - so slightly wider may not provide much in the way of any practical advantage.

Have you thought of building in a good sized single oven with two combi ovens alongside - my main oven is gas, but I have a Panasonic Combi oven which is absolutely brilliant - timing and temperature control being spot on and totally reliable. The grill is halogen with three settings and is controlled by a timer, as is the convection oven, and of course also the microwave. I use it mainly for grilling, and also the convection oven.

Such a set up would give you three ovens, three grills, and total control over all three. The combi's being programmable and offering the options of micro, convection and grilling in one program.

I've never seen an oven unit that could offer such versatility.

BTW, I would suggest doing some research on Neff, perhaps asking around on other cook message boards, I think you will find AEG comes with more recommendations, they are highly regarded by many an experienced cook.

Hope you find what you are looking for.

AEG ovens are used on some shows, such as:-

[link]

How wide do you want to go?

You're very welcome Bee24 – I hope the chilli turns out well.

Using hot water is a good idea - I usually use hot stock, which I often make with a cube. I always fill the kettle right up, then put the remainder of the hot water into the slow cooker and switch it on right at the beginning, i.e. before starting to prep any veg and browning the meat. By the time the ingredients are ready, the slow cooker is then well heated and I remove the hot water and transfer the meat, veg and stock.

It's always tempting to lift the lid to see how things are going, but if you have a small element, it can disrupt the cooking process quite a bit.

Having enough liquid to ensure that your ingredients are fully immersed is quite important too.

I stick to root veg - which I prep large so that they don’t cook too quickly and go too soft. Potatoes need to be boiled and cooked at a high simmer, so not very suitable for the slow cooker unless it has a good auto phase that holds the temperature up long enough.

Really, it's about getting to know your slow-cooker - they all aim to do the same thing, but the way they do it can vary quite a lot, the size of the heating element being a major factor, but, an accurate thermostat is very important.

If you carry on getting disappointing results, I would encourage you to try another cooker - perhaps even a different model.

I've got one of the £9.99 models from Argos, and I have found it better than slow cookers I have had that cost a lot more.

It’s one of the best buys I have seen in a long time.

It sounds as if your slow cooker may not be maintaining a high enough temperature to cook the rice.

On the Slow setting, the temperature should be around 95c - perhaps slightly higher or lower by a degree or so - visually, after the lid has been on for say 2 hours, when you lift it, you should be able to just see some slight signs of simmering in the liquid. With the lid off, the cooker will start to cool and you will gradually lose signs of activity.

If you have a food thermometer, pop it in after the cooker has been running for around two hours and you should get a reading as above.

On Auto, the cooker builds up to a boil (100c) and then settles back to a simmer.

On High, most slow cookers hover between 97 to 100c.

If your cooker is new and as yet untested, it may be that the thermostat is not very accurate - a lot of slow cookers tend to be cheaply made with low quality parts - they don't have many components, but the thermostat is all important.

If the slow cooker is new, I would suggest trying it with a casserole - I always brown the meat to increase flavour and help get the cooking process started.

When slow cookers are running too high, you find meat falls apart after 4 - 5 hours and veg goes mushy. If too low, then it takes hours and hours to cook something like chuck steak.

Two slow cookers that come well recommended are:-

Excellent value for money at £9.99 (the price goes up from time to time)
[link]

More technology and sophistication at a higher price:-

[link]

You might also like to checkout this info on rice:-

[link]

Hope this helps.

A few thoughts:-

Is the self-raising flour fresh? After being in storage for a while, raising agents can lose their potency.

Are you adding baking powder to help with the rise?

Are you sifting the flour? Use a large bowl and hold the sieve up high so as to get plenty of air into it.

Is the oven getting to the right temperature, and is it holding that temperature?

A sponge cake may involve simple ingredients, but it is: "the acid test" for testing out any oven. An oven thermometer is a good investment - it's not unusual for ovens to run slightly hotter or colder than the dial settings. Once you know of any discrepancy, you can adjust your settings accordingly. However, if an oven fails to maintain a stable temperature after allowance for pre-heating, it will be hopeless for baking with.

Oven thermometers are quite cheap:-

[link]

This is a simple recipe you might like to try:-

225g soft butter
225g caster sugar
225g self-raising flour
2 tea-spoons baking powder
4 large eggs

180c (Gas 4) for 20 - 30 mins - middle shelf - don't open the door too early.

Add whatever kind of filling or topping you fancy.

I use the basic Kenwood Chef - it's only about 6 months old, but it has had some hard work to do and come through just fine. I have taken out an extended warranty, so if it blows, it blows. Kenwood offer the option of a 5-year extended warranty in the box.

I think it depends on the type of ingredient and the quantity - if you want to use it for fairly large quantities of dough, then it's probably better to go up the range to the Premier or Major:-

You can probably get a new motor for your chef - I think it's this one, but you would need to email or phone Kenwood to make sure:-

[link]

or for a new chef:-


[link]

Perhaps you need more sugar - but checking out your ingredients against this recipe might help spot the issue:-

[link]

Follow this link and you will produce great pasta:-

[link]

If you don't have 00 flour - just use 50% bread flour mixed with 50% semolina flour.

Cheap pasta machines are a pain the butt - use a rolling pin or buy a better quality machine, such as the Imperia:-

[link]

Left click in the area of the text to be copied - press Ctrl + A ... put the arrow from your mouse into the highlighted area ... right click... scroll to COPY and left click.

To paste, just left click in the selected area, then right click, and scroll to PASTE and left click.

Use a silicon cake mould, or line your tin with baking parchment.

Go for a hard anodised roasting tray - you can use them on the hob for browning and they don't warp in the oven - the thermal properties are as good as you will find.

Large branches of ASDA have kept them in the past for around £22.00, TK Maxx have had them in at around £25, or you can find them on line:-

[link]

I agree posset - looking back over the years, the phrase: "all things in moderation" seems to stand up as a good guideline through time.

My dentist is always advising that any carbonated drink is harmful to tooth enamel, as is fruit juice, wine ( ) and basically anything acidic.

There was a discussion about the effects of fruit juice on teeth on the BBC not so long ago - and the dentists involved said cleaning teeth just after drinking fruit juices, wine, etc, was not a good idea because the enamel remained in a vulnerable state for about an hour after the contact.

At the moment I'm working on a nasal drip aimed at the ardent wine drinker - self-testing of course

posset - these quotes out of context can be misleading:-

"Chocolate sauce too dangerous", say the organisers of the forthcoming all nudist plane trip

Fruit juice more likely to cause gout than alcohol, says David Beckham in no win no fee court case!

Trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle.

Michelangelo

Little is it known that when he wasn't painting ceilings the great man struggled with such similar trials of life in the kitchen!

Hi Roxy

Some useful info here:-

[link]

Soy sauce, ginger, and 5 spice is a powerfull combination, perhaps you are overpowering the taste of the ingredients with them? Which could explain why it all seems to taste the same. Taste wise, I think less is often more when using spices.

I think there are issues around using a wok on a standard gas hob - I have put my two penneth in the thread on the Techniques board. Many Chinese dishes are best cooked in a very hot wok and done quickly to achieve the crisp freshness and lightness that makes chinese cooking so yummy.

I suspect that more heat, less oil, and perhaps a little less spicing will help you to get nearer to what you are looking for.

Hi Barshedale

I believe some of the supermarkets do the small wine bottles - think I'm right in saying that if you go back with the empty and buy a big bottle you get a refund on the smaller one - not quite what our Liberal friend has in mind though!

I usually find I drink more if the wine is served in a small glass - I suspect I may not be alone on that one.

Hi posset

Yes I think you are on the right track there - there is the point that the glass will need to be big enough to carry the messages

I do think there should be a message on every glass making it clear which side should be presented to the lips - as getting that wrong could lead to stained fronts and litigation for cleaning bills.

Seriously, I think this about 'bandwagon' politics - of late we see various MP's jumping on it - no doubt while slurping away as usual in the privacy of their own homes

I would opt for chocolate high in cocoa solids - however, some of the dark chocolate that is high in ccs sold for eating from the wrapper can be quite bitter, also, some chocolate blends don't work that well when melted, so I would go for cooking chocolate - TESCO do their own range:-

[link]

According to today’s BBC News, Liberal Democrat Greg Mulholland is to propose a bill in the House of Commons that would force restaurants to sell wine in smaller glasses:-

[link]

Bearing in mind the principles of Liberal Democracy, no doubt Mr Mulholland’s intentions are aimed at “helping” people to realise that a smaller wine glass contains less wine than a larger wine glass, i.e. 125ml is less than 175ml and that choosing the smaller glass would be better for their health.

As I recall, “choice” is always at the heart of Liberal Democracy, and so being able to choose a glass that contains 50 ml less wine would mean that the range of choices available to the consumer of restaurant services will be expanded in the name of freedom, while protecting those of a weaker nature among us who may feel “forced” to down an extra 50ml of wine when really they would rather settle for less.

Lets face it, more healthy choices must make sense?

So thinking along these lines, I was wondering whether retailers should be forced to sell smaller dinner plates, narrower forks and blunter cutlery.

Smaller plates will mean smaller portions and narrower forks will mean that it takes the same amount of energy to eat a smaller portion as it does a larger one. Blunter cutlery will also mean that it requires more energy to cut up food and will probably lead to more chewing, so more calories will be consumed while consuming calories - if you see what I mean!

If anyone likes the sound of the above, I would suggest that you write to your MP and request that they raise it in the House of Commons with a view to establishing more “helpful” legislation that will increase personal choice and lead to healthier eating options for all.

There's some info here on non-animal gelling agents:-

[link]

Be warned though, it could put you off jelly for life

The pack of Hartley's jelly I have says it has gelatine in - so no, it's not veggie.

I believe you can get a powder version that is veggie - but I guess that's not much help to you right now.

BTW Karen ... if you do decide to go for a new wok, have a look in TK Maxx because they have a wide range of woks at very keen prices.

I bought a Swift from them last summer, which is a very nicely made conventional carbon steel wok, I also got my cast-iron wok from them - a Kuchenprofi (German and beautifully made) around £25.

More recently they had some Beka (Marco Pierre White) hard anodised woks, with a copper base and lifetime guarantee, beautifully finished, and the combination of aluminium and copper will give leading edge thermal performance - ideal for the standard gas hob - just under £30. It was a real struggle to leave the shop without it - posset knows what I mean - but I do have a hard-anodised wok already (although no copper base) and that works very well.

To be frank, I don’t think it’s possible to reap the benefits of a carbon steel wok unless the burner is at least 5 kw, and large enough to heat the base and the sides of the wok. My largest burner is 3kw, and even if I get a carbon steel wok really hot, as soon as I throw in the vegetables it starts to cool and within 30 seconds will have settled to an unimpressive sizzle – with probably less residual heat present than would be held in the average frying pan. Cast iron does slightly better because it holds more residual heat, but 3 kw is not enough to maintain the temperature required for really crisp vegetables.

When I occasionally visit our local Chinese take-away, I stand in awe watching the three Chefs that cook in the front of the shop: tossing and scooping the food in carbon black woks over gas driven fire pits with flames and sparks shooting up to the ceiling – what an impressive sight that is, and of course they produce beautifully light and crisp vegetables within seconds.

But with a 3 kw burner – I think what can be achieved with a conventional steel wok is pretty limited.

That sounds yummy posset - but not even a glass of dry white wine?

According to what the "experts" say (who I totally distrust) your body will think there is a famine on and start storing as much fat as it can... but then who knows... in my opinion, a lot of these so called experts talk a lot of rubbish.

In my view the Government have gone about this food campaign in the wrong way - in that they should have put healthy eating at the core of their campaign instead of continually harping on about "obesity this", "obesity that", "obesity the other".... for god sake Gordon Brown: GET A LIFE and stop using social ostracism as a means of influencing people!

Many, many, people eat unhealthily and carry fat internally while not showing any great measure of fat on the outside of their bodies. Individual propensity for storing fat IS related to the number of fat cells laid down in early development, and YES everyone can get thin if they starve themselves, but that IS NOT what healthy eating is about!

Anyway, I can hear this soapbox creaking so I will suppress further expression on this matter.

I wish you well with your new eating regime posset.

As for Rick Stein, one of the things I really like about his shows are that he is not a disciple of the London food scene - which I think not only shows in his cooking but also in his attitude - he is terminally laid back, rather than aggressively competitive, which of course reflects the way of life in the West Country and in contrast to the hustle and bustle of London. I also think his maturity and education say a lot about how he sees the world, and in turn what he shares with his viewers.

Well, I hope you all have a happy and relaxing Sunday - the sun is shining here, so may be able to get a nice forest walk in this afternoon.

All the best.

lol ... hey!! steady posset - just two words for you: "cherry stones"???

How will things be in 100 years time posset? - I shudder at the thought of it.

I hope that it will be recognised that having enough food to be able to live a healthy life becomes a fundamental human right that is acted upon by all of the world powers.

No doubt much will depend on the effect China has upon world economies when it becomes the foremost world power.

According to James Martin on Saturday Kitchen a white truffle recently sold for £160,000 pounds? When a large percentage of the world's population is living on less than $2 per day, I think there is something very wrong with the way food is regarded in various parts of the world.

I was struck by the contrast with the clips from Rick Stein's series that showed real people's food in the form of Stargazey pie - food that is skilfully prepared, nourishing, tasty and ethical, in my opinion that is.

It's quite noticeable from reading posts on this board, and others, that Rick Stein seems to be emerging as the people's champion of the cooking world - all power to his elbow, say I.

In theory a thin layer of carbon provides a non-stick surface, but like you, I have found that it tends to flake off or loosen when adding any significant amounts of liquid to the pan.

If you want to strip the pan clean, I would suggest putting it upside down on top of another similar sized pan with water in and steaming it off.

Or, boil up some washing soda or dishwasher powder in the pan and let it simmer until the carbon is cleaned off.

If you find some stubborn spots, use a stainless-steel scourer on it.

You will need to re-season it - google will find various methods for doing this - basically you need to get the pan really hot and then wipe it with oil or animal fat (bacon fat works quite well) - I have found groundnut oil is as good as any of the other oils.

If you chop up some chives, or the green tops of spring onions, and swish them around with about a dessertspoonful of groundnut oil, you will find the oil gets evenly distributed over the surface of the pan. Once the majority of the oil has been burnt off, throw the chives away, wipe off any remaining excess oil, and then either leave the pan on a low heat to fully absorb the oil, or place in a low-heat oven upside down for an hour or so - put some foil underneath to catch any drips.

I have given up on carbon steel woks because I found it all too much of a fag - I bought a cast-iron wok, which I seasoned on first use, and it has been fine since. When I wash it up I use a steel scourer, but I find that generally it doesn't cause food to stick.

If are you going to add substantial amounts of liquid or yoghurt, etc, to the food you cook in a wok, I would recommend getting a non-stick wok.

If by any chance you have a non-stick wok that is shedding it's non-stick coating, I would advise binning it.

In my experience the advice about not washing up woks and keeping them well oiled is ok if the wok is used very regularly (almost daily) for stir frying mainly dry ingredients, and if you have a powerful burner that gets the entire wok really hot. Otherwise you are likely to find that the top section of the pan gets sticky with the residual oil that is not burnt off, and then if not used regularly this residue turns rancid.

Just my opinion based on using carbon-steel woks - no doubt others will have different opinions.

I notice now that Ken Hom and most other celeb chefs nearly always use non-stick woks when working on TV - they do save a lot of faffing around

HTH

There's a sauce here that can be prepared well in advance:-

[link]

How about this posset?:-

The works of Mrs Beeton [link]

More info on Mrs B here:-

[link]

I would love to see John Torode's and Gregg Wallace's faces if a contestant served up roasted hedgehog - I can just hear Gregg Wallace now: "first of all you get that spiky crunch, then you get the taste of burnt rubber and cinnamon, and then that gamey road-kill flavour hits you right between the eyes!!

I gather Mrs Beeton couldn't actually cook!

Apparently she was shipped off to Germany to be educated and was an accomplished pianist. It seems she was surrounded by servants and was the Lady of the House until she died from an illness at the age of 28.

So it sounds as if, having married a wealthy publisher, she probably cribbed most of the content from her Housekeeper and Cook.

Does the book pay tribute to contributors posset?

I read that she was also a feminist – so I wonder if she believed in equal opportunity, or whether she considered that plagiarism of her servant’s work as ok?

Strange how one holds an image in mind of these historical figures – up until now I imagined a rather buxom woman with her sleeves rolled up, who was capable of almost any household chore that came her way.

But it seems she was very petite, studious, slightly frail and not at all domesticated.

You couldn't make it up, or could ya?

Old Chinese proverb posset: "she that walks on dark side liable to fall down black hole"!

Although it looks as if the Mrs Beeton revival has already started:-

Mrs Beeton Revisted [link]

Think I can see where MK have been getting their recipes from now


All joking aside, it's quite an interesting site.

Good prices here:-

[link]

or even Mrs Beeton?

Hi posset

From what I have seen so far about the new regime of cooking in schools, it's one hour per week for one term!!... and will done by teaching assistants!!

As most of the teaching assistants I know have been recruited from dinner ladies (mainly helpers and not trained cooks) I suppose the Government consider they have sufficient prerequisite knowledge.

Another spun up pot of tokenism - they engage Pru Leith, do a great deal of bla de bla de blah bla, and what actually happens on the ground is little more than do nothing.

Well no doubt it will look good on the statistics - every child was taught where eggs come from and how to boil them. Or if they opted for the advanced course, they might also know how to scramble eggs too

I'm surprised and disappointed that Pru Leith has put her name to this New Labour sop.

As you are reverting to the dark ages - how about Mrs Beaton?

[link]

Glad to hear you've found the source of it - what a very strange thing to do?

Another "we know what's best for you" move by the sound of it.

One aspect of modern living is that we are bombarded with information, much of which is contradictory - this obsession with body-weight was started by a Government that only a couple of years ago was telling everyone they would have to work longer for their pensions because PEOPLE WERE LIVING LONGER, however, now they say people are dropping like flies due to being over-weight.

Of course it makes sense to eat good quality food that is nutritionally balanced and to avoid excess weight, and a reasonable campaign to encourage people to eat appropriately would obviously be a good thing.

However, the current campaign, which has reached a fanatical level, is based on a number of interwoven agendas. One of which is that the Government have pushed hard to divert attention away from the mess the NHS is in by putting the focus on individual responsibility for health.

Another dimension is the narcissistic obsession with physical appearance that has been imported from America, which suggests that you can tell how healthy people are by the way they look. Suck out excess fat, iron out any signs of wrinkles, and glue in a set of plastic teeth, and you're young again - providing of course you have the money to pay for your cosmetic surgery, plastic teeth and ridiculously priced botox and anti-wrinkle creams.

Increasingly now we a see a divide developing between those who can afford to pay for health care in a "clean and healthy" environment and those whose only choice is to take their chances with NHS care.

In various parts of the country there are many people who are unable to access dental care unless they can afford to pay private rates that average £200 per hour. Many people will recall that their grandparents had a set of false teeth - i.e. that by around the age of 50 their gp's would most likely have lost all their teeth. Advances in dentistry over the last 30 years mean that most people should be able to keep their teeth for the best part of their life. However, to achieve that they will need regular dental care. What we increasingly see now is more and more dentists leaving the NHS choosing to make more money in private practice, much of which includes very expensive cosmetic dentistry.

Of course, it could be said that if you don't eat sugar, drink fizzy drinks, or eat anything acidic, you won't need a dentist - so "take personal responsibility and save the NHS even more money!" sic.

As I have said, I'm all for a sensible campaign that encourages people to eat healthily, but what has happened over food, as with so many things of late, is that reasonable words of caution from people who know what they are talking about are taken up by politicians and the media and spun and hyped up into a campaign based on fear and judgemental finger pointing that suggest that if you get ill then it's your own fault for not looking after yourself.

Of course, alongside the politics of fatnaticism trundles the bandwagon on which people like JO and Ramsay are only too quick to leap on. I thought the channel 4 program was disgusting in the way it was presented - I suppose we can't expect much more from a channel that produced Big Brother: cheap sensationalism and distorted facts.

I hope the BBC will produce something that is more balanced and intelligent in approach in the near future - they have already done a radio program on the subject that was far more objective and balanced.

If the Government really wanted to do something positive as opposed to spinning up the issue to their advantage and then doing very little, as they have with so many issues over the past 10 years, they could insist that manufacturers adopt a universal and clear system of marking nutritional contents on products, look into why foods that contain less sugar and fat nearly always cost considerably more, provide proper education in schools on nutrient and cooking *by people trained to do so* (not using teachers without the required training to make angel cakes) and provide a range of facilities and activities that give youngster some choice over how they exercise - not everyone wants to play football or basketball.

Problem being of course, that positive actions as above cost money, whilst spinning up the issue, or presenting highly sensationalised TV programs can be used to the providers advantage, financially or otherwise.

No doubt the next hyped up wave will soon come along - I wonder whether it will be terrorism, bird flu, identitiy cards, etc, etc.

My motto, which has stood the test of time, is: "all things in moderation" - including a pinch of salt... unless of course you happen to be watching Channel 4.

Well posset, what a guest list!

My guess is that you would need to call in the riot squad before the main course was over

Too many cooks spoil the broth, or is it, stir up wrath

I can imagine MPW grabbing Ramsay by the throat and AWT looking on shouting instructions on what to do next - "make sure you wash your hands boys, that knife you’re grappling with was used on raw chicken!"

In relation to the question:” what do we want from cook shows?" - I really wonder what kind of answers TV producers and their teams come up when planning their shows.

The latest stream of foodie programs seem to aimed at people who live on take-aways, merrily eating piles of unhealthy food washed down with coke in total denial of the effect on their health.

The trend is to drag in a celebrity who admits to be an absolute ignoramus, and then in a didactic and patronising style show people how to switch the cooker on and cut up potatoes - I notice they don't peel them, probably because they think that would be too complicated for their couch potato viewers to grasp!

Having opened with a lecture about healthy eating and how you should seriously think about dragging your self away from Big Macs, they then proceed to shovel large quantities of fat, sugar, cream, chocolate, and litres of olive oil, etc, into their shiny tri-ply pans.

What I want to know is: how do such ingredients become healthier just because they have been put in the pot by Gordon (keep up with me) Ramsay, or Jamie (hello darlin) Oliver??

I’m getting the impression some of our TV cooks are setting themselves up as the new secular high priests whose mission it is to save the ignorant and undisciplined masses from eating themselves into an early grave!

They have got to be joking!

Just take a look in their recipe books

Not sure how seriously I should take this thread posset - did you by any chance have the odd glass of sherry while preparing lunch today?

Of the more senior cooks still around, I would go for Mary Berry, Keith Floyd, Delia and Rick Stein.

As for yer real golden oldies, did Charlie Chaplin do any cook shows - I feel sure Paul Merton will know.

My perception is that the more cook shows we get, the more the quality drops. Following that trend through to where it could lead, my theory is that as the quality gets lower and lower, so cook shows will become less popular and by the laws of supply and demand so the number of programs made will decrease, and then the quality will rise again.

In other words, things are likely to get a lot worse before they get better.

I'm off to see if I have any sherry left from Christmas!

Various glass pans also available here:-

[link]

I've sent copies of these posts to Age Concern - I suspect we are seeing some worrying long-term effects of watching too many cookshows

Blimey posset are we going to get repeats in black and white now?

I realise you were typing 'tongue in cheek', but some young producer is probably rummaging through a dusty cellar somewhere right now!

Johnny and Fanny again!!!! yeeeeekkkkks!!!

Have you had a batch of oil that is off?

I would suggest boiling some washing soda or dishwasher powder up in the effected pans for about an hour, and then try again with some fresh oil. Pans that require seasoning will need to be done again.

If you take into account the time it takes to clean and wash up this gadget, it's probably just as quick to use a knife. If you suffer with streaming eyes when chopping onions, it might help with that.

Hi David

Jamie Oliver has been campaigning for better conditions for intensively bred birds, and a there was a repeat of his channel 4 program on this last night.

The conditions were grim, with so many birds packed into barns that they had little room to move around in. According to the breeder who took part in the program, they get a few pence per bird when selling wholesale.

They said that in 2010 EU regulations will change and permit even more birds to be kept per square metre - which seems ridiculous when the current conditions have been heavily criticised by the RSPCA.

They contacted ASDA and TESCO, who said they were selling birds which had been reared within the official guidelines and based on scientifically constructed standards, blah de blah, etc.

JO's campaign is mainly aimed at discouraging retail consumers from buying such birds in the supermarkets, however, very little was said about the birds that are sold to the food industry, btw, I gather battery hen eggs were spotted in the kitchens at JO's restaurant in Cornwall? Cough, cough, he says he has had strong words with his manager about this!

I agree with mitch that this situation should never have been allowed - it's not about farmers bucking the system and ignoring the set regulations, they are doing what they do quite legally, and the new EU regulations will probably make matters worse.

Hopefully JO's campaign will make a difference - however, some of the Newspaper reports that I have seen suggest that the sales of these chickens has not altered much.

My main point is that I don't think these issues should be left to be decided by retailers, or their customers. There is also the fact that millions of these birds will be used by the food industry, and consumers buying their processed products are not going to know where the chicken for their frozen meal, tin of chicken soup, stock cubes, etc, etc, was sourced from.

Sainsbury's said they are "aiming" to sell only birds that have been bred in the RSPCA approved conditions, but will they refuse to stock any item containing processed chicken that has come from such breeding? I doubt that very much.

I do think JO has made a good effort on this issue - I am somewhat sceptical of his campaigns, not least because they are all angled at increasing his popularity and fortunes, and I think in some cases his methods, especially on channel 4 programs, have sensationalised and dramatised issues in order to increase viewing figures rather than achieve any lasting change. Clearly, part of his agenda around this issue has been to knock the supermarkets, with little being said about the number of birds that go to the food industry for processing, a fact that JO knows only too well.

The only real way to change this is for the Government to take a stand and change the regulations for the better. No doubt they will say that if the criticised conditions are banned here, then such birds will be imported. Once again, it appears that this is another systemic issue that is an unwanted feature of the global market place.

I agree 100% that animals should not be kept in poor conditions in order to provide cheap food, but I think that is an issue that needs picking up and dealing with by Government, and not one that can be left to the forces of the market place.

Personally, I would be all for banning battery sheds completely.

Hi mitch

I appreciate how hard it is on small businesses, but the fact remains that TESCO will almost certainly sell that quality, free range chicken that you would have purchased from your butcher at a lower price than you would have paid. I don't know what the answer is. Buying direct is ok if you can afford the extra 20% - normally it's cheaper to cut out the middle man, but it doesn't seem to be at farmer's markets.

As for local, seasonal food on MK, they have promoted and put more recipes on containing imported food than most other foodie shows that I have seen. The sales of foie gras must have soared since MK started.

Hi rick

I'm just trying to separate out the reality from what is a trendy notion used as yet another marketing device.

The great majority of things that we buy in the UK are not made here anymore, and generally there seems to have been acceptance of the global market place, no matter how that has affected British workers when production has been moved overseas to areas where labour is cheap.

However, all of a sudden it has become an issue over food, and I wonder why that really is?

The French like fresh local food too, but then many of them like to drive a car that was made in France, or to purchase other French made items. Perhaps that is because the French still have some concept of 'society', and that although they accept that they are not their brother's keeper, they do appreciate that there is an interdependence to the economy of their country and that leaving a reasonable profit for all involved in the chain is not only good for business, it's also good for the community. I don't pretend to know, I'm just surmising. Perhaps we once thought like that in the UK, but I haven't sensed such a way of thinking in the majority of people: rather the Government and the media have driven home a model of economics that preaches 'survival of the fittest' and "the weak" must go to the wall - MG Rover being just one of many.

It's difficult to know how well UK farmers are really doing, because I can't remember a time when farmers said: "yes, we're doing ok", i.e. they have always maintained that they work for nothing and that they are the ones being exploited.

Over the past 20 years British farming has probably had more Government subsidies than any other industry - and at a time when many other businesses in the UK have been allowed to go to the wall in the name of supply and demand and the cut-throat discipline of the market place. By contrast, it's been the norm to see fields standing empty and to hear of farmers being paid subsidies for what they are not doing.

It would of course make sense (commonsense anyway) to get those fields filled with produce to be sold in local shops to local people, but that is "in the ideal world", or is it?

If farmers can grow crops for biofuels that bring them good profits, will many of them say: "no I'd rather grow crops to feed people with", or will they say: "we live in the world of supply and demand" and it's every person for themselves?

Having watched Jamie Oliver meets up with Frankenstein last night (channel 4), I’ve decided to live entirely on broccoli and yoghurt for the rest of my life.

All the best.

It does seem that supermarkets are in a 'no win' situation - frequently they get lambasted on the basis that everything they sell is cheap, second rate, and rubbish, which is obviously not true.

For some years now, ASDA have been putting the name of the farmer on most of their greenstuffs, meats, etc. Obviously they aim to be competitive with other supermarkets and this keeps prices relatively low, and at the end of the day, that probably does affect quality. But then ASDA do their Extra Special Range, and organic, etc, as TESCO do, so for anyone who wants to spend a little more, there is the option to get better quality - based on how you define quality that is.

I'm not posting to defend TESCO, or any of the other supermarkets, but rather to make the point that TESCO are just very adept players in a system that has become a way of life for most of us in this country.

I don't shop regularly at TESCO, but whenever I do go into one of the local extra stores, I get a sense of awe mixed with a real concern about the hugely successful 'roll' they are clearly on.

Personally, I think their business management just has to be admired - what they do, they do really well, and the packed car parks and trolley packed aisles bear witness to that fact. But of course I do wonder where their success will lead, and what the meaning could be for other businesses.

The name of the game is to give people what they want, at the best possible price, and within a congenial setting that is easy to reach: supply and demand basically. TESCO didn't invent the rules of the game, they just took them seriously and let rip. If you are in any way unhappy with your purchase, they will change it, or give you your money back, and who is going to turn away from that?

You suggest a boycott on TESCO?

Lets just imagine that such a thing happened - which it won't, because you have a much better chance of persuading people that the world will end next Valentines Day, (so don't buy a card), what would happen to the food distribution system in this country, and where would the price of food go to?

One of the things that always puzzles me, is why food is so expensive in Farmer's Markets? If TESCO, etc, are buying at such cheap rates and slapping on a fat profit margin, why can't farmers sell their goods more reasonably when marketing directly to the public?

I'm not posting to antagonise, rather, I would suggest that the problem is much 'wider' and 'deeper' than the fact that TESCO are extremely good at what they do.

If enough people want organic, local foods, free range eggs, square eggs, whatever, then TESCO are going to do their best to provide it at the best possible price - can they really be blamed for doing so?

Who is to blame then? Should their customers accept that they are simple people who are naive about food and cheapskates because they always look for things at the best possible price?

There will always be a relationship between quality and price - if you pay your local butcher half as much again for a joint of meat, then it probably will be better quality than the one sold by TESCO for less money. But matched pound for pound, I would challenge any butcher to match the quality of the supermarkets.

Plus, when TPB talks about nipping down to the local butcher in Kensington to request a particular cut, a lot of people are going to think: "you're living in a different world mate!"

Do away with TESCO, and another firm will take their place.

I look forward to reading any suggestions that have taken full account of all the issues involved in solving this problem, because so far, I think the suggestions have just been about: "shooting the messenger", i.e. the people who play the game.

There are people of this world (who as far as I know, don't post on this board) who live a life of blissful idealism in their heads, and promote sites such as Poundary with quaint little rows of houses, with a baker, a butcher and a candlestick maker just at the end of the road, but for most people, that's as far removed from the reality of life as Mary Poppins and Dr Who.

Apologies to any fans of Dr Who or Mary Poppins who may read this post.

They seem to have now sold out on the above link, but more here:-

[link]

Also available on ebay at around about £10 for a new one.

I like using a knife myself... but if you want one, they are £8.99 here:-

[link]

I've been watching it too - it's not bad... 6 out of 10 say

At least it's not repeats, and it IS on regularly and at the same time of day - unlike RSC, which seems to continue on a downward path of self-destruction.

The mind boggles at the choice of presenter: Jeremy Edwards?

Positive points: well he looks good... and that's about it... I thought it was funny when he said he'd been out for a meal which was served on banana leaves, and that he was chomping merrily away at them until someone nudged him and said: "you don't eat the banana leaves!"

They do have some good chefs though, and the recipes tend to be a little different while also being simple to prepare and tasty looking.

Personally, I think MasterChef stays way out in front - but I do think Cooking the Books is worth a look.

Providing they are of an all-metal construction, you probably can, but, if they are made of thin stainless steel, I think you will find things will burn, stick and scorch easily, and washing up will require a workout with a scourer.

Much better to use a cast iron casserole - there are some reasonably priced large ones here:-

[link]

[link]

and more here:-

[link]

ooops - that recipe should read "two tablespoons of chilled water"!

soz aboot that!

How's it going Dungie?

A simple recipe I use is:-

12oz plain flour
3oz butter
3oz margarine
2oz icing sugar
1 medium egg and a tablespoon of chilled water.

Keeping everything cool is really important - I put the roller and any boards used in the freezer well before they are needed.

Cube the butter and margarine (if not soft) straight from the fridge.

Put the flour and icing sugar into a food processor and spin up to mix...

With the processor running drop in the cubes of fat and within seconds it will be a crumb like mixture... drizzle in the egg and water and as soon as the mix rolls up into a ball stop the machine... bring together and wrap in greaseproof (tablet shape)... leave in the fridge for 30 minutes or so.

Rolling the pastry out on a movable surface (a marble slab is ideal, or at least on a sheet of greaseproof paper) will make it easier to get your pastry into the dish by inverting it. I wouldn't worry about the pastry being fragile - if you get any cracks or gaps develop when it's placed in the dish, just plug them up with a bit of dough.

Once you have your pastry in the dish, chill it again in the fridge for a while, and then put straight in the oven.

The point of using a food processor rather than a food mixer, is that the blade will cut the fat into the flour while keeping the development of the gluten in the flour to a minimum.

Hope you get some good results soon.

All the best.

Peugeot have a very good reputation:-


[link]

Peugeot have a good reputation:-

[link]

A very interesting suggestion cornetto.

I would love to see the reaction of the viewers if Jeni and Ed Baines took over the presentation of MK - my guess is that there would be very little to criticise.

But do the 'powers that be' have enough initiative to take such a route?

There is an authoritative answer to your question here:-

(Scroll down to the Q & A's, and it's the third question down)


[link]

HTH

Hi there posset - Happy New Year to you too

Good point there about not rolling the pastry into a ball - it's much better to roll up and then press down into a flat 'tablet' shape for cooling in the fridge.

As for new gadgets - hmmm not yet! My new years resolution is to try and use some of the gismos already stashed away in the cupboards - probably won't though. It's often quicker to do things by hand, and less washing up too - which I think is the down side of cooking.

I did buy a basic stainless steamer pan just before Christmas - which fits a wide range of pan sizes, and I have been using that quite a lot lately - the lid is not vented (whereas my other steamers are vented) and this seems to work particulary well by giving very fast results even when used with a pan that is at simmering level cooking something else.

It was only £6.00, including the glass lid, from TK Maxx.

How about you posset - have you put the waffle maker on ebay yet?

In relation to the OP's issue with baking his tart - I have found using a stoneware baking dish works better than metal ones.

All the best posset, and good luck with the next one Dungie.

I've never seen a 'one size fits all' pan lid - it sounds a good idea though.

Nisbets do pan lids separately:-

[link]

If your lid has a handle with a screw fitting, you might be able to find a suitable handle/knob to replace it with in B&Q, Robert Dyas or the hardware section of Wilkinsons - if you are in the UK that is of course.

Another option could be to buy a very cheap pan of the same size in somewhere like ASDA and use the lid - lids sold separately always seem to be disproportionately expensive when compared to the cost of a pan with a lid.

HTH

PS

I always use a blender to cut the fat into the flour, and it works fine, I think it depends on which method you get used to, especially if you gauge how much fluid needs to be added by the feel of the mix.

Whichever method is used, the less the mix is worked the better, and a fragile dough is not in itself a bad sign - much better than a tough dough that is easy to handle.

Also, when adding sugar, I use icing sugar rather than castor, as it blends in so well.

Getting the amount of fluid to be added just right is very important, as is keeping everything at low temperature - I even put the rolling pin in the freezer before using it.

Short crust pastry tends to be fragile and is not the easiest of things to handle - I always save the bags that breakfast cereals come in and undo them and use them for rolling the pastry out on (or between two sheets of it), then you can put your dish upside down over the pastry, slide a flat baking sheet underneath and pick the lot up and turn over, then the pastry will settle into the dish by the force of gravity and a light touch will enable it to be bedded into the corners. I use this with a wholemeal flour mix and it works every time.

Have a look at this link - I would suggest that you try Delia's recipe and quantities and use the method she suggests and see how the next lot turns out.

HTH

[link]

There are some nice recipes here - I've cooked a few in the past, and they are lovely:-

[link]

Yes I agree with the suggestion that Rick Stein combines many desirable qualities, not least by presenting himself as an ordinary human being who gains and holds people's attention and respect by sharing his extensive knowledge of food in a articulate, well mannered and intelligent way.

There is no swearing and cursing or berating of the people he works with. He doesn't waste time putting down other TV chefs. There are no gimmicks and he doesn't make any attempt to "impress", he just does what he enjoys doing, and that seems enough to provide people with an enjoyable viewing experience.

I do wonder whether he is part of an era that is rapidly slipping away in this country. There seems to be an ever-increasing pressure on people to be highly competitive in an aggressive and self-interested way.

A phrase once heard was: "self praise is no recommendation!"

That phrase now seems to have been turned completely on it's head, and blowing your own trumpet as loudly as is possible, and pushing other people aside, or putting them down, seems to be considered the norm?

TV producers defend much of the rubbish they serve up by saying: "we just give the public what they want!"

It seems that providing viewing figures reach certain levels, then it can be assumed that the programme must be well targeted and 'right for purpose'.

But is that really the case?

I know I often watch TV programmes that I don't really have much interest in, having made a choice of what to watch on the basis of: "the lesser of evils model", or perhaps more accurately, the least boring program within that particular time slot.

What I have been increasingly doing of late, is getting up and switching the TV off if there is nothing of any quality/ or of interest on. Having the TV on all day has become a habit in our house, and I keep thinking of the 140 watts ph that is just a waste of energy and money. We recently had Sky+ installed, and now I scan through the day's programs and tab for recording anything that looks particularly worth watching, then turn the haunted fish tank off, if there is nothing immediately watchable on that is.

I know my efforts won't have any effect on viewing figures, but at least I cut a little off the electricity bill and save a little energy that really was just previously being wasted. Now when I sit down to watch TV I can select a recording using Sky+ that I really want to watch. Sometimes I even watch the same recording again, if the program was particularly of interest that is.

Nowadays I rarely watch UKTV Food - I can't get into MK, no matter how hard I try, and I am fed up with watching time-worn repeats: I do think Rick Stein is great, but you can have too much of a good thing.

I have stop "banging on" about MK, because I don't think anyone takes much notice of the complaints, probably putting them down to the "disgruntled minority" (by comparison with the total viewing figures that is, rather than the balance of posts on this site). It's been suggested that the wave of strong criticism has put MK fans off posting, but from what I have seen, even though many critics of MK have stopped posting, the number of positive posts doesn't seem to have risen.

Plus, I don't generally have anything against UKTV Food, and I do think the idea of a specialised food channel is a very good idea. As with many other Sky channels, they face the ongoing problem that people get fed up with watching the same repeats - if you don't have the memory span of a goldfish, it can get monotonous watching the same old stuff, no matter how good it was the first time round.

I also suspect that the primary channels, BBC, etc, have got wise to the fact that "repeats" can be quite marketable products, and so may now be less likely to sell programs off quite so quickly as they once did, choosing rather to do more re-runs themselves. So my guess is that UKTV producers are increasingly going to be challenged over what to invest money in when it comes to making their own "new" specialised programs.

‘Should ‘ they invest heavily in big names like Gary Rhodes doing a tour of China, or would it be wiser to spread the cash over a few new programs, with perhaps with less expensive names and lower general budget costs?

Personally, I think some of the newer 'up and coming' names working on studio based shows would be a better bet - at least that would avoid putting all the eggs in one basket, and I would rather see three new programs using new talent, as opposed to one major 'epic' starring Gary Rhodes.

Whatever happens, I hope UKTV Food has a successful year - it is easy to get carried away with criticism, especially if you feel your views are not being heard - and I suspect there are quite a few members on this site that feel that way. But at the end of the day, what we all share is an interest in food and watching people who have specialised in that area showing us how they 'do their stuff' on TV, so I hope the New Year brings more harmony and satisfaction between UKTV Food and *all* of their viewers.

I also use Mamta's recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala and find it very tasty, also, the chicken becomes very tender and 'silky' - I use Greek Style yoghurt, which works well.

For extra sauce, I've blitzed up tinned chopped tomatoes and added a good dollop of tomato ketchup ( OMG did I write that?)

I tried the tin of soup (for experimental purposes only of course - think it was Heinz though and not Cambells) but found the above preferable.

If you fancy a spicy twist on the usual cauliflower cheese recipe, try this - it's delicious!

INGREDIENTS:-

500g fresh or frozen cauliflower florets steamed or lightly boiled.

For the sauce:-

50g butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
8 sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
1 teaspoon chilli powder
2 tablespoons plain flour
900ml milk
175g Cheddar cheese, grated
freshly ground black pepper


For the topping:
2 tablespoons white breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon grated parmesan


METHOD:-

Cook the cauliflower florets as is your usual method - drain and keep hot.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute.

Add the sun-dried tomatoes & chilli powder, then stir in the flour.

Stir in the milk, a little at a time & slowly bring the mixture to the boil.

Add the cheese & stir until it has melted.

Season to taste.

Arrange the cauliflower florets in an ovenproof dish. Pour over the sauce.

Mix the topping ingredients together, sprinkle over the cauliflower cheese.

Place under a moderate grill until the topping is golden brown.

Enjoy

I have a Kenwood too, and I am very pleased with it.

A British company based in Hampshire that has been making such equipment for 60 years - you can still get spare parts for older machines, and the wide range of accessories (mincer, pasta attachment, etc) can be picked up on ebay very cheaply. The older models are often sought after by chefs because they have a reputation for being reliable workhorses. Some of the charity shops have got wise to this, and they get very prices for some of the older machines.

Kenwood make a wide range of mixers, so any comparison with Kitchen Aid needs to be on like for like price.

Heston Blumenthal uses Kenwood mixers, which must surely say something about their quality and reliability?

There is this book:-

[link]

I use mine for all sorts of blending and processing- they are very versatile. My only tips are not to overload the motor with mixes that are very stiff and hard going, and if using the metal leg on the blender in non-stick pans, be alert to the effect on the non-stick coating - if it has an all metal leg, I would suggest sticking to stainless steel pans, because after a while it will scratch and mark non-stick surfaces.

Because they are so handy and versatile it can be tempting to overstretch them with work that is too heavy - a few years ago I had one go up in a puff of smoke when I was making a particularly thick paste. If the motor starts to labour don't risk it, as the motors are made to work at high speed but they don't cope well with heavy work.

Hope this helps and good luck - they are extremely handy little gadgets and one of the items that I keep at the front of the cupboard.

Gary Rhodes is a great chef and in the past has usually come over as a decent kind of a guy. He is a perfectionist and has always had that neurotic tendency that drives such people, but of late he seems to have damaged his own reputation by being arrogant.

Personally, I think it's down to the Ramsay influence on TV celeb chefs - I think it’s the producers that push the chefs to act like Ramsay does.

Someone recently described cooking as: “the new rock and roll”, and there seems to be a big competition going on for who will be the new Elvis of the kitchen scene.

To be frank about it, I don’t think Ramsay or Rhodes are even in the running for that title, it’s more down to Gino and baby face James

And of course James has the edge because he has the bone structure, the eyes and the hair to take on that image. But Gino seems to be the one in most demand at the moment - I thinks it's his promise of: "minimum effort, maximum satisfaction" - clearly he's not a Stones fan!

Naughty (some might say absolutely sinful), but nice

Good quality silicone cookware can be used up to 300c

Most domestic ovens won't reach that temperature.

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I wonder if they were overcooked?

Steam is a very harsh and penetrating form of heat and it cooks things quite quickly.

For the broccoli I would suggest trimming off the florets close to the heads so that there is very little stalk attached. Then slice up the stalk and cook this first and until soft, and then add the florets, which will need only a few minutes to cook.

Some vegetables lose their colour as they cool, which is explained in more detail here:-


[link]

Bare with me on this, because I'm not sure whether it's something you are doing, or the machine you are using, or even perhaps your recipe. So I'll run through the possible issues for causing snags.

Having mixed and rolled up your pasta into a ball, wrap it in cling film and put it in the fridge for an hour.

When you take it out, give it a good 'kneading and stretching' by hand on your worktop.

Flatten it with your hand and run it through the widest setting of the machine.

Then screw down a step and do it again, and so on until you get to the thinnest setting.

Then fold the pasta over itself, so that you have three or four layers, then open up your rollers and start the process again - you use the machine to work the dough with. You need to work through this process about four times until the dough becomes 'elastic like' when you pull it apart. When it has been worked enough it will roll out thinly and will not be brittle or fragile.

Having gone through this set of procedures set your machine up to cut the pasta into strands - the rollers should be well engaged with each other so that the pasta gets sliced right through.

The rollers that do the slicing are fixed on my machine - if yours are adjustable and not cutting right through, I would think they need screwing down a little more.

Providing the trays are of good quality silicone and the manufacturer's rate them for use at high temperature (most that I have seen are rated for use for up to gas 9 /240c) they should be fine - whether used with fat or oil.

Because silicone trays tend to be a bit floppy, particularly the cheaper ones, they will need careful handling when removed from the oven with hot fat/oil in - I would be inclined to put them on a baking sheet or a stiff wire mesh tray.

A Magimix or a similar food processor is fine for making pastry - the blade cuts the fat into the flour and when the fluid is added the mix will roll up into a dough - which is the point at which to stop the machine - this makes sure the dough is not overworked.

'Hands on' can be quite satisfying if you have the inclination and the time, but a machine will provide just as good results if used appropriately. Another positive factor is that no heat is transferred to the dough, as when using one's hands.

A traditional method was to use a knife in each hand to cut the fat into the flour, but why bother when a machine will do it for you in seconds.

I wouldn't recommend using a Bamix for pastry - they run at high speed and Bamix is a quality brand, but they don't have the torque required for heavy work.

You need a Magimix or something similar.

The Magimix doesn't come cheap though - this Breville FP9 ** has a commercial quality direct drive induction motor similar to the Magimix and is an absolute bargain at the price shown - if they have any left I would recommend snapping one up asap. They have been around for some time now and I believe they have been discontinued and replaced with a machine of much lesser spec. At one time they were being sold for around £130, which I believe was the original recommended selling price.

At the price shown it’s more of a gift than just a bargain.

**
[link]

Hi posset

Hope you have a lovely Christmas - time to put your feet up and let someone else do the cooking for a change

I'm just about to defrost the frozen rattlesnake and boil in the bag squirrel nuggets

I have used various casseroles, including hard-anodised aluminium ones, and I find cast iron is the best to use.

[link]

I use the 4 litre Vogue.

A word of caution: the 7.75 litre is very heavy and only just about fits in a domestic oven.

Le Creuset come well recommended, but quite expensive by comparison with other brands. The best deal I have seen on Le Creuset is a set sold by makro which includes a 20cm cast iron casserole, frying pan, griddle pan, and oven dishes, for £99.99 + vat - but you will need one of their trade cards, or a friend with one. The same set regularly comes up as an offer in their makro mail.

TESCO also do generic cast iron casseroles.

TK Maxx and TJ Hughes are well worth a browse as they often have good quality cookware at reduced prices.

My ideal is a multi-burner (burner within burner) gas hob with a hotplate in the centre and a pair of triple gas burners each side of it.

It's not so much the cost of the hob, its more that I would have to have the rest of kitchen rebuilt around it

I have a portable induction hob which is very good for simmering and it works very well with cast iron pans, including my cast iron wok, but, it won't preheat to anything more that just hot - not like the good old gas burner which you can leave a cast iron pan, wok or griddle, on to get really hot. Which is a downside issue with induction technology, however, the upside is that if anything boils dry on an induction hob it automatically cuts out - pity there's no override though!

I have my eye on a triple ring wok burner that runs on bottled gas, but I know it might just end up in the garage.

I don't actually know, but at a guess, I would think it might relate to 'cup' and 'table/tea' spoon?

Could the above fit with the recipe you are referring to?

[link]

Very interesting - I have wondered about this for a while now.

Increasingly pan manufactures are attaching a magnetic layer to the bottom of their pans - I was looking at an aluminium wok made by Beka only the other day and it had a magnetic base that had been attached by a method involving perforation of a metal disc which was then integrated with a studded profile on the base of the main body of the pan.

What I was pondering as I gazed upon this innovative piece of engineering was whether such a pan works as well as a pan that is fully magnetic throughout its entire body?

The principle behind induction hobs is that there is not the usual interface between pan and element, i.e. the material that the pan is made of becomes heated as part of a magnetic field generated by the induction technology, hence the enhanced heat distribution throughout the body of the pan and the greater speed at which the pan heats up. If you remove a pan that has been used for boiling water in from an induction hob, you find the base is nowhere near as hot as a pan taken from a conventional hob.

Bearing the above in mind, I would have thought placing a magnetic disc on an induction hob would be to convert it to the more conventional element:pan interface, and I wonder whether the benefits that usually follow from using an induction hob are lost or reduced.

The easiest way to find out would be to boil a litre of water in a fully magnetic pan on an induction hob and test out the speed, control, simmering levels, etc, as compared to an ordinary pan being used on one of those conversion plates.

Personally, if making the outlay for an induction hob I would be inclined to buy pans made from completely magnetic material so that all the benefits of induction technology are fully realised.

Yes, that's the crucial issue JJ - and good knives don't come cheap.

If you are looking for a good quality knife I highly recommend Global - and this anniversary edition is a really good buy, and probably similar in design to one you are thinking of


[link]

Both I guess posset - whatever combination of factors attracts you to them, bearing in mind we are talking about chefs/cooks on the box.

At a guess I would say Gino and James Martin come near the top of the looks league.

But then I think AWT is better at presenting than JM, although I think JM is a better chef.

I think some of the most entertaining shows I have seen have involved Nick Nairn, Paul Rankin and Ainsley sharing some good-natured banter together.

You can choose more than one if you like and say why you like them ... lol

Paul was Food Poker champion this evening - great chef with classic Irish charm, with a quick wit and dry sense of humour.

I think he is one of the most entertaining and watchable chefs on TV.

Who is your favourite TV chef?

I would think it's probably a "utility" knife - which vary quite a bit from one manufacturer to another.

When Ainsley does it he seems to use whichever knife is to hand - including a serrated knife at times - I usually watched open mouthed as so much of the orange goes in the bin but then on RSC time is of the essence I guess.

This link shows the classic chef's knife set:-

[link]

Have you tried cooking them for longer to see if they harden up - after being left to cool that is?

I would also check out the balance of sugar to fats in the recipe, how does your recipe compare with this one?

Gingerbread

1 cup butter at room temperature
1 3/4 cups brown sugar
1 1/4 cups white sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
6 eggs
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon allspice

You too posset and wishing Old Thatch a speedy recovery also.

Certainly not posset - I just have a healthy disrespect for microwaves

Your post reminded me that some time back I bought a plastic thingy that is designed for steaming things (such as rice) in the microwave. It's basically a plastic tray, the base of which is a water reservoir which has a platform that sits just above the water, and then the whole thing is covered by a lid.

I've never used it - it's in the back of a cupboard somewhere.

Ken Hom was cooking rice (on another channel) the other night and he was saying that the ideal end state is for rice to be slightly sticky so that it hangs together and can be picked up easily with chopsticks. However, the ideal for rice in Western European eyes seems to be fluffy rice that doesn't cling together.

But then I do think everyone should cook food as they prefer it (and buy it where they choose, including supermarkets) and sometimes even in packets

yer but, no but yerh, what's the point of having pans and not using them?

am I bothered

look at my face do I look bothered?

Well it works for me Arthur ... most of the time that is ... if not, and the old marbles get a little wayward, then I post on here

Another thought is that a smaller kettle would probably make less noise - in my experience, it's the larger plastic jug kettles that tend to be the noisiest - partly because the elements are very powerful and are in a fairly confined space, and the jug shape is acoustically prone to amplifying the sound of the water as it rushes to the boil.

Perhaps this one, which is smaller and has a less powerful element:-

[link]

Or a stainless body in the more conventional shape, such as this one, which is sold as a "quieter kettle":-

[link]

Another thought is to put your kettle on a heavy-duty extension lead with a switched socket that is within reach so that you can turn the kettle off when on the phone.

HTH

I heat the Tilda rice in a frying pan posset - two minutes and it's ready - magnifico - minimum effort, maximum satisfaction

Keeping your marbles in your kettle may help to stop it scaling up, but it will be noisy when it boils!

I would suggest getting one of these to make your tea with:-

[link]

and one of these to keep your marbles in:-

[link]

ATVB

eh ba gum lad!

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yeah but do you think he chuckles away to himself with *everything* that he does? Could be a bit disconcerting I would have thought?

The same goes for Rusty during those *special* moments - doesn't bear thinking about does it... lol

I've never seen her working with Ainsley, but I reckon it would make quite a show

A little more of Rusty:-

I think she logs on to the same channel in her ear-piece as Matt Tebbutt and shares dirty jokes with him !

lol ...that's about the measure of it posset

rice ...just to keep on topic!

I wonder if elizabethann is still searching?

It is nearly three years since she posted?

You cook in a microwave posset? - ooooooh ... now I am shocked!

Add some coke - it will help stop the fruit sinking too.

Hi posset

They do say confession is good for the soul ... so here goes:-

I regularly use Tilda steamed packet rice - had the chickpea, yoghurt, mint and coriander one last night with chicken tikka masala, it was delishhh

[link]

Straight from the packet into the pan and stir fry for 2 minutes and it's ready

Well that's it - I feel better now

Hi posset

It's a fact that many people re-heat rice without problems, but how it is cooked in the first place, and then stored, and then re-heated comes into the equation. I think how well someone can cope with any remaining residual bacteria is also relevant, which is why I suspect some people have no problems with it, while others do get ill. Personally, I don't re-heat rice because I don't really see the point - cooking it afresh (particularly the quick cook versions) only take a few minutes longer anyway.

I don't know the background to your hospital visit Old Thatch, but I do wish you the very best and hope you are up and around again soon.

Some good points Breadman2.

But I would suggest that most of us know very well that the original criticism was just another attempt to squash the opinions of those that have provided feedback on MK that some people do not agree with.

If UKTVFood are unhappy about the location or content of posts, then they can either move them or delete them.

I agree absolutely with your point about criticising the programs, as opposed to other board members. People pay good money to watch the programs and are entitled to express their opinions without being harassed because some people disagree with them. Debating issues about the programs and the people who present them, is very different from being rude and offensive about other board members, I include the labelling of views as "winging", "moaning", etc, in what can be seen as negative board behaviour. Of course, the principle needs to work both ways, and if people want to applaud MK and exchange positive views then they should be able to do so without being criticised for their opinions.

Personally, I think the number of complaints about MK must say something about how appropriate it is for a mass audience, but I accept that such a conclusion is based on my interpretation of the feedback and my own viewing experience.

There is currently a huge appetite for foodie shows amongst the British viewing public and so even the worst of shows will survive. It seems to me that there is a clear correlation between quantity and quality when it comes to foodie shows, i.e. the more we see on our screens, so the lower the quality falls.

Based on the substantial increase in demand for such shows over the past two years, I would think MK should be pulling at least 2 to 3 times the number of viewers that GFL did. Having said that, I don't think viewing figures necessarily give an accurate picture of viewing satisfaction - having paid a Sky subscription I would think many people will sit though a show they are not very happy with rather than turn over to watch repeats they have seen several times before, or just switch off and put their Sky subscription down to the cost of owning a TV.

People who complain about reading critical feedback on this site seem to feel they are "duty bound" to read it, or perhaps feel it is hoisted upon them? The reality is that all postings have to be sought out which involves actively clicking and scrolling, so why bother to access the comments if they don't want to read them?

They remind me of dear old Mary Whitehouse who used to seek out TV programs and films with any kind of adult content, so that she could write about how disgusting they were?

I suspect that the truth of the matter is that they don't have anything better to do anyway, and that they are looking for 'a peg' to hang their boredom on. Or perhaps complaining about people who complain gives them some sense of moral achievement and righteousness that they can't find elsewhere!

pudding

As explained in detail here:-

[link]

The main point is to cool the rice and get it into the fridge as soon as is possible after cooking, bearing in mind that chilling food doesn't kill bacteria, it just inhibits the growth of whatever has already developed.

This book is ideal for anyone wanting to build up their cooking skills while also cooking in a practical way:-

[link]

When it comes to cake recipes I think Mary Berry's and Delia's are some of the best around.

I agree with the principle of keeping any criticism of MK separate from Food Chat, and more generally to keeping topics relevant to thread headings, but then I notice that various threads raising issues around MK in this section have been started by the pro-marketeers?

As for the drop in the number of people posting (assuming that is the case) I would have thought it is more logical to consider that it is due to dissatisfaction with the programs that UKTVFood are showing, i.e. MK and continual repeats of older programs, than the fact that some people take the trouble to give critical feedback that could be used to improve things.

Another factor that no doubt accounts for the loss of some posters is the regular removal of posts that make constructive criticism of UKTV programs - which I strongly suspect is often prompted by certain board members who have nothing better to do with their day than clicking on the COMPLAINT button when they disagree with the content of a post.

As for the suggestion that people are put off from posting positively about MK because they are "attacked for the views", the reality, which can be accessed by just reading through various threads, is that most personal attacks are made on people who are expressing criticism of MK, NOT the other way around as some people like to state.

As for adopting the position that one's own views are "normal", while implying that views to the contrary are "abnormal", I would only add that such self righteousness has been the basis for the escalation of conflict through space and time and explains and accounts for most of the wars throughout history.

In a democracy people have a right to express their view, however, the terms and conditions of this site mean that UKTVFood can remove posts as they please, and as we know they often do. The rules of the game are 'supply and demand', and if UKTVFood feel their best interests are served by ignoring or eliminating criticism then so be it.

But I would suggest that a noisy restaurant where some people complain is better than a silent one.

ladye1 you might find this link of interest:-


[link]

Try roasting it at a lower temperature over a longer period - explanation here:-

[link]

The current trend seems to be about picking and mixing themes from different shows, so how about starting with too many presenters (that bits in place already) and then having viewers phone in to vote off the least able presenter?

There is a slight problem with MK because after 5 weeks the show would be presenter-less, but, I'm sure that snag could be overcome.

Perhaps by getting a group of potential presenters around a table with a set of specially made playing cards that have different themes on, the presenters then get dealt some cards and have to say how they would handle each episode, then a panel of chefs choose which presenters will go forward to actually front a show.

At the beginning of each show the presenters dip into a plastic bag to find the script that they will be required to use for their presentation, which last for 20 minutes, at the end of the episode the public phone in to vote who will get knocked off the show next week.

This concept may need a little tweaking – I’m not sure whether its been born of a brainstorm or a knee-jerk reaction – is there any evidence to support the rumour that watching too many foodie show repeats can cause irregular patterns of brain behaviour that cause you to cook up half-baked ideas? Or perhaps it's just a normal symptom of sheer desperation?

After washing the fruit and shaking off excess water, put it into a bowl with some flour to get a light coating of flour on all of the fruit, then add to mix as usual.

Also, make sure that the mix is not too runny or the oven too hot.

I see that Robert Dyas have Kenwood Classic mixers at a really good price at the moment:-

[link]

righty'o posset

But I don't think it should be any old inane drivel on any old board.

Think of the benefits of having your own blog sheet posset: slate backdrop with a boarder of autumnal Maple leaves surrounding cheeses from all over the world. Have a think about it posset and I'll brush up on my html.

The term "like minded nits" makes me go all itchy - funny how certain words can trigger a reaction.

However, in the meantime I have been thinking of setting up 'gastro's coffee thread' which could be a safe harbour for those with an interest in abstract minutiae.

Anyway posset, sorry to hear about your experience in Waitrose, there are some pretty anti-social people about these days unfortunately. I feel sure you will have handled it in a dignified way.

The week-end is upon us, and Christmas is coming up fast - or that's how it feels anyway.

Hoping you have a relaxing week-end posset - take care and all the best.

"old dear" ... come come posset - where is the respect in such a term?

Anyway, Waitrose would never allow an 'old dear' through their doors - they would be an elderly ladyeeeee.

If you must take a baguette to a fellow shopper, I think you should do it politely and respectfully posset? Then you might claim some mitigation when security arrive by arguing that there was a wasp on her buttonhole.

Or was this some baguette throwing competition designed to show how well Waitrose baguettes stand up in a crash test? Were they thrown at slate tiles by any chance? I do think they should warn other shoppers of these events.

BTW, I have to mention that I think we have been upstaged posset, by someone who has posted a link to their blog - don't want to mention the name, but it begins with J.

As soon as I saw it I thought: "posset will want one of these!"

But it looks rather commercial to me posset, so I'm waiting to see what the mods make of it.

You will probably find it's cheaper to buy jam jars from a supermarket with something in, than buy empty jars - crazy as that may seem. ASDA's own pickle onions are really cheap - 440oz jar 32p , so if you like pickled onions, that's one way you could go, just clean them out with Milton's fluid.

What you do with a few kilos of picked onions could be a problem I guess - how about a cheese and wine, or real ale, party with after eights?

If you can find jars on ebay that you can collect, then that might be a cheap source, but usually the postage and packing costs are a bit of a bargain killer.

Nisbets do the proper preserving jars, which if you intend re-using, might be worth the investment:-

[link]

I find the cooking element of Food Poker quite interesting, but not the bit where they waste time fiddling around with cards.

Much better I would have thought to have included Jeni Barnett front of house, and found a quicker method of selecting who will cook what.

Get Jeni on a roulette wheel maybe, and let the chefs place bets and select the cooks that way, but make it short and sweet (no pun there Jeni), and make the cooking the main feature without wasting good cooking time on silly themes.

In other words, too many cards spoil the broth!

I really do wonder why we only hear Jeni’s voice – has size discrimination gone that far on TV, or is there another reason? Maybe the producers thought Jeni’s personality would shine too bright – if that is the case, it’s a pity they couldn’t provide a show that could support such a glow.

I think if someone had the initiative to sign up Jeni, and say Ed Baines, they would have most of the makings of a great show in the palm of their hand, and wouldn’t need to mess around with gimmicky themes.

Hi ReedW

I do think the constant repeats are *part* of the problem and that the lack of recently made programs may be intensifying the focus on MK, which in turn works to raise expectations of what MK should deliver, but even so, I think it has to be recognised that MK is seriously failing in a slot that was previously held by GFL who did manage to hold up the uktv flag despite the surrounding issues.

I should add that I am not grief stricken over the loss of Jeni Barnett as some may suggest, I just thought that she did her job very well and worked as a catalyst for what was a fairly well balanced and thought out program.

There are some good aspects to MK, for me they revolve around the guest chefs or other specialists that are brought in.

I have found some of this weeks viewing quite watchable, mainly because of the contributions of Anton Edelmann who I think comes over as a real pro who could do what he does in his sleep, but while retaining a dry sense of humour and the humility (AND confidence) to take a rise out of himself - as with his remark to MF: "ask me why I brush the pastry with water?" - only to reply: "I haven't a clue - it's the way I was shown how to it and I have always done it that way!"

To my way of thinking Anton Edelmann is "a natural" in front of the cameras: he knows his craft inside out, he has a dry wit with an amusing streak of healthy scepticism, and he was making 'contact' with the other guests on the show and speaking up for their opinions.

In my opinion, he bought a quality to MK that is rarely seen. He wasn't trying to be anything other than himself, and I think he came over as very watchable and entertaining. But I don't suggest that AE's presentation is something that the presenters of MK can emulate - he has a wealth of experience from which he draws from, and none of them have that, and I'm afraid it does show.

The big difference between TPB and AE, is that TPB has been 'parachuted' into his position, whilst AE has walked many a mile to get where he is today. No doubt he gathered many a blister on the route that he walked, but such a journey, and the experience gained, is what helps to make him the person he is today. You can’t buy that level of quality, not even in Windsor, or anywhere else, no matter how much money you have.

As for the issue of complaints spoiling this website, personally I fail to see that critical feedback is a bad thing. Quite often people include positive remarks and suggestions along with their criticisms, which could be used to improve things.

If someone opened a restaurant and threw out everyone who ever complained, they would soon find themselves with an empty restaurant – yes it would be quiet and peaceful, but perhaps more so than they really wanted.

Obviously anyone in business needs to be able to take hold of criticism and say: if so many people are complaining, WHAT is wrong with what we are providing?

There are people on this website who seem to think there has been a contagious outbreak of dissatisfaction that has snowballed in a copycat manner.

Perhaps they should consider whether the high number of complaints represent a problem per-se, or whether the high number of complaints are a symptom of a problem(s): which may have various dimensions, such as the high number of repeats on Sky food channels, the lack of competition for MK, and perhaps the low quality of presentation that many people have come to associate with MK?

Personally, I see hope, admittedly at present beyond the horizon, but with the establishment of broadband TV, I suspect things will change.

And, it’s not just me that thinks that way – which is why Sky are offering free broadband with their packages.

Unless someone has the memory span of a goldfish, Sky TV is on the wane, I repeat, on the wane, on the wane, on the wane, on the wane, …………………………say it again……………………………on the wane!

New slogan: “you saw it for the first 500 times on Sky TV!"

I wonder if this post will get modded?

I wonder if this post will get modded?

I wonder if this post will get modded?

SEE what happens if you watch too much Sky TV!!! ... be warned!

Does hubs know that you've binned it?

If you are using a traditional Christmas cake mix with a lot of fruit, nuts, peel, etc, then it's going to take longer to cook than an ordinary fruitcake.

The other issues are how deep your cylinders are and what the overall quantity of the mixture is, and how powerful your oven is. If you have one of the latest hot air flow ovens, it will recover to the set temperature fairly quickly when you put the tray in.

Having said that, 6cm is very small - I tend to think in terms of inches rather than centimetres, but I got the ruler out just to see how big a cylinder you are referring to - which is smaller than I imagined. So 40 minutes might be a better target - but the smell and a visual check should be enough to know when to try one.

I know your question is to posset and rosti but thought I might add two penneth.

The secret of making French onion soup is to allow enough time - around two and a half hours - and to develop the sugar within the onions without burning them, which means keeping a very close watch in the early stages, burnt is burnt, and caramelised is what it says it is. If the onions do catch, throw them away and start again - even small amounts of burnt onion will influence the final flavour.

This recipe is a good one to base your own interpretation on:-


[link]

How about a nice carrot cake cut into little squares?

[link]

Thank you for your kind words tickedoff

It seems nowadays we are all expected to look the same, weigh the same, eat the same food, drink the same drinks, think the same thoughts, and NOW, watch and LIKE the same TV programs!!

Now that is what I call Borrrrrrrrrring!

If Jeremy Clarkson were to stand for leader of the Libdems, I think I'd probably vote for them!

Hi Lauren

Gas 2 = 150c or 300f

I would go for the middle shelf.

Good luck, it's a nice idea - I have heard of people using cut down bean cans as mini tins, but if you have a tray already, you are all set to go.

I would be inclined to do a trial run - say on gas mark 2 or equivalent - and check them after an hour to see how much longer they need.

There are a number of variables involved which make a straight answer tricky: the ingredients used, the characteristics of your oven, the type of cake tray, etc. I would experiment and be guided by how they smell and check them accordingly - which I find is good way of gauging cooking times for cakes or bread in the absence of reliable information.

*And* ... it would be a nice gesture if the food channels on Sky had less repeats of programs that were made 10 to 20 years ago, and had a few more *new* food shows.

The only thing that sets MK up as a "flagship" is the fact that it is made in recent times. Even so, it appears to be struggling with old classics that have literally been shown hundreds of times.

No doubt GFL will get shown in about 5 years time and become part of the constant loop of repeats.

From what I have seen of it, MK seems overloaded with presenters, who in a rather hurried style, rush from one item to another as if cramming in as many demonstrations and features as is humanly possible is a good thing.

My suggestion is to take some of the budget from MK and make some more new shows that cover a wider spectrum of interests and tastes.

Most foodie shows only have one presenter, so why does MK need 5?

Much better (imo) to get one person who has the skills and relevant experience to do the job properly. Also, two celeb chefs on a show is very nice, but a celeb chef and some new, lesser known talent, would also make for interesting viewing, and provide opportunity for newcomers to develop and flourish.

I fully support the principle that people should not be harassed for their views, but that works both ways, and it's apparent that a number of MK supporters do their fair share of criticising those they don't agree with.

Of course anyone who doesn't like MK can switch over, BUT to what?

To watch Rick Stein cook the same piece of fish for the 500th time?

I do like Rick Stein, but obviously you can have too much of a good thing.

Plus of course, Sky viewers have the right to expect interesting and relevant (to them) programs BECAUSE they pay their subscriptions every month. Which in turn, presumably, also supports this message board.

Perhaps the members of the pro MK protection society, who apparently find any views that don’t match their own intolerable, should bear that in mind.

Hi Victoria

I haven't tried a flower pot myself, but I saw Lesley Waters make some bread in one on RSC a couple of years ago - now you mention it, she did line it with baking parchment.

The idea of serving cheese on lettuce is really nice - very natural with a great sense of freshness.

Hi TVFoodie

Window sashes as trivets must be one of the most unusual items of modded usefulness around!

I wonder why the flowerpot cracked - do you think it might have had a hairline crack in to start with, or perhaps it couldn't handle the changes in temperature?

Hi Grisinni

I sometimes steam peas and also broccoli florets above carrots - I have a hand strainer which just fits the top of a pan and also takes a pan lid - saves getting the steamer out and having to wash it up

My idea for a super pan involves using boiling and steaming within the same pan, and in a way that leaves the veg dry, i.e. not stood in water at the end of the cooking process. But it will need to be easy and quick to wash up - which is my personal test of whether something ends up in the back of a cupboard or not.

How big does it need to be oosaboos?

How about this one?

[link]

Awww that's a relief posset - thought I might have offended you, which I really would not want to do.

I would keep the table and the bed if I were you - slate could be a bit chilly this time of year- brrrrrrrrr shivers at the thought of it!

Hope you have a nice weekend.

You're very welcome Mangetout

If you get the one from Lakeland's, keep your receipt, and then if you find after using it that you are not entirely satisfied, they will give you a full refund. But I think you will find it works well.

I bought one of these a couple of weeks ago, and I'm pleased with it:-

[link]

I also have a general-purpose probe thermometer, and the one above is quicker to reach a reading and seems more accurate.

There is also the laser thermometer which saves poking around to get a range of readings:-

[link]

However, they don't say the laser model meets HACCP standards:-

[link]

Whereas this one appears to (as no doubt is reflected in the price):-

[link]

But since I took the Michael (and the Spencer I suppose) out of slate cheese boards, posset doesn't speak to me any more!



I did take a cold shower and give myself a good talking to, honest I did, posset!

How about using flowerpots for baking bread in?

Or, there's a young man in this link who seems to be making his own wine in a flowerpot, now that really is innovative! - he seems a bit young for it, but perhaps it's for his mum's Christmas present!

[link]

Very wise GFLForever - much better than taking them off the roof - see where that got our friend skeleton man on the front page of this site - poor old 'so and so' is now sat in his lounge with the rain pouring in!


[link]

Hello hayseed

Had to smile at your accusation of "splitting hairs" when you make such a big deal about my spelling of Hari-Kiri - but well done for looking up the correct spelling.

When Ainsley was in chef role on RSC he very rarely lost - in fact, I think I'm right in saying that he went through a whole series without losing - but I stand to be corrected on that point.

So if you consider that Brian Turner, AWT, James Martin, Nick Nairn, Lesley Walters, Tony Tobin, Phil Vickery, Kevin Woodford, Paul Rankin, are all not to be considered as "serious chefs", then you could have a point.

Personally, I'm struggling with the logic of what you are saying.

Have a good look at my spelling in this post to see if you can find something to be pedantic about! Because I think you need all the "foot-holds" you can find.

If you can imagine it, then it can exist.

Serendipity is one of the most creative research methods if you can't.

I gather one of the latest table-top-trends is to use slate (roofing slate, floor tile, or otherwise) as a cheese-board. Or even old wine barrels.

Personally I hadn't realised that Tupperware was out this season until I happened to see the latest cheesy hardware on Market Kitchen - I swear I never watch MK, the TV just happened to be on that channel as I was passing by

What innovative bits of kitchen equipment do you have - maybe a cheese-board adapted from something that started out as something else, or some other example of lateral thought used to produce a handy kitchen item?

The one I have previously heard of is a clay tile used as a pizza stone - I've never actually tried it, but have seen various accounts from quite a few people that say it works very well.

But I feel sure there must be lots of other creative and innovative adaptations around?

Well I hope you realise what you have started posset?

I heard on the News that B&Q staff up and down the length of the country have been puzzled by people coming in to inquire whether their roof slates are "dish washer safe"!!

I gather M&S have already started a new range and the add says: "this is not just any old ordinary roof slate, this is a genuine M&S ‘Welsh’ roof slate"!

Apparently, there is a matching trivet available in the form of a paving slab, and a red brick steak hammer. A back step for sharpening knives on is available from the catalogue by order. It's all from the BOB the BUILDER range exclusive to M&S, which they are aiming to release ready for Christmas!!

I'm not sure what to make of this lateral thinking retro utilitarianism, can't be good for global warming can it?

Absolutely! Could debate whether B&Q roof slates are as good for cheese as Wickes, or Homebase, lol.

More seriously, I think it must be the way of the future.

When I think about it, I think the reason I feel so naffed off with MK is that it is one of the very few new TV food shows on Sky, and so bearing in mind the amount of money I pay for Sky, I expect quite a lot from it. If there were other new foodie shows of better quality, I would be quite happy to switch over and keep quiet about MK.

I have just lightened the monthly Sky account by shedding the Sports channels, and when BB TV gets fully established, it won't take much for me to give up Sky completely - do they really expect to receive so much money for continual repeats of shows that were made 5 to 10 years ago?

It's probably being done already in the States - but I think there is a ready market for it here. I know one of the problems has been BB speeds and the UK's slow progress in catching up with countries like France, who have had many times the BB speed we have, for some years.

Perhaps some board members have already done it?

If so, anyone bold enough to post a link?

It's not that big a step from posting a recipe, just means adding a You Tube link to go with it.

It might not fit with the rules of this site, but setting up your own message board is a doddle. And if anyone can do it well enough, I'm sure companies like Lakeland, etc, would be interested in purchasing advertising space.

Before anyone asks, I don't have a video camera, and cooking at that level is not my forte anyway. Might go in for equipment and gadgets though!

“The People’s Cooking Channel” – the next step toward the future of reality interactive TV!

RITV goes live?

Come on Jeni – you obviously know all the right people to get this up and running?

I wouldn't go as far as to say I hate MK, because some of the guest chefs are very watchable.

My main problem is with the rather phoney set and the presenters, who I find to be extremely wooden and boring. I think it's pretty obvious that most of them got the jobs through 'who they know' rather than 'what they know'.

Apart from the nepotism, something about the show has a feel of retro colonialism, which I find a real turn off as well.

Foodie shows are very popular at the moment and it seems that even the most dire of shows pick up substantial viewing figures, so no doubt MK will be around for a while. It's a bit like New Labour - it's not that you think they are any good, just that the alternatives are no better or even worse.

I was puzzled by the skeleton sitting in the armchair on the front page of this website at first, but then came to realise it's the archetypical 'bored stiff' Market Kitchen viewer. I'm sure the bits on the floor are decomposed anorak.

Personally I’m looking forward to broadband TV, I feel sure there are people sitting at home who could make more interesting programs from their own kitchen table.

I followed a link posted on this site recently to You Tube, which showed someone demonstrating a coffee machine, I then discovered there are a host of people demonstrating their coffee machines from their own homes on You Tube – quite a few have added background music. The other evening the TV was pretty naff so I started watching home made coffee making videos … I know that’s pretty sad, but still, just goes to show how desperate you can get for something novel to watch.

However, the reason I mention this, is that if any of the cooks on this site have a video camera, and the time and inclination, why not make your own video of you making your favourite dish and then upload it to You Tube? We could even have a thread for voting on the best video/dish of the week.

Food for thought maybe?

I think it could be good fun – does anyone else?

Did MF get all excited again like he did with Jane Asher?

Hopefully they have a Health & Safety man standing by with a bucket of cold water.

Hi Doughy Boy

My remark about RSC was a passing reference to the basic concept of the show, i.e. everyday food prepared in a short period of time. Being a theme that both a mainstream and foodie audience could relate to.

But as far as the programmers go, I think they are hell bent on hari-kari.

I've always thought it would be better to show RSC later, say 6.30, so that people who work, and probably don't have all day to fiddle around in the kitchen, could sit and watch while eating their evening meal, or thereabouts anyway, and get some new ideas for getting together an evening meal in a short period of time.

Not having taken that step, the programmers have dropped the show for anything else that might be on the box - tennis, snooker, athletics, golf, etc, etc.

Just to make sure that they can shed a few more faithful viewers, they then cut the set in half and put it juxtaposed either side of the studio. Apart from being an ergonomic disaster for the purpose of cooking, particularly when it comes to the quickie bag, it made sure that the good natured banter and bonhomie between the chefs (something which I thought was one of the great strengths of RSC) was cut right back to the minimum.

They also put the audience in the background, which took away the previous focus and intimacy of the people working together, and of course Ainsley is required to walk backwards and forwards like a nervous TV comic who can't stand still.

They then prime Ainsley up to encourage the chefs to play out some silly boss chef v souse chef role - "go on give him a hard time" - pretty pathetic in my view.

There has always been a snobbish element around that has put down RSC because it doesn't concentrate on foie gras and 'seasonal game', but the chefs on RSC are some of the top TV chefs on the box.

I don't have anything against Ainsley, although I can see why he might irritate some people. But even so, I do think he has worked hard at coordinating the show and promoting good relations between the various chefs on the show, who sometimes when having to work under the pressure of time, can get a little edgy with one another.

Personally, I think the biggest problem with RSC is the production team - who seem to be clammering for something new and glitzy at the expense of what makes the show so popular with it's loyal and faithful followers.

I think if they at least bring back the original floor plan, and restore some of the previous strengths, and put the show on later, they could pick up a lot more viewers. Perhaps the regular chefs on the show could take it in turns to do what Ainsley has done in the past - although personally I would be sorry to see him go. He often says he misses the cooking side of things, so perhaps he could become one of the RSC regular chefs again. When he was a cook on the show, he was one of the most frequent winners, and I would like to see him back in whites again for that very reason.

It should definitely cook food evenly.

A couple of thoughts: is the oven being fully pre-heated? ... and is the door making a good seal with the casing?

If the oven is being fully pre-heated and is still running cooler at the front, the chances are that the door seal is leaking heat.

It might be worth checking to make sure that all packaging, and any protective tape used, has been removed from the inside of the oven door.

An oven thermometer is a very good investment - they are quite cheap to buy and are really useful for getting to know how your oven operates - quite often oven working temperatures vary slightly from the actual setting made on the dial (although that shouldn't affect the evenness of cooking).

I would suggest putting an oven thermometer centrally on the middle shelf so that you can ensure that the oven is fully pre-heated, then take a reading from the back of the oven, and then the front. If there is an obvious discrepancy, then call for an engineer.

A standard practical test for an oven is to bake a sponge cake - which will really test out the thermal efficiency of any oven.

It's worth being sure of your facts, as you avoid the possibility of being charged for a call-out that might put the problem down to user error.

Here’s a link for an oven thermometer:-


[link]

From a misquote by hayseed

"What a pity you chose to cite Ready SC as an example of innovative programming."

But I didn't say that hayseed.

What I referred to was "innovative cooking", i.e. the chefs are challenged to find different ways of cooking everyday foods. Not the same thing as your misquote at all.

I'm not a Ramsay fan, so any opinions he has do not interest me one little bit.

The point I was making in relation to RSC, was that it makes some attempt to engage with the interests of it's viewers, rather than indulging in the marginal interests of it's presenters.

Perhaps Rosti you should allow people to express their opinions.

You seem to spend a lot of your time sticking up for UKTV shows - is that how people get into the ratings on the first page of this message board?

Hopefully, people can post an opinion without it having to meet with the criteria you seem to be applying.

If the management of this board want to appear to have integrity, then they need to allow all opinions to stand without censorship or persuasion

Perhaps Rosti you should allow people to express their opinions.

You seem to spend a lot of your time sticking up for UKTV shows - is that how people get into the ratings on the first page of this message board?

Hopefully, people can post an opinion without it having to meet with the criteria you seem to be applying.

If the management of this board want to appear to have integrity, then they need to allow all opinions to stand without censorship or persuasion

It happens all the time - I'm not sure how you have come to draw a comparison between what kind of tricks TV cooks get up to and intellectual integrity in the academic world?

All's fair in love, war and TV foodie shows!

Put these people on a pedestal and you are likely to be very disappointed.

The same applies to the 'casserole' - and as everyone knows, Fred Flintstone invented the casserole when the hubcap fell off his cart and he turned to his wife Cassandra and said: "cas see e roll!"

He happened to be travelling through France at the time, and of course the rest is history.

Forgot to mention Robert Dyas, who carry a good range of reasonably priced and suitable pans:-

[link]

I don't think they have any at the moment, but Lidl and ALDI sometimes get induction compatible pans in really cheap - Lidl had some sauté pans for £10 a few weeks back. TJ Hughes is worth a look too.

Or for a really cheap carbon steel non-stick pan, try Woolworths.

Have a look in TK Maxx, they usually have some really good induction compatible pots and pans - they have had James Martin - Stellar stainless laminate pans (£20 ish), and also MPW – Beka (German and very good quality) - stainless laminate and encapsulated bases, around £15 to £30.

TESCO also have some very nice laminated pans that are induction compatible - stainless exterior with a high-grade non-stick interior - between £30 to £40.

But for a bargain - try TK Maxx first.

Most pans are now marked on the base re their compatibility - the induction symbol is a zig-zag or loopy line.

Most cast iron pans will work, as will carbon steel woks, and carbon steel non-stick pans, which is probably the cheapest type of pan you will find.

Or, it could be that it appeals to people who drive Citroens and imagine themselves to be in a Ferrari

I would suggest each individual knows best what s/he actually aspires to in their culinary repertoire.

jannymac

What I have written in relation to such foods, is that they are: "of another world", i.e. they are mainly country fare, and now-a-days, (talking UK here) they are not the kind of foods that most people live on.

I don't know what such foods cost, and I'm not minded to find out, because having eaten such foods when I was younger, I don't recall anything particularly 'special' about such ingredients.

The point I was making, was that it seems to me that the design of market Kitchen is pitched at a minority audience - if the kinds of foods being cooked are anything to go by, that is.

It may be that the idea is to give a "window" on how a minority of people in the UK live, rather than to engage the 'average cook' in the preparation of such foods. There is a 'class' element to such foods and the lifestyle that goes with them - which is not just about how much money you have.

It could also be that the idea is to educate the masses in the ways of "good food". However, if that is the case, then there is the dimension of 'healthy eating' to consider, and if any heed is to be taken of the most recent reports on what foods to avoid, or eat in moderation, (no more than 500g of red meat per week for example) then the 'educative' aspect is somewhat suspect in the quality of advice being given.

It doesn't take a sociologist to work out the relationship between MK fare and some of the presenters. Which I suspect has more to do with how the program is designed than anything else.

What I really wonder about is how the scheme of things was worked out: were the producers approached by someone on behalf of the presenters, and did they then design a program around those presenters?

Or, did the producers sit down and think about what kind of show would appeal to both 'foodie' and mainstream TV audiences?

Most of what I see on MK suggests it must surely have been the former.

Take a program like Ready Steady Cook as an example of what I'm getting at: the theme is to find innovative ways of cooking 'everyday food' in interesting ways and within a short space of time. I think such a theme is one that the majority of people can relate to, which has made the program popular with a wide audience over many years.

With MK, is there really someone, somewhere, deluded enough to think that increasing numbers of people will put pressure on TESCO and ASDA to stock grouse, hare and foie gras? No doubt that would bring the price down!

But actually what I'm saying is not about the costs of such foods, but rather that they are the fare of a minority subculture. It may well be that consumption of such fare is emulated in some of the more expensive eating houses in London - London was recently identified as the most expensive capital in the world to eat, and it was reported that food snobbery was rife.

Market Kitchen makes a rather precocious and pretentious attempt at being classy, but unfortunately falls flat on its face time and time again.

Now I must dash as I need to give my butler the shopping list for his trip to TESCO – he does love foraging amongst the shelves and sees their constant shifting around of foods from aisle to aisle as a real challenge.

toodle-oo

As someone who shops in a supermarket (shame on you!! - I know) Market Kitchen food is: 'of another world'.

Just watched an episode where they lowered their standards enough to allow a bottle of £3.99 wine to cross their lips! AND even admitted it was drinkable!

I just wonder how they come up with such ingredients - do they perhaps sit round in a circle at the end of the day and ask each other to think of a food they have eaten regularly? Hence, Oysters, Foie Gras, Hare, Grouse, Eel, etc, etc.

No doubt this kind of fare, and the preparation of it, goes down well in Windsor.

"One can watch the chappies cooking it without actually having to go down to the kitchens!"

Ridiculous!

I've just asked my butler to turn the wretched program orff!

Looks like Bearnaise really has had her chips then!

Goodbye Bearnaise - I hope you have gone to a happier resting plate

A food processor with a blender combined is a good bet - provided of course he doesn't have one already.

This one is quite good:-

[link]

A Magimix would be even better, but a little more pricey.

Or, this multi is a very useful bit of equipment - if you want to keep the price a bit lower that is:-

[link]

From Scarlet Woman to Joan of Arc, by way of depression of a delete key by a moderator!

The pen (or in this case, the keyboard) is clearly mightier than the sword (or should that be the guillotine?)

How could they?

Do not despair posset, when the chips are down, the only way is up!

There is too much at steak to give up so soon.

Things need to be clarified, but ter, not too obviously.

Egg without white is less conspicuous when beaten gently

Shal lots of us try this at home?

Wine that is not red will add to taste.

Chervil is green, violets are blue, but tarr a gon is best for this rue

Warming gently to avoid splitting keeps all happy together and keen to serve

An interesting idea Grissini.

I was thinking about the future of using induction technology as a method of heating while reducing the use of energy the other day, and it occurred to me that the hob was a very inefficient way of transferring energy to saucepans and similar cooking receptacles.

Why not build induction technology into the base of the pan?

So, no hob.

Just line up the pots and pans on the worktop and plug each one in.

Each pot would have it own temperature control system, from keep warm, through to simmer and boil, plus a 'slow cook' mode, and its own programmable timer. The timer would be easy to set up with a 'delayed' phase built in, so foods that cook more quickly than others could be timed to start at a later point, so that all of the foods arrive at their ultimate cooked state together, or in a predetermined phase as required by the plating up process.

A pot roast version could have an infrared element situated in the lid - so boil, roast and grill/browning would be possible options. I'm also thinking of ways in which steaming, and perhaps the benefits of 'pressure cooking', could be used in combination with boiling.

For the ultimate use of energy I think the water will need to circulate within the pan and this could be designed in such a way that a 'stirring' effect is achieved.

I'm currently stuck on the final phase, which is how to get the darn thing to wash its self up!

awww - "the birds in the trees seem to whisper Béarnaise" - lol

They seek her here, they seek her there, that scarlet Béarnaise, they seek her everywhere!


"Où est la femme écarlate Béarnaise ?"

lol ... bit chilly for a cold shower posset!

It seems so strange that the 'powers that be' have removed your recipe...

Perhaps it was a glitch or a wayward click by a moderator who was having a bad day.

The thing is, it's now like one of those books that gets banned, and everyone wants to see what was in it! Well I do anyway.

Are you going to be daring and post it again?

Perhaps removing any saucy bits first ... lol

As a child I often ate hare, rabbit, and various game, as my mother's family were from the country - in deepest Gloucestershire.

But if you ask for hare in ASDA, I suspect they would give you a funny look and call for security!

Yes, I think "saucy" might have roused a moderator into action posset...

Did you mention any other provocative words, such as "Nigella, warm, sticky, texture, running, through, fingers"?

It's very original posset - I can't think of anyone who has made any attempt to make chips sexy before!

'A'* for originality posset.

“This is not just any old Bernaise sauce – this is posset’s Bernaise sauce served with crispy brown hunky chunky seriously scummy chips!” (said of course in a husky French accent!)

"Ah ces puces sont tellement sexy et délicieux, mon doux Bernaise!”

Cue Procol Harem music with groans of delight!

Heston, move over, posset's chips are the hottest things in town!

No doubt the Hare hotpot would be the main course!

I'm looking forward to the Stirrup Cup and Grouse pastie recipes, which will go down so jolly well on Boxing Day!

Tally Ho!!!

"Could you be so kind as to switch off that flashing blue light - it's frightening my horse!"

Perhaps it was too many calories posset?

Maybe a moderator thought it could encourage someone to exceed their ideal weight, which in turn could threaten the NHS, which in turn could threaten Gordon Brown's chances of getting voted back in at the next election.

Apparently being overweight is a greater threat than Global Warming, so possibly, posting a recipe with a high calorie content might be seen as comparable to the proverbial butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil and causing an avalanche in Switzerland, although in this particular case of course, it would be a wave of fat sweeping through the population of the world.

On the other hand, perhaps a moderator thought: "wow! I'm having that for tea and NO one else is going to share it!"

I do hope you get a more sensible answer than the above posset.

awww come on, do tell?

I won't tell anyone else - I PROMISE!

I'm working on a world beater at the moment - it's a re-cycling bin for kitchen gadgets! An absolute must for Lakeland's to sell.

Anyone like to test out the prototype?

Hi TVFoodie and Posset

Thanks for your replies - two very impressive machines.

When I moved house about three years ago, I threw out my coffee machine because it had been in the cupboard for quite a while - washing the thing out and cleaning it caused me to give way to instant. Then I gave up coffee all together for 18 months because I thought it might be an issue in some health problems I was having.

However, I'm now revisiting coffee, but in two minds about investing in anything too expensive.

At the moment I have gone right back to basics. Earlier this week I bought a hand operated coffee mill - the burr type - and I've bought a cheapie little coffee machine from ARGOS. My intention was to try a cafetiere and to use the machine just for the steam jet, however, having tried the machine out, it seems to work quite well. It doesn't have anything like the 15 bar pressure that is recommended by most baristas, so I'm quite surprised at the positive results.

If I'm still making fresh coffee in a few months time, then I will seriously consider investing in a better machine and I will keep both of your recommendations in mind.

Many thanks for posting up the details - much appreciated.

All the best - hoping you both have a peaceful and relaxing weekend.

gastro

Do you use a coffee machine that you would recommend?

"Yuppies" ... lol

How about Yuppie-ware - plastic sealable containers in every shape and size under the sun and especially made for storing Yuppie-Tuppie food in?

Perhaps we will see the return of Yuppie-Ware parties?

All meet at TPB place - bring a bottle of 19 something - from your own wine cellar of course!

They do say that: "confession is good for the soul" posset, so I'm glad you feel better.

The next time you shop at Lakelands and they say: "did you find everything you wanted today?" - perhaps you should say 'No - I couldn't find the plans for a kitchen extension, so badly needed so that I can find room to store all this stuff!"

I think maybe this syndrome is subject to laws that are beyond our control posset - perhaps similar to Parkinson’s Law and Murphy’s Law - maybe 'Lakelands Law' would be an appropriate title for the unwritten principle that says: "no matter how much cupboard space you have there will be a compulsion to fill it and seek out more!"

No wonder Lakeland staff smile when they say: Did you find everything you wanted *today*?, because they must be thinking: " today maybe, but you Will be Back!"

But don’t worry posset, because you’re not alone, I feel sure Lakeland’s Law has a grip on a substantial percentage of the population.

No point in trying to fight it, just try to contain it, if you can find the cupboard space that is!

Well posset, there's always the garage? The loft? Perhaps a conservatory? Under the stairs? How about a shed? The ultimate of course is to move into a bigger house!

I feel sure that if you put your mind to this problem of storage then you will come up with a solution posset - even if it is only a temporary one!

I said to my son only the other day, that if he decides to open up a restaurant later on, not to worry about having to buy pans because I have dozens of them - don't ask me why, because I can't come up with a sensible answer!

We went to Lakeland's last week and I nearly bought a wok with a pro-metal non-stick finish - it was reduced by £10 - I already have two carbon steel woks, a cast iron wok, and a wok with a hard-anodised non-stick finish!!!

On that occasion I did manage to resist - however, I think people must have wondered why I was stood motionless staring at a wok with a torn look on my face! I did a couple of laps around the various shelves and then when I got near the door I made myself go through it.

Hopefully, next time I visit Lakelands it will be gone, but no doubt there will be other temptations to fight against.

Have a good weekend posset - bet I can guess what's for tea on Sunday ...lol

Although I have a ricer, I don't always use it, because depending on the dish, I think there are better alternative ways of preparing the potatoes ('better' being a subjective term of course).

For example, with Toad-in-the Hole, I lightly crush the potatoes with a masher while adding chopped spring onion.

But if making Cottage Pie, I find the ricer is the best tool for the job, because not only is the potato lump free and evenly processed, the ricer enables the potato to be evenly applied over the top of the mince, and the end result looks neat and quite professional, imo.

With other dishes, I think the texture of the potatoes is best left slightly grainy as it compliments the other veg and meat, if served.

Personally, I have reservations about overworking potatoes and turning them into a creamy puree - if salt, milk, and butter are added, then the result may well have a pleasant taste, but I think it's easy to lose the actual taste of the potatoes. The end result resembling a creamy tasting baby food - no offence intended to anyone who likes their potatoes presented that way.

Obviously it comes down to personal preference, and how tasty the potatoes or vegetables are in the first place - some of the veg sold today is so bland and tasteless that adding salt, milk and butter, and any other suitable extra that you might have in the fridge, is the best way of presenting it.

The other reason I can think of for the popularity of turning potatoes into puree is that it can then be piped and it looks chefy. Small portion sizes attractively presented are clearly good for business.

What I really like about the ricer is that it processes potatoes with minimal effort and avoids overworking the potatoes.

As a thread indicated some time back, the ricer is quite a versatile tool and can be used for making noodles, squeezing water from things like spinach; with some foil added, it can be used as a burger press, squeezing the juice out of fruit, etc, etc.

There are quite a few kitchen accessories that I have bought and which live at the back of a cupboard, but my ricer is definitely not one of them.

I know just what you mean.

As someone else on these boards said, the best way is to go in blindfolded and with a note ... lol

I have a Lakeland ricer too, and I think it's very good value for money. It comes with three interchangable discs and you can use it for noodles/spaetzle. It comes apart easily, which is good for the purposes of cleaning and washing up.

Lakeland give a lifetime guarantee of satisfaction, and for something that costs £9.99, I think that's pretty amazing.


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The same make and model here but much cheaper:-

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The black one further down the page looks as if might have a better slider.


These look pretty sturdy and well made:-

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As you go up the price range you could buy a food processor for similar money, which would be safer and more versatile:-

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That's a very good price, and I would say the FP-950 is a great choice. If you can stretch to the 5 year on site warranty, that would make it an excellent buy, imo.

These two might be considered mid price range:-

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Kenwood do an insurance plan, and for a one-off payment of around £30, you can cover the machine for on-site repair - including accidental damage - for 5 years.

Just to start the ball rolling, how would either of these fit into your price range?

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The Magimix is, in my opinion, top of the range for domestic use, and the Kenwood is as cheap as I would advise you to go.

If you can give a clue as to how much you want to spend, and what capacity it needs to be, that would help?

You will find the above models cheaper elsewhere, but Lakeland offer just about the best after-sales service there is, and a lifetime guarantee of satisfaction.

I hope you won't mind if I add a thought TheHowser, even though I don't have a KitchenAid.

Kenwood have quite a large range of mixers, which is reflected in the build, and in the price - so if you are comparing KA with Kenwood, I would suggest comparing like with like in terms of price range, build quality, and individual appliance specification.

The Kenwood Major range, which includes the more powerful and quieter mixers, starts at around £300.

Kenwood also include in the box the option to take out an insurance on the machines for on-site repair for a period of 5 years - at a very reasonable charge considering the average call-out fee for home repair on a domestic appliance these days. It also covers accidental damage.

Kenwood also have a very impressive service back-up department and you can still get parts for machines that go back some years. You can also pick up the wide range of accessories on ebay (such as the mincer attachment, etc, for a few pounds - absolute snips!).

I'm not trying to persuade you in either direction, because I think KA and Kenwood are both very good machines.

I have no connection with Kenwood either - other than owning one of their mixers.

KA have a trendy image because people like Nigella and James Martin use them on screen - which to be honest is not something that particularly influences me one way or another. But if I was looking for guidance from celeb chef endorsement, I would take account of the fact that Heston Blumenthal uses a Kenwood on screen, and if anyone knows what makes for a good mixer in practice when cooking, and in terms of build quality, it's him.

Kitchen Aid are very well made machines, and whichever you choose, I doubt that you will be disappointed. I just thought having a few extra details about Kenwood might help with your decision-making.

Good luck with your purchase, and all the best.

I'm hoping that more than the pretzel drops soon posset: I have my fingers crossed for Hilary Clinton.

Also hope Steph Davis (can't be the snooker player as it's with a ph) is doing OK with those pretzels.

Hoping you have a good weekend posset - all the best,
gastro.

I hope not posset - holding a grown man upside down while slapping on the back is hard work!

Maybe if he did the same thing as a kid, someone tried that manoeuvre and dropped him on his head? It could explain quite a lot!

I wonder how the OP is getting on with his blooming chocolate pretzels?

Confusification of bodily coordinatory responses eh posset?

Hi littlepeatage

Nisbets oven-cloths are of a very high quality and great value for money - I feel sure you won't be disappointed.

All the best.

gastro