@mountainman bob I love how you refuse to act your age. You are a shining example to us all 🙂
BTW how big is this patio that it doesn't make sense to rent the saw?
BTW how big is this patio that it doesn't make sense to rent the saw?
Our air fryer gets used nearly as much as the microwave. I keep large bags of frozen tots or fries and the kids will make themselves a portion in a couple minutes that are way better than the microwave and more convenient than the oven. I roasted peanuts in the shell just the other day. Hot fresh peanuts are a great snack. Roasted garlic for other dishes not needing the oven, kale chips, flour tortilla chips or bowls for taco salad, roasting bones for stock or marrow. Lots of uses.
Throwing down some tri-tip tonight with my super secret seasoning mix, creamy mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus.
Got a good sized piece, just about 4lbs. Should feed the crew.
Got a good sized piece, just about 4lbs. Should feed the crew.
BTW how big is this patio that it doesn't make sense to rent the saw?
Bite your tongue young fella.
Bite your tongue young fella.
Pan seared, added a little more fat and fresh herbs, then finished in the oven to 125°F for a perfect medium rare.
Right before going in the oven.
Right before going in the oven.
Well we all have to do capex/opex calculations on some things 🙂. Unless of course you are a fully paid up member of the 'who dies with most toys wins'. I do have a friend like that. My wife is happy I did not like him move to the states permanently. He's just buying a new place which as far as I can tell has 6 acres full of coyotes and all the gophers you can eat. I was shocked when he told me how much replacing the septic system was.
Back on track. Tonight was Jam making. Kids have settled on strawberry for now which suits me as quick and easy to make. They finished the chocolate ice cream so need to make some vanilla over the weekend.
Oh and the bread pron has made me get experimental so been trying some rye added into the mix to see if the kids will still eat it. Experiment 1 good, 2 good. experiment 3 collapsed after rising a bit so I need to back the rye and wholemeal down an ounce* and add a dribble more water and see what comes out.
* everything is grams in the house except bread. I have the old fashioned scales and weights and it's just so much quicker to mix up 1lb of flour from the bags that way.
Try upping the water a bit, rye likes water. Also it's higher in amylase enzyme which will make it rise faster and peak time will be shorter. When I add rye in I generally back my target rise percentage down 5-10 so I don't overproof. Also, if you do overproof, add oil and make focaccia with it! I've done as much as 100% hydration with 50% rye bread and could still shape and handle it reasonably.
Speaking of which, I need to mix up some dough now.
Speaking of which, I need to mix up some dough now.
It turns out my daughter and her husband have been make sourdough with their own starter. They are visiting in two weeks and bringing me some starter. We will make bread as a learning experience.
Awesome! I was going to offer sending you some of mine if you needed or were having trouble. Be sure to post your results when you get going!
Good luck!
Keep water warm but not very hot when mixing flour with starter.
For better results use chlorine-free water.
During the kneading you let the dough rest for a while and repeat the kneading. Make sure to keep the dough covered with a film or a wet towel in between the kneading intervals. Do the same when you have finished kneading and leave for several hours in a warm place until it doubles in volume. For the final process described above, you have transferred the dough to the pan where you are going to bake it. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Before transferring it to the oven,make several deep holes in the dough,using a wide knife.Depending on the thickness of the doug bake it for an hour or more.
When the bread comes out of the oven, brush the top surface with water using a pastry brush.
Good appetite!
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Experiment 1 was with more water and rose beautifully but almost too well. There is a point where the bread crumbles after 2 days (and it gets to large to fit in the kids packed lunch boxes). So I am close. More importantly family stil eat it!
Not food related but to answer your questions Bill, the patio is to be 30’x15’ with three 7’ block walls (will be more like courtyard setup) with paver stone under foot……..I reckon it kindly is food related as there will be a fireplace with a pizza oven above it and a open pit bbq to the side. As to renting vs buying, at the pace I move its much cheaper to buy, its only $350 for the saw and blade, it reviewed well and has a 90 day money back satisfaction warranty…..only problem is the blade shipped separately and has not arrived with no set delivery date!
On a more food related note all this sourdough talk had me talk a neighbor into bringing starter over Sunday for a tutorial…..they said I needed a dutch oven and since our other ones got left with the kids in NC when we moved south I went and got this from the hardware store yesterday, these dang things ain’t cheap…..$80!
As for not acting my age…….not quite ready for the rocking chair yet! I’ll be 60 soon and trying to get the big stuff out of the way before arthritis takes over fully!
Edit; before any smart aleck says ‘but Bob those are the wrong kind of block for a free standing wall’ I’ll explain that I got 700+ of them for $1 apiece so my redneck engineering degree says they’ll work just fine alternated the way they are stacked in that pile. The seam over brick part will be a little wonky but I believe we can gitter done! 😎
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Last week was tough. Stayed at a hotel/suite with microwave, fridge, sink and coffee pot.... the only "hot" food I had was a microwave burrito at 11PM when I got there. The damn place shuts down at 10PM, the only "supermarket" opened was a gas station food mart.
No stereo systems, just IEMs and the portable DAC. At least it can play Tidal Masters.... like the 400 LPs in the phone.
Anyhow, I did a run to Whole Foods the next evening and I did OK. Made salads, ate good cheeses, cold cuts, (lots of) apples, chips, salsa, good IPA and even a bottle of red wine.
At the end I had extra food, so I made myself food for the trip back. It was good eating good food on the long flights. They only serve you... hmm... nothing really.
On Friday, I decided to try out their "famous chili".... OK, I wanted chili... I guess when you pile on the cheese, it's OK. It made a good taco salad...
Then you got a picture of the best meal you could get at the O'Hare food court. IMHO, I'd rather have my own cooked food than most of the crap they serve out there. The double shot in the dark was well done as well. Bravo!
Played Grateful Dead and Zappa on the last flight, drank some wine.
No stereo systems, just IEMs and the portable DAC. At least it can play Tidal Masters.... like the 400 LPs in the phone.
Anyhow, I did a run to Whole Foods the next evening and I did OK. Made salads, ate good cheeses, cold cuts, (lots of) apples, chips, salsa, good IPA and even a bottle of red wine.
At the end I had extra food, so I made myself food for the trip back. It was good eating good food on the long flights. They only serve you... hmm... nothing really.
On Friday, I decided to try out their "famous chili".... OK, I wanted chili... I guess when you pile on the cheese, it's OK. It made a good taco salad...
Then you got a picture of the best meal you could get at the O'Hare food court. IMHO, I'd rather have my own cooked food than most of the crap they serve out there. The double shot in the dark was well done as well. Bravo!
Played Grateful Dead and Zappa on the last flight, drank some wine.
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So I got home... decided that, being 'cold', we'd make japanese soups... yum!
Pictures... home and a winter melon soup.... not pictured, the champuru from last night. Plan for tonite... take the leftover winter melon soup, add corn or white beans, microwave, on top of rice. Make a good salad. Champuru on the side.
Played some tunes.
It's good to be home.
Pictures... home and a winter melon soup.... not pictured, the champuru from last night. Plan for tonite... take the leftover winter melon soup, add corn or white beans, microwave, on top of rice. Make a good salad. Champuru on the side.
Played some tunes.
It's good to be home.
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Oh this was in the car... WTH is it?
Flying into SoCal in the winter is always a shock. You fly from places that are grey, brown.... dark... then you fly over the biggest desert in North America... then.. WHAM! You go over Victorville and drop 5000 feet above a landscape of lush greens and broad freeways. Even at night, the place shines, it's bright, there's people moving about, there's activity.
It's always great to come home. The Duke watches over us.
Yeah, I don't fly into LAX.
Flying into SoCal in the winter is always a shock. You fly from places that are grey, brown.... dark... then you fly over the biggest desert in North America... then.. WHAM! You go over Victorville and drop 5000 feet above a landscape of lush greens and broad freeways. Even at night, the place shines, it's bright, there's people moving about, there's activity.
It's always great to come home. The Duke watches over us.
Yeah, I don't fly into LAX.
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@mountainman bob: at $350 that is a no brainer. I'd assumed you were going for a big hairy chested gas powered husky. My Dad's business used to sell gas concrete saws amongst other things and they scared the heck out of 11 year old me. Mind you learned to drive in a half ton dumper.
Hope you've measured the bbq pit for a full hog roast just in case 🙂
Hope you've measured the bbq pit for a full hog roast just in case 🙂
In fish news saw an article today about the Main eel industry and how much elvers sell for. Per pound it's huge, per slimy critter less impressive. Eel has gone out of fashion here since we are somewhat short of them these days but pubs round here still have old pictures of the wicker eel baskets from the days they were there to be caught. Anyone an eel afficianado?