Cooking/ baking

[Arden Sage]

lovely homebaked produce.
I bake my Christmas cake at Easter - that is when fresh eggs are plentiful (and it is the the traditional route). My hens came into lay last week, although I lost one of my girls at the weekend :'( so I only have three now.
Those loaves look delicious - never heard of "Retarding Bread" before - well done on your first attempt. I recently discovered a recipe for a loaf made from "leftover" porridge (who the heck has leftover porridge? far too yummy to have leftovers, I think LOL) which sounds like a tasty loaf and one to try when I have a fully functioning kitchen Meanwhile, I shall just use your loaves as eye-candy inspiration LOL

 

[Logan]

Thank you @Arden Sage must be nice having fresh eggs. Sorry that you lost one of them.

 

[Becky]

Thank you it was the first time i had tried Retarding bread https://www.thespruceeats.com/retarding-427620 the loaf on the right was baked straight out of the fridge the one to the left was brought back to room temp both loafs tasted the same but the one brought back to room temp was more fluffy inside.

A long slow prove certainly makes for a tasty loaf! I do the second prove of my sourdough in the fridge and let it warm up to room temperature before putting it in the oven. So far so good

 

[Arden Sage]

A long slow prove certainly makes for a tasty loaf! I do the second prove of my sourdough in the fridge and let it warm up to room temperature before putting it in the oven. So far so good

Now that is a good tip; thank you.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Title of this thread is Cooking/jBaking. I cook every night etc. Baking is hit or miss, depends. Husband does not eat baked good too much so keeping those calories around are not good. Have in the freezer a Apple Cranberry loaf and a zucchini bread. I can take one of those out briefly and slice out a hunk, then put it back. I am planning to bake a Crab Meat Quiche this week. Years ago did enter the Mushroom Festival baking contest with my Mushroom Quiche, got into the top 10 out of 200. That experience was neat.
I like finding off the wall things to bake as I have been baking things since 13 years old. Couple years ago heard of Sauerkraut pie, made it, it was very good, people thought it was coconut pie. I happen to be involved in a cooking forum for the past 20 years, folks from all over the world, learn a lot. One of my goals its to get up to New York and have dinner at one of the top 50 restaurants of the world.

 

[Arden Sage]

Years ago did enter the Mushroom Festival baking contest with my Mushroom Quiche, got into the top 10 out of 200. That experience was neat.

Congratulations!

 

[Everbrown]

I have been getting into cooking with cast iron (some very old cookware, some new).
Baked oatmeal (Kind of Amish thing here in the states), bean soup with Ham, Nevajo Taco (with homemade frybread), Huevos Rancheros.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

I have been getting into cooking with cast iron (some very old cookware, some new).

I have two caste iron skillets of which I cook in or bake in, which ever the need. one is about 9inch round size the other about 12 inch. I use them for either savory or sweet food items. My list would be very long as to what I have made in them, so won't go there. My mother had a couple so used way back then in my early teens .

 

[Esther Knapicius]

To me you can't make corn bread right unless its in a caste iron skillet. and cooking a steak in a caste iron skillet is wonderful.

 

[Logan]

My brother uses cast iron frying pan, but it's heavy.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

My brother uses cast iron frying pan, but it's heavy.

Well, yes. but they last forever, never have to replace ever. My larger one has a grip handle on the other side, when coming out the oven takes both arms / hands to lift. That is the way it is. I am a frugal purchaser of items. My other pots and pans I have had since I am 22 years old, and still beautiful. Because I believe in buy what lasts. It may be a higher amount at the beginning , but no replacement is ever necessary. My pans are going strong now going on 40 years. They need to be inherited to someone.

I also, few years back bought a large red Le Creuset for a dutch oven. It makes some awesome roasts.

 

[Logan]

That's great Esther, yes that's why he bought them. Do they have nonstick?
I have a pressure cooker that I've had for over 30years only had to replace the gasket in side the rim.

 

[Everbrown]

My brother uses cast iron frying pan, but it's heavy.

Most cast iron made today is heavy but I have a couple pans (1930's ~~> 1940's I think) that are quite a bit lighter and easier to handle.

Cast iron can be made pretty non-stick if one gets the seasoning and cooking method down right.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

That's great Esther, yes that's why he bought them. Do they have nonstick

They are not non-stick. But with proper seasoning / conditioning and use they naturally become "almost" non-stick. But it depends on how you cook. To me simply leaving them in the sink for an hour with water and a bit of soap does the trick. and proper drying and re oiling them. there is certain care needed each use to maintain them.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Even when I bake corn bread in them, no oiling is needed for the batter, and all comes out clean. However, my caste iron is years old, with years is seasoned and care of always storing away with a bit of oil on it.