I usually like a little sauce on my eggs. Tabasco or Frank’s Red Hot are both good, but sometimes a little to vinegary for me.

On the recommendation of our acquaintance who runs Say Hi, we picked up a bottle of Mae Ploy “Sweet Chili Sauce” — he was raving about it — “great on eggs!”

Was he right? Absolutely. You can tell by how empty the bottle is (it’s the size of a wine bottle). We pour it over scrambled or over-easy eggs, served over some hash brown patties (frozen are fine — easy in the morning). And don’t forget the side of bacon.

What makes this sauce neat is that it’s sweet. You get some heat, but mostly sweet. Now remember a key cooking concept: Sweet + Savory + Salty = Really Fucking Good. The saltiness of the bacon, the savory eggy eggs, the foundation of the potatoes, and the sweet sauce. It’s a potent combination.

If you are looking for a new topping for eggs, and are tired of savory salsa or ketchup or whatever, try and find a bottle. Even if you don’t use it on eggs, you can use it as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets or something.

I admit, I was skeptical at first, but was quickly won over.

Among all those remotes and telephones are a surprising number of receivers.

This guy is my new hero. Thanks for the find, DG.

Update: At first I thought this guy was a Ham, but from a closer observation I see a lot of receivers, but no transceivers. Of course, it’s a little hard to tell for sure, but it looks like mainly listening (in particular, air traffic).

I recently picked up a 5 pack of cheap 2 GB HP USB memory sticks (what I call “fobs”).

My intention was to take the fob and embed it into a steampunk body. It is going to be a gift for my sister and would end up looking something like one of these:

(The above is an example. It’s not mine.)

So, the first thing I needed to do was to crack open the case and see how big of a space I’d need. I figured at worst it would be the same size as the plastic case, but maybe I’d get lucky.

And I started prying. And trimming. And peeking with a flashlight. And look what I discovered:

Yep, most of that plastic is just empty airspace. That metal can thing (half of which gets stuffed into your computer’s USB port) is all it takes to store the 2 GB of data.

This pretty clearly illustrates how memory sizes have come down. A couple of years ago that case would have been stuffed with memory chips. Now the connector takes more space than the memory. Good news for me, who wants to put the memory into a brand new case. (Note that if you have an older fob it might not be so empty — you have been warned. Start by being careful, and then if you see air space, start cutting.)

This got me thinking: ReadyBoost. See, I recently picked up a Toshiba netbook with 1 GB of RAM. I didn’t want to spend more coin on a memory upgrade, so I thought that ReadyBoost would be an option. This Windows 7 (and Vista) feature allows you to use USB memory sticks as additional cache space, effectively giving the machine 3 GB of RAM to work with. And given the sluggish 5400 RPM hard drives in most laptops, more memory is a good thing.

Trouble is, the USB fobs stick out too far, risking me breaking them off. Well, now that’s a lot less likely with a case-less USB memory stick:

It sticks out about 1/2″ — which is certainly better than the 1 3/4″ a regular fob would have stuck out. We’ll see how it helps. (Not that the Netbook is sluggish — Windows 7 runs very well on it.)

Now that I’ve confirmed how small these buggers are, I’ll start crafting a steampunk case for one.

I have a little (4″) stamped Oxo “Chef’s” knife. I use it quite a lot, since it’s short and easy to handle. Good for working with small stuff, while still allowing you to chop (unlike a paring knife).

Like most cheaper knives, this one doesn’t have a full tang in the handle Here it what it looks like with the Oxo rubber grip yanked off:

Can you guess where the fatal design flaw is? If you guess “the hole” then you would be correct.

That hole is there for the Oxo red logo, and it is what holds the plastic tang to the rubber grip. It’s also a disaster waiting to happen, as it weakens the handle and allows water to seep in.

My best guess is that there has been a hairline crack in there a while, and water has gradually been eating away at the tiny bit of metal in there. Finally it gave way, resulting in a break — and a knife that felt like the handle was made of a hotdog.

My first thought was to drill out a hole and try using a cut-off aluminium nail as a replacement tang.

Well, I tried drilling the hole, but did it freehand. Meaning that the two didn’t line up, would never line up, and would result in no strength improvement. Oh well, time for more drastic measures.

Time to make my own handle:

Off to the mini lathe I went. I use this lathe for small scale wood turning. Stuff like pens, candle sticks, and — in this case — a round handle for a knife.

The first piece of wood was pretty, and smelled very nice, but was very prone to chipping out. It was also very short, meaning I didn’t have enough stock on either end to cut off once the rounding was complete. (Long story short: it’s a pain working with very short stock.)

After a while, and many wood chips later, I gave up and started with another type of (again, unknown) wood.

This one turned a lot better. Very little chipping. And it was longer, so I could cut off any excess once the lathe work was complete.  Here’s a closer shot, with some wax applied:

I also tapered down one end, which is not shown in the photos. Once the lathe work was complete, I cut off the ends and then drilled a hole for the blade (what remained of the tang). I then press-fit the knife blade into the new handle.

I’ve applied an oil based stain to the handle to protect it, and am now giving it a couple of layers of Johnson’s wax to help protect the wood from drying (from detergent). I’m not sure how long the press-fit will keep the blade tight. If it gets loose, I’ll probably fill the center with epoxy and see how that holds.

Why all this work for a cheap (<$10) knife? Well, like I said, it’s one of my favorite and most useful knives. And I’ve become a big fan of good stamped knives. Frankly, I’ve given up on expensive forged knives. I get better cuts out of $30 utility stamped knives than any of my forged stuff. Heresy, I know, but it’s the truth. Plus, I don’t feel quite so bad if I screw up a $30 knife. They are meant to be used, after all.

Another thought: It’s about weight. When I’m in the shop I use my little Makita 10.8 V drivers all the time — they are light, so you don’t feel fatigued holding them all day long. Same thing goes for knives. Why hold a 12 oz knife all day long, when an 8 oz works just as well? After all, the edge of the knife should be doing the cutting — not its bulk.

And there is a personal reason why I want to keep this little knife around. Evelyn and I bought it when we lived with her parents — right when we had everything boxed and were waiting for their house to close before heading to Puerto Rico. So, it reminds me of those times. Trying to make little meals in their basement with only the fewest of supplies.

This year we’re going to be growing some veggies. Some tomatoes, peppers (bell, serrano, cayanne), and some spinach.

We decided to try out one of the hanging tomato baskets. Here it is, hanging from the tree in the back yard. Hopefully there will be enough sun.

Another shot below. Don’t be confused by the perspective — the bench in the photo is a child’s Leopold, not the adult one.

We were originally going to hang the plant near our back patio area, but it seemed a little too low. I made a hanger out of a 2×4 and shaped it on the band saw.

Even if we don’t use it for tomatoes we can use it for hanging flowers or something like that.

I’ve talked about no knead bread before, but it’s only now that I’ve taken a reasonable photo of a complete loaf. This one just came out of the oven.

I’ve been interested in cooking for a long time. For a long while it was a study of the cuisines of China (with all their varieties). There was a foray into classical (French and Italian), traditional Mexican, and some Japanese for good measure.

While all of these have been fun, my daily life prevents me from doing a proper job of any one of those cuisines. At the end of the day, I need three meals on the table, none of which come from a box or take-out. That’s my goal.

And, honestly, I’m a fan of the jumbled world of American Comfort Food. Cooking fish inside 5 pounds of kosher salt might be cool, but I just want some roasted chicken thighs with a potato side. Some home made Sloppy Joes. A quick and easy Kung Pao Chicken (Chinese, like just about every other “ethnic” dish you eat here, is heavily Westernized).

There are three books I go to time and time again. The first is Bittman’s “How To Cook Everything”. I go to this book for technique. The hows and the whys. Plus, it has an excellent range of recipes. Need to learn how to roast chicken? Go here. Need a bread stick recipe? Go here. What’s a good simple red sauce? Go here. This is my “Joy of Cooking”.

How to Cook Everything (Completely Revised 10th Anniversary Edition), Completely Revised 10th Anniversary Edition: 2,000 Simple Recipes for Great Food

A runner-up for this role is the gigantic America’s Test Kitchen “The New Best Recipe”. I’m a big fan of Test Kitchen, and Cook’s Country, because they mash the food science of McGee with traditional American recipes. An excellent source for “why we do things this way” — it takes the magic out of cooking and replaces it with science. If you like the show, get the book.

The New Best Recipe: All-New Edition

When I want to try something new, I reach for my copy of Rosengarten’s “It’s All American Food”. Rosengarten dives deeper into the different cuisines that make up American cooking. You get closer to true Japanese, without having to invest heavily into it. You learn how to make an “all day” red sauce. And he has some complicated stuff (as does Bittman and America’s) which can challenge you without frustration. His chatty and honest style help to welcome you into the different kitchens. Unlike most cookbooks, you can read this as a book and not just a collection of recipes.

It’s All American Food: The Best Recipes for More than 400 New American Classics

One thing I should point out is that “How To Cook” and “New Best” are big books with almost no photography. I’ve always been leery of “picture book” cookbooks. I’ve gotten the most use, and best recipes from, the big tomes.

The executive summary: If you want to learn more about good cooking, get a copy of the “How To Cook Everything” or “New Best Recipe”. To expand your knowledge, and pick up some neat new recipes, augment with “It’s All American Food”. If you like American food, you’ll like these books.

I’ve made these a couple of times and they have always come out well. Very soft — perfect of dipping into soup (reminds me of that a French Dip, in a way).

I just wish baking didn’t take so darn long. Two to three hours of work, and you devour the results in a couple of minutes. (You can see I’ve already scarfed down three of them.)

In preparation for the upcoming Austin Funky Chicken Coop Tour, Evelyn has been working on Stencil Screening some T-Shirts. Here is one of the prototypes:

Stencil Screening is similar to Silk Screening, but easier. You cut out a stencil from a thick piece of flexible plastic, then use a roller to roll on the paint. It’s not as accurate as silk screening, and it’s harder to do multiple colors, but it requires little or no equipment — though a good dose of patience is required to cut the stencil.

Here is Evelyn modeling her new shirt:

There are a number of tool surfaces in our shop made of cast iron. Our Scroll Saw, the Band Saw, and the Drill Press tables are all made of iron. While it makes for very strong and stable tables, the downside is rusting.

In particular, our Dremel Scroll Saw table was turning into a mess. It has some water stains — when I used it as a coaster. And it had some normal stains from where your palms rest. (The sweat and the oils get to the metal.)

I looked around for ways to clean up the tool tables. As usual, there is a LOT of conflicting information. So, let’s cut to the quick: These are the four things you need to keep your cast iron tool surfaces in great shape.

You need:

1. A 3M  Scotchbrite pad (the green ones).
2. A can of WD40.
3. Some Formula 409 All Purpose cleaner.
4. A one pound can of Johnson Paste Wax.

The Paste Wax is probably going to be the only item you’ll have a hard time finding. We could not find it at Target or Lowe’s. It was eventually found in a little 1960′s style mini grocery store near our house. It will set up back about $6.

Also have a good supply of paper towels on hand.

The process:

• Spray down the iron surface with the WD40. Scrub it with the Scotchbrite pad. You’ll start seeing a dark gray/black slurry of muck and WD40.
• Wipe down with clean paper towels.
• Repeat the above two steps until the cast iron surface is gleaming. It takes a couple of times, but you should see a dramatic improvement.

Once the surface is cleaned, it’s time to degrease and seal it.

• Spray down the cast iron surface with some 409.
• Wipe down with clean paper towels.
• Repeat the above two steps until the paper towels are clean. (Not picking up more WD40 / dirt.)

At this point the table is clean, but is unprotected. It must be treated or it will rust.

• Using a clean paper towel, apply some Johnson Paste Wax to the cast iron surface.
• Work the wax into the iron, gradually building up a nice layer of wax. Make sure you work it into the surface well. Don’t miss any spots.

Keep in mind that Paste Wax stinks of naptha. You’ll probably gag yourself after a short time, between the WD40 and the wax. It’s a good idea to wear an organic (activated charcoal) mask while doing this work.

You’re done. Depending on how often you use the tools, you may have to repeat the process once a month.

Important points: We use wax because it provides a smooth protective surface. Perhaps more importantly, it won’t damage the pieces you are working on. If any wax gets into your workpieces you can easily sand it off. This can not be said for silicon based products. Don’t use silicon on surfaces which will touch wood! It’s very difficult to sand it out of wood.

Additional uses: I use the wax all over. I coat the sole / base plate of my portable circular saw. I seal my wooden router table. I apply it to the tops of shop stools. It’s a great “old fashioned” material that still works wonders. Just get over the smell and you’ll be fine.

Important: This should ONLY be done to shop tables / tools. Do NOT clean cast iron cooking equipment this way! In an ideal situation, cast iron pans should never touch water. They should be cleaned with salt and paper towels. Again, do NOT use WD40 or Paste Wax on cooking surfaces! You WILL get sick!