I tried to go to our nearest Linens ‘n Things the other day and it had closed up shop and was gone. I’d just wanted to look for two small things. What does one do when one lives in a major city and everything is in the suburbs? My brother needed mincemeat and was told to drive outside Manhattan to Hackensack NJ to get it. He doesn’t own a car. Instead he called me and I shipped it directly to Dad.
The prices at Sur La Table are through the roof, but the service is usually stellar (except last time) and when I need a particular item and they have it, it’s a five minute drive. Our hardware store has a number of practical, interesting and decently-priced items, like when I needed two coeur a la creme molds. They have recently steered me to a restaurant supply store that can be useful if I know that what I need is what they stock. I now have their catalog and they’re only a five minute drive away. That’s where I got knife guards and a new knife case for traveling. No, I won’t try to take it on a plane except in checked baggage. Well-priced.
Emails come to me by the dozen from all kinds of cooking empires. In years of practice and study, other than having a state-of-the-art kitchen with beehive oven out back and grilling empire for Jim, I have 95% of all the stalwart multi-purpose equipment and tools that I need so can afford to be choosy.
For example, the restaurant supply store still sells real pastry bags, not the clear plastic ones to throw away. When it comes right down to it, you still have to fish out your pastry tip at the end, so why not wash the bag, let it dry and re-use it?
Two questions. I bought a slow-cooker two years ago for an event and used it once and it’s taking up space. Does anyone really use these? And I need a solution to storing glassware as I have no cupboard space and need them handy. Fellow “lofties” use their oven, microwave and perhaps dishwasher for storing dishes (after turning off at the breaker) because they need cupboard space for work items or such. I need to use all those appliances. Hanging a rack from a 10’ ceiling doesn’t work. Any thoughts? Dee
Cooking with Dee 
I love my slow cooker and use it quite often. That and my pressure cooker have a permanent place in the kitchen. Heaven help if I had to find somewhere to store it.
No advice on the glassware.
I like my stew meat browned, vegetables sweated and caramelized before braising. Doesn’t this mean many more steps and dishes just to use a slow-cooker? Granted, I’m a food snob. Hey, I wouldn’t take all this time blogging if I wasn’t a foodie.
I didn’t know LNT went bankrupt, nationwide. Politically, I’ve been checking up on Congress giving our money away to the auto industry, which the President has now done of his own volition. It’s powerful, what thinking of one’s legacy of leaving thousands without homes and IRA’s will do to a President who championed all these debacles-to-be. Let’s let the bankers and insurance companies be free of regulation, then bail them out.
I want to know if he can pardon Bernie Madoff before he’s even convicted. Here’s an eggnog to you, Mike in DC. Or a Beef on ‘Weck. I’d choose the beef. Dee
Mincemeat. Three bottles of mincemeat got there and the caterer brought mincemeat tarts for the Christmas Eve party so no tarts were made. On Christmas day they had tarts remaining to be eaten, and according to my brother, they were good.
So no pastry lesson, but a good gift of three jars of Crosse & Blackwell mincemeat to my family.