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Wait'll you get prep bowls.

Edit: I use these, in case anyone is wondering.

Ok, so, here's the deal. Everyone in this thread saying "my parents have had one for decades!" That isn't really helpful.

Kitchenaid used to be owned by Hobart, who makes commercial kitchen equipment. The brand was sold off to GE/Whirlpool. When people reference KitchenAids that are "decades old" they are talking about machines manufactured by Hobart.

In the very early 2000's after being sold to Whirlpool the lower end KitchenAids began using a nylon worm gear to help control planetary motion. So, those "lasted for decades" KitchenAids are different pieces of gear than what you have. So disregard them. It just isn't the same piece of kit as the ones bought decades ago.

And before people downvote me like they are other folks who mention it, here is the gear in question. It's made of relatively soft nylon. That's the OEM replacement part. So knock off the downvote bullshit. The part was designed to break in the event of binding so that the motor doesn't get damaged. It is replaceable.

The mixer will hold up well against batters and softer doughs. If you throw it against something like a stiff 100% whole wheat dough you could damage it. Likewise, if you use a ton of attachments, you could also have issues.

You can check for the nylon gears easily, just unscrew the metal band near the top, unscrew the revealed 2-3 screws and pull the top off. The gearbox is right underneath.

Luckily replacing the gear is relatively simple, plenty of vids on YouTube. And the replacement parts are relatively cheap. And KitchenAid makes schematics available so you can repair them yourself once the gear does die. So make sure if it stops working your mom knows that it is serviceable.

Overall, not a bad piece of kit for the price, just be aware that it won't last for decades like a lot of the ones other people in this thread are mentioning without some service.

Sir Perky wine pourer. Sir Perky FON-10194 Wine Pourer Fairly Odd Novelties - Funny Raunchy Party Drinking Gag Gift, One Size, Red https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01726KWOS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_k5GWDb4TVFSGX

Harold McGee's book "On Food and Cooking", has great explanations of the science behind foods and cooking techniques.

https://www.amazon.com/Food-Cooking-Science-Lore-Kitchen/dp/0684800012/ref=sr_1_2

Congrats- this is a game changer. I've got a bunch of attachments, but my numero-uno fave add-on is this beater blade I use this virtually every time I use the machine- it is WAY better than the standard blade. I also recommend buying a second bowl (I have a glass one) for when you're cooking multiple things that need refrigeration.

The meat grinder attachment is fun if you like to make meatballs or similar- I've only used it maybe 5x but it's great when cooking with a group and if you want to make something with meat that is hard to find (it's not easy for me to find reasonably-priced, good quality ground pork, for example.)

What color did you get?!

I bought this pair of plastic claws for shredding meat (like this)... Really stupid and pointless and it doesn't work as well as 2 forks.

At least it was cheap. i got it for under $5 iirc.

Ruhlman's TWENTY is a good book for this. Also, I have to recommend Kenji's THE FOOD LAB because there's so much great info in there. The skillet chicken recipes section was a game-changer for me

In case OP wants books with larger text...

Semenology - The Semen Bartender's Handbook https://www.amazon.com/Semenology-Bartenders-Paul-Fotie-Photenhauer/dp/1482605228

RIP my Amazon search history.

My wife is from Thailand and made this book as a Christmas gift for a friend. It was put together in a hurry so there are probably some errors, but there are a lot of authentic Thai dishes you may enjoy making. This was before she went to culinary school, so it isn't perfect. If something doesn't make sense shoot me a pm and I can ask her for better instructions.

There are about 110 recipes in it.

Edit for new links:

Since you guys killed my dropbox here it is again.

http://www.mediafire.com/view/?h2lxuggyl4w39d8

or here:

https://anonfiles.com/file/6af584fdf22d2968f7c1ae5401a14b3c

be careful with anonfiles,I think it is the smaller button to download. lots of crap ads. Never used that site before but it was recommended on this thread.

Soak the brown sugar keeper's little terra cotta stone in water for 30 mins. Dry the surface of it and put it back in it's holder. Let it sit in there for a day and your brown sugar should be good as new. Resoak the stone every 6 wks or so or your sugar will keep drying out.

(s/he's using this container. I have the same one.)

One of these. They do a great job keeping my brown sugar fluffy and pliable and moist if I keep the terra cotta as damp as I should.

I’m a middle aged American. And growing up, I’d never heard of bechamel. I despised lasagne because of the ricotta. When I started dating my wife, she whipped out the Italian Cooking Encyclopedia by Linda Frazier. We started making the lasagne together: I’d make the bolognese and the bechamel, and she’d make the noodles. Changed my view of lasagne. When we had our son, we made a lasagne and divided it up onto single servings and put them in the freezer for those crazy days when you can’t find the energy to make real food. Now, when someone we know has a baby, we make a lasagne and deliver it after the baby is born. It’s a neat tradition.

> I fry it all in a searing hot wok

That hibachi has a 30,000 BTU burner. Your kitchen's stove is at most half that powerful. So there's more steaming instead of frying in your kitchen as compared to the commercial hibachis. So less browning (flavor and texture).

You can try it on a larger cast iron skillet/griddle over one of those turkey fryer propane burners (outdoors of course). Like this: https://www.amazon.com/King-Kooker-1265BF3-Portable-Aluminum/dp/B00B4BN9PM. That one does 38,000 BTUs, so plenty.

I have an old unused charcoal grill, built in. For years now I've been wanting to pull it out and replace it with something like this and a 1/2" thick stainless steel plate. I'd have to vent the living hell out of it, and install a fire system and hood, but it'd be fun as hell to actually be able to cook a real hibachi dinner at home. And of course I'd have to master the little steaming onion ring stack with the train noises. I'm about 99% positive such a thing couldn't be permitted.

My girlfriend is a pescatarian (who doesn't even eat all seafood) and I am a picky eater with a distaste for a lot of greens. A recipe we both like without substitutions is a rare beast. That's why by far the best cookbook/cooking information for me has been the Culinary Institute of America textbook The Professional Chef. It's not built around recipes at all. The chapters are built around techniques and skills, and recipes are like the homework problems at the end of the chapter/book. Reading through it and learning about technique has allowed us to successfully improvise with the ingredients we do like much more so than trying to substitute liberally in others' precise recipes.

Try roasting them at a high heat. Roasted veggie recipes abound on the internet. My favorite is to take Brussels sprouts and slice them in half, then drizzle them with olive oil and season with the spice du jour. (Lately it's been cardamom.) Roast at like 400 for 30-40 minutes. Vegetables are really yummy roasted.

And last night I made these--they were super delish:

http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Eggplant-Chips-Mediterranean-Style-1487845

A long time ago I bought some potato peeling gloves because I hate peeling potatoes. They're gloves with a bunch of rough pieces of plastic embedded in the palm. The idea is that you just rub a potato thoroughly enough and the skin comes off.

I bought them to save time but the problem is that they take much longer than just peeling potatoes. You need to COOK THE FUCKING POTATOES to soften the skin first, then let them cool down so they can be handled. And even then they don't work well and it still takes longer to get the skin off than just peeling a raw potato.

Instead of spending 5 minutes peeling potatoes, it took about an hour total.

Net weight is food plus liquid, according to this . I asked myself that same question earlier today.. you gave me motivation to look it up!

I’ve had this on my wish list since 2016 and the price never drops. Please buy it so I can live through you. The Grilled Cheesus Sandwich Press https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DD0P0TK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_YlJWDbJ29Q37C

There's actually a really cool cookbook by an indigenous author by the name of Sean Sherman. It's called the Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen and it ENTIRELY avoids European ingredients. Trying a few recipes it's quite good, even if some of the ingredients are a hassle to procure

Amazon link here: https://www.amazon.com/Sioux-Chefs-Indigenous-Kitchen/dp/0816699798

They use Thais chilis (sometimes calles Bird's Eye chilis): https://www.amazon.com/Thai-whole-dried-chile-3-5/dp/B000EWMJ8U

Get the oil in the wok hot, then add in a few of the dried chilis. Keep them moving until they smell a little like popcorn and start to turn dark. Pull them before they turn black (they'll be bitter and burnt tasting).

You should have a vaguely reddish, spicy oil. Add in your garlic or whatever, toss it for a few seconds, then the rest of your stuff in whatever order is needed.

Thai chilis have a different kind of spicy than Sriracha, jalapenos, etc. It doesn't burn your mouth so much as spice you up from the inside.

This is my personal favorite. It is spicier than anything you would usually get in a grocery store and I think it has pretty decent flavor. I always doctor ramen with sauteed vegetables like mushrooms or scallions and almost always with an egg poached in the soup while its cooking.

Ok, boss. Now we are getting somewhere. TK stuff is made for the American market. It's weak sauce compared to the paste they sell in Thailand. The authentic Thai restaurants in the USA make a robust curry that TK can't touch.

The good news is you can buy authentic Thai curry paste that they sell in Thailand on Amazon. Luckily, I can buy it at the local Asian grocery. The brand to seek is Maesri curry paste. https://www.amazon.com/Maesri-Thai-masaman-curry-cans/dp/B000ETQ4XE

The masaman curry version I linked is the least hot of the Maesri curry pastes, but it's still pretty hot. The red and the green curry pastes are wicked hot.

I tend to use the recipe on the Maesri can which calls for coconut milk. Then I add can of chicken broth, supplementary spices, fish sauce, ground peanuts, lime juice and tamarind to compensate for dilution. It tastes very similar to one of my local Thai eateries that people rave about.

Because you’re asking enthusiasts/purists who love their stones and honing rods, you’re not gonna get the right answer. The real answer for you my friend is one of these.

Kitchen Knife Sharpener - 3-Stage Knife Sharpening Tool Helps Repair, Restore and Polish Blades - Cut-Resistant Glove Included (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079WWFZY6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_7-AUDbFD1J221

Sharpening stones and steels are really only for professionals and enthusiasts who have the time and money to invest in those skills. For home kitchen knives, just buy that sharpener I linked. It will serve you well. Ive has mine for years and I use it for my cheap amazon and cuisinart knives when I don’t wanna break out the stones.

Instant Pot pressure cooker. It's been a lot of fun to use and I'm trying to expand my recipes that use it since I've had it.

Instant Pot Amazon

Wow, most of us don't even have a butler, let alone one we could cook.

Seriously, though. If all else fails, you could maybe cheat a little and try some meat glue to seal them up.

Kraft boxed mac and cheese. I replace the milk with greek yogurt and add in Tony's and Crystal. Nothing crazy but the added tang and spice makes it soooooo much better imo. Everyone I've made it for loves it.

On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee is highly regarded as a comprehensive background for history, and science of food. It does not have any recipes though.

I'm sure none of the things in those pictures were ever in the same room together.

I used to be annoyed by the shitty Amazon Photoshop photos but I've come to really enjoy how awful some of them are. Especially for the crappy Chinese knockoff stuff. Is there a sub for this?

This is one of my favorites. Look through the pictures. The one guy is looking at the moon from.....maybe the moon? But the guy in the field is my favorite. He's apparently a hobbit and his whole look is just "this whole mofo situation"

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DBK1GIK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_39VE8Z1B1M62ESEBXD0M

Yuzu hot sauce. Trader Joe's has it, and it's also available online. In a similar vein, ponzu sauce.

Also, you would probably love picklebacks. A pickleback is a shot of whiskey chased with pickle juice.

Saw this yesterday. It’s a $40 book on sale for $3.99 on kindle. The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001FA0P86/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_5smkCbBV27J03

If you like this, you might also like another book from 1825 called "The Physiology of taste".

Link: https://books.google.com/books?id=djEEAAAAYAAJ&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false

It's sort of blend of philosophy and food... a series of meditations on not just matters of cooking and eating, but also sleep, dreams, exhaustion, and even death, which the author defines as the "complete interruption of sensual relations" He was like an early foodie!

One little thing I found interesting is how similar the recipe for cheese fondue between both texts:

> The Cook Book > Place five or six eggs in a saucepan, mix in a third of their weight of grated Parmesan cheese, and half this quantity of butter, and stir well over a slack fire until the eggs are set. Pour the mixture into a dish, and serve very hot. Slices of toast should go with this.

vs.

> The Physiology of Taste > Calculate the number of eggs in proportion to the guests. Take one-third of the weight of Gruyere and one-sixth of the weight of butter. Beat the eggs and mingle them with the butter and cheese in a casserole. Put the kettle on a hot fire and stir it until the mixture is perfect. Put in more or less salt in proportion as the cheese is old or new. Serve it hot, with good wine, of which one should drink much. The feast will see sights.

The latter text also has gems such as this:

> All the guests looked at each other with a perceptible smile on every face. A bishop from Paris, however, must know how to eat. On the next day there was a great deal of gossip, and people that met at the corners, said “Well did you see how our bishop ate his fondue? I heard from a person who was present that he used a spoon!” The bishop had some followers, innovators who preferred the spoon, but the majority preferred the fork, and an old grand-uncle of mine used to laugh as if he would die, as he told how M. de Madot ate fondue with a spoon.

Three words: cut proof gloves.

https://www.amazon.com/NoCry-Cut-Resistant-Gloves-Performance/dp/B00MXUHHGK/ref=sxin_3_ac_d_rm?ac_md=1-1-Y3V0IHJlc2lzdGFudCBnbG92ZXM%3D-ac_d_rm&crid=2E2PVXU8Z8MBS&keywords=cut+proof+gloves&pd_rd_i=B00MXUHHGK&pd_rd_r=d9c785b8-a6ff-48dd-a61d-3ccdf7402044&pd_rd_w=BfhkN&pd_rd_wg=i1m8A&pf_rd_p=404c4843-2c96-4d0d-a5fe-2b0598693e61&pf_rd_r=788DYRY51S461DJ5ZMHW&qid=1566848094&s=gateway&sprefix=cut+proof%2Caps%2C188

Came here to say this except an apple cider/apple cider vinegar brine is heavenly. The recipe and many other excellent recipes are in this book which I highly recommend anyone who gets an instant pot to purchase.

The best IP tip I got from this book is to have two liners. So I take the ribs out and then put some more sauce in and bake them in the oven while the side(s) are cooking in the second IP liner (potatoes for potato salad, corn etc)

The second liner is also great so there’s always something in there and you’re less likely to put something in by accident.

Happy cooking!

How to Cook Anything replaced Joy of Cooking as my favorite general cooking reference.

Need to know how long to steam a artichoke, or the ratio of stock to rice in risotto, or what to do with that random ingredient you bought at the store. It's got all the basics covered.

A good electric knife sharpener is better than not knowing how to effectively use a whetstone. Furthermore, I see no reason to ever learn how to use a whetstone once you have a good electric sharpener. I understand that whetstones can get your knives sharper than an electric sharpener, but for daily kitchen use, that razor edge is going to wear very quickly; honing will only go so far. Some of the top-tier whetstones can be pretty expensive as well.

Edit: this is the sharpener I use

Chef’sChoice 15 Trizor XV EdgeSelect Professional Electric Knife Sharpener for Straight and Serrated Knives Diamond Abrasives Patented Sharpening System Made in USA, 3-Stage, Gray https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018RSEMU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_zdiZCb1XB37BJ

That's because you're looking for the wrong thing. What you had (I think) and should be looking for is a ceramic ginger grater.

Make indian desserts! Many of them call for rosewater. I believe the most popular one is 'Gulab Jamun' which are spongey cheese balls soaked in rose sugar syrup. You can buy a gulab jamun mix from an Indian grocer (something like this https://www.amazon.com/Gits-Gulab-Jamun-Mix-Ounce/dp/B000N4G9HG ).

I don't know if I'd call it a sin, but I love experimenting with "fusion" at home. I've heard a few chefs shit on that (Looking at you, David Chang). I like taking concepts from one cooking culture and trying them on another. I have a special pan that I brought back from Japan for making diashiamaki tomago (omelette) and I use it to make bacon, onion, and spinach rolled omelettes. I use the Indian technique of adding onions in stages so you get layers of onion flavor (I usually go two stages, browned to fuck and a little just barely sweated at the end) in my bolognese. I've been scolded for inauthenticity by native cooks, but I ain't stopping.

Yes - with too low of a heat the flat pan shape will be better. You'll want to cook in smaller batches and remove as you go. Eg, cook the meat and then remove it before cooking the veggies.

But your best bet is to just buy an outdoor propane stove.

The Search For General Tso is a great documentary about Americanized Chinese food and the Chinese-American experience. It's a really fascinating documentary. I'd highly recommend it.

Good carbon steel cookware isn't actually that cheap. I've had these Matfer Bourgeat carbon steel pans on my wish list for a while but at $30-100 each, I can't exactly justify buying them to replace my perfectly good AllClad and Cuisinart Pro tri-ply cookware.

The benefit is they're insanely simple and incredibly durable, unlike a lot of the "tri ply" or nonstick cookware out there. Put a good seasoning on them and they'll act virtually nonstick. Drop them, scratch them, whatever you can't break them. At most you just need to reseason them every once in a while - a lot like cast iron but much lighter and easier to maintain.

If anyone is curious... the dimensions are 19.5" long X 12" tall X 1.25" thick.

Here's a link for the full album If anyone is interested. https://imgur.com/a/RVOQE#0

I don't know how make a certain word at as the link... sorry.

Expiration dates are mostly made up..here's how you can tell if an egg is fresh.

Fill a bowl with cold water and put your egg in it. If it sinks and lays on its side against the bottom of the bowl, it's still good. If it stands on one end and "points" towards the top of the bowl but is still touching the bottom, it's good, but is about to go bad. If it floats, throw it out.

You really can’t go wrong with a Wusthof. I use mine daily and while someone might have a cheaper option, if he will use it heavily I would invest in the higher quality steel. They are 100$ on amazon with prime shipping for the 8” blade. Wusthof Classic 8-Inch Chef's Knife https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009ZK08/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_uNzlAbPSJHFWW

Great book. There's a reason Salt is the first word of the books title. It is the most critical ingredient when it comes to flavor.

Edit: non-affiliate link for the book on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Salt-Fat-Acid-Heat-Mastering/dp/1476753830

As an Asian who likes spicy food, I recommend Indomie noodles. La Mian curry noodles are great as well but pretty expensive.

Sorry to be critical - but that microwave looks like it is way too close above the stove top there. An extractor hood might sit that low in a pinch, but that looks like a real fire hazard to me, and quite likely to deform as well as get really grimy from any oil etc coming off the stove top. I mention it really only because it's a big safety concern.

/r/diy is a good forum for advice on this sort of thing.

EDIT: I really do feel bad to only have something critical to say, so I googled "how high above stove top" and one of the most frequent questions was about microwaves. Another safety concern apparently is burning yourself on the stove stop while getting stuff out of the micro. Anyway, here in Australia you are looking at 60cm clearance required. This article recommends 30" for Americans: http://www.ehow.com/decision_6898120_high-stove-should-microwave-installed_.html

While not cost prohibitive it is delicious and life changing, so why not gift it to those you love. I like to buy it by the bucket!

https://www.amazon.com/Maldon-Salt-Flakes-1-5kg-3-3lbs/dp/B004SBQYMU/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=maldon+sea+salt&qid=1576120788&sprefix=maldon+&sr=8-3

I resigned myself to less searing. More stewing. Baking. Etc. Opening window when weather permitted at all times. Using a twin fan, with in/out for airflow in window such as this. The crockpot was my friend. So was sousvide. Experiment with raw dishes. Limitations only expand your palate and skills, my friend. Edit: Also, grease in the air is one of those things that traps scents, so if your decor is minimal and has limited fabric, or fabric that you can air out, that helps. Clean as much as possible.

If you LOVE gyros, you can buy a mini Gyro/Kebab cooker

<strong>https://www.amazon.com/Flexzion-Rotisserie-Toaster-Oven-Grill/dp/B077NYKV6L/</strong>

> I researched dutch ovens about two years ago and came to the conclusion they weren't worth the money

You certainly know what's best for your own situation, but I can tell you that my enameled dutch oven is a workhorse for me and looks to last for decades (already had mine over 10 years). Again, YMMV, but I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss them in general.

https://www.amazon.com/Microplane-40020-Classic-Zester-Grater/dp/B00004S7V8

Absolute best kitchen utensil I've ever owned. Grate parmesan, grate garlic, ginger, whole spices, zest lemons and limes... Totally worth it for <$20

Pan-Asian ingredients worth the extra money (other than soy sauce): 100% sesame oil, gochujang, native vinegars (rice, nipa sap), miso, fish sauce (with the three crabs on the label), dashi, hoisin sauce, Tuong Ot Toi Vietnam.

There are many others, but these are the ones that have come off the top of my head first.

It is the industry standard, but it's still coasting by on its name. Lavatools Javelin Pro is cheaper, has great reviews, and has the same accuracy and read time. I've had one for years and it's been great.

You absolutely can experience this again. They sell "salt &amp; vinegar powder" online that is not expensive, and absolutely essential for the salt & vinegar fiend. You can do a lot with this stuff... put it on french fries, nuts, popcorn, chicken wings (any sort of fried food really). OR you can just dump a spoonful into a bag of regular salt & vinegar chips and shake them up until coated for maximum mouth destroying goodness.

i hope you try modern Cambodian cuisine! It's like a more herb heavy, less spicy (as in hot), older cousin of Thai and Laos cuisine, with a slight Chinese and Vietnamese influence. You'll love it! This cook book would be a great start NHUM . The author actually took time to standardize and measure out ingredients, unlike my mom and aunts who are always like "it'll taste right when it's right"

I assume they mean this: https://www.amazon.ca/Bragg-Liquid-Soy-Seasoning-946/dp/B00DII087Q

Kinda like soy sauce, I'm not sure about the actual difference.

Sausage guillotine

https://www.amazon.com/CHIUSING-Guillotine-Stainless-Pepperoni-Delicacies/dp/B07JBD6L16

If that doesn't float your boat. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/useless-kitchen-gadgets_n_55ffeb30e4b08820d9193556

On Food and Cooking

And Kitchen Confidential

I'm linking it here. If the mods need to delete it, so be it.

https://www.amazon.ca/Simple-Easiest-Cookbook-Jean-Francois-Mallet/dp/0316317721

I have tried to use the application a few times. From my experience, it seems limited. I think as more information is added you will begin to see more depth.

If you are interested in flavor pairings I suggest you check out the book Culinary Artistry. It has a huge sample of flavor pairings. It is a great book that is easy to navigate.

https://www.amazon.com/Culinary-Artistry-Andrew-Dornenburg/dp/0471287857/ref=nodl_

For $15 all your dreams can come true.

&nbsp;

...and here’s a hand-held from oxo with the same design if you’re renting and can’t mount on the cabinet

The Flavor Bible. Its my favorite cookbook that oddly has no recipes in it.

Its a giant cross reference chart of what ingredients pair with what according to 40 chefs. You can look up eggs for example, and they list everything that goes good with it... meats, veg, fruits, herbs and seasonings, etc. with the best ones highlighted.

On top of all that theres musings from the consulting chefs on how they like to use ingredients in sidebars near the entries. Famous dishes that made good use of the item in question (but no recipes). And other little tips like when certain ones are in season, if they have a strong or subtle flavor that might overpower, or be overpowered by, others. And more.

the best oven mitts these days are silicon

if you get them dirty you can wash the outside off in the sink, you can literally pick up burning coals in a barbecue, they are badass

these are awesome

https://www.amazon.com/Extra-Long-Professional-Silicone-Oven/dp/B00WUDQ61W

Underwood Ranches. It's pretty good, good chili flavor, little sweeter than Huy Fong. My only issue with it is that the seeds get jammed in the tip.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B084ZGQS58/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_R8B5AR091WQ1C4WQ4VF1

Fuck those hand guards. They trick you into thinking "this is inefficient and slow, I'll just be careful aaaaand my thumb is cut off." Cut gloves save the damn day

some good suggestions so far here. I'd also add:

• a variable temperature electric hot water kettle is super useful if you drink tea or coffee regularly. I love my Bonavita gooseneck
• Vacuum seal machine for sealing and storing food (or cooking sous vide)
• Immersion hand blender (much handier and easier than a food processor for smaller blending tasks)
• Not appliances but these are used almost daily in my kitchen: quality knives, large thick cutting board, salt pig, pepper grinder, spice cabinet, restaurant-quality squeeze containers are super handy for oils, high quality pans

I have both these books plus The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs https://www.amazon.com/dp/0316118400/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_atIyAbZ73DT45

I can say I open the food lab for just about every meal. Well worth the money!

Sorry for not making that a link. I'm on the app and can't figure out how to change the displayed text of the link.

Agree with this. Make a large curry base and then freeze in portion sizes. Highly recommend this book if you want to make restaurant style Indian.

Get yourself some cut resistant gloves! For less than $10 you can save your finger tips from shredders, mandolins, and so much more... I found this 4 pack on Amazon, but there are tons out there. cut glove

Great tips. For cast iron I have a wooden scrubber I bought from a store in Chinatown. Has a knob and a bunch of flexible wooden arms that are great at scraping bits off with the hot water. I believe it may be meant for a wok.

Edit: looks like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016VSPJK0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_WSh4AbPBDS4MS

Recipe for cupcakes. I used ale instead of stout and vegetable oil instead of canola. Came out fine.

Recipe for beer battered chicken. The soup came out of a book so I typed what I could in the album. *forgot to mention soup called for FLAT beer.

Those ribs pull a lot of Asian flavors (ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, etc.), so I'd steer away from traditional Southern BBQ side dishes.

I'd go with an Asian slaw; I personally love Alton Brown's recipe. Then some simple, basic rice (to get more sauce in your mouth!), since the ribs are so flavorful.

As the other commenter said, Vietnamese coffee may duplicate what you want. By the way - most people don't know this - but Vietnam is the 2nd largest producer of coffee beans in the world. It's because it used to be a French colony and the French introduced it. Although the predominant production are the cheaper Robusta (vs. Arabica) beans, the roasting makes a big difference between a bitter vs. mellow brew.

I grew up drinking Vietnamese coffee as I and my family were born in Saigon. My aunt use to prepare it for us every AM so yes, we drank it at 10 years of age! The sweet ingredient is usually condensed milk and this device is used to make it. Somewhat like a pour over coffee:

https://smile.amazon.com/Vietnamese-Coffee-Filter-known-Maker/dp/B01953YT1I?sa-no-redirect=1

I don't like the sugar highs on it so I use less condensed milk.

You might want to pick up a copy of Chocolates &amp; Confections. It's an industry text. Covers most everything you'd need on professional candy and chocolate making, including confectionery fondant (what you're describing).

you can definitely spend more, but the victorinox knives with fibrox handles are generally regarding as some of the best for the money. i love mine. this is where i would start. even if you don't go with this brand, these are the four knife blades that you should definitely look for: Victorinox Fibrox Set

Fine chop some along with celery and onions and make them into portions of mirepoix to be frozen and used when required.

> The classic French version of mirepoix includes onions, carrots, and celery in the following ratio: two parts onions, one part carrots, and one part celery. To make mirepoix, start by chopping the carrot, onion, and celery roughly. In general, the finer you chop the veggies, the quicker the aroma and flavors will be released. Source

Boxed cake mix makes one kind of cake, the basic sponge cake generally. There are dozens of cakes you can make from scratch with only begginer level understanding of baking that are more interesting than this and without the shitton of weird additives. A simple pound cake is better than most boxed cake mixes.

Once again, I'm going to sound pedantic as fuck, maybe I am, I dunno I just come for a different culture where making food from scratch is more the norm and professional bakers just make stuff you absolutely can't make yourself unless you're a goddamn genius or spent 10 years practicing but if professional bakers use this in the US... It's because most professional bakers suck ass and mostly bake sponge cake with fondant, which is bland and sugary.

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I've always marveled at the spectacular uselessness of the hot dog toaster.

Something similar happened to my mom with her crepes recipe, except the person did not publish it. Everyone in my family is good at cooking or baking in our own way, so there's lots of secret recipes and no one wants to share them in case the crepes situation happens again lol. (It's a lot more complicated than that but we'll happily give recipes out if conditions are right lol)

It reminds me of that duo that went to Mexico, copied a ton of recipes from the people they met, came back to the US and opened a business using those recipes.

Horchata, but probably not if you're leaving it unrefrigerated for long. This recipe is pretty good but I'm sure there are lots of great ones out there.

girlonaroad, your story reads like the one that happened to Richard Feynman (from "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman"). He was accepted to an ivy league school (Princeton, I think) and attended a welcome new students event. He was offered some tea and asked if he wanted lemon or cream. Not knowing which was the right one to choose, he said both. The response was the title of the book.

This isn’t a family recipe, but I love Good Things in England, by Florence White. It was originally published in 1932 and is a collection of English recipes going back around 700 years. If you want old, here it is.

I know the UK gets a bad rap for food, but these recipes are terrific. You will find a lot to love in this book. I found a used copy on Amazon for about $3. Possibly the best $3 I’ve ever spent.

I love your idea of making homemade curry roux! I make Japanese curry from scratch often and I have two suggestions.

Saute some tomato paste into the roux as well for an extra umami punch. You've mentioned Worcestershire, and I think that is also a good addition. I add both worcestershire and soy sauce to mine.

For the curry powder, in order to approximate the same curry profile, seek out a Japanese brand of curry blend. Of course, add whatever curry powder you like, but S&amp;B curry powder will yield the most "Japanese" taste.

Don't worry about the username, this Redditor speaks the truth. The salmonella lives all over inside the bird, which is how it gets into the eggs.

LET'S GET READY TO CRUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMBBBBBBBBBBBBLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEE

Edit: Shit, I was so excited to make that comment twice in three days that I missed the part about the canned pie filling. Oh well, I'll live.

Buffalo chicken dip. I just throw it in the oven for like 5-10 minutes at 450 to melt the cheese on top and use Tostitos scoops. Usually make taco salad as well for people who don't like any sort of spicy foods. Also some wings and pulled pork sandwiches. That's enough for people who want to eat dinner or snack.

I think you mean FLAVOUR and FLAVOUR is awesome.

Everyone should own a bag of MSG. That shit takes good food and makes it great.

For $6.11 you can turn good soup into great soup. Most other foods benefit as well.

unsponsored Amazon link ^

Love Kiwi knives... Got all mine from https://importfood.com/ So cheap, sooo sharp.

Also this guy, the pastasaurus:

https://www.amazon.com/Fred-Friends-PSAUR-PASTASAURUS-Server/dp/B002L162HQ/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=pastasaurus&amp;qid=1555418858&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-1

Serves pasta like a champ, but I'd also honestly be comfortable defending my home with just that thing against a small army.

I have a G-2 ($124) and a Victorinox 8&quot; fibrox ($30) (and others) and I use the Victorinox more regularly than the Global.

The handle is comfortable and grippy. It costs 1/4 of the global. It sharpens well, cuts well. You could put the rest of the saved $100 towards a 6" version, a paring knife and a bread knife (if that's something you'd use)

OXO makes a push-out measuring cup that I found for my sister who makes peanut butter treats for ~~her kids~~ herself all the time.

Amazon link

The horrible flavor isn't because of the mint, but because of SLS. It kills your sense of sweetness and enhances bitterness so when you drink OJ it's just a sour bitter mess. Citrus + mint is actually a great pair in my opinion.

https://lifehacker.com/5991693/why-toothpaste-makes-everything-else-taste-bad-and-how-to-fix-it

It's also about the way vietnamese coffee is made - it essentially is a super super strong drip coffee (similar to espresso) and sweetened with condensed milk. It's made with one of these

Use this kind of measuring cup that has a plunger: https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Good-Grips-Adjustable-Measuring/dp/B00A2KDAIW/ref=pd_sbs_79_img_0/145-2050494-8654802?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=B00A2KDAIW&amp;pd_rd_r=8e187a48-79cf-4a29-9dcd-afd7d4c5e2b3&amp;pd_rd_w=eL5gt&amp;pd_rd_wg=i9rtD&amp;pf_rd_p=5cfcfe89-300f-47d2-b1ad-a4e27203a02a&amp;pf_rd_r=F4SSFRKZ1J9ZTTVFJC5G&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=F4SSFRKZ1J9ZTTVFJC5G

https://www.amazon.com/Hela-Spicy-Sauce-Touch-Curry/dp/B07644F3BQ

One of these or other Hela brand sauce I’d guess, basically a curry/ketchup blend but it has more intense tomato/spice flavor then american ketchup which is more vinegar/sugar

Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half Sheet, 2 pack, 2-Pack, Silver https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0049C2S32/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_Q2FT7M403PJWGPYCTG3M

Mostly affordable, top rated from America's Test Kitchen. I own them, use them often, no warping. HIGHLY recommend.

Read the book Gastrophysics by Charles Spence. The science of why we like to eat what we eat. People consume more food when its on a white plate rather than a black plate. Colour and names impact the pleasure we get from food, and most people don't like to eat things that are blue or purple.

I had a lot of luck with this book. https://www.amazon.com/660-Curries-Raghavan-Iyer/dp/0761137874

Between that and hours of watching grannies on YouTube, I can now make indian food without recipes that tastes pretty legit.

I used to hate it too, and then I got this bad boy from Amazon. I use it to zest citrus, to grate hard cheeses and to grate ginger/garlic. It’s my favorite kitchen tool.

Microplane Artisan Series Fine Blade Grater (Red) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004JKUWBO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_E0KK7VZDJEZ056JJ4421?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1