Cooking Main Topics

General Cooking Information

• 2009-Aug-07: The ChecfStack is an automatic pancake maker. Currently a rather expensive $3500, but with the speed products advance I expect to see this under $200 in 2011. [8377]
• 2009-Feb-04: A portable one-shot espresso making device. Pity they missed the obvious and did not add the ability to use it as a bicycle tire pump as well. Two main objections: why limit it to a single shot and why not have a reusable filter system like a regular machine (those little packets are going to be expensive). [7538] [1]
• 2009-Jan-29: Rogers Foods has a collection of recipes online, including some for granola bars. [7501]
• 2008-Apr-13: The EvitMadScientist takes to the kitchen to make fractal cookies - Sierpinski Carpet designs. [5786]
• 2007-Dec-17: Chemistry meets the kitchen, Slashdot discusses the article: Food 2.0: Chefs as Chemists. [4451]
• 2007-Dec-17: The Wikibook Cookbook looks like a good source of recipes. [4450]
• 2007-Dec-17: Mollecular Gastronomy, the science of what makes things taste good. [4449]
• 2007-Dec-17: And the Cooking for Engineers site. [4448]
• 2007-Dec-17: Alton Brown (see also the Food TV listing) and the Thermochemical Joy of Cooking. [4447]
• 2007-Dec-17: Slashdot examines the state of open-source cookbooks on the net. [4446]
• 2007-Dec-17: Infrared BBQ grills may be the next hot thing [4445]
• 2007-Dec-17: Barbecues Galore has an outlet in Calgary. [4444]
• 2007-Dec-17: Cooking paella outdoors, this is made possible by a simple propane burner and paella pan support tripod. Quite a nice solution to the issue of paella pans that are really too large for a standard stove top or oven. [4443]

Pots and Pans

About 20 years ago I stumbled across Paderno cookware. I have yet to touch a superior product, either in a store or in a kitchen (sometimes you see something that looks similar on a cooking show, but that's not real life). To make matters even better, the original pots and pans I got 20 years ago are still being made today without any visible difference (so lids from the old pots fit the new ones and visa-versa). In general these are pretty indestructible, they have survived burning and baking and roasting and scraping and scouring. The handles are welded on (so they never get loose). The lips of the pots and the edges of the lids are not rolled over, so there is no where for food to get stuck. Plus they pour virtually without drips or spills. Being stainless steel you don't have to worry about the possible link between aluminum and Alzheimer's disease, and they are dishwasher and oven proof.

If you want to buy some your best bet is to wait for their twice a year factory-direct sale, since they sell most stuff at about a 40% discount then, as the only thing better than having one Paderno pot is having two!

Indian Food

• Dal with coconut milk
• Curried Cauliflower, with onions, cilantro and a bit of tomato
• Mung Daal

Cookies

• ChocoChew Cookies
• Coconut Chew Cookies
• Almond Chew Cookies
• Mexican wedding cookies
• Oatmeal cookies

Pancake Like Things

• Crepes, are easy to make and can be used for sweet or savory dishes
• Pancakes
• Really Big Yorkshire Puddings, (yorkies) essential for a roast beef dinner

Other Recipes

• cheese sauce, great for noodles and covering left over chicken or turkey
• Rice Pudding, a slow to cook dessert dish that can be prepared a day in advance
• fish with butter, great for noodles and covering left over chicken or turkey
• Fruit Cobbler, a nice alternative to pie
• Mock Pie a fast alternative to a pie,
• beef stew, easy to make and tastes great with noodles, rice or bread
• Need to try: Poaching Salmon in a slow cooker. Or maybe this one: with orange juice. And this one sounds pretty good.

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