Comments on: The Fallout from America’s Test Kitchen Parody

By: Safia Mendez

Safia Mendez — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 17:09:37 +0000

also why is that always the way

By: Dave K

Dave K — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 20:24:45 +0000

Hi, Eric. I’m catching up on past GFR shows, and still loving it. I know cast iron seasoning was not a big part of this particular show, but I wanted to let people know about a risk with spray-on oven cleaner. Oven cleaner can be VERY TOXIC TO SMALL ANIMALS, expecially birds. My mother-in-law has kept small, exotic [read: expensive] birds for many years. A couple of years ago, she applied spray-on oven cleaner, then left the house for most of the day. When she came back, all 20 of her birds had died. Of course, she was devistated. There is a reason miners kept canaries and other small birds in mines; they are very sensitive to toxic fumes.

So, I encourage everyone to plan carefully when using a spray-on oven cleaner, be it for resurecting cast iron cookware, or cleaning an actual oven. Either take the cookware out of the house, or move the birds, or something to keep them apart. It is more work, but I bring cast iron back by rubbing kosher salt in warm oil. Hey, maybe a good used for used cooking oil?

As always, thank you for the wonderful show.

By: eric

eric — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:46:11 +0000

that’s a great way to do crate training. we’re thinking about putting in a dog door. the pups would love it, it they figured out how it works.

By: Janknitz

Janknitz — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 08:26:24 +0000

Found your site (from the ABin5 video) and love it, especially America’s Test Kitchen tasting lab–very funny!

This is a little late, but I wanted to comment on crate training. We have had several rescue lab mixes and find crate training very helpful.

It’s really easy to housebreak a dog by using a crate and a dog door. Whenever we can’t be right there to supervise the dog, we push the crate up to the dog door. The dog has two choices, be outside, or shelter in the crate (which is warm and cozy in the house). Dogs will not soil their crate, so they will go outside to do their “business”. They very quickly get the idea that outside is the proper place.

Currently, we have a “demented” lab mix, Jazmine. She’s a little crazy, but also very sweet. She was a stray and we don’t know exactly what must have happened to her. She is great with the family, but fearful of strangers, and a bite risk when we have guests. Fortunately, Jazmine feels safe in her crate, so when we have company she goes in there. Usually she just snoozes until our guests leave.

Jazmine is very playful and loves to play “bowl hockey” with her supper dish. She will push it across the kitchen floor, run, and jump onto the bowl with her front paws, so she is “bowl surfing” across the floor. It’s really funny to watch. We love the playfulness of labs!