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Potatoes are about 80% water, so high storage humidity—90 to 95%—is ideal to prevent moisture loss and shriveling. Per Serious eats…https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-store-potatoes-8711610#:~:text=(Potatoes are about 80% water,prevent moisture loss and shriveling.)

Actually, I think the ideal humidity inside a wine fridge is above 50% and below around 70%. Low humidity isn’t great for corks. But honestly, my wine fridge is kinda full - with wine.

Recently, I made the Black Cardamom Whiskey from A Whisper of Cardamom by Eleanor Ford. I love black cardamom in cocktails so I was interested to try this as all the previous cocktails I’ve made have used the pods to infuse a sugar syrup while this one infuses the whiskey itself. Here’s the “recipe”: “Fill a jar with whiskey, add a few black cardamom pods and leave to infuse somewhere dark.” Easy peasy. As instructed, I tasted after 24 hrs and found the flavor very subtle. At 2 days, it was noticeable, very flavorful at 3 days and starting to get a touch bitter after 4 days. The infused whiskey was nice in the recommended maple syrup-sweetened smoked cardamom Old Fashioned the book suggests. Serendipitously, I happened on a cocktail called Cabin in the Woods on a menu from Paragary's, a restaurant in Sacramento. It listed cardamom-infused bourbon, amaro Nonino, sweet vermouth and orange bitters as the ingredients. I mixed myself one of those, garnished with an orange twist and one of the black cardamom pods. It was lovely. Cabin in the Woods (with apologies to the creator as this was just my best guess) 2 oz black cardamom-infused bourbon 0.5 oz Amaro Nonino 0.5 oz Cocchi Vermouth di Torino 2 dashes orange bitters Garnished with a black cardamom pod and orange peel The smoky flavor of black cardamom makes this more appealing for fall and winter sipping but I’ll make this again when cooler weather comes around.

Guests for dinner so Mrs. C picked up jumbo lump crab. Clockwise from bottom right: Tartar sauce Gertie's crab cakes, shallow fried in ghee Carrot and endive, cooked down for 60+ and 30 minutes in butter, respectively Street corn from the seafood place Green beans with almonds, courtesy of dinner guest Coleslaw, also courtesy of dinner guest

I went to Café Bat. No bat. Very disappointing.

I was being a little tongue in cheek. However, if I went to Duck Bar and there was no duck ...😡

Ladyslipper is open and rocking - every night but Monday, from 5 PM...https://www.instagram.com/ladyslipperptown/ Kelly Fields making desserts.

Most (all) of the eel I see on menus here is at sushi bars. But there are plenty of things on the menu to help alleviate your aggravation. Have you ever, for instance, had Montauk red shrimp? Or scallops (served raw on the shell) from the same area?

This aggravates me.

No eels on last night's menu.

@RWood and a very nice glass

As would I have done. The best type.

Hugo Spritz after coming in from the pool. Pretty tasty. Prosecco, lime, mint, St. Germain and sparkling water.

+1. Shallots, garlic, potatoes, ginger - all in a rattan basket.

I store mine in a wine fridge -- 55°F and low humidity is ideal. Plus it's an opportunity to get acquainted with their future dinner companions.

Are there any eels on the eel bar menu?

Bathroom has better humidity.

Some random dinners over the past week or so: Big old salad, Spanish tuna, feta, olives, etc. Did some salmon in the donabe, served with above cucumber salad, potato salad, cole slaw. Eel Bar is celebrating its first birthday, so we dropped in. Only other picture I took was dessert: The caneles with strawberries. And finally, last night to Cafe Katja. Where I had the Wiener schnitzel, with buttered parsley potatoes, lingonberries and a side salad. A glass or two of Riesling went well.

All this talk made me go to my local Xi'an place... Wife got a rougiamo with cumin lamb

@Katie Meadow Specifically, it was a 1.5x version of this one (partly using crème fraîche, and minus the oil and lemon), which itself is not dissimilar to this one. But when I looked around most recipes seemed to broadly follow these ratios. Yup, it was good. I'm not sure the subtle 'burnt' flavour is a game changer, but it certainly looks nice. The outside also baked up a little firmer, so the transition from smooth and creamy to rich and dense was most appealing.

It looks really good. Was it? What recipe did you use?

Thought I'd update this, because Heather Rankin (one of the two surviving sisters) has just been named an officer of the Order of Canada. https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/reynolds-rankin-among-canada-day-order-of-canada-appointees/article_2f4d8466-b368-5762-b61f-bc4bba131f28.html

I made Moe very happy last night with my Caesar salad. Homemade dressing with a coddled egg, homemade croutons, with blue cheese and served with a grilled chicken breast. It isn't often he gets a salad for dinner. Those that know me, know that I could care less about salads. I can make them, I just don't care about them. The recipe is our favourite Caesar salad is one that I have been making for 46 years. Original recipe calls for Roquefort, but when I can't find Roquefort, almost any blue cheese will do.

Today, Muhammara and Pita Bread

Go to youtube and do a search on "hostas recipes" dcarch