So today we’ll take a look at how we handle salt. Typically the kitchen buys the salt already in the container, the “shaker”. Now I’m not a big fan of these items. The main reason is that it’s tough to gauge how much salt is coming out of the darn thing. Especially if there’s a lot of moisture in the air and the salt begins to cake up. Secondly, when I’m putting together a stew or something I need a feel as to the total amount of salt I’m getting in there, and shaking until my hand is tired just doesn’t cut it.

 So what I do instead is to use this small thick walled glass jar to hold the salt. I then pour what I need into my hand and using a shaking action distribute as much as I want, where I want. Perfect! If I poured too much into my hand I just dump what was left back into the jar. ..  Simple. Controllable. And it makes you look as if you really know what you’re doing.

 Now you don’t have to buy a jar. Just get something. Ideally something that seals out the moisture, something that allows you to take a pinch or to pour some into your hand (for example I think Alton Brown’s thing is a little too large for easy and accurate pouring into your hand).

 And most importantly, enjoy the art of cooking. Have fun planning, shopping, cooking, serving and of course eating. The weather’s starting to get chilly over here..rainy with a damp breeze coming off the ocean. But I still love it. Will be putting up some recipes to warm your kitchen and soul this weekend. Enjoy the day!

 (you might want to send this as a 911 to the people you know who are still using those cardboard store-bought shakers .. tell them to subscribe in the upper right of the page) Ciao!

 You might also want to make your own signature seasoning .. Check it out

• Making Your Own Signature Seasoning

 Anyway went down to the Salvation Army to see if they had a decent paring knife for sale. The reason being great price, helping a good cause and recycling a once loved kitchen tool instead of manufacturing a new one. Now usually when I say this I get the eye roll (especially from the snobs who would never consider such a thing). Well, struck out with the paring knife (my father donated a lame one which has been sharpened to the point where it works pretty well). But found this beautiful J.A. Henckels Professional Meat Cleaver. High carbon steel to hold a razor edge, great weight, great feel. Checked Amazon and this has a list price of $90.And I got this thing for $1.99! Insane. Of course it was dull but hitting it with a sharpening stone quickly brought it back to life. And you know somewhere, sometime, someone who loved to cook bought this cleaver and now it was just sitting around being useless. I kind of like the fact that it’s been brought back to life and doing what it was meant to do. .. Anyway before it sounds like I’m getting all emotional over a meat cleaver just want to mention that I also picked up a hardcover first edition “The Godfather” by Mario Puzo .. for a buck! .. Insane!

 Send this post to a friend if you think this is useful and a good way to conserve resources while helping a good cause (especially if they’re a knife store snob). Some related posts are:

• A Great Inexpensive Place to Get Good Kitchen Knives
• Paring Knives
• Mr. Safety Almost Chops His Thumb Off While Gabbing

 Sure you can go cheap and get a lousy knife that won’t hold an edge or go for some quality and have a tool that will become like an old friend in the years to come. So what do you look for in a good quality knife? Well first, lets eliminate all the stainless steel knives out there.. these simply will not hold an edge. Rather go with a forged (not stamped) high carbon alloy. These will stay sharp.

 Now the whole rest of the story is how good the knife feels in your hand. This encompasses the material of the handle, it’s design, the weight of the knife and it’s balance. Remember this is to be your knife, it should almost feel like a part of your hand when you hold it. Comfortable, good and in control. Read the reviews but make sure to make your own final decision. Once you have a quality blade  only you can determine if the combination of all the other attributes are best for you.

Related Links:

• Sharpening Knives

 The seasoning process is actually pretty straightforward:

• Put the oven rack near the bottom of the oven. Place a layer of aluminum foil on the rack.
• Preheat the oven to 275F 
• Wash your new cookware with soap & warm water. Use a scouring pad or a wire brush to remove any factory residues. Be careful when handling cast iron, it’s heavy and can break a foot or toe if dropped.
• Dry the cookware with a towel.
• Coat the cookware with lard. If you try to use a liquid oil such as Canola Oil you’ll end up with tacky (as in sticky) cookware.
• Place the cookware in the oven on the aluminum foil.
• Bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove using good oven mitts (remember cast iron is heavy which also means it also holds a lot of heat, use good quality oven mitts when handling).
• Pour off any excess grease into a container for proper disposal.
• Place the cookware back in the oven on the aluminum foil.
• Continue baking for 1 1/2 hour more.
• Leave the cookware in the oven and shut off. Let the cookware come back down to room temperature in the oven.

Re-seasoning:

• If the pan start to stick just thoroughly clean and dry.
• Repeat the seasoning instructions above.

 Cast Iron Pans. They distribute heat evenly, last a generation or more if properly cared for, add a vital nutrient to our diets and are non-stick. Naturally, without chemicals and without using the resources needed to produce these chemicals.

Related Links:

• Amazon.com’s Lodge Cast Iron Cookware Page

 This is just to give the OTK Readers a heads up. We’re not in any way affiliated, paid off or wined & dined (..uhh.. I wish) by Macy’s, Kohl’s or KitchenAid.

Related Links:

• KitchenAid Standing Mixer

 The portable timer will keep “dinging” until it wakes you up/drives you crazy if you don’t respond and it gives you freedom. Freedom to go to the living room and read a book without worrying if you didn’t hear the timer go off in the kitchen.

 Anyway, here’s a fancy schmantzy one from West Bend..A clock as well as a timer, counts either up or down. And has a 100 hour capability (in case you want to ferment wine or something). This one’s from Target but you can shop it and get them cheaper or with different features.

Related Links:

• Target’s Kitchen Timer Products Page

  Now previously there had been a belief that plastic was actually safer in terms of bacterial growth on the board after use. However, there are now several studies with conflicting results. But whatever the case, plastic is just plain ugly….and it does seem to groove more than a “hardwood” like bamboo. Now if given the choice of swallowing a small piece of bamboo vs a small chip of plastic…..you know what I’d choose. As far as bacterial growth is concerned..just wash the board after use and you can also sanitize it as well.

 Also, you want to have special cutting boards for those chores involving foods that tend to “taint” the board. For instance, you definately want a special board for cutting and dicing your hot peppers as the heat  can stay with the board and transfer over to other foods.

 As far as Bamboo is concerned, it makes for a very attractive board that’s also extremely hard and resistant to gouging (16% harder than maple). The signature move to both use the board and keep it looking awesome is to use only one side for cutting and the other for serving precut cheese or whatever.

 But just as important, is that from an environmental perspective bamboo, which is actually a grass, grows extremely fast..(peaks at about two feet per day). So we’re talking something that is renewable in very short time-frames unlike a stately maple tree that can takes much longer. Bamboo is a beautiful, functional and environmentally responsible choice for a cutting board.

Related Links:

• The Party Cheese Tray
• Chile Pepper Primer
• Info on Triclosan..An Active Ingredient In Antibacterial Soaps
• More Negative Effects of the Antibacterial Triclosan
• Target’s Product Page of Bamboo Cutting Board

Here’s some from IKEA, however you can probably do better at your local discount store. I have three sizes in the kitchen and although only one gets 95% of all the use it’s good to have the small sizes around when you need them.

Related Links:

• IKEA Product Page for Rubber Spatulas

 The coffee grinder will then time itself depending upon the grind selected. And while it is doing this, I’m free to get the filters and add the water to the coffee maker. If you have one of the old styles where you have to hold the button down or don’t have a grinder at all…you should consider picking one up. This one’s available at Wal-Mart but shop it.

Related Links:

• Organic Test Kitchen Post on Fresh Ground Coffee
• Wal-Mart Product Page

 It’s time to get rid of it because the spoons get in each other’s way. Also, if you measured oil with one, it hits your sleeve as you are using another. And, if you need some flour you have to dive your whole hand into the bag because the handles are so stinking short…just all around annoying.

 But why settle for this when the cost of some decent spoons is so cheap? What you want to look for is stainless steel, individual spoons not strung together on a ring and nice long handles. Good luck!

Related links:

• Cuisipro 5-Piece Measuring Spoon Set at Target