I'm going to talk about FoodSavers (I just got a Professional II) and
vacuum bagging in general on my radio program on Thursday.

What do I want to cover?

Upsides? Downsides?

Things I didn't think of? Things only you know?

Things to absolutely do? Things to absolutely not do?

Speak, oh wise ones...

Pastorio

>I'm going to talk about FoodSavers (I just got a Professional II) and
> >vacuum bagging in general on my radio program on Thursday.
> >
> >What do I want to cover?
> >
> >Upsides? Downsides?
> >
> >Things I didn't think of? Things only you know?
> >
> >Things to absolutely do? Things to absolutely not do?
> >
> >Speak, oh wise ones...
>
> What they don't tell you on all the informercials, is that some food
> needs to be frozen beforehand, so that the liquid/moisture in the food
> doesn't get inhaled into the machine.
>
> The price of the bags is outrageous. dessicant.com used to sell the
> bags at a reasonable price, but it's looks like Tilia got their
> lawyers to put an end to that (I'd like to know what really happened).
> I don't like paying the huge markup Tilia is applying to the bags, so
> I neither reccomend nor use my (overpriced) Foodsaver anynmore.
>
> -sw

Steve,

I've had my Foodsaver for about 3 years and have only purchased the rolls
once... the Foodsaver came with 2 rolls and a supply of bags. I re-use the
bags after washing in the dishwasher.

IMHO I haven't found the bags to be a large expense. I purchased the
additional rolls at Sam's Club.

Chris in Pearland, TX (no stock in Tilia)

"Christine" > wrote in message
news
> >I'm going to talk about FoodSavers (I just got a Professional II) and
> > >vacuum bagging in general on my radio program on Thursday.
> > >
> > >What do I want to cover?
> > >
> > >Upsides? Downsides?
> > >
> > >Things I didn't think of? Things only you know?
> > >
> > >Things to absolutely do? Things to absolutely not do?
> > >
> > >Speak, oh wise ones...
> >
> > What they don't tell you on all the informercials, is that some food
> > needs to be frozen beforehand, so that the liquid/moisture in the food
> > doesn't get inhaled into the machine.
> >
> > The price of the bags is outrageous. dessicant.com used to sell the
> > bags at a reasonable price, but it's looks like Tilia got their
> > lawyers to put an end to that (I'd like to know what really happened).
> > I don't like paying the huge markup Tilia is applying to the bags, so
> > I neither reccomend nor use my (overpriced) Foodsaver anynmore.
> >
> > -sw
>
> Steve,
>
> I've had my Foodsaver for about 3 years and have only purchased the rolls
> once... the Foodsaver came with 2 rolls and a supply of bags. I re-use
the
> bags after washing in the dishwasher.
>
> IMHO I haven't found the bags to be a large expense. I purchased the
> additional rolls at Sam's Club.
>
> Chris in Pearland, TX (no stock in Tilia)
>
I get the Black and Decker rolls at Walmart...a bit cheaper than Tilia's bag
and they work fine.
Jack

Bob Pastorio wrote:

> I'm going to talk about FoodSavers (I just got a Professional II) and
> vacuum bagging in general on my radio program on Thursday.


Ya' got a link to a web cast?...

~john!

"Jack Sloan" > wrote in message

> I get the Black and Decker rolls at Walmart...a bit cheaper than Tilia's
bag
> and they work fine.
> Jack

I'm sure they seal OK, but can you suck down the vacuum? The Tilia are
textured so you can draw the air out before sealing. Plain bags don't do
that. Are the B & D textured?
Ed

Yeh, I agree the Foodsaver prices are pretty high and I suspect they're
trying to make soem bucks, BUT bottom line they are pretty darned good
despite the prices. I use mine all the time and do indeed save in the
long run. I'd like to use it more if the bags were more reasonable.

Steve Wertz wrote:
> On Mon, 13 Oct 2003 12:31:41 -0400, Bob Pastorio >
> wrote:
>
>
>>I'm going to talk about FoodSavers (I just got a Professional II) and
>>vacuum bagging in general on my radio program on Thursday.
>>
>>What do I want to cover?
>>
>>Upsides? Downsides?
>>
>>Things I didn't think of? Things only you know?
>>
>>Things to absolutely do? Things to absolutely not do?
>>
>>Speak, oh wise ones...
>
>
> What they don't tell you on all the informercials, is that some food
> needs to be frozen beforehand, so that the liquid/moisture in the food
> doesn't get inhaled into the machine.
>
> The price of the bags is outrageous. dessicant.com used to sell the
> bags at a reasonable price, but it's looks like Tilia got their
> lawyers to put an end to that (I'd like to know what really happened).
> I don't like paying the huge markup Tilia is applying to the bags, so
> I neither reccomend nor use my (overpriced) Foodsaver anynmore.
>
> -sw

Coas****cher > wrote in
:

> I'd like to use it more if the bags were more reasonable.
>

Turn the used bags inside out, and either wash by hand or in dishwasher.
Wait till until dry, and turn right side out again. This will get you 3 or
4 uses out of a bag.

levelwave wrote:

> Bob Pastorio wrote:
>
>> I'm going to talk about FoodSavers (I just got a Professional II) and
>> vacuum bagging in general on my radio program on Thursday.
>
> Ya' got a link to a web cast?...

Wish I did. The guy who owns the stations doesn't want to do it. Dunno
why.

It'll be on WSVA, Harrisonburg, VA. 550 on your AM dial. From 10am to
noon.

Anybody within the listening area (Chambersburg, PA to Richmond, VA to
south of Staunton, VA and over to some parts of WVA - if the weather
cooperates) can call in and offer comments.

Y'all come by. (I said that with my yankee accent.)

Pastorio

Part of what Steve wrote....
>What they don't tell you on all the
>informercials, is that some food needs to be
>frozen beforehand, so that the liquid/moisture
>in the food doesn't get inhaled into the
>machine.
Excellent tip, Steve. I just got my Food Saver and was sealing single
portion size packages of a rather moist, lemon chicken and rice
casserole I make that usually ends up with the last serving of two
thrown out. As I began the airless seal process (which does waste over
an inch of each bag) on the first of five soon to be bags. I
immediately saw the liquid being "sucked" upward, so I unplugged the
machine to stop the process before too late. It did not occur to me to
freeze "wet" things before using that sucker, but it sure will now,
thanks to you.

Picky ~JA~

"Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote in message
m...
>
> "Jack Sloan" > wrote in message
>
> > I get the Black and Decker rolls at Walmart...a bit cheaper than Tilia's
> bag
> > and they work fine.
> > Jack
>
> I'm sure they seal OK, but can you suck down the vacuum? The Tilia are
> textured so you can draw the air out before sealing. Plain bags don't do
> that. Are the B & D textured?
> Ed
>
Haven't used the bags but the rolls are textured and do vac down just like
tilia's rolls.
Jack(who reseals potato chip bags too((won't vac tho)) )

Richard's ~JA~ wrote:

> It did not occur to me to freeze "wet" things before using that sucker,
> but it sure will now,


Doesn't this defeat the purpose of the Foodsaver?... I thought the whole
point of this thing was to freeze foods in an airtight environment...

~john!

--
What was it like to see - the face of your own stability - suddenly look
away...

JA and !john wrote:
>It did not occur to me to freeze "wet" things
>before using that sucker, but it sure will now,
>>Doesn't this defeat the purpose of the
>>Foodsaver?... I thought the whole point of
>>this thing was to freeze foods in an airtight
>>environment.
Perhaps because of not being better informed, I am with the thought that
air content causing freezer burn happens over time. Therefore, freezing
first into a flattened (by choice) "block" of solid liquid that also has
solids within, and then popping the naked block into a FoodSaver bag for
the vacuum-seal certainly will work as wanted for freezer product
longevity.

Picky ~JA~

We found that meat with exposed bones such as steak, chuck roast,
etc., lose their vacuum over time. Apparently being moved around in
the freezer causes bone to pierce the plastic.

We started placing frozen meat with bone in it in a "Zip Lock" freezer
bag and then placing the "Zip Lock" bag inside the FoodSaver bag
(making sure the FoodSaver bag is longer than the "Zip Lock" bag) and
then vacuum sealing the FoodSaver bag.

We no longer find bags with a broken seals.

Sharon Reppert

Steve Wertz wrote:

> On Mon, 13 Oct 2003 17:39:15 -0400, Bob Pastorio >
> wrote:
>
>>Anybody within the listening area (Chambersburg, PA to Richmond, VA to
>> south of Staunton, VA and over to some parts of WVA - if the weather
>>cooperates) can call in and offer comments.
>
> I can just picture Sheldon calling in. You have a 2-second
> time-delay, right? :-)

7-second delay.

I've only had to use it twice in the decade and a half we've been on.
Both times the callers were drunk and stupid.

Pastorio

"Richard's ~JA~" > wrote in message
...
> Part of what Steve wrote....
> >What they don't tell you on all the
> >informercials, is that some food needs to be
> >frozen beforehand, so that the liquid/moisture
> >in the food doesn't get inhaled into the
> >machine.
> Excellent tip, Steve. I just got my Food Saver and was sealing single
> portion size packages of a rather moist, lemon chicken and rice
> casserole I make that usually ends up with the last serving of two
> thrown out. As I began the airless seal process (which does waste over
> an inch of each bag) on the first of five soon to be bags. I
> immediately saw the liquid being "sucked" upward, so I unplugged the
> machine to stop the process before too late. It did not occur to me to
> freeze "wet" things before using that sucker, but it sure will now,
> thanks to you.
>
> Picky ~JA~
>

I steamed and milled a lotta tomatoes into sauce, froze them in shallow
plastic containers overnight and then sealed the 'cubes'.

Jack Tiliariffic

"levelwave" > wrote in message
...
> Richard's ~JA~ wrote:
>
> > It did not occur to me to freeze "wet" things before using that sucker,
> > but it sure will now,
>
>
> Doesn't this defeat the purpose of the Foodsaver?... I thought the whole
> point of this thing was to freeze foods in an airtight environment...
>

....and to avoid frost burn, which literally won't happen overnight. I can
live with the extra step of freezing liquid in a container and then sealing
it later.

Jack Norge

"Bob Pastorio" > wrote in message
...
> I'm going to talk about FoodSavers (I just got a Professional II) and
> vacuum bagging in general on my radio program on Thursday.
>
> What do I want to cover?
>
> Upsides? Downsides?
>
> Things I didn't think of? Things only you know?
>
> Things to absolutely do? Things to absolutely not do?
>
> Speak, oh wise ones...
>
> Pastorio
>
This weekend I made up a dozen lasagnas in 12"x15" pans.
Will it cover something this large?

"Tequila King" > wrote in
:

>
> "Bob Pastorio" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I'm going to talk about FoodSavers (I just got a Professional II) and
>> vacuum bagging in general on my radio program on Thursday.
>>
>> What do I want to cover?
>>
>> Upsides? Downsides?
>>
>> Things I didn't think of? Things only you know?
>>
>> Things to absolutely do? Things to absolutely not do?
>>
>> Speak, oh wise ones...
>>
>> Pastorio
>>
> This weekend I made up a dozen lasagnas in 12"x15" pans.
> Will it cover something this large?
>
>
>

Yes it will. The bags are on a roll and aren't bags till you cut them to
length and seal one end. Basically you unroll the length required plus say
3-4 inches, cut the bag material free and seal one end (now it is a bag).
Put your stuff in and let the machine suck out the air and seal the other
end of the bag. In some cases you might want to pre-freeze the items to be
sealed, They might be to delicate or too wet to be readily vaccumed packed
unfrozen. In other cases sharp boned items might be better dealt with by
wrapping item in several layers od saran wrap or in a unclosed zip lock
bagge to prevent punctures.

Tequila King wrote:

> "Bob Pastorio" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>I'm going to talk about FoodSavers (I just got a Professional II) and
>>vacuum bagging in general on my radio program on Thursday.
>>
>>What do I want to cover?
>>
>>Upsides? Downsides?
>>
>>Things I didn't think of? Things only you know?
>>
>>Things to absolutely do? Things to absolutely not do?
>>
>>Speak, oh wise ones...
>>
>>Pastorio
>>
>
> This weekend I made up a dozen lasagnas in 12"x15" pans.
> Will it cover something this large?

Nope. Not the bags I have. There might be a way to do it, but I don't
know it.

Pastorio

Bob Pastorio wrote:

> Tequila King wrote:
>
>> "Bob Pastorio" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>
>>> I'm going to talk about FoodSavers (I just got a Professional II) and
>>> vacuum bagging in general on my radio program on Thursday.
>>>
<snip>

Tried to reply but appearently my server was spazing out...

I don't know if I've seen all of the replies or not but I'll add
something that I haven't seen yet.

When I'm going hunting, fishing, hiking, whatever in the outdoors I
always seal some stuff up "just in case". Matches, T. Paper, some
medical supplies like bandages, antiseptic. etc. Anything that could
be non-functional if wet.


--
Steve

"Steve Calvin" > wrote in message
s.com...
> Bob Pastorio wrote:
>
> > Tequila King wrote:
> >
> >> "Bob Pastorio" > wrote in message
> >> ...
> >>
> >>> I'm going to talk about FoodSavers (I just got a Professional II) and
> >>> vacuum bagging in general on my radio program on Thursday.
> >>>
> <snip>
>
> Tried to reply but appearently my server was spazing out...
>
> I don't know if I've seen all of the replies or not but I'll add
> something that I haven't seen yet.
>
> When I'm going hunting, fishing, hiking, whatever in the outdoors I
> always seal some stuff up "just in case". Matches, T. Paper, some
> medical supplies like bandages, antiseptic. etc. Anything that could
> be non-functional if wet.
>
>

A friend's dad seals his pot in tilia bags.

Jack Dope

Jack Schidt=AE wrote:
<snip>
>>
>>Tried to reply but appearently my server was spazing out...
>>
>>I don't know if I've seen all of the replies or not but I'll add
>>something that I haven't seen yet.
>>
>>When I'm going hunting, fishing, hiking, whatever in the outdoors I
>>always seal some stuff up "just in case". Matches, T. Paper, some
>>medical supplies like bandages, antiseptic. etc. Anything that could
>>be non-functional if wet.
>>
>>
>=20
>=20
> A friend's dad seals his pot in tilia bags.
>=20
> Jack Dope
>=20
>=20

A friend's DAD??! ;-) Nope, not here Jack.
--=20
Steve Dry ( ;-) )

"Steve Calvin" > wrote in message
s.com...
Jack Schidt® wrote:
<snip>
>>
>>Tried to reply but appearently my server was spazing out...
>>
>>I don't know if I've seen all of the replies or not but I'll add
>>something that I haven't seen yet.
>>
>>When I'm going hunting, fishing, hiking, whatever in the outdoors I
>>always seal some stuff up "just in case". Matches, T. Paper, some
>>medical supplies like bandages, antiseptic. etc. Anything that could
>>be non-functional if wet.
>>
>>
>
>
> A friend's dad seals his pot in tilia bags.
>
> Jack Dope
>
>

A friend's DAD??! ;-) Nope, not here Jack.
--
Steve Dry ( ;-) )

Lest you think I'm hangin with kids, his dad is 63.

Jack Aged

Steve Wertz wrote:
> On Mon, 13 Oct 2003 12:31:41 -0400, Bob Pastorio >
> wrote:
>
>
>>I'm going to talk about FoodSavers (I just got a Professional II) and
>>vacuum bagging in general on my radio program on Thursday.
>>
>>What do I want to cover?
>>
>>Upsides? Downsides?
>>
>>Things I didn't think of? Things only you know?
>>
>>Things to absolutely do? Things to absolutely not do?
>>
>>Speak, oh wise ones...
>
>
> What they don't tell you on all the informercials, is that some food
> needs to be frozen beforehand, so that the liquid/moisture in the food
> doesn't get inhaled into the machine.
>
> The price of the bags is outrageous. dessicant.com used to sell the
> bags at a reasonable price, but it's looks like Tilia got their
> lawyers to put an end to that (I'd like to know what really happened).
> I don't like paying the huge markup Tilia is applying to the bags, so
> I neither reccomend nor use my (overpriced) Foodsaver anynmore.
>
> -sw

I used to think the same way, but after seeing how well preserved food
was (even after more than a year,) I find it a valuable asset. I really
like the way I store ice cubes of stock, that I open and close again. No
disgusting freezer smell. The bags hold well to heat and tear and wear.

However, if the company had more astute marketing, they would corner the
market by lowering the prices significantly, and offering the machine at
1/2 the normal cost. Who the hell would buy ziplock?

My 2 pennies,

Richard

--
"..A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava
beans and a nice chianti..."

Hannibal "The Cannibal"

Silence Of The Lambs 1991

>This weekend I made up a dozen lasagnas in
>12"x15" pans. Will it cover something this
>large?
>>Nope. Not the bags I have. There might be a
>>way to do it, but I don't know it...Pastorio
A mere 12'' is the widest bag for the Food Saver I've seen. You can
make these twelve inchers as long as you care to, but the only way I can
see trying to use one for something baked at 12"x15" would be to use a
pre-bake smallify method for the lasagnes. The ideal thing to do woyuld
be to make your lasagne in pans of a less than 12" width, or to
refrigerate-cool each one to be cut in half for packaging as singles.

It would be a bit tedious to do for a one time need, but if you make
this lasagne more than a few times per year for freezing, it also may be
worth the effort:
1) From wood that is oven heat tolerant, cut two sticks that are no more
than 1/2" thick, short enough to fit into the sides of your baking dish
end-to-end, and also short enough height-wise to not come more than 1/4"
above the dish.
2) With the wood stick placed in the baking dish, line the cooking area
with sturdy foil, then assemdle and bake as usual.
3) After the baked goods have been allowed to cool enough to "set"
within the foil-sided package for sealing, each one should then slip
easily into a 12"x16" bag, remaining foiled or not.

Picky ~JA~

"Richard Periut" > wrote in message
...
> Steve Wertz wrote:
> > On Mon, 13 Oct 2003 12:31:41 -0400, Bob Pastorio >
> > wrote:
> >
> >
> >>I'm going to talk about FoodSavers (I just got a Professional II) and
> >>vacuum bagging in general on my radio program on Thursday.
> >>
> >>What do I want to cover?
> >>
> >>Upsides? Downsides?
> >>
> >>Things I didn't think of? Things only you know?
> >>
> >>Things to absolutely do? Things to absolutely not do?
> >>
> >>Speak, oh wise ones...
> >
> >
> > What they don't tell you on all the informercials, is that some food
> > needs to be frozen beforehand, so that the liquid/moisture in the food
> > doesn't get inhaled into the machine.
> >
> > The price of the bags is outrageous. dessicant.com used to sell the
> > bags at a reasonable price, but it's looks like Tilia got their
> > lawyers to put an end to that (I'd like to know what really happened).
> > I don't like paying the huge markup Tilia is applying to the bags, so
> > I neither reccomend nor use my (overpriced) Foodsaver anynmore.
> >
> > -sw
>
> I used to think the same way, but after seeing how well preserved food
> was (even after more than a year,) I find it a valuable asset. I really
> like the way I store ice cubes of stock, that I open and close again. No
> disgusting freezer smell. The bags hold well to heat and tear and wear.
>
> However, if the company had more astute marketing, they would corner the
> market by lowering the prices significantly, and offering the machine at
> 1/2 the normal cost. Who the hell would buy ziplock?

Agreed. I've been lying in wait for the prices to become more reasonable.
They've already dropped by about $50 in the past year. The hubby is more
extravagant than cheapo me, though, so he may buy me one for the holidays.
Not that I'd complain. ;^)

Love & Laughter,
Nightshade

On Tue, 14 Oct 2003 21:51:14 -0500, "Hecate100"
> wrote:

>
>"Richard Periut" > wrote in message
...
>> Steve Wertz wrote:
>> > On Mon, 13 Oct 2003 12:31:41 -0400, Bob Pastorio >
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> >>I'm going to talk about FoodSavers (I just got a Professional II) and
>> >>vacuum bagging in general on my radio program on Thursday.
>> >>
>> >>What do I want to cover?
>> >>
>> >>Upsides? Downsides?
>> >>
>> >>Things I didn't think of? Things only you know?
>> >>
>> >>Things to absolutely do? Things to absolutely not do?
>> >>
>> >>Speak, oh wise ones...
>> >
>> >
>> > What they don't tell you on all the informercials, is that some food
>> > needs to be frozen beforehand, so that the liquid/moisture in the food
>> > doesn't get inhaled into the machine.
>> >
>> > The price of the bags is outrageous. dessicant.com used to sell the
>> > bags at a reasonable price, but it's looks like Tilia got their
>> > lawyers to put an end to that (I'd like to know what really happened).
>> > I don't like paying the huge markup Tilia is applying to the bags, so
>> > I neither reccomend nor use my (overpriced) Foodsaver anynmore.
>> >
>> > -sw
>>
>> I used to think the same way, but after seeing how well preserved food
>> was (even after more than a year,) I find it a valuable asset. I really
>> like the way I store ice cubes of stock, that I open and close again. No
>> disgusting freezer smell. The bags hold well to heat and tear and wear.
>>
>> However, if the company had more astute marketing, they would corner the
>> market by lowering the prices significantly, and offering the machine at
>> 1/2 the normal cost. Who the hell would buy ziplock?
>
>Agreed. I've been lying in wait for the prices to become more reasonable.
>They've already dropped by about $50 in the past year. The hubby is more
>extravagant than cheapo me, though, so he may buy me one for the holidays.
>Not that I'd complain. ;^)

I think they're beginning to feel some competition at last. I've read
several good reports of the Black & Decker machine and last weekend I
saw a Kenmore machine in Sears that looks remarkably similar to the
Tilia.

What's really over priced is their canisters. I'd love to see them
come out with a gallon sized model in the ten dollar or less range.

......Alan.


Post no bills

In article > , "Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote:
>
>"Jack Sloan" > wrote in message
>
>> I get the Black and Decker rolls at Walmart...a bit cheaper than Tilia's
>bag
>> and they work fine.
>> Jack
>
>I'm sure they seal OK, but can you suck down the vacuum? The Tilia are
>textured so you can draw the air out before sealing. Plain bags don't do
>that. Are the B & D textured?
>Ed
>
>
Sears sells ribbed bags and rolls. I have the Sears sealer and have used
Tilia's bags that I got at BJ's and they have worked just fine So I assume the
opposite is true.


_
(_) Daniel Warren, RPh
_______// Marion NY
(________) Clinical Pharmacist
\ /
| Rx |
/______\
(________)