ShopTalk Sunday: Kitchen Calibration: Microwaves, Freezers, & Fajitas

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Tl;DR:  Our spicey old Saturday Gourmet column is back for an occasional peek – meeting the ShopTalk mindset and fascination with “Having the right tools.”  You see, having the right pan is like having the right saw blade — sure, you can hack it out, but why not make it smooth, easy, and a little flashy while you’re at it?”

Kitchen (and Household) Calibration

With the cooler weather showing up , this is always a good time to whip out the calibration tools and go around the house – and especially the kitchen.

This won’t set you back a fortune (try $22-bucks with Prime).  Something like the Ektecity is good enough for “home use.” And uses?  Lordy!  Do we have uses!  There’s oven, air fryer, steam oven, and turkey roaster temps to make note of.  As long as we’re at it, let’s calibrate that microwave, huh?

Around the house?  See which windows are leaking air (which means energy and money), plus there’s all those door air seals to be checked.

This genuinely is one of those “takes money to save money” situations.  $22 bucks may seem like a fortune now.  But getting a leg up on winter energy bills?  Why not, right?

How to Calibrate Your Microwave

Most people treat their microwave like a magic box—press a button, wait a bit, and food comes out hot. But not all microwaves are created equal. The wattage rating on the door might say 1,100 watts, yet in practice your unit may deliver less (or more) depending on age, line voltage, or even how the manufacturer interprets the rating.

Recipes, frozen dinners, and cooking guides often assume a “standard” 1,000-watt microwave. If your unit is weaker, food comes out undercooked; if it’s stronger, you’ll dry things out or boil over. Knowing the actual cooking power of your microwave gives you confidence that when you follow directions, you’ll get predictable results. It also helps when writing your own “house recipes” so others in the family can repeat them with accuracy.

For us – old trailer in the woods – remember the original wiring (still in the kitchen walls) was #14 AWG (American Wire Gauge).  So, when we put on a “heavy load” – the 1400 W micro or the 1,200 watt steam oven, there will be some voltage drop.

Since we know that power delivered is  P (power) equals V (oltage) time (A)mps , we can quickly begin to “noodle out” that a 20 volt “sag under load” will reduce cooking power almost that amount.  (We are zealots about biannual outlet screw wire-tightening – because loose wires start fires!)

Doing the Test

Needed:  Your point and shoot digital thermometer and a Pyrex or other tempered glass measuring cup.

Directions:  Testing is easy and doesn’t require lab gear—just water and a thermometer. The classic method is to measure one cup of cool water (about 250 ml at room temperature), put it in a microwave-safe container, and run the oven on high for exactly 2 minutes.

  1. Measure exact as you can one cup of water into your microwave-safe glass measurer.
  2. Give it a minute to temperature stabilize (1-2 minutes)
  3. Point the laser thermometer at the water surface and write down that reading.  In C because the math is easier
  4. Microwave on high power for exactly 2 minutes..

What we’re after:  Since water takes one calorie per gram per degree Celsius, you can calculate the power: temperature rise × grams of water ÷ time in seconds.

For example, if the water rose 30°C, that’s 30 × 250 g = 7,500 calories, or about 31,400 joules. Divide by 120 seconds and you’re at ~260 watts. If you used 2 cups instead of 1 (for better accuracy), you’d scale accordingly. This test gives you a “real world” wattage that you can compare to the sticker rating.

Once you have that number, the next step is building a calibration sheet. On one axis you note the actual wattage of your microwave, and on the other you create adjustment factors compared to the “recipe standard” of 1,000 watts.

For instance, if your machine measures 750 watts, you know it’s only 75% of standard, so you’ll need about 33% more cooking time.  In the other direction, if it comes out 1,200 watts, you’ll reduce times by about 20–25%. With this cheat sheet taped inside a cupboard, you can quickly adjust times for popcorn bags, mug cakes, or reheating leftovers. Over time, you’ll notice patterns: maybe two minutes in your microwave equals three minutes on the package.

The calibration sheet becomes even more useful when multiple people are cooking. Instead of arguing over whether the soup is “done” or whether the burrito needs “just another 30 seconds,” everyone can check the chart. You can set up common foods (e.g., one baked potato, a frozen entrée, a cup of coffee) and list the tested times that really work in your kitchen. It’s like standardizing your oven, only faster.

Sound Easy?  It is!  Well, sort of….

There are a few trip wires, sure.

  1. Always begin with cold tap water.  If you double the test measure, refigure the math.
  2. The second one is more dicey:  If you have one of the new inverter type microwaves which are more energy efficient, some (like ours) will turn off the heating 10-20 seconds before time is up in order to allow the electronics to cool after a long cook cycle.  When I measured ours?  I used the 2 minute on high button and opened the door with one minute left, thus capturing the full one minute of cook power.

Finally, treating your microwave this way changes it from a “guess box” into a calibrated kitchen tool. Just as bakers swear by oven thermometers, microwave cooks can stop relying on vague intuition and instead rely on tested numbers.

A calibrated microwave means less food waste, fewer boil-overs, and more consistent meals. For prepper-minded households, it also means you can reproduce results under stress—whether that’s reheating stored food or making the most out of emergency rations. In short: measure once, chart it, and cook with confidence.

Cooking Temp Capture

The next stop packing your “thermometer gun”aroundwill be the kitchen stove oven.

Make this measurement on a cold day, so any energy used making the measurement will be recaptured as heat and keep your home toasty when it’s nice.  Not something you test in the heat of summer, right?

Three measurements will get you really close to knowing what you’re cooking with.  For this exercise, you can use your 30 pound pizza steel.  You will just be turning on the oven, waiting a while, and then “shooting the steel” temp.  It’s a large enough (thermal) mass that you’ll get a really good idea what your oven actually delivers.

Measure three temperatures as follows.

  1. Turn on the oven, set it to 200F and go have coffee for an hour (or longer, it will stabilize).
  2. Shoot the steel, jot down the temp.
  3. Next, bump the temp up to 325F – leave for more coffee or call someone and chat.
  4. Shoot the steel again and jot down the temp.
  5. Final step is (choice of 375 or 400F- or whatever you like) and again, set and go away for about 45 minutes.  Yes, hotter temps will take a bit less time and we’ll skip the heat propagation rates through media based on differential temperatures lecture…
  6. After 45 min to an hour, jot this reading down, too.

Now, when you go to cook and directions on a (something) say “cook at 375 for 24 minutes (like a pizza, for example), you can have confidence that it will be close to what the pizza outfit had in mind.

And your baking and “low and slow” cooking will be to die-for because you can now nail temps with a great level of accuracy.

By the way, so important is getting temps right in “l;ow and slow” cooking that even opening the oven door for a “peek” can lose 15-20 minutes worth of low and slow heat.  Keep the oven shut, if you’re on the clock.

Well done. Have seconds.  Write a recipe and the cooking instructions.  Show LOOB how to do in your way…

Memorize this chart – then eat it.

If your roasts have been coming out over – or under – done, it could be the problem is a lying oven.  We’re here to help (and make sure the beer’s cold, too…).

Geezer’s Freezers

Jeezers, wheezers, it all begins from Zero Freezers.  Which will take a little explaining.  Walk with me…you carry the thermometer gun.  Don’t point it at me, it’s a laser, eh?

The Lecture Beginneth:  Most home freezers have a dial with numbers, not temperatures, so the only way to know what you’re really running is with a freezer thermometer. Place a simple alcohol or digital probe thermometer in a glass of water in the middle of the compartment, leave it for 12–24 hours, and check the reading. Or point the temp gun.

A properly cold freezer should be around 0°F (-18°C). That’s not just a good idea—it’s the industry standard. Food manufacturers assume their frozen pizzas, lasagnas, and entrées are sitting at roughly 0°F before you slide them into a preheated oven. Warmer freezers may mean soggier crusts or unsafe thaw-refreeze cycles; colder than that won’t hurt food quality, but it can lengthen cooking times.

Where you measure matters.

  • The top shelf of many freezers tends to run a bit warmer—every time you open the door, warm kitchen air rolls in and settles up high.
  • The bottom shelf is usually the coldest, since cold air sinks and isn’t disturbed as much.
  • The middle shelves often run closest to the true setpoint and are the most stable. That middle zone is the “ready shelf” where your frozen pizza or casserole will be closest to the temperature food companies expect when they write “from freezer to oven” instructions. By keeping your thermometer there and rotating foods as needed, you can trust the timing on the box to  closely match what comes out of your oven.

Ure’s Pizza Hack

Know why I make kick-ass pizza? Because I can slip the gap between self-rising pizza dough and violent food borne ill ness disease.  Sure, everyone hears it when they’ve been cooking long enough.  “Defrost the pizza, then toss in the oven – but give it an hour of two to rise…”

Bad idea, pup.  Too long.  That really is food borne illness country.  Walk with me:

A self-rising frozen pizza is designed to go from rock solid 0°F straight into a preheated oven. That’s what manufacturers test for and print on the box. If you let it thaw some first, the dough relaxes and yeast bubbles can expand more, which does give a nicer lift and a softer chew. That’s why some people swear their “cheat method” makes the crust taste more like pizzeria pie.

The catch is time and temperature. The food safety “danger zone” for perishable foods is 40–140°F. Frozen pizza, once it creeps above 40°F, has cheese, meats, and sauce that can start to harbor bacteria. A good compromise: take the pizza out of the freezer and leave it on the counter for 20–30 minutes before baking. That takes the edge off, lets the crust start to loosen, but keeps the toppings still plenty cold. Going past an hour in a warm kitchen risks food safety and can even make the dough sticky or collapse before it hits the oven.

So the hack in practice is: preheat the oven first, let the pizza sit while the oven comes up to temp, and then bake. That way you get a livelier crust and keep within the safe margin.

You’ve been nice and attentive this morning…so how about another chart?

Go ahead and eat that one, too…

Other Appliances

Yes – when Thanksgiving draws near, we will do the same testing on the countertop turkey roaster.  These may seem like a “rediculosity” but I get sick of messing with mitts and steamed up glasses getting the turkey out of the oven.  Old isn’t just about getting lazy – it’s about getting smart.

Now Let’s Talk Turkey

This is flocking nutz…

Frozen turkeys generally start showing up in stores in early November, well ahead of Thanksgiving. That’s when distributors begin pushing the holiday stock out of warehouses, and grocery chains clear freezer space for the surge. By mid-November, availability ramps up sharply, with most retailers actively promoting both frozen and fresh birds about two weeks before the holiday.

If you’ve got freezer space, buying earlier is smart—you’ll get a wider selection of weights and usually catch better prices. Waiting until the final days before Thanksgiving often means slim pickings or only oversized turkeys left. The safe rule is: watch shelves in early November, shop seriously by mid-month, and don’t expect much choice if you wait until the last few days.

All summer long I’ve been banging on the Big Four in town: WalMart, Brookshires, Kroger, and Aldi’s trying to find a whole frozen turkey.  I get cravings, right?  *(better’n pickles and ice cream…)

Turkey in U.S. grocery supply really follows a holiday-driven cycle rather than year-round consistency. The industry gears up for two big waves: Thanksgiving in late November and Christmas in December. After that, demand collapses and so does the shelf space.  My waistline tends to follow with a 3-4 month lag time…

By January, most chains stop featuring whole turkeys. Freezer inventory gets drawn down, and processors shift back to cutting birds into deli meats, ground turkey, and parts that sell steadily year-round. That’s why from spring through summer it’s tough to find a whole frozen turkey—you’re competing with seasonal grill meats (beef, chicken, pork) for freezer real estate, and stores don’t want to carry slow-moving stock.  About May, when sweat season starts, I move back toward the boyish figure again…

The take out to place in your now calibrated oven? Turkey “season” runs November through December. Outside of that, only warehouse clubs, restaurant supply outlets, or specialty butchers are likely to carry whole birds. If you know you’ll crave a roast turkey in July, the trick is to buy an extra or two during the holidays and park them in your own freezer.

Which we are eating through at a frantic pace to make room for two birds which don’t keep in the bush…

ShopTalk’s Maguerfita Fajitas

Opening riff
Start with the setup: “Sometimes dinner just sneaks up on you. A package of Walmart preseasoned fajita meat, some green peppers going wrinkly in the crisper, and the usual tortillas. Add 75 years of eating experience, and suddenly we’ve invented Maguerfita Fajitas.”  Best part?  Chef’s sampling of ingredients is a blast!

The crystals hack
Talk about the lemon and lime crystals — cheap, shelf-stable, easy to measure, no waste. How they replace half-used citrus rolling around the fridge. Throw in a little “prepping meets cooking” angle — if the grid ever hiccups, you’ll still have your acid balance covered.  That is, if there’s another around to cook. Just don’t forget the difference between freeze-dried schlock and pretty tasty is often just a shot of the right wine, a quarter teaspon of herbage and what can’t benefit from cheese?

The booze twist
Introduce the “what starts with C” memory jog — Cointreau, plus mirin as the balancing act. This is where you make it funny: Tex-Mex meets Japanese pantry, all held together with cream cheese and a hot tortilla.

Of course, the usual ingredients: The (sometimes salty) Wally World fajita meata.  Moon some onions, thin slice the green peps.  A schmear of cream cheese before popping the (have to be fresh) flautas in the ‘wave to blister.  Dice up some tomatoes and go Edward Scissorhands on the lettuce.  (You can stop now….stop!!! Stop or I’ll call the cops….)

Step-by… (in ShopTalk voice)

  • Sear the meat like it owes you money. Or, put on an SJW crazy-eyed look. “Burn Baby Burn!”  But not really…you’re just doing a flash fry in oil…(meds, remember?)  Rescue the meat at the last possible second before it becomes overdone.  (Like today’s column.) Set aside so it can work on a Will or notify next of kin…

  • Char the peppers and onions in the evidence until they look like they’ve been through a border skirmish.

  • Toss it all back in with a sprinkling of (we get to the fun part) lemon crystals, a shot of Cointreau, and a shot of mirin. Cook down until sticky.  Not yucky… just sticky.

  • Remember that cream cheese tortilla?  On it, pile high the meat mix and chase with a Bud Ice (or Sutter Home if you’re classy like Elaine.).  (I stopped my boycott of Bud because it was on sale and the weather was still hot…)

Chaser:
You may never get rich living close to the ground out in the woods, working your ass off all week on trading schemes, writing books, playing Paul Bunyon with the Lady of the Rake, but we do have fun.  And we try never to run out of anything in the kitchen.

Like the shop, where the “One with the most toys wins...”  In the Kitchen it’s “The best cook never goes home alone…”  Oh, wait, was that the drummer or the guitar player?

I’ll go work on memory enhancement.  You work on a slow and low for din-din…

Write when you get full of it, (mayhap I am already?)

George@Ure.net

38 thoughts on “ShopTalk Sunday: Kitchen Calibration: Microwaves, Freezers, & Fajitas”

  1. nice work on microwave calibration … never ever thought of it … but one HUGE deal … that box puts out tons of bad EMF …. a simple meter can measure. Point being, keep at least 4-6 ft away from microwave when ON … more distance might even be needed … do you own measuring and stay safe

  3. (” “Having the right tools.” “)

    Yup..got home from work and the sweet aroma of applesauce..it was apple picked day for the kids.. now everyone here knows I forefettedidnt make hot dogs this year.. but instead decided to make some tator tots..
    how are they made in the factory..yup they extends them.. but a big fancy machine is to expensive.. what would grandma use..
    just like potato gnocchi..
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DYJ6W7PH?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title
    nice little unit if your going to do five or ten pounds of hot dogs or bratwurst.. you can crank out your tot then cut it off in the size you prefer..
    or you can use a multi use item like ..
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004OV4X1I?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1
    With just one potato made is equivalent to one package of tatortots..
    make the dot mix then spread and pack freeze and pop out the tots..I actually ordered a couple extra trays..
    my grandson was questioning me over Paper plates..what makes you curious..I just wanted to know how its made..
    so one future adventure is to make a paper egg carton press..
    Lee Hits industries engineers without borders has some really good things to do just that..
    https://leehite.org/ewb_project.htm
    we will make the mold and the reverse then press and remove and dry..hey that’s similar to rammed earth or compressed earth blocks..or how plywood , particle boards,,hemp construction panels and framing material is made..wow..anyway we will use junk mail to make a few egg cartons recycling our junkmail..

    • “Yup..got home from work and the sweet aroma of applesauce..”

      Johnny Appleseed (born John Chapman; September 26, 1774 – March 18, 1845) was an American pioneer nurseryman who introduced trees grown with apple seeds (as opposed to trees grown with grafting[1]) to large parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and the Canadian province of Ontario, as well as the northern counties of West Virginia. He became an American icon while still alive, due to his kind, generous ways, his leadership in conservation, and the symbolic importance that he attributed to apples. He was the inspiration for many museums and historical sites such as the Johnny Appleseed Museum[2] in Urbana, Ohio.

      https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Appleseed

  4. Well done Sir. While not as precise as your process I also have used my Klein laser raygun to test our devices. Not as frequently as well but since we cook with gas I was surprised at the accuracy of the electronic temp controls of the oven and I just eyeball the gas flame. As to the freezer I have not tested and have been going on the old “If it’s cold, hard, and not crusty or weird looking” method. So far, so good there. Since a majority of the time it’s just the 2 of us we have gotten to where we use only 2 appliances. An Air fryer (3 actually) , an Instapot for the very occasional rice, and a 14 inch Gordon Ramsey Hexclad Wok that is used constantly. (Shhhh. A 12 inch griddle and a 10 inch fry pan is on order for a 42 year anniversary present later this month. All the family heirloom cast iron gear is all stacked neatly in the pantry but it still gets out for a run every now and then on the BBQ. When we remodeled the kitchen there wasn’t any way to fit a microwave into the brick arch work over the range so we did not replace it and honestly have not missed it.
    Thanks for another great report.
    Stay safe. 73

  5. Ok..back to tots or potatoes etc..
    https://www.amazon.com/Cooks-Standard-Classic-Extractor-11-Quart/dp/B0BPZZB72R/ref=sr_1_6?
    that’s the one I have.. juice your apples or your shredded potatoes.. huh..
    agreed the potatoes rinse sabe the water then steam juice it for a few minutes..a small rice cooker will do this to..save the starchy water let it settle then drain the water off.. spread and dehydrate. your potato starch..
    your apple or whatever juice..
    https://www.amazon.com/3-Liter-Duracook-Dietcooker-Stainless-Pressure/dp/B07ZFJ2S22/ref=sr_1_5?
    two products from one item..
    similar if your going to make chicken nuggets..
    https://www.amazon.com/YNGLLC-CHICKEN-NUGGET-OUTLINE-PR5194/dp/B0D24RJQPQ/ref=sr_1_9?

  6. (““Defrost the pizza, then toss in the oven – but give it an hour of two to rise…”
    Bad idea, pup. Too long. That really is food borne illness country. Walk with me..”)

    hmm I agree Activating yeast is a vital step in bread making—a moment where life stirs in the dough, releasing aroma, rise, . But while yeast thrives in warmth, so do The harmful bacteria, making the kitchen a battleground of microbial intent. To use caution, dough should be defrosted in the fridge to prevent premature bacterial growth, then allowed a controlled rise at room temperature for no more than two hours with sour dough and vinegar making you are using wild yeast spores. This time gives yeast time to awaken without inviting spoilage. Clean hands, sanitized surfaces, and a prompt bake at high heat seal the process..when I make wine.. I sanitize.. kill off the wild spores then I produce the proper yeast. sour dough is using wild yeast spores..I use a bread proofing box..constant temperatures..
    To make vinegar at home using a culture, start with an alcohol base like wine, cider, or beer diluted to around 6% ABV—this ensures the acetic acid bacteria can thrive I use apple cider vinegar with the mother as my starter..shake it up than half cup. Pour the liquid into a wide-mouthed glass jar and add a vinegar mother (a gelatinous biofilm containing acetic acid bacteria), which you can source from raw, unpasteurized vinegar labeled “with the mother”. Cover the jar with a breathable cloth secured by a rubber band to allow oxygen in, as the bacteria need air to convert alcohol into acetic acid or use a fermenter like I do. Let it ferment at room temperature for 4–6 weeks, stirring occasionally. Once it smells sharp and tastes tangy, strain and bottle it. You’ve now crafted your own vinegar—alive, potent, and ready to use.
    vegetable fermenter for pickling etc can be gotten on the son or Wal-Mart

  7. Wait, is it shop Sunday or cooking with Heloise? No tool slut stuff? Fine … harumph.

    Subscriber side Saturday (read this am) was grim Sir. I don’t believe (lack of) Job #s were cataclysmic but not good. Some factors miss seasonal adjustments (like, deporting / self-deporting non-belongers). IMO, a systemic rolling top, reflected in markets and U6, shows we have dropped lot of positions, many at high end of pay scale. We can and should. Well, bidnessmen can and should. And they are.

    Nearby Elkhart, IN, maker of fine brass instruments for the world, and RVs, and utility trailers, and pontoon boat ad nauseum, shows cracks. That city has been a canary in the coal mine for ever. Hmm, are there coal mines? Hope so. I am measuring stacked split hardwood ready to move another cord from upper pile to lower. Tick tock.

    Understandably, situ grows more chaotic at tops / turns. There is a change in the wind. Think the Fed only dances to political tunes? Nope. The enormous US bond market drug the feckless Fed higher and is now dragging the yield(s) lower, towing the Professor along for the ride. This is normal.

    What is way wrong is losing perspective. We all pay for the US Government excess. The debt service isn’t just biting Mom and Pop. We The People, as a collective, are paying an enormous cost to pay interest without retiring a dime. We have to have lower rates for central government survival. Let’s do it.

    Same myopic mistake occurs re : AI costs. We are all paying for that too, whether a user, paid user, or not. Energy costs are just barely reflecting the ginormous spend on the move. I fret about that big user outbidding us on the grid folks. See : firewood.

    Enjoy the day all,
    Egor

    ps – sailors Prize Giving was yesterday. It was also my (quiet) celebration of another loop around the sun. My plan worked perfektly with a young woman (promising racer) sliding onto podium in my place. I believe she really enjoyed getting a trophy. Though in silent running mode among my fellows, I am seeding sailors for another generation. One Padawan at a time

    • The problem, Admiral (if I may) of the column on PN was that the net result of a rate drop would – IMHO – not be commensauratwe with itws social costs. Sure, it will launch a thousand IPOs and it will give us another quarer – maybe. But in reality, as I noted, the world is not longer “working” to the economic fairytale. Companies with lower ratwes don’t hire workers. They buy shit – machines to replace workers. And you still havenb’t addressed that the inequality between humans and machines is on the increase…
      For the young Padawans to have jobs, they must have a level playing field. And more robots and fatser flops isn’t the answer in my researxches./Only a tax leveling device – a human replacement tax on robotics will do it.
      Until then, all those jobs from Uber and Lift will vanish, the WayMo model will conquer and no one will have money for the fare. Says Ure, arghh!

      • Roger that Word-slinger. On many aspects of the ^ above. interesting you state “robotics” as opposed to LLMs and AI. Right before retirement, just over a year ago, I had a swan song luncheon with the one wholesaler allowed to spring for lunch. I was at a BD where he was vendor. For (40) years I fended those guys off. Some had nice gatherings and shared solid info but … it seemed an ethical stretch and I wasn’t going to play. I would do coffee, dutch, if they wanted but no wining (whining?) or dining.

        During our typical wide ranging discussion he was thumping the table pretty hard about AI in US bidness. Really? Give me an example. He rolled through a list of 10+ and in all but two instances I interrupted to say “that’s advanced robotics, not some AI whiz bang-ish new thing. What else ya got?”

        I don’t care whether a WayMo drives me or Lyft human (though all for humans in most things). Actually, it’d be fine to pay extra if George my Lyft driver was my guy. Machines and humans both have a fail rate and … my vote is anti Borg. Go the carbon units!

        We are the Borg. Lower your shields and surrender your ships. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile.

        Thanks for the Field promotion but … I’m all at sea.
        Commodore-Retired, Vice.Commodore-Retired, Fleet Captain-Retired
        I’m generally retiring from most everything!

        Egor

        • Recent comment by Martin Armstrong, haven’t checked the facts directly but seems about right to me. (paraphrasing, too lazy to try to find the article)

          Large Manufacturing Robots in industrial plants
          (not talking about warehouse robots):

          US about 27,000+- …. China about 260,000+-

          If you have seen a picture or video of the new BYD auto plant in China you will understand why they can produce a VERY GOOD vehicle at a much cheaper price than US manufacturers. The entire process from beginning to end (including subassemblies) has been super automated with manufacturing robots.

          For their new plant there is NOT ONE SINGLE PERSON TO BE SEEN on the factory floor … it is ALL manufacturing robots the entire length of the assembly line.

          (some estimates say their production cost is 1/2 that of even a modernized US plant – everybody concedes it is at least 30% cheaper)

          Updated modernized US manufacturing plants (I have been in bunches over the years and seen the change) have generally been able to cut their head county by at least 80%, most by 90%, at the same time that individual plant’s output is up 200% to 400% with quality rejects of what was produced down generally by 98% or more.

          One well known dishwasher and laundry detergent plant I was in about a decade ago (newish plant) was down to about 12 people per shift and they produce about nearly 750,000 containers of dish detergent /laundry detergent PER DAY. The only true blue collar workers in that plant are those driving the fork lifts to grab the already shrink wrapped pallets as they come off the production line and move them straight into the waiting semi trailers (they generally load out between 120 to 200+ semi’s per day – NO onsite production storage) and the couple of guys who hook up the hoses to the RR tanker cars that bring in the chemicals and the plastic pellets. What most people on the production line do is watch a set of computer screens while they sit above the actual line so they can also visually monitor for problems.

          Box plants are the same, head counts going down from 350 -700 per plant to about 50 – 60, almost all of whom are equipment repairmen, at the same time their box product output per plant is up 400% to 700%.

          China doesn’t just make products with raw labor like in days of old, they even more than the Japanese /Koreans now have the most automated assembly lines in the world

    • (“Wait, is it shop Sunday or cooking with Heloise? No tool slut stuff?”)

      kitchen gadgets are tools !! needed tools.. Kitchen tools are not mere conveniences—they are survival instruments,They were forged through centuries of necessity and innovation to keep the human existence alive. From clay crocks to copper stills, mankind has relied on these implements to harness the invisible power of fungi and bacteria, transforming perishables into life-sustaining staples remember beer saved mankind from polluted waters. Fermentation vessels, grinding stones, strainers, and temperature gauges have enabled us to preserve food, enhance nutrition, and guarded mankind’s health against bacteria spoilage long before refrigeration. These tools helped civilizations survive winters, plagues, and scarcity by unlocking the microbial magic of sourdough, kimchi, wine, and vinegar. They are the reasons why mankind still exists today.
      like a scissors or screwdriver all are tools .. the hand I make motto..
      “Quando Omni Flunkus, Mortati”, which translates to “When All Else Fails, Play Dead.” and “If the women don’t find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.” if it moves and shouldn’t use the hand image secret weapon..duct tape and if it doesn’t move and should.. WD-40

    • This be 1 of the MOST F-Upped things you have ever posted
      [[[admin: Caution flag thrown – Ad hominem attack – please refraine from name calling and suich on Sundays – given a chance it might become a habit.
      See Urban ain’t social media – a real human edits this column – and he loves, adhores, lusts after factual arguements. So if you’re going to name-call – please do so on a child-oriented site like FB or X – not for the grown up readers. Penalty box is open – and we are reading.
      So resubmit with the rational reasons and logical chains for the admiral or to the penalty brig yee go.

      So says the Caopt. and so goes for all…

      Now, if you want to read which pissed me off as rule without logic attach, scroll down.

      further

      further

      I make my point>? Admin -out.]

      “We have to have lower rates for central government survival. Let’s do it.”

      FU Buddy. My Life and my Families”.. Friends and Neighbors ?!?!

      Dble FU – and F Ure miserable bloody ass Taxation WITHOUT Representation.

      Ure empire got NO SOUL..

      Ure kind are 1st in line, sport.

      Vile – Yerp

      EVIL – you get an A+

      Salem Alaikum

      ..”It” always leaks out eventually..

      A= screw-U-prison-guard

      • Hmm. Did I say something? Full moon issue?
        No offense intended. Really…
        Though pulling tails?
        It’s me, E

      • Check in for a tune-up, before it becomes involuntary. Worse, you get pinched at a border crossing with your head in this condition, you may get a taste of 3rd world guvment facilitation.

  8. If your going to ferment vegetables or pickles in small quantities..
    this is a nice home kit.. the idea is in wild fermentation you need to keep the product submerged
    https://www.amazon.com/Trellis-Co-Stainless-Fermentation-Fermenting/dp/B0714PZ8DL/ref=sr_1_39?
    this one comes with the spring weights …
    or you get a crock and weight big enough to make sour kraut..
    this is a nice sized unit and a reasonable price..
    https://www.amazon.com/Premium-Sauerkraut-Container-Probiotic-Fermentation/dp/B07F1G16K9/ref=sr_1_16?
    You can do a few pickles or two heads of cabbage..
    I also have the one gallon stone ware and three gallon stoneware..
    I want to try making soy sauce but want to do it the right way with a five gallon wood fermentor..
    like this one…its just not presently in my budget lol… and the wife would freak at another kitchen gadget..
    https://www.amazon.com/Wooden-Pickle-Barrel-4-9-Plataga/dp/B00GNSCT84/ref=sr_1_4?

  9. re: Paging Housewares to the Front Checkouts

    Folks,
    I can’t wait for George’s Gourmet edition theorizing conversion of a kitchen coffeemaker control board into advanced avionics fit for long-range unmanned aerial vehicles. As chance would have it on Friday, President Zelenskyy publicly lamented and pictured the devastating August 21st Russian missile attack upon an “American household appliance Flextronics plant” in Mukachevo, Ukraine. Flextronics actually changed its name ten years ago to Flex with US headquarters being situated in Austin, Texas.

    I sincerely hope no esteemed readers suffered the ignomy of burnt coffee this morning while perusing such a fine grind “Urbansurvival” edition.

    • Already done Jester ..it was a little ahead of its time ..
      https://news.italianfood.net/2017/12/18/isspresso-gets-back-space/
      https://www.amazon.com/AeroPress-Clear-Black-Coffee-Press/dp/B0CZ5Y1WQS/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?
      with this one you would have to print up a hot water bag for the press side and one on the receiving side to pump the hot liquid into a drink bag..
      this is how I would design one for space station use.. along with a check valve to fill the hot water pot container.. good lord knows I collect coffee pots..
      https://copilot.microsoft.com/shares/yZ6S93zFuHvThsJwLy6Hw

      • Looking Out of the Box,

        Thanks for the links. Sadly the NASA-certified Isspresso coffeemaker page has been removed from Lavazzo of Italy’s website, and reproductions are not available for sale to us Earthlings. Apparently during its tours of duty aboard the Space Station it featured operational design of 400 bars with coffee arriving in long or short sizes. Upon retirement from space, the Isspresso shuttled to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. It seems Queen Victoria was a coffee fan!

        • Yes they don’t make them..the things I seen..for one its to dam big… now the hot water system the space station has is amazing and gives really great hot water.. about the size of a small book..but it takes a lot of power.. considering that and the connections they use for hookup.. and my firm belief that everyone should have a great cup of coffee often.. ( my favorite drink ) years ago I had hired a patent attorney.. I had an idea..instant coffee has an odd taste due to the process that’s used..why not coffee bags like tea.. the patent search came back..its already patented..dam it to late again..so I wrote a nice long letter telling the company my desire for fresh coffee and the fact that they already owned the idea.. didnt hear back at all till one day I arrive home and there on the porch sat many cases of coffee bags.. yup ..no letter no invoice nothing but cases of the bags..
          https://www.amazon.com/Folgers-Classic-Medium-Coffee-Singles/dp/B001FA1KGC/ref=asc_df_B001FA1KGC?
          over a year probably twenty years worth for a normal coffee drinker.. now that was a silent thank you..I still carry them in the buggy.. can have a great cup of jo anytime snywhere..
          so why not French press style that uses coffee bags if you look at the altered design that’s what I would make for the kids at the station..I gave out travel units one year to all my coffee drinkers.. the design I had in mind wouldn’t take up a huge space deliver the drink in one of their thermal drink pouches and make a fresh cup..what’s missing on that picture is the hot water line hookup .. and..you can fit it in your glove comparment.. I just don’t have the funds to chase manufacturing or building a prototype..but for the kids..dam I live NASA the kids are great..give em a good cup of coffee..

    • re: get a Grip?
      feat: raven’ mad?

      Folks,
      One leaves the former British Honduras in ship’s wake where peach trees don’t grow, and legend has it the nation’s post-independence name derives from that of a Scottish pirate. Speaking of derivatives, the city name of Mukachevo may derive from Ukrainian words meaning torment, labor, and flour.

      Here is a link to the Flex website containing the company’s Austin, Tx. office press release responding to a Russian missile attack on its “consumer and lifestyle products” center in Mukachevo.
      https://investors.flex.com/news/news-details/2025/Missile-Strike-on-Ukraine-Hits-Flex-Facility/default.aspx

      Housewares apparently featured as stock in trade of Gimbels until 1987. A descendent of the firm’s founding Patriarch kindly donated Charles Dickens’ stuffed raven, Grip, who now is allegedly perched on the third floor of the Philadelphia main library across from a bust of Mr. Dickens. Sadly Grip perished in 1841 having imbibed lead paint only a month after first appearing as a talking bird in “Barnaby Rudge” serialized by “Master Humphrey’s Clock”. The novel last featured as a (lost silent) movie in 1915. It portrayed London’s most-violent Gordon Riots of 1780 during the American Revolution.

      As chance would have it, the Gimbel descendent also once owned Edgar Allen Poe’s home in Philadelphia. Poe’s famous “The Raven” poem supposedly received inspiration from Dicken’s bird, Grip. Tonight, Grip’s current namesake, the Baltimore Ravens, are being hosted in Buffalo by the Bills. DJ George offers a Fab Four reminder from “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite” –
      ‘don’t be late’.

    • Dam Hank..that sounds absolutely delicious..thanks for sharing…I’m going to try it…
      Here’s one..like a Smokey flavor but no smoker.. get your wood chips place a up or jar in the center of a pan your chips around the jar..inverted the lid and turn on the stove on low..the lack of oxygen in the pan with the inverted lid ..then as the chips start to char and smoke place a few ice cubes in the top of the lid..the ex joke hits the cold condenses and runs down the concave of the lid and drips into the jar..liquid smoke.. you can also filter this to take out bitter flavors..Here’s a video showing how to do a stock pot still.. now add a clove or two of garlic..

  12. On board we use a cast iron frying pan that came from my hundred year old grandmother through my hundred and two year old mother, never ever wash it, just wipe and oil, and a small SS pot with lid for steaming. There is a big pot for popcorn and pasta cooking. That’s it. Two burner propane gimbaled stove with a tiny oven. A 1.8 cubic foot reefer with a tiny freezer space that will hold a couple blocks of butter and some chocolate bars. Foot pumps bring up sea water for bulk cleaning, and fresh water for rinse. Space is tight because you don’t want to be thrown around while cooking. A knife block, and a drawer full of various spoons and cutting things keep the choices simple.
    I did have a kitchen once. But this is more fun.
    Stiks

  13. absolute brilliant G your chartpack !! finally got to open it . busy weekend . clear truth yep the oz saing fair dinkum stuff . well done again you nailed it brother G

  14. Although my yard has become too shady for most vegetables, I can still grow some fresh herbs – basil, parsley, rosemary, oregano, thyme and sage.

    Here is how I make pesto:
    2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves
    1/3 cup olive oil
    1 or more slices from a clove of garlic
    Salt to taste
    3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
    1-2 tablespoons pine nuts

    Place the basil, olive oil, garlic, salt and pine nuts in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. For me, it takes on a dark green color. Check for salt. Stir in the grated Parmesan. At this point, I divide it into individual servings and put those in the freezer. When adding to hot pasta, it’s best to stir in a little at a time, so the cheese doesn’t melt too fast and clump up.

    I also like a variation of this that uses parsley instead of basil, with some lemon juice and extra pine nuts.

    1-2 cloves garlic
    1/3 cup pine nuts
    1/4 cup Italian (flat) parsley
    1/2 grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese
    1 tablespoon lemon juice
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    Pinch black pepper
    1/4 cup olive oil

    Combine everything but the oil, process until finely chopped, add the oil, and process until fairly smooth. Actually, since I use a blender, I usually just put everything in at once and hope for the best.

    A full batch of either of these recipes will thinly cover about 1 lb. (dry weight) of pasta. They’re also good on potatoes.

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