NOVEMBER 2023

Wednesday 2023.11.29

Sugar Ants?

Did I finally kill all the protein ants living near my home? I put out fresh ant bait packets with finely ground chicken and boric acid. The ants didn't seem to care. But I would occasionally see an ant in my kitchen. I decided to put out some honey. When I opened the honey jar there were several dead ants in there. I don't even know how they got in. I thought the jar was properly closed.

At noon I put a little honey on a piece of plastic wrap and placed it beneath my kitchen sink, a favorite venue of my ants. Nothing happened. Maybe the ants decided to remain underground for the winter.

Vine Voices Questions

I put two questions on my computer: "What would replace something?" And "What would the thrift store want?"

I've given up on the rule that says I must keep these freebies in my possession for six months. Where am I supposed to store them? I filled one box with items I don't want and I started a second. I'll make a trip to the charities thrift store soon.

I did score a few useful items this week. I ordered a beautiful wood cutting board that replaces a cheap bought-at-Costco bamboo board that is already in the trash bin. I use paper bowls for mixing when I'm cooking; so when I saw some of those for free, I requested them.

I've been trying to down-size lately; so I don't need to add more stuff to my home. If I can find something to replace something for a net-zero gain, that's acceptable. I requested a new dish drainer that fits in my kitchen sink. The old one went into the recycle bin.

And Speaking of Net-Zero Gain

On Monday I made bratwurst sausages again. That's a 2½-pound bundle of pork shoulder and fat removed from the freezer and ten sausages added to the freezer.

Although it's a net gain of zero, it does contribute toward my goal of eating the foods in my freezer. I can't eat pork shoulder easily, but it's easy to cook a sausage and eat it with some pasta or rice, or even sliced and placed on a deli roll.

More On Vine

When is the best time to start searching for items to request? I've been trying to figure that out by tracking the numbers. When I select a category, such as Home & Kitchen, the number of available items is displayed. Monday afternoon the number was as high as 6,743. I've seen it higher. Yesterday morning I used the F5 button on my computer keyboard to refresh the screen occasionally and saw the numbers drop during the morning. By noon it was 3,744, then it started to rise. The peak in the afternoon was 7,400, then it started to decline again.

I don't know how to interpret those numbers, but I assume a decline indicates items are being requested without new items being added. An increase would mean new items. My best guess is that many new items were added during the afternoon. Then as people in eastern time zones came home from work, they had their dinner and then went onto Vine to score their freebies for the day. By 5:00 in the evening West Coast time the number had dropped below 7,140.

So, to answer my question: The best time to look for items is when the number available is climbing. If the numbers are dropping, don't bother shopping.

I'm retired and therefore I'm home all day. I can check the items frequently throughout the day. And I'd like to think that gives me an advantage over people who work. My favorite item of the day yesterday is a French Butter Crock (made in China). It will replace a storage container I've been using for butter.

If by the end of the day I haven't requested my three items, I look for products that might sell well at the thrift store — stainless steel straws, 100 party balloons, stuff like that. The goal isn't to acquire all this stuff. The goal is to get to 100 reviews. When I get to the Gold Tier — eight requests per day and no dollar limit — I'll only request items I truly want to own.

And Speaking of Numbers

Where am I on my way to the goal of 100? So far, I've requested 64 items. I haven't reviewed them all because some haven't been shipped yet. I usually review them the day they arrive. And if I might be allowed a little confession. Some items I review without even opening the package. Reading other reviews and watching one or two videos on YouTube is enough to give me the information I need.

Sunday 2023.11.26

Here's An Idea

On Wednesday I blogged about baking frozen pizza for my Thanksgiving Day dinner. I mentioned how one of those pizzas is enough for two meals. I'm okay with leftover pizza, but what if I can enjoy a fresh one instead? I cut the pizza in half, baking only part of it. Fearing the cheese might melt and make a mess, I wrapped the cut edge with foil. It worked perfectly.

If I were the miserly type, it would be even more perfect (if you can qualify perfection). Again, the box of four pizzas costs $13.49. Each pizza is then $3.37. Cut in half, my dinner cost me $1.69. That's a bargain.

I'm not a penny-pinching person. Sometimes I spend too much money. However, saving a few dollars here and there makes it easy to be liberal with my money elsewhere.

A Little More On the Vine

Once again, lesson learned. As soon as I see an item I think I might want, immediately request it. I waited on a sage-colored bed sheet, from which I could have made two shirts (again, as if I need more!). I waited too long. When I requested it, it was no longer available. Oh well.

And maybe worth mentioning: Not every decision on my part is a good one. I saw some "examination shorts" that a person might wear in the doctor's office while undergoing a physical exam. Think of them as modesty shorts. You might know the feeling. "Please remove all your clothes." I ordered them, 300 in one package, thinking they might work well for disposable underwear. Nope. I put one on after taking a shower and in less than an hour it ripped enough to be discarded.

I tried other ways of using them. They're not absorbent enough to be paper towels. If I stitch the bottom closed it works fairly well as a waste paper basket liner. They're disposable; so I don't think I'm required to keep them for six months. I'll donate them to a charity thrift store.

Cooking

I haven't neglected cooking while getting free stuff. On Thursday, besides baking half a pizza for dinner, I made a dozen flour tortillas. They turned out well. Among the freebies on Amazon I requested a stainless steel rolling pin. I can use the tortilla press for the initial flattening, then roll them thinner.

I also took a 2½-pound chunk of pork shoulder, along with some pork belly, out of the freezer to thaw. I plan to make sausages again today, probably bratwurst again.

And while I was watching a football game yesterday evening the commentators sampled some Cincinnati Style Chili. It looked good enough to make myself. I have Real Texas Chili in the freezer. The dish is spaghetti topped with chili and garnished with cheese. I used a blend of mild cheddar and Monterey Jack.

It's delicious. I look forward to making this again.

An Enjoyable Surprise

I grew up in Mystic, Connecticut. I moved to Southern California in 1975 to attend the University of California Santa Barbara, but mostly to get away from New England weather. I'm not a big fan of cold and snow.

I saved a live cam web site of Mystic among the favorites on my computer. I check it occasionally, mostly to see the weather I escaped. I like to check it when I know it snowed there. I was surprised to see thousands of people gathered in the town center on Saturday. I checked the current events website and learned that Saturday was the 20th annual Lighted Boat Parade.

I was able to watch it live from the comfort of my home in California. It was a festive spectacle with several dozen decorated boats. And it was amusing to watch from the other side of the country. Most of the boats were small. I also thought it was amusing that the boats were literally floating floats. Nothing compared, of course, to the floats in the Macy's annual parades, but it was fun to watch it happen in my old home town.

The Mystic River drawbridge was kept open, of course, for the entire event. The Mystic Seaport's cute little ferry "Sabino" made an appearance. It made me laugh to see the river so clogged with decorated boats and the street and docks so clogged with spectators. I think that was the most pleasant part of the spectacle. The celebration started shortly after 6:00PM their time and ran for nearly an hour until the drawbridge closed and the crowds dispersed.

Wednesday 2023.11.22

Happy Thanksgiving Tomorrow

Tomorrow the USA observes the Thanksgiving holiday. My mother always roasted a turkey, starting early in the morning. I still believe she made the best stuffing I ever tasted.

Becoming Spoiled

I will admit to becoming a bit spoiled by my latest adventure. The countdowns have already begun, leading us to Black Friday, the day of some of the best sales of the year. I used to look forward to the day. I rarely bought anything, but I looked to see if there was anything I couldn't live without. Now, I'm so used to getting stuff for free through Amazon Vine Voices, I'd rather wait to see if something I might want will eventually be available for free.

Even though the last thing I need right now is more shirts (I just accidentally ruined one), if I saw a 100% cotton queen size flat bed sheet offered, I'd snatch it up. I can get two shirts out of one queen flat sheet.

A Loophole?

I might have found a chink in the armor. The rules and regulations of the Vine Voices program say I am supposed to keep the items in my possession for at least six months. What about disposable items? I requested a box of 100 coffee filters, 20 plastic aprons (for crafting and cooking) and 200 paper napkins on Monday. In a twisted sort of logic, one might conclude if some items are disposable before the six months, aren't they all?

How Goes the Schlocking?

A friend asked me, "How goes the schlocking?" and I liked the question. I thought I'd use it in My Bblog. It's either that or The Schlock Chronicles.

I don't know if you readers are at all interested in what I have to say about every single product I receive from the Vine Voices program. So, I thought I'd only mention a few highlights.

On Monday I received three items, none of which I plan to keep. They weren't awful, but they weren't anything I want to use. For example, I already have two Microplane graters. Do I need a third?

Tuesday was different. I received a toner cartridge for my P1606 LaserJet printer. The HP product costs $101.89 on Amazon. The inexpensive equivalent is only $18.99. And I got it for free. I installed it. It works well, so far.

Among three other items was a stainless steel utensil holder set. It has two pieces, a solid utensil holder like you see on many kitchen counters and a perforated one. I wanted the perforated holder for the dish drainer in my sink. It replaces one I made from a plastic tennis ball can. The solid one replaces a holder I broke and glued together. Net gain of clutter: zero.

Another Loophole?

As I mentioned earlier, these free items are taxable income. A friend suggested I document every unwanted item by printing the description page on Amazon. The page has the price. Then donate those items to a non-profit Catholic charities thrift store and write off the donation on my taxes.

And Speaking of Chronicles

My resolution to buy no more frozen foods until I eat nearly all the foods in my freezer took a hit on Tuesday.

One short-lived tradition was to go out for Chinese food on Thanksgiving day. There was one restaurant that was always open. However, that restaurant has since closed and was replaced by a marijuana dispensary. What to do?

I decided it was time to start a new tradition — always eat pizza on Thanksgiving. The best way is to stock a box of four Costco Kirkland Signature frozen pizzas in the freezer. I like those because there is plenty of pepperoni on top. And, it lifts off easily so that I can add more mozzarella cheese and maybe some of my own seasoning. It's also very inexpensive, $13.49 per box. That's $3.37 per pizza. I can get two meals out of that. And the pizza is good.

Sunday 2023.11.19

Is It Schlock, or Does It Rock?

I tested and reviewed several products this week.

Tea Cup with Infuser: It made a drinkable cup of tea. I wasn't expecting a miracle. The cup and infuser did what they were expected to do. I enjoyed the tea. So, it rocks.

Vegetable Steamer Basket: It was a bit of a disappointment because I hoped it would fit my six-cup Instapot. It didn't. But did fit my Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker. I cooked four ears of corn. The basket is made with extremely thin stainless steel, almost foil; so, I decided it was schlock.

Nonslip Wood Bathtub Mat: This was a big disappointment. The wood surface was not slippery for my feet; however, the mat retained shampoo suds beneath it and that made the mat slip in the tub. I almost fell getting out. Definitely schlock.

64 Ounce Cold Brew Coffee Decanter: I really enjoy drinking iced coffee in summer; so, making it so late in the fall wasn't the best time for testing it. However, the infuser worked well. The coffee was delicious. It was a clear success. I look forward to using it in summer. It rocks.

Milk Frother: The clear winner this week. It is, by far, my favorite toy so far. When I first saw it on Amazon I thought, "No, that's a mini immersion blender." I use it to mix up my evening glass of Metamucil. It worked so much better than the old spaghetti sauce jar I've been using for years. The frother is a delight to use. It definitely rocks.

Stainless Steel Thermal Tumbler: A decent tumbler for my cold brew coffee. This is the wrong time of year to drink iced coffee. I'll use it in the summer. It rocks.

Tabletop Fire Pit: I was disappointed. I expected a bright flame. Initially, all I saw was a faint blue flame. I used 95% ethanol, per the instructions. After a few minutes the flame became a little brighter. It works; so, it's not schlock. But it only barely rocks.

On Thursday I looked through 9,232 Amazon Vine items available to request. I did not find even one I would want in my home. I guess it's time to request any piece of schlock just to have something to test on my way to 100 reviews. And maybe worth mentioning: These free items count as income. I need to pay taxes on them. So, I guess it's best now to request the least expensive schlock.

However, later in the day I found one item I could use. It's a mold for making one huge block of ice, roughly 11 x 3½ x 7 inches. Think of it as ice to put in the bottom of a picnic cooler or in an athlete ice bath. I don't need a block of ice, but I've been looking for another ice cube box for my freezer. My current one is cracked.

In one day my living room floor can become littered with empty boxes.

And on Friday more stuff arrived.

Vintage Style Light Bulb: This is for my steampunk lamp. I had an LED filament-style bulb in the lamp. It dims well. This decorative bulb looks a little better. And I can use either one, according to the mood of the day. It rocks.

Water Filter Faucet: I ordered this for my reverse osmosis water filter beneath my kitchen sink. I hate doing plumbing; so I didn't bother installing it. I reviewed it as if I had. It's functional and it was free. It rocks, but it will go out in the shed.

Oil and Vinegar Bottles: I didn't need these. This request was a useless schlock order to get me nearer to the 100 reviews threshold. Although they are well made and fairly good looking, I will probably never use them. Schlock.

Glass Tea Kettle: I requested this to use when heating water for my afternoon cup of tea. I had been using a little saucepan, which worked well enough, but if I needed the pan to cook something, I had to use something else. This glass teapot will be dedicated solely to make tea. It's a good looking stove top item and it appears to be well made. It rocks until I accidentally break it.

Digital Clock: A big disappointment, partly for which I am to blame. In none of the pictures of this item on Amazon did I see an electrical line cord. I was led to believe it is battery operated. I should have read everything. It is probably well built and in the right setting it might rock, but I'll never use it. As such, it's schlock.

Two more items arrived yesterday.

Portable Fan: This little battery-powered hand-held fan really has only one purpose in my kitchen. When I am chopping onions I want to place the fan near the cutting board to blow away the fumes that would sting my eyes and cause them to water. It's rechargeable. I haven't used it yet. It looks like schlock, but for my purpose I think it will rock.

4-ounce Dispenser Bottles: This is a little personal. When I am doing self-catheterization I need to wash the area with an antiseptic soap to help prevent UTIs. The little hinged snap cap on my soap bottle is about to break and fall off; so, I requested these. They rock.

Meanwhile…

Yesterday I looked through the daily supply of nearly 8,000 items, and again I saw nothing I would remotely want in my home. I ordered three different types of brushes, each selling for under $10.

I did see a pillow I thought I should have. "I'm not an angry person. Stupid people piss me off." I wish I could get that on an apron. Maybe I could get the pillow and cut up the covering to sew onto an apron.

Finally, Almost No Rain

It was our second storm of the season. (The rain year is September 1st through August 31st.) Slightly more than a tenth of an inch was recorded where I live. It's early. Bigger storms will come later.

Wednesday 2023.11.15

On Second Thought…

I discussed that crazy idea with some friends. We agreed it might be fun to review some of the schlock available on Amazon; however, it might be fraught with difficulties.

What if I review a good item? I reviewed four of them already. Are people going to want to know where to buy them? How would YouTube feel about me providing free advertising for Amazon? Maybe it would be okay. But what if it isn't?

Then there is the problem of holding onto all this stuff. I'm supposed to keep it for at least six months. That's fine for the items I really like, but who wants a shed full of schlock?

I decided to put the idea on hold for a while, maybe indefinitely. But I'll try to discuss some reviews here in My Blog

Cooling On the Vine

As I mentioned in my previous blog post, there really are thousands of items to choose from on Amazon Vine. In the Home and Kitchen section there are about 8,000. In the Everything category there were nearly 60,000 the last time I looked. How can Amazon offer that many freebies? Probably because 59,000 of them will never be requested.

I can't look through all the items. I have a life. However, some items give me ideas. Thankfully, there is a Search function. I used that on Monday to order a different bulb for my steampunk lamp, a toner cartridge for my laser printer, and a faucet for the reverse osmosis water filter system on my kitchen sink.

Meanwhile, I've been clearing some stuff out of my shed. There are items I used only once or twice to do a cooking video, then never used again. They are still in their original boxes. I'll drop those off at a nearby charity thrift store I like.

Two of my first four reviews were rejected by Amazon. I looked at the submission guidelines and I thought my reviews were suitable. If anything, maybe I try to be too helpful. I replaced those reviews with the barest of facts, and no videos. They were approved. Note to self: Don't make an effort.

Is It Schlock, or Does It Rock?

I tested two kitchen items so far this week — a Seven Second Garlic Peeler and a Chicken Meat Shredder.

The shredder works well enough. I bought a rotisserie chicken at Costco and while the meat was still warm and moist I put an entire chicken breast in the shredder. Give it a few turns back and forth and there is shredded chicken in the gadget. Schlock or rock? Schlock. It worked; so, yes, it performed as advertised. But a couple of forks would be easier to wash.

The garlic peeler is total schlock. You put a handful of garlic cloves in the drum, shake if vigorously (violently works better) and the cloves knocking around inside the drum loosen their skins. There was still quite a bit of peeling by hand to completely peel the cloves. I've done this technique in a jar with a lid. It works. And here's a tip: Do an entire bulb of garlic. Arrange the peeled cloves on a small tray and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Then transfer the frozen garlic to a small ziplock bag and store in the freezer. You'll have peeled garlic cloves when you need them.

Some Weather, Finally

I've blogged about it in the past. This is the time of year when we start seeing predictions of rain in he forecast. The probability of rainfall might start at 80%, then dwindle to 60% to 40% to slight chance of showers as the day approaches. There were predictions of showers today. According to the radar, we might see our first significant storm of the season begin at around 10:00AM.

This weather pattern is forecast to continue through the remainder of the week, at which time the forecast is for "rain" rather than "showers." I might have something to report in Sunday's blog.

As for the local reservoir, it's doing well. It is currently at 90% of its capacity. If the prediction of an El Niño holds true, we might see the reservoir overflowing the dam by spring.

Sunday 2023.11.12

Writing Has Its Advantages

I write everyday. Usually I add something to this blog on a daily basis, then publish it every Sunday and Wednesday. My writing skills might not be on a par with the masters, but I do well enough.

Have you heard of Amazon Vine? I hadn't. Clear out of the blue on Wednesday I received a message from Amazon. "You've been invited to join Vine." I did a little research. They are looking for reviewers to write about products. They like the reviews I've written in the past. Okay, yes, I write good. (Actually, that should be "I write well." Don't confuse your adjectives with your adverbs.) Membership is by invitation only and, if I might be allowed a little vanity, I'm a bit proud of that.

And here's the best part: As Vine members (called Vine Voices) we can select from a list of products available free to reviewers. We request the product. It arrives a few days later. We use it for a reasonable amount of time. Then we write an honest review about it. We can be positive, negative or indifferent. We remain anonymous to the makers of the products. And we keep the product free of charge.

I'm not sure how much time we have to write a review. One web page says there is no deadline. Another page says 30 days. Maybe 30 days is necessary to remain in good standing with Amazon.

I'm a newbie and therefore in the Silver tier. As such, I am limited to three requests per day and the items available to me sell for $100 or less. After I write 100 reviews I can be moved up to the Gold tier. Gold tier Voices can request as many as eight products per day and there is no limit on the value.

Now, to be honest, every day there are thousands of products available to Voices like me. However, many of them are schlock. How do I review something that I think is junk? "It's so pretty and exactly what I wanted." Another really negative aspect is the repetition of the same product again and again and again. If I don't want a crevice brush once, I don't want it 100 times. Enough already!

I did request three items my first day — a steampunk desk lamp that I think will look really good in my living room, some gaskets for my French canning jars and an 8-inch impulse heat sealer. I already have one of those. I use it a lot. A spare wouldn't be a bad thing, and I can write a good review about it, and maybe even do a short video.

Quoting: "Per the Amazon Vine Terms and Conditions, you may not sell or give possession of the products to any other person or entity for six months following your order." I told one friend I might hold onto some empty boxes into which I can toss the junk I don't want. After six months write "FREE" on the side and place it on a nearby sidewalk. It's amazing what people will grab with plans to list it on Ebay. In truth, I would deliver the box to a charity thrift shop. I do not want to be an Ebay seller.

Like many things, there is a learning curve. I learned to immediately request something rather than making a note of it and searching for it later. I saw a large tea mug with a stainless steel infuser. I didn't request it and it wasn't available later. Thankfully, it appeared again the following day and I ordered it.

I'll admit to a temptation. Should I request any crappy pieces of schlock — a crevice brush — just to write as many reviews as possible? There is a strong desire to move up into the Gold tier. Maybe seek a balance between ethics and avarice.

An Idea

You are likely familiar with My Kitchen Vlog channel on YouTube, on which I can talk about anything, from politics to cauterizing my own nose. 99.99% of the items available on Amazon Vine are useless pieces of crap I believe no sane or intelligent person would want in their home. Or, at least, that is my opinion. What if I were to request them and review them as a feature in My Kitchen Vlog?

I'm thinking of Greg Kinnear in Talk Soup, who had a perplexed look on his face while talking about clips from the daily talk shows, as if he were trying to find some sanity in the stupidity. A snack tray that fits on top of a large mug. "And to think, I lived most of my life without one of these."

Many years ago there was a regular radio feature called The Osgood File with Charles Osgood. In one show he talked about a word missing from the English language, one that defined the situation you are in when you lived without knowing something existed, but having discovered it you now know you can no longer live without it.

As mentioned above, in Vine I can order three items per day. In a month's time I can add almost a hundred pieces of junk to my home, at a time when I am trying to downsize. After 100 written reviews, I can request up to eight per day — more than 200 per month!

I really need to clear a lot of junk out of my shed. I need somewhere to store the schlock for six months until I can dump it. I have plastic bins. Maybe I need to rent a storage locker?

I supposed the most important question might be: Why? To have content for My Kitchen Vlog. I think it might be fun. And, I woke up at 3:00 in the morning to do the usual thing and while I was awake in bed I thought up a slogan for this new feature of My Kitchen Vlog — Is it schlock, or does it rock? Kind of catchy.

Wednesday 2023.11.8

Matfer Carbon Steel Pan

Late Sunday morning my new Matfer carbon steel pan arrived on my doorstep. I already had my kitchen set up for the unboxing video; so, I jumped right in by washing the pan two times with soap and hot water, drying it well, then cooking sliced onion in plenty of oil and salt. The directions say to use potato peels. They don't create a necessary chemical reaction; they help moderate the heat to prevent hot spots. And potato peels are normally discarded anyway. The salt acts as a soft abrasive to remove any coating remaining on the pan.

My pan, by the way, was shipped in an "anti-rust" plastic bag. It looked fine. It didn't appear to have any coating that needed to be removed, but I followed the directions anyway. It came from a factory. There might have been a very thin coating of machine oil on it.

After two rounds of cooking onions in oil and salt, I rinsed the pan with hot water and dried it well with paper towels. Then I placed it on my induction cooktop set to 100°F for ten minutes to remove any molecules of water that might be lurking somewhere.

To season the pan, I coated it with safflower oil, removing as much as paper towels would absorb. The goal is get an almost invisible coating of oil on the metal. Any wet spots will not season properly. They'll be gummy and sticky.

Why safflower oil? It has two important characteristics — a high smoke point and a high percentage of linoleic acid (LA).

You want a high temperature oil so that you can cook with the pan on a hot stove without filling your kitchen with smoke and setting off your smoke detectors. Refined avocado oil has an even higher smoke point, but it's low in LA.

You want a lot of LA because that is what polymerizes and adheres to the surface of the metal, helping the pan to be nonstick and helping to keep water away from the steel, which would rust. From what I learned online, safflower oil is 78% LA. Avocado oil is only 16%. A lot of people use grapeseed oil, which is also very good. It has a high smoke point at it's 73% linoleic acid.

If you want to know more about polymers, you can Google it. The compounds have something to do with big molecules chained together, like the chain gangs working on roads or rowing a Viking ship. Maybe that's not 100% accurate.

Maybe worth mentioning: Seasoning a carbon steel pan is not like seasoning a cast iron pan. You can season the cast iron pan a few times and it will turn out looking as black as coal. Carbon steel doesn't take on the color when seasoned. It will look darker, but for a really handsome black finish it's best to use the pan often for a long time.

Maybe also worth mentioning: An oven is the best place to season the pan. A stove, unless it has a big gas flame, will usually only heat the bottom. The goal is to surround the pan with high heat. Safflower oil has a smoke point of 450 - 500°F; so I set my oven to 525°F and baked the pan for 1 hour. Then I turned off the oven and let the pan cool slowly in the oven, which took another hour.

By 3:00 in the afternoon I was ready to put the pan through the proverbial fried egg test. There was a little sticking, but it was better than the coated nonstick skillet I tossed into the recycling bin. And, as an added benefit, one of my glass skillet lids fits the carbon steel pan perfectly.

Dos and Don'ts

I know not to cook with anything acidic — tomatoes, lemon juice, etc. — in a seasoned pan. The acid can remove the coating. However, is water okay? I made some chicken and rice in the pan and everything looked okay. However, I left a little food in the pan to be reheated later in the evening. The food removed some of the coating.

Don't leave food in the pan after it is cooked. Do transfer it to a microwave-safe container for reheating later. Properly wash and dry the pan after using it to cook food, and maybe touch it up with a little oil. If it is absolutely necessary to keep food in a pan for a while, use a stainless steel pan instead.

I believe the best time to season a cast iron or carbon steel pan in winter is first thing in the morning. Your home is probably cold. You'd likely turn up the thermostat to warm the place. Season a pan in the oven instead.

Immunizations

Yesterday I went to Costco to do some shopping. While I was there I got both my flu shot and my lastest Covid booster shot. I made it fun by wearing my get-a-shot shirt. It's a regular button front shirt, but the elbows wore out. I cut the sleeves off and now it's the perfect shirt for getting shots. I'll go back again next week to get my RSV vaccine.

Pay it Forward

As I've been saying in my blogs, someone was generous enough to request access to my Amazon wishlist so the he could send my gifts. I am very grateful, especially because one of the gifts was that skillet I wanted. So, when I went to Costco yesterday I bought what I needed to make Chex Mix. I bought double. I'll make large batches of Chex Mix and share it with some of my neighbors, especially those who have very little. I am thinking of one neighbor who lives solely on her Social Security benefit.

How About a Quick Tip?

You have a kitchen time. You use your hands in the kitchen. Sometimes your hands are dusty with flour or maybe a little sticky with dough. How do you stop your timer when your hands are not clean? Mine fits easily inside a one-quart ziplock bag. It stays as clean as it was when I took it from its box.

Put the User's Manual in the bag too. You'll always know where it is.

Sunday 2023.11.5

Arriving Today

I'll be cooking with carbon steel sooner than expected. A very generous someone sent me the Matfer skillet I wanted, along with a few other items from my Amazon wishlist. I am so grateful. I won't reveal much information about the gift giver. Some people like to remain anonymous. And as I await its delivery I can't help thinking it's good my bladder doesn't function normally. I'd probably piss myself with anticipation.

Meanwhile, I set up my home to do an unboxing video. I also hope to show the process of seasoning the pan and then maybe cook an egg in it to see if it slides around like a hockey puck. That video will go my Kitchen Vlog channel.

Happy Standard Time

Today is the beginning of Standard Time here in most of the USA. Before going to bed last night, or maybe this morning, we turned our clocks back one hour. As a kid, I liked Daylight Saving Time (DST). The sun set an hour later. There was more time to play outside in the evening. Now it doesn't matter as much.

One advantage is my home office. I can't open the east facing drapes until after 9:00 during DST. The sun shines in my eyes while I am sitting at my computer. That can be a little annoying. Now I can open the drapes an hour earlier.

The change in time doesn't affect my sleep because I'm retired. I go to bed when I feel sleepy and I get out of bed after I've had enough sleep. I rarely set the alarm anymore.

I have clocks in my home that are supposed to receive a radio signal from Fort Collins, Colorado. That signal automatically updates the clocks nightly. Last night none of my clocks updated — not even my wristwatch, which never fails me. I moved some of the clocks to the west facing raining of my deck. They usually pick up the time signal there. And when that fails, I move them into the shed. Some clocks update there. It's a process I do twice a year.

New-ish Skillet

As mentioned last month, a nonstick skillet went into the recycling bin because it was no longer nonstick — or, at least, not like it used to be. It failed the egg test.

This week another nonstick skillet, an older one (from my college days) I never used, went into the kitchen where I hang my most-used cookware. It will eventually be sticky and therefore be discarded, but that's okay. I look forward to using my new carbon steel pan.

And maybe also worth mentioning: My very first stainless steel skillet, a Faberware, also went into the recycling bin. I never liked those pans because the handles kept coming loose. The skillet was useful for browning flour (see below); however, it was out in the shed for several years and it has an aluminum-clad bottom, not compatible with induction. It was time to recycle it.

Splatter Screens

Do you have them? They're handy for reducing cleanup in the kitchen when cooking with oil in skillets. I have two — one medium, one large — bought, where else?, at Costco several years ago. They've been tucked away in a cupboard for a long time. "Out of sight; out of mind." I never thought to use them. Now I think it might be a good idea to move them to a more convenient location. I attached two little Command plastic and metal hooks with the safe adhesive strips to the side of my stove's hood. My splatter screens are now hanging there, always visible and ready to use.

Browning Flour

You need to make gravy. You know not to thicken the juices with raw flour unless you cook the gravy for a minute or two; otherwise, you'll end up with a gravy having a raw flour flavor. What do you do when you need to thicken something with flour, but you don't want to cook it for a little while? Lightly brown raw flour in a dry stainless steel skillet, then transfer it to a plate to cool. When cool, store it in a jar in your cupboard. You'll have cooked flour at the ready when you need it.

I don't brown flour often; so, I don't need that stainless steel skillet I recycled. I have other stainless steel skillets.

Tortillas Again

As planned, I experimented with tortillas again, making them a little larger by dividing the dough into six pieces rather than eight. They turned out excellent. I wanted 8-inch tortillas; I ended up with 7¼ inches. That's good enough.

I also cooked them on my small cast iron griddle, which I like to think of as my mini comal. It works great on the induction cooktop.

I like the fresh flavor of these tortillas and they cost only pennies per batch. I think the next time I make them I'll make a double or triple batch and freeze them.

A Slight Shaking

On Friday I thought I felt a little shake in my home. It wasn't much, but enough to send me to the US Geological Survey web site. It was a moderate, 4.0 magnitude earthquake in the Ojai area, about 40 miles away.

Best If Used By

In winter I crave tea more often than coffee in the afternoon. I pulled my box of Tetley tea bags from the back of the cupboard. Are they still any good? The Best If Used By date was August 24, 2020. I brewed a cup. It tasted okay to me. However, when I buy another box I'll portion them into vacuum packs and freeze them.

Wednesday 2023.11.1

How Was Your Halloween?

I didn't do much. I never do. I turned out all the lights and hid in my home office (a back bedroom) where I watched The Rocky Horror Picture Show on my laptop computer. I do that every Halloween.

Flu Shot Time

On my November calendar I have a reminder: "Get flu shot." I get one around this time every year. I'll also ask for a Covid booster shot. My last one was at the end of June. I believe the recommendation is to get a booster every four months. So, I'm due.

Good News!

My old 1993 Nissan Pathfinder passed its smog inspection on Monday. I worry about it. I've had dreams in which the guy at the station says, "Not only did your car fail to pass smog, but we cannot legally let you drive this car home. We're impounding it. You'll need to call for a taxi."

The Frozen Foods Chronicles

The top shelf of my freezer is looking fairly good. It isn't empty, but it's looking thin. Most of the space is occupied by the square rolls I buy at Costco. I use those for cheeseburgers, the frozen beef patties are also bought at Costco, as is the cheese. What can I say? I live within walking distance of three grocery stores, one of which is Costco.

Halloween Movies

I continued to watch the movies I typically enjoy every October. Sunday evening was another Addams Family film. Monday was one of my favorites, ParaNorman. And, as I mentioned above, yesterday evening was my all-time favorite Halloween movie, The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Most of the movies don't have a Halloween theme, but they're enjoyably spooky. I don't like the really frightening horror films. The comedic ones are fine for me. And I have three movies with a Thanksgiving theme — Alice's Restaurant, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, and Planes, Trains & Automobiles. I'll watch those toward the end of November.

Tomato Soup

On Sunday evening I enjoyed my first meal of tomato soup made with my homegrown tomatoes. The soup has been in the freezer for a while as I waited for cooler weather. Saturday night the heat came on during the night. That was a good indicator. I boiled some cheese tortellini, drained it and then added soup to the pan to heat.

It was delicious. Even better, I was pleased that I grew my own tomatoes for this soup.

While I waited for my car to be smog inspected I looked through a foodie magazine and saw a recipe for tomato soup with white beans. I have dry cannellini beans out in the shed. I'll try cooking some of those and adding them to my soup. With beans and macaroni it would become Pasta Fagioli.

Seasonal Weather

Yesterday's forecast was for the coldest night so far this fall, 40°F (4°C). I know other parts of the country are enjoying (or maybe suffering) worse weather. People in some of the East Coast states, such as Pennsylvania, were expecting freezing temperatures and maybe snow in time for Halloween. I left New England because of the weather. I moved to Southern California in 1975 and I never regretted it.

Finally, the Email Address Issue

In last month's blog I gave some hints about a new email address I created for my friends to use, and for those who regularly read this blog. I didn't actually put the email address in the blog, knowing the spam bots would find it. Instead, I gave enough hints to enable most people to know the address.

Thankfully, no spam appeared in my new account. Neither did any messages from anyone who visits my web site. That told me what I needed to know. Before filing that blog into the Blog Archives, I removed the hints. People can still contact me by leaving a message on any of my YouTube videos. I check them daily.

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