EPISODE #11 -
SATURDAY JUNE 13, 2009
Preserving
Your Shades You have your beautiful new lamp shade
and it is covered in plastic. It is well preserved and safe,
right? Wrong! Bea Searles from
Naomi’s Lampshades (503-636-1884) in Lake Grove joined
Robin to show us how to preserve your shades and extend
their life. Leaving the plastic on your lampshade can
shorten the life of the shade by holding in the heat and
causing it to fade faster. Most shades will also have better
color if uncovered. If you need to clean your lampshade Bea
recommends that you use a soft bristle brush and not your
vacuum. A vacuum will sometimes transfer the dust and dirt
from other area to your shade. You can also use a soft clean
cloth to whip the dust away. It is the dust that ends up
destroying your shade. Heat is another thing that will
destroy your shades. Remember to use the correct wattage of
bulbs in your lamps. Most lamps are designed for a certain
type of bulb and using the wrong bulb can ruin your shade
and even create a fire danger with your lamp. If you have
any questions about lamps or shades you can always call
Naomi’s.
Sautéed
Mushrooms It is mushroom season! In Oregon one of
the most highly sought after mushrooms is the Morel mushroom. To
learn how to prepare this wonderful delicacy we stopped by the
Oregon Culinary Institute (1-888-OCI-CHEF) to visit with
Chef Dan Brophy. A true morel is hollow in the center. You tap
them gently to remove the dirt. When you slice them you want to
leave larger pieces so people can see and enjoy the honeycomb or
‘loofah’-like texture. Chef Brophy did a simple sauté of these
wonderful favorites. It was simple with just a few ingredients.
First, after slicing the mushrooms, he heated a pan with a
tablespoon of butter. He added about a half a cup of sliced
shallots and let them get tender. Then he added the mushrooms.
After about 10 minutes the mushrooms and the shallots were soft
and tender. Then he added about a quarter cup of brandy (away
from the flame) and then burned that off. This added more flavor
to the dish. He then added about a ½ cup of cream and ½ cup of
chicken stock and let that simmer to reduce and thicken it.
After adding a pinch of salt and pepper, and garnishing with
chives he poured it you can pour it on a bed of rice or noodles
to make a nice dish! Cleaning Your
Grinder You may not know it but your kitchen spice
or coffee grinder may be flavoring your other favorite recipes.
Chef Vaidya from the Oregon Culinary Institute showed us how to
quickly clean and polish our grinders so they don’t pass flavors
and other residues to our favorite dishes. He simply uses ½ cup
of dry rice and pulses it in the grinder for a couple of seconds
to clean the grinder and get it ready for his next great recipe. Grilled Salmon
Recipes Alaska Salmon is in the stores now and to
get some tips on how to prepare it we stopped by
McCormick and Schmick’s to get a couple of simple recipes
from Chef Ryan Smith. He had a King Salmon filet and a couple of
Sockeye salmon steaks. The filet is a boneless piece of fish and
the steaks contain bones (which can add a little flavor). He
started by rubbing the fish with oil and the grill with oil to
keep it from sticking. His set his grill to a low or medium
heat. This will keep the fat in the meat from flaring up and it
helps keep the meat moist. He keeps the meat rare to medium to
help maintain the natural flavor of the meat. After about 8
minutes (4 minutes per side) they are ready to serve. If you
like the recipes for his grilled salmon you can
check them out here.
For more information about Alaska Salmon and to learn about how
it stays healthy and sustainable you can check out the
Alaska
Seafood website.
Deck Sealers It is time to think about outdoor
entertaining if you haven’t started already. One of the first
steps to getting ready is to clean and refinish your deck. Chris
from Parr Lumber
(503-531-7277)
joined us to show us how easy it is to do if
you have the right tools and materials. First you want to clean
your deck. There are lots of ways to do that. If you have a
composite deck or a PVC deck you can just use a pressure washer.
But for wood decks you need to use a cleaner and a hard bristle
brush to prevent damage to the wood fibers from the water
pressure of a washer. Once the deck is clean you may be done.
Composite or PVC decks don’t need sealers or stains so they are
easy to take care of, but wood decks may need a fresh coat of
stain and a good sealer to preserve them. Parr recommend a
quality stain like those from Penofin, Superdeck and Wolman.
There is even a new environmentally friendly product called
‘Verde’ from Penofin. You should apply your new stains and
sealers on a dry day that isn’t too hot. Give yourself a little
bit of time and allow a day or two for everything to dry. To
learn more you can stop by your local Parr Lumber. Counter Choices If you are looking to redo your counter
tops you know that there are lots of choices out there. We
stopped by the
Parr
Cabinet Outlet (503-614-2655) in Hillsboro to talk with
Fabio Testa to learn about the options you have when replacing
your countertops. Fabio joined Ken and gave him a rundown of
some of the different types people can choose from. The basic
that everyone has heard of is the Formica or laminate surface.
This is a pressed paper that has been treated to hold up to
cutting and kitchen wear and tear. It comes in a ton of
different patterns and colors and can be formed into curves and
edges to fit any counter top. Next are the engineered stone
counters. These contain a large percentage of quartz and are
designed to be more durable. And because they are man made they
come with a warranty. Corrian is next and it is a totally
manmade product. Designed for use in a lab it is one of the most
durable surfaces you can find. Finally we looked at granite.
This is a totally natural stone product from the earth and that
means each piece is different. It can have a natural beauty to
it but it can also have slight imperfections that will show up
occasionally. If you are looking for a new countertop and are
confused, the experts at the Cabinet Outlet can help you decide
the right option for your new kitchen. |
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