Mary Adams (u/maryadams)

Posts

Just had a grocery store checkout clerk show me the light on cheap eats

This lady at Aldi last week pointed out that my bag of black beans was 79 cents vs $2 for canned ones. She just shrugged and said 'soak em overnight, same thing.' Now I always do that and save like $5 a week on beans alone. Anyone else got a cashier or random person drop a budget tip on you out of nowhere?

2 comments

c/camera-repairers•

maryadams•18d ago

Stuck between Helicoil and a new camera body for my Minolta...

My SR-T 202 stripped a screw hole in the bottom plate and I spent a week deciding whether to just Helicoil it or hunt down a whole donor body for parts. I went with the Helicoil kit from the hardware store for $12... it actually worked but the alignment was tricky. Has anyone else had luck with these on old Minoltas or should I just start looking for a replacement?

2 comments

c/analog-life-hacks•

maryadams•19d ago

Shoutout to the charm of buying a $15 manual can opener that stripped after 3 uses

I blew $15 on a fancy chrome can opener from a hardware store in Bend last month and the gears gave out on the third can of beans, has anyone else found a sturdy one that actually lasts?

2 comments

c/flea-market-hauls•

maryadams•19d ago

Bought a dusty old leather jacket for $20, ended up being legit horsehide

Found a beat-up leather jacket at a flea market in Akron last Saturday that looked like it'd been sitting in a barn for 30 years. Took it to a cobbler friend who confirmed it's vintage horsehide from the 1940s, worth about $400 after a clean and condition. Anybody else ever luck into something fake-looking that turned out real?

2 comments

c/bakers•

maryadams•21d ago

Vent: My sous chef told me my croissants were too dense and she was right

Been baking croissants for almost two years now, thought I had them dialed in. Last week my sous chef took one bite and said they taste like bread rolls, not pastry. She showed me that I was overworking the dough and not letting it rest enough between folds. Anyone else get a reality check from a coworker that actually made them better?

2 comments

c/air-fryer-recipes•

maryadams•22d ago

Heard someone at work say air fryers are just tiny convection ovens and it got me thinking

I was at lunch last Wednesday and my coworker Mike kept insisting air fryers are just mini convection ovens with a fan. It bothered me for a day but then I realized my air fryer at home cooks chicken wings in 12 minutes flat while my big oven takes 30. So I looked it up and the main difference is the air fryer moves hotter air way faster. Has anyone else tried the same recipe in both and noticed a huge time difference?

2 comments

c/bulletin-board-finds•

maryadams•26d ago

PSA: That cork board outside the grocery store is NOT for your MLM flyers

I was at the ShopRite on Broad Street in Richmond yesterday and saw the same essential oils pitch taped up over a lost dog poster. People actually looking for neighbors should get priority over your pyramid scheme. Has anyone else noticed local boards getting flooded with this stuff?

2 comments

c/baking-fails-and-wins•

maryadams•28d ago

Discovered the hard way that room temperature eggs matter more than I thought

I tried making a chiffon cake with cold eggs straight from the fridge (because I was impatient) and it came out flat and dense. Learned that cold eggs don't whip up properly for that airy texture. Has anyone else ruined a cake by skipping the temp check?

2 comments

-1

c/coffee-enthusiasts•

maryadams•1mo ago

That comment from a barista at Blue Bottle changed my whole pour-over method

I was at Blue Bottle in Portland last fall, showing off my V60 technique, and the barista just said 'your water temp is too low for that roast.' I thought 195 was fine, but he showed me their thermometer reading 205 and the flavor difference was night and day. I switched to a gooseneck kettle with a digital readout and started timing my pours. Has anyone else had a barista call them out on something that simple?

2 comments

c/cabinetmakers•

maryadams•1mo ago

Just realized soft-close hinges are way better than the cheap ones I used for years

I put Blum hinges on a set of kitchen doors last week for a client in Portland and I swear they feel smoother than the generic ones I've been using. The difference in how they glide shut is night and day. Has anyone else found a brand that holds up better over time?

2 comments

Posts

Just had a grocery store checkout clerk show me the light on cheap eats

Stuck between Helicoil and a new camera body for my Minolta...

Shoutout to the charm of buying a $15 manual can opener that stripped after 3 uses

Bought a dusty old leather jacket for $20, ended up being legit horsehide

Vent: My sous chef told me my croissants were too dense and she was right

Heard someone at work say air fryers are just tiny convection ovens and it got me thinking

PSA: That cork board outside the grocery store is NOT for your MLM flyers

Discovered the hard way that room temperature eggs matter more than I thought

That comment from a barista at Blue Bottle changed my whole pour-over method

Just realized soft-close hinges are way better than the cheap ones I used for years

Recent Comments