MacGyver Kitchen Equipment
Sometimes it doesn’t matter if your stove is on a slant, but for things like pancakes and pan frying it really affects the outcomes. This is my most important asset. A bowl that perfectly levels my cast iron pan on my lopsided stove. I hate being a renter.
PS I just realized that Terry, I and Richard Dean Anderson all use our first, last and middle names professionally.
My leveler bowl in action
November 12th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
Why have I never thought of this? All of my pancake problems would have been solved years ago.
November 12th, 2007 at 5:54 pm
I love the title, perhaps this is why my pancakes come out looking funny.
November 12th, 2007 at 7:15 pm
Gotta love it!
November 12th, 2007 at 7:30 pm
I used to use all three names too but I got so very very tired of people mistaking my middle name for part of my last name, particualrly in print.
Anyway, howabout a contest for most macguyverish (or rube goldbergish) cooking equipment?
November 12th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
pattrice, what was the middle one? I’ve gots to know!
November 12th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
I like that bowl! I lucked out with my most recent kitchen (rented)….Apparently, the owners cared about that part of the unit.
November 12th, 2007 at 8:26 pm
oscar’s going by his 3 names now. oscar albis rodriguez. i think it makes everyone seem dignified.
November 12th, 2007 at 8:27 pm
Isa is proves, once again, that’s she waaaay smarter than you.
November 12th, 2007 at 8:27 pm
(And now in English!)
Isa proves, once again, that she’s waaaay smarter than you.
November 12th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
don’t forget sarah michelle gellar! tiffani amber thiessen! mary kate olsen! (acually, I never figured that last one out- is kate her middle name? or katherine? or is her first name mary kate? or mary katherine? I’m not used to thinking of M-K rocking the catholic name thing…)
November 12th, 2007 at 10:23 pm
My stove is on a slant, too, and it drives me insane.
I use all three of my names, too. Mine sounds really southern even though it wasn’t intended to be.
November 12th, 2007 at 10:43 pm
i wish this would work for my tub. we can’t shower in it without a lake on the floor…
xo
kittee
November 12th, 2007 at 10:53 pm
Your lucky you have a middle name. I didn’t have one until I got married and then made my last name my middle name. I was alway’s jealous of people with middle name..but no more!
November 12th, 2007 at 11:11 pm
Wow, Your stove must be more uneven than mine. I only need to take the burner leg with the prong on it, out from the hole and prop the prong side on then stove to level off whatever burner I’m using.
Thanks! I never felt *lucky* about that before.
November 12th, 2007 at 11:47 pm
le-muire
November 13th, 2007 at 12:57 am
bon idée ! je l’aime.
Happy cookin’ !
November 13th, 2007 at 9:45 am
I can’t believe I haven’t tried this with some of those awful pottery pieces I made in college…though they may be more uneven. I always have a hard time when pan-frying having an even amount of oil all around. And any kitchen tip that even hints at MacGyver is one worth trying.
November 13th, 2007 at 10:26 am
I have to do this too, but not because the stove is unlevel but because the cheapo teflon pans I bought are handle heavy and unbalanced.
November 13th, 2007 at 11:18 am
It’s like the house on the hill!
I actually use my middle name as my first name. It’s not becase I don’t actually like my first name, either. It’s because I wanted a fun nick-name. I’m such a child sometimes.
November 13th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Man - I thought I was the only one with a lopsided stove. I have this process of taking kitchen towels and stacking them like so and then putting the handle of the frying pan on the stack. It usually works out ok, but now I’m going to dig through my cupboard and find this tiny bowl that I occasionally use for dips - I think it’s gonna do the trick =D
November 13th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Hmmm…this looks like a more successful strategy in dealing with lopsided burners than mine, which consists of a. cursing stove b. cursing landlords and c. smacking around the burner, trying to level it (and sometimes, trying to get it merely to conduce heat) through brute force.
Ah, renting is the best!
November 13th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
Wow, I’m happy to know that I’m not alone. I hope that everyone finds their perfect bowl. Warning: you’ll never be able to use the bowl for anything else. Somehow when it becomes the leveler bowl it becomes tainted for food use.
November 13th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Too bad I never thought to do anything about my slant stove. All the unevenly cooked tempeh!
I, too, love the bowl.
November 13th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
This is not just a renter problem. My kitchen slants cause my house is old..I need to find the right bowl!
November 13th, 2007 at 6:14 pm
don’t most stoves have adjustable feet and can be screwed to shorten or lengthen to accommodate for uneven floors? i’m always adjusting my stove’s feet. i may be living on a sinkhole. nothing is more irritating than puttin oil in a pan, only to have it all settle to one side. errrrr.
November 13th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
MacGyver. I had a HUGE crush on him when I was in elementary school. And no, I did NOT write his name in sharpie on the bottoms of my shoes with lots of hearts. I mean, who would do that?
November 13th, 2007 at 7:33 pm
I didn’t realize Chandra was your middle name! I thought it might be your maiden. I adore that name. Does it have anything to do with Chandra Gupta?
November 13th, 2007 at 7:35 pm
I should try that; my stove’s tilted pretty badly too.
November 13th, 2007 at 11:36 pm
nice burned pancakes
November 14th, 2007 at 12:13 am
That bowl is gorgeous. Functional pretty things are so rad.
November 14th, 2007 at 2:41 am
foof- they aren’t burned, they’re just dark! I like them like that. Bisque.
November 14th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
I go by all three names as well. Although my middle name is my maiden name. I will never let it go….
November 14th, 2007 at 11:12 pm
I am so glad you posted this! why oh why hadn’t I thought of doing this? You are so very intelligent.
Joni Marie Newman
(I use all three too.)
November 14th, 2007 at 11:31 pm
HEY- WHEN ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO MAKE A NEW EPISODE OF THE PPK? I LOVED THE SHOW AND THE TECHNIQUES, BUT I’VE SEEN THE ONES POSTED LIKE A KABILLION TIMES (AND IT’s STILL ENJOYABLE, BUT I DIGRESS…). I KNOW THE COOKBOOK HAD TO HAVE BEEN TAKING UP ALL OF YOUR TIME. I READ SOMEWHERE THAT THERE WERE 6 EPISODES DONE. YOU ONLY HAVE 4 ON YOUR SITE, AND I CAN ONLY FIND THOSE 4 ON THE WEB. CAN YOU POST THE OTHERS OR ARE THERE REALLY ONLY 4? PLEASE RESPOND. I BET A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE WONDERING THE SAME THING. I’LL CHECK BACK SOON.
November 14th, 2007 at 11:46 pm
We’re working on new episodes over the winter.
November 15th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Get better! :p
Your Thanksliving dinner sounds so good!