jayt90

I have a couple of bamboo boards, very attractive, and c ost effective, but I use them with care. The grain is all one way, so I have to chop against it. There is a lot of synthetic glue used in the lamination, and this may leech out over a few years. The most cost effective board I have comes from Roscan (Quebec) made of end pieces of maple, for about $40 appearing each spring at Costco. I have two, and I'll go back for another.

Jan, if you are trying to get a really hot, sizzling oil, at the smoke point range, a steel wok over gas will work better than SS.

Does this mean black Berkshire or is red allowed? I recently found a farmer in Ontario who is starting to raise Berkshire, with two boars and Duroc sows. So the pigs will be a cross. The farmer says that pure black Berkshire pigs may leave dark pin hairs when the skin is removed, and then rejected by fastidious consumers. Is the pin hair problem real, or an artefact?

June is a great month to visit Algonquin Park. But Killarney, at the top of Georgian Bay is a prettier gem. In any case, there won't be crowds of people, as in mid- summer, but there may still be a few black flies.

I bought a 2lb block of Kraft medium cheddar on sale and left it unopened in the fridge for over a year. I finally opened it and found it was now sharp, dry, and crumbly, just what I need for mac and cheese, omelets or a souffle. The sharp flavour is similar to Kraft's MacLaren Imperial tubs, so maybe they do something similar.

Yep, or the following week. The dining program runs the second and fourth Thursday of the month. When I ordered the beef( and yes, the meat guy did trim it up) I picked up 10 roasting chickens. They were on sale for the ridiculously low price of 99cents a pound. They're normally 2.70lb. They are currently sitting in the freezer at the agency. So, if nothing else looks good, I could always do those. The next dining program is the closest date to Valentines Day so I'll need to do a Vday themed dessert. I'm thinking a cupcake with red/pink sprinkles. Any other ideas? ← Since you can freeze meat, there should be good prices on whole pork shoulders or legs in mid winter. $1/lb is typical but last year I even saw $.79 Would they eat cracklin'? If not the skin and bones would make stock. How did your costs work out? Freezing the extra stew was smart, but you were put in an awkward spot when you had to plan ahead, buy ahead, and put up with cancellations. The weather in Toronto was clear but cold on Robbie Burns day, and I did not hear of any snow squalls off Lake Huron. I agree with Kerry, a job well done, and congrats from all of us looking in on this project

Don't use iodized table salt, or a salt that has an anti-caking additive. Your best bet is pickling salt which is pure, as is Kosher. It is coarser than Kosher, so slightly more could be added.

Yes, there is some information about a salt cure in the Amazon ad., but that would not be too difficult. The ad mentions a caper bush, whereas I have heard that a nasturtium bud is used, and when I tasted the fresh buds last year, they were peppery and caper-like. I'll have to look into this.

You probably already know that LV sell a re-make of the 'peasant Chef's knife' with a good carbon blade and a resin-impregnated wood handle. Not a steak knife, unless you're frighteningly big... ← I have been using the Lee Valley re-make for the past two months, and it is an exceptional $20. carbon steel knife. It is a credit to the integrity of LV that they are able to make it available. The blade, especially the spine, is thicker than the Sabatier equivalent of 70 years ago, because good steel is much less expensive now. I'll probably get several of them to give to students or beginning cooks, but it's a fine tool for any of us.

I've wondered about growing a yearly supply of capers. It sounds far fetched but should be quite simple, as they are budding Nasturtium blooms, and Nasturtia are simple to grow, even on a balcony. The only question is which variety, but large seed houses such as Dominion or Stokes will have a lot of choices and guidance. I think I just may try it this spring.

I'd guess l'econome is the cheaper, stamped production. During the sale, Lee Valley published an astonishing photo taken inside a Thiers factory, in the 1920's. The knife grinders worked in an unheated building with only window lighting and large grindstones turned by water power, lying on their bellies with blankets. One of them had a pet Beagle resting on his legs for added warmth. Apparently the injury and mortality rate was high, as grindstones would sometimes break open.

There were several factories using the water power of the falls at Thiers but most have closed; a lot of the old stock went to Lee Valley Tools, of Ottawa, and was sold off until 2003 in their stores or online. That was quite a sale; we were able to look at or purchase a huge variety of carbon steel knives dating back to 1920. There is still a small factory in Thiers making Sabatier SS knives, and apparently carbon steel as well.

That is a disturbing report. The bees were not attacking anyone, but someone decided they might, and brought in the fire brigade. When the first reports of killer bees coming to North America came in, quite a few years ago, some wise observers said we should wait and see if the strain would cross breed with the Italian bee, and mitigate is fury over time. Well, in the ensuing years we have not seen a widespread invasion of killer bees, so maybe they are cross breeding and mellowing. The killer bee alarmist stories and reactions remind me of the Asian flu pandemic that may never arrive.

There is a whole series of tongue in cheek wines from this producer, and each one seems to be good, especially at the prices they get. I heard that they ran afoul of EU regulations when their Rhone-like red was called something else, so they re-labelled it Goats do Roam, and made sure there are goats in the vineyard. And now EU or AOC can't complain!.

I have found frozen corn from the big packers to be variable in quality, texture , taste, and sweetness. I try to freeze excess fresh corn every summer,in food saver bags, when I buy a dozen ears at the farm kiosk. When I run out of that in mid winter, I buy Niblets instead of frozen. There is a new frozen veg I found called Spaghetti Sauce Vegetables. It consists of chopped onion, celery, carrots, green and red peppers. It is really handy for quick stews, braises, dressings, sauces etc. Just add garlic and herbs...

JK usually visits a place several times, but this review is about one visit, and now we know that the chef had family matters to attend to in the same time frame.

In today's Globe, restaurant reviewer Joanne Kates wrote one of her trademark highly critical reviews, of a type that has closed many restaurants in Toronto. At the same time, Ms. Kates attacks the Chowhounders who led her to the place, with a page of glowing reviews. Today the fur is flying. It seems that yesterday, by sheer co-incidence, a Chowhounder alleged that Ms. Kates apparently lifted a review by Baron de Groot in Esquire, 1972. This information developed on their Food media board, at about the time the Globe was going to press. The information about Ms. Kates apparent plagiarism appeared on Chowhound's Food Media and News board, Toronto Life. The reaction to the Sado review is in the same section, with a link to the review. I am involved somewhat, in asking questions that led to a conclusion, and in pointing out that lifting was common and hard to detect in those days. If you are interested, have a look.

Thanks for the link, I've e-mailed Robin Hood to see what they can come up with; meantime the cannister will suffce. Have heard good things about Wondra, Kerry, but never tried it.

I love Sprats! The little round cans, no fancy opening tab, of well smoked sardines, neatly double layered by hand. There are usually 40 tiny perfect fish in a $1. can, sent all the way from Riga. I don't know know how much longer the Baltic countries can hold on to their old fashioned ways, with EU steamrollering everything in sight. But I do know that these tiny fish make a great sandwich with rye, a tomato slice, and Hellmann's.

My local Sobey's was my only source for the 2.5 kg bag of Robin Hood blending flour, but they dropped it or else sold out. Does anyone know another source, or a substitute for thickening sauces, at low cost?

Just curious, what is it used for? There must be an Italian source, as the seeds are used in sausages. i've never heard of fennel honey extracted in Canada, but maybe in the U.S.

A slow braise may leave the stems too tough, but many cooks discard them or throw into the stock pot antway.

It is cold or slow-smoked, and should be actually safer than uncooked air-dried European hams. I tried to duplicate a country ham a year ago, and the best parts of it were thinly sliced, uncooked, cellared two to four months after smoking. Like really nice prosciutto with some smokiness. Then I spoiled the ham by leaving it to hang and cure for three months in a warmer place. No way I could duplicate the Smithfield conditions, and I had a smelly mouldy piece of meat that got tossed.

I'll give the co-op a serious look-see, although in Ontario I might have to pay duty and extra shipping/brokerage fees. But the idea is attractive, and I was prepared to pay the higher price from Sweet Maria, which would still come in lower than local.

Can you work in something Scottish for Rabbie Burns Day? Maybe scones with a fruit compote and whipped cream.