The Frying Pan

Mien

5:04 PM

Are things like potato or egg salad also included in the contest?

I mean things that don't contain lettuce.

rumtscho

I think that salad contains the dish "salad" in the first place, and lettuce only in the second

So I would certainly consider potato salad to be part of the contest

0

Q: Resources to start with

@yossarian proposed a great idea in chat: Make collections of links curated by our community members. There was a discussion about whether we should explain some really basic stuff like "How to stir fry" on the blog. Argument against: We create no new value if we endlessly repeat what is alread...

@derobert I was so enthusiastic I wrote the call for this idea without talking it through with you first, I hope you don't mind

We can still work out the details together

Mien

5:30 PM

Rumtscho wears the pants!

rumtscho

@Mien Haha, if we didn't both "wear the pants" (=manage the blog project) there wouldn't be any sense in both of us being admins (=manage the blog project)

I acted on the community's support here (including yours), but I am still open to changes, and of course we can forget about it completely if @derobert is strongly opposed (which I don't expect)

derobert

@rumtscho wait, it sounds from that question that you just rejected Sobachatina's tofu stuff

rumtscho

@derobert Um, no

derobert

"and assume that guides to making tofu are plentiful" ... wasn't that sort of what he's doing?

rumtscho

Sobachatina is writing on "what effect do different coagulants have on tofu"

derobert

5:36 PM

ok

rumtscho

I am rejecting the idea of "how to make tofu for beginners" on the condition that there are reasonably good guides to that already freely available

derobert

Well, I'd say that we really shouldn't take "how to make tofu for beginners" not because its already out there, but rather because it should be turned into a question ("how do I make tofu?") and answer on the main site.

But yeah, I guess a list of links could work for a blog post. Not like we're overflowing with posts.

rumtscho

The idea was not to replace regular blog posts from the schedule, but to make both biweekly

So one week of curated links, the next week a real post

But of course, it will "cover" a missing real post, if the worst should happen

Mien

I wasn't thinking of such a long list (7 links), but we'll see how that goes.

derobert

As long as we're going for "learn X by reading these resources", with enough text besides the links...

rumtscho

5:42 PM

@mien finding 7 links is easy

derobert

I mean, we can just have a page of links to interesting resources on the blog

Mien

This one's for @Sobachatina: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soba_%28noodle%29

rumtscho

@derobert yes OK, a complete post with some links is something else

We were talking of easy-to-produce link lists

Hello @leslie

derobert

Well, remember that if its just a list of links as a blog post, it'll scroll off the blog main page (unlike if its a separate page with links), will not really be editable (posts are generally written, published, then done), won't be very findable via Google (its just links)...

rumtscho

@derobert I mean to have a sentence or two about each link. But not more.

It isn't about being editable, or findable by Google.

The purpose would be to provide information our community likes.

derobert

5:46 PM

@rumtscho But those are what'd make it useful

Providing information isn't useful, unless people who need the information can find it.

rumtscho

You know how people tend to ask questions like "what is the best book to learn X" or "What is the best web ressource to learn X" and they get closed as a poll

Mien

If you have the title 'how to make tofu', it is findable by Google, no?

rumtscho

If we make this a regular feature, Seasoned Advicers will know that the answer to these is found in the blog

derobert

... and won't be able to find it.

rumtscho

@derobert I think that the blog's search feature will be enough.

derobert

5:49 PM

@rumtscho have you seen cooking.blogoverflow.com/wp-admin/link-manager.php ... I think that's what we're looking for, not a blog post per se

rumtscho

No, I meant to make it a post

Just a short post with only a few links and a sentence for each in the body.

I think that the thing you already posted is 1) only accessible from the dashboard and 2) only good for internal stuff

(I may be wrong)

derobert

No, you can add it as a page...

rumtscho

Ah, I didn't even know that

Mien

@derobert The thing I would like is a kind of introductory small post before the actual blog post.

In this small post are some basics explained (or linked to), so that you understand the real blog post.

derobert

Then it'll always be available. And it makes more sense to be editing it (which will want to do, I doubt the best resources for learning X will stay the same over time)

rumtscho

5:51 PM

But if you think that it is findable as a "post" object and not as a "link list" object (in WP terms) then we can make it a "post" object

@derobert Hmm, but do you think that people will read it?

derobert

@Mien That would have been useful for the bread one, but I think most posts don't need that.

rumtscho

@derobert I doubt that they will change too often. But of course, we can edit a blog post too

derobert

We can, but its weird. Its a dated medium.

Of course, we could make blog posts when we make major updates to the links. But I guess we can see what works when we actually have some

Mien

@derobert Depends, it can also be something else. A link explaining food that can or can't be eaten on the holiday about the matzah balls for instance.

But that's not a good example.

rumtscho

We don't have to make it connected to the next blog post every time

Only when it makes some sense

We can post a tofu link collection before Soba goes live

Sobachatina

5:55 PM

@Mien I love buckwheat. That's awesome. Thanks.

rumtscho

and some random topic the week before the next book review goes live

Mien

Yw :)

rumtscho

@mien about glasses

Do yours change the geometry of what you are seeing?

Mien

What do you mean with "geometry"?

rumtscho

Mine sligthly stretch stuff towards the upper left corner

derobert

5:57 PM

@rumtscho Mine made everything look funny (weird distortion) for the first few days of wearing them, then I got used to it.

Mien

Is it the glasses or your eyes that stretch? ;)

derobert

@rumtscho this was a long time ago...

Mien

ah yes, @rumtscho, it can take a few days to get used to it.

But you've had them for a week now.

rumtscho

My monitor doesn't seem like a rectangle any more. The lower edge looks parallel to the desk, but the upper edge looks like it is 3-4° rotated around its right end.

Mien

Do you wear them often?

rumtscho

5:58 PM

I wear them all the time

Except for maybe an hour of reading in bed in the morning before I remember to put them on

derobert

this the first time you've had glasses, or is this just a new pair?

Mien

It's possible that your brain is used to correcting it for you, does now an over-correcton.

rumtscho

The first time I've had glasses.

Mien

But normally, that should go away very quickly.

rumtscho

And I have astigmatism.

Mien

5:59 PM

So I'm not sure what's the problem.

Is your screen corner normal when you focus on it?

rumtscho

I hope the doctor didn't measure the wrong values.

The screen is perfectly in focus.

It just looks more like a trapez than like a rectangle.

I didn't have trouble focusing before either, only in the very far distance - maybe over 100 meters - things were not sharp

derobert

I suspect that means you're just not used to the glasses yet.

rumtscho

But I have 0.25 dpt on one eye and none on the other, so I can focus on the monitor without glasses.

It is the astigmatism that is quite far from the vertical, 30° and 115°

derobert

I'm quite near-sighted. Without the glasses, I have to get real close to the monitor.

rumtscho

My symptom was seeing lights triple

Not really triple, but two ghost images of them superimposed on the real light

Mien

6:02 PM

How do you see blue lights now?

rumtscho

And that only on strong lights, like traffic lights in the evening. I always saw displays really sharp and nice.

derobert

I guess its possible that the lenses were manufactured wrong, have you asked the optometrist?

rumtscho

Now, the superimposing is weaker than before, but still exists, with all colors of light

But when I take off the glasses, it is much stronger than before - the brain must be getting used to the glasses.

@derobert I haven't yet, I still hope that this will disappear after a few more days

I hope that the doctor didn't measure me wrong, he had some really antique tech

derobert

Odd that the multiple-images is still present. Seems like the optics should correct that.

rumtscho

His symbols table was thrown on the wall with a dia projector - it wasn't sharp at any size, just because of the low projector quality

A printed table would have been actually better than this 70s tech

derobert

6:04 PM

wow

Mien

lol

rumtscho

And I wasn't always sure when I see something better than before, because my nearsightedness isn't very strong. He just went by how well I can recite the numbers.

Mien

Nobody is sure if it's better or worse :p

rumtscho

But of course, I memorized the numbers after the first time I recognized them.

So, it was easier to read the number when I knew what I am reading.

I don't feel like paying for new glasses so soon :(

derobert

Maybe you can find an optometrist with modern equipment.

rumtscho

6:13 PM

@derobert Yes, if the problem stays, I will go to the store and let them measure me.

I got my current measurement from a physician specialized in eyes and vision.

But the stores can measure too.

@derobert I will post a hint of a "surprise" post as an answer to our cfp question tomorrow

I want to keep it unanswered one more day

But won't explain what it is, just say that we are planning something.

derobert

@rumtscho the 4th of July one?

rumtscho

BTW, I love my new machine.

@derobert yes, that one.

I made exactly Lebovitz's philadelphia vanila recipe in it

derobert

@rumtscho well, you are a robot, so I suppose loving machines is OK.

rumtscho

and the texture is much better than what I expected from homemade ice cream.

@derobert It was Our Beloved Jeff who said my favorite citation - "If it is wrong to love my computer, I don't want to be right"

derobert

Hmmm, I guess since he's stepped down, he's been downgraded from Fearless Leader to Beloved.

rumtscho

6:21 PM

So, I think we can go ahead with this recipe - while a custard-based one will probably taste a bit better, this one will produce results good enough for eating.

It was also very white, despite the vanilla extract slightly coloring the base

It whitened during freezing.

But it has a slight prospensity to buttering.

So no overchurning.

derobert

I managed to obtain guar gum yesterday. So now I have both guar and xanthan to add

Mien

It's only a ts of vanilla extract? I'll throw in an extra bean.

Sobachatina

@rumtscho Did you try it with gum or lecithin?

rumtscho

@Sobachatina No, I wanted to go pure.

Sobachatina

Fair enough.

rumtscho

6:22 PM

And even froze the tub for 18 hours instead of 24.

derobert

Oh, and I have corn syrup, too, since its easy to obtain over here :-)

rumtscho

I wanted to know what the "worst case" would be

@derobert Lebovitz mentions that it helps with some difficult recipes, but says he only uses it in them, leaving sugar for the others

derobert

@rumtscho which machine did you finally get?

rumtscho

So it probably isn't necessary.

@derobert amazon.de/Krups-Eismaschine-VENISE-Testsieger-Testmagazin/dp/…

Quite expensive for a prefrozen one - 68 EUR.

But it seems to be worth it.

and some quirky recipes in its leaflet

I will be trying them

derobert

Hmmm. German words look so funny :-P

rumtscho

6:25 PM

I already won Sobachatina's heart with tomato sorbet with candied tomatoes

derobert

Gefrierbehälter

rumtscho

German words look so normal :-P

derobert

I dare say that should be a weapon.

rumtscho

@derobert freezing tub

derobert

yes

rumtscho

6:26 PM

or rather, freezing vessel

Nothing weaponlike there

Mien

container?

derobert

I suppose if you hit someone over the head with it, especially when frozen, it could be a weapon.

rumtscho

Ah yes, container sounds better.

Mien

Is it harder when frozen?

rumtscho

@derobert If you hit somebody with the Dalai Lama over the head, the Dalai Lama can be a weapon. This doesn't make him inherently militant.

derobert

6:27 PM

@Mien well, it'll have (some sort of) ice in it, which should add some hardness. Prevent the metal from denting.

Mien

I thought you should put ice on an injury?

derobert

I guess "freezer bowl" would be your best translation, at least thats what Cuisinart calls it

rumtscho

It is a nice machine with enough power to really churn the ice - some of the cheaper machines had reviews saying that the paddle just pushes the mass ahead of it without really churning and forms terrible crystals.

derobert

@Mien Well, you're not going to leave it there.

rumtscho

@derobert container is the more literal one. But yes, freezing bowl sounds OK.

@Mien This is in order to feel less pain. But the brain doesn't feel pain.

derobert

6:30 PM

@rumtscho Oh, but chilling still prevents brain damage (e.g., due to lack of oxygen). So still best to remove the freezer bowl after thwacking with it.

Mien

I think you can even prevent hair loss if you wear an ice bonnet during chemo.

rumtscho

I don't know. Luckily, I don't know anybody who had chemo.

Mien

1

Q: Can I put a disposable aluminum pan directly over a burner?

If I need to melt margarine on the stove and have no pots or pans available, can I melt it in a thin disposable aluminum pan directly on the burner (on a low flame), or will the pan burn/melt?

stove aluminum-cookware

Didn't any of you ever try to have a disposable bbq?

Those things are aluminium.

Sobachatina

Interesting observation- it looks like the time stamp for an answer is based on when you click the button to answer not when you submit it when you are done.

I started my answer for the al pan and worked on something else- Rumyancheto answered it then I finished my answer.

Nevermind. I refreshed and it went away.

Oh well.

derobert

Oh, but if you put in a quick answer, you can edit it, and you keep your time stamp

for up to five minutes

This used to be all the rage on SO, when they defaulted to sort-by-oldest.

Sobachatina

6:44 PM

@Mien The problem is not that it's aluminum but that it is too thin.

derobert

@rumtscho someday, we're going to have to get you to get a microwave.

dpollitt

I put aluminum foil right over a campfire without issues of melting.

Mien

I know we wrapped bananas in tin foil and put them in the fire.

derobert

I suspect you'd be fine using a disposable thing over the gas flame, provided its not empty

natural gas flame is probably hotter than your campfire, though.

Mien

This is what OP means, right?

Sobachatina

6:47 PM

@derobert The empty is the issue. Foil on a campfire filled with stuff will not rise too far above boiling.

derobert

@Mien yep, something like that. Hopefully smaller, though.

Sobachatina

Empty foil on a fire will burn- just like aluminum cans do.

Mien

I don't think it's a real question tbh.

Which doesn't mean it's a bad question.

derobert

The risk is if OP puts a small amount of butter in that huge thing, then puts it over flame, most of the pan doesn't have anything in it, and may melt.

Mien

But I don't think he'd put the whole pan on the middle of the flame. Just the corner where the butter is. It's much quicker.

Sobachatina

6:49 PM

This whole question is silly for butter though. You just look at intently and it will melt.

dpollitt

@Sobachatina aluminum cans only melt after extended time(ie hours) in a campfire for me. Maybe you have more intense fires then me though.

Sobachatina

Put it in a plastic bag in your pocket for 5 minutes.

Mien

He could fold his pan and sit on it.

Sobachatina

@dpollitt Flatterer.

dpollitt

If I throw a can into a campfire, it may form a hole on one of the walls, but rarely does it melt. And that is only after intense heat of an hour or more

Mien

6:50 PM

Some of you work with Adobe Reader, right?

Sobachatina

@dpollitt I suppose I do mean burning a hole not becoming molten.

dpollitt

I try not to

Mien

Nevermind that.

derobert

@Mien if by "work with" you mean "uninstall at the earliest available opportunity", then yes.

Flame

A flame (from Latin ') is the visible (light-emitting), gaseous part of a fire. It is caused by a highly exothermic reaction (for example, combustion, a self-sustaining oxidation reaction) taking place in a thin zone. Some flames, such as the flame of a burning candle, are hot enough to have ionized gaseous components and can be considered plasma. There is, however, disagreement on this subject. Mechanism Color and temperature of a flame are dependent on the type of fuel involved in the combustion, as, for example, when a lighter is held to a candle. The applied heat causes the fuel mo...

... has a table of flame temperatures

Hey, Google Reader now tells me we have 4 whole subscribers (including me)

YEAH.

Sobachatina

I'm one.

I hope that doesn't dampen your enthusiasm.

derobert

6:58 PM

Hmmm. "Seasoned Advice Blog: The Blog By and For #TheFryingPan"

Sobachatina

I would like to maintain the illusion that other people are reading it too.

derobert

Well, you and I only make two. So there are still two more.

Sure, they're probablt @Mien and @rumtscho, but I can imagine we have readers!

dpollitt

how do i even get to the blog? the main site doesnt have a link to it at the top

derobert

@dpollitt its on the right sidebar. Or on the bottom.

@dpollitt (in community bulletin)

Mien

I'm not subscribed :p

@dpollitt you can also click the pinned/starred comment here

Oh, that doesn't work anymore.

derobert

7:20 PM

@rumtscho cool, we can actually put custom content on the right bar, between the "subscribe via rss" and "latest articles"

Mien

7:52 PM

Oh yossarian's post is already online?

rumtscho

@derobert I used to have one, it broke

And I noticed that it isn't worth the space it takes

0

Q: Too much water in box cake mix batter and its already mixed can it be fixed?

I put to much water in my box cake mix and I already mixed the cake.. What can I do to save the cake. Could I add another box of cake mix to the Batter?

cake

A new candidate for "can we fall lower" question

derobert

wow

rumtscho

@derobert I think aaronut is one

We had a visit from reader.google.ca at some point

But not recently.

derobert

Ah. They have Googles in Canada? :-P

rumtscho

I don't have us on RSS.

I usually read the posts before they appear there :)

derobert

7:57 PM

I have it on GR to make sure it looks OK there, when it appears (and to make sure it appears, etc.)

rumtscho

@Sobachatina they didn't have pineapple in the store

I bought mint and kiwifruit for a sorbet from the machine booklet

and tomatoes

Sobachatina

@rumtscho I have to find the recipe for you tonight anyway.

I do want to see your candied tomatoes recipe though. That sounds really interesting.

If I did make an unsweetened ice cream out of basil with dried tomato chunks- it could be served like a cold sauce. What could you serve that with?

If it was served with something warm then it would have to be eaten fast- like in two bites.

Mien

Some like a toast?

Or a toast with grilled mozarella on top!

Sobachatina

I love the mozarella idea- keeping it italian.

How about a slice of grilled eggplant served hot covered with a large piece of pasta that is covered with toasted mozarella but cooled and put a small scoop of the pesto ice cream on top.

Too vegetarian?

The pasta would buffer the temperatures until they could get to your mouth.

Ice cream experiments always make the judges groan on Iron Chef.

Mien

Oh, so no tomato ice cream?

Just basil?

I wonder how that should taste on a french fry, instead of mayo.

Sobachatina

8:15 PM

@Mien I was considering basil ice cream with candied tomato pieces in it.

Mien

Oh, just candied pieces.

Sobachatina

It's just talk right now anyway- I don't have any tomatoes growing.

Mien

I really think you need something crunchy as well.

Is there anything ice cream scone shaped that isn't an ice cream scone?

and not a bugle.

Sobachatina

cone.

I don't know if I would want the ice cream to remind people of dessert- especially if it isn't sweet.

I would want it to look like a firm sauce and surprise them with the cold.

rumtscho

Sorry, the new GIMP doesn't have Save for web yet, I had to resize it aggressively

I think it is still readable though

@derobert have you found a working version of Save for web for GIMP 2.8?

Sobachatina

8:19 PM

It is readable.

At least 1/6th of it is anyway. :)

rumtscho

Oh, I don't have 4 lemons here :(

I didn't have the recipe with me when shopping

I may try it with a mix of lemon juice and something else

I bought a small bottle of rose wine to try for sorbets

wanted to add it to the melon sorbet, but maybe I can make tomato-wine sorbet

But the melon sorbet in this book also needs lemon juice. I only have 2 1/2 lemons here, I think

and the shops are closed tomorrow.

derobert

8:36 PM

@rumtscho No, though given I don't really use Save for Web for previous GIMP versions either.

rumtscho

@derobert I installed it specifically for my blog post and it worked well there

I could have cut only the recipe here, of course, but I wanted to flaunt the good layout of the booklet which comes with the machine. Especially the food photography :)

It also has a quince-grenadine recipe, which can work with pears too

I will try it next time I find ripe pears

But this kiwi recipe is a bit of a problem.

It calls for 8 kiwies, 10 leaves of mint, and 4 cl peppermint liqueur

I have no peppermintliqueur and wouldn't drink it if I had it

and I have 5 kiwies and two bundles of mint

derobert

What's wrong with peppermint liqueur?

rumtscho

the overly artificial, overly sweet taste

also some bad memories.

Oh, and coloring your tongue green

derobert

Well, except its going into a frozen desert. So the sweet is probably fine.

rumtscho

For the memories, I admit now that drinking a whole 750 ml bottle of the stuff at around 11 AM was a bad idea, but I was 17 and bored out of my mind

derobert

8:44 PM

I think that's a bad idea, regardless of time of day.

rumtscho

@derobert but if I buy 75 cl and use 4 cl for the dessert, I am stuck with the rest

derobert

@rumtscho you can't buy a smaller bottle?

rumtscho

I've never seen it in smaller

derobert

Alternatively, you could probably substitute peppermint-infused vodka, and some extra sugar.

rumtscho

good idea - I think I have some vodka left

but it won't taste as strong

derobert

8:46 PM

well, if you had mint extract...

rumtscho

maybe I should infuse some chewing gum in the vodka too

I have never seen mint extract for sale here

derobert

Though, honestly, I doubt it'll be a problem. Plain vodka would probably work.

(no mint extract? Well, I guess that's because you just don't have extracts there)

rumtscho

I planned to use more fresh mint anyway - it would be a waste to use five leaves only for my five kiwies

derobert

The alcohol helps avoid ice crystals, I believe. So its needed. But vodka should have around the same % alcohol.

rumtscho

or maybe make pure mint sorbet - Lebovitz has parsley ice cream, so I could try adjusting the recipe

Maybe he has mint sorbet too, I haven't looked.

But the liqueur should have 25° only, not 40° like vodka

derobert

8:50 PM

Depends on your liqueur... at least here they can have up to 40%

rumtscho

The sweet ones here don't

I think there are some which do, but rarely. It is mostly the clear alcohols which have such percentage

derobert

ah, well, then use vodka equal to half the amount called for

and that'll surely be close enough

rumtscho

yes, together with more mint it should be OK for the flavor

Lebovitz has no herb sorbets :(

But syrup, mint, a few drops of lemon juice, and some alcohol should do it for any mint left over after making the kiwi-mint one

thedragonskitchen.com/2008/07/mojito-sorbet_6421.html

Mien

I don't like the flavour of mint in my food.

Am I the only one?

rumtscho

themalabartearoom.wordpress.com/2012/05/04/…

@mien I love mint - but I grew up with spearmint

in Bulgaria, it is very common. Not as much as parsley, but close.

derobert

8:56 PM

@Mien I don't know. Mint in deserts is good. Mint in tea is good. Haven't really tried it much in other dishes.

rumtscho

@derobert white bean soup

Mien

I can drink mint tea, but it's weird.

rumtscho

Or peppers stuffed with rice.

Both need mint and summer savory.

Mien

@rumtscho I can read your tomato-chunk-ice-cream-recipe well.

derobert

Mint tea is good, with all three types of mint (peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen)

Mien

8:57 PM

But I have no idea why so many books translate to 'basterdsuiker'.

rumtscho

I have only had peppermint tea. It is OK, but not my favorite.

Mien

Nobody here knows what that is.

derobert

I may have to pick up a copy of this ice cream book.

Maybe I should actually as a salad question or something.

Mien

Yes me too.

But I don't know what to ask.

Throw some things together, mix, et voila, you have salad.

You don't even have to mix.

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