by Catherine on 17 Jan 2010
Tupperware fetishes aside, I don’t really like plastic. I hate its all too tempting disposability – especially now that the possibility of recycling much of it lends it a flimsy appearance of sustainability. The developing concern that some plastics can cause health issues when used as food storage doesn’t help either. So while it costs a bucket more and takes up more room, I’ve been slowly transferring over to Pyrex for storing and reheating cooked food. The best advantage apart from durability and hopefully less toxicity, is that it just way more convenient than plastic because it can go from the fridge straight to the oven and better than aluminium because happily be microwaved without creating fireworks. And it doesn’t look like you’re slumming it if you serve it directly.
I didn’t really think there was anything better than Pyrex but my poorly repressed consumerism will always find something new (even if it is technically old) to lust after. This morning, I saw this beautiful set of retro Pyrex at Betty’s Kitchen (via Queering Domesticity).
According to her Kitchen:
Betty uses this great Pyrex refrigerator dish set, which was manufactured starting in 1949. In three colors and three sizes it always has a purpose. This is called the Primary Color set – solid red, blue and yellow dishes with clear glass covers.
Sizes: Yellow – 503-B – 9-1/2 by 7 inches; 2-5/8 inches tall. Cover 503-C
Blue – 502-B – 6-3/4 by 4-1/4 inches; 2-3/4 inches tall. Cover 502-C
2 Red – 501-B – 4-1/4 by 3-3/8 inches; 2-3/4 inches tall. Cover 510-C
Unlike the current generation of Pyrex that have plastic (and no doubt more air tight) lids, these had glass lids which look like they could be used as side serving/cooking dishes.
It would be cool if Pyrex got on the retro bandwagon and just reissued some of their past lines. Companies really don’t do that often enough.
by Catherine on 23 Nov 2009
I’m late posting this because I’ve been busy with end of year uni assessments but I figured better late than never.
The November 2009 Daring Cooks challenge was brought to you by Audax of Audax Artifex and Rose of The Bite Me Kitchen. They chose sushi as the challenge.
As I was doing it with little time to spare I thought I could add that to the challenge’s mix and make the filling out of leftovers and cross my fingers!
I made some slow cooker teriyaki chicken the night before as I thought that would make an appropriate leftovers filling.
I didn’t have time to fan the rice, or even to wait for it to cool – this made the seaweed more delicate and prone to tearing. I also didn’t feel like forking out $10 for a sushi set at the supermarket that contained the bamboo mat that helps you roll up the sushi. I could have spent more time making sure my rice was spread out evenly and I could have been more patient when cutting it. But as it was, I was in a rush and I was also perversely curious to see how many short cuts it would tolerate.
The result was, unsurprisingly, not the best looking sushi but it held together fine to eat and, most importantly, was very tasty. It’s a recipe I’d quite happily try again (and probably with a bit more conscientiousness the next time).
[click to continue…]
by Catherine on 1 Nov 2009
Eeek! Nanowrimo starts today and the goal is 1,667 words and I’m still tossing up writing something non-fiction or complying with the rules and going with one of the four fiction ideas currently at the top of my must write a novel one day list. Or sully the rules even more and do half of one of each.
If I do end up doing a novel as I’m supposed to, I’ve done no prep whatsoever. Fortunately, I found an article on something called the Snowflake Method that’s supposed to help make a novel less of a daunting task:
How to Write a Novel: The Snowflake Method (via All Things Shea)
Good luck to everyone embarking on the challenge! 
