jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
It’s less about taste and more about the fact that water from a water heater is often contaminated
What are some of the dumbest, most impractical "facts" or advice you've heard on a cooking show?
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I was led to believe that the hot water source is now devoid of a lot of the air which you would see bubbling up when you boil it. True or not, and not that I use hot tap water, but I really can't see how it makes a difference. I don't think the food would take on a different taste because the water was "flat".
ahh, missed your post jennyema, you are absolutely correct - I completely forgot that. Nice catch.
For just one carrot, I scrape with the hard-edged spine of my chef's knife. As for the water--right: you don't want water that's been through a heater or, for that matter, copper pipes soldered (as most are) with lead solder, as it's the heat that causes lead to leach into the water.
My understanding of lead leaching into water is that it is when it is standing in lead pipes, as it was in Rome. I shouldn't think the small amount of lead soldering with water passing over it could possibly pick up enough lead to register. And the lead soldering is mostly on the outside of the pipe with minimal actually in the two joints. Most pipe joints are connected with a sleeve over the ends of the pipes. No?
Depending on your water pipes, the hot water can also have dissolved minerals that aren't healthy to ingest. Apparently, that used to be much more common than it is in newer houses.
It doesn't hurt to run for water for a bit. This way you've by-passed the standing water in the pipes.
CharlieD
Chef Extraordinaire
But it is not what the chef said in the quote.
I understand. The chef was not a physicist. But the reason to start with cold water is common and I explained the reason.
Poor girl--just imagine slaving all day over a hot can opener!
Just getting back to the comment about using a mandolin. I do use the guard, but then I am left with a fair bit of potato, or whatever it is I am trying to thinly slice, left in the guard. I end up taking that out and spending just as much time trying to thinly slice it by hand as I did slicing the rest of it on the mandolin. I did try to use the mandoline a couple of times without the guard and luckily managed to preserve my fingers, but it was touch and go and I learned my lesson! (I am usually cooking for only 2 people so because of this, I rarely use the mandolin.)
Do most people just throw away the piece of vegetable left in the guard?
Do most people just throw away the piece of vegetable left in the guard?
For small amounts, I use the Kyocera hand held adjustable mandoline. It has a ceramic blade and lasts a very long time, years with the use it gets with the 2 of us.
There are 2 models, 1 adjustable and 1 fixed. I have used the #1 setting to slice truffles. The #4 setting is still pretty thin, but I use it make scalloped potatoes.
I've bought the Kyocera at Sur La Table and off Amazon. Low to mid $20s depending on whether you get fixed or adjustable.
I don't use the guard, but get it down pretty far. If it's something I want to use every bit of, I put the flat cut side down on the cutting board and slice thinly from there. If it's an onion, I take it down as far as I'm comfortable, then slice in 2 or 3 slices, chop and bag to put in refrigerator for another dish.
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Great question Katy! I've often wondered what the people who advocate the guard do with that last piece.
Hate to admit, no, I do not use it very often. It cannot be used at the beginning, the vegie (or whatever) is just too big and flies and flops around creating more danger.
By the time it gets to the size where you should be using it... well, why bother? Just keep going and use your judgement when to really go very slow and careful.
I can get it down almost to the last drop. If, because of shape, size, density, I deem it too risky, I stop.
Again, depending on what it is and the final use, I possibly just toss it in with the rest. One slightly thick piece - I'm not doing a show, just a meal.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Hmmm, interesting. I don't have a mandolin. I have a V-Slicer. Similar but more limited. I mostly use it to slice onions in quantity for onion soup. I always use the guard and it leaves very little unusable at the end. For the time it saves and the uniformity it provides I'd gladly either toss the remainder or save it for a stock or something.
This is more or less where I am with it Dragon. But as I say, unless I had to do a lot of very thin slicing, I just can't be bothered getting it out and setting it up! You are spot on about making a meal and not a show!
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
This is like the one I have: https://www.amazon.com/BORNER-Mando...ocphy=9001904&hvtargid=pla-392721738685&psc=1
It doesn't do as much as a full mandolin. The only way you can make adjustments is to switch out blade holders.
Okay, just quickly looked it up. Looks feasible for smaller quantities, but from what you say, there is still the issue of remaining product on a guard. I will have a proper look though so thanks for the suggestion.
That is what I have. So, not a mandolin - a V slicer. Though the issues with the guard/waste are the same it seems.
I have cut resistent gloves and use one of those when I use my V-slicer. I seldom use the guard. But, I always wear that glove. Unless I really want the slices very uniform or a large amount, I seldom use it. For me it is the washing the mandolin that seems to be the excess effort. It's fiddlier and scarier to wash than my chef's knife. But, I do use it when I want to shred a whole large cabbage or beets for pickled beets.
So, I don't have that bit leftover at the end. That bit may have been part of my motivation to get the cut resistant gloves.
So, I don't have that bit leftover at the end. That bit may have been part of my motivation to get the cut resistant gloves.
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