Alex

A couple of years ago, Cook's Illustrated tested vegetable peelers. They preferred this inexpensive Kuhn Rikon for a Y-shaped peeler and this Messermeister for a straight peeler. I use the latter and like it very much. Before that, I used an OXO straight peeler, which I also liked. The handle is a little larger than the Messermeister, so it might fit your hand better.

Here's the full story.

Here's a 2009 article/video about getting rid of fruit flies that I just discovered.

Thanks for the heads-up. This coupon seems to show up once or twice a year. I remember using it several years ago on a clearance set of really nice silverware that was priced *per piece*! (BB&B is good at honoring supposedly expired "one item" coupons, so I hoard them for the day I want/need to buy several items and don't have an "entire purchase" coupon.)

A very good friend, possessor of a reasonably good palate, who regularly visits his daughter, son-in-law, and grandkids in Wichita, recommended YaYa's EuroBistro (also mentioned by Shelby).

We use the aforementioned Rubbermaid trays for freezing end-of-season basil pesto. For ice, we have four of an earlier version of this Oxo tray. We don't use them all that much, so the cover prevents any nasty odors from seeping into the cubes.

I second the cherries in brandy.

Many years (and pounds) ago I often made a simple bundt cake with chocolate chips (or chunks, depending on what I had around), walnuts, and cherries. The cherries were canned (i.e., pie filling), but I suspect fresh would work just as well, if not better--perhaps just add a bit of honey to the batter. I still have the age-yellowed recipe--probably from the Detroit Free Press some time in the early to mid-70s--but it's available online here.

Ooh. Which means a blueberry-rhubarb cobbler might be on my agenda.

FSR Magazine named their top 20 culinary schools in the U.S. The Secchia Institute for Culinary Education, at Grand Rapids Community College -- my local CC -- made the list! -- as well it should have. Ms. Alex and I have gotten to know a few of the instructors over the years, we've eaten at the college's restaurant many, many times, and I've cooked in their outstanding kitchens several times. Also making the list were Kendall College, in Chicago; Indian Hills CC, in Iowa; Columbus State CC, in Ohio; and Sullivan University, in Kentucky (an honorary Heartland member).

Interesting article in FSR Magazine online. See my shout-out to Grand Rapids Community College, my local school, in the Heartland forum.

Excuse me? You agreed to an interview--two days hence!--without first checking whether you could get the time off? Seriously? You then asked to r/s the interview, and the owner was nice enough to oblige. Then--despite the owner's mis-specifying the days of the week--you didn't check and look at a calendar first, as you most certainly should have, and then you asked to r/s again? Pretty cheeky, if you ask me (which you did), to complain about the owner's lack of professionalism (and calendar error--obviously he was looking at June instead of July) and take little, if any, responsibility for your own. And what makes you think he should have to adapt his schedule to yours--especially after his having rescheduled the interview once already? That said, I see three possibilities here: 1) the owner did indeed act unprofessionally by not replying reasonably promptly (within a few days) to your last message, no matter what his response or your behavior, and/or; 2) given your behavior, the owner either wanted to test you or wasn't willing to bend any more, and/or; 3) something else happened to delay his reply (illness, restaurant crisis, family matters, etc.). And that said, perhaps you're still sensitive from your experience at the country club, but I also think you might have overreacted by generalizing from one behavior--not a "pattern of behavior"--to his overall business "dealings."

A request from someone who bought this book today: Could you tell me how to develop sufficient self-control to keep from eating most (or all) of the roasted cauliflower before it's dressed?

Two more: Jerusalem: A Cookbook (eGullet thread here) Silk Road Vegetarian (I first borrowed it from the library -- it looks great!)

Welcome, Annealment. You're in a good area for learning such things. Some very good friends of mine have lived in the Pioneer Valley or nearby for four decades, and I've visited them many times.

My go-to in such matters has been Chef Sato's All-Natural Desserts (currently out of print, and very expensive to buy). He has a bunch of recipes for vegan muffins, cookies, cakes, and pies, but no traditional French pastries. The closest he gets is a recipe for scones that, frankly, looks rather boring. I see on Facebook that you're doing some recipe-testing today. What are you working on?

But only if we get free samples. Tongs, skimmer, ladle = stainless steel solid spoon = wood or melamine slotted spoon = stainless steel or melamine spaghetti server = wood turners = stainless or plastic or nylon, depending

andiesenji, although I certainly agree with you about this ruling, I'd be careful about ad hominem statements -- for example, calling Monica Metz a "career bureaucrat." According to her Linkedin profile, prior to working at the FDA she was Quality Control Manager at Leprino Foods -- which, of course, raises another area of speculation about her motivation, as Leprino is "the world's largest mozzarella cheese manufacturer," according to their website. (They're headquartered just down the road from me, In Allendale, MI.) Perhaps -- and I emphasize perhaps -- in addition to Big Oil, Big Pharma, etc., there's Big Cheese. (That's sort of a joke, but it's clear nonetheless that Big Food does exist -- Archer Daniels Midland, General Foods, etc.)

Frim Fram Sauce (Nat "King" Cole et al., most notably Diana Krall) I don't want French fried potatoes, Red ripe tomatoes, I'm never satisfied. I want the frim-fram sauce with the oss'n'fay With shafafa on the side. I don't want pork chops and bacon, That won't awaken My appetite inside. I want the frim-fram sauce with the oss'n'fay With shafafa on the side. Now a person's really got to eat And a person should eat right. Five will get you ten I'm gonna feed myself right tonight. I don't want fish cakes and rye bread, You heard what I said. Waiter, please serve mine fried. I want the frim-fram sauce with the oss'n'fay With shafafa on the side.

J.S. Bach -- "Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht" (Coffee Cantata) Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd -- "The Worst Pies In London" & "A Little Priest" (Hey, it's still food.)

A 2004 Wyncroft Chardonnay, from Michigan (Lake Michigan Shore appellation, in the very southwest part of the state), accompanying chicken w/morels and stir-fried Shanghai choi tips (with a bit of use-me-now Chinese cabbage).

I've been making "his" Philadelphia-style vanilla ice cream, steeping star anise and cardamom pods along with the vanilla bean. Extrememly good.

Thank you for the link. I'm thinking of getting this one (using the ubiquitous BB&B $5-off coupon), which looks very similar to the Bee House that's mentioned in the article. Any thoughts?

Sure, I'd watch it. In fact, I'd probably try to become a contestant. Or you can stage your own at home: Foodie Fight Foodie Fight Rematch

The kitchen and dining room are one big room, the main floor of the house. (This room was a big reason why we bought the house.) In addition to all the wood you see in the pictures, there's a pine ceiling. We also recently remodeled the kitchen. Caffeine Central Small Appliances 1 Small Appliances 2 Large Appliances The Island Cookbooks in the Dining Room The Hutch (not the parkway)