[Sca-cooks] Marble slabs

[Druighad at aol.com]

In a message dated 9/28/01 11:58:36 AM Central Daylight Time,
vavroom at bmee.net writes:

<<
 I'm not sure exactly how it works either, I haven't spent a lot of time
 looking at them when I was using them, and it's been 10 or so years since
 I've been in a kitchen that uses these.

 I would assume that such a refrigerator would indeed be less efficient than
 lots of other appliances.  Still, perhaps not that much, businesses are
 concerned about energy costs :-)

 As for shock to the slab, we would pour sugar at the caramel point directly
 onto it (350 F ++) with impunity, as well as place big pots.  The slab was
 either 1" or 3/4" thick, if I remember properly.

 Finnebhir, when you emerge from your sick bed, any thoughts on this? >>


Okay, here goes. What I have seen and used is a marble slab built over, but
with a half inch space of air flow, an under the counter cooler/freezer. the
freezer types stay colder better, and NO you don't need to worry about the
slab cracking. Marble, and granite both get pressure treated before use.(At
least the one's I've looked into) Candy sugar, chocolate that needs tempering
and other hotter than hell items cool down very fast once they hit a surface
that isn't hot. Sugar will begin to cool as soon as it is turned out of the
pot. Don't get me wrong, the stuff is still roughly 300-320 d.Fa. But as long
as the surface is well oiled, to prevent sticking for sugar working, the heat
dissapates quickly.

The marble does need to be a minimum of 1" thick in order to prevent cracking.
You need to remember that something that thick and that large is going to
store a lot of heat/cold. Think geothermal propeties here. A basement stays
cold because it is insulated by rock. Same with slabs. Only you are
insulating a *piece* by an outside source. The temperature properties are
still the same however.

I have also seen areas that have a fan that blows cold air over the slab, but
they aren't as efficient. The best thing I've seen, and this was in a pastry
*lab* was a separate room that was kept colder than the rest of the lab, all
enclosed by itself. It was the chocolate room. Marble counter tops and a
self-circulating coolant system.
Pardon me while I drool in remembrance.

I'm crawling back into bed now,
Have fun with your slabs of marble.

Finnebhir