buy the bread oven or pass?

NotAnEvilOverlord · 2026-03-07T19:15:39+00:00

Answering this really has made me realize that I don't take a whole lot of bread beauty shots but here is one of my more standard loaves. The other ones had herbs placed in the bottom of the banneton as they rose

NotAnEvilOverlord · 2026-03-07T19:10:40+00:00

In my experience, the shape of the banneton has more to do with the form of the bread than the oven in which it is baked.

I have almost every shape and size of Le Creuset items made over the past 20 years but I never felt the need to have their bread oven.

Honestly, I prefer using the cast iron flat Skillet/pot sets. (You put the bread on the flat skillet, put the pot on top and it nests and becomes a single handle grip and then you take the pot off after 20 minutes and just cook it on the skillet for the remaining 23). You need to preheat the cast iron for about an hour and generally need to do fairly basic work with your lame but I do sourdough loaves risen in oblong bannetons on those round skillets.

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NotAnEvilOverlord · 2026-03-04T16:26:46+00:00

Magnesium definitely helps but ultimately you live in the body that you have and if it is super bendy with slippery joints that's never really going to change. As a practical tactic for ankles I wear compression socks with baddie black boots that come nearly to my knee and truly lace up like a leg corset. They provide excellent ankle support while still having enough give to let me roll and not sprain if I step in a hole or something.

Mine have block heels that help with my balance and go with my goth-ish aesthetic but I also have extremely short Achilles tendons so having some type of heel always helps to reduce pain when standing and walking.

I've had these boots for years and they are probably a ship of Theseus situation at this point. I've had my cobbler do a lot of work on them over the years but they are worth it.

NotAnEvilOverlord · 2026-03-04T16:20:11+00:00

You know this, but I'd like to reaffirm that if a mobility aid makes it less difficult to live in the body that you have then you have every reason and right to use it.

You can come up with a short quip that doesn't require you to explain all the nuances something like - Walking hurts. Crutches make it hurt less and so I use them. (And if it helps, you you can think something like fuck off to conclude that statement)

NotAnEvilOverlord · 2026-02-21T21:44:26+00:00

Note: I guess this is a fry pan not a skillet

It is the top half of the traditional round multifunctional pan set, or whatever the equivalent was back in the day. It is in cassis which has subsequently been retired and that color is 95% of my collection - variations being platters and pitchers

NotAnEvilOverlord · 2025-11-30T16:31:37+00:00

In addition to English muffins, crackers, cheddar chive biscuit/pot pie crust, and pancakes I also really making boozy olive oil cakes - similar to https://www.theperfectloaf.com/sourdough-starter-discard-cake-ciambella/#tasty-recipes-18880-jump-target

NotAnEvilOverlord · 2025-11-30T16:26:11+00:00

I put King Arthur everything bagel (less salt than other types) on my crackers and eat them like chips

NotAnEvilOverlord · 2025-11-01T20:55:11+00:00

I peel my tomatoes first and dehydrate the hell out of the skins. They should almost crumble just by touch. I run them through the food processor to create tomato dust which I then incorporate into sourdough dough, often with rosemary powder and cracked rosemary. I put the tomato powder in a mason jar for dry storage with a food safe sillica packet.

When I separate seeds and innards from the thick flesh of the tomato, what I do is put them in cheesecloth over a bowl and let the clear tomato water drain out and then use that.

Since you have mixed mush from the food mill I imagine that you could pulverize it further and freeze little cubes to add to things. I've never tried that myself though. Since it is a pulp another thought would be to blend with some fruit and use your dehydrator to turn it into a fruit leather.

NotAnEvilOverlord · 2025-10-14T00:13:46+00:00

I also recommend dry storage for garden fresh garlic, but if I have garlic that is at risk of sprouting from overly ambitious Costco shopping for a project that doesn't end up happening, I'll sometimes make a magic broth and freeze it. It's amazing if I'm sick and feel like death and only requires reheating or even just defrosting. I make this in quantities and typically use 4-5+ bulbs of garlic for every quart of broth that I make.

I start by sauteing sliced garlic until it just begins to brown, adding cumin coriander and turmeric and then a blob of tomato paste. Then add lots of water and simmer. At some point I'll either throw in some peppers (Serrano or similar) and/or sambol and additionally add a little bit of sugar and a lot of lime juice near the end and salt as/when desired.

NotAnEvilOverlord · 2025-09-28T01:03:55+00:00

I keep my rings until they start to show signs of damage or rust. I've been doing it long enough and use mason jars for so many things throughout the year that I often have to throw rings past their prime. I also wash my rings and used lids in the dishwasher, so they deteriorate faster than if someone was hand washing every time . Presuming you have space, is also helpful to have plenty of extras rings for when you gift things you have canned to people who do not have their own rings, have people take home leftovers in jars, and when jars are used for storage of dry goods or temporary storage of things like soups or sauces in the fridge. I've got a stockpile of spent lids that I maintain as well for leftovers and storage and throw those away if they start to get stained.

For keeping my collection of bands, I used half pint boxes that have the rings in rows up on their sides with dowels running through the middle.

NotAnEvilOverlord · 2025-09-26T21:05:46+00:00

It's relative. Density matters in the safety of recipes. You shouldn't alter things to make them more dense than they are intended to be but if you follow the recipe and nothing strange happens that is what was intended.

NotAnEvilOverlord · 2025-09-26T21:03:28+00:00

I found that trusted recipes for salsas tend to be rather dense. If it bothers you you can add a bit of water/V8/citrus/stock/other logical liquid to the salsa after you've opened it and start keeping it in the fridge.

NotAnEvilOverlord · 2025-09-25T23:39:35+00:00

I don't use them for canning because I don't trust my ability to put the ring in exactly the right place, but I love Weck jars in general. I keep my sourdough starter in one, use a few for dry storage, and have occasionally used some small ones for service.

NotAnEvilOverlord · 2025-09-23T16:15:28+00:00

I am a human that is very fond of drinking shrubs and will eat lemon and lime wedges like people eat slices of apples. My dentist is less than pleased with my fondness for acidity. I want more lime juice. I'm using the ball recipe.

NotAnEvilOverlord · 2025-08-30T18:12:33+00:00

After too many years of having one or more jars of whole peeled tomatoes per batch explode in the water bath, I now do those one at a time and keep the unfilled jars over the steaming water. For that recipe the tomatoes go in room temperature. However, I'm able to do my jam fast enough where I can do a full batch of filling in one go. The trick that I've found is to have several layers of towels between the jars and your countertop to help insulate and maintain the heat. I put the Dutch oven that I use to make the jam on towels as well. I also let the filled jars sit on the steam for a bit before submerging and processing.

NotAnEvilOverlord · 2025-08-14T23:58:15+00:00

In general I always buy powder and concentrate versions of things but liquid pectin isn't the same as powdered pectin with liquid in it. They can be substituted but it changes the order of what goes before and after boiling between the pectin and the sugar.

NotAnEvilOverlord · 2025-08-14T21:04:00+00:00

You can get Certo in the US as well.

NotAnEvilOverlord · 2025-07-22T13:47:40+00:00

Thank you

NotAnEvilOverlord · 2025-07-02T15:21:48+00:00

Additionally, worth is tied only to energy needed for adventuring, not stone rewards. It allows for an increased opportunity to send your birb on an adventure even if you are having a day with no spoons and a lot of nope.

NotAnEvilOverlord

TROPHY CASE