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Pistachios are back on Canadian governmental recalls this morning. So I finally went to Mr. Google for more in-depth reporting on the endless announcements of salmonella carrying pistachios. And it is indeed a continuing item on the news. "As of early December 2025, 155 people have been reported sick with Salmonella linked to an outbreak involving pistachios and pistachio products in Canada, with 24 hospitalizations but no deaths, primarily affecting Ontario and Quebec, though the actual number is likely higher as not everyone seeks testing. The outbreak involves various brands from Iran and has led to multiple recalls, with people falling ill from March to November 2025. " What I don't understand is why this continues on and on and on. Why can't all pistachio items from Iran be pulled off the shelves?

If I could get my hands on bergamot in affordable quantities, I‘d make both juice and syrup for highballs …

I picked up two kilos of bergamot this afternoon intending to candy some of the peel and make jam or marmalade with most of the rest. I'm wary of all the AI articles out there and wanted to see real people do with it. Any suggestions for flavor pairings or proportions when adding to a marmalade?

Thanks! I found an online store that carries it! When it first disappeared from supermarket shelves here, I checked Barilla's website and at that time it was only being sold in Australia. I'll be happy to have some in my pantry soon 😀

Sorry, couldn’t resist …

The recipes seem like good ones, but just too...dough-present for my tastes

I'm bracing myself for the crust separating, regardless of what I do.

I feel like a heretic saying this, but I've never really enjoyed the Yonah Schimmel knishes, or any obviously dough-wrapped knish.

It's beautiful, and that's a great crumb!

They didn’t … I like it a lot, too. Good & tart olive touch.

Reminds me I need to make dumplings.

Thank you very much! I'd say the recipe worked for me. I gave the pan a positive review.

LiFePO4 batteries are pretty mature technology. they're safe, reliable, and have good lifespan -- 2000 cycles to 10% capacity loss is typical. The disadvantage is they have lower power per weight than other lithium batteries, but for an appliance that doesn't matter as much as a portable device. They're what's in most of the portable battery with household outlets on them. They're also starting to replace conventional lead-acid batteries in some automotive applications, for things like RV house batteries, where the higher capacity, lighter weight, and increased cycle life span make them attractive. They're also getting marketed to classic car owners, because they have low self discharge, and are fine with sitting for months, where conventional batteries tend to not do as well. They're a close enough match to lead-acid batteries that a pretty simple battery management system can make them work properly, and be included in a battery. I'd expect a replacement for to be pretty easy to source for one of these stoves, if required, as 26700 cells are a commodity item, and building a pack to a required capacity is a pretty common thing. Costs are continuing to fall on the batteries, so we'll see more uses like this.

It ain't necessarily so. Anyone with a UK public library card gets free access and many educational institutions offer it free on site to those who have access.

Thanks for the recipe! I've done the bechamel before, with a cajun trinity cooked in, and it is my new favorite way to do crabcakes (add a bit more sauce for crab "imperial"). Mine were done by feel, though, so I don;t have a recipe recorded.

My all-time favourite Dad joke is to ask a person at the grocery with a kid in their shopping trolley, "Which aisle are the kids on?" Never gets old

my favorite was the Barilla with Olives; I used it as a simmering sauce for boneless skinless chicken thighs. I was so unhappy when they discontinued it.

Potato and pork korokke, corn and broccoli on the side

That is one of my easy comfort meals, pretty or not!

I bake a sourdough loaf once a week. I’ll have to try it out, assuming I can find it, lol.

I'm reading Real Food, Fake Food by Larry Olmsted. But seeing as I'm also reading three other books, I haven't gotten all that far. One of the other books is Barbara Kingsolver, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life which I am really enjoying.

I speak for myself and hopefully the dear departed Anna N, who had a quote from John Thorne in her signature for years: If you haven’t read everything Thorne wrote, with the possible exception of his book on home plumbing, you have cheated yourself.

No photo, but supper was a baked potato with the works--butter, sour cream, green onion, shredded cheddar and bacon. It was very tasty but nothing outstanding, so didn't bother with pix.

I don’t know if you bake bread but kamut flour works well in breads

Dinner last night was snags, aka sausages, aka tube steaks. These are chicken, feta and parsley from Aldi, I like to mostly cook through, then split and finish off. I first saw this technique at a food van in Monserrat outside Barcelona. It’s a great way to ensure your snags are cooked. Served here with warm potato and bacon salad, smashed cucumber and sautéed mushrooms. That’s a bit of hot mustard on the side.