COVID Quarantine Hobbies

[turkeyjerky]

I kinda enjoy the ritual of tamping the grinds and inserting the portafilter. I don't drink that many milk-based drinks, but don't mind frothing the milk either.

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[RustedFox]

I kinda enjoy the ritual of tamping the grinds and inserting the portafilter. I don't drink that many milk-based drinks, but don't mind frothing the milk either.

 

[RustedFox]

Sorry for two-posting. That freaking image was huge.

One pot. One cup. Don't complicate things. Drink your coffee.

You put this little thing on the stove. It makes good coffee.

 

[thegenius]

Looks like something at the buffet table on the Death Star for Sunday Brunch. In it is the blood of Ewoks, with a dash of spice.

 

[Cinclus]

My only relatively new hobby has been dreaming up entrepreneurial adventures. Otherwise, I have been spending more time with the guitars (neglected them quite a bit during residency - fortunately, I'm still decent due to playing for most of my life), doing a lot of hiking, hanging out with the spouse and our extremely objectively beautiful pets.

 

[Apollyon]

Otherwise, I have been spending more time with the guitars (neglected them quite a bit during residency - fortunately, I'm still decent due to playing for most of my life),

You can't say that without uploading some playing images! We want art here, man!

 

[Preston Ganey Jr]

P90x given gyms in my state are closed for at least another week or two. Makes for a good prison/hotel/quarantine workout.

 

[dchristismi]

Espresso? I have a basic machine, but I much prefer just going to Italy. Even better if someone else makes it for me and brings it to me on my balcony in Tuscany. (Ideally with some chocolate cantucci.)
Don't knock the Bialetti.

Sigh.

 

[sylvanthus]

Ive been gardening and landscaping like the old bastiche that I am. Now have about 20 goumi bushes, 20 hazelnut, 3 apple, 3 asian pear trees, 100 strawberry plants, blueberry bushes, etc etc. Yard is startin to look pretty awesome.

Holy F im old.

 

[thegenius]

Ive been gardening and landscaping like the old bastiche that I am. Now have about 20 goumi bushes, 20 hazelnut, 3 apple, 3 asian pear trees, 100 strawberry plants, blueberry bushes, etc etc. Yard is startin to look pretty awesome.

Holy F im old.

That sounds ssswwweeeet. Literally.

 

[wysdoc]

Speaking of home renovations etc, anyone think about or look into putting in a reverse osmosis water filtration system? It’s pricey, about 12k, though I know tap water quality in most parts of the country isn’t great. Just not sure If it’s worth it, as we currently have a water tank with a filter on top that we just fill tap water....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Do a smaller version just for your kitchen sink that you will use for drinking water, coffee water, and cooking water. Culligen will install one for you for a few hundred bucks and you only need to change the RO filters every 12-18 months. I never used to drink water because my tap water tastes like sulfur and chlorine, but now I'm well hydrated!

In the rekindled hobby area, I dragged out my sewing machine and made fabric facemasks until I broke a machine part and ran out of fabric.
Fixed the machine & waiting on more fabric to start up again

 

[Cinclus]

You can't say that without uploading some playing images! We want art here, man!

Do I have to be playing them in the pictures? Because it's much easier for me to just take a cell phone picture of some of my guitars, and then I don't have to replace my head with something hilarious for privacy purposes, haha. Pretty much none of my acoustics are pictured here (the Baby Taylor is in its case to the left of the amp, but 3 others are missing).

 

[Apollyon]

Do I have to be playing them in the pictures?

Sure, a pic is fine. But, that's like having Beethoven take a pic of his piano! It's much better to actually hear it?

And, if not you, then, one of your buddies that can shred!

 

[gutonc]

Ive been gardening and landscaping like the old bastiche that I am. Now have about 20 goumi bushes, 20 hazelnut, 3 apple, 3 asian pear trees, 100 strawberry plants, blueberry bushes, etc etc. Yard is startin to look pretty awesome.

Holy F im old.

Yard? More like an orchard. What is that, 5 acres?

 

[bravotwozero]

I'm wondering if anyone else has picked up new or rekindled old hobbies or habits due to extra free time and boredom during the ongoing lockdowns. Mine has been getting back into long distance running. I've even been stupid enough to start a daily running streak or running every day at least 1 mile, with no days off, to see how long I can keep it up. So far, I'm at 36 days and counting. Not only is it allowing me to get in shape and fight the risk of bloating up during this lockdown by gorging myself full of ice cream, doritis, and Nextflix marathons, it's given time for countless hours of musical explorations (see EM Grateful Dead listening thread). Now I have visions of qualifying for the Boston marathon next year and I've convinced myself I feel twenty again. What's your quarantine hobby?

What's making you say, "F--- it, yolo, I'm mad glad to just be alive"?

I noticed you like grilling from another thread. Do you have a wood pellet smoker, or a charcoal/propane grill? Noticeable difference in taste? Any recommendations?

 

[Birdstrike]

I noticed you like grilling from another thread. Do you have a wood pellet smoker, or a charcoal/propane grill? Noticeable difference in taste? Any recommendations?

I have a wood pellet smoker (Green Mountain, Daniel Boone model), a Weber Smokey Mountain 14” wood & charcoal smoker, and a Weber gas grill.

My wood pellet smoker, makes great food with good (but not overwhelming) smoked flavor with very little effort. If you’re looking at getting a smoker, I strongly recommend you get a wood pellet smoker. They’re the latest, best game changing thing for smoking food. A good one also can get up to grill temps (500F) and be used for basic grilling too.

You can get a really good one for $500-$1,000 (or less) and the ease of cooking combined with quality flavor is just too good to pass up. (I’ve seen started brands at Walmart for $200-300). Ease of use is critical since for some cuts of meat (pulled pork, beef brisket) it can take 8, 12 or even 24 hours sometimes, at low temps (200-250F). You don’t want to have to be checking on it every 30 minutes.

Good pellet smoker brands: Green Mountain, Traeger. There are others.

I don’t attempt to smoke anything on the Weber gas grill. I just use that for straight grilling. Trying to “smoke” food on a regular grill give little to no smoked flavor. I’ve tried and people will say you can do it, but it’s a waste of time in my opinion.

My Weber Smokey Mountain wood/charcoal smoker makes great smoked meat with full (sometimes excessively) smokey flavor, but it’s incredibly labor intensive. This type of smoker is cheap, though.

 

[Apollyon]

I noticed you like grilling from another thread. Do you have a wood pellet smoker, or a charcoal/propane grill? Noticeable difference in taste? Any recommendations?

I grill probably as much as, or more, than anyone else on the forum (if you grill as much as I do, you are eating very high on the hog!). I have a Kamado Joe (a Big Joe). It's natural lump. I will NEVER go back to gas. With the right charcoal, you don't even need to put smoking chips or chunks in.

The pellet smokers only go to 600 degrees. You don't, mostly ever, go above that, but, if I want a "steakhouse sear", I can go to a max of 900 degrees.

The customer support for Kamado Joe is great (they're in Atlanta). Unlike a Big Green Egg, everything comes with the Joe. You don't get nickel and dimed into submission, like with the BGE. My best friend's father bought him a Vision, and that is "fire and forget", but the grill size is small. What should guide your purchase is as much grill as you can afford. If you think you can gauge the size you think you need, you will ALWAYS undershoot.

With propane, or with briquettes, or using lighter fluid, you can get a "gas" flavoring. Pffh.

 

[Birdstrike]

I grill probably as much as, or more, than anyone else on the forum (if you grill as much as I do, you are eating very high on the hog!). I have a Kamado Joe (a Big Joe). It's natural lump. I will NEVER go back to gas. With the right charcoal, you don't even need to put smoking chips or chunks in.

The pellet smokers only go to 600 degrees. You don't, mostly ever, go above that, but, if I want a "steakhouse sear", I can go to a max of 900 degrees.

The customer support for Kamado Joe is great (they're in Atlanta). Unlike a Big Green Egg, everything comes with the Joe. You don't get nickel and dimed into submission, like with the BGE. My best friend's father bought him a Vision, and that is "fire and forget", but the grill size is small. What should guide your purchase is as much grill as you can afford. If you think you can gauge the size you think you need, you will ALWAYS undershoot.

With propane, or with briquettes, or using lighter fluid, you can get a "gas" flavoring. Pffh.

Yeah. If I just want a quick steak, black charred on the outside and med (or med-rare) on the inside, I just fire up my regular grill, and don’t bother with my smoker. Alternatively, I might sear it quickly on an insanely hot grill, then transfer to the smoker with some mesquite or hickory or something like that.

Something like salmon, on the other hand, while great seated quickly on a blazing hot grill, is also incredibly good on the smoker, cooked a little lower and slower, with cherry wood or something like that.

The key to all of this, @bravotwozero, is that there are no right answer. It’s an art, and experimentation, trial and error are the norm. Fire up and enjoy!

 

[Birdstrike]

@bravotwozero Check out this book. It tells you about all the smoker types, wood types, how to smoke any and every type of food under the sun, plus many recipes.

Amazon product

 

[CliveStaples]

I like the grilling insights. I'm looking to up my game in the next few months (when time and money suddenly change in my life) and was looking at both Kamodo Joes and smokers. I sous vide steaks somewhat frequently right now but I've found myself disenchanted with the sears I can pull off with my little weber spirit or on my cast iron skillet on the stovetop. I just can't hit the temperature I want to be able to get a piping sear without leaving it so long that I end up overcooking the meat. A charcoal chimney would probably meet my needs, but those Joes look awesome.

The thought of some slow smoked pork or brisket makes me salivate. I appreciate the advice on the ease-of-use that comes with pellet smokers.

 

[bravotwozero]

@bravotwozero Check out this book. It tells you about all the smoker types, wood types, how to smoke any and every type of food under the sun, plus many recipes.

Amazon product

Thanks man, will check that out.

Yeah, I tried using wood chips in a traditional charcoal grill, and I have to say it is a frustrating experience. You can get the smoke flavor into the food, but the chips have to be just the right amount of dampness. If they're too soaked, it won't produce enough smoke, and it'll put out the coal briquettes underneath, and lower your temperature. If they're not wet enough, they burn up quickly and create a flame that will be difficult to control.

 

[PTPoeny]

We just got a wood pellet grill least week and love it. Have tried brisket, chicken and ribs so far. The brisket was amazingly good. There others to we are going to try some different seasonings/wood/recipes next time. We ended up choosing the wood pellets grill over a Kamado Joe mostly for the automatic temperature controls so we wouldn't have to be checking on it constantly.

I will look into that book! Can't wait to do another brisket and try some salmon.

 

[Birdstrike]

We just got a wood pellet grill least week and love it. Have tried brisket, chicken and ribs so far. The brisket was amazingly good. There others to we are going to try some different seasonings/wood/recipes next time. We ended up choosing the wood pellets grill over a Kamado Joe mostly for the automatic temperature controls so we wouldn't have to be checking on it constantly.

I will look into that book! Can't wait to do another brisket and try some salmon.

Oh, yeah. Brisket is a little tougher to get right, but when you do, oh my gawd is it good.

What's your favorite brand of pellets right now?

I've been using "Cookin'Pellets" brand and I'd like to try a different brand.

 

[thegenius]

Yeah. If I just want a quick steak, black charred on the outside and med (or med-rare) on the inside, I just fire up my regular grill, and don’t bother with my smoker. Alternatively, I might sear it quickly on an insanely hot grill, then transfer to the smoker with some mesquite or hickory or something like that.

Something like salmon, on the other hand, while great seated quickly on a blazing hot grill, is also incredibly good on the smoker, cooked a little lower and slower, with cherry wood or something like that.

The key to all of this, @bravotwozero, is that there are no right answer. It’s an art, and experimentation, trial and error are the norm. Fire up and enjoy!

How hot does a regular, charcoal or gas grill get for searing? The Green Mountain one that you bought can get to 500 - 550 F, right? Is that high enough for searing?

 

[gutonc]

How hot does a regular, charcoal or gas grill get for searing? The Green Mountain one that you bought can get to 500 - 550 F, right? Is that high enough for searing?

My "mid-tier" one gets ~600F on the gas side and I can get ~900F on the charcoal side with lump charcoal.

 

[B-Bone]

I bought a new guitar and got into surf music.

 

[Detective SnowBucket]

So, anyone have a decent espresso machine at home they like? looking into getting one, preferably a super automatic. Almost too many to choose from.

This is something I can actually talk about. Worked as a barista for a year and have a home machine. I too use a DeLonghi and have had a great time with it. All I can tell you is to not get too expensive of a machine. You can automatically narrow down your selection to 15 bar machines only. This is because they're designed to be able to use a wider range of grind sizes, like that you'll get when you buy coffee at a grocery/specialty store. That way you don't have to worry about calibrating the grind to fit the machine every time (Dialing is on of the hardest things about making espresso). This is good because a quality grinder is expensive, they can be very highly calibrated machines, the ones at work were $5k apiece. Also good because it would be hard for someone to just starting out to know how to calibrate without being taught plus you don't have to be very good at tamping with a 15 bar machine. If you get a 15 bar machine in the $100-$500 range you just need a small scale and you're done. Cheers!

 

[thegenius]

This is something I can actually talk about. Worked as a barista for a year and have a home machine. I too use a DeLonghi and have had a great time with it. All I can tell you is to not get too expensive of a machine. You can automatically narrow down your selection to 15 bar machines only. This is because they're designed to be able to use a wider range of grind sizes, like that you'll get when you buy coffee at a grocery/specialty store. That way you don't have to worry about calibrating the grind to fit the machine every time (Dialing is on of the hardest things about making espresso). This is good because a quality grinder is expensive, they can be very highly calibrated machines, the ones at work were $5k apiece. Also good because it would be hard for someone to just starting out to know how to calibrate without being taught plus you don't have to be very good at tamping with a 15 bar machine. If you get a 15 bar machine in the $100-$500 range you just need a small scale and you're done. Cheers!

So give us some good models to choose from!

 

[thegenius]

My "mid-tier" one gets ~600F on the gas side and I can get ~900F on the charcoal side with lump charcoal.

Can you sear between 500-600F?

I doubt we are going to get two grills like what Birdstrike has. I just want one that can sear, grille, smoke, bake, and wipe my ass when my hands are full.

 

[bravotwozero]

Can you sear between 500-600F?

I doubt we are going to get two grills like what Birdstrike has. I just want one that can sear, grille, smoke, bake, and wipe my ass when my hands are full.

This one looks promising. Great reviews on Amazon.

Z Grills Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker

 

[Birdstrike]

How hot does a regular, charcoal or gas grill get for searing? The Green Mountain one that you bought can get to 500 - 550 F, right? Is that high enough for searing?

When I want to sear or char a steak very quickly, I'll pre-heat my gas grill on high for about 15 minutes, put the steaks on the grill, then pour some vegetable oil on them, enough to send flames up, then close the top for a few 2-3 minutes. Then open, flip, repeat. Works great, just don't set yourself, house, or deck on fire. Lol

 

[Apollyon]

I bought a new guitar and got into surf music.

Your Ventures is spot on! I wonder if you can do a "Hawai'i 5-O theme"; I think that that one needs a kettle drum!

 

[Detective SnowBucket]

So give us some good models to choose from!

Honestly doesn't have to be anything special. Find a 15-bar machine with an integrated tamper, a flexible/jointed steam wand with a small tip (if you want one at all), extra points for a double boiler (more expensive) and super extra points for an integrated pressure gauge. Should be loads to choose from on Amazon and I'd just go with the reviews from there.

To check all/most of these boxes you're looking at $500. <- these guys are known for great machines.
But there's no need for all of the boxes to be checked to make an excellent espresso (or even just decent).
One thing I don't recommend is an integrated grinder. Not saying it's bad, just saying that grinding is the hardest part of espresso. Also, I'm doubtful that it can be that good of a grinder if it's integrated into a $500 machine. Poor grinds will just leave you frustrated.

 

[PTPoeny]

This one looks promising. Great reviews on Amazon.

Z Grills Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker

This is the one I have! Working well for us so far.

@Birdstrike I haven't done this long enough to have a favorite pellet. I tried pitboss brand pellets because that is what my local store had in stock and I enjoyed the flavor for both chicken and the brisket.

 

[Birdstrike]

This is the one I have! Working well for us so far.

@Birdstrike I haven't done this long enough to have a favorite pellet. I tried pitboss brand pellets because that is what my local store had in stock and I enjoyed the flavor for both chicken and the brisket.

Okay, cool. I've tried Green Mountain pellets and they seemed to be good but have a lot of oak filler. I've been using Cookin' Pellets pure Black Cherry and Hickory lately and I'd like to find something with a little more punch. Thinking of trying some mesquite for brisket, or something like that. Or maybe just a different brand. I've heard BBQrs Delight are good but the pure flavor wood batches are ridiculously expensive and only come in 1 lb bags. I don't know.

 

[bravotwozero]

Just placed an order for the Green Mountain Daniel Boone model. Will be delivered and assembled. We'll see how it goes.

 

[Birdstrike]

I bought a new guitar and got into surf music.

Pretty sweet. Nice sound from that strat. Pretty clean playing, too. Good work, dude.

 

[Birdstrike]

Just placed an order for the Green Mountain Daniel Boone model. Will be delivered and assembled. We'll see how it goes.

That's exactly what I have. I think you'll be happy with it.

As an aside, I also got this smoker tube to go with it. When I'm starting a smoke I fill it with wood pellets and put it right in with the meat, to turbo-boost the smoke flavor to 11. To light it, you either need a cheapo blow torch or some lighter cubes (don't put these on smoker, grill or near meat) to get it going. I don't think it's necessary to have one of these, but they're cheap, and can help if you want to up the smoke flavor which I like (but some people don't). Don't pick it up with your bare hand once lit, either. Lol. Trust me on that one.

 

[MechEDoc]

My hobby appears to be learning from my SO all the ways I fall short as a human. Kind of over this pandemic.

 

[Birdstrike]

My hobby appears to be learning from my SO all the ways I fall short as a human. Kind of over this pandemic.

You'll be well prepared for marriage.

 

[bravotwozero]

BUMP.

We're doing all the bbq talk in the other thread, I think this is more apropos.

Anyhoo, anyone read any decent books lately? I prefer non fiction.

Heard a lot about Rich Dad, Poor Dad, by Robert Kiyosaki. Anybody read that one, and care to comment?

 

[Apollyon]

Went to the Humphrey Charcoal factory today, and got a pallet (15 bags) of 40lb natural lump for a wholesale price that is lower than the retail the guy down the street charges for a 20lb bag! It's worth it for the drive! (Just under 3 hours.)

 

[IMGASMD]

Are you opening a bbq joint?! 600lb of charcoal? My SO would kill me on the spot.

 

[Apollyon]

Are you opening a bbq joint?! 600lb of charcoal? My SO would kill me on the spot.

I grill 3-4 times a week. This includes December, January, and February. I ain't foolin' around. There's room for it in the garage.

 

[bravotwozero]

I grill 3-4 times a week. This includes December, January, and February. I ain't foolin' around. There's room for it in the garage.

January grillin' in Upstate NY. That's intense bro! But I guess the heat from the flames would feel nice as opposed to grilling in Houston in 100 degree weather lol

 

[Apollyon]

January grillin' in Upstate NY. That's intense bro! But I guess the heat from the flames would feel nice as opposed to grilling in Houston in 100 degree weather lol

That's exactly it! The deepest snow was just under 4 feet. But, I gotta eat, man!

 

[TJRock]

January grillin' in Upstate NY. That's intense bro! But I guess the heat from the flames would feel nice as opposed to grilling in Houston in 100 degree weather lol

Grilling when it is 100 degrees in Houston is what cold beer was invented for!

 

[rokshana]

So, anyone have a decent espresso machine at home they like? looking into getting one, preferably a super automatic. Almost too many to choose from.

I like my Nespresso...have the vertuoline so makes coffee as well as espresso.. the crema is legit...if I had the money a Jura would be the dream!

 

[IMGASMD]

I like my Nespresso...have the vertuoline so makes coffee as well as espresso.. the crema is legit...if I had the money a Jura would be the dream!

Noooooooooo............ say it ain’t so!

How about a “cheap” double boiler machine? Probably the best investment that we ever did. It was very expensive even on my first “real” paycheck. It has been going strong for almost 10 years. They all built like tanks. I figure it saves about $5 a day compare to getting Starbucks. It pays for itself in about a year. And you get to try different coffee, local roaster, fresher coffee or “fancy” beans....

but I also understand some people just don’t want to tinker with different parts, just want a decent coffee in the morning.

Or pour over, it makes me slow down a bit (~3-5mins) cannot be too impatient for a good cup of joe.

 

[Fox800]

Cooking
Making new rum cocktails
Kayaking
Verbally assailing the neuro trolls in the tPA thread next door.

I am venturing to Mexico in a few weeks with a buddy, at an all-inclusive. N95 down and back, private ride to and from the resort. Can't be any more dangerous than my ED.