Let me start by saying: This was not a scientific experiment. This was one little mouse in her kitchen with 2 pots and 8 lbs. of short ribs.

If you want science, check out Cook’s Illustrated exhaustive test. (Nitpickers, please pick nits over there.)

When it comes to cast iron, to a lot of people, there’s Le Creuset and Staub, then there’s everybody else. They’re the Rolls Royce and Bentley of cast iron cookery. Of course, they also both come with hefty (think $200+ in many cases) price tags.

So when a couple of folks asked me recently what kind of cast iron they should buy, I wasn’t sure what to say.

Dutch oven love

I love my Le Creuset dutch oven. It’s actually the only one I’ve ever had. I picked it up on a super sale at Marshall’s maybe 15 years ago for well under $100. (Get the same pot today on Amazon.com for $279. Yikes, right?)

That said, it felt totally irresponsible to recommend that anyone go drop almost three hundred bucks on a pot, when a less expensive brand would do just as well.

Or would it?

And so I decided to test a few for myself.

Over the last few years, a handful of more economical dutch ovens have cropped up at stores like Target. They’re colorful and enameled and every bit as heavy as my Le Creuset. Lodge, my favorite maker of non-enameled cast iron skillets, happens to be one of them.

So, I e-mailed Lodge to see if they’d be game for a comparison. Less than a week later, two shiny, new Lodge pots—one green, one blue—arrived on my doorstep. (Thank you, Lodge!)

The recipe

I wanted to test the pots by cooking something that I’ve made a zillion times before in my Le Creuset, so I’d be able to tell just how the Lodge model compared. I picked short ribs, something I make probably 2 dozen+ times every fall & winter. I followed a slight variation on my Guinness-Braised Short Ribs.

Now, cooking short ribs is one of those ineffable acts of culinary magic.

I mean, start with meat that’s tough as nails. Simmer it slowly in a covered pot for a few hours. The low, slow cooking breaks down all that tough, fibrous fat and tissue. And…voila! Succulent, moist, fall-off-the-bone, melt-in-your mouth meat + velvety broth that just might be the pinnacle of comfort food.

I’ve been braising short ribs for years, and it never ceases to impress me.

I got 8 lbs of ribs, and planned to cook 4 lbs. in each pot.

The Reigning Champion

In one corner, we have my big red pot, a 7 quart Le Creuset. She’s a tried-and-true kitchen veteran with 15 years of service.

Aside from a little discoloration on the interior enamel and a few exterior scratches, she performs just as valiantly as they day I brought her home. I love her dearly. We’ve been through thick and thin together. I’ve lugged her from apartment to apartment all through my 20s and early 30s. She’s cooked for happy and not-so-happy occasions. There’s just something so nice about a big, heavy pot bubbling away on the stove.

Am I overly sentimental? Without a doubt. Would I save Big Red if my house were on fire? I might think about it for half a sec. Regardless, it’s hard to imagine that another pot could perform as well.

The Contenders

Now, Lodge was kind enough to send me two pots. One was a 6-quart green pot from their L series.

(So pretty, right?)

I’m a sucker for little design details, and love the stainless accents on the handles and the swirly handle on the lid.

You can get her in Apple Green on Amazon.com for about $84. The same model in Liberty Blue goes for about $65.

The other was a 7.5 quart pot in Caribbean Blue from their Lodge Color series. This baby is just about $90 on Amazon.

This one has a more traditional dutch oven design, like my Le Creuset.

The Match Up

I decided to pit the blue model against my Le Creuset. Both are cast iron. Both are enameled. Both have domed lids with heat-resistant handles. Not exact duplicates, but close enough for my purposes. (After all, I’m making short ribs here, not splitting the atom.)

In case you’re (rightly) thinking I might be biased towards my Le Creuset, I had a team of testers ready to sample and compare my short ribs, including the Barking Sous Chef (who you can see presiding over the proceedings in the background below).

The test

With my kitchen full of cast iron, I hit the butcher to pick up the ribs. Eight pounds of meat later, I was ready to start cooking.

The first part of braising short ribs is to sear them in oil, which creates a ton of flavor.

I got the oil nice and hot in both pots, then added the meat (in batches…crowd a hot pot, and your meat will steam, not sear).

I got a good, brown sear from both pots in the same amount of time.

I flipped the ribs and got consistent results from both pots on all sides.

When the meat was seared on all sides, I added it all back to the pots (remember, I seared in batches)…

…then dumped in the Guinness.

I turned the heat to high to bring the liquid to a boil. Both pots started to bubble at about the same time.

Once they reached a boil, I added in the rest of the ingredients, then knocked the heat way down (so the liquid would just hold a simmer), and covered them.

Heat Resistant Handles

After about an hour on the stove, I peeked under the lids. The Lodge handle was actually cooler to the touch than my Le Creuset. One point for Lodge.

The finished ribs

I cooked the ribs for just a hair under 3 hours.

The pots really were virtually identical. The ribs from each were tender, with the meat falling off the bone.

There was about the same amount of liquid left in each pot.

We had a small party to feed a handful of our hungriest, carnivorous friends, and all agreed: Both batches of ribs were absolutely delicious, and folks couldn’t tell the difference between those cooked in the Le Creuset vs. the Lodge.

My verdict

In the end, the Lodge performed just as well as my tried-and-true Le Creuset. I highly recommend the Lodge pot. It did the same work that my Le Creuset did, at a fraction of the cost. If we had a money tree in the backyard, I’d have cabinets full of Le Creuset and the like. However, until then, if I needed new cast iron now, I wouldn’t think twice: I’d definitely go for a Lodge.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not retiring Big Red. Let’s just say that she has a new baby brother, and he fits in really well with the family.

*Please note that Lodge donated the pots for this post. My opinions, however, are strictly my own. The Lodge pot really did perform just as well as the Le Creuset. I don’t endorse anything I can’t get behind 100%.

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This is, hands down, the best peanut butter I’ve ever had.

(There, I said it.)

Let me back up

So last December, I had the pleasure of meeting Lee Zalban, founder and president of Peanut Butter & Co., when I was down at Bon Appetit’s Culinary Studios for their Holiday Bake-Off Party. He’s known as “The Peanut Butter Guy.” (Can you tell I knew we’d get along?)

Lee opened Peanut Butter & Co., a New York City sandwich shop, in 1998. A few years later, he was approached by Dean & Deluca about carrying his peanut butters in their store, and it sounds like the rest was history. Today, Peanut Butter & Co. is sold around the world in more than 10,000 stores.

(Now that’s my kind of small business success story…)

When Lee and I were talking at the Bon Appetit party, I happened to mention that we love (like, love love) peanut butter at The Mouse House. A few weeks later, I had a big box of peanut butter sitting on my doorstep.

How big, you may ask?

He sent me 10 (yep, ten) pounds of peanut butter. For free. (Thank you, thank you!) And I couldn’t be happier.

Here’s what 10 lbs. of peanut butter looks like

Peanut Butter & Co. takes peanut butter to a whole new level. They have 10 flavors of peanut butter, and I loved almost all of them. (The ones I didn’t were a matter of personal taste, and had nothing to do with their obvious awesomeness.)

You might have figured out by now that I only bother reviewing products that I feel really strongly about and am 100% comfortable recommending. (But as you also probably know, when I do like something, I like it genuinely, wholeheartedly, and with every ounce of mouse enthusiasm I have.)

The best part about the Peanut Butter Company’s peanut butter? Not only is it all natural—but it doesn’t separate.

So, on top of being delicious and good for you, you don’t have to contend with stirring the oil back into the peanut butter before spreading it. A total plus. (Unless, of course, that’s your thing, in which case, they do have one or two products that separate on purpose.)

Good peanut butter that’s good for you

These guys do an excellent job when it comes to selecting ingredients and concocting peanut butter recipes. From their website:

“Peanut Butter & Co.’s line of all-natural peanut butter contains no hydrogenated oils, no cholesterol, no trans-fats and, no high fructose corn syrup. Our flavors are gluten-free, vegan (except for The Bee’s Knees which is vegetarian), and certified kosher. Lastly, but just as importantly, we only use USA-grown peanuts in our peanut butter.”

Our favorite: The Heat is On

Hands down, our favorite of the bunch was The Heat is On, a peanut butter is kind of like a chili-laden, spicy hummus. It’s hot, but not too hot.

As you can see, The Angry Chef got into the jar before I got around to taking my pictures for this post.

I managed to wrangle a measly last spoonful of it. (Which The Angry Chef and I had a small tussle over immediately after I snapped this picture. We reluctantly agreed to share it.)

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl

This was my second favorite. The Angry Chef didn’t like it because he doesn’t like raisins. (More for the Mouse, then, eh?) This one is actually flecked with little pieces of raisins. It was sweet, but also nice and earthy.

Mighty Maple

This was The Angry Chef’s second favorite. Think maple syrup + peanut butter and you’ve got the general idea. The flavor was oh so good, and very, very natural.

Dark Chocolate Dreams

This stuff is like Nutella’s hunky big brother. The flavor is more chocolate than peanut butter. Seriously good stuff.

The Bee’s Knees

It’s one of the immutable laws of The Mouse Empire: If you put honey in it, I will eat it.

White Chocolate Wonderful

We weren’t crazy about this one, since neither of us really like white chocolate. If you do, I’m sure it’s amazing. Regardless, it gets points for originality. Never seen this flavor combination before in a packaged peanut butter.

Crunch Time

Totally blows your standard chunky-style peanut butter out of the water.

Smooth Operator

Thick. Classic. Creamy. Delicious.

Old Fashioned Smooth and Old Fashioned Crunchy

They even have something for you folks out there who like to kick your natural peanut butter old school, separated style.

Where to buy

Convinced you need to try some? Most of their jars of peanut butter are between $5 and $6. Pricier than your average supermarket spread, but well worth it in our minds.

Look for Peanut Butter & Co. peanut butter on the shelves of a grocer near you, or buy a jar (or three) online. Here in Salem, MA, I found it at my local Stop & Shop.

Have you had it?

What did you think? If you haven’t, what’s your favorite thing to do with peanut butter?

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So last week, I posted a giveaway for one of the most fabulous crafting tools known to man- and mousekind: The Silhouette Digital Cutting Tool.

If you haven’t entered yet, click here to read the post and learn how to enter to win. The contest ends TONIGHT at Midnight EST.

If you need any more convincing about how cool this thing is, here’s a walk-through of how it works, including a video of the tiny digital ninja in action.

OK, so here’s the box.

Like I said, you can use this little beastie to make all sorts of crafts and sundries, including:

The box says that it’s easy to use, and it really is.

The hardest part is setting it up the first time, and that’s not even that hard. The biggest blunder I made was not fully removing all the packing tape that secured the inside cutter (totally my fault). Once I figured that out and removed it, the cutter worked like a charm.

The box included diagrams of what each part does, so you can see what the different parts do (you know how I love visual diagrams…)

Out of the box

Here’s the Silhouette machine sitting on my table.

The digital display is easy to read and use.

The front panel flips up to reveal the cutting apparatus.

Fire up the computer & start designing!

The software is easy to install…just pop in the CD and follow the instructions that show up on your screen. Once it’s installed, launch the program.

You’re greeted with a blank page. This is your canvas, so to speak.

Now, you can create your own own design, import an existing design, or choose from one of the included clip-art images.

Seeing as Halloween is just around the corner (and we do live in Salem, MA, so I need to get a jump on decorating for the season…), I picked the spiderweb image as the first one to test. It’s also fairly intricate, so I figured it would really show how well the Silhouette cuts.

So you click on the design…

…and it shows up on your blank canvas. You can resize it, etc., just like you would resize a picture in programs like Microsoft Word or Adobe Photoshop…just click on the side or corner and drag until you’re happy with the new shape.

Once you’re happy with your design, it’s time to load the paper.

Loading the paper

The Silhouette comes with 2 cutting mats. One that’s thinner, for regular paper, and one that’s thicker, for vinyl and other substrates.

The cutting mat is sticky, so you have to peel off the center protective panel.

Grab your paper. I used regular old, text-weight printer paper for my spiderweb test.

Stick the paper to the cutting mat. The mat has a grid on it so you can be sure to align it correctly for cutting.

Commence cutting!

Position the mat on the cutter (there are markers to show you where). Press the “Load” button on the machine’s digital control panel. It will suck the mat in, align it, and then hold ready for cutting.

When the mat is loaded and your design is set, click the “Craft ROBO” button on the toolbar.

The program will take you through a series of screens that asks you about this size of your paper and the weight, etc. It will tell you what blade to load onto the cutter, etc. Just follow the on-screen steps. There’s even a tip at the bottom of each screen to clarify what you’re supposed to enter.

Once you’ve selected the right settings, you’re ready to cut!

*dramatic music*

Click CUT and watch the machine go to work.

Go, tiny ninja, go!

The finished product

Once your design is cut, you have to peel it off the mat.

How cool is that?

Convinced that you need one?

I thought you might be! I can’t wait to get down to some serious holiday crafting.

Click here to enter to win one.

Two Fabulous Money-Saving Promotions

If you can’t wait to see if you won and absolutely have to have one, like, right now (and I don’t blame you, this thing is awesome), use the following codes for special savings.

1) Code = “AWESOME PROMO” (Ends tonight, September 30, 2010 at midnight EST)

Buy a machine for $249.99 and receive the following (a savings of $137.97! Just think of how much you’ll save on gift giving this year…):

• $50 off the Silhouette Craft Cutter
• fuzzy white vinyl (Valued at $7.99)
• light blue smooth heat transfer (Valued at 14.99)
• yellow flocked heat transfer (Valued at $14.99)
• Home Décor CD (Valued at $50)
• $10 Gift Card to the Silhouette Download Store (comes in the box)
• Cutting Blade (comes in the box)
• 2 Cutting Mats (comes in the box)

2) Code = “GOOD PROMO” (valid from October 1, 2010 – October 4, 2010 at midnight EST)

Buy a machine for $249.99 and receive the following (a savings of $79.98):

• $50 off (receive for $249.99)
• 2 rolls of Heat transfer ($29.89 value)
• $10 Gift Card to the Silhouette Download Store(Comes in the Box)
• Cutting Blade (comes in the Box)
• 2 Cutting Mats (comes in the Box)

Good luck!!!

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Make etched glass using the Silhouette machine (Photo courtesy of Silhouette)

A while ago, the good folks over at the crafting blog How Does She? asked me if I wanted to test and review a Silhouette craft cutter.

“A what?” was my response.

As it turns out, a Silhouette Digital Cutter is one of the coolest crafting inventions I’ve ever seen. Seriously.

Silhouette was nice enough to send me one for free, along with all the bells and whistles I’d need to use it. (Thank you!!!)

Here’s my machine:

And the best part? I’m giving one away! Read on for a review and details on how to enter.

Back up, Mouse: What’s a Silhouette Digital Cutter?

OK, so basically, this machine is a precision cutter for paper and paper-like material (including vinyl, etc.).

It works just like a computer printer, but instead of printing your picture, it slices it out with a miniature blade, just like a tiny desktop ninja.

Silhouette machine (computer not included in prize) (Photo courtesy of Silhouette)

Remember when you were in grammar school and you used to make paper snowflakes? It’s that sort of thing, but so, so much cooler.

How does it work?

It’s really pretty easy to use. Install a little software on your computer (it works with Macs and Windows boxes). Connect the cutter to your computer with a USB cord (included).

Launch the software, use it to create your design (like you would using MS Paint or Photoshop). The software also comes with a bunch of pre-loaded designs, if you’re not moved by the Muses.

When you’re happy with your design, hit the CUT button, and the machine will do the rest. It’s that easy.

Use the Silhouette machine to make vinyl wall decals. (Photo courtesy of Silhouette.)

What can it make?

Mouse, you’re a cook! What do you care about making crafts?

Hehe, that’s a very good question. This is actually going to be immensely helpful for me. I give a lot of homemade gifts throughout the year, and I’m really excited to use it to make fun packaging. And, if I can get my act together, you know I’ll be making my own Hungry Mouse T-shirts. (Anyone interested?)

You can use the Silhouette machine in a zillion different ways, including to make:

• Labels for jars and canned goods
• Iron-ons for clothing
• Etched glass
• Scrapbook pages
• Cards
• Vinyl decor for your walls
• Temporary tattoos
• Magnets

Want some inspiration? Check out what crafters are making on Silhouette’s Flickr page.

Use the Silhouette machine to make temporary tattoos. (Photo courtesy of Silhouette.)

I’ll be posting an in-depth tutorial on how to use the software and the machine early next week.

The prize package: Silhouette Digital Cutting Tool

You can enter to win a Silhouette Machine (a $299.99 value). The prize includes:

• 1 Silhouette machine
• Software for Windows XP/Vista, Mac
• Power cable, USB cable
• 2 Cutting mats (one for thick media, one for thin media)
• One cutting blade
• $10 gift card to the Silhouette Online Store

How to Enter to Win

Alrighty, here’s what you have to do to enter to win. Take a peek at Silhouette’s site, then leave a comment on this post that answers the following question:

If you won, what would you use your Silhouette Digital Cutter to make?

That’s it. (No really, that’s all you have to do to enter!)

Contest rules

• You must enter a valid e-mail address on the comment form. (That’s how we’ll contact you if you win.)
• Only one entry per person.
• This contest is open to U.S. residents only.
• Deadline for entries is Midnight (EST) on Thursday, September 30, 2010.

One winner will be chosen on Friday, September 31 by random number generator and notified by e-mail.

The winner will receive one Silhouette Machine, including software for Windows XP/Vista, Mac, 1 power cable, a USB cable, 2 Cutting mats (one for thick media, one for thin media), 1 cutting blade, a $10 gift card to the Silhouette Online Store. The prize package has an approximate retail value of $299.99.

Two Fabulous Money-Saving Promotions

If you can’t wait to see if you won and absolutely have to have one, like, right now (and I don’t blame you, this thing is awesome), use the following codes for special savings.

1) Code = “AWESOME PROMO” (valid from September 23, 2010 – September 30, 2010 at midnight EST)

Buy a machine for $249.99 and receive the following (a savings of $137.97! Just think of how much you’ll save on gift giving this year…):

• $50 off the Silhouette Craft Cutter
• fuzzy white vinyl (Valued at $7.99)
• light blue smooth heat transfer (Valued at 14.99)
• yellow flocked heat transfer (Valued at $14.99)
• Home Décor CD (Valued at $50)
• $10 Gift Card to the Silhouette Download Store (comes in the box)
• Cutting Blade (comes in the box)
• 2 Cutting Mats (comes in the box)

2) Code = “GOOD PROMO” (valid from October 1, 2010 – October 4, 2010 at midnight EST)

Buy a machine for $249.99 and receive the following (a savings of $79.98):

• $50 off (receive for $249.99)
• 2 rolls of Heat transfer ($29.89 value)
• $10 Gift Card to the Silhouette Download Store(Comes in the Box)
• Cutting Blade (comes in the Box)
• 2 Cutting Mats (comes in the Box)

Good luck!

Thanks again for entering! This is one seriously cool machine. My wheels are spinning already with ideas for holiday gifts…

+Jessie

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Ever indulge in a little too much tequila? Raise your hand. (I won’t tell.)

You know the time I’m talking about. Those margaritas on the roofdeck of your favorite cantina. Or those shots after midnight at that hole in the wall just past the city limits. Oh, or that frat party near the end of your senior year.

Regardless of the details, seems like everyone has at least one Epic Tequila Story. (Except me, of course. I swear.)

And, of course, that’s not remotely the kind of tequila experience I’m talking about today.

In the last ten years or so, tequila has come a long way, graduating from sloppy sorority girl to polished socialite. Forget those neon green margaritas. I’m talking about tequila that you’d sip, well, like scotch.

Much like the explosion of microbrews and artisan whiskies, smaller tequila makers have been sprouting up left and right, giving good ole Jose Cuervo a run for his agave.

His blue agave, to be exact. That’s this stuff (wouldn’t want to run into one of these spiny beasts in a dark alley, eh?):

Blue agave (Agave tequiliana Weber) is actually a member of the lily family, even though it looks like it’d be more at home on the cactus family tree. It’s grown in certain parts of Mexico, and the plants—which can grow up to 15 feet tall—take 8 – 12 years to mature before they’re ripe for harvesting for tequila.

Partida Tequila, the brand we sampled for this article, is actually one of the few tequilas that qualifies as “estate grown.” This means that they own all the land that their agave is grown on, so they’re able to keep a close eye on quality and consistency.

Sounds about right to me. Their tequila was great.

Premium tequila vs. mixto

Tequila is closely regulated by the Tequila Regulatory Council (no joke) and tagged with appelation-of-origin status, just like wine and cognac.

To be considered a premium tequila, the spirit must be made with 100% blue agave, with no artificial flavors or colors added. Anything else is just mixto. Literally.

Tequila that has additives, but is at least 51% agave, is considered “mixto,” or mixed. Mixto tequilas showed up in the 1930s, as a way to stretch agave during a shortage.

Different types of tequila

When you’re at the liquor store, keep your eyes out for the five basic types of tequilas. Here’s a quick guide:

Gold—Any tequila labeled “gold” is usually mixto (not premium), which means it’s had caramel color and/or flavors added to it. This is the kind of tequila that usually shows up in mixed drinks.

Silver / White—Premium tequila that hasn’t been aged, so it’s clear in color and pure in flavor, so you can taste the agave.

Reposada—“Reposada” means rested, and that’s just what this tequila has done: It’s aged in barrels (whiskey, cognac, wine, etc.) for two to twelve months. It gets flavor and a light golden color from the barrels.

Anejo—This is tequila that’s been barrel aged for one to three years. The barrels give it deep, woody notes and a deeper, almost amber color.

Extra Anejo—A relatively new tequila classification, this tequila has been aged for three years or more. It’s deeply flavored, and dark amber in color.

Tequila in the mail = A happy day at The Mouse House

So, like I said, the good folks at Partida Tequila were kind enough to send me a few small, complimentary bottles of their brew to sample. (Thank you, Partida!).

We consulted the pros

Not being a very educated tequila consumer, I pocketed the bottles and The Angry Chef and I headed over to the headquarters of the cocktail experts at SeeMyDrink.com. The senior staff over there has years of experience tending bar, so we were eager to get their opinion on the Partida.

Sidebar: More on these guys soon. SeeMyDrink.com is an awesome company and one of our newest partners here at The Hungry Mouse. Think cocktails meet Facebook and Flickr. They’re just getting ready to launch their beta, and we couldn’t be more excited. Stay tuned.

Alrighty, to the bar!

Here are our tasting notes, along with a little info on each from Partida. (I’m a sucker for a good bottle. I saved all three of them to use in future kitchen projects.)

Partida Blanco

What we said
Clean taste. Easy on the palate. Nice aftertaste. Doesn’t taste cheap. A little floral.

What Partida says
Distinctive notes of blue agave, citrus, tropical fruit. Suggested retail is $50.

Our verdict
We liked it, and all agreed that, of the three tequilas, this would be the one we would shake up in a cocktail.

Partida Anejo

What we said
Stronger than the Blanco, bordering on harsh. Hints of pepper and peppermint. Fiery on the front of your palate and the tip of your tongue. Smokey and woodsy.

What they said
The smoke and wood we picked up were likely from the one-pass Jack Daniels barrels that Partida uses to age their Anejo. Suggested retail is $67.

Our verdict
Definitely a sipping drink for folks who like strong tequila with complex flavors.

Partida Reposado

What we said
Sweeter than the Blanco and smoother than the Anejo. Really nice, slow heat. Smells a little malty. Hints of vanilla and hazelnut. Long aftertaste. No smoke.

What they said
Their richest and smoothest tequila. A rich finish topped off with scents of vanilla, hazelnut and almond. Suggested retail is $58.

Our verdict
Our favorite. Really great flavor—and really easy to drink. Best of both worlds. Who can complain?

The bottom line?

If you like tequila, definitely try Partida. It’s good stuff, and well worth the cost.

Oh, and if you want to go all out, they also sell bottles of their top-of-the-line Elegante for $350.

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