I've been on the site for a little over two years now. I've lurked this part of the forum off and on, but don't recall ever commenting in it, so I figured what the heck, here I am. 
First of all, I am not a great chef. Not really even a good one. I can cook, but I don't consider myself diverse by any means. Most of the things you guys are cooking, I've never even, or only ever heard about.
My main specialties are a pan seared steak, chili, and ham and dumplings the way my german grandmother used to make for me. (And I can make a pretty mean toasted cheese sandwich.
)
I did just finish (mostly) my kitchen remodel, so I actually have a place to cook now with a new stove to cook on. My cookware is fairly basic (T-Fal), but I do have some good knives. My in-laws retired from Alcas, so of course one of my two blocks is Cutco. The other is my favorite. I have a Wusthof 9pc classic set. Although most times the 8 inch chefs knife from that set is all I use on my nice large bamboo cutting board.
I have been looking at getting some cast iron, but after tonight's little episode, I'll be curing it outside in a fire pit instead of my oven.... On my new stove, I got the big oval center burner because I wanted a cast iron griddle.
I got one, but it wasn't cured properly and rusted a little. So tonight I scoured it, cleaned it, oiled it, and popped it in the oven for a while. Well let me tell you, in a small house closed up for a northern winter, that freakin' stinks!
So I guess that's about it. Now I can officially say I've done more than just drool over your photos and recipes.
First of all, I am not a great chef. Not really even a good one. I can cook, but I don't consider myself diverse by any means. Most of the things you guys are cooking, I've never even, or only ever heard about.
My main specialties are a pan seared steak, chili, and ham and dumplings the way my german grandmother used to make for me. (And I can make a pretty mean toasted cheese sandwich.
)I did just finish (mostly) my kitchen remodel, so I actually have a place to cook now with a new stove to cook on. My cookware is fairly basic (T-Fal), but I do have some good knives. My in-laws retired from Alcas, so of course one of my two blocks is Cutco. The other is my favorite. I have a Wusthof 9pc classic set. Although most times the 8 inch chefs knife from that set is all I use on my nice large bamboo cutting board.
I have been looking at getting some cast iron, but after tonight's little episode, I'll be curing it outside in a fire pit instead of my oven.... On my new stove, I got the big oval center burner because I wanted a cast iron griddle.
I got one, but it wasn't cured properly and rusted a little. So tonight I scoured it, cleaned it, oiled it, and popped it in the oven for a while. Well let me tell you, in a small house closed up for a northern winter, that freakin' stinks!
So I guess that's about it. Now I can officially say I've done more than just drool over your photos and recipes.
