(00:00:00) Our studio guests this noon is Pierre Frannie who is a food columnist for the New York Times writes a column called 60-minute Gourmet. He has written a book best-selling book with a very similar title and he is in the Minneapolis st. Paul area today to talk about a new book that he has just come out with it is called simply Pierre Franny's kitchen and it is a book that has a great deal of information in an about how to organize a kitchen how to choose some of the essential utensils and machines to put in a kitchen and most important of all how to use some of those things will open the phone lines for your questions to PR Franny and just a couple of moments. But first, let me ask you mr. Fraim. Mr. Franny. What what you had in mind when you when you put this book together, who is it written (00:00:54) for well. Basically, you know, I have another by line every Wednesday the New York time. It's an equipment. This is short. It's about 500 Words and every week. I talked about some kind of, you know, some piece of equipment you should have or you need in your kitchen. This book is purposely for people who are very much interested in buying the right kind of tools the right equipment that you need and but kitchen design is some something like that and there is lot of other items that Gadget that you should not have so I don't even talk about it. So basically that's the idea. (00:01:31) Well when you talk about a specific piece of equipment, let's talk about a knife for example is a knife a knife a knife or other some (00:01:37) differences. I think the knife is one of the most important piece of equipment your kitchen after the stove course what you have to look for for knife is too kind of knife that you should have one is carbon-steel knife grab parabens in there is one drawback. They don't keep they don't sustain very well. And hard to clean so and it is then what if you got lemon something with a silly thing, you know, they get even Rusty. So what I recommend is to buy is I carbon stainless steel. That's the best stay away from the stylist in life because they don't keep their age are very hard to shop and so they may be less less expensive but a long road you much better off by the right kind enough. Now what you have to look for you have to look for a forge steel knife, you know for all the way the from one end to the other should one solid piece and the other should be three rivets holding them together three reverses big knife or small knife. It could be a four inch knife like a pairing paring knife or big chef knife 1012 inches should be three rivets and that's the main idea, you know the main purpose of to buy a good knife. (00:02:58) I'm sure that People who are listening may have some questions about other items in the kitchen and how to use particular pieces of kitchen equipment. If you would like to ask a question of PR Franny by all means give us a call in the Minneapolis st. Paul area. The phone number is two two seven six thousand 2276 thousand in Minneapolis st. Paul in other parts of Minnesota call us toll-free at 1-866-553-2368. Five two nine seven zero zero in other parts of Minnesota, and if you're listening in one of the surrounding states or in Canada call us directly in the Twin Cities at area code 612 2276 thousand let's talk about one of the big ticket items just for a moment if we might the stove or the range if a person has a choice if they're going to be going out and buying a brand-new stove. What should they look for a gas? Of or an electric stove, what are the advantages and (00:04:02) disadvantages but is no question in my mind. You have to look for a gas. Stove (00:04:07) gas stove. Yes. Okay. Why is that better? (00:04:09) Well guests over say you shimmering a sauce or you saw taking something, you know and is this the same way is too high or use the fast start to burn by turning the knob is at instantly, you know, what's happening to that panel to that Source the electric stove is different, you know, it takes a while it takes maybe 10 15 seconds and you're not sure what exactly what's going to happen. You see in some of those stove they have thermostat, you know, run underneath that's not this is very bad because sometimes if the sauce is simmering and instead of that I stopped simmering and he goes on again so far. So personally I stay away from the electric stove and if you live in a country where you know, you got the electricity only ever. Table, I would advise that guy. I live in Long Island in New York. I've propane-gas tank outside in my bear in the ground and then they come once in a while to fill it up. (00:05:12) We have some people on the telephone would like to ask you questions. So let's go to our first caller. Hi, you're on the air. (00:05:19) I know I also have a question about so we're considering buying a new one right now. We have a new range and it's kind of flimsy. Now some of the ones I've looked at are used there Circa 1930 and I was wondering how those would do for baking. (00:05:37) This is the thing that the one from 1930 that the thermostat for baking. These got the clitoris is the thermostat is very important. So you should check the thermostat first, you know, because for baking the is very essential that you have the right temperature for whatever you cook you (00:05:55) play whether it would be better to get the old one or the newer forms. Either one. (00:06:04) Well personally, I have the oven that I ever suggest over the professional stove. They come with a very good oven and what you have to look as if you have a gas stove the burner should be should be cast iron and not aluminum furnace. You're going to have a problem on temperature control. (00:06:26) So an antique stove would probably do just as well as (00:06:28) absolutely (00:06:30) but thank you very much. (00:06:32) All right, thank you for calling we have some more phone lines open in the twins. Is area if you've got a question about kitchen utensils or Preparation 2276 thousand in Minneapolis st. Paul to to 76 thousand and in other parts of Minnesota, the toll-free number is 1-866-376-8255. (00:06:54) Not quite a complete set the pots are made out of cast iron and they have an enamel coating around them. I've been using them for several years and been rather satisfied but several of my friends have said that I would be better off without getting something resembling a copper pots and frying pans as well like to hear your opinion on the relative merits of our cast iron versus copper. (00:07:21) Well, there's no question that cast iron, you know, the Black cast iron is the best if you have those enameled cast iron pot. They very good for cooking if you want to do something with a white sauce or a fricassee type. But if you want to brown your meat did not very good. There's no question in my mind. That copper is number one line with the thin they have but they have to be able to gauge. So the next thing is standard steel heavy gauge stainless steel line sandwich with copper in between. That's the next thing and now you have stylists in line with Al, you know sandwich with aluminum and that's the second-best now today. They have other part is anodized aluminum heavy gauge which stand is still inside. Those are very very good to they are made in this country the brand-new and that's the advice I gave you stay away from anything thing, you know, you see some of those Copper Pot which are very thin. They are very good for decoration, but For cooking the not so good. So anything you want to buy but a be gauge and the other thing I live in mmm. If you buy some freak the aluminum some sources cannot be made with anything use with eggs, you know, you make say you make a cheese sauce. You put yolks of eggs, the souls bad that they're between the aluminum in the Eurozone. This was going to get greenish. If you want to make it all of this sauce again, don't use the the aluminum. Hmm. So if you could buy parts the Cadillac of the parts is every gauge and copper with tin inside. They are very expensive, but you have some very good parts of stainless steel with just you know, like I mentioned before (00:09:20) if you if you try to deal with the egg yolks in in an aluminum pan, they'll turn (00:09:24) green and green. This was their dream. Yes. It's a chemical reaction. I cannot explain why the yolks of eggs and the aluminum say you make a cream sauce, you know, we butter Flour and milk, you had three yolks of eggs. You sauce is going to be greenish. Once they white that would be disappointing wouldn't it? (00:09:42) Yes, we'll take another listener with a question. Go ahead, please. (00:09:45) Yes, I was. Wondering what your opinion is on Broiler ovens. I have an electric range and people tell me that if I got a broiler of and I'd say electricity and they're just as easy to use. (00:09:56) Well, you know tell you that you're talking about a gas oven (00:09:59) electric ovens (00:10:02) electric electric oven with a broader is nothing wrong with this you brought us in top. I'm sure and when I brawl, I always say leave the door open that way you get a really broad you whatever you feel you brother steak or Chicken (00:10:17) Little portable (00:10:21) Oh, you mean those little ones 000 toaster oven? Well, it depends what you want to do. If you want to, you know bake a small stake or pork Chopper when you know, or maybe a couple of baked potatoes is nothing wrong with those. (00:10:38) Do you save any electricity or anything with those? (00:10:41) Well, yes, you save some electricity. Yes, but you know the leaf the quantities are limited, you know, you cannot use for pork chop in (00:10:48) there. Yes. All right. Thank you. (00:10:50) Thank you for calling how about the microwave oven? What's your (00:10:53) opinion of that? Oh, I stay away from that you do. Yes. You cannot cook it in microwave oven you read things but you can do any serious cooking even plain cooking. I have lots of friendly of microwave oven didn't know what to do with it today. If for if you want to read something yes fine, but stay away from them for cooking. (00:11:14) All right, another listener with a question for a PR for any go ahead. You're on the air. (00:11:18) Thank you. Do you have any comments about baking a tort last week weekend? We were making towards with butter and cream in the layers and I'm wondering if we would have been happier rolling it out on me. With a marble rolling pin. (00:11:40) What is no question in my mind my book. That's what I have. I have a marble which is refrigerator refrigerator on the need. So my my world is always cold and I use you could use any kind of roller I bought you know is if you want to make acting the marble pain is pain is very good too. But if you have a baby, you know, Ivy would be roller just as good but the key is the marble there's no question the marble is so what I would advise you is to buy a piece of marble and you keep it in your refrigerator, but as you know, if you want to cool it off and you keep it in a refrigerator for a while and then you roll whatever you make on top of it. (00:12:23) Well, what's the secret of marble? What does that do for you? That say a nice wood block wouldn't do or some other (00:12:28) product. Yeah, but in Marble usually different nice and flat. Okay, and the other thing is the this take the call. Did you know the much cooler than boudoir? Whatever you got surface you have so when you roll you you but you do with butter and so on if it's hot the butter is going to melt and it's going to run out of the the idea is to keep the dough cool cool. (00:12:52) Our next listener has a question. Go ahead please. (00:12:55) Yes. I have a question about what he thinks of the convection oven and I guess I'm especially thinking of the Jenn-Air Jenn-Air range in general that has the grill top and the fan built into the stove. And what do you think of that whole range? (00:13:14) Well, I think the convection oven Presley they don't do too much for you defend idea. I think it's very good for the January because you got to evacuation your kitchen, but I still personally I think the convection oven they're very good for commercial cooking when you took cook larger quantity still you have some I've been trying that Jen. Are you still have to baste? Chicken whatever your Ross the best thing is the most important and you have some spot, you know, the tell you that the the fan distribute the air all around evenly they eat evenly it's not so you're personally I would stay away. I think it's a ghost more money and I think it's a waste of money (00:13:58) 14 minutes past the hour Pierre for any author of Pierre. Franny's kitchen is with us this noon and we're taking your questions and we have another listener with go ahead please. (00:14:08) Hello there. I was given a set of carbon steel stainless knives and I also got something called a carbon or a knife steel. It's the thing that they used to I'm not sure if they use it to sharpen the knives or they call truing the blade. If you know it's a thin piece of metal. (00:14:33) Yes. Well, I think that she's chopping still the this is used to sharpen to give an edge very good Edge to your life as you use it the standing still, you know, like, you know, personally I don't care too much for that because it's the heart to to sharpen and they don't keep their Edge. I would stay away from (00:14:54) the recommendation for having a sharpened. Would you just take them to like a professional knife, (00:14:59) please? Yes, but again the gig is going to do it and then they won't last too long. You want this they don't keep their Edge very well. (00:15:07) If you buy a good knife, how often do you need to sharpen it yourself? (00:15:12) Well, if you take care of it not too often, what you have to do is to with a steel. Yes, you do that to you know to keep the edge you do that very often like two three times say you use it for 15 minutes to a slicing something you do it two three times a day. In those 10 minutes, the proper care is very important. I never put your knife in the refrigerator never slice bread with any kind of knife. If you want to lose the the edge of your knife slice bread with you. Got to have a bread knife with the serrated knife. Okay, (00:15:47) another listener with a question. Go ahead, please you're on the air. (00:15:50) Yes. Good afternoon. I'm Professor for my wife and I wondered if you had any thoughts on what might be the best thing or if indeed a food processor good (00:16:03) idea the food processor. I think it's any serious kitchen. I'm sure your wife is a serious cook you should have a food processor. Now they tell you that the food processor, you know, it's magic. Yes. It's not quite so because slicing with food processors kind of limited, but if you want to do like canals or moose of things like that and puree vegitables, I would say yes to me is only too good to kind to Brand in the market. That's right a whole one is called Cuisine are used to be made in France. Now, it's made in Japan and the other one is robo coupe robo coupe used to be the cuisine are the only two in the market which are really good. And if you want shop me to like if you want to make your own your fresh hamburger meat. Pure meat, they they are the best you could try them. You know, I put one pound of meat on each one at about 10 or 15. That means going to become very nicely chopped. This is the question of price. Basically they just they are equal the the cuisine are as a better slicing attachment than the the robo coupe. (00:17:20) Two two seven six thousand is the telephone number in Minneapolis. St. Paul. If you have a question for Pierre Franny, he is in town today to talk about his new book dear friend. He's kitchen which is published by the New York Times. Perhaps you've seen his columns in the newspaper 2276 thousand in Minneapolis st. Paul in other parts of Minnesota one 865 29700. Go ahead, please you're next. (00:17:45) Hello. I have two questions. First of all you were talking about the Pot and I have one and I've been told not to use it because the chemical reaction is poisonous and I was wondering if you could comment on that and secondly, I was considering buying a wooden chopping block and I have a problem. I was wondering if I chop raw meat on a block and I want to clean it so I can chop some, you know raw vegetables and I might not want to cook. How do you clean that? You know because I think that's dangerous. Is that (00:18:24) true? Yes, I think okay to it to answer your first question. Let's see. How would you repeat the first question? I lost the truck the aluminum. Oh, okay. Okay. Yeah, you mean, um reaction. Look, I got that been married for 44 years and one of our first set of pot we bought they were sold from door to door by the wherever company and they were a be gauged. We know we still got them today. They are pitted inside little bit. Yes. Now, I have a friend of mine where everybody knows where she works for the New York Times and Shane Brody. She's very good. She's terrific and Rich nutrition. She wrote Letter book and ask her that sin is nothing ever has been proven today. Is that aluminum as far as I'm concerned as far as she's concerned they are safe. And like I said, we've been using those spots for for 34 years and we have no problem that surprise, you know today, you know year old kind of answer but copper and copper is very bad is no question, but that aluminum as far as I know was nothing wrong with it. Now, the second question was (00:19:35) the use of a wooden chopping the wood chopping blocked and (00:19:38) there's no question that bacteria grows in the food shopping plaza between the groove some today the board of it in a restaurant. They you cannot use those wood chopping blocks anymore. So what I recommend is the is probably your routine, you know, it's kind of plastic if you buy those provide AV 2 take 1 about 3/4 of an inch, the very thin one they warp if you put them in this washing machine the so much heat there than the the war but they don't stay flat that would that would be my advice (00:20:14) so you would not recommend wouldn't chopping block at all. No, not anymore. Not anymore. Okay, another listener with the question for Pierre franey. Go ahead, please you're on the (00:20:22) air. Yes. Thank you. I'm calling from Minneapolis. I find myself a caught between two Trends in in the cooking and food were low as maybe many of your listeners do that is I'm interested in what? Mr. Feeney has to say about Gourmet cooking that is cooking that has a little bit of class and art and careful preparation yet. I'm also very much interested in Trend that could be called Natural Foods or Whole Foods are concerned with whole grains and and less processed. I'm wondering what mr. Frane is ideas are on the combination of these two general principles. And if there are any good books or principles to go by to to combine the two movements. (00:21:04) Well, this is basically what my books are all about it. I have my preacher fresh food. I go for nothing Frozen. The only thing I use frozen trying to think about a fact maybe if I go hunting I put my games, you know something by getting the freezer, but that's it. I'm for fresh food that are stay away from frozen fish and things like that and use butter use cream with moderation and I agree entirely with you the two combined with like wild mushroom and I grow my own vegetable myself. And there's no question. This is the trend today. Going to get better and better all the time. (00:21:54) Another listeners on the line. Go ahead, please you're (00:21:56) next. Thank you. I've been baking French bread for several years and I can make it I think in every respect as good as the product is in France. However, it has one exception and that is that I can't seem to get the hard crust on it in the oven. I have I have a reasonably Standard Electric Oven. I've tried every technique in regard to interjecting steam into the oven from placing bricks into water. I steaming pan of water spraying the bread and so forth, but I still can't seem to to duplicate the hardness of the bread as I remembered in France. I'd like to have your opinion about this and I'll hang up and listen to you. Thank (00:22:37) you. I tell you what, I do is very simple. I truth few Ice Cube in the bottom of my oven when I put my bread as used to throw a couple of Ice Cube and about five minutes after I threw two more and that's it and you're going to find that you go. A crusty bread (00:22:56) sounds good next listener with a question. Go ahead please (00:23:00) my question goes back to the matter of knives and I've never been able to find a proper angle at which to apply the knife to the steel. I wonder if you have any suggestions about that how hang up and listen, (00:23:15) I would say the way I ended my steel. It's about 45 degree. I don't like the in still standing up like 90 degree. Yes. What is it 45 degree this way? It's 45 degree. And I start my steal from the top of the steel. I goes down you see on either side of the night goes this way. I've that motion. It's hard to explain but I start from the top and it's about 45 angry degree angle that I use. (00:23:45) Pure Franny is with us this noon. We're talking about kitchen utensils the use of them and the preparation of good food with them. And we're taking your calls at 2276 thousand into the neapolis st. Paul area. We have another listener standing by go ahead, please. (00:24:00) Mr. Feeny. I would like to know whether bring your home your meat home from the supermarket and your fish and chicken over the supermarket and putting it in your freezer for use later in the week. Seriously changes. The flavor were very careful Cooks here at home. And but we like to do our shopping once a week or once every two weeks. (00:24:26) What is no question that the especially Seafood of fish that's going to change the flavor and the texture because during the defraud the defrosting process, even the cooking process most of the of the protein and you know comes out and the test is On Target. France and the meat that is you know, in the freezer the very important you see most of the home fries that are not cool enough if your freezer goes down say 10 below zero if you freeze it for, you know one day overnight a couple days nothing wrong with it, but it is the quicker you freeze you me the better off you are and unfortunately most of the old freezer they are but me around 15 10 to 15 degree of openness. I wouldn't advise it to do this because you you spoiled, you know, especially Seafood of meat fish, you know spoiled very fast at that temperature (00:25:24) beef and poultry would be less subject to (00:25:27) that and they're subject to this. Yes. Yes. (00:25:30) Okay. How about asking the butcher to cut the steak or whatever it might be right off of the the large piece of meat instead of buying it wrapped up under the on the counter. Now, does that make any difference? (00:25:45) It's not a difference because personally I agree entirely with you when I go to the supermarket. I'll stay away from those pre pack food because you don't know whatever cuts of meat you buy. You don't know how long it's been there. You know, it looks kind of nice and red and top and the bottom, you know, they get gray grayish. No, but if you tell you butcher to cut a piece of fresh steaks right from the piece of meat in front of you you don't have to use it put it in a freezer same way. We chicken if you go to a chicken farm and you know that that she can is fresh. You could keep it for three four days cover with Saran Wrap or some kind of plastic wrap over in your refrigerator. You don't have to freeze it. (00:26:29) More listeners with questions for a prf rainy go ahead please you're on the (00:26:32) air. I'm interested in finding a set of pots and moderate price. Right is Teflon coated pots and pans or cast iron pots and pans with no interior coating and I'm wondering what you think of those or do you have any other recommendations for moderate price set of (00:26:51) pants? Well, unfortunately, I think those that don't want you talking about the very expensive but the cast iron is it's not it's not you know, if I had only few parts I could afford it we cast iron like the the frying pan or the Dutch oven or that kind. They are very inexpensive and they last forever in fortunately the cheap parts, you know with Teflon coated the usually they are very thin gauge and they don't last very long. So I would stay away from it if what you should do if you could have for one good part at a time, why don't you do that then you build up your kitchen and no times. (00:27:31) Let's talk a little bit about the cast iron frying pan and how to how to treat it initially and how to keep it clean. (00:27:39) well it's very basic when you use your cast iron first the cast iron pan should be well seasoned usually when you buy a new one to give you an instruction on how to do it okay and after that when you use it what you have to do is to wash it right away you wash it with hot water with a very mild detergent and you use a brush in a very light brown and you just brush it you dry it you volumes if you take maybe a few drops of oil with a paper towel you spread that holder you smear that all around it inside and until you use it again don't leave it you know if you click don't clear right away is going to get rusty and as you have a hard time to to take it off and the other thing is I would advise to do once in a while you have carbon inside building up or if you don't clean it properly and yes I did what Do with my cast iron pan ever self-cleaning oven, you know, and once in a while when I see that pendersleigh, maybe once or twice a year at throw it in the oven and myself cleaning oven and this way you burn all the carbon and when it comes out you wipe up all the excess, you know, all that dust is in the bottom wash it good and you season It Again by using little bit of oil that you wiped off and you put it back in the oven for half an hour or you do that two or three times you pan is going to be season again, (00:29:09) is that what you would do to restore one that had been abused over the years to absolutely yes. Okay more listeners with questions. Go ahead, please you're (00:29:17) next. Yes. I was wondering if any thoughts on wondering about the arguments of gas versus electric and we have your recommendations. (00:29:32) We chatted about that at the beginning of the hour, but maybe you could recap for this listening briefly your (00:29:37) opinion. Well, I would buy gas no question in my mind guys is number one. If you could buy one of those professional stove, you know, you'd be much better off than to buy. Those are very light gauge burner and a long run. If you could afford it by a professional store, they could be for brno two-burner 046 burner, but it's ridiculously more money, but I no longer on you get better very very good. You food, you cook much better with that kind of stuff but jazz is better than the electric is no question about it. (00:30:14) You say by a professional stole just in very rough very rough numbers. What would you have to pay for (00:30:21) professionals? I would say four burner with the 17, you know, no shelf. I would say around maybe over $1,000 $1,000. You could get some very good second one. Hmm, you know, but, you know, you buy a good story to have and today, you know. You know how it goes three four five hundred dollars. Yeah and maybe 10 years 20 years from now, you're 10 years from now. You have to buy a new one. And so why not buy a good store and your last forever that's my point. You know, people are funny this man to treat our $10,000 or whatever to furnish a living room the by so far and shared it goes like $2,000 chair, but too few hundred dollars and they use that maybe once in a while. Why not spend 5000 or 2000 are you kitchen to where you going to spend at a time (00:31:11) more listeners with questions? Go ahead. You are (00:31:12) next. Yes. I just like to add a comment about the dangers of aluminum cookery. Some information just came out the other day that I heard on the news that aluminum cooking could be dangerous for the rapid aging disease. They are found large amounts of aluminum deposits in people who have This rapid aging disease and senility now, I think that before we just write it off as is known, you know that it isn't dangerous set. It should be considered as new information at (00:31:51) least. All right. Thank you very much. Thank you for the observation. We will take another listener. Go ahead please. (00:31:57) Yes. I know you've had a couple of calls about knives, but some of them I guess I don't feel that your answer has been a specific as I would like. We have a problem here seems like our knives are constantly dull. And again, I have some stainless steel. Then I have one that is the I forget the kind that you mentioned. That was the best kind but first of all it can you sharpen a serrated knife. I have one for bread also, very good knives are quite expensive, you know, $16 $25 on up. Which ones do you think again? You'd get first kind of like the advice you gave the lady about The good pots and pans and what kind of mechanism is best for sharpening knives to do in yourself in your (00:32:46) kitchen. Well personally, this is what I am home. I have a stone is a small Stone which one side is a coarser than the other and you use little bit of oil on top. You know, it's all Stone you smear some oil and top of it. So you use the course aside first and you go back and forth a few times you turn it upside the other way around it's a much finer and you do the same thing. You go back and forth a few times, you know with your knife flat over and you finish it with a steel. That's what I do all the time and those don't have very good. They're not too expensive and that's a good way to shop your life. (00:33:30) She wanted to know if a person didn't have the budget to go out and buy a whole kitchen full of knives. What would be the one or two that you would start out with and build on from there? (00:33:40) Well, you know the carbon steel in life. They are much cheaper is no question about it. They might she put that I carbon stainless steel. That's the one you should buy but you know, you got to clean it as you use it and what I would use a you need you don't need too many knife. You need a paring knife which about the blade from 3 to 4 inches. You need a utility knife which could be from 652647 inches long and you need a serrated knife. You need to threaten life which again you could use that only for your bread and maybe slicing, you know meat and you need about 8 to 10 inch every, you know called chef's knife. And know if you have a good series in life, you don't have to sharpen sharpen by himself. That is no way you could trap a certain life. If you send it away. They're going to run the you don't see any station in the and the knife if you're good you all you have to do is go back and find that still again the sharpening steel. (00:34:49) It's 25 minutes before one o'clock P or friendly author of PR friendlies kitchen. He is with us this noon and we're taking your questions about kitchen equipment and utensils how to use them how to take care of them. Hi you're on the air. (00:35:02) Mr. Ferrini and I'm from st. Paul and I'm very interested in cooking. I pick my own bread. I'm so excited about hearing about cutting break because I do have problem cutting it properly now, I like to ask one question. I make angel food cake everything from scratch, but I do not know if it should be hot oven starting are cold because I never have come properly. Thank you. (00:35:27) You mean when you start to make your (00:35:28) bread? Yes it no. No. No, this is angel food cake. (00:35:33) Oh angel food (00:35:33) cakes. I ever have trouble of bread. (00:35:36) Okay, I'm sorry. That's right. Okay. What do you want your food cake? You should be a cool start at a very low temperature you like I would say around 200 225 degree depends on the size of your hand. Put your cake a cupcake pan. You Abe. (00:35:51) I don't use a box cake, but I start with cool that right about 250 or (00:35:55) 275. Yeah, that's right. Then you leave it there for you know, whatever. It is an hour an hour and a (00:36:00) half. Wonderful. Thank you so (00:36:02) much. Thank you. Okay, we have another listener with a question. Go ahead, (00:36:06) please. Yeah getting back to your controversy. I guess you'd call it an a gas versus electric range again. There's a pretty good Trend especially in this climate now of new houses going to Super insulation and really tighten them up wouldn't it be a problem with ventilation as far as gas is concerned versus an electric range. (00:36:30) What is no question no matter what friends you using you got to have ventilation on your kitchen, you know, you have those fans and submersed to me, especially if you have your own home. It's easy to install the fan. I don't understand you know, the (00:36:49) I was getting it is an electric range. You can ventilate the fumes back into the living area itself, but there are byproducts from gas combustion. They should be vented outside. Especially when you have a super insulated house or some houses are really tight now and new construction and over a period of time. These things can be detrimental to your (00:37:13) health. Well, I'm sorry. I cannot release a technical question. I don't know too much about it. But I know that if any kitchen I would have even electric I would have a good fan because personally I good cook at very high heat whatever I cook. So I generate lot of fumes from whatever, you know, let us smoke and lot of order that garlic or onions. I don't want that in my in my dining room and my kitchen so I have a strong fan (00:37:44) another listener with the question. Go ahead please. (00:37:47) Yes, my question concerns the fact that we have bacon that sticks when we try to fry it. We have three different pans. We use one the old-fashioned cast-iron one is a West Bend aluminum clad stainless steel and the other is a wealth cast iron coated with enamel. It's t it sticks the least in the old-fashioned cast-iron, but we're wondering why what makes they can stick and we started with a certain. Flame (00:38:16) and this is for (00:38:17) baking (00:38:19) you mean what you mean making it (00:38:22) bacon as you know pork rind. (00:38:24) Yeah, I'll bacon. Yeah, (00:38:27) and it didn't used to (00:38:29) you know, why because it what's happening. It's not your fault because the baking today they got so much moisture is too much moisture in the because the the Aging the process of curing baking is change a lot used to be dry curing now what they do, they pump the brine in the baking so you have a lot of moisture. So what I would advise you to do, why don't you buy your Teflon pan Stephen coated pan? It won't stick. (00:38:56) No not at all. (00:39:14) Listening with the question. Go ahead, please. (00:39:16) Hello. Mr. Feeny. My wife and I were given a heavy gauge aluminum frying pan for wedding present, but the frying pan had no directions on seasoning it. I was wondering if you'd give me that information on how to correctly season the pan. (00:39:30) Well, you says Kapa (00:39:32) no, it's a heavy gauge (00:39:33) aluminum. Oh, what is no seasoning to do in there, you know just take it and use it right on his van it that would advise you when you use it. Make sure that you put some fat or could be better off any kind of fat and make sure that pan is hot, you know, it's the bridge if you put your meat the whatever using cold it's going to stick to (00:39:57) well. Thank you very (00:39:57) much. And I when you put it in you shake it when you put that piece of meat or whatever is it you move it around right away. You see you move it around so you want to be sure you got some fat underneath (00:40:08) 20 minutes before one o'clock. We have a couple of phone lines open down the Twin Cities area. So if you tried to call in earlier and got a busy signal you might try again now because there is a liner to open two two seven six thousand in Minneapolis st. Paul. If you have a question for PR Frannie author of Pierre Franny's kitchen 2276 thousand Minneapolis st. Paul in other parts of Minnesota call us toll-free 1-800 659 7000 and of course, if you're listening in one of the surrounding states or in Canada called us directly in the Twin Cities area code 612 2276 thousand next listener standing by go ahead, please (00:40:49) thank you. I have three short specific questions number one. How do you sharpen a serrated knife number two? Is it true that a steel will not sharpen a knife it will only help you retain its Edge and number three. What is the difference between a steel and the new group of ceramic knife sharpeners? And I'm no longer listening to the radio. I'm out of the car. So I'll be quiet and listen on the phone. Thank you. (00:41:28) Well, you know the serrated knife like I think I said before it's very hard to is no way to sharpen it. The only thing you could use as a steel sharpener and you go back and forth the second question. It's what is it (00:41:44) will be the steel actually sharpen and already Dull Knife where we only help (00:41:49) retaining now the steel is to avoid sharp knife. It's just to retain The Edge you have on your on your knife. So once in a while, you know, like if you Few minutes or whatever you use the steel back and forth a few times and it's going to keep your age that you have on it. (00:42:10) And part 3 was the comparison between the steel and some of these ceramic knife sharpening (00:42:15) products. I'm not 25 million with the ceramic knife sharpener. So personally I would stay away, but maybe they work. I don't know. I never saw (00:42:23) them once a knife becomes dull to the point where it won't you can't bring it back by means of the steel then what do you (00:42:30) do you go to the stone and use the stone you go to the that stone with one side coarser than the other. Yeah. So you start with the course aside and you finish with the final side. (00:42:42) All right, that clears up that question on knife sharpening. We move on to another listener now, go ahead, please. (00:42:47) Yes. Hello. I am enthusiastic for you. Being a clay pot like a Slimmer top for romertopf and I was wondering the other day the lid one of the lids just broke apart while it was in the oven cooking just for no reason that I could determine. Do you have any suggestions can one repair? These are just a clean-cut bow break right across the top and they're quite expensive. I hate to have to throw the whole thing (00:43:14) out. Well, I'm sorry. I think you're gonna have a problem there the very, you know, the only thing you could do is maybe try to find a new one. But I think you did something wrong, you know, they advise you to dip it in water before you put it in the oven (00:43:28) that was all taken care of in and had been cooking for some time and I open the oven and here there were two pieces sitting on (00:43:34) top. Well, I would advise you to go back where you bought it and if you follow the instruction, I would, you know, try to get a (00:43:40) refund but there's no way that you know, that one can Meander that something at one could try to be paired with it, you know (00:43:47) of no, I don't know of any way maybe the way you voted they know but Well as I'm concerned and I don't know. (00:43:54) Okay. Well, good luck. Good luck with it will take another listen. You're no go ahead please. (00:43:59) Yes. I'm calling from Mankato and I wondered if mr. Feeny would have any thoughts or ideas or suggestions on Crepes. I've tried a few times and had some success with them. But the first few always seem to stick. So in desperation, I went up getting a Teflon pan, but I'd like to hear how he does it on. (00:44:18) Yes. Well, it's no question. Your crepe pan is got to be cure the black steel crepe pan is the best to make crap. If you the Teflon you make crepe to but they're very different. The texture is different the crap will maybe the Stanley up with the black steel pan. It looked like a lace when you lip lifted up you look at through the right you could see little holes in it. That's a bit. That's what the sign that crepe is were made made properly. If you make it with a different pan, you're going to have the same thickness, but it won't be it's going to be Or a B is going to be chewy because of the nature of the way that the different cook you won't find those little holes which makes the crap look like a less. So my advisor by your good black steel crepe pan and use adjust for crap or fried eggs. And you seasoned. Well, excuse me. (00:45:16) You have to have a pan pretty hot before. (00:45:18) Yes. Well, it's kind of tricky, you know, it's could be can't be too hard which should be hot. It should be should smoke little bit. You know when you put your butter it should be quite hot. There's no question. I will not that hard. Otherwise, you won't be able to move around that the batter all around the bottom of the pan. But that black steel pan is is the secret to a good trip (00:45:44) and a little experience to wouldn't hurt. Yes (00:45:46) you poor what you do you pull your crepe batter and one hand and you move your crap around you see to fill up your old. Configuration with you crap with your batter is so the batter you cover the bottom of you of your of your (00:46:01) pan. We'll take another listener with a question. Go ahead please you're on the air. (00:46:05) Yeah, I'm calling from Stillwater. We have chickens in our backyard which we have raised this summer and I'm wondering first of all, there's a need to Aid chicken after it's been butchered fresh. And the other question is why is there such a difference in boiling up store-bought eggs versus our fresh eggs, which we get here trying to make like deviled eggs. The shell won't come off of fresh eggs, even when they're after boiled and putting cold water. (00:46:31) Yes. Well, that's true. First of the chicken. I think the chicken you cannot eat it right away should be cool off from you know for a but one day the next day. This chicken is much more tender. It's the same thing which fish do you know you buy it or you get those large fish, you know, like four five pound fish. It's better to let him rest a little bit and add the eggs is no question about it. The the fresh eggs are very hard to remove the shell. I have no answer for that one. You can have a problem with the Very (00:47:06) Fresh. Okay, we'll take another listen to now go ahead please you're on the (00:47:10) rock your opinion. Please of Calphalon cookware and whether you believe it needs to be seasoned (00:47:17) different cookware. I personally I don't use too much different cookware. I have the flan. Yes o Kappa. Nope. Sorry - well, yeah Catherine that's a black aluminum helps am sorry. They you know, they tell you that they don't stick, you know, there's no way to season it. Like I said before if you pan has got to be the skill has got to be warm. It's got to be hot before you put you you whatever you put inside. It's got to be hot and you move around and pan so it won't stick and when you wash it, you got to wash it with a very mild very mild detergent but again depends got to be hot and it's got to be some fat in a fat so that way the whatever you cook. And it won't stick. It's (00:48:11) about 12 minutes before one o'clock. PR Franny is with us author of peer. Franny's kitchen published by the New York Times ran new book and we're taking your calls and questions about kitchen equipment how to use it how to take care for it and how to make good things with it. Go ahead, please you're (00:48:26) next. Yeah, I would like to know about copper cookware is that good? Cookware are not (00:48:36) studied cookware. We got to be heavy gauge and we thin line with teen inside the other bases no questions the Cadillac of the cookware, but they're very expensive and you got to be careful when you use it. Don't put your your your pan on top of the stove with nothing into it because all that thing's gonna melt so you got to be very careful careful (00:49:00) another listener with the question. Go ahead. Please (00:49:03) recently. I've been using all Silverstone interior cook Ware with the cast aluminum on the outside and I wondered if a chef would have any comment on that. (00:49:17) I'm sorry, I didn't get the (00:49:18) question Silverstone. (00:49:21) Oh, yeah that said this kind of Teflon. Yes. Well, those are very good. If you want to cook with less fat something like that, but if you want to do some serious cooking the you have to deglaze you cannot use that because it's nothing to deglaze like for instance. You want your brand new chicken and you will remove the fat and you want to make a pan gravy with it. Don't buddy glazing with wine or whatever water vinegar. Whatever you use different patterns where you cannot do it. (00:49:54) Okay. Now you're listening with a question. Go ahead. (00:49:56) Yeah. I have two questions. like to know no prevent Poached Eggs from sticking to the bottom of your pan. And also what kind of container could you keep fresh cloves of garlic and besides those Crocs that they sell. (00:50:17) On the poach eggs, you got to use a skillet. You got to have about two to three inches of water and it and you use little bit of vinegar you use maybe 2 tbsp of vinegar white, you know white vinegar and the waters got to boil all the times got to simmer because if you don't have enough water and what is not simmering your egg is going to go to the bottom. It's going to stick to it. So the water the delivery of water is very important and that vinegar is going to keep the the egg whites together around the yolks. (00:50:53) And then she wanted to know how to store fresh. (00:50:55) Garlic. Well, I tell you what, I do. I store my fresh garlic in my refrigerator. I wrapped with garlic with sorry, you know, some kind of plastic wrap and I keep in the refrigerator and I keep as well as I can keep my shallots that way to and no problem there. It's got to be the only place to do it. Otherwise it dries up and they lose their flavor (00:51:22) and you keep onions from drying up in the refrigerator. (00:51:25) Well the onions usually don't buy too many onions at a time when you use onions more often than garlic and shallot. So I just keep them (00:51:36) outside. Okay, we have another listener with a question. Go ahead. (00:51:40) Okay, I'm wondering what is the best way to clean oven? I use Easy off and I have problems with fumes sometimes even after (00:51:48) cleaning the best thing to do. If you could buy a self-cleaning oven you but be much better off. I don't know. I cannot give you an answer that one because my oven are you I'm using a proposition at oven and there's no problem to clean it because I cook at high heat and they clean themselves and you wipe it off the excess with a once in a while. I turned and I turned the the pilot off and as you soap and clean it. (00:52:21) All right, we'll take another listener with a question. Go ahead. (00:52:24) I wonder if you could help me. My wife has had trouble making good popovers. Now, we've tried glass custard cups muffin tins, and I finally got her a cast-iron popover pan, but it still doesn't work. She doesn't seem to get them to rise up high enough. What's the secret? (00:52:39) Well, I don't know what kind of batter you papa is the way you you had your jokes and your ex to do to your better, you know to the mixer and I think the oven the temperature is got to be quite High to and the cast iron is the best for popover. So I don't know what kind of recipe she's using. You know, you know, I have to know what I mean. Yeah, she is using his so many things involved, you know this recipe, but the temperature are your oven is very very important. I think you should check your thermostat because many people they go by the say, all right 400 and it's very important to shake the oven the temperature you check your thermostat against the oven thermometer, very important that because most of those demos that did not very good on the on the oven. (00:53:30) Six minutes before they are we have time for a few more calls. Go ahead. You're next. (00:53:35) We make an angel food cake from scratch using 13 or 14 a quite so lady earlier referred to this and said that she uses a very low oven 3 250 275 cooking up to an hour and a half. Now we have been maybe using a 325 oven for say 45 minutes or so is the store method will this give you a much higher cake? (00:54:01) Yes. It's person is about the size of the of the the cake you baked in episode 10 inch pan. I think you should use a lower temperature the key of the angel food cake is not really the oven is the egg white. Are you beat your egg whites? That's very important if they are Greenie the other bit beaten or under you're gonna have a problem. The egg white is really the key and the mixing of your egg whites. I don't know if you do it by hand or by the Going to do with the egg white is to use one of those not electric whisk but like a kitchenette type of mixer at I different, you know, I speak for your (00:54:47) wife another listener with the question for a PR for any go ahead please (00:54:51) my question is why should we use a bread knife to cut bread is an ordinary knife good enough. (00:54:57) No because you if you want to lose the edge the you know, the The Cutting if you want to lose a knife, that's one way to do it. You knife after you could bread is won't be sharp and it's very hard. You're going to lose the edge that The Cutting Edge that you want. That's, you know, Sun City, but it's very important. (00:55:17) Let's take another caller. Go ahead. Please (00:55:20) another quick pop over question mine come up real nice and high on the sides and then they tunnel into the middle, but from the outside of the popover, so they're like there's a whole but it's from the outside to tell me what could possibly cause that (00:55:38) I don't know. I'm trying to think it's a whole way I know on the (00:55:43) outside and yeah, it just it's just like a tunnels in like a corkscrew from the top of the (00:55:49) maybe your oven is too high. That is a question type hurt you. Yes, maybe your eyes. That's what it is. Your oven is the temperature I would advise you to learn it may be 25 degrees C. What (00:56:00) happened? Okay, thank you. (00:56:02) Okay, we'll take another listener. Go ahead and you're next. (00:56:05) Yes. Hello. Yep. My best iron is my cast-iron pan is all rusted. What can I do? (00:56:14) Well, you guys down pennies were Rusty what you have to do. You put it in the oven with some you rub some oil, you know salad oil and you put it in the oven for about an hour an hour and a half. You rub it all inside and the outside. First of all, you know, you have to clean it up first. And after you wipe it with kitchen towel you clean it with soap and water and you start again when it's nice and dry you put more oil and you wipe it off and you put it back in the oven. That's the way you're going to season your pan again, (00:56:50) what temperature should be oven be (00:56:52) at I would say about 400 425 thanks. (00:56:55) Let's take another listener quickly. Go ahead and please (00:56:59) go ahead. Yes. I'm calling to ask and I was wondering if there's any special kind of marble and if it really makes a difference with the outcome of praise for such as course songs and pies and also very fortunate to have some tin plated copper pots. And I was wondering if you could tell me about the Cure of those (00:57:20) well on the marble, I think the marble don't buy the team gauge. I think the marble should be about 22 3/4 of an inch thick, you know, at least so that way is going to retain its going to stay cool verb for a longer time. And what's the other question (00:57:35) that could include copper utensils and (00:57:37) pots. Well, you know the the copper you got to kind of hit you using is very important you always what I do when I'm through work is clear cooking with it. I just, you know, clean them with water and soap and detergent and a brush very hard brush, but don't use steel wool or anything like that because you're going to remove your tin just watch them with a brush and soap. That's all. (00:58:05) Nothing else. Gee, I think that sad to say that we've run out of time, but I want to thank you very much for coming in. (00:58:11) I'm glad to be (00:58:13) here pure friendly author of pure Franny's kitchen a brand-new book just out by the New York Times be refraining also a columnist for the newspaper and he traveling around the country these days in observation of the publication of his new book.