Recipes, kitchen tips and tricks

[Tommy.]

One thing I always "struggle" with is stuff sticking to my knife when cutting potatoes. I read something one time but can't recall how to keep them from sticking

Have a look at a santoku knife, they have dimples which help break the airlock. Apart from that it's keeping a sharp blade and technique as @Sassy Colombian said.

 

[Joey66]

If you are over weight keep your feet out of the kitchen inbetween meals ....too much temptation......

 

[riddick]

I encountered similar issues not just with potatoes but sometimes zucchini or cucumber sticking to the knives. I have read that it depends on the angle, cutting board placement, and keeping the blades sharp and clean but I wonder if anyone else has some suggestions.

I'm actually on the search for a good set of kitchen knives. Do you have a brand that you would suggest?

Victorinox are good and inexpensive. I have about 4 if them. GOOOD knives cost a bundle tho. There's a Japanese one called something like Santoku

 

[summerisle]

Does size really matter? The unfortunate aspect is that it was more cake than biscuit but at least you gave it a try and now know how to best make use of them.

I'm making these mini fruit cakes tomorrow for my daughter. Thanks for the recipe.

Btw, did you know this trick about applying a crumb coat before frosting a cake to avoid getting crumbs on the buttercream? I didn't.

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If you make those cakes soak whatever fruit your using beforehand for a couple of hours. You can use cold tea or the the alcohol of your choice - it makes the fruit juicy and plumpilicious.

 

[Sid James]

I encountered similar issues not just with potatoes but sometimes zucchini or cucumber sticking to the knives. I have read that it depends on the angle, cutting board placement, and keeping the blades sharp and clean but I wonder if anyone else has some suggestions.

I'm actually on the search for a good set of kitchen knives. Do you have a brand that you would suggest?

I love my global knives, sharp as anything and they make good presents if you're difficult to buy for , be careful though, they can become ... erm an expensive obsession..



You should definitely try a knife in a shop first as you want to make sure its fits comfortably in your hand , some people will shell out a fortune on a top knife then never use it cos they find it difficult to work with

 

[Sassy Colombian]

I love my global knives, sharp as anything and they make good presents if you're difficult to buy for , be careful though, they can become ... erm an expensive obsession..

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You should definitely try a knife in a shop first as you want to make sure its fits comfortably in your hand , some people will shell out a fortune on a top knife then never use it cos they find it difficult to work with

Nice collection. Thanks for the recommendation and the tip, Sid James. I was thinking of ordering some online but instead I'm going to try to find a local shop so I can feel how they fit

 

[orchard]

I encountered similar issues not just with potatoes but sometimes zucchini or cucumber sticking to the knives. I have read that it depends on the angle, cutting board placement, and keeping the blades sharp and clean but I wonder if anyone else has some suggestions.

I'm actually on the search for a good set of kitchen knives. Do you have a brand that you would suggest?

No idea on 'sets' mate. Like advised above, handling first helps (balance/ergonomics), and Victorinox(sp?) offer superb value, in particular, bread, paring, turning and tomato knives imo. I like flexibility to follow contours in my boners and fish knives, so have Wusthof and Gustav respectively. Most of the others I've settled on are Japanese, not Global, although I kept one that I I've left blunt for pastry work.

I think it's very important to become a capable sharpener, have a system and strop frequently. If you're not, use your current knives for practice before you get decent ones.

 

[davids]

If you are over weight keep your feet out of the kitchen inbetween meals ....too much temptation......

The other thing is stop and ask yourself.
" Am I hungry ?" so many people eat by the clock or somebody else telling them food is ready.

 

[Sid James]

Nice collection. Thanks for the recommendation and the tip, Sid James. I was thinking of ordering some online but instead I'm going to try to find a local shop so I can feel how they fit

Deffo the best approach, if you're going to shell out some cash on a decent knife, make sure it's the one for you

 

[Sid James]

No idea on 'sets' mate. Like advised above, handling first helps (balance/ergonomics), and Victorinox(sp?) offer superb value, in particular, bread, paring, turning and tomato knives imo. I like flexibility to follow contours in my boners and fish knives, so have Wusthof and Gustav respectively. Most of the others I've settled on are Japanese, not Global, although I kept one that I I've left blunt for pastry work.

I think it's very important to become a capable sharpener, have a system and strop frequently. If you're not, use your current knives for practice before you get decent ones.

Good point learning to sharpen is very sensible , although I've got a steel and a whetstone im a bit cack handed so I got one of these devices with two ceramic wheels that are set in a trough of water, run all my knives through it every couple of weeks, keeps them in good shape

 

[Sassy Colombian]

If you make those cakes soak whatever fruit your using beforehand for a couple of hours. You can use cold tea or the the alcohol of your choice - it makes the fruit juicy and plumpilicious.

I made the cinnamon muffins with tequila soaked cranberries and they came out delicious. Although I had to modified the recipe as the metric system is different than the cup system we use here in the US. So I was wondering how do you measure your ingredients do you use a scale?

 

[orchard]

Good point learning to sharpen is very sensible , although I've got a steel and a whetstone im a bit cack handed so I got one of these devices with two ceramic wheels that are set in a trough of water, run all my knives through it every couple of weeks, keeps them in good shape

Yeah, sharpening steels are over rated imo, hard to keep the angle consistent, and tend to create a burr that people think is a sharpened edge. A ceramic jig's a good idea for most cooks, assuming one has symmetrical double bevel blades. A few of mine are single bevel (Japanese), so it wouldn't work. If you get the opportunity, try using a leather/suede board strop for in-between sharpening sessions, like after a couple of knife uses. You'll find it'll prolong the edge and save your good steel.

 

[summerisle]

I made the cinnamon muffins with tequila soaked cranberries and they came out delicious. Although I had to modified the recipe as the metric system is different than the cup system we use here in the US. So I was wondering how do you measure your ingredients do you use a scale?


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They look delicious.

I use a scale similar to this ; mine has both imperial and metric measurements.

 

[Sassy Colombian]

They look delicious.

I use a scale similar to this ; mine has both imperial and metric measurements.

Thanks, my daughter loved them.

Okay then I'm going to be pulling out my scale whenever I use your recipes. I was trying to convert it to cups and didn't seem right.

 

[summerisle]

Thanks, my daughter loved them.

Okay then I'm going to be pulling out my scale whenever I use your recipes. I was trying to convert it to cups and didn't seem right.

Yeah, they're a piece of piss to use. Apropos of nothing : is snooker popular in Colombia ?