Have you lost the key to your filing cabinet or desk? Do you want to replace the key core? Most office furniture locks have a number on them. That number combined with the furniture manufacturer’s name allows you to order a new key. You may be able to get the key at your local locksmith. If you want to order it online Easykeys.com offers a simple solution. Just choose the manufacturer’s name and the lock number and Easykey will have the key on it’s way. If it’s urgent you can even get them to deliver it next day air. Destroyed the lock and need a replacement? Easykey also sells lock cores.

www.easykey.com

Obsessed (or merely want to learn more about) Knife Maintenance and Sharpening?  eGullet has a detailed guide to knife maintenance and sharpening

Recently we got to attend a cooking school at the home of famed chef Jeff Blank, owner of Hudson’s on the Bend.  One of the dishes that Jeff made for us was smoked quail.  He said one of the secrets to the cooking at Hudson’s was Cameron’s stovetop smoker (their restaraunt sells the smoker in the store). 
::amazon(“B00004SZ9D”, “Camerons”)::
Cameron’s stovetop smoker allows you to smoke fish, game, and meat in the house quickly and easily.  It is constructed of heavy-gauge stainless steel, and at 11 by 15 inches, it’s big enough to smoke a ham or a whole fish fillet. The lid slides on for a tight seal, so food gets smoked, but your kitchen doesn’t. A cool design feature is that the handles fold along the side for storage.  It is fairly easy to clean if you remember to put some foil on the drip tray and spray it down with cooking oil. 

The first dish I made in the smoker was a simple smoked salmon–1 1/2 lb of copper river salmon, a bit of sea salt, some fresh dill and a bit of fresh sage with about 2 tablespoons of alder wood to smoke.  Twenty five minutes later–perfect salmon.   There was a bit of smoke that came out of the corners of the smoker (ok more than a bit until I figured out I had to seal the smoker tight…but with the exhaust fan going the kitchen didn’t get smokey.    You can find recipes for the smoker at Camerons Stovetop Smoker Recipes.  I can’t wait to try the smoked tomatoes.

I have owned a primary blue Chantal Classic Tea Kettle for years. The melodious whistle made by Horner Harmonica has always signaled a warm cup of tea in our house. The new stainless steel has the same great shape and features and also looks professional. The handle stays cool through the heating process. The kettle pours very easy – no drips.

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A few months ago I decided to try my hand a baking a loaf of bread…hmm…not bad.  Then I tried to go back to store bought bread…Bleah!   Next, I bought The Bread Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum.  A couple of recipes didn’t work so I Googled for an errata sheet and found her blog http://www.realbakingwithrose.com (how cool!).

One of the tools that Ms. Beranbaum recommended for baking was a good instant read thermometer–a Thermapen.  It’s $85! That’s a lot of bread.  Luckily on her blog I discovered she had found a thermometer for under $20 that worked almost as well–CDN Pro Accurate„ Quick Tip„ Digital Cooking Thermometer on a Rope Model Q2-450.  Perfect.

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