Birthday Giveaway Winner & Steak!

Why yes, I did recycle this image.

Afternoon folks!

Wrapping up the giveaway today. I opted not to cut out hundreds paper slips this time, deciding instead to use Random.org's number generator. I hope folks will forgive me and my lack of pretty photos to accompany the drawing.

However, I do have pretty photos of what I've been doing with my birthday gift, the SousVide. The results where a bit better than the EasyBake oven (which is now the property of the Little Humble). Up until this week I had never tried a SousVide steak, but I had heard many amazing things about it.

So, is the hype true?

Being able to make steaks like this fills me with a sense of tremendous power.
As though I could make hungry, carnivorous men do anything I wanted... anything.
Even fold laundry.


Yes.

So good, that while I was having my lunch of SousVide test-steak, I was sending text messages. Knife in one hand, phone in the other, telling folks I was eating the most amazing steak and maybe using one or two choice curse words for emphasis.

Coarse Sea Salt, Cracked Pepper & Butter
The basics, ready to be dropped into the warm water bath.

Who would of thought a steak cooked in a pot of 130°F water in a plastic bag could be so uncannily tender and good? Quickly sear the steak in a hot cast iron skillet with a little butter and... nom.

No doubt, this machine being offered up to home cooks strikes terror in the heart of steak house restaurants everywhere.



Granted, the machine is really expensive as far as kitchen appliances go (serious $$$). Had it not been given to me, I'm not certain that I would have bought one, as it seems like an extravagance for someone who eats meat rather infrequently (though, I'm sure it's usefulness isn't limited just to perfect steaks).

For folks who wish to try cooking SousVide style without the price tag, I'm almost certain that you could do the exact same thing with some patience, a Foodsaver, and a good digital probe thermometer. In fact I see it being done here, here and here.

Sous vide for the steak hungry masses!
(and for those who need their laundry folded for them)

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Okay, let's get down to the birthday Giveaway! Sorry to keep the anxious folks waiting while I talked about steak.

So, last week I collected all of the entrant's IDs/Email addresses and added them to a rather lengthy spread sheet. With one quick click at Random.org, I selected the my Birthday Giveaway's winner...



Number 145! Come on down!

Let's see... the lucky person occupying the 145th cell on my spreadsheet was...

Jamie! Congratulations.

Hello again, and happy birthday!

The one thing I really need is a new knife set. My boyfriend and I recently moved, and as we no longer have roommates, we no longer have their fantastic knife set. My mom has offered me her old knife set, but I think that thing is older than I am, and the years have not been kind to it.

I'm currently a student (studying molecular and cellular biology! and my boyfriend is on the job search, so we don't have much money to drop on a nice set. I follow you here and on facebook. Thanks!

Jamie

Jamie, as someone who has gone through her fair share of decent quality knives (sets of J. A. Henckels, Global, Wüsthof and Shun) I'm a big fan of my Globals and the ridiculously sharp edges I can keep on them. They cut far better than some of the more expensive chef knives I've worked with. They have great balance, they're light weight so my hand doesn't tire out and with maintenance, they're sharp as a scalpel. A bit dangerous, actually. They glide through food so easily that I actually cut myself a few times when I first started working with them.

Cooking for engineer's has a great writeup on knives for folks shopping around.

Happy shopping Jamie! I'll be in contact via email soon.

To everyone else, thanks for taking the time to read my blog and enter. I really enjoy seeing folks come out of the woodwork to talk about kitchen gear and things they want to make (am I weird?). Jerry, get that Chef's Choice sharpener, I have it and it rocks. Dimi, the set of copper canelé molds is exactly what I would have spent the certificate on. They're just not the same when made in silicone (sigh).


To CSN, thanks again for letting me host a giveaway from your site.

I'll see everyone tomorrow. I have something yummy prepared.

-- Ms. H

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