Tom's picks (non-audio)

treitz3

Hello all and good evening to you all. I am going to start this thread to showcase those things in life that are a great value, superb product or just something I have ran across that stands out among the rest.

I'll be adding something from time to time that I feel worthy of this thread.

Tonight, we start with a peppercorn mill I recently acquired that is hands down worth every penny. It wreaks of quality and came as advertised. This thing cranks out fresh ground pepper like it's going out of style.....VERY quickly.

The thing I like about it is that what you see in the videos is exactly what you get. I seasoned a large batch of split pea soup in 4 cranks instead of about a minute with my battery powered mill and about 30-40 cranks with my other manual mill.

I do like a lot of pepper, especially in dishes like clam chowder. What I don't like is having to either wait for the battery powered one to finish or crank until I just give up on it. Way to much effort goes into the other grinders for little to no real gain.

The very first time I used it, I felt like I truly found out what Kampot black peppercorns really tastes like. My taste buds were definitely awoken and in a "little slice of heaven here on Earth" kinda way. Man, what a taste! The aftertaste lasted well into the night too. How wonderful.

https://mannkitchen.com/collections/all/products/the-original-pepper-cannon-pepper-mill



Another thing I love about it is that it is clean. You spin it to the desired amount of pepper and when you move it away from the pot or plate, flakes of pepper don't fall out all over the counter or floor. It's all in your dish or plate.

It does have a base that securely fits on the bottom of it to prevent this from happening but after about 30 uses, I finally spotted some pepper flakes at the bottom of the base. Compared to my other mills? This is outstanding. They are all messy but this one.

Emptying or changing out the mill to another peppercorn type is very easy. Simply push a button, lift the hood, empty the contents and refill. Even the refill is easy and clean, as the mouth is almost as large as the width of the mill itself. No funnels, tools or other BS needed. Just swap the peppers out and go to town.

The main reason I love this thing is the taste of my food. I have owned various pepper mills since I was around 20 and used them long before that, going back to when grandma made me a sammich at a time when I was barely taller than the kitchen table. None of the mills I have ever used threw out the best of what fresh ground peppercorn could taste like. Even the taste at high end restaurants. Whatever this thing does, it does it exceptionally well and my taste buds have been in heaven the past couple of weeks.

Yes, it may be pricey but this one is a one and done deal. It will be the last mill you ever buy and the only one you will use from the very moment you first try it.

Well, take that back, I am actually considering getting me another one, so I can have one for white pepper (one of my favorites - you should try white pepper in mashed potatoes) and one for the other assortments of smoked pepper, red pepper, black pepper and the like.

Anyhoo, this Tom's pick for today. Highly recommended by yours truly. Have a great evening and thanks for reading.

Tom

treitz3

Hello again and good evening to you all. Here is the latest installment. Tonight, it is all about the Stanley Steemer floor mat. Yeah, I know....who cares about a flippin' floor mat? Well, I do. They are very important to me, seeing as how I have plenty of work to do outside and often enter into the mudroom/laundry room/garage with soiled "foot ware".

Dirty shoes and a white carpet are not a good combination, neither are bare feet (which we do in our home) and dirt/grass clippings, mulch, etc. all over the rest of the floor. Sometimes the need arises to where your shoes are on and you have to walk across the carpet or simply walk inside to "relieve" oneself and perhaps you don't have the time, nor the inclination to take off your shoes/boots.....like when you forget your car keys on the office desk (which is over carpet) DOH! Especially when you are my age and bending over with a belly can be....shall I say, a "challenge". Enough about that.

Anyhoo, a long time ago, I was working on a reno and part of completing a renovation is that we throw everything "personal" out or get it off of the property. Well, I spotted this ho-hum looking floor mat off the back porch of a property and threw it into the back of my truck, not thinking to much about it.

When I got home, I backed up into the garage and took a closer look at this floor mat. I could tell it was made of quality and the one thing I noticed when I picked it up out of my truck was that all of the debris that was in it was gone. Like not a damned thing was left in it. It was clean. That struck me as very interesting.

So, instead of throwing it out, I placed it at the foot of the steps in the garage. I figured, what the hell? I got it at a good price, might as well try it out.

Well, about a week went by and during that weekend, the entire family was doing a lot of yard work...occasionally stopping to use the gentlemen'/ladies' room and to grab a quick bite to eat before we got back at it. I noticed that usually when we do this, we have to sweep the floor after all exterior work was completed.....but this time we didn't......even though we never took our shoes off.

Interesting.

So, I went online and could not find them to save my life. Forgot about it for a year or so and over the course of that year, I got more and more impressed with the performance of this floor mat. It was very easy to clean, didn't wear out or break the bristles even after constant and heavy use (to this very day). It never stained or discolored, was easy to wash wet mud or dirt off with a hose and the main thing? It kept the outside....well, outside.

So, I looked again. And searched, and searched and searched. Admittedly, I am not the world's greatest when it comes to looking things up on the internet but finding where to get these proved to be a challenge. Turns out, they were in the "cleaning" section of the Stanley Steemer website. WTF?

Whatever.

So, I ordered 3 more. Eh, a little more than I wanted to spend but I figured it was spend it on this or spend it on the labor to clean the inside of my home (I have 4 exterior doors). Hmmm, no brainer to me. I'm not lazy but cleaning is not my preferred past time. I'd rather listen to music, sipping a cold adult drink, if you know what I mean.

This is the ONLY photograph of the ACTUAL floor mat I could find online (that wasn't on Stanley Steemer's website)...



You can find it here >>> https://www.stanleysteemer.com/cleaning-products - You just have to scroll down to the 10th item (at the time I posted this) to see the floor mat. It used to only be available in Gray. I see now that it is available in other colors. I can only vouch for the gray colored floor mats, as that is what I have.

With that said, when I looked it up again tonight, I now see that Amazon has listed "Stanley Steemer" floor mats. These are not what I am talking about. I guess these grew in popularity and people are now trying to cash in on the market share. I don't know.

What I do know is that I absolutely love these basic utility floor mats because they do one thing. Clean yo' feet/shoes. They do what they are supposed to and exceed what may be expected of them. That's it for tonight. Y'all have a great evening. Toodles!

Tom

Clipdat

You wrote 807 words about a floor mat.

mhardy6647

I was thinkin' that he's been drinkin' from the same verbal well as our own @Jstas.

In fact -- you know? -- I wanna see another view of that pepper mill. I'll bet it has flames painted on the side.

In seriousness, though -- we take our black pepper very seriously at this house.
Floormats, not quite as much, but I respect @treitz3's passion.

Don't get me started about, e.g., enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), or you'll see it's not just those two guys.

motorhead43026

My $36.00 Peugeot pepper mill is sufficient. No peppercorn warrants a $200 mill imho.

Nice mill though for the well heeled peppercorn mutilators. And I forgot, good review.

treitz3

The one thing that you can count on with this thread is that it WILL be filled with some random *** ****!.

THAT is a given. No rhyme, no reason, just random stuff that I encounter that may please some, most will not care about, and some that may perk the interest for those that have everything.

MH, You don't know what you don't know until you know what you didn't know before. I cook, therefore, I know.

Tom

mhardy6647

I'm right there with you, at least vis-a-vis pepper.

motorhead43026

Yeah, I haven’t had ground black pepper in my pantry or on the table in 40 years.

txcoastal1

Ima black pepper freak, like quality corns and grind your own too...love that pop in taste

pearsall001

Clipdat wrote: »

You wrote 807 words about a floor mat.

If you count the periods it about 1k. Great review though.

I must say though that being in the restaurant biz for over 40+ years a great mat is a must have.

treitz3

Phil, I do not know how this mat works with grease, FWIW. I have pressure washed 2 of them and was expecting damage but they were not damaged. With that said, I did not use a zero degree tip to clean at a distance of 2 inches away. LOL

I had a cold pressure washer with a yellow tip at a distance of about a foot. No worries with that one. It wasn't needed but I wanted to try it out for s**** and giggles. Didn't affect them at all, other than clean them a little bit.....and I do mean a little bit. They stay pretty clean by themselves FWIW.

Tom

muncybob

If that mat will clean our dogs feet, I'm in!

treitz3

Next up on the pick list is a product that actually does what it says. This is a rarity these days. It's a product called Zep Foaming Wall Cleaner.

I have used this on my own home and also on reno's as well as tenant turns for business. It can be used on flat, satin or eggshell or any other sheen out there and it does not change the sheen or leave any marks/residue where the surface was cleaned (I have personally tested this on many a surface).

Will it remove everything? Of course not. At a certain point, it simply needs a repaint or a touch up. Light scuff marks, dirt, greasy prints on doors, years of accumulated dust/dirt and other common pain points for paint, especially in high traffic areas? You betcha. Gone way quicker than you think and without scrubbing in many cases.

I can start with a dry white cloth and clean 1/2 a home. When I look at the rag afterwards? No paint or even a paint tint is on the rag. Just the dirt/grease/grime.



Highly recommended to keep your walls and trim looking newer for much longer. The cost? About 6 bucks a can that seemingly lasts a long time. Don't bother with the wipes, they are just as effective but they become a PIA when doing large areas. When you stick with it and keep cleaning, eventually the towel you started with becomes saturated and after a while, you don't even need to spray more onto the wall until needed.

It's a great product in my experience and FWIW, I have zero affiliation with this company. Just a satisfied user of it.

Tom

CottageChz

@treitz3 How do you think it would perform on grease residue on walls? Like if someone had used a deep fryer pretty frequently to make smelly foods?

treitz3

Not at all. Grease like that penetrates through the paint and doesn't just remain on the surface. The only way to get rid of that is to to use the red label oil based primer, Kilz, and repaint or put up a backsplash.

Tom

pitdogg2

treitz3 wrote: »

Not at all. Grease like that penetrates through the paint and doesn't just remain on the surface. The only way to get rid of that is to to use the red label oil based primer, Kilz, and repaint or put up a backsplash.

Tom

Totally awesome cleaner straight will remove it. Word of caution you may need good ventilation. I used it to remove years of nicotine from the walls of my mothers basement after my father died. Even the best on the market primer would bead up like a freshly waxed car, so the nicotine had to be removed best we could first. Totally awesome cleaner melted it right off the wall.
Another option is a 50/50 mix of ammonia. It didn't work as well but was much easier to work with on large areas. I used a foam mop and hot water to remove the TAC after spraying on. The ammonia I used a mop to apply and rinse. Totally awesome cleaner (TAC) will slightly remove some paint along with whatever you're trying to remove. Grease doesn't stand a chance.

mhardy6647

I just want to go on record as saying that I was at the Home Despot today and I bought a can of the Zep Foaming Wall Cleaner.

I do hope that it works on walls which aren't foaming, too!

jdjohn

Tom, the pepper mill we use is actually a 'ratchet mill', made and sold by Sur La Table. I believe they have a retail store in Charlotte, but they sell online as well.
https://www.surlatable.com/sur-la-table-ratchet-mill/PRO-3830296.html?cgid=SCA-389923&start=0

What's unique about this one is the lever action. First, it is arthritis-friendly, since it doesn't have to be gripped and torqued, but second, it can crank out a LOT of ground peppercorn quickly, since the ratchet action grinds as the lever is 'flipped' in EITHER direction.

My wife and I went to a cooking class at our local Sur La Table store, and these were the pepper mills used during the class. After one use, our jaws dropped, and we said in unison, "We've GOT to get one of these!" They're only $25, too

CottageChz

Thanks for input re:grease on walls. More worried about the walls around the house than the ones in the immediate vicinity of the fryer, though those are a concern too. Luckily there’s a backsplash in the area of the fryer.

treitz3

Just an FYI, all products TODAY ONLY are 20% off at https://mannkitchen.com/

You can thank @GlennDog for this. He gave me the heads up on the site wide sale earlier this week. The sale ends tonight at midnight.

[EDIT:] Just ordered me more Kampot peppercorns and another pepper grinder (yes, I love it THAT much), this time with a different button color for Red Kampot peppercorns. Maybe next year, I'll spring for another one with another color button for White Kampot peppercorns (great in mashed 'taters!).

Tom

treitz3

Well, here's a Tom's pick and a plea for help in sourcing more of it. I have tried a plethora of hot chili oils and this one has become my reference, even over much more expensive and exotic choices. A little goes a very long way and can take a dish from no flavor, to flavor or from mild to hot. Even hot to super hot, depending on how much you put in. If you haven't tried it before, you are in for a treat. Excellent heat and flavor.



Now, it's been a pick of mine for quite some time and I have visited at least 6 or 7 stores in my area to find it again. No such luck. So, I went online and also can't find it.

Well, let me correct myself. I found 1 case of it up in NY. $15 a bottle and you have to buy the case....and no mention of the expiration date - NO returns. Yeah, I ain't doing that. They retail for about $4-$6 a bottle (6.2 ounces) and there is an expiration date.

I even tried looking up the company (based out of Taiwan) to no avail. but when I look, I see buyers and sellers of Hokan products on international shipping lists. I can't find it on E-Bay, Amazon, Food Lion, Publix, Harris Teeter, Wal-Mart or my local international stores. The last couple of times I bought it, I just walked into a store and bought a couple of bottles.

Do any of you know where I can source this? My taste buds are in dire straights....this was my "go-to" chili oil and has been for quite some time. I just ran out about 2 or 3 weeks ago and all of the other chili oils simply do not even come close. They are all way off the mark.

Tom

BlueBirdMusic

Here is my first contribution to Tom's List.

I discovered this Shucker Paddy's Oyster Knife about three years ago. It made my oyster opening so much easier. I have the yellow handled knife, and I have given a few to friends. Shucker Paddy is the champion oyster shucker, and resides in Canada.



The knives can be found on Amazon and most other sites.

Swissmar is the manufacturer and also a seller of the knife. The price is $20.00.


An interesting read about the champion shucker.
https://shuckerpaddy.ca/

VR3

Tom have you tried any of the international markets around you

BlueBirdMusic

I want to give my two cents spill about pepper mills which also includes salt mills by inclusion.

I have been a lover of sailing since my youth. In that direction, one of my favorite things became lighthouses. In recent years, I discovered Vic Firth of "drum stick" fame had made excellent hand-crafted pepper and salt mills, and later in life he sold that business to Fletcher Mills. Fletcher still sells his designs. Vic Firth died in 2015.

About 3 years ago, I decided I wanted to have at least one Vic Firth Light House set of salt and Pepper Mills for my personal use. I set up an ongoing search on eBay for an original set. I am happy to say I was rewarded with my set of never used Vic Firth mills for about $42 plus shipping. I use these fine mills daily. Of course, I have purchased a few other new sets including those by Fletcher Mills ($50 each).

Note: The original Vic Firth mills have the "Vic Firth" logo on base of mills.



Vic Firth LIG09SM26 9-Inch Lighthouse Salt Mill, White with Red

1. Patented lock-in crown nut maintains any selected grinding setting, however coarse or fine
2. Made from the finest American hardwood ensuring a virtually flawless finish
3. Salt mills feature a special nylon mechanism for easy grinding
4. Made in the USA

The Vic Firth Gourmet 9" Red and White Maple Lighthouse Salt Mill is built to deliver a lifetime of service to both the professional and home chef. The patented "Lock and Grind" grinding system ensures perfect consistency with a nylon crushing system to deliver variable granularity for salt. Vic Firth uses its own kilns to dry the woods used in their mills to ensure the correct and specific moisture content. The Vic Firth 9" Red and White Maple Lighthouse Salt Mill is made from natural maple wood and is fitted with a non-corrosive nylon mechanism that pops out for easy cleaning.

Vic Firth began manufacturing drumsticks forty years ago and are now widely recognized as the best drumsticks in the world. Now, Vic has brought his commitment to quality and woodturning expertise to the professional gourmet tools market with Vic Firth Gourmet pepper mills, salt mills and rolling pins. Mill includes a plastic funnel for easy filling. Handcrafted in the good old state of Maine, USA. Lifetime guarantee from Vic Firth Gourmet. Dimensions: 9" tall

treitz3

VR3 wrote: »

Tom have you tried any of the international markets around you

Some of them, I have. I'm gonna check out the big one on Independance Blvd. the next time I'm in the area. It's located right off of Village Lake Drive and it's huge. Hopefully, they will have it.

Tom

tophatjohnny

Clipdat wrote: »

You wrote 807 words about a floor mat.

I’m just wondering which one of you two is more bored ???