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 Like many Goons I have a poor diet. I eat out too often and when I do I usually order food that is bad for me and usually eat a portion that is probably twice what it should be. I, unlike other goons, have no excuse as I actually know how to cook food with some level of skill. I went to culinary school straight out of High School and was a cook for a year before I realized that the terrible pay and bad hours weren't worth it to me and I left the restaurant industry forever. The poor quality knives and equipment I have from that time saw intermittent use in their over 10 years of service and I have treated them terribly. Suffice it to say I also make a much better wage now that I am no longer a cook. I have decided to use a portion of my savings and replace nearly everything I use to cook and eat with. This inspiration came to me after composing the new stickied thread Cooking with Goons: A Guide to GWS and Cooking. Using my culinary background and the information I have found and compiled for that thread I plan to replace nearly all my kitchen equipment. After I have all new equipment I plan to cook every meal I eat for a week from scratch. I currently have a job where I get paid full time to do ~15 minutes of work a week from home. The rest of the time I have is free but I have to stay within range of my computer to hear and answer potential incoming calls. Using this massive amount of free time I will complete the following three tasks. I am allowing myself one week per task. This process will begin Thursday, July 17th and end Thursday, August 7th.  1) Clean and organize my neglected apartment and take stock of what can still be used of my culinary equipment. Then with a budget of ~$1000 I will purchase virtually all new kitchen tools and appliances based on information found here in GWS and based on suggestions I receive in this thread. 2) Borrow a DSLR camera and begin to use my new tools to test recipes, refine plating and learn how to properly photograph my food and do the post production for it. 3) Use the knowledge gained in the previous week to produce every meal I eat for a week while never repeating a dish. Everything I eat will be made from scratch. I will include a recipe, photograph and trip report of how the dish turned out. This means if I make a turkey sandwich for lunch I will have baked the bread and made the mayo from scratch. This has limitations. I will not be growing my own vegetables, hunting for my own meat or making my own cheeses or beverages. I may use leftovers as long as the new dish is something completely new. I will cook and document at least two dishes a day be they breakfast, lunch, dinner or desert. Goons in this thread will have some say in what I will eat. One dish a day for the seven days will be a suggestion made by someone posted in this thread. This will not always be based on the popularity amongst goons of the suggestion in case something stupid happens like FYAD invading and flooding votes with gross or overly complicated foods.  Here is a list of the culinary equipment that I know I have and will not be replacing: Electric Stove top and Oven Combination, Refrigerator/Freezer Combo, Microwave, Toaster Oven, Bench Scraper, Colander, One non-stick frying pan, large white dinner plates, large white dinner bowls, small white bowls, can opener, and tongs. I obviously have other tools and appliances but have either decided to replace it with newer/better/less abused versions or have yet to locate them. My current Amazon Wish List totals close to $1000. Feel free to give me suggestions alternatives to what I picked or items I may have missed. Loanarn fucked around with this message at 21:17 on Aug 7, 2014 |
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Jul 17, 2014 06:20
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Loanarn posted:My current Amazon Wish List totals close to $1000. Feel free to give me suggestions alternatives to what I picked or items I may have missed.
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Jul 17, 2014 07:06
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feelz good man posted:Go to a thrift shop, you could get most of that stuff for like $100 total man. Some things you want to buy new, like good knives, but glass or plastic measuring cups, plastic cutting boards, ladels, sheet pans, etc. can be had for pennies second hand IKEA has some pretty decent cookware and very cheap mixing and storage solutions, at least in Australia
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Jul 17, 2014 09:04
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I noticed you have a deep fryer on your wishlist. I would get rid of that; use a pot on the stove and spend the money on a Thermapen instead.
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Jul 17, 2014 17:46
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I've heard those knife sharpener thingies are a bad idea. Better to go with a stone and a steel. I prefer wood cutting boards to plastic because they are more durable. I'm not sure how hot the silicone handle on the cast iron skillet can get but I would want to make sure my skillet can stand up to any temperature my oven gets to. I have a Swiss Rex peeler which I think is better than the Oxo one. $80 for a baking steel is maybe not a great idea especially if you'll already have a skillet. Depending on how much you grate stuff you might be fine just using the food processor and getting rid of the dedicated grater. I don't think a garlic press saves enough time to make it worth it but YMMV. Nobody needs a potato masher if they own an empty bottle of beer or a full one they can drink.
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Jul 17, 2014 18:05
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Stone and steel! Also: Get a fuzzy logic rice cooker. they are SUPER multi use devices and great bachelor crock pots.
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Jul 17, 2014 18:17
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feelz good man posted:Go to a thrift shop, you could get most of that stuff for like $100 total man. Some things you want to buy new, like good knives, but glass or plastic measuring cups, plastic cutting boards, ladels, sheet pans, etc. can be had for pennies second hand Do this and use the other money in your budget to stock up on things like spices, oils, dry goods, etc that will last you a long while. You'll still have more than enough money left over if you find good deals.
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Jul 17, 2014 18:52
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feelz good man posted:Go to a thrift shop, you could get most of that stuff for like $100 total man. Some things you want to buy new, like good knives, but glass or plastic measuring cups, plastic cutting boards, ladels, sheet pans, etc. can be had for pennies second hand Good idea. I'll swing by the two thrift stores near me today. branedotorg posted:IKEA has some pretty decent cookware and very cheap mixing and storage solutions, at least in Australia My IKEA unfortunately is a long drive from my house and not worth a trip for just cooking supplies. TychoCelchuuu posted:I've heard those knife sharpener thingies are a bad idea. Better to go with a stone and a steel. I prefer wood cutting boards to plastic because they are more durable. I'm not sure how hot the silicone handle on the cast iron skillet can get but I would want to make sure my skillet can stand up to any temperature my oven gets to. I have a Swiss Rex peeler which I think is better than the Oxo one. $80 for a baking steel is maybe not a great idea especially if you'll already have a skillet. Depending on how much you grate stuff you might be fine just using the food processor and getting rid of the dedicated grater. I don't think a garlic press saves enough time to make it worth it but YMMV. Nobody needs a potato masher if they own an empty bottle of beer or a full one they can drink. I will see if I can pick up some good wood cutting boards at a thrift shop. I have used both stone sharpeners and the ones on my wish list. I find the stone sharpeners much harder to use and they are much more expensive. I'm sure I have a steel but that only hones a blade. Anyone have any links to articles on reasons why I really need the more expensive and harder to use sharpening option? Why do you think the Swiss Rex peeler is better? I have used the peelers like the oxo one before but I am unfamiliar with the style you are recommending. As far as a baking steel goes I don't feel comfortable baking on a skillet. Especially trying to get a pizza in and out of the oven. The silicone handle on the skillet comes off. I'm pretty sure I already have a micro-plane somewhere so I can just use the food processor for grating. I had never thought about using a bottle for a potato masher before. I like that idea. crazyfish posted:I noticed you have a deep fryer on your wishlist. I would get rid of that; use a pot on the stove and spend the money on a Thermapen instead. I have another ThermoWorks thermometer in my wishlist. As far as I can tell they are both just as accurate but the ThermoPop takes 6 seconds instead of 3 to get a readout. The thermometer and fryer I have in my wishlist totals $102 and the Thermapen just by itself is $96. Add a frying basket and we are at the same price. I have an electric stove top and I find heating up and cooling down oil to the right initial temperature is much harder to do accurately and takes too long to readjust the temp. Unlike a gas stove top I can't just crank up the heat after adding in my food to make sure the temp stays up at a good frying temperature. With the fryer the element is directly in the oil making heating it back up easier and I can just program the proper temp in without having to check it constantly with a thermometer and wait forever for both the element and the oil to cool down and heat up. toplitzin posted:Also: Get a fuzzy logic rice cooker. they are SUPER multi use devices and great bachelor crock pots. I did want a rice cooker but it was farther down on my list because I don't seem to have any trouble making it on the stovetop. I had never thought of using it as a crock pot. Any reason why I should get the fuzzy logic brand over the others? McStabby posted:Do this and use the other money in your budget to stock up on things like spices, oils, dry goods, etc that will last you a long while. You'll still have more than enough money left over if you find good deals. Sounds like a plan.
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Jul 17, 2014 19:02
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Loanarn posted:Why do you think the Swiss Rex peeler is better? I have used the peelers like the oxo one before but I am unfamiliar with the style you are recommending.
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Jul 18, 2014 00:07
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TychoCelchuuu posted:You have to hold your hand sideways to use something like the Oxo peeler, whereas you can hold your handle straight with the Swiss Rex or another Y-peeler. I've never used other Y-peelers but I'm happy with the Swiss Rex and bought it because I heard it was the best Y-peeler. Ah. Well I feel comfortable holding it on the side. As a matter of fact I found the same peeler that was in my wishlist at Goodwill. Here is a pic of what I found. Went to 4 different thrift stores. 2 Goodwill's and 2 Garage Sale Warehouses. The Garage Sale Warehouses were a total bust. Barely any kitchenware and the stuff that was their was crap or plates and dishes you would find at your grandmothers.  The first Goodwill I found everything in this picture and two cookie sheets that were priced at $5 each. Considering the ones in my wish list is $13 for 3 I kept walking on those sheets. Also found a knife sharpener similar to the one in my wishlist but it was priced at $10 where mine is $6 new. The second goodwill only had more of the same. Didn't see a single mixing bowl, liquid measuring cups, or measuring spoons. Spatulas were not silicone and I found one sad miniature whisk. There were only two wooden spoons and both had giant plastic ducks at the end of the handle. The selection at the stores I went to was really bad. I looked at coffee grinders for grinding spices but they were either beat up and dirty or missing parts. Same went for smaller food processors that I could use for small batches. There are three more Goodwill's in driving distance. I'll have to check them out some other day. Loanarn fucked around with this message at 21:20 on Aug 7, 2014 |
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Jul 18, 2014 01:39
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Excellent. That is the same veggie peeler I have, it's way comfy. I hate Y peelers. Thrift stores seriously kick rear end. Look for some metal mixing bowls too, they're absolutely indispensable. Heck I've found a Kitchenaid for $40 used, spare work bowls for it and a meat grinder attachment.
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Jul 18, 2014 03:48
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ethnic markets, dollar stores, and thrift shops have all the equipment you need to cook with, aside from a decent knife, decent pans, and a thermopen. all the like 'nice' poo poo I have ever bought I have ended up hating. my favorite tongs are some 79 cent thin metal ones, ditto for mixing bowls, rags, measuring cups, mortar/pestle, butcher knives, rolling pins, etc. poor people cook a lot more than rich people. ain't no madre gonna pay $17.35 for a 'pancake turner'. so in my experience cheap poo poo usually functions better, with a couple exceptions.
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Jul 18, 2014 06:16
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Loanarn posted:There were only two wooden spoons and both had giant plastic ducks at the end of the handle. I fail to see the problem here...?? Anyway, cool thread idea. I look forward to following it.
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Jul 18, 2014 15:17
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Loanarn posted:I did want a rice cooker but it was farther down on my list because I don't seem to have any trouble making it on the stovetop. I had never thought of using it as a crock pot. Any reason why I should get the fuzzy logic brand over the others? The plain rice cookers do white rice. The fuzzy logic cookers do the following out of the box: White rice Quick cook (rice in 20) Brown Rice Slow Cook Steam Porridge/congee Slowcook Plus they also have programmable timers. (set for time rice is done) You can also use the steamer basket to make one pot meals with rice, and steamed meat/veg. Other things i've made in my cooker: Mac n cheese Cake Bread Curry chicken with rice. Lentils
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Jul 18, 2014 15:55
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toplitzin posted:Plus they also have programmable timers. (set for time rice is done) I have one and this is SUPER convenient. I use the timer with the porridge function to make steel cut oats for breakfast every day.
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Jul 18, 2014 17:20
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This is the one I have and love: Panasonic SR-DE103 5-Cup (Uncooked) "Fuzzy Logic" Rice Cooker  My only gripe is that there isn't a reset or less time button, so when setting the steam timer for example, you can't set it lower you have to set go all the way to max and then back up to say 5 minutes from 8 because you can only use the minute button.
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Jul 18, 2014 19:15
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Today's haul is from the Dollar Tree closest to me. They also had glass mixing bowls but most were chipped and all were too small. They also had liquid measuring cups but I didn't like the quality of them and I want to be able to read them from the top and sides. The glass prep bowls came in three packs, one of which I opened to make them easier to see. On Monday I'm going to hit up Costco to see if I can find pots, pans, knives and appliances cheaper than amazon. I also plan to check the other Dollar Trees and Goodwill's when I am in the neighborhood. Edit: The price on the fryer jumped up so I wont be purchasing that unless it drops or I can find a cheaper alternative. The food processor dropped from $180 to $150. Loanarn fucked around with this message at 21:21 on Aug 7, 2014 |
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Jul 19, 2014 00:55
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If there are any restaurant supply stores near you, I would check them after you are done with the goodwill route. The prices there are typically pretty good and you will probably find the things you want but couldn't find at the goodwill. It will all be cheaper than Amazon, but you probably wont find electric stuff unless you want a 30 gallon stand mixer
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Jul 19, 2014 01:44
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TATPants posted:If there are any restaurant supply stores near you, I would check them after you are done with the goodwill route. The prices there are typically pretty good and you will probably find the things you want but couldn't find at the goodwill. It will all be cheaper than Amazon, but you probably wont find electric stuff unless you want a 30 gallon stand mixer Great idea. There is one very close to me so I will check that out. I've looked at some retail kitchen supply stores like Kitchen Kaboodle and Williams-Sonoma but found they are mostly more expensive than amazon. Loanarn fucked around with this message at 02:06 on Jul 19, 2014 |
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Jul 19, 2014 02:02
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Loanarn posted:
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Jul 19, 2014 02:39
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Loanarn posted:Great idea. There is one very close to me so I will check that out. I've looked at some retail kitchen supply stores like Kitchen Kaboodle and Williams-Sonoma but found they are mostly more expensive than amazon. Restaurant supplies are great, I would recommend picking up a couple simple metal mixing bowls in sizes you think would be useful. Super cheap, I use them all the time, last a lot longer than you might expect (given how thin the metal is), pour nicely, and since they can take heat you can use them as a bain-marie or as an impromptu cover for a wok or skillet. I would also recommend forgetting about the deep frier and just fry in a pot or a wok when you want to. Even if you use the frier enough to justify the purpose (which I would say means 2-3 times a week at least) that might be cool at first but would ultimately just be bad for your health. Not that that would really be a problem, because I guarantee you would probably use it once or twice, and then forget about it for many months at a time.
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Jul 19, 2014 05:27
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electricmonk500 posted:Restaurant supplies are great, I would recommend picking up a couple simple metal mixing bowls in sizes you think would be useful. Super cheap, I use them all the time, last a lot longer than you might expect (given how thin the metal is), pour nicely, and since they can take heat you can use them as a bain-marie or as an impromptu cover for a wok or skillet. Rice Cooker > Deep Frier TRUST US.
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Jul 19, 2014 19:12
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In addition to the big cast iron skillet, I would really recommend picking up two of the little bitty 6" skillets. Especially if you're cooking for two once in a while, it allows you to do some very cute and delicious bake/broil-in-the-pan type dishes with smaller portions. I'll say that even our household of two has serious food issues as far as scaling and proportioning things. It is _hard_ to balance time efficiency with lack of leftovers - we've had so many delicious dishes go bad just because I made too much, got burned out on cooking for a day or two because it was so much work, and then we ate that for 3 days and got sick of it and half went bad. Learning the pace of ingredients in and out of your household is an absolute key to cooking well while not wasting money and time - pay attention to it.
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Jul 20, 2014 00:55
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Rice cooker is a waste of money. Cook rice in a saucepan. Deep frier is a waste of money. Deep fry things in a saucepan.
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Jul 20, 2014 18:23
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Scientastic posted:Rice cooker is a waste of money. Cook rice in a saucepan. Yeah. This is what I figured. Removed the fryer from my wishlist and pulled the trigger on 10 items which I can't find elsewhere for cheaper. Tomorrow is when I'm hitting up Costco, the restaurant supply store and one more dollar tree. I will buy the remaining items in my wishlist that I cant find elsewhere after that.
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Jul 20, 2014 20:47
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How much pizza cooking do you do that requires a peel?
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Jul 20, 2014 22:34
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Ask Me For Warez posted:How much pizza cooking do you do that requires a peel? I use mine for boules of bread too, fwiw. Anytime you're in a situation where a peel is useful and you don't have one loving sucks because it's either going to be a pain in the rear end or have a high probability of burning your hand on the oven somehow (in my experience) – frequently, both
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Jul 21, 2014 09:56
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For pizza, I use a heatproof spatula, a cookie sheet, and  reflexes. For bread, I just use a dish towel and move quick.What I'm saying is I agree with you.
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Jul 21, 2014 22:19
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 So today I went to Costco and picked up the Pyrex storage dishes and some rice. I swung by the other Dollar Tree near me and found they had a measuring cup and spoon combo that I picked up as I wasn't thrilled with the ones I had and these were only a Dollar. I also picked up the mugs and plates there. I also borrowed the DSLR camera from my parents for this project. I went to the restaurant supply store. It was a giant warehouse the size of a Costco but most items had no prices on them and were scattered and disorganized. Most of the equipment was large kitchen appliances but they had quite a bit of smallware. Much of the smallware was too specific for use in my kitchen. Almost ever item was used some to the point of not looking functional. I had yet to find any good baking equipment anywhere so I decided to pick up a new full sheet pan for $8.75 thinking it was just the right size for my oven. When I got it home I found it was about an inch and a half too long. Next time I need to measure before I buy things like that I suppose. Loanarn fucked around with this message at 21:21 on Aug 7, 2014 |
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Jul 22, 2014 07:54
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You should check out Webstaurant Store. Horrible name, much better prices for all the crap you could want. I just used them to buy a bunch of Cambros for storage.
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Jul 22, 2014 16:44
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Scientastic posted:Rice cooker is a waste of money. Cook rice in a saucepan. This is correct. Also get a pressure cooker. They are not a waste of money.
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Jul 22, 2014 16:50
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Save me jeebus posted:This is correct. I've been thinking about getting one, but I just don't see the benefit. Then again, I don't know much about them. 
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Jul 22, 2014 20:47
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Rice cookers aren't a waste of money if you eat a lot of rice. It's rice done correctly every time with no margin for error. If you can remove a failure point a dish that you make a lot, absolutely do it - even the best cooks mess up sometimes. I've never had rice at someone's house that was as good as rice cooker rice. That said, if you don't feel the need for one, don't get one! The only kitchen thing I'd ever encourage people to buy without feeling a specific need for it is the Thermapen, because you really don't "get it" until you start using it. No Wave fucked around with this message at 22:33 on Jul 22, 2014 |
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Jul 22, 2014 22:30
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Scientastic posted:Rice cooker is a waste of money. Cook rice in a saucepan. gently caress that. If you eat rice even remotely regularly, it makes a huge difference being able to press a button and forget it, then not have to worry about the rice as you're doing final preparations and serving the meal. It's like having an extra person there helping you cook. No Wave posted:The only kitchen thing I'd ever encourage people to buy without feeling a specific need for it is the Thermapen, because you really don't "get it" until you start using it. Seconded. Everyone hates using cooking thermometers until they try a Thermapen, then it just clicks.
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Jul 22, 2014 22:41
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Save me jeebus posted:Also get a pressure cooker. They are not a waste of money. It's like you all have unlimited money and don't understand how to prioritise. All of these things, rice cookers, pressure cookers and deep friers are extraneous. They may be convenient, but they aren't necessary. Edit: Hey, it turns out I am wrong about pressure cookers. ALMOST everything that is done in a pressure cooker can be done with a regular pan, but there are some pretty cool things you can do in a pressure cooker that cannot be done otherwise. Scientastic fucked around with this message at 02:55 on Jul 24, 2014 |
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Jul 23, 2014 04:20
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Got some more equipment in that I ordered today. Ordered the rest of my wish list that I hadn't bought or decided against purchasing. Everything should be coming in stages in the next week. Figured I'd start taking pictures with the camera I am borrowing instead of my iphone.  If I find that I am cooking rice once a week or more and having trouble with getting the timing right I might reconsider. I have As far as a crock-pot or pressure cooker goes I am used to cooking those dishes in a stockpot and I don't really see the need for them. Loanarn fucked around with this message at 21:22 on Aug 7, 2014 |
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Jul 23, 2014 04:28
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toplitzin posted:Rice Cooker > Deep Frier Can we change the name of this forum to GWS: Rice Cooker > Deep Frier
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Jul 23, 2014 06:47
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DankTamagachi posted:Can we change the name of this forum to GWS: Basic loving pots > Rice Cooker > Deep Frier fixed
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Jul 23, 2014 07:03
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Scientastic posted:
Good thing the OP is budgeting $1000 on kitchen tools rather than the bare minimum necessary to prepare food then. At some point convenience and features beyond the most basic utility become deciding factors in purchases. Nobody is telling him to buy a rice cooker instead of a knife and cutting board. You can get a rice cooker for $20 or opt for something fancier if the convenience justifies the price in the budget.
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Jul 23, 2014 08:09
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Bob_McBob posted:Good thing the OP is budgeting $1000 on kitchen tools rather than the bare minimum necessary to prepare food then. At some point convenience and features beyond the most basic utility become deciding factors in purchases. Nobody is telling him to buy a rice cooker instead of a knife and cutting board. You can get a rice cooker for $20 or opt for something fancier if the convenience justifies the price in the budget. Ive bought everything on my wish list and a little more. With some more creative shopping I got it done at $900. I've been toying with what to spend the last $100 on and I'm currently thinking of getting an Induction Burner and a Pots & Pans Rack. This budget is only for equipment and it isn't strict. I have plenty more savings and every other month than this one I spend under my means even while currently eating out for nearly every meal. If I find I really do want something I haven't bought yet I will just get it. I went to Ross and TJ Maxx today but haven't taken a picture of what I bought yet. Found a fish turner for $3 that was on my want list and three nice glass dry storage containers with chalk labels. As far as actual food goes I plan on buying that on a separate budget. Tomorrow I'm heading over to Penzeys Spices as I currently only have salt, pepper and cumin. Then I'' try the thrift stores again and see if I can find a decent coffee/spice grinder on the cheap and anything else I might have missed.
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Jul 23, 2014 09:07
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