How to stock your kitchen

[Howard]

no, i mean i cant draw a straight line with a ruler. im a spaz and somewhat clumsy, so involving machinery in this is going to get me hurt or my knife ruined.

my father has a shop full of tools, however, and its possible he has such a sander already. if so, i might see about getting a few different belts and having a go at it. ive got a small DMT super fine block that i used to put a slightly better edge on it, but its not near big enough for that knife so I might look at a larger water stone or whetstone for the task.

Did you check into getting belts for your dad's sander?

 

[xSauronx]

Did you check into getting belts for your dad's sander?

no i never did, i got a 122 grit water stone and one of the small plastic guides for sharpening the cleaver, after a little work it has a nice edge on it, quite a bit better than what it was when it arrived, though it still has some room for improvement.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I love this thread

I ordered a Bosch Universal and should have it this coming Monday. I have a KA pro 6 which I just repaired for the first time after over a decade of use, but I've evolved into a serious baker and it's inadequate for my purposes. Making a batch of bagels with high gluten flour would kill it. I'm making pizza dough with the same and will have to do it in four goes. After Monday, that's history. Won't part with the KA as it's been a real work horse and my wife may bake up to a few hundred dozen cookies between now and Christmas, but for bread? Bosch.

 

[rasczak]

Wow! What a great writeup! Subbing this thread.

 

[Howard]

I love this thread

I ordered a Bosch Universal and should have it this coming Monday. I have a KA pro 6 which I just repaired for the first time after over a decade of use, but I've evolved into a serious baker and it's inadequate for my purposes. Making a batch of bagels with high gluten flour would kill it. I'm making pizza dough with the same and will have to do it in four goes. After Monday, that's history. Won't part with the KA as it's been a real work horse and my wife may bake up to a few hundred dozen cookies between now and Christmas, but for bread? Bosch.

Sometimes you can find used Hobart N-50 units. Those are worth picking up if you can afford them. They're basically the industrial KA units.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Sometimes you can find used Hobart N-50 units. Those are worth picking up if you can afford them. They're basically the industrial KA units.

Been looking around at them, but I paid about $400 for the Bosch. Used n-50s are considerably more unless you are real lucky. MTBF for the Bosch is 17 years. Yeah, their engineers figured that out, but it may be more than that since Germans tend to be very conservative.

The DLX machines are nice, but we're looking $750 for those with no real advantage I can see. In any forum and this includes baking, there are fanboys and the DLX and Bosch owners line up, but it's rarely a hatefest like we see with Apple vs. whatever. Don't even mention KA, although their newest 7qt models feature a DC motor and supposedly have a new transmission. Only time will tell about that.

Some guy has a video on Youtube (it's his infomercial thing since he sells them) where he made about 17 lbs of dough in one batch in the Bosch. That's over the recommended limits, but it did it with no complaints.

Once I get it I'll post a review here.

 

[sjwaste]

Man, I wish I had the free time to need a mixer like that. Sounds pretty awesome. I'm working from home today, so I just took a 30 minute break to prep a grass fed chuck roast for the oven. It's a flimsy excuse to try out my new probe thermometer.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Man, I wish I had the free time to need a mixer like that. Sounds pretty awesome. I'm working from home today, so I just took a 30 minute break to prep a grass fed chuck roast for the oven. It's a flimsy excuse to try out my new probe thermometer.

Sounds awesome to me

I work very long days but that means I have to work fewer altogether. It's the lack of time when I'm working which caused me to go with the Bosch simply because I can make two weeks worth of bread (I wrap well and freeze at -20F) at once. If I had to do it in smaller batches it would take too much time so it doesn't happen now.

 

[Fritzo]

As far as knives go, just get a "knife block", and make sure the knives don't have those crappy serrated blades.

Get a flat blade so you can properly clean it and sharpen it. You don't have to spend a lot. There are actually some really nice knife sets for well under $100. Also learn how to use a steel to sharpen your blades (you can cheat by getting a knife sharpener gadget, but a steel lasts forever).

 

[Howard]

Sounds awesome to me

I work very long days but that means I have to work fewer altogether. It's the lack of time when I'm working which caused me to go with the Bosch simply because I can make two weeks worth of bread (I wrap well and freeze at -20F) at once. If I had to do it in smaller batches it would take too much time so it doesn't happen now.

You could always try the no-knead or low-knead breads. Cooks Illustrated has a fantastic "Rustic Italian Bread".

 

[sjwaste]

You could always try the no-knead or low-knead breads. Cooks Illustrated has a fantastic "Rustic Italian Bread".

I just downloaded the Baker's Apprentice (Reinhart). I really want to learn how to make good hoagie rolls, because my dream is to start a cheesesteak business up here. We've experimented with shipped bread, but it's not quite right by the next day. I'm going to have to learn to make it.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

Best Pepper Spray ever invented:

 

[Jadow]

I have a 12" cast iron skillet that is used for about 85% of my cooking, whether I'm frying, roasting, etc...

Also have 1 decent non-stick skillet if I want to quick fry up some eggs, a big all clad french skillet that I hardly use, and a couple pots for making soups, etc...

 

[xSauronx]

I just downloaded the Baker's Apprentice (Reinhart). I really want to learn how to make good hoagie rolls, because my dream is to start a cheesesteak business up here. We've experimented with shipped bread, but it's not quite right by the next day. I'm going to have to learn to make it.

please tell me if that is awesome, i have been thinking about it for a while but have a decent little list of breads and such i can make already. i got a decent bread book a couple of years ago and can now make some damn fine croissants.

as for the cleaver i got last year...man i love that thing. not even in a hurry to get a stainless one. *sort of* want a wa-gyuto for the hell of it, but i use that cleaver so much when cooking that i dont really have a need for much else. i almost never get my chef knife out anymore, unless im doing something relatively small and quick.

and with the waterstones....that damn cleaver is sharp.

 

[sjwaste]

please tell me if that is awesome, i have been thinking about it for a while but have a decent little list of breads and such i can make already. i got a decent bread book a couple of years ago and can now make some damn fine croissants.

as for the cleaver i got last year...man i love that thing. not even in a hurry to get a stainless one. *sort of* want a wa-gyuto for the hell of it, but i use that cleaver so much when cooking that i dont really have a need for much else. i almost never get my chef knife out anymore, unless im doing something relatively small and quick.

and with the waterstones....that damn cleaver is sharp.

What cleaver did you get?

So far the book looks good, but I haven't had time to try anything yet, so I will let you know once I have results. Problem is, I'm a terrible baker because I'm not disciplined at all with measurements. I bake like I cook, and it doesn't work out that way. It's well written, though.

 

[sdifox]

How about a Korean double sided grill pan? I love using it to reduce splatter and speed up cooking time.

something like this

http://www.amazon.com/Double-Sided-...sr=8-2&keywords=korean+double+sided+grill+pan

 

[Howard]

What cleaver did you get?

So far the book looks good, but I haven't had time to try anything yet, so I will let you know once I have results. Problem is, I'm a terrible baker because I'm not disciplined at all with measurements. I bake like I cook, and it doesn't work out that way. It's well written, though.

If you bake, you MUST have a weigh scale.

 

[Capt Caveman]

I was about to create a new thread and saw this one.

Woks. Cast Iron or Carbon Steel? I have a gas stove.

I was looking at this - Lodge Pro Logic 14" Cast Iron Wok, Black or 14 Inch Traditional Cast Iron Wokset for cast iron.

Or carbon steel? Like - The Wok Shop's own 14 inch carbon steel pow wok w/ metal handle (hand hammered)

 

[cirrrocco]

wow.. How did I miss this thread!!.. Great work Howard.

 

[Howard]

I about to create a new thread and saw this.

Woks. Cast Iron or Carbon Steel? I have a gas stove.

I was looking at this - Lodge Pro Logic 14" Cast Iron Wok, Black or 14 Inch Traditional Cast Iron Wokset for cast iron.

Or carbon steel? Like - The Wok Shop's own 14 inch carbon steel pow wok w/ metal handle (hand hammered)

Best to go with the Lodge. Thin woks work best with commercial burners, whereas at home you want a thick wok for maximum thermal capacity. Residential ranges don't have enough heat to keep a thin wok hot enough for stir-fry.

 

[sdifox]

wow.. How did I miss this thread!!.. Great work Howard.

You were busy watching your rice cooking on the stove :whiste:

 

[xSauronx]

What cleaver did you get?

So far the book looks good, but I haven't had time to try anything yet, so I will let you know once I have results. Problem is, I'm a terrible baker because I'm not disciplined at all with measurements. I bake like I cook, and it doesn't work out that way. It's well written, though.

http://www.chefknivestogo.com/cckcleaver2.html

that one, i think. per howards suggestion. love the thing, didnt *need* a better edge, but it did need some sharpening when i got it. love love love a cleaver now.

If you bake, you MUST have a weigh scale.

meh, i almost never break out a scale and bake some damn fine baked goods. for recipes im not familiar with i follow a recipe, so much stuff is written without weights anyway. i damn sure cant tell you the last time i used a scale for cookies or buttermilk biscuits.

but i dont do loads of baked goods. mostly cookies...otherwise im doing bread dough of one sort or another. definitely not weighing for that

 

[Howard]

http://www.chefknivestogo.com/cckcleaver2.html

that one, i think. per howards suggestion. love the thing, didnt *need* a better edge, but it did need some sharpening when i got it. love love love a cleaver now.




meh, i almost never break out a scale and bake some damn fine baked goods. for recipes im not familiar with i follow a recipe, so much stuff is written without weights anyway. i damn sure cant tell you the last time i used a scale for cookies or buttermilk biscuits.

but i dont do loads of baked goods. mostly cookies...otherwise im doing bread dough of one sort or another. definitely not weighing for that

When you get into breads that are different for 63% vs 65% vs 70% vs 75% hydration (etc.), the variability of density of flour is going to give you inconsistent results. What matters is the mass, and the best way to measure it is to weigh it.

 

[xSauronx]

When you get into breads that are different for 63% vs 65% vs 70% vs 75% hydration (etc.), the variability of density of flour is going to give you inconsistent results. What matters is the mass, and the best way to measure it is to weigh it.

not going to spend that much time and hassle on it. not worth it to me.

 

[Howard]

not going to spend that much time and hassle on it. not worth it to me.

A decent scale is less than $20 and a good scale is less than $30.

It's not even just for baking. How many times have you hated measuring out sour cream, honey, peanut butter, tomato paste, shortening, butter, etc. Well once you figure out the density of these ingredients (available on USDA website) no longer you will have to get a measuring cup or measuring spoon dirty, or try to futilely pack down the ingredient into the corners so you don't get air pockets. All you have to do is scrape a little into your mixing bowl until you hit your magic number.