It is finally done, hopefully this frees up some time. What do you think? I am both the CEO as well as the lead Techie guy.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
Music Video Trailer
Here is the trailer for the music video I have been working on. It is where I have been for the past few weeks. Let me know what you think.
-Mitch
-Mitch
Thursday, January 12, 2012
How to Clean a Cast Iron Pan
As I mentioned the other day I finally got a cast iron pan!!! This is very exciting to me because, one, I have been looking for one for a while, and 2, I love cooking lately, and now have one of the most versitile cooking tools ever made in my arsenal.
When I say I have been looking for one, it is easy to just say "well they are for sale everywhere" which is true, but I wanted to "find" one, a pan I dont know everything about, but that can me my recovery and rescue project.
Last week I was at Goodwill with the family on what the boys like to call a treasure hunt, and low and behold, there it was a rusty, gunky, old, cast iron frying pan!
In to the cart it went, but being the way I am, I couldnt wait to use it. I couldnt cook with it in its current condition, so the refurbishment process began... it is remarkably easy, and here is where this post will double as a how to for you.
Here is a look at the pan in the condition it came home in, Rust spots, and a lot of stuck on "gunk".
Step one, combine oil and salt in the pan, about a tablespoon of each is plenty. With a paper towel.
Scrub vigerously all over the pan. The oil makes it easy to slide around, and the salt acts as sand paper.
As the paper towel becomes full of the "gunk" get a clean one and keep scrubbing. you will not need more salt or oil, as there will likely be plenty left in the pan. The salt will start to turn brown, as long as it is still crystalized, the color wont matter.
Focus the scrubbing on parts that have extra grime on them , or are rusty. Repeat until the paper towel only yields a faint brown hue after scrubbing the pan.
Now that the pan is clean, you can recondition it. This is a simpler process. First Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.
Lightly coat the inside of the pan with oil. you can spread it with a paper towel, as this only needs to be a very light coat.
Cook the pan empty for 30 minutes. Then take it out and reapply the oil. Repeat this step 3 more times. Take it out and let it cool off.
Voila!! It is ready to use!!! I love cooking with cast iron, because, it is naturally non stick, to put this to the test, I decided to fry an egg. Eggs always stick if you dont spray the pan enough, so I tried it. no problem, it came right off. It does leave the surface a bit brown, so if you like your eggs perfectly yellow and white, you may still want to poach them for a while.
I took the one fried egg, and combined it with peppers, onions, and parsley, and fried that all up. Another great thing about it, still only one dirty dish.
I then took that mixture, and stuffed it into omeletts. The flavor was great!
When done, I took just a tiny bit of salt, and scrubbed the pan, anything in there comes off much easier now that it has not been sitting dirty for who knows how long.
So instead of paying a ton for a new cast iron pan, feel free to grab that old vintage one at the thrift store, now you know how to restore it.
When I say I have been looking for one, it is easy to just say "well they are for sale everywhere" which is true, but I wanted to "find" one, a pan I dont know everything about, but that can me my recovery and rescue project.
Last week I was at Goodwill with the family on what the boys like to call a treasure hunt, and low and behold, there it was a rusty, gunky, old, cast iron frying pan!
In to the cart it went, but being the way I am, I couldnt wait to use it. I couldnt cook with it in its current condition, so the refurbishment process began... it is remarkably easy, and here is where this post will double as a how to for you.
Here is a look at the pan in the condition it came home in, Rust spots, and a lot of stuck on "gunk".
Step one, combine oil and salt in the pan, about a tablespoon of each is plenty. With a paper towel.
Scrub vigerously all over the pan. The oil makes it easy to slide around, and the salt acts as sand paper.
As the paper towel becomes full of the "gunk" get a clean one and keep scrubbing. you will not need more salt or oil, as there will likely be plenty left in the pan. The salt will start to turn brown, as long as it is still crystalized, the color wont matter.
Focus the scrubbing on parts that have extra grime on them , or are rusty. Repeat until the paper towel only yields a faint brown hue after scrubbing the pan.
Now that the pan is clean, you can recondition it. This is a simpler process. First Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.
Lightly coat the inside of the pan with oil. you can spread it with a paper towel, as this only needs to be a very light coat.
Cook the pan empty for 30 minutes. Then take it out and reapply the oil. Repeat this step 3 more times. Take it out and let it cool off.
Voila!! It is ready to use!!! I love cooking with cast iron, because, it is naturally non stick, to put this to the test, I decided to fry an egg. Eggs always stick if you dont spray the pan enough, so I tried it. no problem, it came right off. It does leave the surface a bit brown, so if you like your eggs perfectly yellow and white, you may still want to poach them for a while.
I took the one fried egg, and combined it with peppers, onions, and parsley, and fried that all up. Another great thing about it, still only one dirty dish.
I then took that mixture, and stuffed it into omeletts. The flavor was great!
When done, I took just a tiny bit of salt, and scrubbed the pan, anything in there comes off much easier now that it has not been sitting dirty for who knows how long.
So instead of paying a ton for a new cast iron pan, feel free to grab that old vintage one at the thrift store, now you know how to restore it.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
New Projects
As I get things ready to go here, I figured I would hit you up with an update.
here is whats been going on.
My day job just went through a name change, which was really cool, but took time and effort.
Also I am shooting a music video this weekend for Mix Master Mitch, and have been growing out my hair for it. I have now also bleached it. Feels odd, but got the look we wanted. I may have to write a whole post about the process it is for me to use hair dye.
My shop has all but sold out, which is ok, as I am working on a few new sources for frames.
I finally got a cast iron frying pan!!
2012 is off to a good start, Anyone else hit the ground running faster than they should?
here is whats been going on.
My day job just went through a name change, which was really cool, but took time and effort.
Also I am shooting a music video this weekend for Mix Master Mitch, and have been growing out my hair for it. I have now also bleached it. Feels odd, but got the look we wanted. I may have to write a whole post about the process it is for me to use hair dye.My shop has all but sold out, which is ok, as I am working on a few new sources for frames.
I finally got a cast iron frying pan!!
2012 is off to a good start, Anyone else hit the ground running faster than they should?
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Happy 2012
This will be a great year for this blog I think. I started it 3 years ago, but really figured out what it was last march. a creative outlet, a marketing tool, a social location, a test pad, a friend maker, and many other things. So happy 2012, I am looking forward to seeing what this year brings for jcrabbit.com.The Etsy shop will be more active, the EBT blog will have a new home and also begin posting content again, This blog will gain structure, and hopefully add some humor. Reading last years posts felt a bit too serious.
I will Drink less coffee, and more tea. I will eat less fat, and more vegetables, I will make more music, and talk about it less (I will still talk about it, I will just actually be doing something as well.)
I will be finishing the workshop in the basement. We have moved again, which means that it is time to configure a good work place.
What will you do this year? Doesn't have to be a resolution, any goals?
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