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I bought a book called The Little Book of Takoyaki" Kindle Edition. Some recipes from that book that I want to try include Shrimp and Scallion takoyaki, Pancake and Sausage Pops, Blueberry Muffon Balls, Arancini and Lingonberry Aebleskiver. Should be fun.

I managed to hold 3 to 4 lined up in my palm at a time to skewer. Didn't take that long, but worth the effort.

@JeanneCake just to review a bit : Patience . it's a bit Older School . way before Clicks . worked wonderfully back then still works that way now . Just dont forget the fresh broccoli . Makes the gift.

Italian prune plums are my favourite. We had a big tree - probably 50 years old that produced more than we could deal with and give away. Then a couple of years ago, it got some disease and sadly we had to get rid of it. I still crave those plums of my childhood. Fortunately we have neighbours that have lots and offer them to us frequently.

@Smithy, glad we inspired you! @BeeZee, I forgot that we also tried the chicken mole (I didn't take a picture, so it slipped my mind). We had it over rice, and it was good, but I think it would be much better in a taco with something crunchy -- maybe pickled vegetables, or lettuce and radish slices.

@Smithy, please post (if you remember) when you try the beef birria and chicken mole. I need to find easy to reheat proteins for DH, who is most comfortable using the microwave when I'm not home.

Used to be able to get vol au vents by the box load when I was a kid. They were de riguer for entertaining guests. I can't remember the last time I saw them for sale

My mother used to make a chicken a la king mixture - peas and mushrooms as I recall - in purchased ‘patty shells’ from Weil’s bakery in Hamilton - a favourite meal!

@Kerry Beal nothing like , puff pastry , that some one else bakes , perfectly for tasty filling , so , why not them do that too ? while you enjoy , a young , but amusing . Chablis ? Ice cold ? it warms up , belive me for me , the filling would be Scallops , a la https://theculinarytravelguide.com/the-jc100-coquilles-st-jacques-a-la-provencale/ https://www.seriouseats.com/coquilles-saint-jacques-recipe-8723608 and the like . Mine had mushrooms , in the creamy mix

uhmmm, defining the acceptable / per-determined 'parameters' is rather a really bad / totally inane approach to finding anything 'original'

Line them up between a pair of chopsticks, little bit of pressure to hold them in place and gently pop the skewer through them

That's effing brilliant use of that pan. I've done egg bites and meatballs. Never occurred to me to try cake things.

@gulfporter that looks Outstanding , 5 ***** , if not more. you must have the patience of Job , w that skewering . it reminds me of a grill-grate contraption , I brought back from FR a long time ago I was there visiting my parents , and low and behold a grill basket , flat , that had long handles and could be turned on a grill , grilling each side perfectly I use it for swordfish wrapped in bacon , and the like. no idea where it is now. but Id bet you can find something, that's height adjustable , for those tommats and other things , saving the skewering

This was my best attempt yet at a decent char on grape tomatoes; skewering made them sit still (when loose, I picture them dancing around the grate when the grill hood is down). Pasta was surprisingly a French import (from an Italian family so the story goes). We get a lot of EU goods at our MXN stores; I had assumed the pasta was from Italy as most are. It was a good pasta and I'd buy it again. Easy meal to put together since I had grilled the shrimp earlier in the day.

Yes, roasted Poblano chiles over the gas flame on the cooktop, wrapped in a dishcloth to steam, and then the skin slips right off. Sorry you don't have Poblanos nearby. We can usually get good ones at the international market down the street, but these Mrs. C picked up at a farm stand.

These are interesting standards, taken from the stated guidelines: I'm sure I've read on these forums that some folks prefer a bit of blistering on their pizza crusts. Maybe those aren't intended to be Neapolitan style pizzas? For instance, here is a reference to leoparding. Maybe that isn't the same thing as burnt spots...?

That was my other choice!

I frequently make a dinner starting w my usual Spinach / Campari salad , room temp then I add on top of that , one of Tj's Fz Indian-ish dishes . usually a Vindaloo , lamb or chicken the hot rice goes on top of the salad , followed by the Vindaloo . I add dried cranberries // cherries // toasted pecans // MajorG chutney. what I found doing this is that the spinach // hot rice interface is quite delicious , and worth remembering for the futiure thus : plain spinach . chopped w a little EVOO , for mouth feel freshly cooked hot rice , buttered. Again , the bit of butter for mouth feel. sorry for the focus. sometimes my iPhone just doesn't focus well this is a RocheBro service meat counter burger , 1/2 lbs. pan charred a bit , w RB's coleslaw ( nice horseradish bite ) and Campari w a bit of Penzey's Pico seasoning pan reduction of table wine du jour over the burger quite delicious you have see these before . now the rice interface. half way through the plate so you can see the burger is Rare , just past FR ' blue ' delicious. so , try fresh hot rice , over the sturdier room temp greens of your choice . you wont be looking b back .

First of the season at the FM, Italian prune plums were used in ricotta cakelets. A tender and moist crumb from the ricotta but a fine and delicate texture, adapted from Yossy Arefi’s blue and blackberry ricotta cake.

Vegetarian Singapore style noodles with roasted broccoli and peppers

I remembered I had a long lost bottle of Knudsen organic concord grape juice that I thought would be a good place to start with my experiments. Once I found it I froze 500ml in the machine... As may be seen the texture is light and airy, not like a sorbet and not like a granita. More like frozen flakes of popsicle. But at 13.9 Brix the taste wasn't sweet enough for me. If the color looks brown, that is because it was. As one might expect from grape juice that is old enough to drive. Clean up of the device was easy: just run water through it.

@Kerry Beal they have a very appealing menu , including Vol-au-Vent , one of my very favorite dishes , and difficult to come by .

Missing @Anna N today. Out to lunch by myself while waiting to take my sister to an appointment. Her retirement home is right next to ‘Saving Thyme’ - a little bistro that Anna and I enjoyed. It was packed with lunching ladies! One empty table upon my arrival. opted for the confit chicken leg - so many options but hard to choose wrong.

@C. sapidus you roasted that green Poblano ? ie not from a jar ? sadly , no fresh green Poblanos in my easy to get to area.

Poblano chile and swordfish sausage tacos with thyme, Mexican oregano, garlic, half-and-half, and (non-traditional) shallots. Some (not pictured) were jazzed up with feta cheese and jalapeno salsa. Roasted Poblano chiles are a positive force in the universe.