(Part 2) Best products from r/foodhacks

You want a good torch - the ones for plumbing are decent, but won't be optimal for what you're looking to do. The "cone" you were talking about just adjusts how complete the combustion is - a yellower flame means more air is added and less pure fuel is burning. A good torch will burn the fuel very efficiently and give you a pure blue flame, which in turn will eat up all the fuel, and leave behind no undesirables.

This is a good torch - but very powerful http://www.amazon.com/Blazer-GT8000-Shot-Butane-Torch/dp/B000NCZU0A/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1370986935&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=blazer+bigshot+torch

That's fair. For the record I'm just suggesting that the calories aren't a lot but if it's important to you then by all means avoid it.

The term "natural" doesn't really mean anything, basically everything is "natural," if you're looking for organic you could try something like this organic vanilla extract, I don't have experience with this brand though.

Good luck!

I've got one like this and it's been chugging away every day for about two years. Most of these $150-ish makers that people are posting just like this one work pretty well from what I've heard, they've all got very similar designs. They pay for themselves pretty darn quickly if you use ice frequently.


Aside from that I'd recommend storing ice in a freezer as it gets made and shutting it off when you go to bed at night. These ~26lb/day ice makers can't quite keep up with 5-6 people making drinks if you have guests, and since it'll continue recycling ice if you don't use it they can waste a decent amount of electricity at night.

I have a set of nice japanese water stones for sharpening knives, I learned to use them and I can produce good results, but it takes some time.

I can get almost as good results a lot faster with this http://www.amazon.com/Lansky-LK3DM-Diamond-Standard-System/dp/B000B8JDRC/

If you're no good at sharpening knives I recommend it, read the instructions or there are tons of youtube videos.

Not so much a tip or easy recipe, but I cannot stress how useful a book like Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook is. Contains everything you need to know if you're moving out on your own. How to use and maintain your kitchen equipment, boiling/freezing points of everything you might need to know, basic and advanced cooking techniques, etc. Also comes with a section on mealplanning and the like.

I wanted some this A.M. but found none in the pantry. Btw, this is what they're talking about. The cans from England say "Beanz" instead of "Beans". Taste the same I've been told. In the US you can find them in Meijer stores in the English section where the imported stuff is shelved. These beans are less sweet than US baked beans and don't contain pork. It may be an acquired taste for some but we liked them straight away.

Heinz Beans

Looks like there isn't that much room for shaking. I guess you could dump it out into a bowl and then mix it. I have one of these for bringing salads and it's pretty awesome. Holds a HUGE amount of food and the dressing container keeps it from getting soggy until you choose to release it.

We have this at my house. It's a great utensil for serving AND straining your pastas. I'm not sure if you're counting that as a strainer or purchasing extra utensils is not an option.

I just use a spoon. Even for small pastas that could easily slip out, I just balance the spoon as closely to the edge of the pan as I can get and tip it slowly. The keyword is slowly. Sometimes you aren't making the spoon flush enough to the pot and something slips out in which case you just have to adjust your hand. I've strained pasta perfectly fine with just my stirring spoon.

However, I really only cook very small servings (just for myself) and with larger servings I think you'll need something additional.

Sorry to hijack your thread but you’ve reminded me of the giant beer bottles. Haven’t thought of them in years. Between those, sweetie cigarettes and sweetie coconut tobacco, life was more Artful Dodger than Milky Bar Kid.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pint-Pots-Beer-Bottles-kilo/dp/B0047046IG

don't buy this online, get any brand at a local asian market for about $5;
http://www.amazon.com//dp/B00JB2GPIY
it's basically fried salmon that's dehydrated then ground up into a powder.
cook into or sprinkle on eggs with salt OR sugar depending on your tastes.

you can also make tamago which is a japanese sushi egg favorite;
add soy sauce and sugar to scrambled eggs before you cook them.

if you like the tamago idea, you can take it one step further with;
http://www.amazon.com//dp/B001G8DPOS
which adds a bit of mushroom flavor to included soy sauce and sugar,
and instead of cooking it in, you can use it after as a condiment.
try to find this taiwan favorite locally - i just paid $5 for a whole liter.
this stuff is amazing - i can put it on practically everything i eat.

> http://www.amazon.com/Lao-Gan-Chili-Crisp-Sauce/dp/B0051D84JU

this shit is great, I love the peanuts in it. But it still doesn't taste the same as the chili sauce I get from my local chinese greasebucket

Go buy this book from Amazon. It is AMAZING if you are looking for food pairings that scientifically taste great.

The Flavor Matrix


Disclaimer: I have no association or affiliation with the author other than buying his book. I learned about it from Kenji @seriouseats.

Got 6 friends who LOVE queso?

https://www.amazon.com/Land-Lakes-American-Yellow-Process/dp/B00B04ADCU

Crisper pans are the best! It actually works surprisingly well for just being a pan with holes 😂. Here’s one at Amazon that’s similar to what I have -
Miles Kimball Oven Crisper Pan https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008E07JLQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_M2mSDbNC2DP0A

Edit: Lawry’s seasoned salt is great on anything but especially fries/potatoes

That’s a nice one. I’m loving all the pics from u/Turtleramem and Pamn, but in case anyone didn’t know already, there are loads of waffle cookbooks out there too. This was a fun one:

https://www.amazon.com/Will-Waffle-Irresistible-Unexpected-Recipes/dp/0761176462/ref=nodl_

They'll also ruin a decent knife pretty quickly. If you've got anything worth sharpening (global, shun, victorinox etc...) you'll do much better job with something like this. It's a lot more pricey but it'll give you more flexibility with blade angles (super sharp but delicate blade vs. a little duller but more durable).

Also sharpening a knife with a whetstone is oddly relaxing.

people all over this thread have said butter, normally i'd agree. i mean it's butter, what could be better than butter? fake butter.

hear me out. right next to the popcorn were bottles of orville redenbacher popcorn butter flavoring. i did a 1 to 1 taste test. one batch made with vegetable oil and melted butter poured on after completion, one batch made with half vegetable oil and the butter flavoring.

the butter flavoring one was much more butter flavored. i will be using that flavoring stuff every time.

a while back someone posted these as great for making "movie theater popcorn"

http://www.amazon.com/Gold-Medal-Prod-Flavacol-Seasoning/dp/B004W8LT10/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418010489&sr=8-1&keywords=flavacol

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003C4UDEY/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1WDE09HYJVHMP&coliid=I1SA77W3SBQNC0

i have not tried them yet, but i hope to.

Use this...http://www.amazon.com/Lao-Gan-Chili-Crisp-Sauce/dp/B0051D84JU

Take a picture of it and show someone at the store. They'll know what it is.

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/0761176462/ref=pe_942660_130088660_em_1p_0_ti#mediaMatrix_secondary_view_div_1420402374047