cool tool

this is something i recently ordered to take the hassle out of converting weights and measures, both wet and dry. you can also calculate for smaller portions [measures] of a recipe which is helpful when you are not just dividing by half.

image: calculated.com

if you go to calculated.com, you can see the product in full description. it offers a tutorial showing you all of its functions and features. pretty good for what it's worth.

the cheapest place i have found it is at target. if you look there you can also see the specs for it.

a good hannukah or christmas gift for either yourself or whoever is cooking for you!

this site is helpful for quick conversions [click the button]:

cool tool

wouldn't it be fun to have one of these to cook in? tagines were the originally used as portable ovens and braziers in north africa, specifically morocco, by nomadic tribes. lightweight and moveable, these conical "ovens" produce some of the most delicious dishes.

this sexy one is manufactured by all-clad metalcrafters, an american company which puts out some of the best pots & pans around.

this most moroccan implement — the tagine —can be used for cooking or serving and even for storing such things as spices. they range in size from huge to little, teeny tiny ones.

the particular stainless steel one pictured below can be bought through a number of second party companies, such as sur la table which has many interesting kitchen tools & objects. worth a visit.

check out fantes.com for a selection of traditional tagines they carry. many are made from clay.

if you are interested in this cooking vessel, there is more here or here about it.

both le creuset and joanne weir of california show how to cook with a tagine.

some may contain lead [pottery], so be careful. read this canadian article about safety concerns before purchasing a tagine, usually ones made in countries which do not have specific regulations concerning lead content.

cool tool

image: bayou classics

with the upcoming holiday of thanksgiving [canadian] deep-fried turkey is apparently the best there is. though i have never had it, anything deep-fried is worth a try.

this is obviously an outdoor endeavour using specialized equipment. i heard talk today that the best oil to make deep-fried turkey with is peanut oil due to its high smoking point and that it does not form sludge which makes clean-up a nasty thing.

check out the contraption itself at the specialist site, Bayou Classics [the deep south is apparently home of the deep-fried turkey].

look here for a step by step with pictures & explanations of the whole process.