Everybody wants to save the earth, nobody wants to help mom do the dishes.  --P.J. O'Rourke

Showing posts with label Dave Recommends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dave Recommends. Show all posts

Monday, February 28, 2011

How to Fix an Itunes Library Full of Duplicates and Mystery Tracks


Like many people, my digital music library began well before I had an iPod or iTunes, and has survived several iterations of sketchy HDD based iPods, corrupt iTunes libraries, failed computers & hard drives and everything in between.   Recently I found myself with an iPod that wouldn't sync, 10K+ songs (many of them duplicates - and many simply labeled 'track 1', 'track 2' etc) and two branch libraries from my wife and daughter, both of which had a combination of songs, some duplicating songs in my library (and each others) and some not.  This weekend I decided to fix all these problems and found a number of tools that really simplified things.  Here are the solutions associated with each problem.

1. Partially labeled songs - Early songs of mine which I copied from CD's (before robust programs and before I knew any better) labeled "track 1" etc, some with album artist info, some not.  For this issue, I found an app called Tune Up, which is like Shazam for iTunes (which is exactly what I put in Google search).  Simply put, Tune Up, scans through your library and pretty seamlessly identifies each song, album, artist and artwork and updates your library accordingly.  This cost $25 for a year's subscription and is worth twice that - it performed flawlessly - really, and my library includes a lot of weird sampler CD's from magazines and such...it even identified those perfectly.

2 & 3 Duplicates and Multiple Libraries. - I looked for a deduper for iTunes, and there were quite a few, but I found a much simpler solution.  I downloaded WinMerge which is like a UX Diff utility for Windows.  While the tool is intended for source code management, it works pissah for iTunes libraries.  Basically you select two folders (the iTunes music directories you want to compare) and it spits out the differences (and not just the usual file name/date/size) but actual differences.  Once WinMerge has finished it's work (which happens in seconds - even on a 10k file lib) you it's a simple right click to move the missing files over to your lib.  WinMerge is free, but it's priceless - it really works that well.  It might even beat out Notepad++ and MySQL for best freeware.  It is a great answer to a simple and common problem.

4. iPod that won't sync - I had/have a first edition iPod classic 160gb that refused to sync about two years after I bought it.  Among other symptoms, it during the sync, Windows XP would throw the error "Wrong Volume, please insert 'X' Volume"  or simply an iTunes -50 error.  The frustrating thing was that I managed to get it to sync successfully once despite the error, which led me to believe it was an iTunes/Windows/Corrupt File issue.  Well, it wasn't, it actually half crapped out,  a new iPod solved that problem easily.

5. Downloaded Songs Only on iPod - my daughter, buys itunes songs (on my account) but only downloads them directly to her iPod Touch over WiFi.  Obviously I need to get these added to my Lib so we don't lose them if her iPod craps out.  For this problem, the Copy Trans suite is the best solution, these guys do a great job and it is reasonably priced, I highly recommend all their programs.

6. Duplicate Songs In One Library- This problem arose out of previous attempts to fix the other issues, leaving me with a mess of actual duplicates (some disguised under the aforementioned "track_1", "track_2") and semi duplicates, songs that were duplicated on anthologies for example.  For this issue there is actually an iTunes solution, if you hold down 'shift' while clicking on the iTunes 'file' menu, you will see an option to view only 'exact' duplicates.  While it is still a manual delete, it is very easy once you don't have to wade through the not actually duplicates.  Best (and only) semi hidden iTunes feature.

Well, that's it, good luck, I hope you can learn from my issues. 

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

The Worlds Best Wine Key - The Pulltex Pulltab




You're probably still using a cheapy corkscrew you picked up at the packy* (either that or that rabbit contraption), either way, you are missing out.  It's often the little things that make the difference, and this is one of those little things.  Like Mary Poppins and the Rossle garlic press, the Pulltex is practically perfect in every way.  The Pulltex our friends had given us many years ago recently went missing and it wasn't 'till I purchased a cheapy replacement that I truly appreciated it.  It didn't transform water into wine or anything, it just worked really well without a lot of thought, the way things should, something I cannot say for it's generic replacement.  Get one, you won't be sorry, I promise.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

These Ribs Will Rock You To Your Very Foundation


Hamersley's Bistro Braised Short Rib Recipe

Made this recipe for Christmas Eve a few times and these ribs are the best I have ever had, much better than the over-rated ones I had a Craft in NYC, that and they are dead simple to make.  Two suggestions, make sure you have plenty of room in the pot before you put them in the oven or you will cause an epic fire, get really good quality ribs from a butcher, don't bother with supermarket ribs, they are too fatty and small.  I recommend John Dewar's in Boston, Newton & Wellesley.  Oh, and these ribs should really be served with some slightly lumpy garlicky mashed potato's, steamed broccoli rabe would also be a nice accompaniment (the bitterness will nicely set off the sweetness of the ribs and spuds.


Gordon Hamersley's Bistro Cooking at Home
Beef Short Ribs Braised in Dark Beer with Bacon and Red Onions
Serves 6
6-8 lbs bone-in beef short ribs
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
About 3 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 lb bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium red onions, cut cross-wise into 1/2 inch rounds
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 bottles stout beer, such as Guinness (IPA works too if you're not into stout)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 cups beef stock or combo of beef & chicken stock
Heat the oven to 350. Trim the excess fat from the ribs and season them on all sides with salt and pepper. In a large heavy Dutch oven, heat the oil until very hot. Working in batches, brown the ribs on all sides adding more oil if necessary. Remove the ribs and pour off the rendered fat but don't clean the pot. 
Add the bacon and cook until most of its fat has rendered, about 5 minutes. Add the onions and cook until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes. Add the beer, vinegar and beef stock. Put the ribs back in the pot. Bring to a boil, cover the pot and cook in the oven until they are fork-tender, about 2 hours 15 minutes. (Begin checking them after 2 hours).
Take the lid off and continue cooking the ribs for an additional 15 minutes, uncovered.
Very carefully, so as not to break apart the meat, transfer the ribs and the onions to a rimmed platter or sheet pan and keep warm. Degrease the liquid if necessary. Bring it back to a boil and cook until reduced by at least a third.


Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Building Your Mid Life Crisis Kitchen? Consider These Often Overlooked Items From The Commercial Kitchen

French Top Range




Griddles and Charbroilers are a dime a dozen in the midlife crisis kitchen, but you almost never see a range with a French top. Although the grill and griddle are certainly worthwhile additions to a range top, the French top may be a better choice.  A French top is basically a modern approximation of an antique coal fired range  in that it gives you a full spectrum of cooking heat, from simmer to boil, on one large surface.  Although they can be had in a larger size, the most common size available for the home is 24" x 24".  The really nice thing about the French top is that this intuitive approach to cooking allows you to concentrate on the food without fiddling with a bunch of knobs.  A conventional gas hob forces you to bend over and peer beneath large pots  to see what the flame is doing, and since the average hob is a bit touchy, you'll need to remain in that position while adjusting the heat.  With the French top, the temperature of a pot is obvious by it's position, if it's in the middle, it's hot, if it's on the perimeter, it's not - you can't get much simpler than that.

A Salamander Broiler




I can't recall ever seeing a salamander in a home kitchen, which is odd given it's ubiquitousness in the commercial kitchen.  A salamander is a top fired grill/broiler typically mounter on the back of a range, much like an over the stove microwave/hood combo.  There are two really great things about the salamander, it's flexibility and it's position.  In a salamander, you can cook anything from Creme Brulee to Scrod, try that with your char grill.  The eye level position of the salamander's grill allows you to closely monitor the cooking process.  For most people, the salamander is definitely overkill, but if you really want to bang out food they really can't be beat.

A Pot Filler




Frankly, I don't know why every home doesn't have a potfiller, it seems like such a no brainer and it's not like they cost a million bucks. A faucet by the stove, what's not to like?

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Gluing a Broken Guitar Neck




Yesterday, #1 daughter dropped her Les Paul guitar, breaking the neck off right before the headstock, almost right under the nut.  It was a ragged break and I didn't have much hope that it could be fixed.  I looked around for a replacement neck, but the cost of a neck and the hourly charge of a skilled luthier, was clearly going to exceed the value of the guitar.  As it so happens, I had recently finished restoring a staircase, which involved a fair amount of gluing and clamping and etc. and  I had a wide range of clamps at hand, including the two above, a Jorgenson Cabinet Master, and Irwin Quick grip and (not pictured) standard Jorgenson hand screw wood clamps.  Using regular Elmer's wood glue, I carefully test fitted the broken pieces together (thankfully nothing had splintered off), they fit together perfectly (as they should have).  Next, I set up the cabinet clamp to the same length as the guitar neck.  Note:  These clamps come in many lengths, mine is around 4' long, but the important feature of these clamps is the cushioned rubber face, which won't damage the finish of the guitar.  I then brushed a thin coat of wood glue on each of the broken edges, fitted it together by hand to get the correct angle, and clamped it loosely in the cabinet clamp.  Here the steep angle of the Les Paul headstock presented a problem, if you tighten the cabinet clam too much, the headstock is squeezed out of alignment, so here is where the quick grip clamp comes in.  Secure the quick grip clamp over the bottom slide of the cabinet clamp and the top edge of the headstock, loosely,  Next take the wooden clamp and clamp down on either horizontal side of the break.  If you have done this right, the neck will now be supported in all three dimensions.  Here is the trick part - keeping a good eye on the glue joint, tighten each of the clamps in small increments until the crack is smoothly sealed and the neck is nice and square.  This may take some fiddling ( which is why I recommend a dry walkthrough).  Leave it clamped for at least 8 hours and let it set up for a day before re-stringing the guitar.  This procedure worked flawlessly for me and the guitar is as good a new.  Good Luck.

Monday, November 30, 2009

Law & Order: Special Dollhouse Unit



Long before Lenny Briscoe & Quincy M.E were cracking tough cases, millionaire heiress and New England socialite Frances Glessner Lee was teaching police officers around the country how to play with dolls.  Ms. Glessner Lee was very serious about her doll houses, deadly serious - as you can see above. Realizing that there was no way for students in the then nascent field of  forensic investigation to gain practical experience interpreting crime scenes, Ms. Glessner Lee combined her lifelong love of miniatures and her considerable talent, wealth and drive to construct a series of elaborately detailed, dollhouse dioramas depicting real life crime scenes.  Her attention to detail was staggeringly gruesome, everything was depicted exactly as it had been in real life, and most of the scenes are deeply disturbing.  As gruesome as these depictions are, you can't help mentally trying to decipher the events leading up to the scene, and that is what makes these models such a fantastic teaching tool. Even today, in the age of virtual reality, many of these models are still in use, and a new generation of modelers have been inspired by her work.  Photographer Corinne May Botz has written a fascinating book about Ms Glessner Lee and her unusual dollhouses that I highly recommend.




Thursday, November 12, 2009

Shark Bite Solder Free Plumbing Fittings




During my most recent remodeling project, I needed to replace an older baseboard hydronic radiator with a newer Runtal wall mounted radiator (FWIW: Runtal makes a very high quality product right in in MA USA).  At the local Home Depot, one of the Homers turned me on to these Shark Bite solderless fittings.  These things are For The Win ! They cost a bit more money than regular copper fittings, but they go together as easy as Lego's, and the really cool thing about them is that you can rotate the pipe without them coming loose or leaking, making assembly really easy. If you screw something up, they are also a snap to remove.  I would highly recommend that you give these a shot on your next home project, they really makes things a lot easier and faster.  I wish somebody had told me about these things sooner.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Don't Fall For The InkJet Scam !



In my humble and estimable opinion, Inkjet's are right up there with Bernie Madoff when it comes to hoovering up your money.  If you have kids, the cost of replacement inkjet cartridges during their primary school years could in all likelihood pay for an ivy league tuition.  The printer companies sucker you in with ultra cheap prices on the entry level inkjet printers just like the Cellular providers get you with a cheap phone.  Once they get you in for a Penny, they're into you for their Pound.  Personally I am not sure what is the more usurious, the amount of coin the phone company charges for text messages or the cost of inkjet cartridges, both are blatant ripoffs. Thankfully, most of the cheap inkjets printers give up the ghost within a few years, but the intervening time will be filled with jams, agonizingly slow printing, clogs and endless trips to Staples for more ink.  One Ink or two ink refills and you have probably already shelled out the original purchase price.  Before you do your cost bene analysis, it has been my experience that the ink cartridges don't last nearly as many pages as the manufacturers estimates.  Don't count on getting cheap third party replacement ink, the manufacturers change the cartridge design frequently and some have chips inside them that will expire the cartridge and render it useless after a period of time.  Believe me, they guard this revenue with an intensity unmatched by the most bloodthirsty Yakuza.  Even if you already have one, just toss it or sell it on e-bay and get yourself a decent Laser Printer.  It might cost you three or four times the price of the cheapy inkjet, but a good laser printer is worth that differential many times over.  There is also a hidden discount over an inkjet, the laser printer will probably come with toner.  Sure the Inkjet comes with ink, but it won't last 1/20th as long as the laser toner.  Bear in mind, that replacement toner cartridges are mind numbingly expensive, but they last a good long time.  My Dell laser's original cartridges lasted for well over a year and my kids have by now printed off a hardcopy of the internet. If you are a professional photographer, by all means get a high quality inkjet, but your average household will be much better served with a laser,

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Sennheiser H595, Shure E4c, Bose QC15 - Three Way Shootout/Review




The arrival of the Ipod has changed the way we listen to music, you're no longer chained down to a big receiver and speakers, and many of us listen to the majority of our music on headphones.  Before the Ipod, headphones were kindof a niche/geek product that most people didn't give a second thought to, and now they are a must have item.  When choosing a set of headphones, you should take into account the following four criteria:

1. Where & When You Listen
2. Your Budget
3. Comfort
4. Sound Quality

The three headphones in this review are all very different and represent the three general types of headphones; open backed big traditional headphones, noise cancelling headphones and earphones. To see which type is right for you let's see how they each compare in the criteria set out above.

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Sennheiser HD595:

Where and When You Listen - Just as their name implies, open backed headphones have nothing between the outside world and your ear and headphone drivers.  When wearing them, you can hear the outside world, and they can hear your music (albeit at greatly reduced volume).  If you listen to your music in close proximity to another person, you're gonna piss them off.  If you listen in a loud environment, you won't be able to hear your music.  The positive side of this type is that if you need to be at least minimally aware of outside noises (the phone ringing for example) they are well suited for that.

Your Budget - Despite an MSRP of $325 these can be had for nearly half that amnount if you shop carefully, as I speak they are $179 at Amazon.

Comfort - With a cushioned adjustable headband, light weight and ultra soft padded ear cups the HD595 is by far the most comfortable of the three.

Sound Quality - Sennheiser has been making headphones since Christ left Chicago and it shows in spades, easily the greatest sound quality of the trio, with an open, expansive, more natural and balanced sound than the other two.  There is one caveat here however, the HD595 needs a fair amount of current at louder volumes to sound its best.  My Ipod does not put out enough power to drive these to their fullest, it's okay, but if you can pair the Ipod with a headphone amp or stereo amp headphone jack, the HD595 will rock your world.  I use the "Total Airhead" portable headphone amp by Headroom.

Shure E4c


Where and When You Listen - The Shure E4 is an "in ear" ear canal earphone, and when I say "in ear", I mean it, to get the best sound out of these you need to jam it pretty far into your ear canal.  The obvious benefit of this is the best sound isolation of the bunch, I used these the other day while operating a belt sander attached to a shop vac and the outside noise was barely audible, for comparison I tried the Bose QC15 at the same time and the Shures were noticeably better at muffling the noise.  You can't hear the outside world and it can't hear you, period. These are the green eggs and ham of earphones, you can wear them on a train, on a bus, on a plane - you will like them anywhere.  They are also the smallest and lightest.  Although they are the best of this crop for activities, be aware that the cables can transmit a lot of sound when they rub against your body.  It's a kind of rustling sound, like wind on a microphone, but with careful placing of the cables this is minimized.

Your Budget - The E4c is not a current Shure model, but can still be purchased if you look around.  Pricing is remarkably similar to the HD595 with an MSRP of $319 and a street value of $169.

Comfort - This is a tough one, as everyone's ears are different and some people have an aversion to sticking things in their ear canal.  The Shures come with a variety of different tips to suit individual ears and preferences.  I use the yellow foam tips which closely resemble foam earplugs and are made from a similar material and I find them reasonably comfortable.

Sound Quality -  A good tight fit is imperative if you want to get good sound out of these, with a poor fit they sound like crap, but once you find a good fit, the sound quality is impressive.  Though not quite the equal of the Sennheisers, the Shures have a nicely balanced sound, with a strong tight bass, and awesome midrange and balanced, not overly bright treble.  What's especially cool about these is that with the music being piped straight into your eardrums, you notice details you've never heard before, even with the stock Itunes codec. In my opinion, these have the second best sound quality, lacking only the outright punch and soundstage of the HD595s

Bose QC15

Where and When You Listen - These are a close second to the Shures when it came to versatility, they reduce noise nicely, while still allowing you to hear conversations.  The don't project much sound into the environment and will not annoy your seat mates or room mates.  You can't jog in them, but if you are stationary or walking, these will stay put.

Your Budget - Bose products are never cheap, and I have yet to see one "on sale"  These have an MSRP of $300 and sell for $300.  On the plus side, they are very well built and come with a handy case and airplane sound adapters.  Bose customer service is also very good and they stand behind their products, but it's gonna cost you.

Comfort - The QC's are very comfortable, but their more compact dimensions leaves less room for your ears and this keeps them from edging out the HD595 in my opinion, but this is a matter of taste, there is not that much distance between the two in terms of comfort.

Sound Quality - The sound quality of these is a bit of a disappointment for $300 headphones, it's not bad per se, but to my ears they don't sound as open or as detailed as the other two.  Life is a compromise and these are not a bad compromise, they don't ultimately sound as good as the other two, but they are less finicky and intrusive than the Shures and more flexible then the Senn's when it comes to listening locations

BOTTOM LINE: For the best sound, traditional circumaural (around the ear) open back headphones like the HD595 are without peer.  Ear Canal earphones like the Shures offer great sound (although it make take some twiddling and trial and error) combined with the best sound deadening, and the ultimate in portability.  I know that Bose markets the QC15 on it's ability to eliminate external noise, but realistically, there is only so much they can do with AAA battery power, in really loud environments (like a jackhammer or rock concert) the ear canal phones excel, there is a reason that professional musicians use them as sound monitors.  The Bose QC's offer a decent amount of noise reduction (suitable for most office and travel settings), while remaining comfortable and portable, but they lack some of the sound fidelity of the other two and cost a fortune to boot.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

A Few More Things You Need For Your Kitchen And A Couple You Don't


Good Quality Spatulas










With the possible exception of knives and and frying pans, the tool I most often "turn" to is the spatula, most often the one above.  It may seem like overly anal, foodblog falderal, but having the right spat for the job makes all the difference in both results and ease of use.  What sets this type of spatula apart from it's cheapy supermarket relatives are stiffness and a sharp edge.  Food sticks to pans, sometimes by design, and sometimes not, but in either case a sharp stiff spatula is a welcome companion.  Nothing scrapes up the crunchy yummy fond at the bottom of the pan like these and you're guaranteed not to leave the seared exterior of chicken or fish stuck to the pan when you turn the food.  As an added bonus, when it comes time to cleanup, these guys crush scotchbrite.  The one pictured above is made by Lamson & Goodnow, a 170 year old cutlery manufacturer in Western Massachusetts.



Kitchens accumulate rubber spats like dryers collect socks, I count around 9 in my kitchen, the vast majority of which I never use - because they suck and I should throw them away.  The one I use almost exclusively is the one pictured above.  The stainless handle is strong like bull and the silicone blade doesn't fall off, crack or harden.  The one I have is quite a bit bigger than the run of the mill model and the long handle makes the job easier, faster and more neat.  I got mine at Sur La Table, but I don't see them on their website anymore. I did find them at Kitchenworks though for a pretty reasonable price.

A Huge White Poly Cutting Board & A Non-Slip Mat








Really? Yes, Really.   A big white poly cutting board makes prep work a helluva lot easier and they are as common and cheap as Megan Fox.  It's great to have room to prep almost everything a recipe calls for on one board without dirtying every bowl in the house.  Chop some onion and then push it off to the side to make some room for the carrots.  Get the biggest one you can still easily clean in your sink or DW.  With regards to the non-slip mat, it doesn't have to be anything fancy, just washable and easy to store.  The one above is sold for three bucks at the "Webstaurant Store"  I have never bought anything from them, but the price seems good.  Alternatively you can put a damp kitchen towel under your board or even that red mesh that goes on glassware shelves in bars.  The important thing is to keep the board from moving around so that you don't cut yourself.

A Couple of Things You Don't Need


A Wooden Cutting Board




Listen, I like the way they look as well, but they're really just kitchen bling, and I am cool with that if that's what you into.  Other than for looking, serving on, or cutting bread, they not the best choice.  Wood boards are unsanitary, difficult to clean and needlessly expensive.  Poly is better, cheaper and lasts longer.

The Mushroom Brush




To believe in the unique qualities and magical abilities of this shamwow of kitchen gadgets requires a suspension of disbelief exceeded only by the demands placed on audiences of  the 1994 movie "Junior".
"Mushrooms Absorb Water Like a Sponge Spoiling the Taste of a Dish".  If you believe that, I've got some Himalayan Sea Salt and Fiji Water you're gonna love.  Give me a break, shrooms are already chock full of water, they grow in damp places for chrissakes.  Category : Re-Gift immediately.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

An Easy Tip for Carving a Pumpkin





Don't bother with those "Pumpkin Carving Sets" in the seasonal aisle of your grocery store, they are way to flimsy, and besides, you probably have one of these excellent pumpkin carving tools in your garage.  If you have access to a few used reciprocating saw (Sawzall) blades, the tapered version in the top illustration makes an excellent (if somewhat McGuiver style) pumpkin carving tool.  To protect kids delicate hands, I wrap the top third with a few wraps of thick tape such as electrical or duct.  The nice thing about sawzall blades, other than the price, is that the teeth are generally pretty dull even when new.  If you happen to have a "keyhole" saw (sometimes called a drywall saw), these also make excellent carving tools and are certainly more ergonomic.  Whatever you do, under no circumstances should you use a chef's knife or other kitchen knife, it's way to easy to end up in the E.R.  If you must use a kitchen knife, use a serrated knife like a bread or steak knife.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Faster Mashed Potatoes With a Potato Ricer



If food is love, than good mashed potatoes are the tantric sex.  Like alot of simple things, getting mashers to come out perfectly is more difficult than it seems and can be a real PITA.  The texture or mouth feel is all important and most potato mashers are haphazardly designed and manufactured, requiring you to pound away for what seems like an eternity before you get decent results (hey, just like tantric sex).  I don't know about you, but by the time I get home from a busy day, I am really not in the mood for all that effort, which has generally meant rice or bakers would have to suffice (the culinary equivalent of "afternoon delight").  Three of four months ago, on a lark, I shelled out for a Potato Ricer, which looks for all the world like a giant garlic press.  I had up until that moment considered that the Potato Ricer's main function was separating me from my money.  To this day, I have no idea what came over me, call it the hand of providence or what have you, but this temporary lapse in judgement has changed my life.  Using a ricer, the mashing takes less than a minute (four servings), and principally consists of the time it takes me to stuff it with spuds a few times.  You'll need pretty good grip strength though, so if you have carpal tunnel these might not be for you, but otherwise, these things are well worth the money and space they take up in the pantry.  BTW: The best tip on mashers I have ever received was from Cook's Illustrated's practice of getting as much of the H2O out of the boiled potatoes before you mash them, it really leads to a fluffier result. (I return them to the hot pan and stir over the off, but still warm burner).

Monday, October 26, 2009

The Ultimate Zombie Fighting Machine - The Slashbuster


When the unthinkable (but inevitable) Zombie-Apocolypse occurs, you are mos def going to want one of these units on your side, should make pretty short work of the invading hoards, though cleanup is going to be a bit of a chore. Check out the video to see one of these machines go up against a Dodge Caravan.


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Sunday, October 25, 2009

Cleaning Rusty or Stained Carbon Steel and Cast Iron



Even though you are never supposed to put carbon steel or cast iron cookware in the dishwasher, some well meaning individual invariably does it at some point.  Nothing rusts iron and steel like the dishwasher, and when they come out of the dishwasher they look ruined.  The next time this happens to you, use Barkeepers Friend to strip off the rust, it works alot better than a Sham Wow.  Seriously though, this stuff get's surface rust and stains off metal really easily.


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Thursday, October 22, 2009

DePasquale's Sausage Shop - Yummy Chinese BBQ Sausages For Not A Lot of Wonga



The village of Nonantum is already justifiably famous for being the childhood home of Matt LeBlanc and for it's Big Santa, but the real attraction is the sausages.  A friend turned me on to DePasquale's a couple of weeks ago and I had largely forgotten about it until I was penning the post on Ah-So sauce below.  How do you go from a sticky sweet "Chinese" sauce to an Italian sausage place?  Well, it's not as big a leap as one might think, as DePasquale's is the home of Chinese BBQ flavored pork sausage.  I was initially a bit put off by the somewhat dilapidated looking exterior, but around here good things often come in inauspicious packages (see the Dudley Chateau.) and the interior was immaculate.  After a brief transaction that had all the charm of a drug deal, I left with a tidy brown bag full of porky goodness.  I don't know who came up with the idea of Chinese BBQ sausages, but brothers and sisters, it's lightning in a bottle.  I grilled them up so the exterior was nicely caramelized and the result was almost bacon like in it's goodness, especially when paired with Chinese hot mustard.  So next time you're down by the Lake (as Nonantum is known as locally) pick up a dozen of these, you won't regret it, I suggest them as party appetizers.  On a side note, the Lake is also home to one of the most peculiar local dialects in America.  I dunno where this bizarre patois came from (no one seems to) but you can check out some examples here : Lake Talk

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

AH-SO Sauce


Mention this stuff to any current or former Massachusetts resident over 30 and you bound to get a smile.  This stuff dates back to the early Chun King dynasty, back when La Choy "Made Chinese Food Swing American" (click to re-live) and was a staple of New England regional cuisine.  Basically this stuff tries to approximate the taste of traditional American-Chinese restaurant "spare ribs".  Ah-So sauce is especially popular on appetizers like chicken wings, keilbasa slices and of course, pork ribs.   Brush a little Ah-So on right before the food is done and pop it on the grill or under the broiler for a bit until the sticky sweet sauce carmelizes a bit.  The reason it's just a regional oddity is that Ah-So was originally made in the Garden City of Newton, MA (Now Made In New Jersey)

15 Minute Bolognese Style Pasta Dinner


Photo Credit : http://www.dbgg1979.com/

I have been making this easy sauce as a quick weeknight meal for a few years now, and it never fails to please, and it really can be made in about 15 minutes.  My family has unabashedly used supermarket marinara sauce as meat sauce base for pasta since I was a child, it's cheap, quick, easy and tasty.  We all know the old aphorism; "Good, Fast,Cheap - Pick any Two" and it applies to just as aptly to cooking as it does to software development, fast and cheap food is seldom very good.  And thus it was with my childhood meat sauce, if you wanted it to be good, you would have to extensively doctor up the jarred sauce, which of course takes time.  The problem with most supermarket marinara sauce is it's cloying sweetness, the taste is almost instantly identifiable and they all taste the same, adding ground beef adds flavor, but does nothing for the sweetness.  So, if you want good and fast, cheap needs to go, the good news is that pasta and sauce is so cheap per serving, that even doubling the price only raises the cost to the level of a typical dinner.  Anyway, if you can stomach paying $10.00 for a jar of pasta sauce at Whole Foods read on.  Without further fanfare the recipe (serves 4-5 generously)

1 32oz. Jar  - Rao's Marinara Sauce (it's worth it I swear)
1/2 lb. - Ground Beef
1/2 lb. - Sweet Italian Pork Sausage (casing removed)
1 lb. Pasta (I like fresh ravioli)
Actual Italian Parmesan Cheese from the refrigerated section
Heavy Cream or Half and Half (cream tastes best)

Steps:

1. Pan Fry Beef and Sausage breaking it up into small bits with the spatula.
2. When the meat is finished if it is super greasy drain off most of the fat.
3. Add the Rao's sauce right to the hot pan and scrape off any yummy bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
4. Decrease heat to med low and simmer till the pasta is ready.
5. Add 1/2 cup (more or less) of Parm to sauce
6. Add a bit of the cream to taste. in the neighbor hood of 1/4 cup or so.
7. Serve with Pasta

Woot ! Done, hope you enjoy it.





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Tuesday, October 20, 2009

HDR On The Cheap - Nikon D40, Voyager Tripod & Photomatrix



HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography is a relatively new digital imaging technique that is becoming increasingly popular.  HDR seeks to address one of the principal shortcomings of the current crop of consumer CCD camera sensors, namely a compressed dynamic range.  When I made the switch to digital, one of the first things I noticed was that the comparitive lack of range of dynamic range compared to film.  By dynamic range I mean the amount of exposure between the brightest and darkest subjects in a photo that are visible.  In everyday shooting, the narrower exposure window of digital cameras is more than offset by the incredible flexibility and power of their modern imaging software.  Even my low rent Nikon D40 is capable of producing consistently excellent results merely using auto mode.  The tables turn however when taking a shot with both bright lights and dark shadows, leaving you with washed out highlights or a dark subject.  Enter HDR, the basic gist of HDR photography is to take three or more exposures per shot using the bracketing feature of your camera to vary the exposure widely enough to avoid washing out the highlights and at the same time bring out the detail in the shadows.  I really enjoy low light photography, and after seeing a number of stunning HDR shots, I decided to give it a go.  "Stuck in Customs" is a great website and resource for HDR techniques with a great tutorial on beginning HDR.  Taking their advice I downloaded a trial version of Photomatrix HDR imaging software and went to town.  Following the tutorial instructions I was easily able to produce the image above in 10-15 minutes and while I am not going to win a Pulitzer for it, I think it gives you an idea of the kind of results even a hack like myself can achieve.  HDR is kindof a polarizing format, some purists loath it and in truth many practitioners over amp their photos to the point where they look like paintings.  To me, that's O.K., I don't like everyone's music and I don't have to enjoy everyone's photography.  A few side notes and recommendations; I recommend trying the free trial version of Photomatrix, it's easy to use, and fun to play with, you can use it as much as you want, but the trial version will put watermarks on your images like you see above.  A tripod is pretty much required...I got a David & Sanford "Voyager" at Newtonville Camera for a reasonable price and  it has been excellent, the staff at Newtonville is top rate as well.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Jasper White's Cooking From New England



In general I am not a big fan of regional cookbooks, too often they are either dry scholarly tomes written by home economics professors or mass media food fad hack jobs like the innumerable "Cajun" cookbooks that came out during the "blackened" food craze.  Part of the problem I suspect is that old regional folk dishes are regional for a reason.  It's not that they are "bad" per se, but they can be an acquired taste and often use ingredients that are difficult to obtain outside of their region.  Regional recipes also tend to be strongly associated with local ethnicities, and herein lies the rub.  Although most people claim to be proud of their heritage, the vast majority of Americans historically eschew things that are stereotypically associated with distinct ethnicities and or social class.  With the greater emphasis on diversity this is slowly changing, but unfortunately many folk recipes are already forgotten.  Chefs too often focus too heavily on creating a "new" taste and ignore local traditions (Dill in clam chowder is one of my pet peeves).  White's book is the happy exception, it's well written, contains both strictly traditional and adapted recipes and he explains local ingredients and traditions almost reverently.  I suspect this is because Jasper is originally from New Jersey and came to this food later in life.  In any case, this book has recipes you simply can't find anywhere else.  A good example is "Red Flannel Hash", although we just called it hash as a kid.  I hadn't thought about this dish  or had it in possibly 35 years and I have NEVER seen it on a menu.  Red Flannel Hash is basically left overs from a New England Boiled Dinner (also in the book).  The corned beef and veggies are mixed with pickled beets and spuds, then chopped and pan fried until a nice crust forms on the bottom. It's wicked pissa, I assure you.


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Wednesday, October 7, 2009

There Is A Right Way, And A Wrong Way To Do Everything



Even if you don't own a larding needle, make puff pastry swans or make a cucumber into a turtle, Jacques' 800 plus page manifesto of cooking techniques is a great resource.  Pepin gives illustrated detailed directions for doing everything you can imagine in the kitchen, and a lot you can't (deep fried eggs for one).  Think you know your way around a kitchen?  Jacques will bring the smacques down hard on you and make you his bitch, I guarantee.