Mess Hall Acquisitions-

[Sullybob]

I just picked up one of those thermometers at SLT. It's worked very well so far and a heck of a price.

I found a bunch of them in the bargain bin, they were $5.95 each. I had a hard time not picking up a couple at that price.

[Sterling Cooper]

Freaking awesome Chris!

Is the placement on GQ coincidental?

Not really, Jim. I just couldn't pass up Roger Sterling on the cover.

It turns out, my press is missing a couple of parts. There's a perforated press basket and a perforated press plate that screws into the upper disk. At some point, that had been replaced be a 1" thick disc of wood (whether because the metal disk was lost or the original user simply found this more functional I do not know) I'm pretty sure that the press is fully functional without these two pieces, but I still plan on finding them.

I assume since it's cast iron, it was made to be placed above a moderate open flame to heat up the fruit or lard before pressing it out. Any serious Cast Iron guys out there that might have some info on this piece and how it's best used? Your counsel would be greatly appreciated.

I'm not sure that I'll use it for lard. Right now, I take the laborious route of slow rendering 1" cubes in All-Clad. It takes a couple of hours in small batches to get about 2 cups. The upside is that I'm getting some really pure, snow white lard that is much closer to Leaf Lard than anything commercial that I've bought--even the homemade stuff from Gepperth's Butcher Shop in Chicago. I'm not sure that cast iron is going to give me that--although the press would allow me to both do bigger loads and get better yields.

[eightysixCJ]

Finally pulled the trigger on a vacuum sealer. Cabela's CG-15 (and some spices from Monterey Bay Spice Co.)


Tom

[Jim]

Looking good Tom!

That Monterrey Spice company has been really impressive- great value and fantastic fresh spices, my new favorite.

[eightysixCJ]

Looking good Tom!

That Monterrey Spice company has been really impressive- great value and fantastic fresh spices, my new favorite.

Thanks,

MBSC is addictive!

[Alacrity59]

Love the spice. Meat and sausage do so much better in the freezer vacuum packed. Great stuff.

[Sterling Cooper]

I haven't received any of these yet, so I can't make a final statement to condition.

A Griswold #3 Meat Grinder



Parts for the above, including an assembly schematic and full set of cutting blade and three discs.



A Wagner #8 Deep (chicken fryer) skillet.

[Jim]

You are on fire Chris!

[craig87c]

Thats it. I'm heading out to antique stores on Long Island this weekend. Hopefully I can score some kitchen gear!

[Sterling Cooper]

You are on fire Chris!

Benefits of being single, Jim. I can have underwear lying on the bathroom floor, pancetta hanging from a kitchen cabinet, my dog on the couch and vintage cast iron showing up on the doorstep......no questions asked!

[saf]

Chris did you just get into cooking?

[Sterling Cooper]

No. I've been seriously cooking for about 7 years when I bought most of my cookware and knives. I haven't really bought much new stuff until the last few months when I felt it was time to add to herd.

[saf]

Chris you have been getting awesome stuff. I have to say I am jealous a bit.

[Sterling Cooper]

Some new cast iron acquisitions.

Two Wagner #3. The one on the left arrived so perfectly seasoned that I didn't strip it down. I gave it a good wash in hot soap and then a one hour session with lard. The one on the right had a pretty uneven, gloopy sticky seasoning, which I stripped off. The pic is right after it came out of a one week soak in oven cleaner and a good session with steel wool: ready for its first seasoning (I alternate very thin, very hot coats of lard and canola).

Vollrath #8 (4.5Q) Dutch Oven. The piece is in great condition, but the seasoning is horrible. It went into the trash bags with oven cleaner yesterday, and I'll finish it off next Saturday. As a bonus, the Vollarth lid fits my Wagner 1088 chicken fryer perfectly.

[Sterling Cooper]

Chris you have been getting awesome stuff. I have to say I am jealous a bit.

Thanks, SAF. I'm not a collector though. Everything I buy gets used.

I cleaned up and sterilized the meat grinder yesterday, and I'll try to get some pics posted of her in action next weekend.

[Talal]

few updates to my cast iron collection. I stick with pre 1940s pieces . Grabbed a wonderful Griswold #5 slant Erie, and a #10 Erie (pre griswold) Skillet.

Both in excellent condition, i am very pleased!










Cast iron is win

[Alacrity59]

I'm loving the cast iron. Nice finds! The grinder reminds me of how left over roast used to be ground and find its way into Shepard's Pie for weekdays.

[Talal]

yea i love the meat grinder. nice find on that one!

[saf]

I need to buy something new.

[Sterling Cooper]

Those are some amazing looking Griswolds, Talal. From the pics, they look almost mint quality. My only Griswold, so far, is a user grade slant/erie #7. I'm amazed at how it performs relative to the new stuff: all the benefits of cast iron with heat conductivity and responsiveness approaching All-Clad levels. I'd like to get a mix of pre-Griswold ERIE, slant/erie, slant EPU and large block logos and see how they differ.