Sometimes baked or grilled foods end up 5/4 baked -- with a small area charred just too heavily to taste good, but the rest of the cookie or bratwurst or whatever is in good shape. I'd like to see a Dremel tool or belt sander or etc. re-engineered to be kinder and gentler for removing just the charred edges without destroying the rest of the food.

Not that I'd like to buy one, but I'd like to see one.

And if you're one who likes the charred part the best, you're welcome to mine.
-- beauxeault, Nov 05 2000

Mmm, yes, much better than scraping with the knife. (I'm serious, even though beauxeault below seems to think otherwise.)
-- egnor, Nov 06 2000, last modified Nov 07 2000


[previous annotation removed, which assumed egnor's annotation was sarcastic]

Oops, sorry egnor! I did mis-interpret your annotation. I very nearly even added a comment that I was impressed by how you had clearly indicated sarcasm without making it personal (which is difficult, and requires significant mastery of the language when done in writing). Evidently there are difficulties on the receiving end, too.
-- beauxeault, Nov 06 2000, last modified Nov 07 2000


How about taking a cue from dermatologists and using a specially prepared YAG laser tuned to vaporize just the charred parts (akin to removing just birthmarks, tatoos, and varicose veins from skin)?
-- bristolz, Nov 06 2000


Well, it would have to be appropriately packaged for the consumer market. YAG-O-Matic.
-- bristolz, Nov 06 2000


What's this carcinogen nonsense? It's just carbon, right? When vaporized it should form CO2, which is hardly carcinogenic.
-- egnor, Nov 07 2000


Aaaaah, who cares about carcinogens-soon everything will be cancerous for 15 minutes-I honestly hadn't thought of using my Dremel tool as a kitchen gadget though.
-- thumbwax, Nov 07 2000


It just dawned on me how "beauxeault" is pronounced. I assume that it is uttered by Phideaux.
-- bristolz, Nov 10 2000


On the subject of carcinogenic burned foods: the charring would be pure carbon only in the case of a perfect combustion reaction, if I remember my chemistry. Imperfect combustion generates all sorts of wacky by-products depending on what was burned, which is why car engines produce carbon monoxide.

I dunno if or what in baked goods would turn carcinogenic when burned, but it's certainly not impossible. The chemical that carries the smell of cooking bacon is mildly carcinogenic, I understand, and that's something of a by-product of imperfect combustion itself.
-- Uncle Nutsy, Nov 10 2000


Durnit, I hate it when my cookies emit carbon monoxide fumes. I hardly think you'd want to spend time sanding down your baked goods. You'd probably find yourself tossing them in the trash.

I suggest CUTting off the affected portion with a knife.
-- Vance, Feb 07 2001


I suggest feeding them to the dog. Unless chocolate, in which case mail them to me.
-- magrak, Jun 03 2002


I always gave the burnt ones to family members and packaged up the good ones for my boyfriend.
-- dentworth, Mar 24 2004



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