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Post by auntieannie on Sept 30, 2012 23:04:26 GMT
Not really! ;D
I was following Hugh Something-or-Other's oxtail stew in rich wine sauce recipe and had got to the point of adding the wine, when I realised I didn't have any in the house.
No problem, I thought... I have brandy and grand marnier. It'll be delicious.
So I added some brandy and some grand marnier to my pan and as it heated... it decided to flambe itself.very lovely flames. thankfully I didn't panic. with the gas off and the ventilation on, the window and the door open, all calmed down and I was able to resume cooking my meal.
ever done something similar? Or am I the only ditz on site?
It is to be noted that as I was beginning the preparations to the same dish, I cut myself as I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing.
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Post by htmb on Oct 1, 2012 1:18:46 GMT
Oh, dear. So glad it wasn't worse. Good thing you kept a clear head.
You asked, so here's my story: I did something similar when I was about 19. A few days after my roommates had painted the kitchen I decided to deep fry potatoes. This was something I had never done before, nor had I been taught how to do it. I filled a pot with oil and turned the heat to high. At one point I turned my back and when I turned to face the stove I found the whole pot of oil was on fire. I put a lid over the flames and turned off the heat, but the smoke completely covered all the freshly painted walls. I did my best to clean it off, but they were never the same. It's a wonder my roommates ever spoke to me again.
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Post by mich64 on Oct 1, 2012 2:03:13 GMT
My goodness ladies! So far I have no experiences like these. It does make me recall many encounters that my firefighter husband has told over the years.
When our Goddaughters each departed for University, their Godfather sat them down and impressed on them the importance of not making food when coming back to residence after a night out drinking. And, oven fries only! never never never were they to boil oil in a pot to make fries. They giggled after getting their lecture from their doting Godfather, but when the oldest came home her first year, she agreed with him. We shall hear soon from our second when she comes home at Christmas break.
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Post by htmb on Oct 1, 2012 3:52:56 GMT
Oh, Mich, I wish I had someone explain those things to me, too. Your goddaughters are very lucky. I didn't even learn to cook until I was in my twenties.
At least I knew to put the lid on the pot and to turn off the heat. I also knew not to pour water on the fire. I'm not sure when I learned all that, but it definitely wasn't while learning to cook. I'm a good cook now, but it's still not something I like to do. The cooks in the family love me because I'd rather do the cleaning up. I did, however, made sure all of my children knew how to cook, shop for food, and practice safety in the kitchen before they moved out of the house.
So, Annie, how was the oxtail and how's your cut? Everything okay?
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Post by onlymark on Oct 1, 2012 4:48:13 GMT
There are deserts that come in a can and need to be boiled up in water for half an hour or so, then opened and tipped out. Treacle sponge is one.
It warns you on the label never to let the pan boil dry otherwise they can explode, blow the shit out of the saucepan, break the ceramic hob and decorate the whole kitchen with gooey, sticky desert.
I've never done this.
Twice.
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Post by bjd on Oct 1, 2012 6:25:41 GMT
It hasn't happened to me, but a friend was deep-frying nems for guests. The first batch were a bit pale, so when she carried them to the dining room, she turned up the heat a bit to make the oil hotter. A moment later she returned to the kitchen to find the flames had been sucked up into the ventilator, the contents of which came crashing down onto the cooktop.
Her next guests were the fire department. And it was a rented house.
So I never ever leave oil to heat without watching eagle-eyed, and I don't deep-fry at all.
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Post by auntieannie on Oct 1, 2012 9:23:07 GMT
Dr Only, is that how deserts are made, then? exploded pudding in kitchen and then they expand to the outside space? how come England is so green? ;-P
htmb, didn't that give the kitchen walls a fashionable smokey hue? the technique is questionable, though!
and I agree with you that Mich's goddaughters are lucky.
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Post by auntieannie on Oct 1, 2012 9:23:57 GMT
oh, and yes, the cuts are fine. I should survive another week or so...
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Post by onlymark on Oct 1, 2012 9:25:12 GMT
Exploding puddings were in favour before your time Annie. They've gone out of fashion now.
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Post by auntieannie on Oct 1, 2012 9:46:40 GMT
ah, ok!
btw, it was my first oxtail stew and I thought it was nice but "a bit of a faff". to prepare. Might try again without the burning down the house part sometime.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2012 11:26:22 GMT
Whenever I am cooking, I have learned to turn off all of the burners on the stove the moment the telephone rings, even if it means starting some things over.
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Post by mich64 on Oct 1, 2012 14:13:50 GMT
Good practice Kerouac.
I have probably gone through at least 3 deep fryers, but when the last one broke I did not replace it and began making the oven fries. They are not the same as deep fried fries but less mess and worry. I reserve my fry time for when I am out for a lunch as they always make them better than I can anyways.
Now when cooking, if the phone rings I can see the number calling on my TV and if it does not seem like it could be an emergency, I let the phone take a message and call back later.
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