Mike Nolan

Forum Replies Created

Viewing 15 posts - 5,881 through 5,895 (of 7,557 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • in reply to: Clean as You Go or Clean at the End? #13908
    Mike Nolan
    Keymaster

      I try to fill up the dishwasher as I'm working, but sometimes I use more than what will fit in one load. At chocolate school, the chef was pretty insistent we clean up messes right away, because they spread quickly. I find that's pretty good advice when it comes to things like flour, too.

      in reply to: Apples, Yes! #13907
      Mike Nolan
      Keymaster

        I haven't seen winesap in stores in decades. I got some from the farmer's market a couple of years ago and got some from a u=pick orchard last year.

        in reply to: It’s that time of year again… #13905
        Mike Nolan
        Keymaster

          I don't specifically remember offering that advice, I think the most important part of blind baking is to make sure you have plenty of pie beans.

          I'm not sure what we're doing for either Thanksgiving or Christmas this year, we've told the kids that we're not making the trip to Pittsburgh this year. My younger son, the one who lives in CA, has Zeldathon (an online fundraiser) in Erie PA right after Christmas. My older son was talking about possibly coming here for Thanksgiving, but I haven't heard if that's a go or not. We may invite my wife's sister to come over for Christmas dinner.

          in reply to: What are You Cooking the Week of October 28, 2018? #13893
          Mike Nolan
          Keymaster

            I may drop a line to SFBI and ask if I can post it. It's a really good pie filling, but probably not anything particularly different from other recipes.

            in reply to: What are You Baking the Week of October 28, 2018? #13891
            Mike Nolan
            Keymaster

              I'm making Vienna bread today.

              in reply to: What are You Cooking the Week of October 28, 2018? #13889
              Mike Nolan
              Keymaster

                No, it's the one I got at SFBI pastry school, I'm not sure if I can post it or not.

                in reply to: What are You Cooking the Week of October 28, 2018? #13885
                Mike Nolan
                Keymaster

                  Winesap is a great pie apple, but it is too firm for applesauce. It is the best pie apple I've ever used. There are some European varieties that are supposed to be even better, but good luck finding any of them on this side of the pond.

                  I pre-cook the pie filling and then freeze it. That way it's ready to be put in a pie shell. It also works great in Irish Apple Cake.

                  in reply to: What are You Baking the Week of October 28, 2018? #13872
                  Mike Nolan
                  Keymaster

                    I made a regular and a gluten-free Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake the other day, using King Arthur's gluten-free blend for the latter. I think adding cocoa masks the taste of gluten-free baked goods, but that recipe isn't vegan.

                    in reply to: Apples, Yes! #13863
                    Mike Nolan
                    Keymaster

                      I don't think Empires are good cooking apples, though some sources say they are, they're decent eating apples, though. They have a thick skin, so they don't bruise easily and ship well. My experience has been that they don't store well, they get mushy.

                      They're a Cornell cross between McIntosh and Red Delicious that dates back to about 1945.

                      in reply to: What are You Cooking the Week of October 28, 2018? #13862
                      Mike Nolan
                      Keymaster

                        I made some chicken salad from the chicken used to make the stock. Our 18 year old cat likes the chicken, too.

                        in reply to: What are You Baking the Week of October 28, 2018? #13860
                        Mike Nolan
                        Keymaster

                          Hmm, I wonder what you did differently? Overmixing is a common problem with pie doughs, as is adding either not enough or too much water. Too little water and it crumbles when you handle it, too much and it encourages gluten development, which makes it too elastic, so it fights being rolled out.

                          in reply to: What are You Cooking the Week of October 28, 2018? #13858
                          Mike Nolan
                          Keymaster

                            The stock is in the cooling stage now, then I'll strain out the aromatics and chill it overnight to separate out any remaining fat. I should get 12-14 quarts of stock from 2 chickens, normally I get 4-5 quarts from one chicken.

                            I plan to start using it by making a batch of potato leek soup, probably tomorrow or Friday.

                            in reply to: What are You Cooking the Week of October 28, 2018? #13856
                            Mike Nolan
                            Keymaster

                              Wound up making pepper steak stir fry for supper. Chicken stock still going, I'm trying a different process, based on the one in Rachael Mamane's book "Mastering Stocks and Broths". It is a bit more time-consuming.

                              in reply to: What are You Baking the Week of October 28, 2018? #13850
                              Mike Nolan
                              Keymaster

                                I'll be making a Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake tonight for the Halloween feast at my wife's office tomorrow.

                                in reply to: What are You Cooking the Week of October 28, 2018? #13849
                                Mike Nolan
                                Keymaster

                                  Today I'm making a large batch of chicken stock, probably 10+ quarts.

                                Viewing 15 posts - 5,881 through 5,895 (of 7,557 total)