After doing many versions of focaccia, bagels, pretzels and sourdough bread, it was obvious that during the rising period, or proofing, that temperature control is critical. We were using a stainless steel bowl, a pyrex plate as a cover and an incandescent lamp to raise the temperature. This made our proofing take many hours. For sourdough, even 6 hours was not enough.
Many DIY options exist. This is not complex. You need a heat source, humidity, an enclosed box and maybe a fan. It is also nice to see the dough rise.
Pressure cooked pork ribs, Toronto, Canada. Photo by Don Tai
Meat, always seems to be on Little Weed’s mind. As parents we know this, so when NoFrills offered pork ribs for $1.99/lb there was no question we would be going home with a sizable hunk of pig. But how to cook it, Eschewing the usual 3 hr bake time, the pressure cooker did it in 25 minutes, followed by a sauce glaze and 20 minutes in a 400 degree oven. It came out great.
With a sharp pop the stove went, those of us in the kitchen grew wary as the strange smell of something burnt but uncommon wafted in the air. Our electric stove, boiling water in a kettle on a small burner, had hurt itself. The burner was dead, the kettle had a hole burnt through it, with water now flooding the overflow pan under the burner. After some electrical diagnostic work we found it best to look for a new range, range being a stove-top and an oven underneath. Gas ranges are new to us, so there was the usual searching for info, visiting stores and eventually the purchase. Here are some hints and tips on buying an economy gas range in Toronto, Canada.
