Mike Nolan

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Viewing 15 posts - 6,946 through 6,960 (of 7,652 total)
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  • in reply to: What are You Baking the Week of June 4, 2017? #7750
    Mike Nolan
    Keymaster

      I doubt the size of a packet of yeast has changed since the 1950's, and I am fairly sure the potency of either active dry yeast or instant dry yeast has changed in that time frame.

      0.75% to 1.25% of the total flour weight is a good starting point for how much yeast to use when developing or analyzing a recipe. If a pre-ferment (biga, poolish, etc) is being used, that usually means you can use less yeast.

      in reply to: Cheese on Major Pizza Chain Pizzas #7746
      Mike Nolan
      Keymaster

        Interesting that even with several stories on him, nobody has a recent picture of James Leprino. I wish more billionaires were like that. ๐Ÿ™‚

        in reply to: Pre-Bake Crust on Mini-Pecan Pies? #7744
        Mike Nolan
        Keymaster

          I don't think pre-baking is as important, possibly not necessary at all, on mini-pies.

          in reply to: What are You Baking the Week of June 4, 2017? #7743
          Mike Nolan
          Keymaster

            I'm to the point where for most recipes I use half the yeast it calls for.

            I'm not convinced that all blowouts are a matter of 'too much yeast', though.

            in reply to: Measuring #7733
            Mike Nolan
            Keymaster

              My big scale can do .05 ounce or 1 gram increments. Since there are 28.3495 grams per ounce, the 1 gram increments are slightly more precise. But I don't think it makes much difference whether you are measuring 3 1/8 ounces as 3.10 or 3.15 instead of 3.125.

              in reply to: Measuring #7729
              Mike Nolan
              Keymaster

                Most of the time I use ounces, but I have one bread recipe I'm developing that uses grams, and my pie dough recipes (from SFBI) are in grams. I even have a micro-scale capable of measuring in 1/10th of a gram increments for measuring things like salt.

                It sort of depends on the recipe, and not that many are written in grams yet.

                in reply to: Cookie ideas, please #7724
                Mike Nolan
                Keymaster

                  Interesting, most oatmeal cookie recipes say to use old fashioned oats rather than quick oats.

                  in reply to: What are You Baking the Week of May 28, 2017? #7709
                  Mike Nolan
                  Keymaster

                    I made Austrian Malt Bread instead, I still think it's the best bread for BLT's, and there have been some good local-grown tomatoes at the farmer's markets already.

                    in reply to: Jozyโ€™s chocolate chip cookie recipe #7704
                    Mike Nolan
                    Keymaster

                      I think she's trying to get in, I'm not sure if she's been successful or is having problems.

                      WordPress is usually pretty easy to get signed in to, but anti-spammer features can get in the way.

                      in reply to: Kitchen appliances #7698
                      Mike Nolan
                      Keymaster

                        We replaced the microwave in our kitchen a few years back , the keypad is wearing out on the new one, my guess is we'll have to replace it again in the next year or two. This one is a Panasonic from Best Buy.

                        in reply to: Kitchen appliances #7692
                        Mike Nolan
                        Keymaster

                          They're based in New Zealand. Fisher and Paykel is the company that bought the assets of DCS when they ran into financial difficulties in the mid 90's, I don't think that's the only company they've acquired that way.

                          The F&P built-in wall ovens in my son's house work fairly well, but there are several cooking modes that I haven't used enough to understand. My wife got all confused trying to use them last Christmas, she managed to get the wrong oven turned on. Fortunately, there wasn't anything being stored in it.

                          The only other direct experience I've had with them was when I needed to order a new oven rack bracket for my big oven a few years ago. It took 6-8 weeks because I think it had to come from New Zealand, but at least they still had parts available for a 16 year old range.

                          I get the impression that they're aiming at the higher end of the market, but not quite as high end as Viking or Wolf.

                          The store locator on their website either doesn't work or they don't have any dealers outside of California. Neither of those are positives.

                          in reply to: Friday, June 2nd, is National Doughnut Day #7686
                          Mike Nolan
                          Keymaster

                            Visited both Lamar's locations today (the closer one was out of raised glazed), the Salvation Army folks were out collecting at both sites, and doing very well.

                            in reply to: Sponge vs Dough #7682
                            Mike Nolan
                            Keymaster

                              Another factor to consider, rye bread isn't supposed to be the star of the show in a deli sandwich. It needs to support or complement the rest of the ingredients, not overwhelm them.

                              I'm reminded of an episode of M*A*S*H with Robert Alda, father of Alan Alda. They're eating cheese while driving a truck to a new location. Robert Alda dunks the cheese in some mustard. Alan Alda says all he can taste now is the mustard. Robert Alda says, "But it's really great mustard, isn't it!".

                              in reply to: Sponge vs Dough #7681
                              Mike Nolan
                              Keymaster

                                When I vary a recipe, I notice differences as well, I'm just not a great judge of comparing how TODAY'S bread is compared to one I made and ate several days ago. Over the years I've probably done 8-10 side-by-side comparisons. I have to have an up-front plan for what to do with all that baked product, though.

                                in reply to: Sponge vs Dough #7680
                                Mike Nolan
                                Keymaster

                                  The semolina bread recipe I've been tinkering with uses both a soaker and a sponge. If I let the soaker go more than 12 hours, it really needs more water than the recipe calls for. Not sure where the water goes, it may be a combination of evaporation and absorption.

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