jayt90

Divinity Fudge is a tough one, but won't take a whole day, just an hour or two. My Mom could make it, but it was very tricky. I never tried.

My big box club store used to make them on site. They were OK but used imitation crab and farmed salmon. Loblaws and sobeys would use similar cost cutters. But now the Box brings the sushi in from Quebec,at least a day old. And their dim sum or pot stickers come in frozen from Ottawa, though sold in a special kiosk. Caveat emptor!

for those few of us who are Luddites salt and ice in a $2 garage sale item will make a quart of ice cream in 20 minutes

I can't get to the reviews because I'm not registered, but I bought a Cuisinart last week and made my first batch of frozen yogurt last weekend. It was not from their recipe book, that needs to be said - if it makes a difference, I don't know, but the stuff would not freeze. It got to the point where there were a few ice crystals but then it went the other way as the container started to defrost. I put it in the freezer and it did get harder, but it was not at all what I expected. I'm going to try again this weekend with their recipe, using real cream and milk and see if that makes a difference. I expected more of a slushy firmer consistency, what I got was quite liquid. What does the article say about Cuisinart, which was the only model to be had at Bed & Bath? ← I'm not registered with NYT but I wonder if we are talking about the same thing. My Cuisinart is like the Krups: a double walled aluminum canister with some sort of slushy liquid between the walls; the whole container has to be well frozen before use. I rarely use it, as it has minimal freezing power. If I want to make real ice cream, I resort to the old Rival machine, which spins the can in a mixture of ice chips and sidewalk grade salt chips. That combo has real freezing power, but clean-up is a chore. Well, what are these new units like? How do they work? Are they specified to be as good as the old salt and ice units?

Looks impressive, especially at $60. Closer to LC than the low cost copies I have seen (and purchased). All made in China, including Mario's. I think LC has a problem, if they continue to manufacture in France.

Jacclyn, I had a BP problem for several years until the doc got the right level of pills (avalide) and I started to eliminate all trans fats. I don't worry about salt, cream or eggs now. And I read the nutritio labels when available. Most beans will need some precooking before going into the crockpot. Bring them to a quick boil for 2-3 minutes, and let stand until cooled. Try to buy fresh dried beans as they will come around more quickly. At this time of year most of the U.S. will be selling last year's crop, but this year's should be available from Texas, Mexico, or California.

There is a history of worm infections in heavy users of pickled herring. Now that's a hostile environment for a worm to live in!

On another page, I recall one of our respondents who worked in the fresh fish industry saying that large sushi grade tuna usually had visible parasites near the spine. These areas were hacked off and the rest sold. I suppose those parts would end up as cat food. I don't know about flounder, but you can get it from northern waters, tho' it is a bottom feeder.. I have always mistrusted tilapia, but it amazingly popular and widespread. I grew suspicicious on learning that it originated in muddy lakes in central Africa. Since Muskoka mentions that it grows very fast and will eat (almost) anything, it is easy to see why it is farmed all over the planet.

Riesling from the best sources, Alsace, Germany or Australia, will fill the bill.

Some years ago I had a recipe that couldn't be beat but lost it in a house move. It had the usual mix of tomatoes, onions, garlic, handful of fresh herbs, vinegar and molasses (not too much), simmered until slightly thickened. Then a quantity of butter was added (at least 1/4 cup, and the sauce was seasoned and brought to the boil to amalgamate the butter; cooled and strained through a food mill or chinois. It was more savoury than sweet, and the butter content really helped in browning and crisping when basting.

I had a delicious sandwich with Hellman's today. Two thick layers of Mayo spread on a roll, with sprats (20 to a can!) fresh tomatoes and lettuce and herbs from the garden. My own home made mayo is inconsistent (although I like the recipe above from Felina and will try it) but I can always depend on Hellman's.

What if certain canned tomatoes are heirloom, protected by breed and area of growth, like San Marzano? Frankly, I have had many fresh but non-heirloom tomatoes with excellent flavour. The most surprising came from a Portuguese back yard gardener, who saves his beefstake seeds from year to year (not supposed to ) and can beat the pants off of anything from the market. Yellow beef fat is another matter: An older animal will have darker, yellower fat than the yearlings we usually see in stores. Grass may produce the same colour fat, but who's to know when it's displayed on the shelf?

I am a rank amateur, but I have a few burn marks on my arms, and two on my ankles from a low standing patio grill. None of any consequence. But I did have a burn that became infected after a few days. I knocked over a Melitta coffee cone holder, full of steaming water and grounds, onto my right foot, still bare at 7AM. I was able to go to work for the next three days, but a co-worker sensed it was not getting better, and asked to look at it. She sent me to a doctor, immediately, and my foot was treated successfully for infection and inflammation, and healed without a scar. But it could have been worse, if I had left it alone, letting (in my mother's words) Nature take its course.

My local drugstore (Rexall) had sodium nitrate, or saltpeter, when I could not find it in the large chains (Shoppers, Loblaws). A small bottle of powder was $6.00 and should last me for a year or two. I found casings at Loblaws, preserved in coarse salt, so they will last a long time. Don't know about culture, but it is probably a topic on the Charcuterie thread.

Brand names, even if not advertised. Is Alaskan better than Russian, or B.C.?

Chopped herbs, placed in ice cube trays, and filled with stock worth keeping, is good way to provide aromatics to soups and sauces over winter.

A few monhs ago I bought a set of 8 large Bordeaux glasses (they are as big as some water glasses) under the Kirkland name at Costco, lead crystal, made in Austria, at about $30. They are not on the shelf now, but there is a smaller, bowl shaped Burgundy set of 8 from the same factory, being cleared at $20 the set. The Bordeaux glass was a steal, and I'll get another box if they bring it back.

You can avoid all risk of botulism with the chinese method: Heat peanut oil or any of the safer high temperature oils such as grapeseed, in a wok until just smoking. A high BTU gas burner (30-50,000 BTU's) is preferred, and it is better to do this on the patio, as there will be plenty of acrid fumes. Drop in two or three handfuls of chopped dried red chiles, or as much as the oil will take, and fry at high heat for a few minutes. Cool and drain. The resulting oil will be very hot, and last for several weeks stored at room temp.

If a chef is in the public eye, as are all those mentioned, the choice of a knife to be seen with may be business or commercially oriented. The chef may not even use it when off camera. I don't think it does the rest of much good to see what "xxx" is using, unless there is some discussion of the knife.

About once a year I can get Annie's Lane Riesling for around $18. Couldn't ask for more. I am hoping the wine glut will drift over to Fance and affect the prices in the South west, but I haven't seen anything yet. The current offering of '95 Bordeaux future by LCBO is very expensive, and I'll be looking elswhere.

The Kitchenaid A-9 is what I went to after returning the Loblaw's, which seemed similar to a Kenmore. I have been happy with the KA but it is messy on the counter, and dark glossy beans will require a clean up afterwards to get it feeding properly. One of our coffeegeeks suggested running barley through it, and that is a great idea. The more expensive KA is over $300. in my 'hood, but it seems to get better reviews. As you are in Ottawa, you can look at both KitchenAid models at the Bay Outfitters. I haven't seen the Bodum anywhere yet. My lasting impression of the Loblaws is that was an assembly of plastic parts that worked well on arrival. but would soon become mis-aligned by stray grounds and start to spray coffee evrywhere. The other comments about inconsistency are spot on.

Price range $42 (Ch. Fontenil, Fronsac) to $1295 (Petrus). With the current wine glut, there should be downward prressure on the lower ranks, but we'll have to wait for this.

Steve, the Cumbrae brochure (for locations in Toronto and Hamilton) states that the beef is Angus or Angus-Hereford from farms they work closely with southwest of Hamilton. It is grass raised, or hay in the winter, and finished for one week on corn. It is dry aged for 7-10 days. The shoulder steak I bought was indeed tender, though grilled medium-rare, more so than shoulder cuts from a supermarket. This is a good grass year, so I wouldn't hesitate to go back for more. I like the idea of having a lot of information about the animal before purchasing. A quaint notion in most stores.

Four years ago I bought a cheap Weber knock-off for $60. Never a cover on it, it survived the winters outdoors until this year, when the legs failed and the lid handle fell off. I'll be replacing it with a real Weber.