ISO comments/advice on silicone cookie sheets

[GoldenRule]

Ok, my face is redder than red - just found one 9 miles from here. Almost too embarrassed to tell you. Thanks! Will have to check it out. I can't believe this.

[dyscjocki]

I left the bakery to work baking for a restaurant and then became his main cook. After 7 years I went to another restaurant to become a manager and then after 18 months I moved out of state to work in another and became general manager of the one I am at now. As for the pie crust...use real lard, mix by hand so you do not over mix or it will get "tough" and try not to overfill the pie or it will overflow before it is done because as it gets hot inside it expands. The trick to meringues is you can not get ANY yolk in the bowl, you whip it until it stays in the bowl when flipped over and watch it closely in the over not to burn it.
I find alot of cast iron at yard sales and sometimes auctions for a fair price. I only will use Griswold or Wagnar brands and they are out -of-business now but those are the best that can be bought. I have dutch ovens skillets and flat grills that work so well.
I hope you get the urge to try and expand your baking skills because there is alot of rewards for good baking. It just takes time to build your skills and some wasted flour. hehe.

[GoldenRule]

Thanks, dj, for the encouragement and all the info. You are so nice to share. I may actually try again. You're making me want to try: ) Would love to succeed. Well, again, who wouldn't, huh?
My mom made fantastic pie crusts, but never bothered to show us or want us around to help. I worked in a restaurant years ago and loved the cook, who also made scrumptious pies, and I tried to learn from her, but she even gave up. I learned to make a lot of other things from her, though.
I tried everything I knew or ever heard to try with the meringue and it still never worked. It just didn't look like my mil's and my dd has had the same problem. It is flat and will lift off the pie all in one piece - stop laughing. My mil's was 3" high and perfect. I tried s/s bowl, glass bowl, warm egg whites, cold egg whites, hand-held and stand mixer, tried cream of tartar and tried sugar - pitiful.
I never see cast iron at yard sales. My husband always looks, but people just don't give 'em up around here, I guess. Now I know the brands that I should look for. Have to again admit I didn't know those brands. You would not believe how much I have found out that I don't know since I got on here - HA

[GoldenRule]

I don't mind wasting flour - it would be worth it if something just turned out edible!

[dyscjocki]

Most people do not know those brands because they have been out of business since the 60s I believe. Griswold is very hard to find anywhere but you can look on eBay for them to see what markings to look for. Just put in those two bands and alot will pop up. I do not buy from there because of price and shipping is high for cast iron. You just search and search. I only see about 5 in a yard sale season and my only by 1 per year because of price. I go to more than 20 sales on the average week. If you want I can try out some recipies for a good pie crust and let you know how they turn out and pass it alone when I find a good one.

[GoldenRule]

Oh dj that would be fantastic. Maybe I just haven't had the right recipe - yeah, that's it :0 Thank you for that kind offer - I will give it a shot: )
Wow 20 sales a week? You must be in a great area for that. I don't think we are. Unless signs are around I can't afford to drive around just looking for a bunch of stuff in a yard. DH loves them and can't pass one up so I'll make sure he knows what to look for now, although ANY cast iron would have been nice to find. We have never found a single piece at a yard sale or thrift store. I got one skillet from dh's grandmother and the other from his mom. They are treasures to me.
I know ebay is outrageously high on a lot of things. Shipping is awful, anyway - keeps going up, but it would be beyond high for cast iron, as heavy as it is.
Thanks one more time!!!

[dyscjocki]

Not just any brand of cast iron will do because of the quality. Cheap ones have "hot spots" in them and a hard to season surface. You would know the difference quickly if you had them side by side. Worth the wait to find a treasure.