EdipisReks1

I really like schnitzel. I might try out a vegetarian version, some time. That looks very well prepared, Mike!

The CK 2998 is a beautiful watch.

Hey Dusty, I typically just use salt, a bit of oil (whatever is required to keep things moving around when you stir), and low heat and time. You want to maximize surface area, as that is what allows for a good reduction of moisture, which facilitates expressing sugars in the produce. You can, and I do this occasionally, add a very small amount of baking soda (maybe a 1/4 teaspoon to two large onions, or four bulbs of garlic, minced, in a pan, well mixed). This changes the PH of the vegetables, and they will weep liquid more quickly, and they will caramelize much more quickly. It will taste caramelized, but it won't taste like true slowly caramelized alliums, and you have to make sure to use the bare minimum of baking soda, otherwise it will taste soapy. Using baking soda is acceptable for situations where you are adding caramelized onions, garlic, leeks, etc, to something else that is strongly flavored, but I'd never do it when making something that is mainly flavored by the caramelization itself. For instance, you'd never want to change the PH when making a very traditional French onion soup. For that application, I expect a five pounds of onions and two of shallots (which is the smallest batch of French onion I typically make, as it freezes so well) to take several hours, in a low temp oven. I never add water, as water is the enemy of caramelization at atmospheric pressure. I've never done it, but there are pressure cooker methods to caramelize alliums more quickly. I should try that out, as I'm a big fan of pressure cookers. Having said that, the picture that is provided does not seem adequately caramelized for French onion soup, in my opinion (I think the presence of a certain required amount of water may prevent caramelization, beyond a certain point, but I'd have to test it, to be sure). For that application (I do the most traditional version, which has no beef or vegetable stock), you need the deepest flavor possible, and you want to caramelize until you hit a light mahogany color. Something just about ready to burn, but not quite there. You get that with low heat, salt, oil, surface area, and occasional stirring. I hope that helps! Here is the French onion soup recipe I like the best, if you are interested. The only change I make is replacing a couple pounds of onions with shallot. My favorite way of doing garlic is actually really easy. Heat your oven to 250/300. Wrap a bulb of garlic in aluminum foil. Stick the bulb in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour. Take out, once the bulb is very soft, let cool for at least an hour, and then just take the bulb apart and squeeze each clove out of the skin. Some people like to do it at higher temps for less time, but I think that brings out bitter flavors in the garlic. 45 minutes at 300 should do it just fine. You don't need to wait, if you squeeze the cloves out while wearing dishwashing gloves.

anything new to show?

Soup and pasta. Just about done.

My oven didn't want to get hot enough, for some reason, so the spring wasn't right, and therefore the hole formation wasn't ideal, but it's not bad for the time doing a traditional French bread in two years. Excellent flavor.

I haven't made bread in two years, but I made poolish, tonight. I'll post pics of my demi-baguettes, if they turn out well.

Ugh, that's the worst possible thing to happen with cigars! I'd much rather have a well stored mediocre cigar than a poorly stored great one. it's not even that hard, it just takes a little bit of effort and caring.

The biggest thing about Cuban cigars is that the soil and climate of Cuba are ideal for the kinds of tobacco plants that are ideal for cigars. I've sampled many Cuban cigars from many different years of production. The oldest was pre-embargo (and not from "pre-embargo seeds," as is often meant by that term), and the newest was about 10 years old, but most were rolled in the 90s. Construction quality varies, and construction quality is a very important component of how a cigar smokes, but the tobacco quality was pretty uniformly excellent. Like Dan, I'm worried that quality will go down once they start trying to satisfy the US market, but I'm somewhat optimistic.

You know, Zach, you don't have to be an asshole. You make me want to go back to not being here. Maybe I should indulge that impulse.

I don't know what this means.

Yes, it would have required magic to make it worthwhile for me.

Savinelli autograph with some GL Pease Key Largo that I've been aging for about 7 years. An excellent, excellent smoke.

Magic doesn't exist in the real world.

Real Reks can only do so much.

It barely had any wear, and I knew I would be selling it (I spotted a deal): I was afraid to take it out of the box to examine it for condition! That $5,000 paid for this term of my doctoral program, which I'm leaving, as of today (it's been an absolute waste of time and money), so maybe I'll at least get the 3940 profit back. Was there any doubt?

I have a hard time thinking that anybody who doesn't like the Reverso is much of a horlogerie fan. That's like not liking the Tudor Submariner, or a vintage Speedy, or a Patek 3940 (one of which I briefly owned in June: I never put it on, I just bought it and, a week later, sold it for a $5,000 profit. I wish I could have kept it). I have my Horween Shell Cordovan clone of the Casa Fagliano by Jan Ruzinsky on the watch. it's pretty much perfect. I would have him make the buckle end slightly longer, if I had this strap made again, but it's otherwise just right. I had the buckle end made to 16mm, so that I could use my early '60s vintage JLC buckle. The strap perfectly fills the difficult Grande Reverso lugs. I had it made in Horween Shell #8. I have three pairs of Shell #8 shoes, and two other pairs of oxblood shoes, so it will continue to work very well with blue and grey suits, but the new strap makes the watch more casual and versatile. I can always put the large scale OEM Alligator strap back on, with 18mm JLC buckle, for formal use.

I recently upgraded from my early 70s Hitachi Linn clone to a Micro-Seiki DD-35. Using the same Sumiko Pearl cart. It's a big upgrade. I bought my first Music Matters 45 (Cape Verdean Blues), and it sounds amazing!

I haven't loved the second season. I haven't even bothered watching the most recent 3 or 4 eps.

There is enough 4k content coming out that I'd be slightly interested in upgrading, even though I still absolutely adore the 60 inch Samsung Plasma, if OLED is finally starting to mature. OLED has been the "next thing" for a good long while...

I wish it were the Tribute to 1931 (I couldn't afford it), but I love the Grande Reverso Ultra Thin. It certainly helps that I'm an Art Deco fan. At about 7mm, it certainly slips under a shirt cuff well. My Latvian watch maker has cloned the Casa Fagliano strap for me, in Horween #8, and I look forward to receiving it soon.

I had the first excellent class in my doctoral program. I also came back home.

This is a serious album to listen to with some vintage RS-1s.