On Saturday, October 22, 2016 at 8:44:34 AM UTC-6, Brooklyn1 wrote:
> Alan Holbrook wrote:
> >
> >Every once in a while, when I get the feeling that my arteries are still
> >too flexible and my heart isn't working hard enough pumping blood, I'll
> >make a large skillet of sawmill gravy and pour it over biscuits for
> >breakfast. The recipe I follow says, as do all the other recipes I've seen
> >that involve making a white sauce, that once you have the roux the color
> >you want,
>
> If you're making a white sauce what's this about the color you want?
>
> >you should take the pan off the heat to add the milk. I've often
> >wondered why that is and what would happen if you added the milk directly
> >to the pan containing the roux while it's still on the burner. Rather than
> >risk seven years' bad luck or something similar trying it, I thought I'd
> >ask. Can any of the RFC intelligentsia enlighten me?
>
> I see no reason to take the pan off heat, but a white sauce (Béchamel)
> is made in a heavy pan over low heat with the liquid added/dribbled a
> little at a time incorporating each addition before adding more until
> it's the consistancy you want... low heat is all important. I prefer
> to stir with a wooden spoon rather than a whisk, a whisk misses the
> corners of the pan causing lumps to form... I have wooden spoons that
> have a flatened end that are worn to fit pan corners. A proper
> Béchamel is not to be rushed.
> I rarely use wire whisks for anything, they really only work well in
> round bottomed bowls, I prefer wooden spoons or my portable electric
> KA mixer. I love my KA portable, it has seven speeds, and needs very
> little storage space... it's perfect for most any mixing other than
> kneading doughs. I no longer have my 12 qt Hobart stand mixer, I no
> longer bake large quantities of bread, in fact nowadays I much prefer
> my ABM, it does a good job of kneading and half the time I form
> loaves/rolls by hand to bake in a regular oven. Amazon still sells my
> ABM, I didn't think they were available new anymore. I bought mine
> nearly 30 years ago for less than $40:
> https://www.amazon.com/Welbilt-Origi...+bread+machine

At the price they are now I DOUBT MANY WOULD BITE. $268.18 + $38.85 shipping.
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