Just wanted to thank everyone who wrote so knowledgeably about pressure
cookers. I have wanted one for a long time and finally took the plunge and
just got the Kuhn Rikon 5 qt. Made a pot roast in it today. wow! that was
fast -- and good! I sort of followed the recipe in the little cookbook that
came with it for barbque pot roast but I added carrots and potatoes after an
hour and then cooked it another 6 minutes or so. Yum And I was real excited
that I didn't blow up the kitchen :-)

I noticed that I did have to adjust the flame slightly every so often during
the hour cooking time to maintain the pressure but considering the whole
thing took not quite 1 1/2 hours from "take meat out of fridge and look for
spices" to turn off the flame, I certainly can't complain :-)

I think it's time for a trip to the local bookstore to look for a couple of
cookbooks ....

Ellen

"Ellen" > wrote in message
...
> Just wanted to thank everyone who wrote so knowledgeably about pressure
> cookers. I have wanted one for a long time and finally took the plunge and
> just got the Kuhn Rikon 5 qt.

Bah that would be 7 liter/7.4 qt ...

Ellen

"SBarbour" > wrote in message
...
> Hi Ellen,
>
> I highly recommend a cookbook called "Pressure Cooking for Everyone".
There
> are several recipes I make routinely, my favorite of which is the Pork and
> Butternet Squash Stew. Yum! I can't remember the author's name, but I'm
> sure I'm giving you the correct the name of the book.
>

Thanks, I'll google it :-)

Ellen

"Ellen" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> "SBarbour" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hi Ellen,
> >
> > I highly recommend a cookbook called "Pressure Cooking for Everyone".
> There
> > are several recipes I make routinely, my favorite of which is the Pork
and
> > Butternet Squash Stew. Yum! I can't remember the author's name, but
I'm
> > sure I'm giving you the correct the name of the book.
> >
>
> Thanks, I'll google it :-)
>
> Ellen
>
> Ellen,
I just got this book on ebay for $0.99. I just got a Kuhn Rikon 7 qt. this
week myself. I made the pork chops with potatoes and onions from the recipes
that came with it and my daughter even loved it. It's going to take some
getting used to but this is a great way to cook tasty meals.

"sshay" > wrote in message
.. .
>
> "Ellen" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> >
> > "SBarbour" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > Hi Ellen,
> > >
> > > I highly recommend a cookbook called "Pressure Cooking for Everyone".
> > There
> > > are several recipes I make routinely, my favorite of which is the Pork
> and
> > > Butternet Squash Stew. Yum! I can't remember the author's name, but
> I'm
> > > sure I'm giving you the correct the name of the book.
> > >
> >
> > Thanks, I'll google it :-)
> >
> > Ellen
> >
> > Ellen,
> I just got this book on ebay for $0.99. I just got a Kuhn Rikon 7 qt. this
> week myself. I made the pork chops with potatoes and onions from the
recipes
> that came with it and my daughter even loved it. It's going to take some
> getting used to but this is a great way to cook tasty meals.
>
>

Thanks for the tip -- my family would like that pork chop recipe. Yes it
does seem like it is going to be very useful.

Ellen

Ellen wrote:

> Just wanted to thank everyone who wrote so knowledgeably about pressure
> cookers.

Heh, I guess I wrote enough to be four people. Those other personalities
are taking over again...

> I have wanted one for a long time and finally took the plunge and
> just got the Kuhn Rikon 5 qt. Made a pot roast in it today. wow! that was
> fast -- and good! I sort of followed the recipe in the little cookbook that
<snip>
> I think it's time for a trip to the local bookstore to look for a couple of
> cookbooks ....

My KR came with _Pressure Perfect_ by Lorna Sass, which was included as
a promotion. Didn't they put in a copy with your cooker? I've only
glanced through it, but it looks pretty complete.

"Jeff" > wrote in message
news:xQRJe.1076$0d.15@trnddc04...
> Ellen wrote:
>
> > Just wanted to thank everyone who wrote so knowledgeably about pressure
> > cookers.
>
> Heh, I guess I wrote enough to be four people. Those other personalities
> are taking over again...

Ah but it really was informative!

>
> > I think it's time for a trip to the local bookstore to look for a couple
of
> > cookbooks ....
>
> My KR came with _Pressure Perfect_ by Lorna Sass, which was included as
> a promotion. Didn't they put in a copy with your cooker? I've only
> glanced through it, but it looks pretty complete.

It came with the KR cookbook -- not a bad cookbook but not attributed to
Lorna Sass or anyone else. I have used the bbq pot roast recipe (plus some
modifications of my onw) and the chicken stock procedure but my own recipe.
I will try some of the other recipes also. But of course one can never have
enough cookbooks so I am going to buy a couple or so more :-)

Ellen

Ellen, I'll bet there are more pressure cooking recipes online that you can
shake a stick at. Give that a try, too.
Dee


"SBarbour" > wrote in message
...
> Hi Ellen,
>
> I highly recommend a cookbook called "Pressure Cooking for Everyone".
> There
> are several recipes I make routinely, my favorite of which is the Pork and
> Butternet Squash Stew. Yum! I can't remember the author's name, but I'm
> sure I'm giving you the correct the name of the book.
>
> Happy cooking!
>
> Sharon
>
>
> "Ellen" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Just wanted to thank everyone who wrote so knowledgeably about pressure
>> cookers. I have wanted one for a long time and finally took the plunge
>> and
>> just got the Kuhn Rikon 5 qt. Made a pot roast in it today. wow! that was
>> fast -- and good! I sort of followed the recipe in the little cookbook
> that
>> came with it for barbque pot roast but I added carrots and potatoes after
> an
>> hour and then cooked it another 6 minutes or so. Yum And I was real
> excited
>> that I didn't blow up the kitchen :-)
>>
>> I noticed that I did have to adjust the flame slightly every so often
> during
>> the hour cooking time to maintain the pressure but considering the whole
>> thing took not quite 1 1/2 hours from "take meat out of fridge and look
> for
>> spices" to turn off the flame, I certainly can't complain :-)
>>
>> I think it's time for a trip to the local bookstore to look for a couple
> of
>> cookbooks ....
>>
>> Ellen
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>

As seen from rec.food.equipment, on
Mon, 8 Aug 2005 20:13:03 -0400, "Ellen" > wrote:

>"Jeff" > wrote in message
>news:xQRJe.1076$0d.15@trnddc04...
>> Ellen wrote:
>>
>> > Just wanted to thank everyone who wrote so knowledgeably about pressure
>> > cookers.
>>
>> Heh, I guess I wrote enough to be four people. Those other personalities
>> are taking over again...
>
>Ah but it really was informative!

Glad it helped.

>> > I think it's time for a trip to the local bookstore to look for a couple
>of
>> > cookbooks ....
>>
>> My KR came with _Pressure Perfect_ by Lorna Sass, which was included as
>> a promotion. Didn't they put in a copy with your cooker? I've only
>> glanced through it, but it looks pretty complete.
>
>It came with the KR cookbook -- not a bad cookbook but not attributed to
>Lorna Sass or anyone else.
<snip>

Mine came with that one, too. I'll have to glance through it,
eventually. My usual pressure cooker "recipe" is what I've come to call
"kitchen sink soup" because, way down at the bottom, the kitchen sink
IS in there. Start with some beef (cut small) or chicken, and add a bit
of every veggie on the produce stand: celery or bok choy, egg plant,
mushrooms, bell peppers, stringless string beans, onions, tomatoes (but
NO potatoes). Add a pinch of this, that, and the other herb, some
garlic, tomatoe paste, and cook-- about 20 minutes for the chicken, 30
for the beef. I'm finding the KR cooks differently from my old Fagor,
so I think I'll have to change that: cook the meat for 15 (chicken) or
25 (beef) minutes, depressurize, add the veggies, and cook for an
additional 7-10. Reheat with some lentils and rice cooked separately,
and it's a whole meal in one bowl.

Jeff

"Jeff" > wrote in message
...
>
> Mine came with that one, too. I'll have to glance through it,
> eventually. My usual pressure cooker "recipe" is what I've come to call
> "kitchen sink soup" because, way down at the bottom, the kitchen sink
> IS in there. Start with some beef (cut small) or chicken, and add a bit
> of every veggie on the produce stand: celery or bok choy, egg plant,
> mushrooms, bell peppers, stringless string beans, onions, tomatoes (but
> NO potatoes). Add a pinch of this, that, and the other herb, some
> garlic, tomatoe paste, and cook-- about 20 minutes for the chicken, 30
> for the beef. I'm finding the KR cooks differently from my old Fagor,
> so I think I'll have to change that: cook the meat for 15 (chicken) or
> 25 (beef) minutes, depressurize, add the veggies, and cook for an
> additional 7-10. Reheat with some lentils and rice cooked separately,
> and it's a whole meal in one bowl.
>

Ah yes, the ever famous "try not to like this dish too much because it's
what was in the fridge and you will never have it again quite the same way"
cooking method. My family seems fairly resigned to that :-)

Why no potatoes? I like potatoes in my soup?

I made the lima bean-barley-mushroom soup last nite. My daughter said "yuck
I don't eat mushrooms", my hubby said "yuck I don't eat limas" ... what a
shame I am going to be forced to eat it all myself. I did also chop up a
potato and throw it in mostly cause I had one potato in the house and it
seemed a shame for it to be sitting there all alone without friends or
companions :-)

I am absolutely floored by how fast this all is vs regular cooking. And it
all seems so natural and normal to be using the pressure cooker as opposed
to the microwave where after 20 years I still can't seem to do anything
other than reheating leftovers ... the most difficult thing has been to
figure out which burner to use for stuff that needs to be pressurized to the
first ring and not the second ring. Since there are all of two burner sizes
on the stove ....


Ellen

As seen from rec.food.equipment, on
Thu, 11 Aug 2005 06:59:22 -0400, "Ellen" > wrote:

>"Jeff" > wrote in message
...
>Ah yes, the ever famous "try not to like this dish too much because it's
>what was in the fridge and you will never have it again quite the same way"
>cooking method. My family seems fairly resigned to that :-)

What? With a shelf full of cookbooks? I thought that predictability was
the idea behind cooking by recipe.

>Why no potatoes? I like potatoes in my soup?

<shrug> So put them in, then. To my taste, they're too heavy/starchy
for soup. If you like potatoes, try dicing them up and putting them in
meat loaf in place of rice or bread crumbs. Killer good with the right
spices and such.

>I am absolutely floored by how fast this all is vs regular cooking.

I think it's the pressure that does it, as well as the increased
temperature. Cooking in water is, I think, the best method for
delivering the heat to the food, and a pressure cooker delivers it at
higher than boiling temperatures.

> And it
>all seems so natural and normal to be using the pressure cooker as opposed
>to the microwave where after 20 years I still can't seem to do anything
>other than reheating leftovers

That's the only thing I ever use a microwave for. I was introduced to
pressure cookers when a friend made a chicken in a microwave pressure
cooker (now how's that for a gizmo?). Of course I had to go out and get
one of my own and try it. I think I used it twice before getting a
stovetop model. I couldn't afford a good one, but fortunately a local
discount chain offered an aluminum 4-qt. model from Brasil that was
within my budget. It worked fine, never blew up, and I've been using
pressure cookers ever since.

> the most difficult thing has been to
>figure out which burner to use for stuff that needs to be pressurized to the
>first ring and not the second ring. Since there are all of two burner sizes
>on the stove ....

If the lowest setting on your smallest burner is too hot, I guess
you'll have to turn it off and back on. That's a nuisance, I know, but
this sort of pressure cooker needs to be monitored anyway.

Jeff

"Jeff" > wrote in message
news
> As seen from rec.food.equipment, on
> Thu, 11 Aug 2005 06:59:22 -0400, "Ellen" > wrote:
>
> >"Jeff" > wrote in message
> ...
> >Ah yes, the ever famous "try not to like this dish too much because it's
> >what was in the fridge and you will never have it again quite the same
way"
> >cooking method. My family seems fairly resigned to that :-)
>
> What? With a shelf full of cookbooks? I thought that predictability was
> the idea behind cooking by recipe.

I know it's truly amazing how much dust the shelf full (or multiple shelves
to be more exact) of books collects :-)

>
> <shrug> So put them in, then. To my taste, they're too heavy/starchy
> for soup. If you like potatoes, try dicing them up and putting them in
> meat loaf in place of rice or bread crumbs. Killer good with the right
> spices and such.

Interesting, I'll have to try that. I did throw in the one lonely potato
because I happened to notice it and it was not much potato for the amt of
soup.


> > And it
> >all seems so natural and normal to be using the pressure cooker as
opposed
> >to the microwave where after 20 years I still can't seem to do anything
> >other than reheating leftovers
>
> That's the only thing I ever use a microwave for. I was introduced to
> pressure cookers when a friend made a chicken in a microwave pressure
> cooker (now how's that for a gizmo?).

never heard of that ... and probably just as happy :-)

>
> If the lowest setting on your smallest burner is too hot, I guess
> you'll have to turn it off and back on. That's a nuisance, I know, but
> this sort of pressure cooker needs to be monitored anyway.

yeah the low on the front/bigger burner was keeping it at the second ring,
so I bopped the value with a wooden spoon a couple of times to release some
pressure and put it in on the back/smaller burner at the lowest setting.
Seemed to be enough difference in heat (altho the flame size for both
burners looked the same to me and the size difference isn't much) to keep it
at the first ring. Unfortunately I have this wretched thermadore stove (talk
about a big mistake in stove purchases) and two of the burners are "normal"
gas burners and the other two have this "turn on/turn off" feature for lower
settings which took me about 2 days to learn to hate.

But the cooking times are short enough that it is not a big problem to hang
around in the vicinity and keep an eye on it.

Ellen

As seen from rec.food.equipment, on
Thu, 11 Aug 2005 14:52:41 -0400, "Ellen" > wrote:

>"Jeff" > wrote in message
>news
>>
>> What? With a shelf full of cookbooks? I thought that predictability was
>> the idea behind cooking by recipe.
>
>I know it's truly amazing how much dust the shelf full (or multiple shelves
>to be more exact) of books collects :-)

Now, how do you expect to look professional and impress your friends if
you're going to let your cookbooks get dusty? You've never seen a
lawyer let those (fake) law books that are always on floor-to-ceiling
shelves right behind the big desk get dusty, have you? You can't afford
to, either!

>> for soup. If you like potatoes, try dicing them up and putting them in
>> meat loaf in place of rice or bread crumbs. Killer good with the right
>> spices and such.
>
>Interesting, I'll have to try that.

Sauces (tomato or -?) and/or broth (chicken is nice) mixed in with the
ground meat give it flavor and keep it from drying out in the oven.
Eggs mixed in serve as a binder and produce a smoother texture, but
they won't absorb all the moisture from the sauces. The usual trick is
to put in rice or bread crumbs. On one occasion I was feeling
experimental, and put in some diced potatoes instead. They came out
light and fluffy, the meat kept them from drying out, and they absorbed
all that flavor. Mmmmmmmmmmm...

> Unfortunately I have this wretched thermadore stove (talk
>about a big mistake in stove purchases) and two of the burners are "normal"
>gas burners and the other two have this "turn on/turn off" feature for lower
>settings which took me about 2 days to learn to hate.

Is it one of those "burner with a brain" thingies that supposedly
senses the temperature of your cookware and adjusts itself accordingly?
I miss the old stoves (now sold as collectibles or antiques at premium
prices) that had a little burner in the center, with the main burner in
a ring around it. It heated more evenly when turned up, and could be
turned down to a very slow simmer with only the center burner going.

Sorry to hear about your disappointing stove. Along with a good set of
cookware, I think it's the most important appliance in the home. I had
better fortune with my Whirlpool. I had heard that KitchenAid/Whirlpool
(same company-- KitchenAid is the premium line) was the best, and was
fortunate enough to find a company "scratch and ding" outlet store. I
spent half a day there looking at stoves, but it was time well spent.
The one I got has a high output "power" burner, two regular ones, and a
small simmer burner. It turned out to be the right choice.

Jeff

On Fri, 12 Aug 2005 00:07:16 GMT, Jeff

>Sorry to hear about your disappointing stove. Along with a good set of
>cookware, I think it's the most important appliance in the home. I had
>better fortune with my Whirlpool. I had heard that KitchenAid/Whirlpool
>(same company-- KitchenAid is the premium line) was the best, and was
>fortunate enough to find a company "scratch and ding" outlet store. I
>spent half a day there looking at stoves, but it was time well spent.
>The one I got has a high output "power" burner, two regular ones, and a
>small simmer burner. It turned out to be the right choice.

I have a similar stove, a GE, that I just love. At the time I was
shopping (in 2003), I was mentally open to the idea of forking over
big bux for a Profile or something similarly high end (no, not enough
for a Viking or anything THAT expensive), but after investigating and
considering all the options, I bought the JGBP33BEH2BB (black) because
it had the 5,000 btu simmer burner, the two regular 9,500 btu burners,
and the 13,000 btu high output burner, meeting my needs perfectly,
plus I didn't spend extra for the unwanted/unneeded warming drawer,
using that space instead for my pot lids. The GE website price for
this stand-alone stove/oven unit was something like $849, and I was
able to purchase it for $629, money very well spent. This appliance
also has a broiler with a high and a low setting, extremely useful, in
addition to the cool computer system that starts and shuts off the
oven, etc., etc.

As seen from rec.food.equipment, on
Fri, 12 Aug 2005 00:39:41 GMT, KLS > wrote:

>On Fri, 12 Aug 2005 00:07:16 GMT, Jeff
>
>>Sorry to hear about your disappointing stove. Along with a good set of
>>cookware, I think it's the most important appliance in the home. I had
>>better fortune with my Whirlpool. I had heard that KitchenAid/Whirlpool
>>(same company-- KitchenAid is the premium line) was the best, and was
>>fortunate enough to find a company "scratch and ding" outlet store. I
>>spent half a day there looking at stoves, but it was time well spent.
>>The one I got has a high output "power" burner, two regular ones, and a
>>small simmer burner. It turned out to be the right choice.
>
>I have a similar stove, a GE, that I just love. At the time I was
>shopping (in 2003), I was mentally open to the idea of forking over
>big bux for a Profile or something similarly high end (no, not enough
>for a Viking or anything THAT expensive), but after investigating and
>considering all the options, I bought the JGBP33BEH2BB (black) because
>it had the 5,000 btu simmer burner, the two regular 9,500 btu burners,
>and the 13,000 btu high output burner, meeting my needs perfectly,
>plus I didn't spend extra for the unwanted/unneeded warming drawer,
>using that space instead for my pot lids. The GE website price for
>this stand-alone stove/oven unit was something like $849, and I was
>able to purchase it for $629, money very well spent. This appliance
>also has a broiler with a high and a low setting, extremely useful, in
>addition to the cool computer system that starts and shuts off the
>oven, etc., etc.

That sounds very similar, and in the same price range. I was much
tempted to get a KitchenAid I saw there for around $900, but then good
sense prevailed. I got my stove for around $600, and was told that
it retailed for around $800. I like to show people the small chip in
the enamel off in one corner that is not even visible unless one is
looking for it (they did a good job with the touchup paint), and say
"See that? It's worth $200."

This stove also has a storage drawer. The broiler is in the oven cavity
(at the top of it). Like the oven, the broiler temperature is computer
controlled, and the burner cycles on and off. The stovetop burners are
what are called "sealed," which means that there's nowhere for food and
such to drop through to the inside under the top, so cleanup is quick
and easy. I remember occasionally having to poke out burner holes with
a paperclip, but not on this stove-- the burners have caps that, when
removed, reveal the burner holes as grooves that can easily be cleaned
out with a brush. I've had this stove for nearly seven years without
any need of repairs or replacement parts, though I use it nearly every
day. Money well spent, indeed.

Jeff

"Jeff" > wrote in message
...
> As seen from rec.food.equipment, on
>
> Now, how do you expect to look professional and impress your friends if
> you're going to let your cookbooks get dusty? You've never seen a
> lawyer let those (fake) law books that are always on floor-to-ceiling
> shelves right behind the big desk get dusty, have you? You can't afford
> to, either!

hahaha --- you can always tell the cookbooks and recipies I use - they are
always full of splatters and fingerprints :-)


>
>
> Sauces (tomato or -?) and/or broth (chicken is nice) mixed in with the
> ground meat give it flavor and keep it from drying out in the oven.
> Eggs mixed in serve as a binder and produce a smoother texture, but
> they won't absorb all the moisture from the sauces. The usual trick is
> to put in rice or bread crumbs. On one occasion I was feeling
> experimental, and put in some diced potatoes instead. They came out
> light and fluffy, the meat kept them from drying out, and they absorbed
> all that flavor. Mmmmmmmmmmm...


I have done that with tomato sauce and I think I will try the potato instead
of the bread crumbs next time I make meatloaf


>
> > Unfortunately I have this wretched thermadore stove (talk
> >about a big mistake in stove purchases) and two of the burners are
"normal"
> >gas burners and the other two have this "turn on/turn off" feature for
lower
> >settings which took me about 2 days to learn to hate.
>
> Is it one of those "burner with a brain" thingies that supposedly
> senses the temperature of your cookware and adjusts itself accordingly?

No it is one of those incredibly annoying burners that turns on and off at
intervals and when it is ready to turn on then it sparks a bunch of times
before it does.

>
> Sorry to hear about your disappointing stove. Along with a good set of
> cookware, I think it's the most important appliance in the home. I had
> better fortune with my Whirlpool. I had heard that KitchenAid/Whirlpool
> (same company-- KitchenAid is the premium line) was the best, and was
> fortunate enough to find a company "scratch and ding" outlet store. I
> spent half a day there looking at stoves, but it was time well spent.
> The one I got has a high output "power" burner, two regular ones, and a
> small simmer burner. It turned out to be the right choice.

Yeah it was a case of label envy plus not enough asking around plus the
contractor suddenly being ready to do the kitchen. And also overwheming
excitement at finally getting back to gas burners instead of electric
befuddled my few brain cells. But based on my experience with the expensive
Thermadore, the next time I will spend less and probably have about the same
end result in satisfaction :-)

Ellen

As seen from rec.food.equipment, on
Fri, 12 Aug 2005 07:44:08 -0400, "Ellen" > wrote:

>
>"Jeff" > wrote in message
...
>> As seen from rec.food.equipment, on
>>
>> Now, how do you expect to look professional and impress your friends if
>> you're going to let your cookbooks get dusty? You've never seen a
>> lawyer let those (fake) law books that are always on floor-to-ceiling
>> shelves right behind the big desk get dusty, have you? You can't afford
>> to, either!
>
>hahaha ---



>you can always tell the cookbooks and recipies I use - they are
>always full of splatters and fingerprints :-)

That's what they're *suposed* to look like.

>> > Unfortunately I have this wretched thermadore stove (talk about a
>> >big mistake in stove purchases) and two of the burners are"normal"
>> >gas burners and the other two have this "turn on/turn off" feature
>> >for lower settings which took me about 2 days to learn to hate.
>>
>> Is it one of those "burner with a brain" thingies that supposedly
>> senses the temperature of your cookware and adjusts itself
>> accordingly?
>
>No it is one of those incredibly annoying burners that turns on and off
>at intervals and when it is ready to turn on then it sparks a bunch of
>times before it does.

<blink>

I've never heard of that "feature" before. I think I might learn to
hate it, too.

You got me curious enough to go visit the Thermador website,
<http://www.thermador.com>. The gastops main page in particular
suggests they are selling themselves as very snooty/modern/fashionable.
Did you get one of the star burner models, or one of the conventional
ones? Glancing through an owner's book for some of their conventional
models, I noticed that the so-called ExtraLow burners do not work in
the event of a power failure. Tsk-tsk. The burners have removeable caps
like mine, but the burner holes (which are located in the base) must
still be poked out with a paper clip or some such to clean them. What's
the point of removeable caps, then? There's a diagram in the owner's
book for some of the star burner models that shows that they put the
burner holes in the caps, so at least the caps may be soaked and
scrubbed out to clean the holes.

<shrug> I guess to keep your pressure cooker at the first ring
indicator (and maybe the second one, too), you might as well use one of
these burners and let it turn on and off. Better than having to turn it
on and off yourself, manually.

Jeff

--

"Jeff" > wrote in message
...
>
> I've never heard of that "feature" before. I think I might learn to
> hate it, too.
>
> You got me curious enough to go visit the Thermador website,
> <http://www.thermador.com>. The gastops main page in particular
> suggests they are selling themselves as very snooty/modern/fashionable.

yes they do -- and no I do not want to talk about why I jumped into that
particular puddle


> Did you get one of the star burner models, or one of the conventional
> ones?

I think it is conventional -- I don;t think they offered whatever the star
burner is when I bought mine

>Glancing through an owner's book for some of their conventional
> models, I noticed that the so-called ExtraLow burners do not work in
> the event of a power failure. Tsk-tsk.

no they don't but the other two do if you happen to have matches around

>The burners have removeable caps
> like mine, but the burner holes (which are located in the base) must
> still be poked out with a paper clip or some such to clean them.

This is true, the caps are removable and if not precisely put back then all
the burners sit there and cheerfully spark. My vocabulary has increased as a
result of this stove. Ok so now I am curious enough to go look at where the
holes are ... The caps have holes in them.

>What's
> the point of removeable caps, then? There's a diagram in the owner's
> book for some of the star burner models that shows that they put the
> burner holes in the caps, so at least the caps may be soaked and
> scrubbed out to clean the holes.

Yeah I suppose I ought to soak mine one of these days.

>
> <shrug> I guess to keep your pressure cooker at the first ring
> indicator (and maybe the second one, too), you might as well use one of
> these burners and let it turn on and off. Better than having to turn it
> on and off yourself, manually.

Well I am not really sure about using the automated burners to tell you the
truth. Keeping the pressure at the second ring I have mastered pretty well.
The first ring I think will work if I let it come up to pressure on the
front burner and then shove it to the back (slightly smaller) burner. I
don't have much faith in the automated burners and the endless sparking as
they turn on and off makes me crazed.

The front led for the time and the oven temp has gotten dim enough so that
figuring out if the oven has reached the temp or what temp the oven is at is
a real PITA. Of course a service call to repair that is probably several
hundred $$ so I suppose I will wait til something else fails and get it all
fixed at once. I am sure that won't be too long :-(

What I think is that this is a very mediocre product and for mediocre I
could have spent a whole lot less and been equally as depressed :-) Next
time I will just buy some middle of the road range and be done with it. I
don't need a super high temp burner as far as I know -- what do people do
with that anyway? And I will surely never buy a black range again that I
know for a fact ...


Ellen

As seen from rec.food.equipment, on
Fri, 12 Aug 2005 16:01:24 -0400, "Ellen" > wrote:

>"Jeff" > wrote in message
...
>>
>> Did you get one of the star burner models, or one of the conventional
>> ones?
>
>I think it is conventional -- I don;t think they offered whatever the star
>burner is when I bought mine

Something on their website left me with the impression that it is new.
The "star" burner is shaped like a five-pointed starfish . The idea
is to get more even heating.

>>The burners have removeable caps
>> like mine, but the burner holes (which are located in the base) must
>> still be poked out with a paper clip or some such to clean them.
>
>This is true, the caps are removable and if not precisely put back then all
>the burners sit there and cheerfully spark. My vocabulary has increased as a
>result of this stove.

Heh, that's a creative way to put it.

> Ok so now I am curious enough to go look at where the
>holes are ... The caps have holes in them.

That's a good thing-- at least they'll be easier to clean out than if
the holes are in the part of the burner that stays on the stove.

>Yeah I suppose I ought to soak mine one of these days.

They don't really clog up that quickly unless food gets spilt on them.
I think the gas itself leaves something-- on really old stoves, I've
seen these white deposits around each hole. When I've had to use such a
stove, that's when I got busy with a paper clip.

>The front led for the time and the oven temp has gotten dim enough so that
>figuring out if the oven has reached the temp or what temp the oven is at is
>a real PITA. Of course a service call to repair that is probably several
>hundred $$ so I suppose I will wait til something else fails and get it all
>fixed at once. I am sure that won't be too long :-(

Yikers.. The only place I've ever seen the Thermador name before was
on those ancient electric bathroom wall heaters they used to put in old
apartment buildings.

>What I think is that this is a very mediocre product and for mediocre I
>could have spent a whole lot less and been equally as depressed :-)

I know just what you mean. I live on a strict budget so I have to get
my depression for as little as possible.

> Next
>time I will just buy some middle of the road range and be done with it.

I know it is time consuming and a lot of work to shop, to read reviews,
ask questions, and so on. I spent about a week trying to find a current
review of pressure cookers, looking on websites, searching Google for
something useful in the cooking groups, going and looking at cookers,
and so on. I don't always avoid disappointment by doing that, but
seldom are the times when I didn't come to regret it when I didn't.

> I
>don't need a super high temp burner as far as I know -- what do people do
>with that anyway?

Well, I managed without one for many years but, having one, I do use
it. Besides the obvious use of bringing a pot of liquid up to boiling
more quickly, I find that it makes a better stir fry. The idea of stir
fry is to cut the food small and thin so that it cooks quickly. With a
hotter fire I find that things get cooked before they can dry out, that
the veggies stay more crispy and retain more flavor.

It probably does the same for frying meats. The best way to ruin a
steak is to turn it too many times, or cook it on too low of a fire. A
good hot fire sears it to keep the juices in and cooks it before it can
dry out. Frying is probably what the manufacturers have in mind, since
the high output burner is located at the front.

Jeff

--

"Jeff" > wrote in message
...
>
> I know it is time consuming and a lot of work to shop, to read reviews,
> ask questions, and so on. I spent about a week trying to find a current
> review of pressure cookers, looking on websites, searching Google for
> something useful in the cooking groups, going and looking at cookers,
> and so on. I don't always avoid disappointment by doing that, but
> seldom are the times when I didn't come to regret it when I didn't.

I actually did do some research before I got the range -- but obviously not
enough. I do have to say that the situation was slightly abnormal at the
time -- the neighborhood had been destroyed by a tornado and when the
contractor showed up and said "now or wait another 6 months" now seemed like
a real good idea :-) So I was also fighting with the insurance company,
contemplating roof trusses, fingering shingles and dealing with a structural
engineer. One becomes an instant expert on how many boxes of nails one needs
and how many board feet of lumber is required for this and that. Never mind
dealing with FEMA and the taxes.

Now the range does work altho it had several service calls the first 2 years
and thermadore was holding fast on "your warranty is 1 year and we don;t
care what had to be replaced after 13 months". I guess basically what I can
say is that it is not some incredibly wonderful item with unique
capabilities. It is just a gas range with an electric oven.

>
> > I
>
> Well, I managed without one for many years but, having one, I do use
> it. Besides the obvious use of bringing a pot of liquid up to boiling
> more quickly, I find that it makes a better stir fry. The idea of stir
> fry is to cut the food small and thin so that it cooks quickly. With a
> hotter fire I find that things get cooked before they can dry out, that
> the veggies stay more crispy and retain more flavor.

Good point. I don't do a lot of stir fry as we eat out a lot at Chinese
restaurants.

>
> It probably does the same for frying meats. The best way to ruin a
> steak is to turn it too many times, or cook it on too low of a fire. A
> good hot fire sears it to keep the juices in and cooks it before it can
> dry out. Frying is probably what the manufacturers have in mind, since
> the high output burner is located at the front.

Ah. I leave the steaks to my hubby and the grill on the deck. He worked his
way thru college cooking steaks at Stouffers and I decided many years ago
that I would not challenge him in the grill big hunks of meat department :-)
Thanks!

Ellen

As seen from rec.food.equipment, on
Fri, 12 Aug 2005 20:37:48 -0400, "Ellen" > wrote:

>"Jeff" > wrote in message
...
>>
>> I know it is time consuming and a lot of work to shop, to read reviews,
>
>I actually did do some research before I got the range -- but obviously not
>enough. I do have to say that the situation was slightly abnormal at the
>time -- the neighborhood had been destroyed by a tornado and when the
>contractor showed up and said "now or wait another 6 months" now seemed like
>a real good idea :-) So I was also fighting with the insurance company,
>contemplating roof trusses, fingering shingles and dealing with a structural
>engineer. One becomes an instant expert on how many boxes of nails one needs
>and how many board feet of lumber is required for this and that. Never mind
>dealing with FEMA and the taxes.

"Slightly"? Wow, that's a tough way to get your house remodeled. Sorry
if I sounded critical, it was not my intent to "rub it in".

>Now the range does work altho it had several service calls the first 2 years
>and thermadore was holding fast on "your warranty is 1 year and we don;t
>care what had to be replaced after 13 months".

What a great way to win repeat customers and get good referals.

>> Well, I managed without one for many years but, having one, I do use
>> it. Besides the obvious use of bringing a pot of liquid up to boiling
>> more quickly, I find that it makes a better stir fry. The idea of stir
>> fry is to cut the food small and thin so that it cooks quickly. With a
>> hotter fire I find that things get cooked before they can dry out, that
>> the veggies stay more crispy and retain more flavor.
>
>Good point. I don't do a lot of stir fry as we eat out a lot at Chinese
>restaurants.

I must tell my McDonald's story. I was helping a friend to move.
When we broke for lunch, he and his other friends naturally headed
straight for McDonald's. When we got there, I excused myself, went
across the street to a family-owned Japanese fast food restaurant of
which I knew, and ordered their teryaki stir-fried beef and vegetables
on rice. She cooked it in a wok over a blazing fire (the way it's
supposed to be done), and it was done in 5-10 minutes.

My friends were sitting down to their burgers and fries and whatnots
just as I returned. When I opened the styrofoam box and the steam
wafted past their noses, they all leaned over the table toward the box
in coordinated unison. I declined to offer samples. When they asked
what it cost, they discovered that McDonalds's wasn't the bargain they
had thought-- they had paid the same to order enough to make a meal. I
watched them practically choke on their lunches while I enjoyed mine.

>Ah. I leave the steaks to my hubby and the grill on the deck. He worked his
>way thru college cooking steaks at Stouffers and I decided many years ago
>that I would not challenge him in the grill big hunks of meat department :-)

Too much talent in one household!

>Thanks!

'Welcome.

Jeff

>
> My friends were sitting down to their burgers and fries and whatnots
> just as I returned. When I opened the styrofoam box and the steam
> wafted past their noses, they all leaned over the table toward the box
> in coordinated unison. I declined to offer samples. When they asked
> what it cost, they discovered that McDonalds's wasn't the bargain they
> had thought-- they had paid the same to order enough to make a meal. I
> watched them practically choke on their lunches while I enjoyed mine.

hahaha

Ellen