jdtofbna

A confession of a weird thing I do: any garbage that can't go down the disposer goes in the freezer until trash day, unless it's the freezing cold dead of winter. I hate even the suggestion of food stink, and my household garbage can lives in my garage---so at any given time you may find shrimp shells, chicken bones or salmon skin in my freezer. Rather anal, wouldn't you say????

How about dill pickled green beans? Sterilize tall jars (I like those Ball quilted jars, I think they're 12-oz), put a garlic clove, pinch of red pepper flakes, 1/4 tsp dill seed, and a dill bloom head if available in each jar, then pack with washed fresh whole green beans. Boil 1 qt. white vinegar, 1 cup water and 1/2 cup pickling salt and pour into jars. Top with sterilized lids and process in a hot water bath. Makes for great snacking and lovely bloody mary garnish!

The worst meal I've had a someone's home was at my cousin's a couple of years ago----this gray gruel that she proclaimed to be gumbo----thin, gray broth, hardly a shrimp in sight, a few okra seeds floating around, and she forgot the rice! I seasoned it liberally with Tabasco and fixed myself a sandwich when I got home. Haven't let her cook for me since.

Make Limoncello! Steep the zest of 12 lemons in a bottle of vodka for a week or more, make a sugar syrup of 2 cups cugar and 3 cups water, add to the lemon vodka and---voila!!

P.S. Your bean salad was gorgeous!!

Here's a salad idea that might or might not work, don't know how expensive broccoli and dried cranberries are up there. You blanch and shock broccoli florets, then chill them. Make a dressing of red wine vinegar, evoo and a little honey, thinly slice some red onion and soak that and some dried cranberries (or cherries, but I KNOW they're pricey!) in the dressing about 30 minutes before serving. Toss broccoli and greens (I use spring mix, romaine or bibb, you could even use spinach again) with dressing, onions and cranberries. You can toss in some toasted almonds or pecans if you want, don't know if budget or taste would allow. I think what you're doing is a wonderful, albeit frustrating, thing, and I admire you very much. I deliver Meals on Wheels here in Nashville and sometimes the smell of the food in my car almost gags me. What makes me REALLY depressed is the thought that someday I may be the senior citizen receiving these barely-edible, over-processed, over-cooked meals---I hope there's someone like you around to brighten my culinary life! Keep up the good work. Jana

Thanks for both suggestions. I've done an extensive google search and still haven't come up with anything that totally satisfies me, that's why I thought I'd ask the eGulleteers. I have written down the ingredients on the label and hope that I can draw on my experience of making mango chutney quite often, and come up with something comparable. Still open to any and all ideas! thanks Jana

Some visiting English friends brought me a jar of the most wonderful caramelized red onion chutney with rosemary---fabulous with pork, lamb, or as an accompaniment to cheeses. Sadly, I have emptied the jar, won't be going back to England until later in the year, and can't find it online anywhere. Anyone out there have a recipe? Thanks!

Some windfall, a bit too ripe, apples that I stewed with a little dessert wine, some muscovado sugar, a touch of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Topped with just a little cream Very tasty for pretty much making a silk purse out of a sow's ear!

I like to put out a sort of "build it yourself" bruschetta board. Use sliced, toasted baguettes for crostini----maybe get a plain or sourdough one and a flavored one like rosemary and garlic----and set out 2 or 3 cheeses, maybe a goat cheese, a manchego and a very sharp cheddar or a brie, and some little dishes of toppings like roasted red peppers, tapenade (I love Williams Sonoma's Fig and Calamata olive), marinated semi-dry (sunblush) tomatoes, maybe some sort of a white bean/roasted garlic spread. Your guests can make up their own combinations and you can enjoy the movie.

Flew home yesterday after 10 days in England. On the flight over, thanks to eGulleteers on a thread I started some time back, I took a grilled veggie sandwich on whole grain baguette: spread the baguette with herbed chevre, added some Provolone, roasted red peppers, grilled zuke, yellow squash, red onion, red peppers, wrapped very tightly overnight so it all smushed together nicely. The only trouble I encountered was the bag searchers at Dulles wanted to confiscate it for themselves! Also took granola bars, a couple of bananas and some trail mix. And, if I might add, 12 hours is a damn long time to go without brushing your teeth....

Thanks so much for sharing your vacation AND your vacation time with us! That tuna roll brought back memories of a simple, delicious tuna roll I had at a pub called the Queens Arms in Breage, Cornwall, Eng, last summer. Nothing but excellent mayo mixed with tuna, piled on a fresh, warm crusty baguette. Totally off the map in calories and pure heaven!

Might leave the hummus off, --or just not spread it too thick--good point there. I think fruit is ok going over but not coming back into the States, unless it's dried. That's been a rule for as long as I can remember. Of course, as you said, if you eat it before you reach your destination it's no problem. There will definitely be some fruit in my bag, some roasted nuts and a little something sweet. Thanks so much for all the great suggestions!

hmmmmm, that Fig Newton story makes me nervous. Heaven only knows what they might think I have tucked away in a filled baguette! We may just tough it out, take what they give us and be even more grateful for nice meals once we get overseas.

Hope you don't mind my bumping this topic up again. I'm leaving for England in 3 weeks and still planning on doing a muffaletta-type sandwich for the long plane ride, along with some fruit and baby carrots. With the new security measures, as long as I don't take anything liquid or stuff like condiments in little packages, do you think security will object to the food? Anyone traveled with food in the past couple of weeks? Thanks

Sounds like a fabulous weekend....but, please, it's Minnie Pearl.

Ok, I'm sorry, but as a good Southern girl, I have to throw in my 2 cents' worth and say that I've never eaten a California peach that I thought ---well, I won't say they weren't fit to eat,----let's just say I've always found Southern peaches to be better. Lane Orchards in Ft. Valley Georgia grow some of the best peaches in the country, and I'm sure they could ship you some fine fruit. I've been buying their peaches at our local Publix----having been to the orchard as a child, I was thrilled to see their label! I once received a box of the most gorgeous Western-grown peaches from Harry and David, but was sorely disappointed to find them kind of like some people I've known---a pretty face with nought behind it. Although gorgeous to behold, they were mealy and somewhat tasteless. Try Lane, I'll bet you won't be disappointed (unless it's too late for this season!)

I have bought Silver King at the Produce Place here in Nashville twice recently and it was so sweet AND tasted like corn---I wanted to just eat it raw off the cob. I'm pretty sure I've seen Silver Queen around, too, but haven't bought any.

I can't imagine any self-respecting Cornishman (or woman) making, much less eating, a pizza pasty! You might find them in flavors like that in some wacky London take-away, but I'm pretty sure the pasties in Cornwall are still of the traditional variety. I'll do a little study when I'm there in September and will report back.

I tried this in reverse when I moved into a new, very social neighborhood last year. Although I adore my neighbors, I've been rather sad to realize that their palates are a bit, shall we say, undeveloped. They seem to love things I make--smoked trout spread for a Christmas party, flatbread roll-ups with roasted peppers and goat cheese for game night, potato, corn and yellow cherry tomato salad with a basil vinaigrette for a fish fry this past weekend----but I don't detect any particularly "foodie" types here. Things like green bean casserole and ready-made hors d'oeuvres from Sam's seem to be the norm. But, I digress Just the simple act of breaking bread together is very welcoming, and I'm sure they will appreciate that. How about a homemade cinnamon or peppermint ice cream to go with the brownies? Or slice up some different heirloom tomatoes to go on the burgers?

Except they don't call it rutabaga, it's turnips ("neeps" if you're truly Cornish!)

This is a bit off the subject, but does anyone have a recipe for gorgonzola ice cream? I am mightily intrigued by the idea of serving that with the pear tatin and would love to give it a try (although our cream is far inferior to yours! ) Jana

hmmmm...lots to ponder there. I do care very much about nutrition, but I also love good food, and I do believe the 2 can go hand-in-hand. I lost 65 pounds on Weight Watchers 5 years ago and have kept it off by eating well in every sense of the word. I eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, but that happens to be what I love, so it's no tough choice. I try to buy organic when possible (and affordable, sorry!), wild caught salmon instead of farm-raised, etc. But, here's the deal---people don't want to hear about nutrition unless they already feel like I do, so I just keep my mouth shut and set an example by my actions and my appearance--unless they ask, and then I can preach it with the best of them but I do try not to be patronizing . I might also add that I think vitamins are questionable at best, much better to get those nutrients from your food, I think. And I probably should also add that I do feel superior about many of my food choices (edited to add that last snippy comment)

Cheese, the staff of life. The last time I was in England, I had a cheese called Bowland. I'm pretty sure it was a Lancashire with raisins and apples, and the rind was dusted with cinnamon. oh so tasty! Of course, it's not in any of the cheese books that my local cheese merchants have, but you can bet I'll be hunting it down when I'm back over there in September. We bought it first at a deli in the Isles of Scilly, then in a little grocery in Cornwall, and then at Harrod's, so I'm hoping it will still be that easy to find.

Sorry I don't have a cold cherry soup recipe, but here's a watermelon soup that my mother and I came up with one summer after having tasted a similar one at a local restaurant. We got 2 servings to go, took it home and dissected it, and this is what we came up with. Delicious and very refreshing! STRAWBERRY WATERMELON GAZPACHO Serves: 8 1/4 of a large watermelon 2 cups strawberries 4 limes juiced 1/8 of a large watermelon 1 medium vidalia onion 1 cucumber 1/2 yellow bell pepper 1/2 green pepper 1 bunch cilantro 8 slices pickled jalapenos, or more dash of salt or sugar if necessary Puree 1/4 watermelon and strawberries in food processor or blender. Chop or thinly slice onion. Peel, seed and chop cucumber. Chop bell peppers and jalapenos. Chop 1/8 watermelon. Chop cilantro. Combine all ingredients in large bowl, adjust seasoning and chill thoroughly.