Questions on a few kitchen items

[Atomic Punk]

Food Processors - I read a review about them and the Cuisinart line seems to be the way to go. I figure I would spend around $200 for a decent one in the future.

Butcher's String - Can't you just use 100% cotton twine instead, as it is just twine with a cool name? I'm guessing somebody may know of a factory in the U&L that created it and makes the BEST string there is due to the climate being perfect for twine plants. No idea. Actually I do, but the Andy Rooney thing makes me ponder this topic.

Knives - I see Emeril, Alton, etc. use these on the Food Network and they look like Ginzus with the side channels.

Cutting boards - I see those cool looking ones they use. I have a 14" round of pine the Chinese importer in San Fransisco sent with my wok and wok implements. They say that those pine rounds naturally kill the bacteria and when they start cracking, to soak them in water. So far it works like a champ but doesn't look all cool like those 24" x 24" things the TV chefs use.

Those bottles with the spout you see pouring the EVOO - I'm sure there is a name for it. Does EVOO go bad in the bottle with the open spout, or does it come with a cap or cork to keep the fat from going rancid after usage?

NaCl aka Salt - Since the metallic taste of iodine in table salt is nasty but is for thyroid function, is it preferred you use Kosher salt for cooking and sea salt for use instead of a table salt? To clarify, is kosher better to cook with than sea salt? Then, do you use the coarse or fine for cooking. I see them using pepper mills for grinding, but the metal will corrode. So why not just stay away from the coarse version of the rock-type kosher salt?

///////////////

I will add to this list as I absorb more info from these shows.

TIA

[Mikey]

What can I say

Let's see...

I've got a little food processor. It'll to two cans of garbanzos when I'm making hummos, and it'll do a pretty good salsa. Great for grating up some parmesan and I've been known to do a pretty deece pesto in that thing. I'm not sure what the brand is, and it would be nice if it had three times the capacity, but WTF, I don't have the space for a big one anyway.

Butcher's string...I don't know and I've wondered too. I have a need for it about once every two or three years. I've got a big roll of cotton twine that I've used without killing anybody so far.

I've got a cheap set of Cuisine de France knives that I inherited from my mom about 12 years ago. I've added a few pieces here and there. I'd like to have an expensive set of German steel, but these seem to do the job OK and I have higher priorities right now...like figuring out if we can send our daughter to USC or UCI.

We recently bought a couple of bamboo cutting boards at the grocery store, 12 x 12 and 12 x 24 I think. They look nice when oiled and seem to "work" OK (what's the diff between a cutting board that works and one that doesn't?). Don't know about antibacterial properties or anything, but I still usually use the old plastic board when cutting up chicken or pork, etc.

EVOO usually comes in a dark green bottle. If it pours OK there's no reason to put it into anything else. Keep it in a cool place in the dark and it will have a pretty long shelf life.

Lately I've been using the kosher salt from Morton's to cook with. I pour some into my hand and add it by pinches. It's just easier to see how much you're using that way, IMHO. All those expensive fancy salts, like smoked, and whatever. Never used them, but they may be worthwhile. I just don't know, there's too many other things to think about.

[Headhunter]

Food Processors. - Cuisinart is the way to go here. I've got 2. A 14 cup PowerPrep, and a 2 cup MiniPrep. I've also got the blades and attatchments for the 14 cup. It's absolute money! Having a mini one is also very handy for smaller jobs, as cleanup is much easier.

Butchers twine - http://www.chefscatalog.com/catalog/pro ... =7w3pfd307 buy one of these. it's 8 bucks. twine is like 3 bucks. Quit being a cheap ass fucker and using kite string. Let me see if I've got this straight, you've got $200 for a food processor, but can't spring $3.99 for twine?

Knives - buy the absolute best you can afford. Most people go cheap here, but they miss out big time. I've got a 10 pc set of J.A. Henckels 4 star. Awesome knives. But at a minimum, get a good Chef's knife and a good carving knife. The type you've seen Emeril using are wustoff's. Also quality stuff. The specific serrated and grooved knife you've described is a Santoku style. Most major knife manufacturers will have a version. If you're on a budget, buy the block, and a knife or two in the style you like and add them one at a time. Also (and Mikey, you should know better) NEVER put a quality knife on a plastic cutting board. NEVER. It'll fuck up the edge. Natural wood gives a little, and allows the knife to actualy cut into the surface, thus sparing the small serrations which actually make the knife sharp. Also, conventional wisdom that plastic is safer than plastic for bacteria has been debated in the last few years. There are competing studies that show both plastic and wood to hold more bacteria.

Cutting boards. - Wood. end of story! and get some mineral oil to rub on it. it will help maintain the moisture level of the wood, and will go rancid like a vegetable oil would. I have several cutting boards of various sizes. depending on your counter space (I have a lot) you'll find the more the merrier. At least get a good large one, and a small utility board for quick jobs. It also helps to have at least two so you can seperate meats from veggies during prep time.

for an EVOO bottle, if you like them, just make sure the spout has a little ball in it. You can find these at any liquor store. the ball rolls forward to allow oil out, and back to seal it from the air.


Salt. Yes please. And as many differnt varieties as possible. I like sea salt for cooking and breads. Sel Gris as a finishing salt (Expensive), good old mortons for making rubs, Garlic salts, etc. I also like the cheap disposable sea salt grinders you can find at the grocery store. No metal parts to corrode.


Hope this helps.

[Ken]

Dunno enough about food processors to comment.

I'm quite certain you can just use cotton twine.

Not sure what your question is regarding the knives. I will say this, I've found that if you buy a middle of the road set and be sure to sharpen them before every use, they'll last for quite some time. 'Swat I do w/mine and they still cut very, very well.

Cutting boards- Not sure about the pine acting as an anti-bacterial agent. If you are cutting meats, usually wood cutting boards aren't the best choice as there are too many nooks and crannies (from prior use) that can harbor harmful bacteria. Use a synthetic board for meats. Back to wood boards... Generally speaking, the heavier the board, the better the quality. Additionally, the ones that are made by glueing together multiple cross-sections of small blocks of wood are regarded as very high quality... as opposed to a flat board.



Expect to pay a mint for a high quality board like this though. I've always heard that soaking a wooden cutting board in water is a no-no. Always wipe clean with a damp cloth rather than soaking. This should suffice anyways since you aren't supposed to cut meats on them.

Not sure about the spouted bottles for oil. Olive oil can go rancid, but not sure that having an airtight closure is the answer. I think it goes rancid regardless, so the container it is in makes no difference.

Not sure about the salt. Never really knew the diff between Kosher, sea, and table salt.

[Headhunter]

If you are cutting meats, usually wood cutting boards aren't the best choice as there are too many nooks and crannies (from prior use) that can harbor harmful bacteria. Use a synthetic board for meats.

These folks counter that claim

http://faculty.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/facul ... gboard.htm

It revealed that those using wooden cutting boards in their home kitchens were less than half as likely as average to contract salmonellosis (odds ratio 0.42, 95% confidence interval 0.22-0.81), those using synthetic (plastic or glass) cutting boards were about twice as likely as average to contract salmonellosis (O.R. 1.99, C.I. 1.03-3.85); and the effect of cleaning the board regularly after preparing meat on it was not statistically significant (O.R. 1.20, C.I. 0.54-2.68). We know of no similar research that has been done anywhere, so we regard it as the best epidemiological evidence available to date that wooden cutting boards are not a hazard to human health, but plastic cutting boards may be.

[Dinsdale]

You people don't disinfect the cutting board after using it?


Consider yourselves freaking nasty.


I can make a multiple piece cutting board like Ken describes for...oh, about $0.25, give or take. Plus the added expense of bribing the guy at the cabinet shop to run it through the planer, which is a boatload easier than using a belt sander(since my belt sander blows fat ass).


Knives...Saladmaster freaking rules...if you don't mind taking out a second mortgage for knives. While I currently don't have any to brag about (not sure how that works in the U&L, Land of Cutlery), I seem to recall scoring a bitchin set of Kershaw kitchen knives...I think I gave them away. Kershaw is right down the road, and every year around Thanksgiving, they have a massive factory sale and blow out the old stock. Can usually get out of there with a full set of top-of-the-liners in a block for about $50 or so...which is nice, but they end up as gifts. Gerber is just about walking distance for me, but I haven't been in that place in years...corporate sellouts(to Fiskars). Benchmade are the knives to end all knives, but I don't think they offer nearly the lines of household stuff...although if you need a switchblade, they're the best (don't laugh, my buddy used an automatic knife in the kitchen for years...because he's HARDCORE!).



Sea salt usually has a really nice flavor (is "flavor" the correct term for a spice?). It's only in recent years I've been enlightened to sea salt.

Olive oil...put it in a booze bottle with a booze pourer spout...duh. Wine bottle works, too.

[Headhunter]

You people don't disinfect the cutting board after using it?


Consider yourselves freaking nasty.

I've always thought the same thing when people talk about using seperate boards for pork only because of trichinosis.

What, you don't own soap and a sponge?


I guess we need to add soap, water, and a sponge to the list of kitchen essentials. Perhaps even a pinch of shame for living like a troglodyte.

[Dinsdale]

I hear you can catch "stomach flu" from a dirty cutting board.


Sin,



.....awww, fuckit, I'm out

[Headhunter]

I was expecting that as your lead off post, quite frankly.


And Dins, If you've recently been enlightened to Sea Salt, have you tried Sel Gris (grey Salt) or it's big brother (much better, and more expensive) Fleur de Sel. They are hand picked in France and contain high levels of minerals (thus the grey color).

I promise you, it's worth the money. It's a fininshing salt (ie table salt, not typically used in cooking) and it rocks. Sel Gris is almost as good, and a fair bit cheaper.

[Ken]

You people don't disinfect the cutting board after using it?

Well... I WOULD if I used it for meats. But, like I said, you shouldn't and I don't use my wooden board for meats. If I cut fruit/veggies and such on it, then I rinse it good and wipe it w/a damp cloth.

[trev]

Back in the day my brother in law sold us a set of Cutco knives I've been using but never impressed with. I've recently replaced just about everything in the kitchen. Henkels and Chicago Cutlery were top rated knives. Henkels were pricey, I went with Chicago Cutlery. I'm very happy with. Love their steak knives too.

I have a brand new Cuisinart FP in the box. I need to know what it's good for besides Pesto. That's about all I like making in a FP. I grate everything by hand, easier clean up. I make salad dressings in the blender. So you all give me your food processing uses.

Cutting boards, I collect. It's the only thing I really collect. I have about 10. Or so. Not really what some would consider a huge collection, but I'm not a pack rat. I think dins should send us all a cutting board for being his friend all these years.

Salt. I wasn't impressed with any particular salt. Tried different ones. Salt is salt.

Olive oil. I bought one of those misters. It's alright. When watching amounts of oil, it's good. But since olive oil is healthy, why worry about amounts. I get whatever's on sale.

[Donovan]

I have a brand new Cuisinart FP in the box. I need to know what it's good for besides Pesto. That's about all I like making in a FP. I grate everything by hand, easier clean up. I make salad dressings in the blender. So you all give me your food processing uses.

I use mine all the time for hummous, salsa and tapenade.

[Headhunter]

Trev, did you get the set of blades as well?

One thing I use mine for a lot is slicing chicken/beef/pork very thin and quickly for stir fry. The FP makes stir fry very fast. It also use the slicing blade to make thin cuts of carrots, as well as the broccoli stems.

If you don't have a stand mixer, you can use it to make dough as well. I had my FP first, but the stand mixer does a better job.

Cheese cakes in the FP are pretty clutch as well.

My guess is that you use your blender for a lot of things you could use the FP for.


What capacity FP did you get?

[ppanther]

Food Processor: I have an 11-cup and a mini-prep (both Cuisinart). I love them!! I use the FP for obvious things like pesto and hummus, but my favorite application is pastry. If you like making pie crusts, biscuits, scones, anything that requires cutting in fat (but not kneading), the best crusts are made in the FP. I also like it for making fresh pasta and simple bread doughs (like pizza dough) -- if uber-complexity isn't required, it does as good a job as the stand mixer (but in a shorter period of time) at kneading the dough. I use the FP to grind nuts, grate parmesan, make spreads, make some sauces, etc. It is definitely not wasted space on the counter.

Butcher's String: I have a spool, but I didn't have any 'cotton twine' lying around before I bought it. But seriously, it's not exactly super-expensive or anything. You can buy small packs or you can get a spool. I've used it often enough.

Knives: I seriously think that skimping on knives makes for a much less enjoyable cooking experience. I have Henkel's Professional S... I bought a block with 5 knives including an 8" chef's knife, a carving knife, paring, shears, and a small serrated. I have since added a bread knife, a santoku, and a granton edge 8" chef's knife (my favorite). You don't necessarily need to spend a ton of $$ to get good knives... but seriously, just splurge on a good chef's knife and you'll probably be won over to the whole set. With good knives, cutting/chopping doesn't feel nearly as much like a chore.

Cutting boards: I use a 12 x 24 bamboo block for all non-meats, and a 12 x 24 plastic board for meats. I see your link, HH, but I still have a hard time imagining cutting raw chicken and then moving on to things that may be in a raw salad. Every time I use the plastic cutting board, it goes into the dishwasher, where it gets virtually sterilized. Whaddaya know, no "stomach flu" in my home in YEARS...

I have a bottle for my EVOO. We go through it super fast and have no reason to fear rancidity. We have a huge can of it and refill the bottle as needed, generally every 2-3 weeks. You can get bottles with pour spouts for cheap at BB&B or Cost Plus.

Salt: I use kosher for all cooking, EXCEPT when baking sweets. I use table salt for that. I hate the iodine taste in large quantities but it is not enough to bother me for baking. At the very least, you should use a finely ground salt for baking, because it is easier to measure accurately and easier to disperse into whatever you're baking. When cooking, as I said, kosher only -- sea salt is nice for things that will have a distinct salt flavor. I have some hawaiian sea salt and some basic coarse sea salt. A hint, if you are convinced that sea salts are crucial to the flavors of your foods: look for them in places like ethnic markets. The hawaiian sea salt I have was like $10 for a tiny vial at a gourmet food store... it was $2.99 for 5 times more at a Japanese market. For me, kosher salt is perfect for 98% of all cooking applications. I have it in a salt cellar and measure in pinches.

[PSUFAN]

Butcher's String

Leave Cinder's bikini out of this.



sorry, had to be done...

[Headhunter]

Just to clarify, I don't use the same board to cut chicken, and then start slicing veggies. I'm like a slimmed down version of Trev. I have 5 cutting boards that I use for various tasks. It's just that every last one of them is wooden. And it's not because of the threat of "Mikey's revenge." I won't disrespect my knives by putting them on plastic. I'm very anal about my knives. I also won't run them through the dishwasher, which is another cutlery taboo, but that doesn't mean I slice through a raw pork chop and then slice you some cheescake without a little soap being introduced into the equation.

[ppanther]

I only use my plastic board for meats... I'm not too worried about wrecking my knives by using them for such a limited application. Speaking practically from experience, my knives don't dull quickly.

[Dinsdale]

I'm like a slimmed down version of Trev.

So is Rosie O'Donnell...


Point?

[trev]

I have the 7 cup. It came with a dough blade, a chopping blade, a shredder disc and a slicing disc. HH, I like the stir fry cutting idea. I despise hand cutting meat.

[Headhunter]

Put it in the freezer for a few minutes before slicing. Just enough to firm up. Gives you better slices without shredding the meat!

[Atomic Punk]

Ah, good input...

I have a notepad with tips from Alton and Emeril. In it I wrote down the word "granton" as the knife with the side dents. Then I looked up the pics of granton and santoku and see the 8" rounded end granton Alton Brown was talking about.

They both come in different shapes and sizes and look similar. What's the difference between the usage of the santoku and granton?

Also, HH, I've seen the various pimp ads for "butcher's string" online for the price you've mentioned. If all it is is cotton twine then why mail order the shit? I'll bet Home Depot has it in the Hardware section, aisle 13 three bays from the end on the right for around $2. Just a rumor...

Disinfection: Get a spray bottle and add 1 cup white vinegar and 3 cups water and there you go. That'll take care of them pesky germs on your cutting boards, floors, toilets, whatever. Simple.

[ppanther]

I have a notepad with tips from Alton and Emeril. In it I wrote down the word "granton" as the knife with the side dents. Then I looked up the pics of granton and santoku and see the 8" rounded end granton Alton Brown was talking about.

They both come in different shapes and sizes and look similar. What's the difference between the usage of the santoku and granton?

"Granton Edge" means it has those grooves on the sides of the blade. The grooves reduce surface friction and make it super easy to cut things that tend to "grab"... meats, tomatoes, things that you've noticed knives mutilating in the past. Granton edges provide a very noticeable difference, which is why it's the one I pick up every time I cook.

I prefer the chef's knife to the santoku because it has a more natural/balanced weight in my hand. Also, the blade is curved slightly which allows for 'rocking' over food for chopping. The santoku has a straight blade.

Also, I just noticed HH's comments on knives... neither my chef's knives nor my santoku are serrated. I don't like serrated knives for anything but bread (aside from tableware like steak knives).

On to butcher's twine... you can buy it at any kitchen store (Bed Bath and Beyond, Linens & Things, Cost Plus, any nicer store like Sur La Table, places like that) and it's cheap. I'd probably get that for kitchen use mainly because it's a) clean for use in food and b) heat-safe. Don't be a cheapskate, it's under $5 and will last you years.

[Atomic Punk]

Thanks for the insight on the butcher's string pp. I shall do that.

Here is a pic page on the granton edge:

http://images.google.com/images?q=grant ... a=N&tab=wi

Here is a pic page on the santoku edge:

http://images.google.com/images?q=santo ... a=N&tab=wi

I don't understand the difference in the slots' functions between the two when looking at those pages.

I'll take your work on the granton but there are various types there. The one Alton used on filleting a tenderloin was the one at the top that I referred to earlier.

If I was going to get one super knife for cutting meat, tomotoes, etc. what would it look like?

TIA

[ppanther]

The granton edge Chef's knife...

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=1 ... rch+Images

That is what I would recommend.

The most important knife to own is a chef's knife. (Or a santoku, if you prefer it.)

[Dinsdale]

http://www.wecook.com/saladmaster/produ ... at=cutlery


After you make your first million or so, talk to these folks.


Knew someone who used to peddle Saladmaster. Absolutely insane products. Just about bouth a fishing knive set from them, but even that was just ungodly expensive.

Another buddy has a hand-crank grater(like the one on that page) that I think was a wedding gift to his folks...about 50 years ago or some shit. Perfect condition, after decades of heavy use.

The cookware is stackable, and you can pile a whole meal on one burner, if you time it all right.


I notice they don't show prices on that site. I'm guessing it's due to liability issues, since people probably die from shock when they see it...the price tag isn't messing around.


BUT...it's the kitchen shit to end all kitchen shit(from the Good Ol' USA).

[Headhunter]

neither my chef's knives nor my santoku are serrated.

Au contraire...


Unless you have a super polished edge (which is very difficult and time consuming to achieve) your knives have "micro-serrations". My Chef's knife is not serrated, but it has thousands of micro serrations. This is what makes a knife sharp. Those micro serrations act like teeth on a saw. Although you can't see them, they are there. They are also what makes a knife sharp. When you put a blade against a hard, unforgiving surface these serrations are dulled if not destroyed over time, thus requiring more frequent sharpening, and shortening the life of the knife without professionla sharpening services.


It is for that reason alone that I will not use plastic.


Some of the composite boards are actually soft enough to give (cut/scratch) and lessen this effect. But again, I am extremely anal about my knives.

[ppanther]

I don't know...

I have done a search and can't find anything about my knives having 'micro serrations'. I found 'precision honed' and 'ice hardened' and something about a laser, but nothing about serrations of any kind.

It seems counter-intuitive to me that something with micro-serrations would recommend the use of a honing steel. I might be wrong here, but I'm going to need some proof.

Assuming you are correct, wouldn't it nevertheless be misleading to label a Chef's Knife or Santoku with a (visibly, at the very least) smooth edge "serrated"? I can nearly guarantee that if you tell someone to go buy a serrated knife, they're not going to contemplate the possibility that microscopic serrations not visible to the naked eye might count.

Don't forget the proof. Henckel's Professional "S". Give it to me.

p.s.... I am anal about my knives to a point. I don't let people cut anything but food with them, and I don't let anyone cut on any surface BUT a cutting board... but ya know, if the knife just can't retain a sharp edge after 10 years of use, I'll just try to be strong when I shell out $100 for a new one.

[Dinsdale]

In the sense that HH is using "micro serrations," then yes, in fact, all knives are "serrated."


If you need "proof," grab yourself a microscope...a picture is worth a thousand words...more than a thousand, if I'm the one writing the caption.

[ppanther]

I'd still like proof, but like I said, I could be wrong... I've never looked at my knives under a microscope.

The specific serrated and grooved knife you've described is a Santoku style.

Microscopic technicalities aside, I don't think I'd ever describe a Santoku knife as 'serrated'... at least none I've ever seen. If you do, you might as well describe all knives as 'serrated'. And honestly, people generally use the term for knives that have visible serrations.

Just sayin'.

[Goober McTuber]

I'd still like proof, but like I said, I could be wrong... I've never looked at my knives under a microscope.

This guy has:

http://www3.telus.net/BrentBeach/Sharpen/qx3.html

[ppanther]

I'd still like proof, but like I said, I could be wrong... I've never looked at my knives under a microscope.

This guy has:

http://www3.telus.net/BrentBeach/Sharpen/qx3.html

That's pretty cool!

I still wouldn't call my knives serrated, though, even if they do have microscopic teeth. Mostly because a 'serrated' knife already has a widely accepted meaning.

[indyfrisco]

It never amazes me how, even in the face of proof, some won't say "Hmm...guess I was wrong."

[indyfrisco]

I did like this note though...

I recently bought a new knife made by "J.A.Henckels" which was labelled "German Stainless Steel" and "MADE IN CHINA".

[Dinsdale]

It never amazes me how, even in the face of proof, some won't say "Hmm...guess I was wrong."

To be fair...usuing "serrated" to describe all knives would be fairly pointless, no?

[indyfrisco]

Literally speaking? Yes. Technically speaking? No.

I fully expect a from pp tho.

[ppanther]

Literally speaking? Yes. Technically speaking? No.

I fully expect a from pp tho.

Well see, Dinsdale got my point... and you apparently did not.

Shocking. ;)

[Goober McTuber]

What you really want are knives that are sec-rated, which would mean they’re the bestest knives of all, even though they’re mostly used to cut butter.

[indyfrisco]

What you really want are knives that are sec-rated, which would mean they’re the bestest knives of all, even though they’re mostly used to cut butter.

Rack it, SEC-Rated Ballsucking Homer style.

[ppanther]

What you really want are knives that are sec-rated, which would mean they’re the bestest knives of all, even though they’re mostly used to cut butter.

With my meager means, I can only dream of owning knives like that. Seriously.

Indy, if someone asked you to differentiate between the blades of a (good) chef's knife and a bread knife, would you say "Well, they're both serrated, it's just that the bread knife has big giant serrations your eyes can actually SEE, whereas the chef's knife has little teeny teeth but you'd need a microscope to see them, so basically the one is BIG serrated and the other is TEENY serrated!"

No wait, that would require you using the term 'whereas' and I don't think that word is available in small town grocery stores very often.

[Ken]

No worries, pp. The rest of us got it.