chromedome

Cauliflower is one of the balkier brassicas to grow, so that's especially commendable (if a bit counter-intuitive). My broccoli, cabbages, Brussels sprouts and raab all grow well (and kale, of course), but cauliflower is perpetually hit-or-miss. It's a cool-weather crop and favors long springs and/or autumns, neither of which I get in my location.

A bunch of kale salad kids sold under the Curation Foods and Eat Smart brand names are being recalled for listeria. Currently listed by the CFIA as "Ontario, possibly national," so if you buy 'em it would be good to check the date codes. https://inspection.canada.ca/food-recall-warnings-and-allergy-alerts/2021-08-26/eng/1630041760017/1630041766097?utm_source=r_listserv

I should have assumed that, of course. In my defense, I'm not yet fully caffeinated.

I didn't find anything online to say that it's eaten or used medicinally, though I did find a research paper which concluded that its biologically active components were similar to those in D. cajanifolium. Even a site about plants which are "culturally significant" to indigenous peoples mentioned it only in passing as being good for wildlife forage. At home I have a book on edible and medicinal plants of Canada, so once I return from NS I'll see if it's listed there.

(Not strictly food, but a coffee cup is close enough I think...)

On a related note, it turns out that mosquitoes - of all things - may be a significantly underestimated pollinator (it's fairly far down the article, but the whole thing is a good read). https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/national-museum-of-natural-history/2021/08/19/secret-life-worlds-most-hated-insect/

One of the Eat Smart chopped salad kits ("Asian Sesame") is being recalled for possible listeria contamination. Ontario, "possibly national." https://inspection.canada.ca/food-recall-warnings-and-allergy-alerts/2021-08-24/eng/1629851411200/1629851416874?utm_source=r_listserv

In support of which: https://www.beyondceliac.org/celiac-disease/celiac-history/#:~:text=Greek physician and medical writer,of the food and if

Another option re: the diluted sesame oil is in the many "Asian-inspired" salads and vinaigrettes, wherever the recipe calls for both neutral oil (for volume) and sesame oil (for flavor). Taste as you go, and you can either dilute it more (if it's too strong) or reinforce it with the better sesame oil (if it's too weak) until you arrive at a flavor you're happy with.

Herbicide-resistant weeds, antibiotic-resistant bacteria...you'd almost think we were on the wrong path, or something...

"Mr. Porky" brand pork rinds have been recalled nationally for salmonella. https://inspection.canada.ca/food-recall-warnings-and-allergy-alerts/2021-08-23/eng/1629769793346/1629769799290?utm_source=r_listserv

Not being a WaPo subscriber I missed this initially, but Indo-Canadian Twitter (and I guess, Indo-anything Twitter) has been up in arms over his description of Indian food as "based on one spice." In fairness, the piece was intended to be humorous. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/gene-weingarten-you-cant-make-me-eat-these-foods/2021/08/12/e34996a8-efc0-11eb-81d2-ffae0f931b8f_story.html

This is not - strictly speaking - on topic as far as this specific book is concerned, but apparently she showed her form early: (I had to post this in two images, because for whatever reason my screen-grab extension doesn't seem to play well with Twitter...)

Okay, gotcha.

Well...the author does have some pretty pertinent expertise, if you scroll down and read the bio.

In the wake of the "colony collapse" panic of a decade or so ago, a lot of people took to beekeeping in the interest of sustainability, ecology and so on. In Scientific American, one entomologist argues that maybe this emphasis on (lucrative, non-native) honeybees is misplaced: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-problem-with-honey-bees/

Canned bacon is very much a "thing" among the prepper community, and it commands a considerable premium over the price of regular bacon. There are plenty of examples on Amazon, so I won't bother sullying this thread with links.

FreshLine brand zucchini "noodles" are being recalled for possible listeria; currently Ontario, Quebec and NS but possibly national. https://inspection.canada.ca/food-recall-warnings-and-allergy-alerts/2021-08-20/eng/1629518566353/1629518572200?utm_source=r_listserv

Vintage "bad ideas" dept:

It's a sign!

Think of the French "allumette," or "matchstick" cut. About 1/8" square.

For those who may be interested, I've tripped across a podcast series delving into Canadian food. https://tastecooking.com/untangling-canadas-food-facts-and-fictions/ I can't help but note that she passes over Atlantic Canada entirely. Quelle surprise...

I used to keep a bag on hand to add to my bread, though I haven't of late. It contains a high percentage of the grain's nutritive value, as well as a modicum of fiber, so there are certainly arguments for eating it.

Do they do anything beside the obvious (ie, making of juice)? GF and I don't drink any, and a hand-held reamer suffices for the quantity of citrus juice I use in cooking. I'm not being facetious, I'm genuinely curious if it has other uses.

"Gosh, your red velvet cake is fabulous. What's your secret?" "Well..."