Cut & Measure Unless I'm really familiar with a recipe, I usually prepare as much as I can ahead of time like measuring and chopping, so I can remain calm during the cooking process. Store your ingredients in ramekins and small bowls according to the order in which they are added to the recipe.
My Favorite Pan My favorite pan is a twenty dollar cast iron pan. I remember vividly how my step-father coveted his iron pan and warned us about not using soap to clean it. Seasoned and maintained properly, an iron pan can last forever. It is better than any non stick pan and far more durable. It's thick base holds heat better than any pan in my arsenal and prevents food from burning by dispersing the heat.
My friend was looking for this barrel aged Hop-De-Ranged for a while so when he found it, he just went to the cashier. After getting rung up he realized it had burned a $30.00 hole in his pocket. Oh well, we must drink it, right? We joked that each sip was 50 cents. And, this is a sipping beer. With all the Jack Daniel's flavor, you really can't taste the hops that much so it feels like a light shot of whiskey. Would we buy it again? Probably not, but it was an experience. It's not that I didn't like the beer. It had been carefully aged and was very tasty with notes of caramel, molasses and vanilla. I just can't justify the price even at $20.00.
