chromedome

LOL I guess we colonials don't rate... (ETA: I looked up other articles covering the same ground, so thanks anyway for the heads-up. Biodiversity is a serious concern with most worldwide staple crops...)

Paywalled, alas.

True that. I kept my eye on the local classifieds and picked up a couple of air purifiers on the cheap, one larger and one smaller. They make a big difference to my GF's allergies, taking dust and fur out of the air. Both are the kind with permanent filters, thankfully, or replacement filers would have me in the poorhouse.

Salmonella in Filicetti brand dry-cured hot Italian-style sausage. Distribution (at present) is BC, Ontario and Quebec. https://www.inspection.gc.ca/about-the-cfia/newsroom/food-recall-warnings/complete-listing/2019-11-05/eng/1572977804354/1572977810433?utm_source=r_listserv Also, another update on the beef/veal recall in Ontario and Quebec. This one applies to a single meat shop in Toronto. http://www.inspection.gc.ca/about-the-cfia/newsroom/food-recall-warnings/complete-listing/2019-11-05/eng/1572993056173/1572993062423?utm_source=r_listserv

I know, right? The phrasing some of these businesses choose is often awkward (as someone whose writing gets copyedited, I'm very aware of this sort of thing). My local Mitsubishi dealership, which is on the way to our favorite dog-walking spot, encourages us to "Test drive the best warranty in the business." Seriously, guys? What do you want me to do, bring one in for service? The worst example was a small indie hotel/motel in Surrey BC, which invited passing motorists to "Come on in for the rest of your life." I understood what they meant, but it sounded rather like the tag line for a slasher movie.

To all of the above, I say...cut yourself some slack, hon. You've been going through a lot, lately. Do what you can, when you can, and don't sweat what you "should."

Another update to the beef/veal recall for E. coli, but this one's pretty limited/local: If you bought beef shank or flank at Foody World in Scarborough during a three-day period in June... http://www.inspection.gc.ca/about-the-cfia/newsroom/food-recall-warnings/complete-listing/2019-11-04/eng/1572909311761/1572909312183?utm_source=r_listserv

National recall for a variety of Mann's brand products, mostly cut vegetables, salads, etc. Apparently this is related to the earlier recall for Compliments-branded products, so presumably Mann was the manufacturer for those. http://www.inspection.gc.ca/about-the-cfia/newsroom/food-recall-warnings/complete-listing/2019-11-03/eng/1572825937797/1572825944046?utm_source=r_listserv

Hunh. I'd pictured it being bigger. I was in Dartmouth just last weekend. If we'd had this conversation beforehand, I could have picked it up for someone.

I have the old-school aluminum Presto, but haven't yet used it much. I bought it (barely used) for my dad the year before he died, and so far have only used it a couple of times to can stock (in the interest of preserving freezer space). Interested to see how you fare, once you accumulate the cash.

That's an interesting avenue for speculation. Whatever the outcome of your thought process, I applaud the self-awareness required to even pursue it. It's outside my sphere (zero interest in/experience of cocktails) but in my experience, genuine enthusiasts recognize and respond to one another. There's always a time and place...with the best will in the world, you probably won't have the opportunity to get into a deep discussion of house-made bitters with someone at midnight on Saturday. If you find a bartender/mixologist who appears to be receptive, make a repeat visit or two and cultivate him/her. It could be worthwhile for you both.

Your assumption is that every diner who might order the burger went there specifically for the burger, which is pretty tenuous. In a given party (especially around closing time) there will usually be one or two people who have strong feelings in the matter, and the rest simply follow. If I got dragged to a place where I was unfamiliar with the food and the chef, or if I was the non-epicure in a group of foodies, the burger is simply the safe option. If this particular chef has an avid following for her specific burger, and it's an outstanding specimen of the type, then more power to her. At the end of the day it's still just a burger.

I would personally expect to be charged the regular price of the dish, if I requested something to be left out. If I've requested an actual change to the dish that would make more work for the kitchen, I would be open to paying a premium for that. It would depend how much of a surcharge, of course, and how they went about it. To me, if I've caused somebody extra work, it's only right that the price should reflect that.

As a matter of fact, I do. It's not quite as bad as copier/laser printer toner. That stuff diffuses everywhere in exactly the same way, but it's black and adheres stubbornly to everything.

It just means it's okay to be in contact with food, and won't impart any toxic substances, discoloration, off-flavors etc to the food products. I expect there are a number of surfaces and parts that use rubber or rubber-based compounds in various companies' manufacturing processes. There are similar distinctions made with plastics: The Ziploc bags you buy for sandwiches or freezer use are food-grade plastic, but your garbage bags aren't.

In Western Canada perogy pizza is a thing. Sour cream, potatoes, bacon, green onions and both mozza and cheddar. I didn't find it especially appealing, but it was okay I guess. I won't throw stones, because here on my side of the country we came up with donair pizza. Ontario gave birth to the Hawaiian pizza, and I've heard rumors of poutine-topped pies in Quebec, so I guess the Great White North has something to offend every purist.

Seasonal *and* food (-ish):

Tomorrow's the end of the line for The Paderno Store. Gotta remember to go pick over the bones and see if there's anything more I want.

I see them (very) occasionally at Superstore. It's possible you may be able to come to an understanding with the produce manager at your nearest Loblaw brand, and get a call as/if/when they're available.

One of my (American) colleagues shared this earlier today on FB:

I've seen Le Creuset at comparable clearance/liquidation stores here in Canada. It's never the enameled cast iron at that price, but some sort of stoneware or porcelain (I don't remember which).

I'll emphasize that while it is easy, you need to be really, really, really diligent about rinsing every bit of buttermilk out of the butter itself. Otherwise it gets inedibly funky within a day or two (or just freeze it immediately and only take out a pat or two as needed). Still not difficult, but it's easy to fall at that last hurdle. Adjusting recipes isn't rocket science, though there's a bit of "feel" to it. Mainstream butter runs about 85% fat (give or take) so if you're switching to lard or a low-fat butter you cut back the amount slightly and add a bit more moisture. Some recipes require a bit more trial and error than others, of course.

There's a moment in the movie Hollywood Homicide where Lena Olin's character ribs boyfriend Harrison Ford about being an old fart. His reply (I'm paraphrasing, it's been a while since I saw it) was "Hey, as long as I take my ginkgo I can still remember where I put the Viagra..."

https://www.fastcompany.com/90422553/the-first-map-of-americas-food-supply-chain-is-mind-boggling

At my place, I preemptively designed the menu so that most of the items either were naturally gluten-free or could be made gluten-free with a simple substitution. I also had a couple of vegetarian/vegan-friendly dishes. Turning out 30-odd covers a night at 3-5 courses per, mostly single-handed, with a battery consisting of two domestic ranges with electric coils, meant I couldn't afford to do things on the fly. My menu explained this, and also stated explicitly that (because of my limited resources) no other substitutions could be made at the time of order. Anyone else with special needs was invited to find me in the kitchen before mealtime and discuss options. If I could work with their needs I generally would, but we were out in the boonies and making a 2-hour round trip to town to pick up special ingredients was just not an option, with the best will in the world. There were only a few occasions when I couldn't oblige someone and it truly sucked, because my restaurant was at a small seaside inn and there was no alternative eating place except a gas station a few km away that did pizza and fried chicken (neither of them good options for anyone with dietary restrictions I couldn't meet).