Isn’t there a cast iron maintenance bingo card by now?
13 Likes
I was referencing the way people on the internet seem to be very concerned about ruining the finish of cast iron pans, or even causing rust. Once they’ve got a polymerized protective layer from use, they’re as impervious as other metals.
9 Likes
13 Likes
I’ve been doing this lately for roasting root veggies and it’s a game changer! Stick the big pan in the oven and preheat while i peel and dice and toss in oils and seasoning. Then toss in the hot pan and bake, giving a big shake after 15 minutes. Way crispier than using a cold pan! I love it. And the sound makes me feel like a “real” cook 
12 Likes
That’s a bad, bad, cooking experience.
4 Likes
Hopefully “heating the iron opens its pores” will take centre stage.
8 Likes
Ms. Shiv and I received a “Himalayan salt block” a few years ago as a gift. We never used this gimmicky item for cooking after day one, but last summer I put it outside to see if it would attract wildlife as a salt lick. Here’s what it looks like today:
My 
for the foodies and/or mineralogists is, can I now bust up or crush what remains of this block and use it for seasoning? I broke off a couple tiny bits and they are very salty and not gritty at all.
9 Likes
don’t see why not. any mouth bugs from critter slobber wouldn’t survive the hypersaline condition and you’ll only use a pinch at a time. cool!
7 Likes
The best application I’ve seen for these is dry aging. You put the meat you are dry aging on it in the fridge and rotate surfaces every few days. It helps draw moisture out of the meat and reduces the ingress of microorganisms so that you don’t have to trim as deeply.
11 Likes
I tend to make okonomiyaki more cabbagy than doughy, so it comes out best with an electric griddle when I do it.
7 Likes
When I was a kid we always got pears from a grandfather at Christmas, all excellent, but one was wrapped in gold paper, the most special one. My father always got that one, but he did share pieces off the end of his knife.
Were those the Royal Riviera ones, @DukeTrout ? I was too young to pay attention to that, I just remember that they were better than grocery store pears.
9 Likes
Yup, that was the Royal Riviera pear.
But actually, all the pears would have been the same, it’s just that one or two would be wrapped in gold (no idea why). So you made a family tradition out of it!
11 Likes
They’re apparently Comice Pears. Which are pretty rad, a bit similar to d’anjou pears.
But that means you should be able to find them elsewhere.
ETA: specifically French grown doyenne du comice pears.
5 Likes
5 Likes
Received and processed Organic Horseradish root from County Creek Acres www.organic-heirloom-seed.com
12 Likes
6 Likes
If you can still breathe or open your eyes as you grind the horseradish, it is not worth slathering on your prime rib.
Jus’ sayin.
9 Likes
I wear a frickin painting respirator and swim goggles when I make that stuff.
8 Likes
