Hi from Ohio!

I discovered this great site a few days ago and thought some of you out
there might be willing to aid a fellow baker in need of your help...

A good friend of mine, Matthew Griffin, recently invented a special
baking pan and entered the idea in the "Ideas Happen" national
invention competition sponsored by VISA (the credit card people). Last
week, he beat out more than 19,000 entries to emerge as one of 10
finalists!

If his entry (his baking pan) finishes among the top four in the final
round of voting, he'll win $25,000 and get to bring his invention to
market. Unfortunately, the race to the finish is nothing more than a
popularity contest. Winners will be determined by people who visit the
"Ideas Happen" website and vote for their favorite idea.

So, PLEASE help a very passionate fellow baker by visiting:

http://ideashappen.msn.com

Click on the 'entrepreneur' category. Look for Matt's entry - the
"Bakers Edge baking pan" - and if you like it, please VOTE FOR IT!
It's not often that you get to help somebody realize a dream... and who
better to support than someone who shares your passion for baking?

He also has a website in the works if you'd like more information:
www.bakersedge.com

On his behalf, THANK YOU so much for your support!


--
eupeptic
------------------------------------------------------------------------
eupeptic's Profile: http://www.cookingboard.com/member.p...nfo&userid=186
View this thread: http://www.cookingboard.com/showthre...threadid=27615

On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 19:45:17 +0000
eupeptic > wrote:

>
> Hi from Ohio!
>
> I discovered this great site a few days ago and thought some of you out
> there might be willing to aid a fellow baker in need of your help...
>
> A good friend of mine, Matthew Griffin, recently invented a special
> baking pan and entered the idea in the "Ideas Happen" national
> invention competition sponsored by VISA (the credit card people). Last
> week, he beat out more than 19,000 entries to emerge as one of 10
> finalists!
>

I can't tell you how excited i am at the possibility of lasagne that is
over 80% hard corners.

"Eric Jorgensen" > wrote in message
news:20041117143259.788519ae@wafer...
> On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 19:45:17 +0000
> eupeptic > wrote:
>
> >
> > Hi from Ohio!
> >
> > I discovered this great site a few days ago and thought some of you out
> > there might be willing to aid a fellow baker in need of your help...
> >
> > A good friend of mine, Matthew Griffin, recently invented a special
> > baking pan and entered the idea in the "Ideas Happen" national
> > invention competition sponsored by VISA (the credit card people). Last
> > week, he beat out more than 19,000 entries to emerge as one of 10
> > finalists!
> >
>
> I can't tell you how excited i am at the possibility of lasagne that is
> over 80% hard corners.

I should introduce you to my sister who can get the same result in a
rectangular pan!

"eupeptic" > wrote in message
...

> I discovered this great site a few days ago
> and thought some of you out there might be
> willing to aid a fellow baker in need of your help...

Mm-hmm, sure you did.

> He also has a website in the works if you'd like
> more information: www.bakersedge.com

Um, no. The world does not need one more useless novelty pan that'll
be used once and then shoved in an already overfilled cabinet.
Really, truly. No.
-j

"eupeptic" > wrote in message
...

> I discovered this great site a few days ago
> and thought some of you out there might be
> willing to aid a fellow baker in need of your help...

Mm-hmm, sure you did.

> He also has a website in the works if you'd like
> more information: www.bakersedge.com

Um, no. The world does not need one more useless novelty pan that'll
be used once and then shoved in an already overfilled cabinet.
Really, truly. No.
-j

In fact, I did just discover this forum. Just thought it would be
receptive to the request for help... I had no other motive.

And FYI, the pan will only create "hard corners" if you keep the food
in the oven too long. Such is the case with ANY pan.

I can appreciate your skepticism and, in fact, would probably share
your sentiments if I didn't know the guy and see the thing work. Lots
of products out there claim to be the "next great thing"... and very
few live up that promise.

I'll just leave it at that, and thank those of you who are willing to
offer some assistance and keep an open mind.

Happy cooking (and baking) to all...


--
eupeptic
------------------------------------------------------------------------
eupeptic's Profile: http://www.cookingboard.com/member.p...nfo&userid=186
View this thread: http://www.cookingboard.com/showthre...threadid=27615

In fact, I did just discover this forum. Just thought it would be
receptive to the request for help... I had no other motive.

And FYI, the pan will only create "hard corners" if you keep the food
in the oven too long. Such is the case with ANY pan.

I can appreciate your skepticism and, in fact, would probably share
your sentiments if I didn't know the guy and see the thing work. Lots
of products out there claim to be the "next great thing"... and very
few live up that promise.

I'll just leave it at that, and thank those of you who are willing to
offer some assistance and keep an open mind.

Happy cooking (and baking) to all...


--
eupeptic
------------------------------------------------------------------------
eupeptic's Profile: http://www.cookingboard.com/member.p...nfo&userid=186
View this thread: http://www.cookingboard.com/showthre...threadid=27615

On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 08:07:57 +0100
"jacqui{JB}" > wrote:

> "eupeptic" > wrote in message
> ...
>=20
> > I discovered this great site a few days ago
> > and thought some of you out there might be
> > willing to aid a fellow baker in need of your help...
>=20
> Mm-hmm, sure you did.
>=20
> > He also has a website in the works if you'd like
> > more information: www.bakersedge.com
>=20
> Um, no. The world does not need one more useless novelty pan that'll
> be used once and then shoved in an already overfilled cabinet.
> Really, truly. No.


What, you still haven't gotten rid of that vertical chicken roaster
thing? Or that saut=E9 pan with the little chimney in the middle? Ooh, do y=
ou
have one of those vented things that's supposed to let you grill on your
stovetop?=20

That "Perfect Pancake" thing was hitting the thrift stores within about
6 weeks of the commercials, must have something to do with the fact that if
you follow their directions to the letter it takes 7 minutes to make one
pancake. Maybe that's why they give you two of 'em?=20

I'm trying to figure out how i missed being told that the mini-loaf
racks were useful. You know, like a muffin tin but rectangles. I know what
restaurants and bakeries use them for, but they don't buy the quarter-sheet
size.=20

The muffin-top pan. Yeah. Makes muffins without the bottom half. It
delivers what it promises, but, somehow nobody cares once they've seen it
do it once. This one is at least thin.=20

The good thing about those flexible silicone pans is that you can wad
them up and shove them in the back of the drawer.=20

All these are of course significantly less evil than the small
appliances that only do one thing. I saw a quesadilla maker yesterday, and
I've been using my oven, like a chump!

Personally, I'm a little annoyed that I can't find a waffle iron that
comes with alternate dies to turn it into, say, a panini grill.=20

OK, I'm sorry, apparently usenet exists so that we can give people
advice. Here's some advice:=20

Experienced bakers don't want novelty products. We have a good idea what
we're doing with traditional pans, and feel that a novelty pan will take us
away from what we already do well into something that's unknown. It doesn't
matter if it has the potential to make us the most superior baker in the
world, if it's weird rather than solid and predictable we'll avoid it.=20

Heck, at least half of us don't even use spring-form pans, and if ever a
gimmick pan succeeded in becoming mainstream it's the spring-form.=20

Recently, there was an article about Dow Corning's effort to improve
upon their bakeware. The problem they're having with their research is that
when they do market research, everybody says that the reason they like
their particular 9x13 (or thereabouts) pan is because it's the one they
know how to use.=20

They also say things like "it heats evenly" "it doesn't burn my
casserole" or "it's easy to clean" but the truth is most of these come down
to operator performance rather than the qualities of a given pan. You can
make a casserole without burning it in a thin-wall steel 13x9 but not the
exact same way you do it in pyrex. Cafeterias do it in disposable aluminum
pans all the time.=20

The people who want your product are people who are self conscious about
their performance. They subconsciously wish that some product could make
them better at whatever it is they're doing.=20

I'm gonna go out on a limb and suggest that they are people who are not
well acquainted with the temperature controls on their oven and have been
baking things that are either burnt on the outside or perfect on the
outside but under-baked at the center. None of the regulars here have this
problem. It turns out that we regularly scare these people away. Perhaps
there are some recipe forums on websites somewhere that might be more
excited about a pan that will finally allow them to bake the perfect snake.

Preying on the weak. Welcome to reality.=20

On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 08:07:57 +0100
"jacqui{JB}" > wrote:

> "eupeptic" > wrote in message
> ...
>=20
> > I discovered this great site a few days ago
> > and thought some of you out there might be
> > willing to aid a fellow baker in need of your help...
>=20
> Mm-hmm, sure you did.
>=20
> > He also has a website in the works if you'd like
> > more information: www.bakersedge.com
>=20
> Um, no. The world does not need one more useless novelty pan that'll
> be used once and then shoved in an already overfilled cabinet.
> Really, truly. No.


What, you still haven't gotten rid of that vertical chicken roaster
thing? Or that saut=E9 pan with the little chimney in the middle? Ooh, do y=
ou
have one of those vented things that's supposed to let you grill on your
stovetop?=20

That "Perfect Pancake" thing was hitting the thrift stores within about
6 weeks of the commercials, must have something to do with the fact that if
you follow their directions to the letter it takes 7 minutes to make one
pancake. Maybe that's why they give you two of 'em?=20

I'm trying to figure out how i missed being told that the mini-loaf
racks were useful. You know, like a muffin tin but rectangles. I know what
restaurants and bakeries use them for, but they don't buy the quarter-sheet
size.=20

The muffin-top pan. Yeah. Makes muffins without the bottom half. It
delivers what it promises, but, somehow nobody cares once they've seen it
do it once. This one is at least thin.=20

The good thing about those flexible silicone pans is that you can wad
them up and shove them in the back of the drawer.=20

All these are of course significantly less evil than the small
appliances that only do one thing. I saw a quesadilla maker yesterday, and
I've been using my oven, like a chump!

Personally, I'm a little annoyed that I can't find a waffle iron that
comes with alternate dies to turn it into, say, a panini grill.=20

OK, I'm sorry, apparently usenet exists so that we can give people
advice. Here's some advice:=20

Experienced bakers don't want novelty products. We have a good idea what
we're doing with traditional pans, and feel that a novelty pan will take us
away from what we already do well into something that's unknown. It doesn't
matter if it has the potential to make us the most superior baker in the
world, if it's weird rather than solid and predictable we'll avoid it.=20

Heck, at least half of us don't even use spring-form pans, and if ever a
gimmick pan succeeded in becoming mainstream it's the spring-form.=20

Recently, there was an article about Dow Corning's effort to improve
upon their bakeware. The problem they're having with their research is that
when they do market research, everybody says that the reason they like
their particular 9x13 (or thereabouts) pan is because it's the one they
know how to use.=20

They also say things like "it heats evenly" "it doesn't burn my
casserole" or "it's easy to clean" but the truth is most of these come down
to operator performance rather than the qualities of a given pan. You can
make a casserole without burning it in a thin-wall steel 13x9 but not the
exact same way you do it in pyrex. Cafeterias do it in disposable aluminum
pans all the time.=20

The people who want your product are people who are self conscious about
their performance. They subconsciously wish that some product could make
them better at whatever it is they're doing.=20

I'm gonna go out on a limb and suggest that they are people who are not
well acquainted with the temperature controls on their oven and have been
baking things that are either burnt on the outside or perfect on the
outside but under-baked at the center. None of the regulars here have this
problem. It turns out that we regularly scare these people away. Perhaps
there are some recipe forums on websites somewhere that might be more
excited about a pan that will finally allow them to bake the perfect snake.

Preying on the weak. Welcome to reality.=20

"Eric Jorgensen" > wrote in message
news:20041118105327.420e23e7@wafer...
On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 08:07:57 +0100
"jacqui{JB}" > wrote:

> "eupeptic" > wrote in message
> ...
>
> > I discovered this great site a few days ago
> > and thought some of you out there might be
> > willing to aid a fellow baker in need of your help...
>
> Mm-hmm, sure you did.
>
> > He also has a website in the works if you'd like
> > more information: www.bakersedge.com
>
> Um, no. The world does not need one more useless novelty pan that'll
> be used once and then shoved in an already overfilled cabinet.
> Really, truly. No.


What, you still haven't gotten rid of that vertical chicken roaster
thing? Or that sauté pan with the little chimney in the middle? Ooh, do you
have one of those vented things that's supposed to let you grill on your
stovetop?

That "Perfect Pancake" thing was hitting the thrift stores within about
6 weeks of the commercials, must have something to do with the fact that if
you follow their directions to the letter it takes 7 minutes to make one
pancake. Maybe that's why they give you two of 'em?

I'm trying to figure out how i missed being told that the mini-loaf
racks were useful. You know, like a muffin tin but rectangles. I know what
restaurants and bakeries use them for, but they don't buy the quarter-sheet
size.

The muffin-top pan. Yeah. Makes muffins without the bottom half. It
delivers what it promises, but, somehow nobody cares once they've seen it
do it once. This one is at least thin.

The good thing about those flexible silicone pans is that you can wad
them up and shove them in the back of the drawer.

All these are of course significantly less evil than the small
appliances that only do one thing. I saw a quesadilla maker yesterday, and
I've been using my oven, like a chump!

Personally, I'm a little annoyed that I can't find a waffle iron that
comes with alternate dies to turn it into, say, a panini grill.

--------------------
Here is my list:
Assorted shaped "cans" for baking bread for canapés (from a outlet
warehouse - bought two sets, never used)
Expensive pan to make small cakes in the shape of eggs - never used
Expensive pan to make cakes with a cavity so they can be filled (gift) -
doesn't work well
Ravioli machine - can't get it to work, you put in the noodles and
ingredients, turn the handle, and get a big wad of crap
Cheap plastic bunt pan to make cakes in microwave - traded for something
else I didn't want, never used
Rotisserie for oven, cord plugs into wall but broke, company out of
business, gift
Il Gelato ice cream maker - needs repair, not worth the effort but too
expensive to get rid of
Electric vegetable peeler - needs parts but no longer available ( note to
self: Ebay)

Personally, I prefer the brownies from the middle of the pan.
~Peggy

"eupeptic" > wrote in message
...
>
> Hi from Ohio!
>
> I discovered this great site a few days ago and thought some of you out
> there might be willing to aid a fellow baker in need of your help...
>
> A good friend of mine, Matthew Griffin, recently invented a special
> baking pan and entered the idea in the "Ideas Happen" national
> invention competition sponsored by VISA (the credit card people). Last
> week, he beat out more than 19,000 entries to emerge as one of 10
> finalists!
>
> If his entry (his baking pan) finishes among the top four in the final
> round of voting, he'll win $25,000 and get to bring his invention to
> market. Unfortunately, the race to the finish is nothing more than a
> popularity contest. Winners will be determined by people who visit the
> "Ideas Happen" website and vote for their favorite idea.
>
> So, PLEASE help a very passionate fellow baker by visiting:
>
> http://ideashappen.msn.com
>
> Click on the 'entrepreneur' category. Look for Matt's entry - the
> "Bakers Edge baking pan" - and if you like it, please VOTE FOR IT!
> It's not often that you get to help somebody realize a dream... and who
> better to support than someone who shares your passion for baking?
>
> He also has a website in the works if you'd like more information:
> www.bakersedge.com
>
> On his behalf, THANK YOU so much for your support!
>
>
> --
> eupeptic
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> eupeptic's Profile:
http://www.cookingboard.com/member.p...nfo&userid=186
> View this thread:
http://www.cookingboard.com/showthre...threadid=27615
>

"eupeptic" continued:
> In fact, I did just discover this forum. Just thought it would be
> receptive to the request for help... I had no other motive.
>
> And FYI, the pan will only create "hard corners" if you keep the food
> in the oven too long. Such is the case with ANY pan.


Not "ANY" pan. Only rectangular pans.

And not only if it's kept in the oven too long. At regular cooking time and
temperatures, corners still take a beating and dry right out.



> I can appreciate your skepticism and, in fact, would probably share
> your sentiments if I didn't know the guy and see the thing work. Lots
> of products out there claim to be the "next great thing"... and very
> few live up that promise.

Great. But WE don't know the guy and haven't seen the thing "work." So how
on earth can we give honest testimonials?


> I'll just leave it at that, and thank those of you who are willing to
> offer some assistance and keep an open mind.

Offer assistance, nothing. What you're looking for is a flood of votes.
Doesn't matter to you if we really have a clue or not. You only want
lemming-like schmucks to do you some bizarre favor.

Thanks, but no thanks.

In article <20041118105327.420e23e7@wafer>, Eric Jorgensen
> writes
> I'm trying to figure out how i missed being told that the mini-loaf
>racks were useful. You know, like a muffin tin but rectangles. I know what
>restaurants and bakeries use them for, but they don't buy the quarter-sheet
>size.

Actually, these are good for proper mince pies. Mince pies should be
rectangles, symbolising the manger, but were made circular by worried
post-Reformation types.
--
Jane Lumley

On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 18:07:51 GMT
"Vox Humana" > wrote:
> Here is my list:
> Assorted shaped "cans" for baking bread for canap=E9s (from a outlet
> warehouse - bought two sets, never used)


We always used actual cans for that, with both ends cut out. Getting
harder to do, now that most foods come in those stackable things that are
stretched from the base like a beer can.=20


> Expensive pan to make small cakes in the shape of eggs - never used


I think everyone is required to own at least one of these. So far I
don't have any - I'll probably get one as a wedding or housewarming present
some day.=20

One of my sisters has a kit to make a cake in the shape of a christmas
tree. The punchline is, that's in the shape of an actual tree, which is to
say conical, about 8" high. It's somewhat frightening. I think she's used
it twice. It does work. Service is tricky, people end up with long skinny
slices.=20


> Expensive pan to make cakes with a cavity so they can be filled (gift) -
> doesn't work well


The one with the raised bottom? Always figured that would have
nightmarish release properties, even if they were teflon coated and sprayed
with something with a lot of methyl silicone in it and then dusted with
flour. Which would ruin the cake in any case.=20


> Ravioli machine - can't get it to work, you put in the noodles and
> ingredients, turn the handle, and get a big wad of crap


Oof. Still better than making them by hand, right?


> Cheap plastic bunt pan to make cakes in microwave - traded for something
> else I didn't want, never used


My sister gave me a microwave muffin pan when i rented my first
apartment. Never have used it.=20


> Rotisserie for oven, cord plugs into wall but broke, company out of
> business, gift
> Il Gelato ice cream maker - needs repair, not worth the effort but too
> expensive to get rid of


I acquired a Cuisinart ice cream maker (quite cheaply) with high hopes -
discovered that apparently whoever put it into production looked in the
electric motor catalog under "ice cream" and bought the same noisy, hot,
crappy motor that's on every cheap crappy ice cream maker in the world.
Except this ice cream maker is designed to be used indoors, so it's right
there in the kitchen annoying you instead of out on the back porch.=20

As a geek, the concept of running an AC motor until it stalls disgusts
me. How hard would it have been to put a breaker on it?=20

I like the idea of a decent electric, but I've become more interested in
a high quality manual crank version. White mountain is the obvious answer,
but I could swear i've seen an all-aluminum hand crank set with a similar
twin dasher system.=20


> Electric vegetable peeler - needs parts but no longer available ( note to
> self: Ebay)


When my parents vegetable peelers stopped working, all it took was some
vague threats to get them going again . . . .


From my previous list, I'll admit to owning the muffin top pan. The rest
of it only convinced me that people are getting dumber when i saw it for
sale. I think I've long ago worn out my rant about the pancake thing.=20

Next time I visit the thrift store I'll have to get me one of those
double-bladed knives for cutting pies. Maybe one of those special pots with
the perforated lid.=20

"Eric Jorgensen" > wrote in message
news:20041119104822.21630c59@wafer...
On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 18:07:51 GMT

> Expensive pan to make cakes with a cavity so they can be filled (gift) -
> doesn't work well


The one with the raised bottom? Always figured that would have
nightmarish release properties, even if they were teflon coated and sprayed
with something with a lot of methyl silicone in it and then dusted with
flour. Which would ruin the cake in any case.


Yes. Here is a link:
http://www.culinique.com/

The pan is very high quality with a polished surface. Still, the cake
doesn't want to release. They recommend using CAKE MIX. As I don't use
cake mixes, I simply tried with cakes from scratch. Despite heavily
greasing and flouring the pan, the cake stuck. Yes, they recommend using
PAM but I don't like that either and don't have it in the pantry. If you
can only make a pre-fab cake in the pan, then it is of no use to me. I'm
not at all interested in the other uses such as making a meatloaf filled
with mashed potatoes or a Jell-O salad. It doesn't impress me as a
container for flower arrangements either.

NOTE: My Correct Address is in my signature (just remove the spaces).
On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 09:23:44 -0900, "Peggy" >
wrote:

>Personally, I prefer the brownies from the middle of the pan.

My whole family is like that. I have to eat the edges because no one
else will - or throw them out.

De Gustibus..., I guess!
--
Davida Chazan (The Chocolate Lady)
<davidac AT jdc DOT org DOT il>
~*~*~*~*~*~
"What you see before you, my friend, is the result of a lifetime of
chocolate."
--Katharine Hepburn (May 12, 1907 - June 29, 2003)
~*~*~*~*~*~

NOTE: My Correct Address is in my signature (just remove the spaces).
On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 09:23:44 -0900, "Peggy" >
wrote:

>Personally, I prefer the brownies from the middle of the pan.

My whole family is like that. I have to eat the edges because no one
else will - or throw them out.

De Gustibus..., I guess!
--
Davida Chazan (The Chocolate Lady)
<davidac AT jdc DOT org DOT il>
~*~*~*~*~*~
"What you see before you, my friend, is the result of a lifetime of
chocolate."
--Katharine Hepburn (May 12, 1907 - June 29, 2003)
~*~*~*~*~*~