The "whys" in canning come from training, from certified classes, and can be a simple or as complex as you want to make them. But pH of the food is only one aspect that must be considered. The simple "why" is because it has never been tested and approved. The complex "why" is without that extensive lab testing you have no way of knowing the actual pH of each ingredient which can vary widely (there is a big difference between a pH of 5.37 and one of 5.85) and the final pH of the product, nor the stability of that pH as it rises during shelf storage, the % of water to be found in each food, how fast or slow the cellular structure of a particular food reacts to osmosis, the density of the finished product and the amount of time required for full heat penetration of that density, etc., etc. For example, celery contains much more water than onions and has a larger cellular structure so its pH is much less stable over time, it dilutes the pH of the mixture, and it reacts very differently under pressure than onions do. So they are not inter-changeable per the guidelines. A trained food scientist can relate to all these important variables but the rest of us lack the training to appreciate or understand their importance. Thus the 2 basic guidelines of home canning safety - (1) you cannot safely can your own made up recipes and (2) cooking and canning recipes are 2 different things and you cannot safely can cooking recipes. It is up to each individual whether they abide by those guidelines or not. Dave

1. Yes you can in those cases for which a pressure canning processing time has been determined. In some cases there is none, only BWB processing time is available, so in those cases you couldn't pressure can as you would only be guessing at the time needed. But many food instructions, including applesauce, provide pressure canning instructions. Further, some people don't like the results obtained from pressure canning some foods that are normally done in a BWB. The texture, taste, and quality may be affected by pressure canning. In some cases it is improved, in some it isn't. So as a very general guideline, pressure canning is usually reserved for the foods that require it. 2. Yes, if it is deep enough. Many of us do it. You just don't lock down the lid nor put on the weight. It has the drawback of being quite heavy - a PC full of jars and water - but it works fine. 3. Is there a benefit? Not really. Some prefer Presto, some All American. Some swear by each brand. Some of us have both the Presto 23 quart and the All American. Some, myself included, prefer working with the Presto, some prefer the All American. The BIG difference is the price between the 2 models/brands. Just stick with one of those 2 brands only. You'll find lots of discussions here about the pros and cons of both brands and it boils down to a matter of personal preference. Dave PS: and in case you aren't familiar with it, be sure to explore all the info at NCHFP Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP

Why obsess about the power strip junction box when the reality is going to be ugly black cords dangling in front of the backsplash? In the OP, the thing that I notice is the toaster cord. The J-Box is so minor. The whole 'Hide the electricity' is just dumb. A kitchen is a workshop; make it user friendly. Don't kid yourself by saying, "Oh, I will always unplug the appliance." Because by the tenth time you struggle, bending over and craning your neck to see where the outlet is and align the prongs to plug it back in, you are going to leave it plugged in. And those dangling cords are going to look 100x worse than a few outlets in the wall ever will.

The china on the sink is too fragile to support the cantilevered weight by the back bolt holes alone. Someone leaning on the sink and it'd end up on the floor. I mounted the larger Memoirs sink on a cabinet. Cut a hole in the teak top to accept the sink's flare. The sink rim is maybe 4 or 5 inches above the height of the countertop. I built the bathroom cabinetry myself so it all worked fine. You'd have to make adjustments, but you could use steel brackets (with a few modifications to protect the china) attached to the wall studs to support the weight of the sink. Similar to supporting the weight of a floating cabinet from below. Much easier for a custom installation than trying to cobble it together with off the shelf parts.