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General Cooking (rec.food.cooking) For general food and cooking discussion. Foods of all kinds, food procurement, cooking methods and techniques, eating, etc. |
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Anyone have any nominations?
I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the market now for chefs who have everything? A pizza-warmer is the closest I can come to the ideal. Dog |
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In article .com>,
"Dr. Dog" > wrote: > Anyone have any nominations? > > I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted > olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is > there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the > market now for chefs who have everything? Electric can openers and microwave "rice cookers". |
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![]() Emma Thackery wrote: > In article .com>, > "Dr. Dog" > wrote: > > > Anyone have any nominations? > > > > I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted > > olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is > > there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the > > market now for chefs who have everything? > > > Electric can openers and microwave "rice cookers". Actually, I just remembered my grandfather's electric carving knife, a Christmas present from my parents. He carefully took it to the basement and stored it, unopened. He preferred sharpening up the steel knife on a Sunday, and good for him. They still make those things? Dog |
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![]() "Dr. Dog" > wrote in message oups.com... > > > Actually, I just remembered my grandfather's electric carving knife, a > Christmas present from my parents. He carefully took it to the basement > and stored it, unopened. He preferred sharpening up the steel knife on > a Sunday, and good for him. > > They still make those things? Ugh! Yes, they do. My husband has one and he always liked to use it for carving turkey, slicing flank steak, and a few other chores. I hate it because it vibrates so much that the meat gets all shredded around the edges. For Christmas, I bought him a Granton edge slicer, and he loves it. Flank steak night is much more peaceful at our house without the racket from that stupid electric knife . My husband's parents still have one, too. They're not really knife people. Chris |
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![]() Dr. Dog wrote: > Emma Thackery wrote: > > In article .com>, > > "Dr. Dog" > wrote: > > > > > Anyone have any nominations? > > > > > > I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a > slotted > > > olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is > > > there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on > the > > > market now for chefs who have everything? > > > > > > Electric can openers and microwave "rice cookers". > > Actually, I just remembered my grandfather's electric carving knife, a > Christmas present from my parents. He carefully took it to the basement > and stored it, unopened. He preferred sharpening up the steel knife on > a Sunday, and good for him. > > They still make those things? > Yup. I have one. It's great for carving styrofoam to make theatrical props. My nomination would be the huge home espresso makers, probably because I have a kitchen the size of a large closet and can't conceive of using that much counter space for a single purpose appliance. Isn't it more fun to go out for coffee? Susan B. |
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![]() "Dr. Dog" > wrote in message oups.com... > > Emma Thackery wrote: > > In article .com>, > > "Dr. Dog" > wrote: > > > > > Anyone have any nominations? > > > > > > I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a > slotted > > > olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is > > > there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on > the > > > market now for chefs who have everything? > > > > > > Electric can openers and microwave "rice cookers". > > Actually, I just remembered my grandfather's electric carving knife, a > Christmas present from my parents. He carefully took it to the basement > and stored it, unopened. He preferred sharpening up the steel knife on > a Sunday, and good for him. > > They still make those things? One thing that they are useful for is cutting beef wellington or another version of beef /veal encased in puff pastry. When I make it for Holiday dinners I am actually thankful to have this otherwise useless tool. I don't know if I'd purchase one myself (mine was left by the prior owner of my condo) but I make BW a couple of times per year and this really simplifies cutting. Kate |
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![]() "Emma Thackery" > wrote in message ... > > Electric can openers You probably do not have difficulty using a manual can opener. I do. I love my electric can opener. It saves a lot of pain and frustration. Charliam |
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Emma Thackery wrote:
> In article .com>, > "Dr. Dog" > wrote: > > >>Anyone have any nominations? >> >>I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted >>olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is >>there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the >>market now for chefs who have everything? > > > > Electric can openers and microwave "rice cookers". aaaugh! i hate electric can openers! -- saerah "I think there's a clause in the Shaman's and Jujumen's Local #57 Union contract that they have to have reciprocity for each other's shop rules." -König Prüß |
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![]() sarah bennett wrote: > > aaaugh! i hate electric can openers! > > -- If you have arthritis in your hands and wrists, you probably wouldn't be saying that. I WISH I had an electric can opener because I can't squeeze the handles on the manual opener very well. It takes forever for me to open cans. A twice fractured right wrist with resulting arthritis is the problem. Lack of counter space in my closet size kitchen and unavailability of a GOOD quality electric can opener is the reason I don't have one. Sandi in Honduras |
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![]() Emma Thackery wrote: > In article .com>, > "Dr. Dog" > wrote: > > > Anyone have any nominations? > > > > I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted > > olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is > > there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the > > market now for chefs who have everything? > > > Electric can openers and microwave "rice cookers". Electric can openers can be a boon for those with arthritis or similar conditions. Cindy Hamilton |
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In article .com>,
"Cindy Hamilton" > wrote: > Emma Thackery wrote: > > In article .com>, > > "Dr. Dog" > wrote: > > > > > Anyone have any nominations? > > > > > > I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a > > > slotted olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our > > > way. But is there anything truly useless and preferably expensive > > > that is on the market now for chefs who have everything? > > > > Electric can openers and microwave "rice cookers". > > Electric can openers can be a boon for those with arthritis or > similar conditions. Well of course. So are guide dogs for people who are visually impaired but not everyone needs one. The question was about what we each *personally* find the most useless--- not what we designate useless for everyone. There is a difference. |
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![]() "Emma Thackery" > wrote in message ... .. > > > Well of course. So are guide dogs for people who are visually impaired > but not everyone needs one. The question was about what we each > *personally* find the most useless--- not what we designate useless for > everyone. There is a difference. I bought a Gizmo for grating cheese. It simply does not work. It is a big waste of money. The company (B&D) have sold all their food type things to another co. who will send me another one but no refunds. Why would I want another one? The only good thing is that it only cost a few dollars. |
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"Dr. Dog" wrote:
> Anyone have any nominations? > > I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted > olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is > there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the > market now for chefs who have everything? > > A pizza-warmer is the closest I can come to the ideal. > My mother has an electric fruit and vegetable peeler. I don't think it was very expensive, but it certainly ranks high on the list of useless. It takes up a lot more storage space than a regular peeler. The two times I used it I found that it worked better if it wasn't turned on. |
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![]() Dave Smith wrote: > "Dr. Dog" wrote: > > >>Anyone have any nominations? >> >>I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted >>olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is >>there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the >>market now for chefs who have everything? >> >>A pizza-warmer is the closest I can come to the ideal. >> > > > My mother has an electric fruit and vegetable peeler. I don't think it > was very expensive, but it certainly ranks high on the list of useless. > It takes up a lot more storage space than a regular peeler. The two > times I used it I found that it worked better if it wasn't turned on. > I have a battery powered flour sifter. I have never used it, because sifting is seldom required now. Does anybody want it? ![]() |
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Margaret Suran wrote:
> I have a battery powered flour sifter. I have never used it, because > sifting is seldom required now. Does anybody want it? ![]() I lost my sifter years ago in a move and never replaced it when I realized that using a simple wire mesh sift/drainer (bowl sized on a handle) works just as well. I love anything that can do double duty. ![]() Goomba |
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![]() Goomba38 wrote: > Margaret Suran wrote: > > > I have a battery powered flour sifter. I have never used it, because > > sifting is seldom required now. Does anybody want it? ![]() > > I lost my sifter years ago in a move and never replaced it when I > realized that using a simple wire mesh sift/drainer (bowl sized on a > handle) works just as well. > > I love anything that can do double duty. ![]() > Goomba That's what's so great about a penis! ![]() Sheldon |
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Useless to me, but there may be an arthritic baker out there who would
love to have it. My mom had one for years until it broke, and it saved her a lot of pain in her hands and wrists. I just use the plain old sifter. =o) Melissa |
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notbob wrote:
> > What did? What are you talking about? Who are you replying to? > > If you're going to use google for usenet, learn how to use it properly. Enable > the option that includes attributes and quotes, please. Thank you. Perhaps you should learn to use your newsreader properly or learn to follow a thread. Even without attributes and quoting it's not hard to find out who she's responding to. Unless you are too lazy or stupid to figure it out that is. Maybe it's both. |
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Dave Smith > wrote:
> "Dr. Dog" wrote: > > > Anyone have any nominations? > > > > I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted > > olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is > > there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the > > market now for chefs who have everything? > > > > A pizza-warmer is the closest I can come to the ideal. > > > > My mother has an electric fruit and vegetable peeler. I don't think it > was very expensive, but it certainly ranks high on the list of useless. > It takes up a lot more storage space than a regular peeler. The two > times I used it I found that it worked better if it wasn't turned on. Ooh, that's a good one, and we've seen the electric grater, too. Bizarre. serene -- http://serenejournal.livejournal.com http://www.jhuger.com |
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![]() "Dr. Dog" > wrote in message oups.com... > Anyone have any nominations? > > I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted > olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is > there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the > market now for chefs who have everything? > > A pizza-warmer is the closest I can come to the ideal. > > > > Dog I rec'd as a gift a 'pizza' set which included a huge wooden 'get the pizza outta the brick oven' thingy. It's in a pile to be gotten rid of - i'm not sure why i ever kept it so long, except that it was one of those things i knew i'd never buy myself. Teri > |
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On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 16:31:07 -0400, "Teri" >
wrote: >I rec'd as a gift a 'pizza' set which included a huge wooden 'get the pizza >outta the brick oven' thingy. <snip> It's called a pizza peel. Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd AAC(F)BV66.0748.CA "If the soup had been as hot as the claret, if the claret had been as old as the bird, and if the bird's breasts had been as full as the waitress's, it would have been a very good dinner." -- Duncan Hines To reply, replace "spaminator" with "cox" |
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![]() "Terry Pulliam Burd" > wrote in message ... > On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 16:31:07 -0400, "Teri" > > wrote: > > >I rec'd as a gift a 'pizza' set which included a huge wooden 'get the pizza > >outta the brick oven' thingy. > > <snip> > > It's called a pizza peel. Wow! it's got a name! Thanks Teri > > Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd > AAC(F)BV66.0748.CA > > > "If the soup had been as hot as the claret, if the claret had been as > old as the bird, and if the bird's breasts had been as full as the > waitress's, it would have been a very good dinner." > > -- Duncan Hines > > To reply, replace "spaminator" with "cox" |
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Teri wrote:
> "Dr. Dog" > wrote in message > oups.com... > >>Anyone have any nominations? >> >>I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted >>olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is >>there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the >>market now for chefs who have everything? >> >>A pizza-warmer is the closest I can come to the ideal. >> >> >> >>Dog > > > I rec'd as a gift a 'pizza' set which included a huge wooden 'get the pizza > outta the brick oven' thingy. It's in a pile to be gotten rid of - i'm not > sure why i ever kept it so long, except that it was one of those things i > knew i'd never buy myself. > Teri > > > Pizza peels are only useless if you don't make round pizzas. I just used mine today to make two pizzas. I've tried using a spatula in each hand, and that just doesn't work putting the pizza in the oven. |
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![]() "Adam Preble" > wrote in message ... > Teri wrote: > > "Dr. Dog" > wrote in message > > oups.com... > > > >>Anyone have any nominations? > >> > >>I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted > >>olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is > >>there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the > >>market now for chefs who have everything? > >> > >>A pizza-warmer is the closest I can come to the ideal. > >> > >> > >> > >>Dog > > > > > > I rec'd as a gift a 'pizza' set which included a huge wooden 'get the pizza > > outta the brick oven' thingy. It's in a pile to be gotten rid of - i'm not > > sure why i ever kept it so long, except that it was one of those things i > > knew i'd never buy myself. > > Teri > > > > > > > Pizza peels are only useless if you don't make round pizzas. I just > used mine today to make two pizzas. I've tried using a spatula in each > hand, and that just doesn't work putting the pizza in the oven. Didn't occur to me - i guess nothing's useless if you actually use it. Teri |
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Adam Preble > wrote:
>Pizza peels are only useless if you don't make round pizzas. I just >used mine today to make two pizzas. I've tried using a spatula in each >hand, and that just doesn't work putting the pizza in the oven. They're also great if you bake bread on tiles, instead of those little "bread pans". |
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In article >, "Teri"
> wrote: > I rec'd as a gift a 'pizza' set which included a huge wooden 'get the > pizza outta the brick oven' thingy. It's in a pile to be gotten rid > of - i'm not sure why i ever kept it so long, except that it was one > of those things i knew i'd never buy myself. A peel. Do you make bread? I dust it with cornmeal and let the bread rise on it, then can scoot it on to the preheated stone in the oven without deflating the bread. It's actually not just to get the pizza out, it's if you are making pizza from scratch and have the dough on it to put on the stone. ![]() Regards, Ranee -- Remove Do Not and Spam to email "She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13 See my Blog at: http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/ |
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![]() "Dr. Dog" > wrote in message oups.com... > Anyone have any nominations? > > I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted > olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is > there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the > market now for chefs who have everything? > > A pizza-warmer is the closest I can come to the ideal. > > > > Dog Around in the 30's to 40's there were electric margerine mixers. Dimitri http://www.margarine.org/historyofmargarine.html 1932 Besides Federal taxes and licenses, 27 states prohibited the manufacture or sale of colored margarine, 24 imposed some kind of consumer tax and 26 required licenses or otherwise restricted margarine sales. The Army, Navy and other Federal agencies were barred from using margarine for other than cooking purposes. |
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![]() Dimitri wrote: > "Dr. Dog" > wrote in message > oups.com... > > Anyone have any nominations? > > > > I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted > > olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is > > there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the > > market now for chefs who have everything? > > > > A pizza-warmer is the closest I can come to the ideal. > > > > > > > > Dog > > Around in the 30's to 40's there were electric margerine mixers. Slightly OT, but you prodded my memory. When I was a very small kid, my Mom gave me the task of kneading margarine--it came in a box like butter, but inside was a thick platic wrap and a little bubble of yellow food-colouring to be mixed by kneading with the white, lardy-looking paste. First time I tasted butter was when we moved to Quebec--where margarine was illegal! Dog |
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Dr. Dog > wrote:
> Slightly OT, but you prodded my memory. When I was a very small kid, my > Mom gave me the task of kneading margarine--it came in a box like > butter, but inside was a thick platic wrap and a little bubble of > yellow food-colouring to be mixed by kneading with the white, > lardy-looking paste. My mom has talked about doing that when she was a kid, too. serene -- http://serenejournal.livejournal.com http://www.jhuger.com |
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Dear Dr. Dog,
How could something as innocent as margarine be illegal in Quebec? Cheers, Chuck Kopsho Oceanside, California |
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"Dr. Dog" wrote:
> Slightly OT, but you prodded my memory. When I was a very small kid, my > Mom gave me the task of kneading margarine--it came in a box like > butter, but inside was a thick platic wrap and a little bubble of > yellow food-colouring to be mixed by kneading with the white, > lardy-looking paste. First time I tasted butter was when we moved to > Quebec--where margarine was illegal! Margarine is not illegal in Montreal. It cannot be dyed yellow to look like butter. It used to be illegal to sell yellow margarine in Ontario too. |
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Far as I can tell, someone wrote:
>A pizza-warmer is the closest I can come to the ideal. My old salad shooter had to be my worst investment. Of course, I'm pretty ****ed off that our Kitchenaide corkscrew has no beer bottle opener. |
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"Alex Rast" > wrote in message
... > at Thu, 21 Apr 2005 19:14:50 GMT in <1114110890.887833.128590 > @o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com>, (Dr. Dog) wrote : > >>Anyone have any nominations? >> >>I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted >>olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is >>there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the >>market now for chefs who have everything? > > Chocolate temperers > Electric deep-fryers > > At a lower price point: > > Pizza stones > Charlotte moulds > Herb mincers > Preformed pie shields > Donut cutters > Muffin-top tins > Bagel slicers > > Actually, though, my favourites are ones many people would dispute the > "useless" tag. My personal opinion is that the following are truly useless > and people only use them out of habit. > > Microwave ovens > Nonstick pans > Stainless steel knives Pretty good list with only three boners. Pizza stone - essential for good crusts and certain kinds of bread. Microwave - excellent for fish. Does a perfect job on risotto and polenta with 1/10 the effort. Nonstick pans - not really necessary but make so many dishes easier with no loss in quality. -- Peter Aitken Remove the crap from my email address before using. |
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at Thu, 21 Apr 2005 23:07:56 GMT in
> , (Peter Aitken) wrote : >"Alex Rast" > wrote in message .. . >> at Thu, 21 Apr 2005 19:14:50 GMT in <1114110890.887833.128590 >> @o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com>, (Dr. Dog) wrote : >> >>>Anyone have any nominations? >>>...But is >>>there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the >>>market now for chefs who have everything? >> >> Chocolate temperers >> Electric deep-fryers >> >> At a lower price point: >> >> Pizza stones .... >> Microwave ovens >> Nonstick pans >> Stainless steel knives > >Pretty good list with only three boners. > >Pizza stone - essential for good crusts and certain kinds of bread. Not when you can buy unglazed quarry tile at a *fraction* of the price that does an equally good job with much better oven coverage because you can pave the oven wall-to-wall, both racks, with tile. >Microwave - excellent for fish. What can a microwave do with fish that more conventional heating methods won't? Furthermore microwaves are very sensitive to timing with something delicate like fish. I prefer something I can monitor constantly. > Does a perfect job on risotto and >polenta with 1/10 the effort. IMHO not as good because the stirring develops the starches, I've found, in ways letting it sit doesn't. The starch becomes more thoroughly uniform and creamy in both cases, where if you just allow it to sit and cook, it stays somewhat pasty. I don't argue the effort bit, though - doing it the traditional way *is* labour-intensive. But you can equally well let the same things sit on a stovetop and they'll be OK. (I've done it this way before when I've gotten lazy) >Nonstick pans - not really necessary but make so many dishes easier with >no loss in quality. I find the care you have to take in cleaning them nullifies any minimisation of effort in the cooking stage. -- Alex Rast (remove d., .7, not, and .NOSPAM to reply) |
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Alex Rast wrote:
> > >I'm loath to laugh at any of the things for sale now. Even a slotted > >olive spoon turned out to make sense when one came our way. But is > >there anything truly useless and preferably expensive that is on the > >market now for chefs who have everything? > > Chocolate temperers > Electric deep-fryers Sorry, but I really like my electric deep fryer. It does a great job on chicken wings, calamari and the occasional batch of French Fries or Onion rings. I have also made a few batches of donuts and the annual batch of apple fritters in that thing. |
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A little birdie told me that Dave Smith > said:
>Alex Rast wrote: > >> Electric deep-fryers > >Sorry, but I really like my electric deep fryer. It does a great job on >chicken wings, calamari and the occasional batch of French Fries or Onion >rings. I have also made a few batches of donuts and the annual batch of apple >fritters in that thing. Crash wanted a deep fryer for a long time. Finally got one about a year ago. I'd never do it again. The basket is hard to clean (it's a large wire mesh, rather than the pan with holes that my parents had), and the unit we got is large and cumbersome. It sits on the table because we don't have anywhere else to put it. I prefer deep frying in my wok. Carol -- Coming at you live, from beautiful Lake Woebegon |
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In article >,
wrote: > Crash wanted a deep fryer for a long time. Finally got one about a > year ago. I'd never do it again. The basket is hard to clean (it's > a large wire mesh, rather than the pan with holes that my parents > had), and the unit we got is large and cumbersome. It sits on the > table because we don't have anywhere else to put it. I prefer deep > frying in my wok. Everything but the housing and element can go in our dishwasher. We really like it because we are not capable of deep fat frying without it. ![]() Really love it, we used it for our Mardi Gras feast. Regards, Ranee -- Remove Do Not and Spam to email "She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13 See my Blog at: http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/ |
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