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ol_ironstomach

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Everything posted by ol_ironstomach

  1. ol_ironstomach
    Unequivocally, yes. It's just expensive. I expect the lines clad with two stainless layers to outlive me by a long shot. On first principles, cookware with a thicker aluminum or copper layer (e.g. Calphalon, Mauviel, etc) should distribute heat even more evenly, but stainless steel is so much easier to care for that it's no contest. I retired my Calphalon ages ago. Our copper pots are mostly wall hangers now (except for the egg whisking bowl and mousse molds). Quality seems exactly the same to me. Their inspectors are so picky, that I have a couple of recent seconds where I have yet to identify the defect. After years of no apparent change, they did make some minor improvements lately. The newest lines are now etched on the base with their logo and the nominal capacity of the pot. Their new handle casting has gained an ergonomic finger ledge on the underside, and the helper loops are slightly larger. Although all aluminum-core All-Clad exposes a small amount of aluminum at the cut edge of the pot, the LTD and LTD2 lines expose an entire aluminum exterior, which is why they're not dishwasher-safe. Too much reactive surface area. Ditto the copper lines. Forged? No, the pots are not forged. All-Clad was based on the founder's patent for roll-bonded metal laminates, which completely obviates the need for forge-welding dissimilar metals, and their steel layers are supplied to them already rolled and homogeneous. Technically, the pots are stamped.
  2. ol_ironstomach
    The only pavane that's stuck in my head is Fauré's, and tapping my preferred mental version into an online BPM tool measured out between 79 and 81, so 80 seems a reasonable tempo for a pavane, to my ear anyway. (Fauré apparently had the kooky idea that his pavane would work around 100, which IMHO it doesn't.) The even slower versions I've heard tend to be plodding. But I don't know Ravel's pavane, and you're much more knowledgable about these things than I am anyway.
  3. ol_ironstomach
    Ah, the carnivorous Marabou stork. Creepy.
  4. ol_ironstomach
    Millville If for some reason you find yourself passing through the Vineland/Millville area, I should point out that Groupe SEB runs their North American distribution operation out of a nondescript industrial park on the south side of Millville, including a "small" (read: not too small) factory outlet store in the first building inside their gate. The store is open to the public, but only operates Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Map location: 2121 Eden Rd, Millville SEB is the French conglomerate that owns Airbake, Krups, Mirro, Regal, Rowenta, T-Fal, Wearever...and All-Clad. For what it's worth, I was also told that the items that go on sale at All-Clad's periodic seconds sale at the Canonsburg factory are first selected from the inventory in Millville, and that the better pieces tend to stay there too. All I can say is that the selection was vastly better than what I've seen at the William-Sonoma outlet, and that there were a fair number of marked down first-quality items as well. The deepest discounts were three tables of items marked 70% off. I ended up picking up a couple of half-priced appliances and a few additions to our household All-Clad hoard. Arc International also has their big US glass factory and distribution center in the same part of town, but not apparently a factory store. Pity.
  5. ol_ironstomach
    What a neat souvenir, Jen! I bought a Weihenstephan glass in that same shape in the early '90s, but sadly mine did not survive my luggage packing job. The weissbier glasses did, though. My later Rastal glassware (circa 2000) is not made to the same quality as my earlier pieces, though. The glass is more or less the same, but the later logos used a different "ink", especially the yellow areas which are no longer the shiny metallized gold of the earlier pieces, and even the lettering betrays a loss of precise and crisp edges. Even apart from your pre-unification "W Germany" markings, I'd have to say that they truly don't make them like that anymore. If you do decide to use them, hand wash and dry only. They machine wash them in Germany, but the printing absolutely will wear. Hope that helps a smidge.
  6. ol_ironstomach
    FWIW (and despite appearances, no, I'm not obsessed with pressure cookers), Woot has a today-only deal [ETA 4/20: no longer available] on Fissler Vitaquick pressure cookers: the 8L size is $150 plus $5 shipping. The 10L size is $10 more. Includes perforated inset and wire stand for same. Note that this is Fissler's tapered wall line, supposedly to make them nestable for storage, but as a consequence they offer less base area for browning.
  7. ol_ironstomach
    I like this liquor rule, although it underscores a problem I keep encountering at stores which have a generic fish counter: they don't know anything about oyster anatomy. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a display of oysters in which each one has been carefully and deliberately placed...upside-down. That is, displayed with the pretty cup shell showing on top, flat shell on the bottom against the ice. Of course they're going to lose the liquor this way and die a premature death. If a vendor displays them this way, don't even bother to ask. They've shown you they just don't know.
  8. ol_ironstomach
    That's how and where I ended up buying my doufeu. FWIW, the Fontignac oven arrived today, and is very nicely made indeed...a bargain. However, STP is now sold out.
  9. ol_ironstomach
    Some of the local highlights in national categories: Dabney, Kinship. RdV in the WSB Professional category. Local lowlights: Zero DC chefs nominated for Outstanding Chef or Rising Star.
  10. ol_ironstomach
    It's that time again! The 2016 Semifinalist list (long-list) for the James Beard Awards has been released.
  11. ol_ironstomach
    My one enameled piece for the longest time has been a round 26cm Cousances doufeu (~5.5 qt), found on sale at the Le Creuset outlet, but when used for baking Lahey's no-knead bread, I find that it's just a bit too wide and yields a relatively flat round loaf. So it was time to shop for a slightly smaller-diameter Dutch oven, preferably one with a better enamel than the relatively cheap and chip-prone pieces that flood the celebrity chef-endorsed aisles these days. Shapewise, I think I've found it: a 4.25 qt cocotte from "Fleur by Fontignac", from a firm now owned by Staub Group. Fontignac's "Vitriliss" finish appears to be a two-layer enamel instead of Staub's three-layer, and the newer pieces are made with a dark interior enamel a la Staub. The discontinued Fleur line, however, is described as sporting the slightly preferable cream-colored interior, but there seems to be some uncertainty about this...I see some customer comments that it's actually the dark interior. Sierra Trading Post says it's made in France - but their descriptions seem to be faulty; Wayfair says it's made in China. Who's right? Does anybody have any experience with Fontignac enameled cast iron? Sierra Trading Post shows the 4.25 qt round on closeout for a paltry $70, "almost gone". [2016-02-17 ETA: if an eBay listing is to be believed, parent conglomerate Zwilling Henckels is also clearing these out direct from their NY warehouse for twice the price, and lists them as made in France. From other listings, I infer that the Fleur name had previously been applied to a variant with a fleur-de-lis knob and the cream interior, but was most recently applied to one with a round knob and dark interior.]
  12. ol_ironstomach
    The tale of the Gifford's legacy takes another bizarre turn, with a *different* chocolatier - Kron Chocolatier, in Mazza Galerie - picking up from Dolly Hunt, the one-time owner of the business and recipient of the supposedly falsified Gifford's recipe. It will not be called Gifford's, as those rights were sold to "Gifford's Famouse Ice Cream (of Maine)" in 2010. Meanwhile, Andrew Gifford re-emerges with a family memoir in the works, tentatively set for publication in February 2017, and in which he promises to publish the recipe for the ice cream base as it was from the 1950s-1980s. The contents of the index cards from the vault will be published on an associated website. Read the Bethesda Magazine article below, but the real action is in the comments section. "Giffords Ice Cream to Make Local Comeback under New Name" by Andrew Metcalf on bethesdamagazine.com
  13. ol_ironstomach
    Not only is Convivial very good in terms of what arrives on the place or in the glass (not a dud in the bunch on our visit), but save for table availability it might also be the most accessible recent launch. I thought the prices were very reasonable, but having gone for "initial birthday dinner" while the city was still messily digging out from Snowzilla, the fact that its building has garage parking with significant turnover (thanks to the supermarket next door) made this among the easiest winter parking spots around. I see more visits to their bar in our future.
  14. ol_ironstomach
    L'Académie Franí§aise catches flak for dropping the circumflex from many words, and accepting alternate spellings of other words and phrases, including ognon for oignon. Many of the changes were approved back in 1990.
  15. ol_ironstomach
    Metrorail suspending service from 11PM Friday through entire weekend. Metrobus suspending service from 5PM Friday through entire weekend. Silver Spring: The Classics says they intend to stay open through the storm. [awkward plural/singular usage going on here...mebbe I should pretend to use British English and treat a company as a plural object] Frederick: Family Meal to remain open as usual. Frederick: Volt open Friday 5-close, Sat-Sun 11:30-close. Normal closing time is 9:30. If that remains so, then in effect this means they're staying open through their usual brunch/dinner closing. Special snowstorm prix fixe menu available...unclear from their e-mail whether or not this preempts their normal menu.
  16. ol_ironstomach
    *bump* It might be premature to start a "restaurants staying open" thread like the one during Sandy, but I should note that The Classics has already announced that they expect to operate as normal through the coming weather.
  17. ol_ironstomach
    Because my particular purpose was to rig it to a canvas tent roof, I chose something lightweight and without a metal frame or sharp edges: a 50W Renology RNG-50DL panel. Monocrystalline cells sealed onto a plastic substrate. A little utility cord slung over the ridge pole and I had no trouble hoisting it aloft. The crystalline cells are theoretically less efficient on cloudy days, but should last far longer than a thin-film panel (in what can only be described as electrochemical irony, thin-film solar materials are slowly destroyed by exposure to sunlight.) Output is compatible with solar 12v charge controllers. No opinion on the small cheapies. For example, here's a 20W unit on eBay for about $55. Note that these are specialized for USB charging, and designed to produce 5V instead of 14.4V, so they're okay for charging a pocket USB powerbank, but not a large deep-cycle battery.
  18. ol_ironstomach
    Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that fire and explosions broke out this afternoon at the well known family-owned artisanal ham producer this afternoon. WAVY (ch 10 Hampton Roads) coverage with photos here. Sussex-Surry Dispatch reports that no one was injured. The plant was operating at the time. Southern Foodways Alliance reports that the plant has been completely destroyed.
  19. ol_ironstomach
    "Top Chef who Walked Away from 'Chaos' Finds Higher Calling among Amish in Unity" by Mary Pols on pressherald.com
  20. ol_ironstomach
  21. ol_ironstomach
    It's good, very good indeed, and the format lends itself to progressive grazing. Possibly the best Thai I've had yet (although I've still never made it to Little Serow). Completely vanquished my meal last month at Chada (Las Vegas). Expect a tightly packed little space, as NY restos often are.
  22. ol_ironstomach
    Pistachio Squared is my current favorite flavor of theirs, and among my all-time faves. We went back for more the next day. And although it's not on the list of flavors they'll ship, the recipe is in their cookbook. My pack of Star Wars pints (not sold in their stores) is somewhere on a FedEx truck between Brooklyn and DC as we speak. And supposedly they've just inked a deal to supply ice cream to Disney resorts. Not bad, for a small chain with one modest factory a block from the Gowanus and just about five years of operations.
  23. ol_ironstomach
    Related. It could use a little updating. I will say that the solar panel capacity/price curve has been glorious in recent years: small, 15W foldable travel panels can be found all over eBay for the cost of one superfancy Boulud burger, while lightweight bendable panels of much higher capacity go for not much over a hundred bucks (although now-solar-industry-standard MC4 cabling will cost a bit).
  24. ol_ironstomach
    The Rasmus Auction
  25. ol_ironstomach
    Masts deny, revise denial, and admit to NYT that they initially used remelted couverture.
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