chromedome

A whole sleeve and whole stick is no longer a snack, it's a "light lunch."

A couple of thoughts. First, there's nothing wrong with using a commercial gravy browning product, if you're otherwise happy with the flavor and texture of your gravy. The one I use (Kitchen Bouquet) gets most of its color (and its smidge of flavor) from roasted mirepoix, the way I'd do it myself if I had time. I don't use it often, but when I feel the need I apply a few drops without shame or apology. Just be aware that anything more than a drop or two will give your gravy an over-darkened, artificial appearance. Second, a dark roux requires practice and *all* of your attention while it's under construction, lest it simply be a burnt and acrid roux. I'm seldom willing to invest the time. I'll offer up my "go-to" tip here. Take a small portion of the jus - say, a quarter-cup or so - and transfer it to a separate small pot or pan. Simmer it until it boils completely away (an occasional glance is all you need to give it, up to that point), then turn down the heat and watch carefully as it darkens to a deep mahogany. Seriously, it should be almost coffee-colored but not quite black. Now deglaze with some water or broth, or whatever other liquid you choose (I generally just use water, but it depends on the dish). Stir and scrape to get up all the browned-on bits and dissolve them into the water, which should be quite dark as a result. Stir that into either the jus (if you haven't started the actual gravy yet) or the finished gravy, which could be under construction on the next burner while you do this (that's how I usually approach it). The browned-on "fond" will darken your gravy quite acceptably, but that's just the first benefit. A second is that you're taking the flavor of your main (lamb in this case, but it applies to anything) and enhancing it through the browning. The browning comes from the actual amines in your main dish, just as they do when you brown the meat itself, which means you're creating the very same flavors you'd get from a good, hard sear and adding them after the fact. It's a powerful technique. You can use more of the jus if you have lots, and want to really kick up the flavor. Alternatively, you can use the same technique with a prepared broth (chicken, beef, whatever) if you haven't got enough jus. It concentrates the broth so it tastes more like the drippings from your roast, and if you then combine it with the actual jus it works really well. That's a great option when you want to stretch the gravy for a family get-together...I'll often do that at holiday meals, for example. It's a lot easier to press leftovers on everyone as they leave, if you can assure them there's plenty of gravy included.

Oysters from BC's Sawmill Bay Shellfish, recalled for norovirus. Affects BC and Alberta. https://inspection.gc.ca/food-recall-warnings-and-allergy-alerts/2020-02-21/eng/1582331627441/1582331632510?utm_source=r_listserv

...and then there's this stuff... (from the "weird crap I legitimately find while working" dept...)

Fresh Sprouts brand bean sprouts, Ontario only. Salmonella. https://inspection.gc.ca/food-recall-warnings-and-allergy-alerts/2020-02-21/eng/1582331627441/1582331632510?utm_source=r_listserv

It is to me, though I've certainly received my share of odd looks. At the end of the day a cracker is nothing more than a crisp flatbread, and why should anyone think it odd to put butter on bread?

IIRC oat groats are routinely steamed in processing, to inactivate an enzyme that would otherwise cause their oils to quickly become rancid. I doubt it especially matters in the context, though.

They were featured prominently in the most recent flyer for one of the big Canadian chains (Superstore/Loblaw's).

I should also mention that he built small-item storage into the doors of the pantry (a sacrifice of a few inches in depth, but to great effect in practicality). Basically each door has a 3-inch deep (I think, it might be 4") double-sided rack on the inside. The rack itself is hinged, so when the door is opened it can swing out from the door to give access to both sides. That's where spices, shelf-stable condiments and small-volume baking ingredients go, for easy access and visibility. It's hard to envision without a photo, but I don't get to that part of NS but once or twice a year. I'll maybe message my cousin (their daughter) and see if they might have a pic or two kicking around on someone's devices.

I have only a few inches at the top of my cabinets, but I've got a bunch of stuff stashed in those few inches. I'm the first to concede it's not pretty, but there's usable space there. You just need a step-stool to get at it (or I do, anyway...don't know how tall you are). I also have suitable-sized totes filled with stuff on top of tall furniture pieces in other rooms, and less-used items in my basement. Lots of them. Far too many, in fact (though I'll be culling some baking pans to pass along to my daughter and her neighbour before my next trip to NS). My uncle built the dream home he and my aunt had wanted for years, when they retired and moved home to NS. Instead of a kick plate at the bottom of the cupboards, he built in "toe drawers" that slide out, and hold things like frying pans, lids, serving trays, oversized utensils and less-used casserole dishes. They have the push-to-release type of catch, so you nudge one with your toe to make it release and then hook said toe under the handle (or bend over) to slide it out.

Come the day I get to choose, I don't want a counter-depth fridge. I want a fridge-depth counter.

I've used this stuff on commercial equipment with some success, so it might work for you. It's not expensive. https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/mean-green-degreaser-cleaner/6000116249610

My mom's gingerbread recipe used bacon fat, as well.

The CDC says "up to 145 F," and it's wise to always assume that some survive at those marginal temperatures. Given that the infective dose is believed to be 1-10 individual virus particles (source: FDA Bad Bug Book 2nd ed.) even a few survivors would be problematic. The CDC also cautions that immunity isn't a reliable assumption, in part because of the numerous strains of the virus and in part because it's unknown how long the immunity actually lasts.

When I was a kid, we ate gingerbread warm with butter. Restaurants typically offered it cool or at room temp with whipped cream (or whipped topping, depending on the demographic) or warmed with ice cream. The restaurant at Peggy's Cove is known for its gingerbread, and serves it in those ways (IIRC believe maple syrup or caramel sauce or something of the sort might be offered as well, it's a few years since I was there). Applesauce is good, too. At my restaurant I paired it with honey ice cream, made with honey from local small-batch producers I knew personally. The apple pie/cheese thing has been discussed here before, I believe. I'd considered it an obscure regional American aberration, and have never actually seen it consumed that way (NS, NL, SK, AB, BC and NB are my provinces of residence so far) except by my American second wife. Mind you this is in no way conclusive, and for all I know it's prevalent in the other four provinces.

I mostly use the disposable plastic sheet types, which won't go through the dishwasher without malforming permanently. I wash them with bleach after every use, and dispose of them when they get old and skeezy looking. They don't get used in a set and organized rotation, so that might be four months for one and two years for another. I don't like/use sponges, but my dish cloths also go into very hot bleach water with every use (ie, anything I hand-wash), and look and smell very clean once they dry. I trot out a new one after every few uses, or if they're used for mopping up something from the counter. Brushes go into the dishwasher after use.

BT:DT. If you're able to do it in just four months, I applaud your infinitely superior organizational skills. Since folding my restaurants and farmer's market business I have outfitted various daughters and daughters' friends with tolerably complete collections of kitchen gear, as well as donating and selling a bunch. I still have about three times more than I can conveniently fit into my current apartment. Yet another round of trimming down is under way at the moment, so I can consolidate three storage units down to two.

Yeah, that's probably them. They served them with different stuff cooked in, and then you could order 'em rolled (or in retrospect, now that I think about it, just folded) around hash and suchlike.

There used to be a chain out in Western Canada called the Dutch Panekkoek House. Great big things, rolled up with various fillings. Is that the sort of thing you mean? I liked that restaurant a lot.

My GF's preferred dog has a slice of processed cheese on either side (you tear it in half, then put the halves end to end so they reach the length of the bun) and then a slice of crisp bacon on either side, with the dog in the middle. Then she slathers on the ketchup. She'd be the first to concede she has plebian tastes (actually she'd phrase it as "I like what I like," but it comes to the same thing). I love her anyway.

I'll pass that along, but I think she'd resent you bitterly when she gets to middle school...

Little whosit, name still TBD.

Yeah, we're pretty pleased. She checked in this afternoon at around 1 my time, a healthy 6 lbs 1 oz despite being a few weeks early. Still waiting on name and photos, but other grandma (who of course is equally unbiased) assures us she's "perfect."

Well, fwiw Atlantic Canada is somewhat of a culinary hinterland and I can easily find a half-dozen kinds each of fresh and dried mushrooms at any supermarket. Truthfully, though, given their aforementioned lack of utility in juicing, smoothies, etc. I don't see them really catching on the way kale or celery or cauliflower did.

We had ours a day early, because tomorrow we'll be celebrating the arrival of a new granddaughter. Sadly this will transpire in far-off Alberta, so barring an unexpected lottery win* or something, we won't get to see her while she's still got that "new baby smell." Dinner was a favorite of my GF, salmon with basmati, steamed rice and Hollandaise. *Unexpected because I don't play the lottery...