My great Christmas food related gift bounty:

1.)Lever action corkscrew. This was unexpected. Wonderful item.
Worked great getting the cork out. The single time I used it, I had
trouble getting the cork off the screw. I'll need to research this
more.

2.)Mr. Coffee brand Burr grinder. Well, Eskwired is right in saying
cheaper burr mills aren't very good at making a consistent grind. My
grinder, on the course settings, produces a certain amount of fines.
Fortunately, the fines collect mainly along the top of the grounds
chamber and are easily removed. So I don't get a great grind, but I
get a much better grind than a blade grinder. On my budget, I can
live with having to whisk out a tablespoon of fine matter.
(In a related story, I heard on the radio this morning that, in men,
consuming 6 or more cups of full caffene coffee per day reduces the
risk of type II diabetes by 50%.)

3.)Minitorch - the surprise hit of the year. Mom-in-law bought me a
creme brule set. I love the torch. It was great for carmelizing the
sugar on the brule, for melting the red licorice "eruption" on
5-year-old's volcano cake (just enough melting to make the sliced
licorice droop a bit) and for lighting the birthday cake candles
(well, it's a bit too efficient at that.) Another digression - I
opened the second part of the gift first - two cans of butane and a
miniature measuring cup. "Look! Mom got me lighter fluid and a shot
glass.")

4.)Microplane grater. Entirely the idea of the five-year-old son. He
has amazing taste in gifts. Light shines down from heaven, and
angelic voices sing, when it is brought out for use. What an amazing
tool.

Merry and happy and all that to all.

Greg Zywicki

>
> 1.)Lever action corkscrew. This was unexpected. Wonderful item.
> Worked great getting the cork out. The single time I used it, I had
> trouble getting the cork off the screw. I'll need to research this
> more.

If it's like mine it won't work on plastic corks.

Greg Zywicki wrote:

> 4.)Microplane grater. Entirely the idea of the five-year-old son. He
> has amazing taste in gifts. Light shines down from heaven, and
> angelic voices sing, when it is brought out for use. What an amazing
> tool.


I got this too, actually a set. It has a handle with frame, you can pop
out the grating surface and substitute a different one. There a fine
(zest) and a coarse (hard cheese) grater.




Brian Rodenborn

Jag Man > wrote:
> >
> > 1.)Lever action corkscrew. This was unexpected. Wonderful item.
> > Worked great getting the cork out. The single time I used it, I had
> > trouble getting the cork off the screw. I'll need to research this
> > more.

> If it's like mine it won't work on plastic corks.

Mine does. I have the double lever type where the
two levers open up like wings as you screw into
the cork. Is your's the single lever type?

Bill Ranck
Blacksburg, Va.

Cool gifts, I got both the microplane and the corkscrew. Cannot wait to use
the microplane but xmas is over and thus the baking thing - I'm sure it will
come in handy the next time I do my zesting. Got an air pressure cork
popper for wine opening. Have to put on my glasses to study up on how to do
this. Hey, sometimes we want the wine open immediately! and it easier to do
it the old way.
E.

"Default User" > wrote in message
...
> Greg Zywicki wrote:
>
> > 4.)Microplane grater. Entirely the idea of the five-year-old son. He
> > has amazing taste in gifts. Light shines down from heaven, and
> > angelic voices sing, when it is brought out for use. What an amazing
> > tool.
>
>
> I got this too, actually a set. It has a handle with frame, you can pop
> out the grating surface and substitute a different one. There a fine
> (zest) and a coarse (hard cheese) grater.
>
>
>
>
> Brian Rodenborn

Greg Zywicki > wrote:
>My great Christmas food related gift bounty:

I got a pot of beans. A clay flowerpot. Decorated in
paints. With pens wrapped in green tissue paper and topped
with yellow and brown paper daisy heads. It's funny and
it's great.

I got myself one of these, and it came today, and it's
even more impressive in person than it looks in the pictu

https://store.merchantduvin.com/e/md...to=f/co=1.html

6 inches long, 2 inches wide, just a lager-bubble less
than a quarter of an inch thick, and weighing in at 5 oz.

It's bigger than some premature babies. It looks a little
like it's made by lopping off the sharp business of a
broadsword and punching a hole.

So it's probably the heaviest and last bottle opener I'll
ever have.

>(In a related story, I heard on the radio this morning that, in men,
>consuming 6 or more cups of full caffene coffee per day reduces the
>risk of type II diabetes by 50%.)

Because you're so wired you run instead of driving your
commute. (Some studies suggest exercise is the key to a
healthy pancreas).

>3.)Minitorch - the surprise hit of the year. Mom-in-law bought me a
>creme brule set. I love the torch. It was great for carmelizing the
>sugar on the brule, for melting the red licorice "eruption" on
>5-year-old's volcano cake (just enough melting to make the sliced
>licorice droop a bit) and for lighting the birthday cake candles

And you can use it to reattach the handles on your pasta
pots, or cut your forks in half in case you have too many
people down east for lobster...

>(well, it's a bit too efficient at that.) Another digression - I
>opened the second part of the gift first - two cans of butane and a
>miniature measuring cup. "Look! Mom got me lighter fluid and a shot
>glass.")

Bartender! I'll have what he's having!

(Actually, I'm inaugurating this with a nice eponymous oatmeal stout:
https://store.merchantduvin.com/e/md...to=f/co=1.html
That page lies; they also come in 12 oz, but who wants only 12 oz
of the good stuff?)

>4.)Microplane grater. Entirely the idea of the five-year-old son. He
>has amazing taste in gifts. Light shines down from heaven, and
>angelic voices sing, when it is brought out for use.

I need a coarse one. The only one I have is really a zester,
and it's no good for parmesan.

>What an amazing tool.

Don't be so hard on yourself.

--Blair
"Cheers."

Default User > wrote in message >...
> Greg Zywicki wrote:
>
> > 4.)Microplane grater. Entirely the idea of the five-year-old son. He
> > has amazing taste in gifts. Light shines down from heaven, and
> > angelic voices sing, when it is brought out for use. What an amazing
> > tool.
>
>
> I got this too, actually a set. It has a handle with frame, you can pop
> out the grating surface and substitute a different one. There a fine
> (zest) and a coarse (hard cheese) grater.
>
>
>
>
> Brian Rodenborn

Yep, that's the one I got too. My wife was leaning toward another one
(not sure which - maybe that narrow one the TV people all use,) but
my shrewd little boy said, "Get this one mom - it has two things in
it."

He's amazing - a sort of gift giving savant. He always picks the best
gift.

Greg Zywicki

Greg Zywicki a écrit :

> My great Christmas food related gift bounty:
>
> 1.)Lever action corkscrew. This was unexpected. Wonderful item.
> Worked great getting the cork out. The single time I used it, I had
> trouble getting the cork off the screw. I'll need to research this
> more.

When you are finished opening the bottle, pull the lever down, close the
handles (thus blocking the cork), hold them shut, pull the lever up.
HTH,

Nathalie in Switzerland

Blair P. Houghton > wrote in message >.. .
> I got myself one of these, and it came today, and it's
> even more impressive in person than it looks in the pictu
>
> https://store.merchantduvin.com/e/md...to=f/co=1.html
>
> 6 inches long, 2 inches wide, just a lager-bubble less
> than a quarter of an inch thick, and weighing in at 5 oz.
>
> It's bigger than some premature babies. It looks a little
> like it's made by lopping off the sharp business of a
> broadsword and punching a hole.
>
> So it's probably the heaviest and last bottle opener I'll
> ever have.

I like the white rose detail. But, then, I am a practicing Lutheran.

I hope you have better luck with your fancy opener than I've had with
fancy pens. I always lose them.

Also, pay special attention to how much lever you put into opening.
Brass isn't as durable as steel.

>
> >(In a related story, I heard on the radio this morning that, in men,
> >consuming 6 or more cups of full caffene coffee per day reduces the
> >risk of type II diabetes by 50%.)
>
> Because you're so wired you run instead of driving your
> commute. (Some studies suggest exercise is the key to a
> healthy pancreas).
>

Later yesterday I read that an Italian organization had ranked the
anti-oxidant power of various fruits (blackberries #1) Vegetables
(spinach in the lead) and beverages. Coffee won hands down, beating
out red wine, tea, and orange juice. Beer wasn't even listed, but
then what do Italians know about beer?

> >3.)Minitorch - the surprise hit of the year. Mom-in-law bought me a
> >creme brule set. I love the torch. It was great for carmelizing the
> >sugar on the brule, for melting the red licorice "eruption" on
> >5-year-old's volcano cake (just enough melting to make the sliced
> >licorice droop a bit) and for lighting the birthday cake candles
>
> And you can use it to reattach the handles on your pasta
> pots, or cut your forks in half in case you have too many
> people down east for lobster...

Plastic forks, or metal utensils? If metal, I'd love to see that.
I'd have a hard time believing butane could do that. Or is yours
acetylene? I had a friend who had a little tiny oxy-acetylene torch
he carried around. No idea why.

Greg Zywicki

Greg Zywicki > wrote:
>Blair P. Houghton > wrote in message
>. ..
>https://store.merchantduvin.com/e/md...to=f/co=1.html
>>
>> It's bigger than some premature babies.
>
>I like the white rose detail. But, then, I am a practicing Lutheran.

Yorkshire White Rose. Logo of the Samuel Smith's Brewery.

Not the most fetching graphic avatar in the world,
but historical as all get-out.

>I hope you have better luck with your fancy opener than I've had with
>fancy pens. I always lose them.

This one goes in the drawer hard by the fridge, where all
good openers belong.

>Also, pay special attention to how much lever you put into opening.
>Brass isn't as durable as steel.

Lever? Ha. I merely lay this massive beast on the caps
and they spring open begging forgiveness and distracting
me towards the comely barley sauce they were hoarding.

--Blair
"Nice. I always wanted
an enforcer on staff."

Blair P. Houghton > wrote in message >.. .
> Greg Zywicki > wrote:
> >Blair P. Houghton > wrote in message
> >. ..
> >https://store.merchantduvin.com/e/md...to=f/co=1.html
> >>
> >> It's bigger than some premature babies.
> >
> >I like the white rose detail. But, then, I am a practicing Lutheran.
>
> Yorkshire White Rose. Logo of the Samuel Smith's Brewery.
>
> Not the most fetching graphic avatar in the world,
> but historical as all get-out.
>
> --Blair
> "Nice. I always wanted
> an enforcer on staff."

No doubt - plus a good spiritual reference. That rose is a
significant protestant symbol, and especially significant in the
Lutheran church

Well, not that rose exactly, as I found by googling:

http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=2558

I was initially struck by the convergence of beer and a white (well,
it could be red just as well, couldn't it?) rose, being an American in
a church that has a tollerance and acceptance for beer, instead of
demonizing all things fermented.

Greg Zywicki

In article >,
(Greg Zywicki) wrote:

> I like the white rose detail. But, then, I am a practicing Lutheran.

<spewing coffee on my computer screen!!>


> > >3.)Minitorch - the surprise hit of the year. Mom-in-law bought me a
> > >creme brule set. I love the torch. It was great for carmelizing the
> > >sugar on the brule, for melting the red licorice "eruption" on
> > >5-year-old's volcano cake (just enough melting to make the sliced
> > >licorice droop a bit) and for lighting the birthday cake candles
> >
> > And you can use it to reattach the handles on your pasta
> > pots, or cut your forks in half in case you have too many
> > people down east for lobster...
>
> Plastic forks, or metal utensils? If metal, I'd love to see that.
> I'd have a hard time believing butane could do that. Or is yours
> acetylene? I had a friend who had a little tiny oxy-acetylene torch
> he carried around. No idea why.

Hey, I've heard of women who carry a small can of WD-40 in their purses.

> Greg Zywicki
--
-Barb
12-28-03: Tourtiere picture added to my site: <www.jamlady.eboard.com>
Also a picture of my Baba Authorized struhadlo for making halushky
"If you're ever in a jam, here I am."

Greg Zywicki > wrote:
>I was initially struck by the convergence of beer and a white (well,
>it could be red just as well, couldn't it?) rose, being an American in
>a church that has a tollerance and acceptance for beer, instead of
>demonizing all things fermented.

Well, remember who invented the stuff:

http://www.chimay.be/

--Blair
"I know. The Egyptians."

"Jag Man" > wrote in message om>...
> >
> > 1.)Lever action corkscrew. This was unexpected. Wonderful item.
> > Worked great getting the cork out. The single time I used it, I had
> > trouble getting the cork off the screw. I'll need to research this
> > more.
>
> If it's like mine it won't work on plastic corks.

Do you mean the one modeled after the Metrokane Rabbit?
I have that one, and gave several as gifts this year. LOVE IT!

It does work on plastic corks, most of the time. But it didn't New
Year's Eve. We had to puncture the cork in another spot. Depends on
the cork, I think.

It does grab better on cork stoppers, vs. the plastic ones. But it
will work.

As for releasing the cork, just grasp the cork between the bottom
levers (as if you're gripping the bottle)and pull the top lever up,
the cork should remain in the grip of the bottom levers.

This is my new favorite toy.