Author Topic: Overheard at Work  (Read 13252571 times)

Papa Mustache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8400 on: May 28, 2015, 02:14:03 PM »
Community College!

He also doesn't like engineering and has no major

Doesn't even have a full schedule of classes because he had to enroll late after returning from expensive out of state school.  30k flushed down to commode!

Heard about a middle aged fellow I grew up with. Life is a mess, living with Mom and Dad literally in the basement. Has missed class registration at the local community college several semesters in a row. Can't seem to get it together and get over there in time. Doesn't work so presumably has time on his hands.

The whole family has caused eye strain in the people around them b/c of the way they've handled their money and lives. Entertaining though.

Zikoris

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8401 on: May 28, 2015, 02:14:23 PM »
Regardless of the safety of your various non-stick pans, they just plain suck. Fuck em!
Boosting cast iron, slamming non-stick AND gratuitous swearing? I think you're my spirit sibling.
I super tried to live without non-stick.  Managed for about 6 months.  But I just couldn't live without the occasional pan of fried potatoes, and my cast iron doesn't work too great for that.

Plus my cast iron griddle looks like it's chipping?

Anyway.

I replaced my teflon pans with ceramic a few years ago and it seems to work well - definitely does a good job on fried potatoes when I make those.

seanc0x0

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8402 on: May 28, 2015, 02:57:56 PM »
I just replaced the battery in my 18 year old car.  And that battery was four years old.

My battery in my daily driver has consistently lasted 6+ years. Don't know if it is the brand or where I live. I will say I cheaped out and bought a discount battery from one of the national FLAPS (friendly local auto parts store) for our other car and it lasted only about two or three years. Was still under partial warranty but still why does one brand last so long while the other lasts such a short time.


We had to replace the battery in our 2008 Honda Fit for the first time this winter. It's a teeny tiny battery, but it lasted through almost 7 winters before starting to have trouble starting the car in the cold.  It gets really cold here too, usually below -40 several times throughout the winter.  Only complaint is Honda uses a proprietary battery for this car, so we had to pay a bit more than I'd have liked. Still cheaper than having a bigger car, though!

mm1970

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8403 on: May 28, 2015, 05:02:54 PM »
Regardless of the safety of your various non-stick pans, they just plain suck. Fuck em!
Boosting cast iron, slamming non-stick AND gratuitous swearing? I think you're my spirit sibling.
I super tried to live without non-stick.  Managed for about 6 months.  But I just couldn't live without the occasional pan of fried potatoes, and my cast iron doesn't work too great for that.

Plus my cast iron griddle looks like it's chipping?

Anyway.

Cast irons make the best fried potatoes. What'd you do???

And how'd you chip the bloody thing? (Seriously though, was it a pan from lodge? Because if so, go email 'em and they'll probably refund you. Lodge stuff doesn't really break, or at least it shouldn't.) Also, when you say griddle... there are a lot of things that fall under the category, I am wondering what exactly you're using (mostly because I am trying to figure out how your fried potatoes don't rock!)
Um, it's like a 2-burner cast iron griddle that we probably got from sears 10 years ago. One side is flat (for pancakes, grilled cheese, etc), and the other side is ridged (for meats, and we don't use that side).

It's probably a lodge?

looks like this
https://www.katom.com/261-LPG13.html?zmam=29342707&zmas=1&zmac=32&zmap=261-LPG13&utm_source=google&utm_medium=adwords&utm_campaign=CSE&gclid=CJmSp9rF5cUCFQSVfgodsBEARw

gimp

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8404 on: May 28, 2015, 07:40:23 PM »
I don't like griddles much. Too weird. One side is useless.

http://www.chowstatic.com/assets/models/product_photos/images/172/original/100413_lodge_pan_1.jpg for all your needs. That's my opinion. I also use a dutch oven.

SailorGirl

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8405 on: May 28, 2015, 08:16:47 PM »
Ok I have a fun story from work, but its not overheard since (sorry).  I work for a very small company (30 people), and I arrange a 401k frontload situation with the guy who does payroll (a lawyer, not an accountant).  We make it so I'm still contributing an amount from my regular paychecks to receive the full match, and I'm told I won't receive a match on the 401k front load.  Its all well and good until I get my bonus paystub and see I was matched a seemingly random amount.  We go back and forth for about a month where he's trying to tell me how he calculated it but his calculations don't match my numbers.  Finally he tells me that he matched me based on the percentage of the max 401k contributions.  Meaning he did (my frontload/18,000) = x%, and the x% was applied to the max match I could receive based on my salary.  I then tell him that my paychecks are still getting matched for the max amount, and if that continues then in May they will have over matched me.  He tells me that he will stop matching my 401k contributions when I reach the max match.  At this point I stop trying to figure out his reasoning behind this method, and just decide to audit all my paystubs to make sure I am receiving the correct match.  Not a super crazy story, but sometimes I still scratch my head and wonder why he came up with this random 401k match payment plan.  It makes 0 sense to me.

In summary: payroll guy says my frontloaded 401k contribution won't be matched which turns out to be a lie.  He matches 401k frontload by an arbitrary amount, can't explain to me why it was done that way, and then matches less than half my paycheck contributions throughout the year.

I worked for a small company for a six month period that spanned calendar years.  Was informed that their retirement system was set up to do a lumps sum deposit if you set up your paycheck to put x% into it.  So I got three percent of my (would be) annual salary deposited the first month, and another 3% deposited in January.  Got fired in April or so meaning I almost doubled my salary, half to retirement and half to me.  It didn't sound right to me but I certainly wasn't going to argue.

chicagomeg

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8406 on: May 28, 2015, 09:25:16 PM »
Non-stick pans (of any stripe) aren't safe, according to growing scientific evidence on the larger chemical group (PFAS). Google "the Madrid Statement" or for an example: http://greensciencepolicy.org/madrid-statement/

Plus, I honestly hate cooking on them. I use cast iron skillets for much of my cooking, and used either enameled cast-iron or tri-ply stainless for things like acidic sauces that don't play nice with plain iron.

Seasoned cast iron that's taken care of (don't wash with soap, dry immediately, wipe with oil if necessary) properly is a vastly superior "non-stick" surface, cheaper, and lasts basically forever. It's like the ultimate Mustachian cookware.

Does that include so called "ceramic" nonstick?  They say PFOA or PTFE, but perhaps they still use some PF? 

Anyways, I don't believe that seasoned cast iron is safe.  If has a chemical coating as well, but you make it yourself out of a homemade varnish.

I grew up in the town where Teflon was made and now have to have medical monitoring for the rest of my life for a range of conditions due to the water pollution they caused. So I will stick to my cast iron and stainless steel. The only "chemical varnish" is one made of cooking oil and heat. Seems less likely to cause cancer.

Yeah, I know a guy who used to work near an old coal mine -- died of lung cancer.  That's why I don't use electricity.

Except it's pretty hard not to use electricity and pretty easy to not use pans made of chemicals that cause cancer.

theadvicist

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8407 on: May 29, 2015, 04:11:29 AM »
Yeah, I know a guy who used to work near an old coal mine -- died of lung cancer.  That's why I don't use electricity.

And they're just not comparable examples.

If you said, "I know a guy who used to work near an old coal mine -- died of lung cancer. That's why I don't burn coal in my open fire", I'd think, hmm, maybe a bit overcautious, but whatever.

But to compare it to Teflon - where the chemicals applied to the pans you cook on are the ones that have necessitated the health monitoring - is not the same thing at all.

Sam E

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8408 on: May 29, 2015, 04:45:27 AM »
Yeah, I know a guy who used to work near an old coal mine -- died of lung cancer.  That's why I don't use electricity.

And they're just not comparable examples.

If you said, "I know a guy who used to work near an old coal mine -- died of lung cancer. That's why I don't burn coal in my open fire", I'd think, hmm, maybe a bit overcautious, but whatever.

But to compare it to Teflon - where the chemicals applied to the pans you cook on are the ones that have necessitated the health monitoring - is not the same thing at all.

The chemical ingredients and byproducts are what contaminated the water. All I've seen is reports that workers and people exposed to the process of making Teflon have had health issues directly linked to that. I don't see any reports or studies saying that the actual finished product is unsafe or linked to any health problems.

The thing about chemicals is that when they mix and react they change properties. You shouldn't inhale pure hydrogen, but when mixed with oxygen you get something that's necessary to keep you alive: Water/H2O. Sodium reacts violently to water and can explode just from exposure to it, but table salt (Sodium Chloride) doesn't have that property at all.

theadvicist

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8409 on: May 29, 2015, 05:02:37 AM »
Yeah, I know a guy who used to work near an old coal mine -- died of lung cancer.  That's why I don't use electricity.

And they're just not comparable examples.

If you said, "I know a guy who used to work near an old coal mine -- died of lung cancer. That's why I don't burn coal in my open fire", I'd think, hmm, maybe a bit overcautious, but whatever.

But to compare it to Teflon - where the chemicals applied to the pans you cook on are the ones that have necessitated the health monitoring - is not the same thing at all.

The chemical ingredients and byproducts are what contaminated the water. All I've seen is reports that workers and people exposed to the process of making Teflon have had health issues directly linked to that. I don't see any reports or studies saying that the actual finished product is unsafe or linked to any health problems.

The thing about chemicals is that when they mix and react they change properties. You shouldn't inhale pure hydrogen, but when mixed with oxygen you get something that's necessary to keep you alive: Water/H2O. Sodium reacts violently to water and can explode just from exposure to it, but table salt (Sodium Chloride) doesn't have that property at all.

I agree that there is no evidence that teflon on pans causes health problems. I have no skin in this race, and personally use a variety of pans (including teflon ones). But I stand by the fact that dragoncar was not comparing like situations with the coal / electricity analogy.

Cromacster

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8410 on: May 29, 2015, 06:21:39 AM »
Non-stick pans (of any stripe) aren't safe, according to growing scientific evidence on the larger chemical group (PFAS). Google "the Madrid Statement" or for an example: http://greensciencepolicy.org/madrid-statement/

Plus, I honestly hate cooking on them. I use cast iron skillets for much of my cooking, and used either enameled cast-iron or tri-ply stainless for things like acidic sauces that don't play nice with plain iron.

Seasoned cast iron that's taken care of (don't wash with soap, dry immediately, wipe with oil if necessary) properly is a vastly superior "non-stick" surface, cheaper, and lasts basically forever. It's like the ultimate Mustachian cookware.

Does that include so called "ceramic" nonstick?  They say PFOA or PTFE, but perhaps they still use some PF? 

Anyways, I don't believe that seasoned cast iron is safe.  If has a chemical coating as well, but you make it yourself out of a homemade varnish.

I grew up in the town where Teflon was made and now have to have medical monitoring for the rest of my life for a range of conditions due to the water pollution they caused. So I will stick to my cast iron and stainless steel. The only "chemical varnish" is one made of cooking oil and heat. Seems less likely to cause cancer.

Yeah, I know a guy who used to work near an old coal mine -- died of lung cancer.  That's why I don't use electricity.

Except it's pretty hard not to use electricity and pretty easy to not use pans made of chemicals that cause cancer.

It's also nearly impossible to avoid using products that have PTFE in them.  I can confidently say you use products with PTFE in them on a daily basis.  It's one of the hidden industries that you never see.  Drive a car?  Use a cell phone?  The most recognizable consumer product would be Goretex (Goretex=PTFE).

As others have said, it's no the PTFE that is a carcinogen, it's the products used in the making of it, many of which have been phased out and have been replaced with better alternatives.


chicagomeg

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8411 on: May 29, 2015, 08:59:18 AM »
Non-stick pans (of any stripe) aren't safe, according to growing scientific evidence on the larger chemical group (PFAS). Google "the Madrid Statement" or for an example: http://greensciencepolicy.org/madrid-statement/

Plus, I honestly hate cooking on them. I use cast iron skillets for much of my cooking, and used either enameled cast-iron or tri-ply stainless for things like acidic sauces that don't play nice with plain iron.

Seasoned cast iron that's taken care of (don't wash with soap, dry immediately, wipe with oil if necessary) properly is a vastly superior "non-stick" surface, cheaper, and lasts basically forever. It's like the ultimate Mustachian cookware.

Does that include so called "ceramic" nonstick?  They say PFOA or PTFE, but perhaps they still use some PF? 

Anyways, I don't believe that seasoned cast iron is safe.  If has a chemical coating as well, but you make it yourself out of a homemade varnish.

I grew up in the town where Teflon was made and now have to have medical monitoring for the rest of my life for a range of conditions due to the water pollution they caused. So I will stick to my cast iron and stainless steel. The only "chemical varnish" is one made of cooking oil and heat. Seems less likely to cause cancer.

Yeah, I know a guy who used to work near an old coal mine -- died of lung cancer.  That's why I don't use electricity.

Except it's pretty hard not to use electricity and pretty easy to not use pans made of chemicals that cause cancer.

It's also nearly impossible to avoid using products that have PTFE in them.  I can confidently say you use products with PTFE in them on a daily basis.  It's one of the hidden industries that you never see.  Drive a car?  Use a cell phone?  The most recognizable consumer product would be Goretex (Goretex=PTFE).

As others have said, it's no the PTFE that is a carcinogen, it's the products used in the making of it, many of which have been phased out and have been replaced with better alternatives.

"As a result of a class-action lawsuit and community settlement with DuPont, three epidemiologists conducted studies on the population surrounding a chemical plant that was exposed to PFOA at levels greater than in the general population. The studies concluded that there was probably an association between PFOA exposure and six health outcomes: kidney cancer, testicular cancer, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol), and pregnancy-induced hypertension."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfluorooctanoic_acid

Also, Goretex no longer contains C8 (and I don't own any Goretex), but Teflon definitely does.

Look, you can't avoid everything that increases the risk of cancer. I'm not a paranoid idiot. But Teflon is easy to avoid. There are plenty of good alternatives. Given that I've already been over exposed to C8, I'm not going to intentionally expose myself to MORE of it.
« Last Edit: May 29, 2015, 09:02:08 AM by mlipps »

MgoSam

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8412 on: May 29, 2015, 09:17:56 AM »
Non-stick pans (of any stripe) aren't safe, according to growing scientific evidence on the larger chemical group (PFAS). Google "the Madrid Statement" or for an example: http://greensciencepolicy.org/madrid-statement/

Plus, I honestly hate cooking on them. I use cast iron skillets for much of my cooking, and used either enameled cast-iron or tri-ply stainless for things like acidic sauces that don't play nice with plain iron.

Seasoned cast iron that's taken care of (don't wash with soap, dry immediately, wipe with oil if necessary) properly is a vastly superior "non-stick" surface, cheaper, and lasts basically forever. It's like the ultimate Mustachian cookware.

Does that include so called "ceramic" nonstick?  They say PFOA or PTFE, but perhaps they still use some PF? 

Anyways, I don't believe that seasoned cast iron is safe.  If has a chemical coating as well, but you make it yourself out of a homemade varnish.

I grew up in the town where Teflon was made and now have to have medical monitoring for the rest of my life for a range of conditions due to the water pollution they caused. So I will stick to my cast iron and stainless steel. The only "chemical varnish" is one made of cooking oil and heat. Seems less likely to cause cancer.

Yeah, I know a guy who used to work near an old coal mine -- died of lung cancer.  That's why I don't use electricity.

Except it's pretty hard not to use electricity and pretty easy to not use pans made of chemicals that cause cancer.

It's also nearly impossible to avoid using products that have PTFE in them.  I can confidently say you use products with PTFE in them on a daily basis.  It's one of the hidden industries that you never see.  Drive a car?  Use a cell phone?  The most recognizable consumer product would be Goretex (Goretex=PTFE).

As others have said, it's no the PTFE that is a carcinogen, it's the products used in the making of it, many of which have been phased out and have been replaced with better alternatives.

"As a result of a class-action lawsuit and community settlement with DuPont, three epidemiologists conducted studies on the population surrounding a chemical plant that was exposed to PFOA at levels greater than in the general population. The studies concluded that there was probably an association between PFOA exposure and six health outcomes: kidney cancer, testicular cancer, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol), and pregnancy-induced hypertension."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfluorooctanoic_acid

Also, Goretex no longer contains C8 (and I don't own any Goretex), but Teflon definitely does.

Look, you can't avoid everything that increases the risk of cancer. I'm not a paranoid idiot. But Teflon is easy to avoid. There are plenty of good alternatives. Given that I've already been over exposed to C8, I'm not going to intentionally expose myself to MORE of it.

This is starting to get foamy.

solon

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8413 on: May 29, 2015, 10:02:45 AM »
Non-stick pans (of any stripe) aren't safe, according to growing scientific evidence on the larger chemical group (PFAS). Google "the Madrid Statement" or for an example: http://greensciencepolicy.org/madrid-statement/

Plus, I honestly hate cooking on them. I use cast iron skillets for much of my cooking, and used either enameled cast-iron or tri-ply stainless for things like acidic sauces that don't play nice with plain iron.

Seasoned cast iron that's taken care of (don't wash with soap, dry immediately, wipe with oil if necessary) properly is a vastly superior "non-stick" surface, cheaper, and lasts basically forever. It's like the ultimate Mustachian cookware.

Does that include so called "ceramic" nonstick?  They say PFOA or PTFE, but perhaps they still use some PF? 

Anyways, I don't believe that seasoned cast iron is safe.  If has a chemical coating as well, but you make it yourself out of a homemade varnish.

I grew up in the town where Teflon was made and now have to have medical monitoring for the rest of my life for a range of conditions due to the water pollution they caused. So I will stick to my cast iron and stainless steel. The only "chemical varnish" is one made of cooking oil and heat. Seems less likely to cause cancer.

Yeah, I know a guy who used to work near an old coal mine -- died of lung cancer.  That's why I don't use electricity.

Except it's pretty hard not to use electricity and pretty easy to not use pans made of chemicals that cause cancer.

It's also nearly impossible to avoid using products that have PTFE in them.  I can confidently say you use products with PTFE in them on a daily basis.  It's one of the hidden industries that you never see.  Drive a car?  Use a cell phone?  The most recognizable consumer product would be Goretex (Goretex=PTFE).

As others have said, it's no the PTFE that is a carcinogen, it's the products used in the making of it, many of which have been phased out and have been replaced with better alternatives.

"As a result of a class-action lawsuit and community settlement with DuPont, three epidemiologists conducted studies on the population surrounding a chemical plant that was exposed to PFOA at levels greater than in the general population. The studies concluded that there was probably an association between PFOA exposure and six health outcomes: kidney cancer, testicular cancer, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol), and pregnancy-induced hypertension."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfluorooctanoic_acid

Also, Goretex no longer contains C8 (and I don't own any Goretex), but Teflon definitely does.

Look, you can't avoid everything that increases the risk of cancer. I'm not a paranoid idiot. But Teflon is easy to avoid. There are plenty of good alternatives. Given that I've already been over exposed to C8, I'm not going to intentionally expose myself to MORE of it.

This is starting to get foamy.

"Starting"?

chicagomeg

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8414 on: May 29, 2015, 10:11:11 AM »
I'm done foaming. Sorry guys!!!

MgoSam

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8415 on: May 29, 2015, 10:12:59 AM »
Non-stick pans (of any stripe) aren't safe, according to growing scientific evidence on the larger chemical group (PFAS). Google "the Madrid Statement" or for an example: http://greensciencepolicy.org/madrid-statement/

Plus, I honestly hate cooking on them. I use cast iron skillets for much of my cooking, and used either enameled cast-iron or tri-ply stainless for things like acidic sauces that don't play nice with plain iron.

Seasoned cast iron that's taken care of (don't wash with soap, dry immediately, wipe with oil if necessary) properly is a vastly superior "non-stick" surface, cheaper, and lasts basically forever. It's like the ultimate Mustachian cookware.

Does that include so called "ceramic" nonstick?  They say PFOA or PTFE, but perhaps they still use some PF? 

Anyways, I don't believe that seasoned cast iron is safe.  If has a chemical coating as well, but you make it yourself out of a homemade varnish.

I grew up in the town where Teflon was made and now have to have medical monitoring for the rest of my life for a range of conditions due to the water pollution they caused. So I will stick to my cast iron and stainless steel. The only "chemical varnish" is one made of cooking oil and heat. Seems less likely to cause cancer.

Yeah, I know a guy who used to work near an old coal mine -- died of lung cancer.  That's why I don't use electricity.

Except it's pretty hard not to use electricity and pretty easy to not use pans made of chemicals that cause cancer.

It's also nearly impossible to avoid using products that have PTFE in them.  I can confidently say you use products with PTFE in them on a daily basis.  It's one of the hidden industries that you never see.  Drive a car?  Use a cell phone?  The most recognizable consumer product would be Goretex (Goretex=PTFE).

As others have said, it's no the PTFE that is a carcinogen, it's the products used in the making of it, many of which have been phased out and have been replaced with better alternatives.

"As a result of a class-action lawsuit and community settlement with DuPont, three epidemiologists conducted studies on the population surrounding a chemical plant that was exposed to PFOA at levels greater than in the general population. The studies concluded that there was probably an association between PFOA exposure and six health outcomes: kidney cancer, testicular cancer, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol), and pregnancy-induced hypertension."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfluorooctanoic_acid

Also, Goretex no longer contains C8 (and I don't own any Goretex), but Teflon definitely does.

Look, you can't avoid everything that increases the risk of cancer. I'm not a paranoid idiot. But Teflon is easy to avoid. There are plenty of good alternatives. Given that I've already been over exposed to C8, I'm not going to intentionally expose myself to MORE of it.

This is starting to get foamy.

"Starting"?

Being passive aggressive.

mm1970

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8416 on: May 29, 2015, 03:20:04 PM »
I don't like griddles much. Too weird. One side is useless.

http://www.chowstatic.com/assets/models/product_photos/images/172/original/100413_lodge_pan_1.jpg for all your needs. That's my opinion. I also use a dutch oven.
The sad thing is, I have this one too.  And everything stuck when I tried to use it.  So it's sitting, lonely, in the bottom of a cupboard, waiting for me to re-season it.

PMG

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8417 on: May 29, 2015, 03:37:45 PM »
I don't like griddles much. Too weird. One side is useless.

http://www.chowstatic.com/assets/models/product_photos/images/172/original/100413_lodge_pan_1.jpg for all your needs. That's my opinion. I also use a dutch oven.
The sad thing is, I have this one too.  And everything stuck when I tried to use it.  So it's sitting, lonely, in the bottom of a cupboard, waiting for me to re-season it.

Adding to OT

If I didn't already own hundred year old cast iron...  I am a huge fan of multi use tools. This looks perfect.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0009JKG9M/ref=aw_wl_ov_dp_1_1?colid=1OJV6T9XHMXO7&coliid=I2CKATSH7204F0

gimp

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8418 on: May 29, 2015, 04:27:54 PM »
My method for getting a cast iron pan on which I can cook eggs completely dry with no sticking whatsoever (I've been called out on this and made a video with proof... if you want it):

Yeah, of course, season it properly in the oven. But that's not as important as people say. What is really important: use the pan to cook something every day, preferably meat (especially fatty meat like bacon) or food that takes plenty of oil (for example, fry some potatoes). After about a month of this, it is entirely non-stick. In other words, no special break-in, just use it to cook things with fat, added or natural.

(Yes, I can probably get things to stick to it if I try - maybe try to fry some rice at the highest heat and leave it burning, that sort of thing.)

Sam E

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8419 on: May 29, 2015, 04:37:35 PM »
My method for getting a cast iron pan on which I can cook eggs completely dry with no sticking whatsoever (I've been called out on this and made a video with proof... if you want it):

Yeah, of course, season it properly in the oven. But that's not as important as people say. What is really important: use the pan to cook something every day, preferably meat (especially fatty meat like bacon) or food that takes plenty of oil (for example, fry some potatoes). After about a month of this, it is entirely non-stick. In other words, no special break-in, just use it to cook things with fat, added or natural.

(Yes, I can probably get things to stick to it if I try - maybe try to fry some rice at the highest heat and leave it burning, that sort of thing.)

This is how my mom breaks in all her stoneware baking pans and it works wonders for making the surface nonstick. She shores up the edges and then layers bacon on it and cooks that. Do it a few times and the stoneware is fully seasoned and nonstick. Plus, you get to eat bacon during the process. Win-win!

Gen Y Finance Journey

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8420 on: May 29, 2015, 04:47:35 PM »
My method for getting a cast iron pan on which I can cook eggs completely dry with no sticking whatsoever (I've been called out on this and made a video with proof... if you want it):

Yeah, of course, season it properly in the oven. But that's not as important as people say. What is really important: use the pan to cook something every day, preferably meat (especially fatty meat like bacon) or food that takes plenty of oil (for example, fry some potatoes). After about a month of this, it is entirely non-stick. In other words, no special break-in, just use it to cook things with fat, added or natural.

(Yes, I can probably get things to stick to it if I try - maybe try to fry some rice at the highest heat and leave it burning, that sort of thing.)

I've been doing this for quite a while, but I still can't get my cast iron pan to be non-stick. I've made a couple attempts over the months cooking eggs in it to test out whether I've succeeded, with terrible results every time. I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong in my cleaning routine that's negating the progress I make each time I cook. What's your cleaning process?

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8421 on: May 29, 2015, 05:05:59 PM »
My method for getting a cast iron pan on which I can cook eggs completely dry with no sticking whatsoever (I've been called out on this and made a video with proof... if you want it):

Yeah, of course, season it properly in the oven. But that's not as important as people say. What is really important: use the pan to cook something every day, preferably meat (especially fatty meat like bacon) or food that takes plenty of oil (for example, fry some potatoes). After about a month of this, it is entirely non-stick. In other words, no special break-in, just use it to cook things with fat, added or natural.

(Yes, I can probably get things to stick to it if I try - maybe try to fry some rice at the highest heat and leave it burning, that sort of thing.)

I've been doing this for quite a while, but I still can't get my cast iron pan to be non-stick. I've made a couple attempts over the months cooking eggs in it to test out whether I've succeeded, with terrible results every time. I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong in my cleaning routine that's negating the progress I make each time I cook. What's your cleaning process?

If you are having trouble with sticking on cast iron you might also need to look at how you clean the pan.  I never use water or (god forbid) soap.  To clean a cast iron pan put a little oil and table salt in the pan, maybe a tablespoon or so of each depending on the size of the pan.  Warm up the pan to loosen up everything and scrub it with a paper towel* using the salt as an abrasive.  Once everything is loose, dump out the dirty salt/oil mixture and wipe the pan clean with a new paper towel*.  Done!

*Feel free to use cloth towels if you prefer but this is one place where paper is better IMO.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8422 on: May 29, 2015, 07:02:47 PM »
I used to do it the right way, with an abrasive (salt). Then I got lazy. I just scrape it clean-ish, use water to get rid of anything left, let the water run off as much as possible, then smack the pan on high heat to force all the water to evaporate. Result: dry, hot pan.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8423 on: May 29, 2015, 07:35:57 PM »
Hmm, I do a hybrid of those methods. I put salt in the pan and scrub with a stiff bristled brush, rinse with water, put it back on the burner to dry off all the water, and finish it off by rubbing some oil on it with a paper towel. Threshkin, I will try your no water method and just use a paper towel instead of the brush and see if that helps. Thanks!

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8424 on: May 29, 2015, 08:35:40 PM »
I've been doing this for quite a while, but I still can't get my cast iron pan to be non-stick. I've made a couple attempts over the months cooking eggs in it to test out whether I've succeeded, with terrible results every time. I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong in my cleaning routine that's negating the progress I make each time I cook. What's your cleaning process?
I used to have the same issue.  Here's how I (think I) licked it:  first of all, start with some butter or bacon grease.  Secondly, don't constantly stir the eggs.  Let them cook, and only occasionally turn the eggs.  And lastly, let the eggs sit in the pan for a couple minutes after removing the pan from the stove. (This is what I do when scrambling 8-10 eggs at a time)

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8425 on: May 30, 2015, 04:31:01 PM »

How does a Payroll department deal with it though? If a check goes bad in 180 days or whatever and you wait too long, will you be able to access the money? Will you be able to access it quickly (as is the point of a rainy day fund)? Or worst case scenario, what if you leave the company/the company folds?

It just seems incredibly dangerous.

Every state has a department that "holds onto" the money represented by those uncashed paychecks and other types of dormant accounts, known as unclaimed property.

As a person who has always lived in New York, I was able to get an $2,000 insurance reimbursement check that I had somehow lost and never deposited. New York helpfully has a registry you can search online, and then fill out a form with more of your details to prove you are entitled to the money.  Many states put out advertisements in a local paper about dormant accounts.  While there are 3rd parties that will search and claim on your behalf, that's not a very Mustachian way to go.

I love being an auditor. My collections of stories and experiences tend to be much greater.

Last year during an audit, I had a school teacher who was receiving insurance "reimbursements" from her medical provider. The teacher knew she wasn't entitled to these funds. At first, it sounded like the checks she was receiving were checks that should've gone to the health providers. But even that didn't sound right. She would go to the pharmacy for her month medication, next thing you know another check comes in the mail.

At first she kept calling the insurance over and over again to get an explanation for the check. She told them multiple times that the money she was getting didn't make sense. Every time, the health insurance people told her that it was hers or had no idea why she was receiving the money. I guess she dexuded to cash the checks. I can't remember if she spent the money or was smart and let the money just sit in a bank account knowing that she'd have to pay it back.

After a while, I guess the insurance company must've realize what the heck was going on. The teacher has to pay back over $100,000.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8426 on: May 30, 2015, 08:07:16 PM »
I love being an auditor. My collections of stories and experiences tend to be much greater.

Last year during an audit, I had a school teacher who was receiving insurance "reimbursements" from her medical provider. The teacher knew she wasn't entitled to these funds. At first, it sounded like the checks she was receiving were checks that should've gone to the health providers. But even that didn't sound right. She would go to the pharmacy for her month medication, next thing you know another check comes in the mail.

At first she kept calling the insurance over and over again to get an explanation for the check. She told them multiple times that the money she was getting didn't make sense. Every time, the health insurance people told her that it was hers or had no idea why she was receiving the money. I guess she dexuded to cash the checks. I can't remember if she spent the money or was smart and let the money just sit in a bank account knowing that she'd have to pay it back.

After a while, I guess the insurance company must've realize what the heck was going on. The teacher has to pay back over $100,000.

This would infuriate me, if I spent a lot of MY time investigating if a health insurance provider was making mistakes,  repeatedly being assured they were not, only to then have them change their minds later.

I get that it doesn't make sense but if someone is reassured after investigating that it's her money multiple different times, it's pretty unfair to then come after them.

Considering most of those conversations are documented that teacher should make a serious complaint.

I don't know what level a company is liable for their own stupidity but this certainly sounds like a case where the company is completely at fault for being stupid.

zolotiyeruki

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8427 on: May 30, 2015, 08:48:15 PM »
If she has documentation/proof that they told her to keep the money, my understanding is that she had fairly strong legal standing to tell them to shove it.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8428 on: May 30, 2015, 09:54:39 PM »
Any cast iron users that are having trouble with sticking, make sure you let that baby heat up. Like 10 minutes. Then add your oil.
My guess is you're throwing something into a nearly cold pan. Hope that helps.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8429 on: May 30, 2015, 09:57:18 PM »
I overheard a co-worker who is always complaining about CC debt (but unwilling to take any serious steps to pay it back quickly) chatting this week about how a sibling returned a car they had been borrowing.

I chimed in to ask if this was a second car and the answer was yes. I suggested selling one of the cars to pay back some of the debt and it was explained to me that this was a terrible idea because:

1. the car is worth $1000-$1500 and this is "not enough to make it worth selling"
and
2. a second car is needed to transport pets around so that pet hair doesn't get in the primary car.

Apparently everyone else in the office agrees that the above are valid points.
A good news update on this one.

My co-worker has kept their second car but I've been helping them out putting a plan together to pay off the CC debt aggressively and next month they will be debt free! They are beyond thrilled as from age 18 they've always been in credit card debt and this will be the first time they've cleared it without their mother stepping in to help out.

Not only that but they now seem to be planning financially beyond the next luxury purchase or holiday and thinking about investments for the future as well.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8430 on: May 31, 2015, 04:41:09 AM »
Go Pancakes!

I sort of follow this thread out of interest, but my colleagues are quite sensible for the most part. :)

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8431 on: May 31, 2015, 09:24:20 PM »
Nonsense.  Any 51R would do fine in an 08 Fit. 

[/quote]

We had to replace the battery in our 2008 Honda Fit for the first time this winter. It's a teeny tiny battery, but it lasted through almost 7 winters before starting to have trouble starting the car in the cold.  It gets really cold here too, usually below -40 several times throughout the winter.  Only complaint is Honda uses a proprietary battery for this car, so we had to pay a bit more than I'd have liked. Still cheaper than having a bigger car, though!
[/quote]

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8432 on: June 01, 2015, 06:49:53 AM »
Not actually overheard. I bring my own lunch to work every day. It's always the same stuff, a mix of vegetables, cottage cheese, almonds and beans. This is way cheaper than buying food at work and also a very healthy meal. People aren't exactly saying much about it besides something like "beans today huh? surprising..." but some of them I can kinda feel they are annoyed by this habit of mine. Might also be all in my head.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8433 on: June 01, 2015, 09:18:59 AM »
Quote
To be fair, I'd put down $0 if I could!  Either you believe the finance rate is less than your investment rate or you pay all cash.  It's those 50% down people that baffle me

I want the mortgage paid off. The markets could tank ala 2008 and the (not-so) Great Recession and I could wind up out of work. Those investments might be worth 30% of their pre-recession value.

Now if the perfect storm happens - there is no income, no investments (not much anyhow) and no job. Still - you need a place to live and to keep the rain off of your head and those of your family.

Anybody can keep the taxes paid on an average house even with a minimum wage job which I'm confident I could get in hard times. Engineer vs high school grad. Which one do you want working for you? There are probably examples of employers who'd want the lower educated fellow but I'd still wager the college educated jack of all trades (me) wins the interview.

I want to be mortgage free more than the big investments. I have enough money now that if I do work until I'm 65 - we'll be living comfortably. Anything I accumulate between now and then just either helps us retire earlier or more comfortably. 

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8434 on: June 01, 2015, 09:37:02 AM »

uhm.  inheritance?

Usually people at this income level who can "save up" this kind of money don't go spending it on toys.
Just sayin.'

Heard a story at work about a man of modest means lost a spouse suddenly to illness. Received $250K life insurance policy. Within about 18 months or so he has spent nearly all of it car hopping. I mean he bought the best Ford p/u and a smaller commuter car for his daughter. Then after a year and less than a couple of oil changes he trades up or down - down on his truck and up on her car? Don't remember the details. He is rumored to be in deeper debt now than he was before his wife passed away.

All I could think of was pay off the house, make some repairs, perhaps take the grown children with him on a simple beach vacation where they can spend time together for a week or ten days and mourn her passing but spend time together consoling each other.

Then when he reached an old age and could not care for himself he'd be able to afford to live in an assisted living / retirement village or put himself a small house behind one of his children's house where he could be on his own but have help nearby.

That could be a grand solution or not - another couple of folks I know put a new house on an acre or two at the edge of of his or her mother's land. Split it off and put it in their name. Now she comes over multiple times per day, let's herself in sometimes very early on weekends to drop off coupons or magazines or what-not and tracks their every arrival and departure. MAYBE not quite ideal. ;) Good money saver though over buying a lot somewhere.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8435 on: June 01, 2015, 10:02:39 AM »
Quote
To be fair, I'd put down $0 if I could!  Either you believe the finance rate is less than your investment rate or you pay all cash.  It's those 50% down people that baffle me

I want the mortgage paid off. The markets could tank ala 2008 and the (not-so) Great Recession and I could wind up out of work. Those investments might be worth 30% of their pre-recession value.

Now if the perfect storm happens - there is no income, no investments (not much anyhow) and no job. Still - you need a place to live and to keep the rain off of your head and those of your family.

Anybody can keep the taxes paid on an average house even with a minimum wage job which I'm confident I could get in hard times. Engineer vs high school grad. Which one do you want working for you? There are probably examples of employers who'd want the lower educated fellow but I'd still wager the college educated jack of all trades (me) wins the interview.

I want to be mortgage free more than the big investments. I have enough money now that if I do work until I'm 65 - we'll be living comfortably. Anything I accumulate between now and then just either helps us retire earlier or more comfortably.

Yes, but putting 50% down doesn't help you with that, which is what JA was confused by. If you lose your job, having 50% equity doesn't help.

I think the only options for a down payment that make some kind of sense are 0% (take advantage of some other investing options), 20% (ease of conventional mortgage, avoid PMI), or 100% (own it free and clear, reduce risk). The other options don't make much sense to me.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8436 on: June 01, 2015, 10:33:56 AM »
Nonsense.  Any 51R would do fine in an 08 Fit. 

Not without modifications on the battery holder. 

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8437 on: June 01, 2015, 10:38:28 AM »

It's great if you can make the timing work. I got laid off last summer. They telegraphed it so far in advance that on the day they laid me off I already had a lunch interview scheduled - my third with that company. Signed the papers for new job 5 days after getting laid off. I did take a few weeks of "paid vacation" in between jobs, though.

It still amuses me to think about the manager apologetically telling me they'd have to let me go - and then looking confused about why I was practically laughing in his face.

I haven't been out of work in 25 years. Never left one job before I had something new lined up. Now some of these jobs were "little jobs" i.e. not professional jobs and thus somewhat easy to get but always enough to pay the bills. Always baby steps forward too.

I too have watched people in our social circle get laid off and then flounder - no planning, no spare cash, no spending cutbacks until the last second, etc. Divorces for some have been equally financially devastating some of those very same folks. Complete start over.

That said, one I know always lands on their feet. Drop them on the moon and they'd probably be making bank in a month or so. Crazy... for them it was just the frequency of the restarts that made life tough. Multiple marriages, multiple careers, etc. Always interesting to visit and see what's new.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8438 on: June 01, 2015, 11:33:18 AM »
Not actually overheard. I bring my own lunch to work every day. It's always the same stuff, a mix of vegetables, cottage cheese, almonds and beans. This is way cheaper than buying food at work and also a very healthy meal. People aren't exactly saying much about it besides something like "beans today huh? surprising..." but some of them I can kinda feel they are annoyed by this habit of mine. Might also be all in my head.

It's not entirely in your head - I get the same sorts of responses to my delicious lentils and veggies with curry sauce. None of those people will be retiring early, though.......

Scandium

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8439 on: June 01, 2015, 11:50:51 AM »
If you are having trouble with sticking on cast iron you might also need to look at how you clean the pan.  I never use water or (god forbid) soap.  To clean a cast iron pan put a little oil and table salt in the pan, maybe a tablespoon or so of each depending on the size of the pan.  Warm up the pan to loosen up everything and scrub it with a paper towel* using the salt as an abrasive.  Once everything is loose, dump out the dirty salt/oil mixture and wipe the pan clean with a new paper towel*.  Done!

*Feel free to use cloth towels if you prefer but this is one place where paper is better IMO.

I need to look into cleaning cast iron. My wife keeps saying not to use soap and water, but this sounds like bunk to me. Clean dishes = soap and water. I mean how else would I make it clean?! Then there will be gross old fat and crap stuck to it. Eww! And we would eat food from this? This makes no sense to me. I've been cleaning our cast iron pan with soap+water for years. And often let it soak with soap water, which you're also not supposed to do? It seems fine, so what will happen to it?
« Last Edit: June 01, 2015, 12:02:09 PM by Scandium »

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8440 on: June 01, 2015, 12:19:11 PM »

But sometimes I don't feel like being polite. I wasn't to the female panhandler yesterday, hanging around the gas station.

That's me with a local panhandler that I see around town. I would love to help but she's stood on a street corner for two and half weeks now. Is less than a mile from a shelter.

In that amount of time surely she could have found legit work???

I'm sure there are contributing reasons she doesn't have any money. Who knows - drugs, mental illness, etc. Hard to know though whether I'd be feeding a dependence or financing an escape from poverty.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8441 on: June 01, 2015, 12:29:24 PM »
If you are having trouble with sticking on cast iron you might also need to look at how you clean the pan.  I never use water or (god forbid) soap.  To clean a cast iron pan put a little oil and table salt in the pan, maybe a tablespoon or so of each depending on the size of the pan.  Warm up the pan to loosen up everything and scrub it with a paper towel* using the salt as an abrasive.  Once everything is loose, dump out the dirty salt/oil mixture and wipe the pan clean with a new paper towel*.  Done!

*Feel free to use cloth towels if you prefer but this is one place where paper is better IMO.

I need to look into cleaning cast iron. My wife keeps saying not to use soap and water, but this sounds like bunk to me. Clean dishes = soap and water. I mean how else would I make it clean?! Then there will be gross old fat and crap stuck to it. Eww! And we would eat food from this? This makes no sense to me. I've been cleaning our cast iron pan with soap+water for years. And often let it soak with soap water, which you're also not supposed to do? It seems fine, so what will happen to it?

What happens is that you get the iron really clean.  The soap will remove all of the seasoning.  At that point you will have to recreate the seasoning by baking oil back into the pan.  What the seasoning does is fill in the pores in the iron and creating a smooth, non-stick surface. 

Washing a cast iron pan with water alone will not damage the seasoning but you do run the risk of the pan rusting.  Just dry the pan well after you wash it. 

But don't just take my word for it.  Google "How to clean cast iron"

I just did this search myself and read some posts that said it is okay to use dish soap but that you should not let it soak in water.  That makes sense to me but I have been very happy just using salt and oil to clean my pans.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8442 on: June 01, 2015, 12:34:58 PM »
I've seen a few guys selling things like Cutco knives who do the "let me practice me sales pitch on you" approach with their friends. And I've also seen guys fall into the "essential oils" MLMs.

I can't stand the thought of trying to sell stuff to my neighbors almost as much as the thought of a neighbor trying to sell things to me.

Visiting with neighbors at a cookout? That would be fun occasionally.

Our kids' schools tries to sell stuff, we are involved with BSA and they want to sell stuff, etc.

We send the school supplies that the school requests - though we're scaling it back b/c the school is starting to stock pile it b/c they ask for so much and use so little (or get wasteful). I have also written a check to a fund raiser occasionally b/c I found out when the school sells things - the school sometimes only sees some small portion of the profits - the rest going to some company selling high priced cookie dough or similar.

When I was a kid I was a big seller of magazines to raise money for the school. My big prize for selling more mag subscriptions than most of the kids in my grade one year was a little Instamatic 126 film camera that I wanted so badly but did not even work right from the first picture. The lens was not very clear and it was out of focus (a fixed focus camera though). I could have purchased that camera for $7.50 at KMart at the time and earned the money much, much quicker. It was my first realization that I was being suckered by adults. I've educated my kids past falling for that and we don't participate in the selling stuff drive. My youngest wants to participate b/c that child loves the sense of being part of the crowd (herd). Finally starting to think for himself. Finally.

We live in a pretty ordinary part of the USA. Our neighbors aren't rich (or mostly don't conspicuously  spend like they are rich). I feel really odd encouraging my kids to try to sell overpriced stuff to these neighbors.

Again - with the scouts I give my time, my gas money (transportation for trips), teach badges, and occasionally make cash (by check) donations directly to the troop. Fortunately we have some very money savvy parents who are sensitive to wasting money.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8443 on: June 01, 2015, 12:45:01 PM »

Scandium

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8444 on: June 01, 2015, 12:47:04 PM »
If you are having trouble with sticking on cast iron you might also need to look at how you clean the pan.  I never use water or (god forbid) soap.  To clean a cast iron pan put a little oil and table salt in the pan, maybe a tablespoon or so of each depending on the size of the pan.  Warm up the pan to loosen up everything and scrub it with a paper towel* using the salt as an abrasive.  Once everything is loose, dump out the dirty salt/oil mixture and wipe the pan clean with a new paper towel*.  Done!

*Feel free to use cloth towels if you prefer but this is one place where paper is better IMO.

I need to look into cleaning cast iron. My wife keeps saying not to use soap and water, but this sounds like bunk to me. Clean dishes = soap and water. I mean how else would I make it clean?! Then there will be gross old fat and crap stuck to it. Eww! And we would eat food from this? This makes no sense to me. I've been cleaning our cast iron pan with soap+water for years. And often let it soak with soap water, which you're also not supposed to do? It seems fine, so what will happen to it?

What happens is that you get the iron really clean.  The soap will remove all of the seasoning.  At that point you will have to recreate the seasoning by baking oil back into the pan.  What the seasoning does is fill in the pores in the iron and creating a smooth, non-stick surface. 

Washing a cast iron pan with water alone will not damage the seasoning but you do run the risk of the pan rusting.  Just dry the pan well after you wash it. 

But don't just take my word for it.  Google "How to clean cast iron"

I just did this search myself and read some posts that said it is okay to use dish soap but that you should not let it soak in water.  That makes sense to me but I have been very happy just using salt and oil to clean my pans.

Yeah after I posted I read a howto on cast iron cleaning. Still doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but whatever. Smearing something with fat is the opposite of "cleaning" in  my mind! Making food in 3 week old bacon fat doesn't sound very appealing. I've probably scrubbed away the seasoning long ago, but food  doesn't seem to stick to it that much? So not sure how important it is.

Maybe I'll just use our cast iron pan less, as it just seems like a lot of work for no benefit. We have a full set of stainless steel pans which are awesome. No nonstick nonsense and clean up perfect every time, without waxing with lard or other crazyness.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8445 on: June 01, 2015, 01:32:39 PM »
My method for using cast iron has worked for years and consists of:
To clean: Wash with water and friction.
To season: Just use the pan to cook food.

It's easy.  I can flip an over-medium egg on our skillet.  We use solely cast iron and 2 pans live on our stove top at all times because they are used 2-3 times a day.  The other 3 pans get stacked on the microwave and are within easy reach.

I've never cleaned cast iron with salt (too much effort)- I use a green scrubby pad and some hot water, sometimes scrubbing with a butter knife if things are hard to get off.  That's it - water and elbow grease.  There's been a time or two that I have soaked a pan with water in it and I've also been known to re-use a soapy dish cloth.  Both these things are supposedly a no-no (soap? NO! soaking? NO!) - but on very rare occasions hasn't hurt. 

And then everyone is scared of seasoning.  I guess some pans come with a seasoning on them?  And people are deathly afraid of ruining that seasoning because then they'd have to work black magic to season the pan again.  Just don't worry about it.  You season a pan every time you use it.  If some of the seasoning wears off you might have a spot that sticks for a bit, but soon enough you will have seasoned the pan simply through use.  Why try harder?

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8446 on: June 01, 2015, 01:40:38 PM »
Not actually overheard. I bring my own lunch to work every day. It's always the same stuff, a mix of vegetables, cottage cheese, almonds and beans. This is way cheaper than buying food at work and also a very healthy meal. People aren't exactly saying much about it besides something like "beans today huh? surprising..." but some of them I can kinda feel they are annoyed by this habit of mine. Might also be all in my head.

It's not entirely in your head - I get the same sorts of responses to my delicious lentils and veggies with curry sauce. None of those people will be retiring early, though.......
Ha!  I have a coworker who eats beans and rice for breakfast almost every day, and I tease him about it.

But of course, I bring lunch every day.  And since we've had 3 layoffs in 1.5 years, most people bring their lunch now.  This particular coworker goes through phases where he will go out a lot or bring lunch (leftovers or sandwiches).  But anyway, my teasing is good natured because I eat a lot of beans and rice, plus his girlfriend is vegan (and he's not).

theadvicist

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8447 on: June 02, 2015, 04:38:49 AM »

Ha!  I have a coworker who eats beans and rice for breakfast almost every day, and I tease him about it.

But of course, I bring lunch every day.  And since we've had 3 layoffs in 1.5 years, most people bring their lunch now.  This particular coworker goes through phases where he will go out a lot or bring lunch (leftovers or sandwiches).  But anyway, my teasing is good natured because I eat a lot of beans and rice, plus his girlfriend is vegan (and he's not).

Everyone who teases thinks it's good natured (and I'm sure that is your intention). But actually, commenting on what people are eating over and over is just really annoying, in my experience. Especially if you are saying the same things. I heard you the first 100 times you said it! I know I am eating rice and beans they are in front of me! /rant

retireatbirth

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8448 on: June 02, 2015, 04:51:36 AM »
My boss (megacorp mid-manager) joined a country club.

bb11

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #8449 on: June 02, 2015, 10:10:21 AM »
Oh... my... word... My coworker wants the new Iphone because she is "out of space" on her old phone and it "runs slow" (it's an iPhone 4). She said she can't take any more pictures, so it's like she can't even hold onto memories. I asked if she's gone through the pictures and deleted old ones, she says yes but most of them she wants to keep. So I asked why she didn't put them on Facebook. She said she doesn't want to share them all with other people.

Me: Well you could just set them to private. Then Facebook acts as free picture storage.
Her: Yeah that's true...

It gets worse. With a discount she gets the new Iphone for $165, but still wants to put it on payments. And this after we just talked about having the freedom/flexibility for extended travel and she said she really needs to win the lottery. Smh.....