Time(r) Issues
March 28th, 2007I have a stupid issue.
I've been trying to find a decent kitchen timer. It doesn't matter if it's the old fashioned spring dial type, or the digital type, I cannot find anythign short of a $25 deluxe timer that cooks your roast for you also.
I had one I bought at Target for a few dollars, but after a few years of faithful timing, it broke. I purchased a digital timer from my local grocery store, which seemed to be a decent timer, until I found out it beeps every 5 minutes it's counting down, which I find very annoying (lots of false alarms). I then bought what I thought was a decent model at the local Wal-Mart, which promptly broke when I turned it the first time, meaning it never even once worked. Next up was a TJ Maxx model, this one was the deluxe edition, even blinged out in chrome. First time I went to use it, it never even moved. Worthless.
It seems there are a few small product niches that people simply don't want to sell decent simple products in. I'm either going to have to get a vintage model off ebay, or take out a small loan to purchase the one I want.
It seems like such an easy solution, but somehow I managed to get no less than four bad timers in a row, anybody have any suggestions?
And for a bonus, a kitchen "gadget" that works amazingly well. The Norpro Egg Rite Egg Timer. Basically when you want to boil eggs, you drop it right in the pan with them and it will slowly turn darker, and you simply wait until it hits your desired mark. Maybe you don't need it, but at least it works well :).
Update: Apparently Apartment Therapy has a top 10 timer list.
March 28th, 2007 at 8:12 am
Timer? I thought you were the iPod generation. Just find a song appropriate to the dish. You want a soft boiled egg? Boil it for the length of a Motown song. Hard boiled? Use REM. Cooking a roast? Opt for symphony. When the song is over, the food is done.
March 28th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
I have that same egg timer and it is the BEST EVER. I had my last one for 12 years before it melted in a freak “I forgot I was boiling eggs” accident. I promptly replaced it with the same model.
March 28th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
I bought a digital timer from Target for around $10…guess I’ve only had it a couple months, but it works well so far.
March 29th, 2007 at 9:25 am
I NEED a timer like that! Eggs must be medium…no runny whites, and no gray yellows! I just can’t seem to get it right no matter how hard I try!
March 29th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
To comment as an anal chef, “gray yellows” are overcooked. “Medium” means the yolk is not fully cooked. “Hard” is fully cooked, but not gray/green.
And the rule of thumb for not over-cooking: bring to a boil, hold for 10 mins, cool in ice water for 5. This gives you a fully cooked egg and no discoloration. Chilling is key…otherwise it keeps cooking itself.
March 30th, 2007 at 10:17 am
Perhaps you should host a pampered chef party eric and than you could get their kitchen timer not to mention a few other kitchen gadgets.