Recent content by ParishKitchen

Sorry to chime in so late, but I think one thing we need to keep in mind is that bamboo is hard stuff. If bamboo cutting boards are hard enough to dull knife edges, then it stands to figure that bamboo utensils would be hard enough to scratch a nonstick coating.Fortunately, the coating on our...

Nah, a stir-fry pan would not be an appropriate substitute for a saucier. IMHO, I think all saucepans should be phased out and replaced with sauciers, because sauciers can do everything that saucepans can do, often better.But here's what Cook's Illustrated has to say:

I'm so sorry I took so long to reply! They cost me about $4-something to make, so I sell them for $6 each, or 2 for $10. I never make money off of them -- rather, they're just a way to get into these sorts of fairs. HTH!

I LOVE the large squares. Because of their "minimalist" design, they really showcase the food you're serving on them. The unique shape is also striking (and accommodates a lot of food). So, the squares get a lot of oohs and ahs.The large round platters are nice and they travel more easily, but...

I just put my grill press directly on a burner set on high for a few minutes. It gets super-hot and makes amazing paninis, no flipping required! Just be sure to use a pot holder or towel, because the handle does get a little too warm to handle comfortably. Ann, my fellow Alton Brown devotee...

Vanilla sugar!!! :)In each prep bowl, you use one vanilla bean, sliced in half lengthwise, and one cup of sugar. The essential oils from the vanilla pod will infuse the sugar with flavor. It takes about two weeks for the sugar to become flavored well enough to use, and as for uses, you can put...

Sorry about your mom, Teresa. I hope you continue to cherish your fond memories of her.As for beef stew, I don't have a recipe, so much as a series of guidelines and techniques. My whole extended family has raved about it, so I must have been doing something right. :)For the beef, make sure you...

Actually, our forged cutlery is not exactly made of carbon steel, as evidenced by the "Cr Mo V" designation.From the cutlery PIG: Here's a great explanation on cutlery steel grades from http://www.cookswares.com/discussions/cutleryprofiles.asp: Now, I don't know whether our knives are made of...

Just wanted to chime in...Softness in a cutting board is a good thing, so don't be embarrassed by cut marks in your boards. Cutting boards that are too hard are actually bad for cutlery.When you slice or chop something, and your blade meets the board, a force is exerted by the blade against the...

I'm not sure which line of Martha Stewart cookware you're talking about, but I assume it's the one at Macy's, since she's been promoting her partnership with them recently. If that's the case, then her cookware is definitely not cladded. The description says "Aluminum-encapsulated induction...

Well, if you look at the handles on the FN set, you'll see they're not good at all. They're short, plus they're U-shaped. The shape is exactly what I dislike about All-Clad's handles. The edges can feel pretty sharp as they dig into your hands. To their credit, at least All-Clad's handles are...

I wonder if there would be anything wrong with selling a pack of Celebrations invitations with a free mandoline as a bonus. ;)

Like Ann said, the granton edges reduce "sticking" but don't eliminate it. But there's another important factor to take into account, and that's cutting technique. When slicing/cutting with knives, a lot of people tend to cut straight down. This places unnecessary strain on the knife's blade...

E-yup. That's a big problem I have for a lot of recipes for baked goods. I do try at least to look for recipes that give some indication of whether ingredients are to be sifted before or after measuring (e.g., recipe lists "2 c. flour" then instructs "sift flour with baking soda and baking...

The gospel according to Alton Brown is that flour (and most ingredients) should be measured by weight rather than volume for this very reason. As for sifting, he has said on his show and written in his book that he doesn't use sifters -- he just takes his flour for a spin in the food processor...