James grew up on an Ozarks farm where tools like axes and picks were still used in the daily routine and the blades of stockman's pocketknives served their original functions. Receiving his first pocketknife at age four he got it open by himself nearly a year later and spent his formative years wandering the woods with a succession of ever larger knives, a book of matches and a rifle.
A veteran of Vietnam, James also served in Alaska during a stint in the Army, receiving his first intensive culinary training by setting a record for extra KP at Ft. Richardson.
Settling in the Pacific Northwest after his discharge, James crewed on sailing yachts in local races, backpacked hundreds of miles of mountain trails in search of good trout fishing, and occasionally attended college.
His first serious job as a civilian resulted from answering a Seattle Post Intelligencer want ad requesting someone who could lift 120 pounds repeatedly and wasn't afraid of fire. James apprenticed to John Frazier -- the most knowledgeable traditional foundryman in North America at that time -- for the next six years.
Returning to the Ozarks James made his living by growing ginseng on a hand-terraced wooded hillside and selling handmade wood turnery, furniture, sculpture and architectural carvings. James harvested trees from his own land, processing logs into posts and beams and turnery billets with saws, axes, froes and planes. Since many tools he needed were no longer available, James built his own forge from a barbeque grill, a vacuum cleaner and a 55 gallon steel drum, found a chunk of railroad track for his first anvil, and taught himself blacksmithing -- creating his own knives and tools from scrap steel and sweat.
Changing economic pressures eventually forced James back to the restaurant industry in Branson, Missouri, and later to even more success as a maintenance engineer for one of Branson's largest condominium resorts. Finally escaping to Indiana, James now makes his living telling true stories as a freelance writer.
Continental Professional Electric Food Slicer | Deli Meat, Stainless Steel PS77711
1 min read
The Continental PS77711 Professional Series Heavy Duty Food/Meat Slicer is actually a good machine, at the low end of the slicer range in features and price. Disassembly and cleaning isn’t simple, with several tricks to taking the machine apart that only time with the manual will explain. Inspect the slicer for ordinary problems like loose screws before operating for the first time.
The blade won’t handle the largest roasts and hams, but this is a mid-sized machine intended for lighter work. The motor’s power is a good match for the diameter of the blade, and if users don’t over-stress the slicer by impatiently pushing foods into the blade faster than the machine cuts, the Continental will do a good job. Some of the perks you’d find on more expensive machines are missing on this one — the food tray slides on bushings, not bearings, and that mechanism will need to be clean and oiled for the tray to work smoothly. Safety shields are minimal, but the very important interlock power switch is a standard feature and will prevent curious hands from turning the slicer on in your absence.
Table and blade also tilt for a gravity feed option that helps keep hands away from the slicing zone. When tipped, foods shift automatically against the blade. Towards the end of the cutting process, the weight of the block probably won’t be enough to hold the food in place, so there’ll be a heel left over that works up easier by hand.
As with any slicer, overloading the machine with foodstuffs difficult to slice, like large cheese blocks, is bound to cause trouble. Divide difficult items into portions small enough for the machine to handle.
James grew up on an Ozarks farm where tools like axes and picks were still used in the daily routine and the blades of stockman's pocketknives served their original functions. Receiving his first pocketknife at age four he got it open by himself nearly a year later and spent his formative years wandering the woods with a succession of ever larger knives, a book of matches and a rifle.
A veteran of Vietnam, James also served in Alaska during a stint in the Army, receiving his first intensive culinary training by setting a record for extra KP at Ft. Richardson.
Settling in the Pacific Northwest after his discharge, James crewed on sailing yachts in local races, backpacked hundreds of miles of mountain trails in search of good trout fishing, and occasionally attended college.
His first serious job as a civilian resulted from answering a Seattle Post Intelligencer want ad requesting someone who could lift 120 pounds repeatedly and wasn't afraid of fire. James apprenticed to John Frazier -- the most knowledgeable traditional foundryman in North America at that time -- for the next six years.
Returning to the Ozarks James made his living by growing ginseng on a hand-terraced wooded hillside and selling handmade wood turnery, furniture, sculpture and architectural carvings. James harvested trees from his own land, processing logs into posts and beams and turnery billets with saws, axes, froes and planes. Since many tools he needed were no longer available, James built his own forge from a barbeque grill, a vacuum cleaner and a 55 gallon steel drum, found a chunk of railroad track for his first anvil, and taught himself blacksmithing -- creating his own knives and tools from scrap steel and sweat.
Changing economic pressures eventually forced James back to the restaurant industry in Branson, Missouri, and later to even more success as a maintenance engineer for one of Branson's largest condominium resorts. Finally escaping to Indiana, James now makes his living telling true stories as a freelance writer.
The Diamond Edge Pro knife and scissors sharpener from Smith Abrasives combines electric and manual sharpening systems for quick and accurate refurbishing of knives...
The Continental PS77711 Professional Series Heavy Duty Food/Meat Slicer is actually a good machine, at the low end of the slicer range in features and price. Disassembly and cleaning isn’t simple, with several tricks to taking the machine apart that only time with the manual will explain. Inspect the slicer for ordinary problems like loose screws before operating for the first time.
