Alex

Here's what he wrote: As others here have pointed out, it's not all that funny or clever, but it's also not that far off base. (Sorry, Marylanders.) If you like, or at least don't mind, Old Bay, you're probably better off making your own, in very small batches. Here's a recipe from Leite's Culinaria.

Penzey's carries cinnamon from Sri Lanka. I suspect other retailers in the States do so, too.

This most assuredly was not one of his best columns. I think he's been struggling ever since his weekly chat got axed by the Post. If you're not familiar with him (obviously I am), you might want to check out his longer pieces, which are on the right-hand side of this page, under "Best of Gene." The day after reading "Fatal Distraction" I told a co-worker that it was Pulitzer Prize quality—and sure enough, it won, as did his later piece "Pearls Before Breakfast."

Could you expand on the pros and cons of home roasting? I ask because someone is selling their Gene Cafe roaster on our Nextdoor website (asking $100 but probably would take less). Could you also comment on the roaster itself? It looks to have good reviews but it seems that parts need to be replaced regularly. To put things in perspective, we have several excellent local retail roasters here in GR, including the fairly well-known Madcap. We now drink quarter-caff, so I buy the appropriate amounts and blend them myself. It works out to $14-15 per pound, shipped.

And would that artist be Salvador Dali?

Yes, Kretschmer toasted wheat germ. I ate it since way back. I used to love opening it slowly so I could hear, and see, the vacuum whoosh. It's still sold at our nearby supermarket. In my pre-gluten sensitivity days I'd combine it with other cold cereals before adding milk. I also would add it to cooked oatmeal or incorporate it into banana bread or pancakes.

Back when I was a wee tippler, Gordon's was my go-to for G&T (+ Schwepps tonic). In 2004, I discovered the Frosty Gin & Tonic; I also switched my allegiance to Plymouth. Somewhere along the way, I also switched to Fever Tree Indian Tonic. Nowadays, my go-to for general mixing is Ransom Dry Gin. Otherwise, depending on the cocktail, I might use Ransom Old Tom or Winter Gin from Ann Arbor Distilling Company.

These are brown lentils, which is what most folks think of when they think of lentils, assuming they think about lentils at all. I agree with the others: soup, stew, etc. would be just fine, and yes, these usually are done in 15-20 minutes, maybe 25, depending on how old they are and how mushy you like them. The flavors should meld.

The Onion is on it, of course.

At today's Farmers Market I scored two beautiful fennel bulbs complete with stalks and voluminous fronds. I already use fennel fronds to illustrate alliteration, and I include them in bouquets (with fronds like these, who needs anemones?), but I'd like to expand my repertoire. Bon Appétit has a nice article about this, but I was wondering what folks here have to say.

None from my actual life comes to mind, but I immediately thought of James Lileks's Gallery of Regrettable Food. Here's a good Jello example.

Just curious, thanks; no big thing. I was in Brooklyn in May and I'll be in Queens (my home town) in December, but buying RG isn't on my agenda.

Cool. Which ones do they carry?

But...but...it's 100 percent natural, with no artificial preservatives! And gluten-free! And sort of nutritious!

Are you going to take one for the team?

"Hit piece" implies some nefarious purpose to the article. I don't see that. And saying that the EWG is "against everything" is hyperbole. Last I checked, they were "against" products and situations that were harmful to consumers. And in any event, the piece was produced by the Guardian in conjunction with Food and Water Watch; EWG was referenced exactly once.

Tete D'Aristocrate en Geleé

Great timing! Just a few hours ago I bookmarked this restaurant for an upcoming trip to Boston. This was the featured picture on their menu:

Last year I discovered Melissa Clark's Sauteed Salmon With Brown Butter Cucumbers.

Mmm, plastic (Don Lee Green Chili Shredded Chicken & Rice Cauliflower Bowls, at Costco) And these recalls were issued by Costco last week: Clio Snacks Greek Yogurt items Organic Dark Chocolate Blueberries Tin Star Foods Ghee Organic Black Beans Vitafusion Fiber Well and Sleepwell Gummies

Thanks. 'Twas. The mint (foraged from a neighbor's yard) was the key ingredient. Well, the very fresh asparagus, too.

Sorry, no pics, but a couple of days ago I made this first course: blanched and chilled, light coating of olive oil, sprinkled with toasted Turkish pine nuts, chopped mint, and Maldon sea salt, dotted with a bit of 10-year balsamic.

I think the whole GMO thing has gone too far.

John Hodgman is one of my favorite humorists. He currently writes a brief, weekly, off-kilter advice column for the NY Times. This was last week's column, about fear of Bundt cakes.

But...but...Omega-3s. I'm devastated.