(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best cooking utensils

Alright, so I'll try to reply in parts as we break down the issue:

TRAVEL

• Some cane travel instruction is probably not enough, and many people who are partially sighted benefit from sleepshade (or blindfold) instruction at least some of the time. Residual vision, as you know, can be so misleading. The step to take now is to start using your cane 100% of the time out of the house, no excuses. (One of the reasons I recommend looking into the residential type programs is because of the emphasis on quality, comprehensive independence skills including cane travel for every situation.)
  
  
• I highly suggest getting the [NFB free cane]
  (https://nfb.org/free-cane-program) or (if you have means and don't want it for free) [buying a fiberglass or carbon fiber cane from them instead.]
  (https://ecommerce.nfb.org/asp/prodtype.asp?prodtype=1&ph=&keywords=&recor=&SearchFor=&PT_ID=) It is not often provided locally, it is lighter than the folding ambutech and revolution type cane you probably have, and if you don't like it stick it in your closet as a backup.
  
  CLEANING
  
  
• Which cleaning tasks are you struggling with? The base of "cleaning" is going to be "keeping things neat." If you can't see things, finding them again and keeping areas clean can be an issue if you don't become consistent with where you set things down or put them away. From there, you just have to be methodical with your cleaning tasks. I vacuum the whole carpet, row by row, because I can't tell where the "dirty spots" are easily. I wipe the whole bathroom mirror on a regular basis. I wipe down the stove top after use to make sure there is no mess, and so on. For dish washing by hand, just quickly run your hand over the entire dish! Then you can feel if it is gunky in any spots.
  
  What cleaning things aren't going quite right for you? Let me know.
  
  COOKING:
  
  How good of a cook were you to start with? What types of food are you cooking, and what sorts of issues are you encountering?
  
  
• One tool I use all the time is my silicone-coated locking tongs [like these.]
  (https://www.amazon.com/StarPack-Premium-Silicone-Kitchen-12-Inch/dp/B00KDV5RZY/) (and I want to get silicone spatulas.) I use it to "feel" around my nonstick pans safely, easily flip things, etc.
  
  
• For measuring, there's [braille labeled]
  (https://ecommerce.nfb.org/asp/product.asp?product=1137&cat=19&ph=&keywords=&recor=&SearchFor=&PT_ID=) measuring cups, or if you have color discrimination, [color coded ones.]
  (https://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Measuring-Cups-Set-5/dp/B00I5PTBCA/r) There's also [bright measuring spoons]
  (https://ecommerce.nfb.org/asp/product.asp?product=968&cat=19&ph=&keywords=&recor=&SearchFor=&PT_ID=) that you can label as well.
  
  
• A [talking food themometer]
  (http://www.thermoworks.com/Talking-Thermometer) can help with tasks like "how done is this meat" and "will that turkey send my family to the hospital" lol. Very handy.
  
  
• For chopping things, I use one hand to hold the knife and have the other one OVER the non-sharp part of the knife (if you need to hold food) so there is absolutely no risk of your fingers being in the knife zone. If in doubt, go slow and carefully. I personally always leave my used knives on one side of the cutting board with the tip facing the board, and then I put all dirty knives on one specific spot on the side of my sink with the handles facing me. Some also tuck knives under the cutting board when stepping away from it.
  
  
• If you have trouble seeing liquids go into cups, a [liquid level indicator]
  (https://ecommerce.nfb.org/asp/product.asp?product=1081&cat=19&ph=&keywords=&recor=&SearchFor=&PT_ID=) is good for hot cups, but just poke your finger over the rim for cold stuff.
  
  
• If you have trouble telling how done food is, FEEL, SMELL, and LISTEN to your food as it cooks often. Follow recipes until you're familiar with how long something will take. Use the thermometer if there is a safety concern. Crock pot recipes can be great because there are many easy ones to learn that have a huge window of forgiveness as far as cooking time, and a simple dial crock pot (off, low, high, warm) is very accessible.
  
  
• Microwave, dishwasher, stove and oven, etc buttons can all be labeled with [stick on bumps.]
  (https://ecommerce.nfb.org/asp/product.asp?product=605&cat=111&ph=&keywords=&recor=&SearchFor=&PT_ID=) For example, I put bumps on the numbers, power, add minute, start and stop button for my microwave. I also put a button where the "light wash" for my dishwasher is and know that one click further is regular and another is heavy. (You can also use this to label a bunch of types of washing machines. Some are more accessible than others unfortunately.)
  
  
• Are you practiced with food shopping independently? Are you making plans for the week, grocery lists, etc? How do you manage knowing what is in your fridge, pantry, etc right now?
  
  So that's a start of things I can think off the top of my head, but there's probably a bunch more. If you give me more feedback I will try to be more specific.
  
  Nail clipping I haven't had an issue with. Just use the metal tip of the clipper to feel where your finger pad starts if you're not sure, pull AWAY from that area, and then clip. Then I file my nail with a filing board so they're round and even.
  
  Fitness
  
  
• If you can get a gym membership you can do pretty much everything, but you will need someone to show you how to use the electric machines the first time. Always take your cane to the gym for safety. Outside of the gym, depends on what you like! A local running or hiking group would be a great start if you want some outdoor recreation. Personally I love going out for long walks, and exploring my town. The "care and feeding" book I recommended (in conjunction with quality, sufficient O&M instruction) will really help you build confidence in traveling independently with practice, and being outside and exercising is huge for your mental well being as well as physical.
  
  
• (BTW, for said exploring, there's a lot of good GPS software out there for blind people. I use Nearby Explorer Online for Android, Blindspot is very popular for iOS, just to start.)
  
  
• For reading tasks, [get KNFB reader.]
  (http://www.knfbreader.com/) You might be able to get rehab to pay for it, although it is currently only $19.99 on android (the usual $99.99 on iOS.) It can read all sorts of printed text like mail, menus, etc. Great software for this job.
  
  
• If you aren't learning braille, get started. [I love this free book.]
  (https://ecommerce.nfb.org/asp/product.asp?product=758&cat=50&ph=&keywords=&recor=&SearchFor=&PT_ID=) It is grade 1 and grade 2 braille, NOT UEB, so you will eventually have to relearn some things (but a lot of material out there still exists in grade 2, and it is a good primer to technique, the alphabet, numbers, etc.) Some other [braille instruction books]
  (https://ecommerce.nfb.org/asp/prodtype.asp?prodtype=50&ph=&keywords=&recor=&SearchFor=&PT_ID=) are in UEB. Sign up for local classes, too!
  
  
• The NFB will send you a [free slate and stylus]
  (https://nfb.org/free-slate-program) to write braille with. You can use braille to label all sorts of foods (spice jars, canned goods, bottles of sauces), cleaners and soaps and such, and items at home to start with! There is [stick on labeling tape]
  (https://ecommerce.nfb.org/asp/product.asp?product=1045&cat=128&ph=&keywords=&recor=&SearchFor=&PT_ID=) [reusable labels with elastic]
  (https://ecommerce.nfb.org/asp/product.asp?product=1048&cat=128&ph=&keywords=&recor=&SearchFor=&PT_ID=) and [reusable magnetic tape for cans.]
  (https://ecommerce.nfb.org/asp/product.asp?product=1146&cat=128&ph=&keywords=&recor=&SearchFor=&PT_ID=) So a lot of options.
  
  
• If you haven't already, sign up for the [NLS]
  (https://www.loc.gov/nls/) and [Bookshare]
  (https://www.bookshare.org/cms/) if you can. Paper and digital braille, physical and digital audiobooks, etc are all freely available to blind people either as downloads or mailed for free to your home. Bookshare charges a yearly subscription, but not if you're a student.
  
  
• Eventually you might want to look at "big ticket" purchases such as commercial accessibility software, braille displays, etc. But that is often through vocational rehabilitation so will come later. Are you working or going to school right now? What is your plan with that?
  
  
• Emotionally, the right therapist who understands vision problems can help a great deal. I know a few people who have greatly benefited from the counseling services offered by local blindness organizations.
  
  I've written about [losing my sight]
  (https://www.reddit.com/r/Blind/comments/5627a2/feeling_disheartened/) and how a lot of the process, for me, was emotionally coming to grips with the vastness of the change instead of trying to minimize it. Does that make sense? It's a big fucking deal in the beginning, and having what you need (practically and emotionally) makes all the difference.
  
  (And look, I know this is a lot of info, but I mean it when I say that I (and many others on this sub) want to help and want you to be able to succeed. If you want to ask more questions now, or you want to ask more questions next year, let us know.)

Why the floursack towels? I mean, I have them and like them for cheesemaking, but I would not consider them a kitchen basic.

Don't get sponges in bulk unless you're sure you like them. If you like those ones, great, but otherwise pick them up in smaller quantities locally.

A basting and pastry brush is nice to have, but easy to get around needing too. And I don't know if you want silicone or natural bristle: depends what you're using it for.

A kitchen scale is definitely a good thing to have, especially starting out, when you're really not at all sure of how much of something you should be using.

A ladle is nice for soup, although I'd probably pick up a cheaper one instead if budget was a priority. I would also get stainless steel unless my cookware was all nonstick.

Tongs are important, but I'd get steel tip ones unless you're planning on using a lot of nonstick. The things you want tongs for you mostly don't want non-stick for, I think.

For that sort of spatula, I'd recommond something seamless, like this. They stay better for a lot longer.

Oven mitts are a must.

I have that sheet pan and like it.

The convex design of that grater will give you less food contact, which will make things take longer (and probably makes the slicing side super weird). If you're worried about grating your knuckles, just don't try to grate to the bitter end. Also, if you get an etched box grater like the Cuisipro, you don't need a separate zester. The zester on stamped box graters is, by nature, awful, and one of the reasons Microplanes are so popular.

It's good to have a colander, and that one looks good (fast draining without everything getting stuck in the mesh of a strainer).

Measuring spoons are helpful, although that's another area I'd probably cheap out on if you've got a budget.

That type of can opener opens the lid really nicely at first, but things start to go weird and annoying over time. Also, my TJ Maxx almost always has it for half that price.

The cutting board is good, although if you've got the space for it, I'd get both that one and the size bigger. The smaller ones are easier to wash, but when you need a big cutting board, it's a total life saver.

If you like Corelle, go for it. I have traumatic memories of it exploding violently and often, but I've heard that's atypical. I have and like the AmazonBasics porcelain dinnerware. It's probably easier to break, and it's heavier (although on the lighter end of porcelain dinnerware), but it won't shatter and go everywhere.

I like Pyrex measuring cups better because you can use them to heat things up in the microwave too. I've got one of the Oxo ones as well, and do not find the multiple ways of reading things to be particularly helpful. Also note that a liquid measuring cup won't replace dry ones.

Stainless steel mixing bowls are good. I like to buy mine in person to find the ones with sturdy bottoms. The ones that pop drive me crazy, particularly when I'm kneading bread in them.

Silverware is surprisingly helpful in the kitchen, and those look to have big enough handles to make them more comfortable for, say, lightly beating eggs.

I recommend seeing if you can try out knives before buying, because how it fits in your hand is a matter of preference, and quite personal.

I'm assuming you have a cookware set already? I cannot imagine trying to cook everything in 1.5 quart pan. You also want an angled spatula that's meant for lifting things out of pans, like this one.

Good morning everyone. I pray you are all having a very blessed and stress free day. I have to go to the viewing for my cousin today. This may be the hardest day yet, but that's alright. My family will get through this and we'll find a way to remember him the way he would want, with liquor and laughter. Thank you all for the support, the kind wishes.

I couldn't slack on randomness today, so here's some stuff to keep you busy.

Something to add to your wish list

How to score a perfect Happiness test [VIDEO]

Enjoy a real mystery? Want to share a real mystery? Check out /r/UnresolvedMysteries This is one of my favorite subs to lurk in.

You should can some Apple Pie Filling.

I am hoping to start a food bank in the next couple of years. There's a wikihow for that.


It's getting very cold in a lot of places, I'd just like to remind people that their local food banks, missions and shelters are ramping up for the cold weather. Consider donating your old winter items or some food to help out. Plus it cleans out space in your home, which is always nice.

Have a wonderful day everyone! Oh and Happy Hump Day

I don't know if it's still the case, but IKEA's knives were actually pretty good, and you could put a pretty sweet edge on them with some work. Failing that, can't go wrong with victorinox. Yes, you may want more expensive knives later on, but there are a lot of styles of knife and better to figure it out before you spend.

Get a chef's knife, probably one size bigger than you think you want. Either a normal, a Japanese style or a Chinese cleaver. It's mostly a preference thing, but you could probably use both the Chinese cleaver and one of the other two on a day to day basis. You don't need a bread knife if your chef's knife is nice and sharp.

Get a smaller 'utility' knife, less to wash if you only want to cut one thing, or do something small. Also get a paring knife, they are cheap and come in handy.

Get a thermapen - if you don't use one, you're cooking blind. Just get one, seriously.

You need to get your knives sharp, and keep them that one. I like DMT's diamond stones, because they last forever and don't need flattening in between uses. To start with, you can just get the fine - that will put a good edge on your knives. Later, you'll want a coarse, and a very fine, plus a strop (strop wont be DMT - I just glued a wide piece of veg. tanned leather to a short wooden board.

If money and space aren't a problem, get a pannini press if you like toasted sandwiches. I have a mid-range Breville that's pretty nice, but I can't find it on amazon.com (I'm in the UK).

Rubbermaid's silicone spatulas are just really good, in case you need some. https://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-Commercial-Products-Spoon-Scraper/dp/B0000CFO2S/

Immersion circulators are cool, but they do so much more than just 'not overcook meat' :P Think of them as a waterbath on steroids.

​

I could recommend lots of stuff, but things get specialized quite quickly. Do you have any particular interests? Baking, confectionery, etc? What sort of cuisine do you enjoy?

I don't have time to make sure it's comprehensive and everything but I can throw some stuff together real quick:


Knives

You really only need 2, a chef's knife and serrated knife. A pairing knife is occasionally useful but rarely necessary. If you really like sharp knives, buy a whetstone and learn to sharpen, cheap knives can get just as sharp as expensive ones.

• https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Fibrox-Chefs-Knife-8-Inch/dp/B008M5U1C2
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Update-International-KP-05-German-Offset/dp/B0029SMITC/
  
• If you want a pairing knife, just buy an ultra cheap one, it's not something that really needs to be sharp
  
• Here's a cheap and decent whetstone if you want to learn to sharpen knives. Def recommend doing that, there's a million Youtube vids about it, not that hard really https://www.amazon.com/Sharpening-Whetstone-Non-Slip-Sharpener-Waterstone/dp/B074YJRL7T
  
  ​
  
  Pots and Pans
  
  You need four or five things here. I'd say your mainly looking for a large saute pan, a stock pot, and a sauce pan. If you cook eggs you can grab a non-stick saute pan too. Don't use non stick pans for things that don't stick to pans. They wear out fast and they're garbage when they lose their coating. Oh and a sheet pan.
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Finish-Aluminum-Frying-Commercial/dp/B002AGY7OW/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=aluminum+saute+pan&qid=1563996953&s=home-garden&sr=1-3
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Cooks-Standard-12-Quart-Stainless-Stockpot/dp/B01M7RNBZA/
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-719-16-Classic-Stainless-Saucepan/dp/B00008CM69/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=sauce+pot&qid=1563997129&s=home-garden&sr=1-3
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Cooks-Standard-02569-Nonstick-Anodized/dp/B079ZLDG14/
  
• https://www.amazon.com/New-Star-Foodservice-36831-Commercial/dp/B009LA10OA/
  
  ​
  
  Other Shit
  
  
• Possibly the most useful cooking thing ever https://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-Commercial-Products-FG1962000000-Silicone/dp/B0000CFO2S
  
• Cheese grater, garlic press, zester all in one https://www.amazon.com/Microplane-40020-Classic-Zester-Grater/dp/B00004S7V8
  
• A wooden spoon, like any wooden spoon
  
• A spoon with holes in it, you probably have one already
  
• A sturdy metal spatula, like this https://www.amazon.com/Winco-TN719-Hamburger-Turner-6-Inch/dp/B001VZAKGM (fucking lol at calling that a "harmburger turner")
  
• Any type of cutting board is fine as it long as it's not glass or marble or something (those are probably the best example of conning rich people with an actively horrible product)
  
• This is better than any colander out there and has other uses too https://www.amazon.com/New-Star-Foodservice-34127-Perforations/dp/B009LLIJCA
  
• Some kitchen scissors, any are fine but these are nice https://www.amazon.com/Joyce-Chen-51-0621-Unlimited-6-25-Inch/dp/B0009XYW9
  
• Any knife steel, a cheap one like this is fine https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Steel-Knife-Sharpening-Rod/dp/B07J1TZ4DK/
  
• A ladle and a whisk, you probably already have them
  
• A cheap immersion blender is a great alternative to ridiculously expensive food processors/blenders
  
  ​
  
  This is just suggestions if you don't have the stuff already, I think the real bottom line is that the stuff you already have is likely fine, and being a good cook is about knowledge and technique and putting effort into tasty food for people you care about, not gear.

For temp control, use a cooler. This is the cooler I use. It is perfect to hold any fermenter I've seen. Fill with 65f water. Put your fermenter in the cooler. Add frozen 16-oz soda bottles to keep water temps at around 65f. Monitor your fermenter temps (using the stick-on fermometer ... just be sure the fermometer isn't under water!). I've found adding 1 frozen bottle in the morning and 1 in the evening keeps temps exactly where I need them..

If your fermenter has a spigot in the bottom - place the fermenter inside a contractor trash bag (the super thick durable kind) before placing in the water. You don't want to risk infection by having the spigot exposed to the water.

For BIAB and All-Grain ... #1 - BIAB is all-grain. It is just easier. The ingredients are the same. The end result is the same (Beer!). The complexity, cost, and time are different. So, I'll just list out a 2-vessel BIAB-in-a-cooler hybrid system.

• 10-Gallon Aluminum pot with lid - $55
  
• Bayou Classic SP10 burner - $50
  
• Link to pot ... scroll down to the frequently bought together section - it has pot, lid, and the burner ... $103
  
• Cooler for your mash tun ... $30 ... This cooler is the perfect size for 5.5 gallon batches. Any bigger and you'd have too much "dead space" in the cooler which would make heat retention an issue.
  
• To convert the cooler for use as a mash tun - watch this video ...
  
• EXCEPT - don't build the manifold inside like he shows - use a BIAB liner from brewinabag.com - they cost $30. Trust me on this - the $30 is well worth it.
  
• Wort Chiller ... $50 ... this is 100% necessary if you want to save time. If not - you can look in to "no-chill homebrew method". I recommend just getting the chiller.
  
• 24" wire whisk for stirring the crap out of the mash and wort - $12
  
• A double-mesh fine strainer - $17 ... for pouring the cooled wort thru into your fermenter. Serves two purposes - 1 - filters out hops and break material. 2 - aerates your wort as you fill the fermenter.
  
• 1/2" stainless steel siphon ... $8 - used for transferring the cooled wort from the kettle to the fermenter. Get the 1/2" not the 3/8" ... trust me, it saves time. This siphon will also be used for transfering wort to your bottling bucket.
  
• video on using a siphon
  
  Total - $255 shipped to your door.
  
  This setup will be a setup that you can use for all types of Ales. You can even do low-temp ales that ferment at 50-55f by adding more ice/colder water to the cooler. Don't think it would be efficient enough for lagering.
  
  Process:
  
  
• heat 2-gallons of water on your home stove to 180f.
  
• dump this water in your mash tun to pre-heat it. Keep lid closed
  
• heat mash water on your home stove to save propane. (about 5-gallons - use mash calculators to determine water needs ... like the brew365 mash calculator)
  
• Drain the 2-gallons of water from your mash tun. Drain some thru the hose to clean it and just dump the rest out.
  
• Put your BIAB liner in the mash tun (make sure it is clean)
  
• Dump your mash water in
  
• Add your grains stirring like a mad man with the whisk.
  
• Stir for 2-4 minutes. Check temps... you probably want around 151f
  
• close lid and cover lid with a thick blanket (helps conserve heat as the lid is the least insulated part of this cooler)
  
• Begin heating about 4 gallons of sparge water on your stove. You need this to be about 200f.
  
• Wait 30 mins the open and stir again. Check temps. They should be within a degree or two of your starting temp. If the temp has fallen TOO low -like 146 or 147, add 1/2gallon of boiling water.
  
• Close lid and wait 30 more mins.
  
• Open lid - stir 2-4 minutes.
  
• Drain into kettle. I measure volume by draining into a gallon pitcher. Expect 3.5-4 gallons of "first runnings"
  
• if the drain is going SLOW - lift up on the BIAB liner a bit... it can get sucked into the cooler outlet. There are a few solutions for this. Use whatever is handy to act as a screen between the liner and the cooler outlet. An alternative is using the 1/2" siphon to drain the cooler!
  
• Light burner and turn up
  
• Add your 200f sparge water to the mash tun. This will raise grain temps to 170f. This is called mashing out. Stir like a mad man for about 4 minutes.
  
• Let the sparge rest another 5 minutes
  
• Drain into kettle
  
• Stir kettle and take a gravity sample (COOL gravity sample to about 70f in order to get a more accurate reading!)
  
• Bring kettle to a boil (watch out for boil over)
  
• Once a boil is achieved, start timer
  
• I boil 75 minutes because my setup and boil-off rate dictate that time.
  
• Add hops at scheduled times.
  
• At 10mins left in boil, drop in your wort chiller. Careful with the plastic hoses - they melt if too close to flame.
  
• CHECK wort chiller connections for leaks BEFORE putting in kettle!!!
  
• After boil, turn on chiller and begin cooling.
  
• I stir my pot while cooling (with the lid off). Some put the lid on and stir the pot by moving the chiller around. This is KEY to quick cooling.
  
• Transfer cooled wort into fermenter using siphon and strainer
  
• Take a gravity sample - hopefully you hit target goal.
  
• Aerate a bit more IF YOU WANT, by shaking the holy crap out of the fermenter.
  
• Pitch yeast.
  
• Put fermenter in your cooler in a dark and quiet place (bug free!!).
  
• Cleanup and done. (I actually clean as I go).
  
  EDIT - you will need an extra 5-gallon pot to heat sparge water.. forgot that. They can be found anywhere for about $20. As always - check craigslist to save even more $$$$. This is the cheapest and most efficient setup I've been able to put together. If you really want to get fancy - then you can add a stainless steel fermenter from Chapman Brewing Equipment for an extra $99. The fermenter is well worth it!
  
  EDIT 2: As always SANITIZE everything at all stages. Also - with all-grain, you'll eventually want to get into water chemistry. Read up on that. AND a good kitchen scale is needed for measuring out hop additions (and later water chemistry adjustments). Kitchen scales can be had cheap. You'll want one that is accurate and can be calibrated.

Dear Morthy and Akeleie,

Thank you for this fun contest, you two are so funny when you are bored :D

1. An englishman needs a moustache - especially a cookie one off my kitchen list
   
   
2. I would be seen in public with just about anything, as you guys know, but I guess this would be the one thing my husband would not be seen with me in off my PJs and wigs list
   
   
3. Oh phallises. How I love thee... 7 inches with a lovely mushroom head off my kitchen list.
   
   
4. GEEKY!! Wrapping my lips around Dr Who would give me chills off my Things I would never buy myself list
   
   
5. My goal - I love this item as it will make me accountable for everything I do, plus it tracks my sleep patterns! OMG Would I ever love this!
   
   
6. If I had a deck of cards on my list I would link that because every time I start to play solitaire someone shows up to point out moves, I'd be rescued right away. Sadly I do not, so I would take all the pictures I could before the battery died off my Stuff I would never buy myself list.
   
   Again, thanks for the contest, it was actually fun to go through my lists again, it's been a while!
   

• I'm mostly new, but my tip would be to join the discussions and activities! They're really fun and it's great for getting to know people, which I'm currently trying to do, too. :)
  
• I listen to Eagles of Death Metal, go on a walk, or cuddle with my husband. (Or do the first two at the same time and the third after!)
  
• I don't know why, but this picture makes me laugh uncontrollably every time I see it. I mean it. I'm laughing now! This does, too! I love Supernatural! :D
  
• Hmmm... I only have one sibling and he's twelve years younger than me! Thankfully, he's only been mistaken as my son once, and at least they weren't judgmental. :P This is an almost entirely unrelated and pointless anecdote, but I just remembered that the day before my wedding, my dad was mistaken as the groom. :/ Haha.
  
• Something under $3. It's an add-on that I definitely need. I bake too much! :P
  
• Ella is getting a big girl crib!
  
  Thank you for the contest! :D How old is Ella (I'm assuming this is your daughter's name and not a reference)?

If I won the first, i would adore a gift card towards this steam mop. its a little out of my price range so i've been putting off getting it. while cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms on my hands and knees may sound exotic, i assure you, its not.

as for a <$5 add on, i've got my eye on this whisk


i don't really have a fun story to go with either item. they're more functional than fun. a clean home is a happy home and a happy home makes for a happy mamallama.


Schmad on my add on

thanks for hosting a contest!!!

My honest opinion: If you can read, you can cook. Literally. Basic cooking is simply reading instructions and following them. Once your comfortable with how things taste together, timing, and what spices taste like, then you can move on to more advanced dishes.

I think a fun part of learning to cook is gearing up. Since most people here will give you a grocery list, I'll give you a list of helpful items that I use daily.

• 1 large, sharp kitchen knife and basic sharpener
  
  The knife if a bit on the pricey side, but trust me when I tell you it's worth it. You only need 1 and as long as you hand wash and dry regularly, it can last forever. Sharp knives won't cut you as often as a dull knife that sometimes slips.
  
  
• crock pot. This is good because it doesn't require any sort of culinary skills. Mostly just mix and wait.
  
  
• Liquid Measuring cup
  
  
• Dry measuring cups
  
  
• Flat spatula
  
  
• Other spatula (for stirring and wiping out sauces/batter/etc.)
  
  
• Tongs
  
  
• Very basic non-stick pots and pans I have a cheap set I bought from Costco that has lasted me 8 years and counting. Be sure to ALWAYS use wood or plastic utensils with non-stick or you risk scratching the non-stick surface and fucking it all up.
  
  
• Wooden Utensils These are nice because you can leave them in a pot of sauce and not worry about them expelling chemicals or melting.
  
  
• Also a holder for your kitchen items
  
  I assume you have basic dishware and silverware, so I've only included common cooking items.
  
  Hope this helps! I'll update if I can think of anything else you'll need.

I think the real question is who doesn't like macarons? 'Cause I'm pretty sure everyone loves them! Some of my favorites:

• Chocolate Ginger
  
  
• Honey Lavander, or Honey Rosemary filling
  
  
• Chocolate Coconut
  
  
• Chocolate w/ Espresso Buttercream
  
  
• Mint Macarons w/ Dark Chocolate Buttercream
  
  
• Key Lime
  
  
• Matcha Green Tea flavors are awesome...maybe with adzuki filling? Or just a matcha filling, YUM!
  
  
• Strawberry Buttercream
  
  
• Tiramisu
  
  
• Caramel Fleur De Sel
  
  
• Creme Brulee
  
  
• Lemon Raspberry
  
  
• A hibiscus filling would be delightful!
  
  
• Lemon basil
  
  Ok, I'm done. I have to work now! Maybe I'll add more later when my mind drifts off to hunger time!
  
  An item.
  
  Thanks for the contest! Your macarons look beautiful and delicious!

This is a basic list with mid-grade item recommendations as links. You can definitely shop around and find better deals, but this will give you a place to start your shopping excursion from. Considering hitting up a local restaurant supply store for really good deals.

• Basic Tools:
  
• Cutting board (get at least 2, more are better, get the larger sized ones if you have the counter space)
  
• Chef's Knife
  
• Paring Knife
  
• Mixing Bowls (alternatively)
  
• Wooden Spoon
  
• Silicone Spatula
  
• Whisk
  
• Hand Towels (can be used as pot holders if you're careful and layer them up thickly. Watch out for the gas flame if you have a gas cook top.)
  
• Pepper Grinder
  
• Ramekins (for mise en place -- aka stuff you're working with as you cook like salt, spices, other small ingredients)
  
• Pots & Pans:
  
• Stock Pot
  
• Sauce Pan
  
• Skillet
  
• Cast Iron Skillet (optional ; make sure you learn how to care for cast iron - no soap ever, etc.)
  
• Non Stick Skillet (optional)
  
• Bakeware:
  
• Half sheet pans / Cookie Sheets (get 2 or more)
  
• Cooling Racks (these should fit in the cookie sheets)
  
• Cake Pans
  
• Loaf Pan
  
• Small Pyrex casserole
  
• Large Pyrex casserole
  

Worked at an omelette restaurant for five years:

Get a six inch non stick pan. If you are cooking any meat in the omelette put it in first on high heat. When the meat is browned, take the heat down to medium-low, put in a dollop of butter/margarine (let it melt and coat the bottom evenly) and then add your whisked eggs along with any other non-cheese ingredients. Let those eggs firm up, and use a [silicone spatula] (http://www.amazon.com/Good-Cook-Classic-Set-Spatulas/dp/B000BPILY6/ref=sr_1_11?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1367799752&sr=1-11) to lift the sides of the egg "plate" in the pan, letting the still liquid eggs on top flow under. When there's almost no liquid eggs on top any more, gently swirl the contents of the pan around (use the spatula to unstick it from the pan if you need to) and gather up your eggy goodness in the far end of the pan from you. You should be tilting the pan up about fifteen degrees and the egg "plate" should be about halfway up the rim of the far side of the pan.

This is the tricky part. Making sure it's freed up with your swirling motion, flip the egg "plate" over by moving the pan away from you while simultaneously tilting the handle up towards you and then giving it a firm snap downward and pulling it back. The egg disc should rotate 180^o and flop back down in the pan flat. (This takes a bit of practice but if you get it once you'll get it forever, very much worth the effort.)

Now it's cheese time. Add whatever flavor you like as the last of the liquid egg that was on the top now cooks on the bottom. Use your spatula to check under the edges and ensure you don't overcook it.

When it just starts to brown slightly, slide half of the egg disc out onto a plate (you can add low-melting point cheeses like American here if you prefer) and fold the egg disc over as it leaves the pan to make a perfect half-circle.

It is now omelette time.

Morthy

1. This has London on it. Does that count? (on my over $10 WL
   
   
2. I would totally be caught on my couch in this though :-) (over $10 WL)
   
   
3. This is the closest I've got because he's wearing a helmet (on "kiddos" WL)
   
   Akeleie
   
   
4. This is definitely my most geeky item and has been on my WL the longest (as can be seen in my posting history). However, it says added today because I reorganized my WLs and moved it to my "can dream" WL from my kiddos WL. (and I don't expect to get this bc it is super expensive, but it is my geekiest item :-))
   
   
5. Thes would help with my weight loss goal of 65 lbs (over $10 WL)
   
   
6. This because at least I would have something fun to do :-) (on my "kiddos" WL)
   
   Thanks for the contest!

I like these for my griddle. The pancake flipper is thin and slips under anything, plus it's a little longer which is nice for fish. The griddle turner is solid with a sharp edge for helping food to release as well as scraping/cleaning the griddle. The pointed corners help get right to the edge of the griddle too.

I also like this incredibly thin spatula from OXO. It is great for eggs, cookies, hash browns, etc. It is somewhat flexible though, so maybe not the right tool for burgers and steaks.

Here's a pretty thorough review of many different spatulas. After reading it and watching the video, I'll probably buy a fish spatula as well.

An ice cream cake! My husband's favorite is chocolate cake, a layer of crushed chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, more crushed cookies, and then the other cake layer. Cover the whole thing with chocolate frosting (cool whip actually makes a good one if you don't want to make your own), and you'll be singing Happy Happy Joy Joy

Item.

Thanks for the contest, and happy birthday!

Couple of questions: How much baking experience do you have? Are you planning on starting with using frosting and then using Fondant or just making cakes with frosting?

Like you I hate overly sweet frosting. I hardly ever make the typical American Buttercream frosting (shortening, milk, & powdered sugar-Blech!) However, that frosting does tend to be a little bit easier to work with. If you have some experience with cooked sugar, an Italian or French buttercream frosting isn't as intense for sweetness. They are made with real butter so they are harder to work with because the frosting gets softer the warmer it is outside or the longer you are holding the piping bag in your hands.

If you plan to use Fondant, I will use a chocolate ganache for the filling and crumb coat because it's not as sweet depending on the type of chocolate you use.

As far as supplies, it again depends on where you want to start. But there are some items that you will use regardless of if you choose Frosting vs. Fondant. These are a couple of my favorite items.

• My favorite investment has been my rotating cake stand. I use the heavier one from Ateco that I bought on Amazon.
  
• I always use an Offset Spatula. It's perfect for spreading the frosting on top of your cakes.
  
  As far as time, it all depends on what you are making and how fancy you want it. I have spent several hours decorating a cake with fondant but that's because they had a lot of tiny details. Cakes with simple rosettes on them are a lot faster. If you don't a lot of time in a day to put several hours into baking and then decorating, you can always bake the cake days before and put it in the freezer until you are ready to decorate. I'm happy to go into more details if you want more. I just don't know how much information you really want.

I have a bit of history with automatic stirrers, for the same reason...I'd rather do anything else than stir for ages, lol. Having an automatic stirring tool helps in everything from making fancy dulce de leches (my cow & goat-milk recipe takes 45 minutes of constant stirring!) to ice cream bases to reductions that take a long time to whatever else you don't want to stir for really long periods of time, like risottos or certain types of cheeses, yogurts, and other milk-based products.

For anyone looking for a turnkey solution, KitchenAid makes a gadget that does this (albeit for $400). It's called the KitchenAid MultiCooker with Stir Tower:

https://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KMC4244CA-Candy-Apple-Multi-Cooker/dp/B00UL3K6VE

It worked pretty decently...I had one for about a year. My only real complaint was that the bowl size was only like 4 quarts. It did have a 12-hour timer though, which was nice. I ended up trading it out to another chef buddy for a different gadget & settled on the Gourmia GST210 Stiriffic automatic stirrer:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GSLYSRK

It fits on my Instant Pot, with a bit of finagling. Unfortunately they don't appear to make them anymore, so you either have to go third-party Amazon or find one on eBay, Don't bother with the cheapo "Robo Stir" from "As Seen on TV" (sold under various brand names), that thing is complete junk & is totally weak. There is, however, an interesting model called the StirMATE for $60 on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/StirMATE®-Smart-Pot-Stirrer-Rechargeable/dp/B076HH4WZM/

Not sure if it would be strong enough or not for cheese-making, as the design looks pretty cheapo, but might be worth a shot...reviews look pretty decent!

Does she wear makeup? Does she live on her own yet and need things that she uses everyday? While plushes are cute and always appreciated, they aren't the best in terms of utility. The links below are just a few ideas of how things can be cute AND useful :)

http://www.amazon.com/Ototo-OT821-Nessie-Ladle-Blue/dp/B00SRGPELO/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1462821052&sr=1-1&keywords=nessie+ladle

http://www.amazon.com/TONYMOLY-Hello-Bunny-Perfume-Bar/dp/B007CVTANI/ref=pd_sim_121_7?ie=UTF8&dpID=31vXH9N9u7L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR133%2C160_&refRID=13EAJ0816QC0XPSNRVR6

http://www.amazon.com/TONYMOLY-Petite-Bunny-Gloss-9pcs/dp/B00HD6LS1E/ref=sr_1_28_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1462820731&sr=1-28&keywords=tony+moly

http://www.amazon.com/Woodland-Animals-Ceramic-Measuring-Bowls/dp/B00S75KDXE/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1462821096&sr=1-4&keywords=animal+measuring

I highly recommend any of the Jokari brand kitchen tools. It looks like only a few of them are available on .ca, but they are all portion control tools. Very, very useful.

Here, here, and here are some that I found on .ca site.

You could also go with something like a diet and fitness journal.

TOTALLY agree!! and an 8 year old isn't too young. I was FAR younger than that when I would help my mom cook. She would give me simple tasks - measure something out with a measuring spoon, layer lasagna noodles into the pan, mix up the burger with egg & veggies for a meatloaf (with my hands!! WOOO!!), etc.

I am not only forever grateful to my mom for integrating cooking into my life skills, I have some fantastic memories of spending time in the kitchen with my mom & little brother.

OP, share time in the kitchen with your daughter! Teach her how to read a cookbook. Better yet, get a cookbook for kids and her own kitchen tools like these.

It seems to me that the problem isn't so much his lying, as the fact that you've identified his dishonesty for what it is, and there's really no honest way to rationalize this to yourself. I would suggest you take a bucket of at least five gallons of instant mashed potatoes, and spread them in a thick layer, all over the hood of your car.

Pouring mashed potatoes takes finesse, skill, and especially patience. If you just upend the whole bucket onto the hood of your car, you'll be left with a lumpy pile that doesn't spread out much. I mean, if this was Close Encounters of the Third Kind, it would be cool, you could use a fork to scrape together the biggest damn mashed potato mesa ever. But this is real life. No, your first tip? Get a damned good rubber spatula.

This one is my favorite, for spreading Mashed Potatoes. It's just flexible enough to really shape to the edge of the bucket, but firm enough to lay down the potatoes in a no-nonsense way. Dishwasher safe, too!

Now, using the spatula, put about 2 cups of mash on the edge of the hood of your car that is closest to your windshield. In smooth, elliptical strokes, flatten the potatoes into a layer no thicker than 1". THIS IS IMPORTANT. If you go thicker than that, god help you.

Depending on the size of your car, you may run out of mashed potatoes before you completely cover the hood. DO NOT FRET. This is why the original layer was so thick. Using long, gentle strokes, begin to push the topmost potatoes toward the uncovered areas of hood. You'll get the hang of it quickly!

Life can suck sometimes, especially as we learn new truths. But once you've completely coated your car hood in mashed potatoes, I think you'll understand that if you're dating a liar, they are also lying to you.

I NID DIS

No but seriously I do need that. I do a lot of cooking and soft edge spatulas are my go to implement. I had two, both wood handles, one recently has started turning black and has white stuff growing out of the wood. I like this one because it's a plastic handle, and it's intended for high heat situations.

Good luck on the move! Don't let it stress you out!

I find this thing magic. So much easier than a normal spoon to start mixing.
I have a tray with volcanic rocks (I live on hawaii, any rocks will do, volcanic ones are better when you pour water on it because they are porous) in the oven to hold the heat stable, yet I still use a pizza stone sometimes. And yes, I got one of those baskets, if I make a bread like that it makes it look way professional.

Are you doing it by hand or with a bread maker? I like to do it by hand, and I've had good results using a Danish dough whisk.

your process looks pretty good, i have the 15gal ss brewtech and i would get it without the thermo. you are just going to cause problems with the bag. another thing i would get is a giant whisk for mashing and creating whirlpools/oxegenating

also i use this giant colander on top of my 15 gal brewtech kettle to rest the bag in and squeeze with some silicone gloves. the gloves are a must with BIAB.

i used to use a hop bag but ever since going away from it i have found my beers have gained some hop character they were lacking before.

also make sure you are treating your water for chlorine with campden tablets before brewing, and if you want to go one step further you can build your water up from scratch. i fill up 2 6 gallon containers at the windmill express for .25c a gal and add gypsum, cacl, epsom etc from there.

Here is a tip you need to know. Do you have a screaming kid that you need to stop screaming? I BET YOU THINK YOU SHOULD PROBABLY START SCREAMING AT THEM TO STOP SCREAMING - that's what logic would tell you. How else would they hear your obvious pleas to calm down? Instead you should try to whisper. Not only will you have the upper hand because you're the calm one and they're the crazy monster, but they'll have to stop screaming to hear you- and their curiosity is far too strong to not want to know what you're saying.

Bonus round? You ever feel the need to whisper when others are whispering? I have used this to my benefit many times in many grocery stores.

this would be lovely

So here's a technique that should help, stop using the spoon and pick up one of these:

Professional Chef Spatula Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0048HQSE8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_WrhVCbPDHRXN5

Especially the one of the right. It's going to allow you to press, THEN once the burger is done on one side you want to scrape it off the griddle. You get all the crusty amazing bits doing this! Most likely better than a spoon. 👍

Like you said - pretty messy but I bet it tastes good! I think investing in an angled icing spatula would help you get the layers more smooth and even.

This. Also, here is an example of an excellent icing spatula :) Anything that is shaped similar will work though :)

I love this dish: sushi! Preferably with raw fish, although veggies or smoked salmon will do, too.

I don't know if you're including shipping in that $10. If not: here. (Kitchen wishlist.) If you are: gift card is fine!

OXO Good Grips Flexible Turner - love that thing

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000ND1YTU/

You're efficiency will likely improve, especially if you double-crush your grains or set your mill to a finer setting, and squeeze your bag.

One trick I've started doing is when my mash is done I heat it up to 170 while stirring before taking the bag out. I seem to get a bit more of the sugars out this way. (I have a thick bottom pot so I don't have to worry about scorching the bag).

Also, buy one of these giant whisks. I used mine for the first time on my last brew and it made stirring the mash so much easier! Much better than a spoon or paddle.

Don't feel bad, my mom got me (6'3) a set of kitchen serving utensils from Linen's and Things' liquidation that turned out to be for little kids learning to cook. I had just moved out on my own and was pretty broke, so I cooked with the tiny utensils for a couple years. My friends always made fun of my tiny wooden spoons and spatulas.

Similar to this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002EXVK0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_CQeBybA8RB9VN

You also might benefit from a longer spatula... I love mine!

https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Silicone-Flexible-Turner/dp/B000JPVCYE/ref=sr_1_34?keywords=spatula&qid=1569607758&s=gateway&sr=8-34

Learning tower + little chefs set + apron of her own.

We have this:
https://www.amazon.com/Sassafras-Little-Childrens-Kitchen-Tools/dp/B0002EXVK0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1511227941&sr=8-2&keywords=toddler+cooking+utensils&dpID=41j85aP8DIL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

My kids are older now, but starting around 20 months, I'd put them in the learning tower with their chef set and a bowl and let them go to town pretending to mix and cook. It didn't always work, but sometimes it would buy me a glorious 15-20 min to get dinner started.

I have an oxo brand silicone spatula (the flippy kind not the stirring kind) and it's my favorite utensil. I think I've had it for about 3 years at this point and it is showing no signs of wear, and I use it at least twice a day every day. It was also only like $10, so definitely worth it! Here's a link:

OXO Good Grips Large Silicone Flexible Turner https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000JPVCYE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_kPdKzb9J2H7P8

#1. Happy Cake Day!

#3. Book

#4. Eating Utensil

#5. Animal

#6. Purple

#7. A Game..all about the poker

#8. A Guilty Pleasure...I hate that I love her

#9. A Tool

#10. Something from my childhood...oh man is it

#11. An organizational item...a stretch but what/who's more organized than ants?!

#12. Hobby

#13. Nerdy/Geeky

#14. Something Natural

#15. Green

#16. Something I wear

#17. Funny

#19. Gardening

#20

Bonus

Thanks for this fun Contest!

This 5 in One Spatula is one of the most useful things I've gotten as a gift. It really does work as a scraper, a spoon, a strainer, a pancake turner and has one cutting edge. I use mine everyday and it's so handy! Plus it's pretty sturdy too.

Let's do it in the kitchen

LME - Stainless steel mash paddle
DME - Giant whisk
Adding DME to cold water helps ALOT with dissolving. Wooden utensils look nice by stainless is shiny and oh so much easier to clean. IMO its never worth the cost savings to buy aluminum utensils.

this cute ladle! My husband and I dont have a ladle yet, and we cook all the time. Just thought it was really adorable!

>Don't let your wood board dry while lying flat as it might warp.

That caught me by surprise a bit. Do you stand it on its side or something then?

> Also only use wooden or heat resistant plastic tools in these.

I would personally recommend silicon spatulas for non-stick pans! I use this one and I enjoy the heck out of it. Some people say it should be pure silicon, like no metal handle or whatever like that one though, so that it has less ways to break I suppose.

Get a Danish Dough whisk. Easy to use and cheap.

Danish Dough Hand Whisk / Mixer 11" or 14" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002U85906/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_L9CYxbZXQ1DQN

That's why you use a Danish dough whisk with anything thick. Shit just doesn't stick to it and it folds batters with minimal effort. Amazing for things like biscuits where the less you work the batter the better the final product.

Nessie I wish I could give you this one ! But the squirrel is cool to!

I do simmer it ;-). It takes forever. Once it appears to darken significantly and thicken up, that's when I add the pectin. I just need to get a better eye for when it appears to be ready to gel is all.

edit: I also picked up a couple of these stirmates. So far, they're a major game changer for me. I can sit around watching netflix while everything cooks and just check on it every 15 mins or so.

Please help me decide how to spend $250.

I have a $100 gift certificate for my local homebrew store and $150 cash. US Dollars.

Below I explain how I brew and what equipment I have. I'm thinking of upgrading to a better immersion chiller. Or, I'm thinking of buying a stirplate and Erlenmeyer flask. I do step up starters using a jug. I have an general concern a big Erlenmeyer flask will break. I don't have a gas stove so I think I'd boil in a pot and transfer. I mostly do 2 to 3 liter starters.

QUESTION: before I buy a stirplate and flask, or a better chiller, do you think I should buy something else? Critiques are appreciated.

Please take a look at what I have already and help me decide:

How I Brew

All grain. Buy grain at store, they grind for free. Buy hops and yeast from them too. 5.5 gallon (20.8 liter) batches (volume before into fermentor). Ales. Brew in a Northern Californian garage with doors open. Igloo cooler. 60 minute mash. 2x Batch sparge. Single burner. Heat strike water, dough-in, mash. Heat sparge water 20 min before end of mash. Vorlauf. Drain wort into bucket. After first running drained, batch sparge in two phases. Vorlauf into same bucket as first runnings. When last sparge water is mixed in, start heating first two runnings. Add third runnings to boil kettle when done. Boil etc. Immersion chiller on until down to 100F (37.7C), then circulate ice water through chiller with pond pump to pitching temp. Oxygenate with diffusion stone. Pitch yeast. Seal. Rock fermentor. Pour a beer. Clean. Sanitize. Worry.

Equipment:

• 15 gallon aluminum pot with sight glass and three piece ball lock valve.
  
  
• Camp Chef burner - 60,000 BTU
  
  
• 10 gallon (37.8 liter) igloo cooler with 3/8 inch output: Bazooka screen attached to bulkhead to nylon barbed fitting to nylon turncock.
  
  
• Homemade brew rake.
  
  
• 24" Big ass stainless wire whisk.
  
  
• 25 foot, 3/8 inch copper immersion chiller.
  
  
• 25 foot, 3/8 inch copper pre-chiller. Sucky homemade.
  
  
• Pond pump set up for recirculating ice water through chiller.
  
  
• Refractometer.
  
  
• Thermopen.
  
  
• Oxygen / diffuser to oxygenate wort.
  
  
• 5 pound CO2 tank and Regulator.
  
  
• Three 5 gallon ball lock kegs
  
  
• Two 5 gallon pin lock kegs converted to ball lock fittings.
  
  
• 7 cubic foot Holliday brand chest freezer I've converted to a keezer (2x4 collar) with two Perlick 630SS faucets, using a Johnson Controls analog temp controller (cold only).
  
  
• Growler filler that fits into faucets.
  
  
• 7 cubic foot Idylis brand chest freezer; no with collar. STC-1000+ from Brewsbysmith; I feel bad I was too impatient to wait for The Black Box. Read what /u/Brulosopher has to say about it.
  
  
• Fermwrap connected to that STC-1000+.
  
  
• Three 6.5 plastic fermenter buckets (but I ferment in kegs 90% of the time).
  
  
• Thermowell that fits in bung; hole in a bucket lid. I use a ThermoWorks probe thermometer - bent the probe to fit down the thermowell.
  
  
• One 6 gallon glass carboy.
  
  
• One 3 gallon glass carboy.
  
  
• Six 1 gallon glass jugs.
  
  
• Bottling bucket.
  
  
• Red Baron Capper.
  
  
• I make starters in one of the glass jugs. (I use 'intermittent shaking' as I do not have a stir plate.)
  
  
• Vacuum bagger.
  
  
• RV water filter and beverage hose.
  
  
• Digital scales.
  
  
• Hop spider
  
  
• Books: Water. Hops. Yeast. Malt. Designing Great Beers. Brewing Classic Styles. Experimental Brewing. Brew Like A Monk.
  
  
• Beersmith.
  
  
• pH meter (edit: forgot to list this earlier)
  
  Comments / Concerns
  
  
• I don't have an interest in fly sparging.
  
  
• Spouse won't tolerate elevating a burner above waist level.
  
  
• Not sure if pump cleaning is worth it.
  
  
• Spouse won't tolerate a noisy stir plate in the house. I guess if I got one I could put in the fermentation freezer.
  
  
• No room on freezer to buy bulk hops.
  
  
• Don't bank yeast in fridge because no room and I fear infection.
  
  
• Don't grind at home as no room for grain storage and past problem with mice.
  
  tl;dr I have $250 to spend, given what I already have, how should I spend it?
  
  
  

Edit: See 1mrchristopher's comment ftw and Solve!

It's an icing spatula.

Wilton Icing Spatula, 13-Inch, Angled Cake Spatula https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F0A6FYU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_3BZ8BbSMEYDP7

Nessie the Loch Ness Monster Ladle!

https://www.amazon.com/Ototo-OT821-Nessie-Ladle-Blue/dp/B00SRGPELO

Completely unnecessary except it makes me laugh every day when I see it sitting on my stove.

Dough:



Olive Oil Dough from Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day:
3 1/4 cups lukewarm water
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Yeast
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons Kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar
7 1/2 cups (scoop and sweep) unbleached all-purpose flour

To make the dough: Use our dump and stir method of mixing the dough in a 5-quart Container with Lid, using a Danish Dough Whisk or wooden spoon. Then cover the container, not airtight and let it rest for about 2 hours on the counter. The dough can then be used right away, but it is much easier to handle once it has been thoroughly chilled. The dough can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

​

*I used a detroit-style pizza pan, put a liberal amount of ghee in the bottom & also sprinkled semolina for extra crunch. Par-baked crust at 550 for about 15 minutes (bottom rack), topped and cooked another 15 min (one rack above the bottom).

​

Sauce

​

I'm sorry I don't have a recipe (just wing this part), but I sauteed some garlic; added penzey's italian seasoning and also fresh rosemary & basil. Added canned tomatoes & a small can of tomato paste; simmered for about an hour or a little more on low.

This, and yes, it’s worth it.

OXO 1071536 Spatulas, Small, BLACK https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ND1YTU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_BVKmDbP266J71

You are in luck, she linked it in the blog!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000CFO2Y/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&psc=1&linkCode=sl1&tag=frugalwoods-20&linkId=53337e6ea85f9d8cffd1ec662bba804c

Danish Dough Hand Whisk / Mixer 11" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002U85906/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ebEzCb7DBB03W

Assuming you are able to achieve mash temps within the gelatinization range of your grain and saccharification range of your enzymes, then the six things you need to control to get consistently predictable efficiency are:

1. Grain weight and crush
   
2. Water volumes
   
3. Dough-in consistency and mash intensity
   
4. Lauter technique
   
5. Preboil volume and gravity
   
6. Mash pH
   
   Grain weight: this is basic; if you can't weigh your grain properly then hope is lost for predicting your post-lauter gravity.
   
   Grain crush: a good crush vs. a poor crush makes a big difference in efficiency. Many LHBSs crush very coarsely (0.041" mill gap or wider) because they don't want to be blamed for people getting stuck lauters, but probably don't mind if they buy an extra lb of grain due to poor efficiency. This is a good reason to get a double crush if you must mill at the LHBS -- or buy your own mill. BIABers using a high quality bag can crush at 0.025" or narrower without any problems. Too coarse of a crush can negatively affect conversion efficiency. Of course, too fine of a crush can lead to lautering problems with some non-BIAB lautering systems.
   
   Water volumes: affect conversion efficiency, lauter efficiency, and dilution. People fail to account for the fact that if they collect less wort per lb of grist on one beer compared to their other beers, they will likely have lower lauter efficiency.
   
   Dough-in consistency: if you can't mix the grain and water well enough to avoid dough balls and hydrate all grain particles sufficiently to allow the enzymes to work to maximum efficiency, then your extraction will suffer. Many brewers try to jam too much grist into too small of a mash tun and end up with problems with dough-in (and water volumes). A high water:grist ratio helps in mixing the mash, but alone is insufficient to ensure good mixing. Dough balls are an all-too-common problem for home brewers. Many home brewers on this sub have found a Comically Large Whisk ^(TM) -- aka a stainless steel 24" wire whisk -- to be a superior mash stirrer at the home brew scale.
   
   Mash intensity: the more intense your mash (longer, more steps, more mixing), the more likely you will get higher conversion efficiency compared to a less intense mash.
   
   Lautering: a poor fly sparge can lead to channeling of wort, and poor efficiency. This could be a matter of lautering too fast or poor fluid dynamics in the lauter tun due to poor manifold/filter design. With batch sparging and no-sparge BIAB, this is less of a concern.
   
   Preboil volume and gravity: while the wort you collect is more of what you get after you control the other factors, rather than something you can directly control, you can and should adjust the recipe before the boil if you miss your efficiency by a lot. The six levers you can control are: boil longer before first hops, dump out wort and dilute to planned SG, dilute wort and adjust hops to make larger batch size, adjust hops and make smaller batch size, or add extract to achieve planned SG.
   
   Mash pH: can have a significant effect on conversion efficiency.
   
   Edit: added clarification from /u/pricelessbrew to mash intensity section, and comments from others.

Like this whisk?

http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-11-Inch-Balloon-Whisk/dp/B00004OCNS/

Or buy one that lasts like this Rubbermaid commercial model:

http://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-Commercial-Products-2-Inch-Scraper/dp/B0000CFO2Y

$14 on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Update-International-FW-24-French-Whip/dp/B002AGX3BK

you can also get pot stirrers on amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/StirMATE%C2%AE-Smart-Pot-Stirrer-Rechargeable/dp/B076HH4WZM

Is it like this? That's probably exactly the right size for my BIAB urn. So do you just dumb everything straight in and whisk away?

Are you cooking in a pan or on a griddle? In a pan you can do 2 (or more) eggs without utensils. On a griddle you want the flattest piece of stainless that won't bend. In my part of the country they look likethis.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000ND1YTU?slotNum=3&linkCode=g12&imprToken=tMptUYg.yKDBXTWRBBCG0Q&creativeASIN=B000ND1YTU&tag=seriouseats03-21

What you are looking for is no longer the norm it seems. And you do have lots of very specific requirements. But the one in the link above should fit all your needs.

I have the no slot one, like this.

I just use a fork, then switch to one of these things when mixing in the dry ingredients.

My #1 kitchen utensil for 10 bucks. It won't melt [500 degrees] and allows you to get every little scrap of food out of your pots.

http://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-Commercial-Products-FG1963000000-Scraper/dp/B0000CFO2Y

http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Silicone-Flexible-Turner/dp/B000ND1YTU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1323734835&sr=8-4

A Annnnd here we go again

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Have you seen the Nessie soup ladle

They make spatulas specifically for icing

She was probably looking for these spoons, this nut container, etc. Essentially measuring cups, but more of a marked serving utensil.

Converted an old wine fridge from craigslist into a brewpi controlled fermentation chamber

I use this as a mash paddle

This 24" whisk? or this one?

I named mine Pete

LOOK WHAT I JUST BOUGHT FOR 2 BUCKS

http://www.amazon.com/Ototo-OT821-Nessie-Ladle-Blue/dp/B00SRGPELO

This.

I have an OXO that's similar, but not slotted: http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Silicone-Flexible-Turner/dp/B000JPVCYE/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1451701358&sr=1-2&keywords=oxo+spatula -or- slotted, but slightly rounded: http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Silicone-Flexible-Pancake-Turner/dp/B000ND5CBG/ref=sr_1_9?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1451701358&sr=1-9&keywords=oxo+spatula

Get this. I don't even use my long spoon anymore.

• Comically Large Whisk
  
• Stainless Racking filter
  
• electric brewing (specifically with hotrod heatstick from brewhardware)

Amazon

Here you are: http://smile.amazon.com/luc-OT821-Nessie-Ladle/dp/B00SRGPELO/ref=sr_1_12?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1427593585&sr=1-12&keywords=nessie+ladle

Here you go.

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B002AGX3BK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/StirMATE%C2%AE-Smart-Pot-Stirrer-Rechargeable/dp/B076HH4WZM/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_bs_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=SZ2VM2S78K0K5Z0712P7&dpID=51Y2G6oRqeL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=detail

No idea if it works or not, just one I found after googling for a while. 50 quarts is a very big pot though, not sure if that would even fit.

You guys don't like it because it's a swan... but what about a Nessie ladle!?

Went with a mixing bowl and a Danish dough whisk. I'm on my second $9 harbor freight heat gun. Thrift store metal colender (not the mesh type) taped into a cooling box. I use this bucket head shop vac. The air intake runs to the cooling box and the exhaust runs out another hose to blow chaf. The hose and flat nozel are from this auto cleaning kit.

Everything can be repurpused if this roasting doesn't work out. It has been over 7 years. :) I roast 7oz of green once a week, solo coffee drinker. Someday I'll get a machine.

Check out Sweet Maria's if you haven't already found them.

Get an absurdly large whisk from Amazon and then you can just dump it all in at once and stir. I haven't had any issues with doughballs since I got my whisk. This is the one I have link.

perpetually angst-ridden ass fucks

Complete set of scrubs

Three chocolate oranges

Bean bag

People seem to love the Nessie Ladle

There's also a colander spoon thing

And I don't think we've met - hi, I'm 82364!

this is a great list of ideas.
I have this rubbermaid spatula and this silicone spoon. Probably use each daily and they can go in the dishwasher with no problem.

I think this would be way better.

I used one of those before upgrading to a paint mixer hooked up to a cordless drill which absolutely destroys dough balls & mixes the mash very quickly with little effort. Not sure how a paint mixer would work with biab though.