Yes, I do both in early summer, when the kitchen stays cool. But I don't do as well in high summer, when I can't guarantee room temps below 72. It really does make a diff, especially with pickles, which actually warm up for a day or two as they ferment. With kraut, I've had the best luck with small batches, like one head of cabbage that ferments into a quart of kraut. In my experience, both are done in about 7 days. I've read Wild Fermentation several times, and The Sun magazine had a long interview with Katz last year. Anyway, I have found that increasing the salt level beyond your taste level (as the book suggests) more toward the salt level of sea water (to my taste) works best. In other words, the salt brine should taste saltier than you would ever consider eating, minimum 2 tablespoons per quart.

[ya_think] I did a search ... and it came up empty. Perhaps the thread has dropped off the archive. I did a search on clinresga, and another ventilation thread came up, but I didn't not see anything posted in that thread, either by clinresga or kaseki that contradicts any of my statements. That being said, the setup is comparing a VAH internal blower to a Fantech inline blower. Convoluted ducting or not, you can always use a significantly more powerful inline or external blower and get the same capacity as any internal blower, and it will (from a motor noise point of view) be significantly quieter as long as the blower is sufficiently far away. The key here is that the original poster is already on an external wall - so my assumption is that the external blower would not be that far away from the hood itself. You are absolutely right about a tonne of variables impacting the actual characteristics (efficiency and noise). I really wish HVI certification were required for all fans (with filters) - that would give everybody a true relative assessment between products. But unfortunately, we don't have that now. All we can say is what we have personally experienced, and how some aspects of physics plays into things. [antss] I am pretty sure all blower manufacturers provide CFM ratings at the inlet of the motor with zero ducting. In my research, I have not seen any indication otherwise. As far as I know, HVI testing doesn't using ducting either. Maybe my statement should be: "for the exact same blower, a longer duct will reduce the air moving capacity at the same effort level, or will increase the power required for the same air movement." And, actually, an SPL meter is NOT more accurate than my ear - perception is everything. The SPL, which gives you a single dB measurement, actually weighs all the various frequency components into one number (there are actually a number of different weightings that are defined, including a flat distribution, none of which match the frequency response of my ear). My point is that, the SPL could detect a peak in a frequency that nobody can hear. If nobody can hear it, why does it matter? Given that one has to live with their range hood in operation every time they cook, I would say perception is king. Put it this way: if blower X has a minimal SPL rating, but in my kitchen it drives me crazy vs. Y that has a higher SPL rating in identical test conditions, which blower does it make sense to buy? I will concede that I don't know whether grease really gets into VAH motors or not. VAH cleaning instructions include the housing (easily removable) and the blower wheel (clean in place, or remove with a hex wrench). The warranty is five years for the motor, so I assume that not enough grease gets in to mess up the motor within five years. Given that the motors are enclosed in a different housing, it shouldn't be that difficult to proof most of it against grease - the trickiest part would be the motor shaft enters the housing, but most of that ought to be protected by the blower wheel itself. Grease is sneaky though. I never claims that fan size / rpm / cfm follow a linear relationship, but you can make general claims about them with the proper assumptions. For example, for the same blade design and RPM, a bigger fan will move more air than a smaller fan. But the very fact that there are many complex variables and that they do not hold to a linear relationship means that you can very well have a smaller fan that is both quieter and moves more air than a bigger (poorly designed) fan. Just saying it's plausible, and shouldn't automagically be dismissed as 'smoke and mirrors'. (And I've never read or owned a fluid dynamics tome.) Once more, I reiterate that I only compared internal blowers to internal blowers in the show room (the exception being a Viking external blower I saw at the distributor - different location altogether) - which happens to be a reasonable simulation of my particular environment. The majority of them [external blowers] are... what? Easier or harder? Harder, if the blower is going somewhere other than the first floor (second floor, or roof application). But the original poster asked about 4' of ducting, so I assumed first floor - in which case, just mount the thing onto the brick veneer (more annoying) or siding (less annoying). Running the electricity 4' out isn't all that difficult either. I agree you can't compare against a 1500 CFM external powerpak (unless it was specifically installed in a similar config - pretty unlikely), but a would also say that 1500 CFM (or external blowers) are not typical installations. The original poster did not specify the capacity they were looking at, so I made an assumption that it would be in the 900-1200 CFM range. VAH maxes out at 1200 CFM (or 1800 "equivalent" CFM). Regarding the fire starting inside the hood, I don't have that concern, I didn't even say that, I was merely correcting the misinterpretation of a VAH claim. On the other hand, why say no to a bonus safety feature? I realize that all companies, including VAH, will stretch the truth, massage the message, spin the numbers, in their favour. No problem. But I have yet to hear anyone point out anything really wrong with VAH performance claims (grease in the motors notwithstanding). They've been in business for 75 years - if there was something really wrong with their claims, I'm sure they would have a much worse reputation at this point (or been sued all to hell). One thing I do like about some of the VAH models is that the halogen versions often have a heat sensor that automatically maxes out the fans when it gets too hot. The downsides is that the lights only have two settings (instead of being dimmable), and the fans have discrete settings (which is common, but I think I might like the flexibility of analog dials). Also, they don't have a delay timer stop feature. Anyway, I would agree with your (antss) first post - it does depend on the specifics. I am in a similar situation as the original poster, and I decided against the external blower in favour of an internal blower, based on the assumption that good quality motors and blade/wheel designs are a lesser noise component compared to air movement, and I specifically went with VAH because a filterless design is, in general, quieter than a filtered design (backed up by my "anecdotes". Sigh. I talk too much.

Like James Beard, he's more fun to read than follow. This article just appeared in our local paper, and I sent it around to my friends with my own comments added. YMMV! ********************** A note regarding these selections: One thing I dislike about Ina Garten's recipes is that she always uses extra-large eggs. This will throw your baking recipes way off if you're not careful, since most people buy large, not X-large. Some of my own favorites are no longer in print, but usually available used: Farm Journal's Book of Cookies, and their Homemade Breads: both are absolute classics and every recipe is well-tested. The Other Half of the Egg: Ever do a recipe that called for 5 egg yolks, leaving with you with 5 wasted egg whites? Here's the book that will give you great recipes for using them up. The first half of the book is egg yolk recipes, and the second is...yup, egg white recipes. Mediterranean Kitchen, The World Cook's Collection, by Jacqueline Clark and Joanna Farrow: I picked this up on the sale tables a couple of years ago, and the dozen recipes I've tried so far have all been winners. There's a high percentage of vegetarian recipes in it, which is nice. Gourmet Chinese Regional Cookbook, by Calvin B.T. Lee: Hard to remember a time when stir-frying wasn't a technique every home cook has mastered, but honestly, there was a time when most people had no idea what went into a wok, let alone how to cook with it. This was, simply, the best basic Chinese cookbook ever published. At a time when most people only knew about Cantonese and maybe a little Szechwan, this cookbook opened a window into the wider variety of Chinese cuisine. If you are really, really into learning the history of Chinese cuisine, you can try to find the Penguin Books paperback published in 1972, Kenneth Lo's Chinese Food. There is no better or more well-researched cookbook. As a student of English literature, lecturer, and graduate of Peking University and Cambridge, Lo is a wonderful and entertaining writer. Happy eating from JK! &&&&&&&&& San Francisco Chronicle Food staffers pick their go-to books Wednesday, December 3, 2008 Hardly a week goes by that the Food and Wine staff doesn't see slews of new cookbooks landing on our desks. Because we're all passionate about cooking, we are constantly adding these new volumes to our home collections. Yet we're still faithful to books that are stained and dog-eared from years of use. Here's what individual staffers picked as their all-time favorites. It wasn't easy to choose, especially because some - like Deborah Madison's "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone" and "The Zuni Cafe Cookbook" - were high on everybody's list. Still, we were able to whittle it down and find a spot for all our classics. Here they are: Amanda Gold, staff writer "The Art of Mexican Cooking," by Diana Kennedy (Random House/check). A thorough primer for anyone interested in learning about Mexican cooking, this two-decade-old book (recently reprinted) serves as a recipe book and reference for both technique - like how to stuff peppers or make tamales - and ingredients. "Bittersweet," by Alice Medrich (Artisan). As a baking enthusiast, I constantly refer to Bay Area baker Alice Medrich's paean to all things chocolate. It's useful for duplicating recipes like her Chocolate Pecan Pie and Nibby Espresso Cookies, plus it answers all kinds of questions about working with chocolate. "The Last Course," by Claudia Fleming (Random House). Fleming's enticing dessert recipes from New York's famed Gramercy Tavern inspire me every time I flip though the pages of this reliable book. Categorized by ingredients, recipes like the sinful chocolate caramel tarts are festive and inspired, yet doable for the home cook. Stacy Finz, staff writer "Barefoot Contessa Parties!" by Ina Garten (Random House). I love all the Barefoot Contessa books because the recipes are pretty much fail-safe. I entertain a lot and find Garten's tips and menus extremely helpful. "The Silver Palate Cookbook," by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins (Workman). A classic. I can't count how many times I've made the chicken Marbella. "Bistro Cooking," by Patricia Wells (Workman). Not only is this a great cookbook, with recipes that are simple to duplicate, but when I went to France I also used it to help me find many of the bistros Wells writes about. Deb Wandell, recipe and copy editor "The Zuni Cafe Cookbook," by Judy Rodgers (Norton). From the chef-owner of the San Francisco restaurant, this award-winning cookbook is worth the price just for the section on salting meat in advance. If the recipe instructions seem lengthy, it's mainly because Rodgers is thoughtful and thorough. Her attention to detail comes in handy when re-creating Zuni classics such as Roast Chicken with Bread Salad and Chocolate Pots De Creme. "Sunday Suppers at Lucques," by Suzanne Goin (Knopf). A spin-off of the popular weekly dinners at her L.A. restaurant, Goin's seasonal menus have a celebratory feel. Condiments, such as Currant-Pine Nut Relish or French Feta Salsa Verde, require a little extra work, but elevate the meal. A book for cooks whose idea of relaxing is spending a Sunday whipping up a four-course dinner. "Four-Star Desserts," by Emily Luchetti (Harper Collins). San Francisco pastry chef Luchetti has written several dessert cookbooks, and this the one I turn to most often. It's beautifully photographed with sweets that range from four-star fancy to down-right homey. Luchetti's style is unintimidating and the recipes are easy to execute. Try the gingersnaps. Tara Duggan, staff writer "Naples at Table: Cooking in Campania," by Arthur Schwartz (William Morrow). This is one of my favorites. Schwartz's take on the simple but enticing food of Naples and Campania has broad appeal, with favorites like spaghetti with mussels and Neapolitan ragu as well as more obscure recipes. Essays illuminate the fascinating cultural background of the region's food traditions. "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone," by Deborah Madison (Broadway). This exhaustive book is an amazing resource for any type of vegetable or grain you might have picked up at the farmers' market on a whim and don't know what to do with. The recipes are foolproof, even for everyday foods like cornmeal pancakes, and they invariably have a twist that makes them all the more irresistible. "The Cake Bible," by Rose Levy Beranbaum (William Morrow). Whether you need to make a cake for 50 for a relative's 70th birthday or sour cream coffee cake for a small brunch, this book covers it all. The recipes take time to put together, but you always learn something new along the way from Beranbaum, one of the country's leading authorities on baking. Miriam Morgan, food editor "The San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook," Volumes 1 and 2 (Chronicle Books). I know, you're probably thinking, "Sure, she's gotta pick her staff's own cookbook." But, since we cook all our recipes in our test kitchen before they go into the paper, I know they work. And they're great. In these books, executive food and wine editor Michael Bauer and former recipe editor Fran Irwin have collected some of our best. They're all winners - truly. "The Working Cook Cookbook," by Tara Duggan (San Francisco Chronicle Press). Being a working cook myself, I find Tara Duggan's recipes just the sort I need - and like. They're quick, capitalize on our wonderful local ingredients and ethnic cuisines, suit the seasons and, best of all, they're delicious. The recipes are good for beginners, too. "Cafe Beaujolais Cookbook," by Margaret S. Fox and John Bear (Ten Speed). It didn't take long for Mendocino to become a food-lovers' destination once Fox opened Cafe Beaujolais in 1979. I can't even begin to count how many times I've baked the Apple Oatmeal Crisp. And, Anni's Fudge Pie is a true paean to the art of chocolate. For those old enough to remember Cruchon's in Berkeley, this is that pie.

I read this a while ago, and it's still funny. In April, I was aware/awake through most of my colonoscopy, watching the video monitor, and when they had to snip off a polyp, it hurt like h*ll! I have to have a follow up colonoscopy in October, and I made sure the PA noted that I will need to be sedated completely this time. I am NOT looking forward to it. Only good thing about the prep liquid is that mine came with six different flavors to choose from. I chose the pina colada flavor. Next time, I will pour out a pint at a time and use the different flavors.