Cynthia G

Add a splash of dry red wine (adds depth), some basil, and some crushed red pepper. Definitely do the sauteed garlic instead of just throwing it in. And at the risk of losing my eGullet posting privileges, I have found that if fresh Italian tomatoes aren't looking all that great, canned actually work better. Is it wrong to now be craving pizza at 7:45 a.m.?

I have a 12 year old son who is with me in the summer, so I can identify with lots of this! And I think the food looks great, Marlene.

Thanks, Verjuice. Maybe they were just out last time we looked at Wild Oats....

Thanks for taking us along on your market day, Lucy. What a beautiful and satisfying way to shop!

Frank, you start with a base of whipping or heavy cream and slightly sour and thicken it, either using buttermilk (then let stand at room temp for several hours), or sour cream. Some people add vanilla and/or sugar. I detest sour cream itself, but I really like creme fraiche on fruit.

Thanks for that image, Jaymes. I tried to find pear vinegar yesterday at the markets in Santa Fe, with the exception of Whole Paycheck... I mean Whole Foods. They will probably have it and I will probably gasp at the price. But I am now determined to make a batch of salsa this weekend using it, so I might have to pay what they want. Or drive all the way to Albuquerque, thus negating any price differential on the actual product.

I have not yet ever spent a penny in a Starbucks. And after this marketing ploy, I am resolved to maintain that record!

Haven't been able to find Malden Sea Salt locally in a long time. And the shipping costs more than the salt to have it mail ordered!

Chile Woman No affiliation. Highly recommended by everyone on the Chileheads list. Huge variety, beautiful plants, and helpful notes such as what is good in a container etc. Susan is located in Indiana. Minimum order of six plants ($2.50 each plus shipping). I already have my order ready.

Outstanding and obviously well-deserved, Neil! Much challenge, success and joy to you!!! When do you head out?

Well, I am definitely the target market, and I really want to spend my small sums of cash there, but there is no Trader Joe's to be found hereabouts.

Ah! That's one I hadn't tried, Rancho. It goes on tomorrow's shopping list. Thanks!

I've tried several kinds of vinegar, but it doesn't have the same ... um ... freshness as the lime juice. It's just a bit brighter I think, and I especially like that contrast with the roasted chiles.

Yes Jaymes, that's almost exactly the way I make my basic everyday salsa too. But I use fresh garlic like Jake and always add the olive oil and a splash of fresh lime juice. Your list of essentials at the top is about what I would have said... and now I'm hungry!

Oh, I don't really think the Bush administration would stoop to..... oh, wait.....

Loved the article... and I suddenly feel so much better about having a stash of condiments in my desk drawer at work!

These sound great, Scott, even for someone not taking their boards! I'll keep them in mind. Verjuice, how did your boards go? Did you remember to breathe??

Oooo! Project I wanna come to your dinner party!

That was used in the wonderful movie "Amelie" a couple years ago. I don't know if it was used anywhere prior to that though.

Yes, last time I was at the Pecos Cafe and Grill the chef provided the floor show by treating all staff in the place (back and right out in the front of the house!) horribly, then walking by our table and asking how we were enjoying our evening! That was months ago and I haven't been back because of his attitude.

I think the first wine my dad made that I sampled was a tomato wine. Thankfully he moved on to more standard things and actually creates the best non-grape fruit wines I have ever had. His best is cherry wine that smells and tastes just like fresh cherries! He also made mead one year that was absolutely spectacular. We kids used to use his homemade wine as a medium of exchange when we were in college. He and I both acquired some beautiful artwork with it!

The "nice" restaurant at Mesa Verde National Park (the name of which escapes me at this moment). Spring 2002. 1997 Parducci Pinot Noir: $45/bottle Retail here at the time was around $9 It's pretty isolated, so if you don't remember to bring wine with you..... but luckily, we did!

I find myself buying those nifty sets of 11 nesting glass mixing bowls from Williams-Sonoma and giving them to people.... after I've cooked in their homes once and discover they own maybe one bowl... usually a "cut glass" serving bowl. I also give wooden spoons and hand mixers frequently. (Yes, mainly to men. )

Well, Ronnie, I can't say I really rely on any of them. But the ones I flip through most are: The Low-Carb Cookbook by Fran McCullough (several of my most-used recipes are here) Living Low-Carb also by Fran Everyday Low Carb Cookery by Alex Haas (this may be out of print now) 500 Low Carb Recipes by Dana Carpender 15 Minute Low Carb Recipes also by Dana (this is really a very simple book but has some ideas for easy quick things, but most of us here are beyond this level of cooking... would be good for a non-foodie doing the lowcarb thing) I recently acquired The Low-Carb Comfort Food Cookbook by the Drs. Eades with Ursula Solom. I've only made a couple things from this so far, but they were good. Most of the others I have or have seen are really much too high in carbs for me to use.