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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ClearSkies on October 17, 2007, at 15:20:55
So a week ago last Saturday I tried to cook Tarte Tatin, to duplicate a yummy caramelized upside down apple tart that I had on holiday. Apparently it's a time-honoured French recipe (note my eyebrow is raised). I even used my le Crueset frying pan for the operation.
Well, I blew it. Either misread the instructions or cooked it too long or at too high a temperature, or something, and not only did I burn the resulting disaster of a tart, but the pan... well, the pan... I incinerated the apples and sugar into a quarter-inch thick black carbon mass onto the bottom of the pan. Let's see, that was Saturday the 13th of October, and today is the 17th. So I've been trying to get the pan clean for 5 consecutive days. That's soaking, scrubbing, boiling, oven cleaner, every non-destructive cleaning technque I have found. I've scrubbed through two nylon scrubby thingies already. I've just set the pan to soak in boiling water for the third time, having cleaned through several micro layers of almost diamond-hard carbonized gunk.
I don't think I was trying to cook Tarte Tatin at all. I think I was following a recipe for asphalt, and that it turned out perfectly!!!
The burnt mass on the bottom of the pan is yielding. Slowly, slowly, with no loss to the pan. I'm not willing to sacrifice my frying pan to the kitchen gods this time around. But I haven't had a kitchen disaster on this scale for a very long time.
Any other cooking stories to share today?
ClearSkies
Posted by Dinah on October 17, 2007, at 19:05:37
In reply to Cooking fiasco redux, posted by ClearSkies on October 17, 2007, at 15:20:55
Many, I'm sure. :)
My husband's favorite comes from when I was pregnant. I don't even remember what I was making, but I turned the wrong burner on our brand new glass top stove, and melted a small appliance sitting on that apparently open spot of countertop - right over a burner we really never used.
The firemen came to our house (not for the first time) and set up giant fans to blow out the fumes while I went to my mother's, so that the baby wouldn't be affected.
We now only have one knob on our stove. If I want to use a second burner, I have to pull a knob out of a drawer.
My favorite recipe was from many years back when my father and I tried to make a recipe from his favorite restaurant for Turkey Poulette and ended up gluing my dog's mouth shut. The paper later printed a correction. Apparently they'd messed up the flour ratio, and ended up with library paste instead of sauce.
Posted by Phillipa on October 17, 2007, at 21:26:15
In reply to Re: Cooking fiasco redux » ClearSkies, posted by Dinah on October 17, 2007, at 19:05:37
Quit cooking when working 3-ll and gave away all cooking things now it salad or healthy choice. I do not like to cook did my time for over 21 years. Phillipa
Posted by Poet on October 18, 2007, at 9:17:57
In reply to Cooking fiasco redux, posted by ClearSkies on October 17, 2007, at 15:20:55
I can honestly say that I can't even boil water. I put the pot on the stove, turned the burner on, only it wasn't the burner under the pot. I blew up a teapot and shorted out the stove. We needed a new one anyway.
The temperature to set a pot holder on fire is 375 degrees. Note to self, check oven for pot holders before preheating. Another note to self: remove frozen pizza from cardboard before placing in oven. At least I always remove the plastic.
Burnt grilled cheese sandwich anyone?
Poet
Posted by Dinah on October 18, 2007, at 9:34:25
In reply to Re: Cooking fiasco redux, posted by Poet on October 18, 2007, at 9:17:57
:-)
Sounds like we have similar cooking styles. lol.
It's hard for me to focus on the actual world long enough to make sure I turned the proper knob. Might I suggest removing all knobs but one?
I actually liked cooking when I lived with my parents. But they liked my cooking. My son's and husband's tastes are completely different, and they seldom like anything I make. My most successful meals for my son are Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and Hamburger Helper Stroganoff.
Sigh.
Posted by Poet on October 18, 2007, at 13:25:57
In reply to Re: Cooking fiasco redux » Poet, posted by Dinah on October 18, 2007, at 9:34:25
Hi Dinah,
My husband does the make it from scratch cooking (for obvious reasons.) I think removing all the knobs except one is a really good idea, though my husband would mock me. Now if he calls me to tell me to get a pot of water boiling because he's making pasta when he gets home he says and turn the right burner on. So maybe the right burner is the left one? So there.
Poet
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