Smithy

Just for the record, here is an old, old topic on cornbread. I found it some time ago when I was trying out various cornbread recipes and soliciting advice, starting with this post in which I linked to several recipes. @gfweb's cornbread madelines recipe is linked there. For myself, I'm still experimenting occasionally with no conclusions. I've purchased several mixes but haven't gotten round to trying them.

2019 Panaderia Canadiense 2019 - EAT! Empanadas, Arepas, Tortillas and Other Ambato Food On the Go

@Kim Shook: It may be partly because I'm not crazy about vanilla pastries in and of themselves and I'm an uneducated cretin, but I can't see where an extra layer of those ladyfingers (just submerged along the top? really??) would have been an improvement. I think what you did looks grand. @teonzo: thanks for the additional insight.

I'm not usually a fan of oatmeal or oatmeal cookies, but I'd make an exception for those, Anna...even without fighting for the one with the lacy edges!

I wonder whether rye flour is more prone to mold than wheat flour? I've never had mold problems with the wheat flour starters I've made, but it took 2 or 3 tries to get the rye to go without molding.

Welcome! It looks like you'll fit right in here. Based on your creations above, I expect you may get as many questions asked as answered. It looks as though you also have a good grip on food photography. I you have any questions about how to use the forums, or where or whether to post a particular issue, feel free to ask a host (I am one) by PM, or ask in the Moderation and Policy Discussion forum.

That's my thought on a Cuisinart Steam Oven - although I still don't know where I'd put it. No, I have no shopping list. There are things on my Wish List, but given the quantity of stuff I need to round up and sell or give away it seems counterproductive to think about buying more.

Thank you for the link to the article, Alex. It's well-written, thoughtful and sobering. Much of what she wrote about her experience reminds me of Paula Wolfert's comments on her experience of the disease. I miss Paula's presence here! but she's fighting her own fight, concentrating on finding foods that help slow the progression of her dementia, and advocating for more intensive research.

I had no idea the pink peppercorns from those trees were edible! We call them "pepper trees" in California, but I grew up thinking they were simply lovely ornamentals with a wonderful smell. The next time I visit, if the peppercorns are ripe, I'll try to harvest some. This has been a delightful blog. Thank you very much for showing us more of your part of the world, and your life there.

The Shopko Hometown chain is going out of business. The liquidation sales are down to the last 10 days, and I finally decided the prices had dropped enough on their 6-quart enameled cast iron Dutch ovens. I love this color! I bought this Dutch oven for our trailer, but now it's sitting in our house waiting to be used. In the meantime, I'm so thrilled at what seems to be a well-constructed 6-quart ECI pot for 30 bucks that I'm thinking about buying more as gifts.

It is definitely easier to buy shelled pecans! However, I have a weakness for local foods picked up during our travels, and that includes fresh pecans. They also keep better in the shell.

You get the Good Spouse Award here. Faced with the same circumstances (I am not) I might be inclined toward a friend's approach to her husband's breakfast: "The Cheerios are on the top shelf." Wisecracks aside, I compliment you (in no particular order) on your early-morning energy, your food sensibilities, and your food photography.

Like KennethT above, I'd like to know more about this. I envision a lot of hard work without a juicer or blender, but I might be surprised!

I've had a hard copy of the Black Dog cookbook since it first came out. Love it.

Salmon and pecans have an affinity for each other. Somewhere in my files I have a recipe for pecan-crusted salmon with sorrel sauce. I no longer have sorrel, but I decided to try fennel (from the farmers' market) and lovage (from the garden) in a butter sauce. The pecans were toasted, then chopped, then pressed onto the salmon with the help of melted butter. The salmon was baked, skin side down, until it was done. A drizzle of lemon balanced and brightened everything. Crunchy, toasted pecans, meltingly tender salmon, and a summery vegetable with just a hint of that anisey flavor - what's not to love?

Some time ago, in another topic, @rotuts recommended a particular style of pecan cracker. I found one and bought it, and finally got around to trying it today. It worked well, once I decided that a plastic bag was needed to keep shells from flying all over the kitchen. (Sure, this could be an outside activity - but it was 55F and rainy today.) Tonight's dinner was pecan-crusted salmon with a fennel-lovage butter sauce. My darling's plate included toast. The combination of toasted pecans and salmon is a winner. This was the first time I tried sweating fennel and lovage as an addition, but it seemed an easy way to add vegetables. It was a bit too heavy on the butter, but otherwise lovely with a simple squeeze of lemon to brighten the flavors. Even my darling, who is not a fan of salmon, liked it.

I really need to come to this topic BEFORE I go shopping, to remind me of things already in the freezer that need to be cooked. @Margaret Pilgrim, what is your shrimp-frying recipe/technique?

So much for too little time! You win the no-prize! Here are the rest of the teaser photos. This last, to me, is quintessential Panaderia Canadiense: She'll open the foodblog tomorrow morning. Enjoy the anticipation, everyone!

We have a volunteer foodblogger starting up...tomorrow! I know I have commented in the past that you lot are such good guessers that I needed to keep the guessing-game period short. Well, a matter of a few hours is short. Very short. Rest assured, this is shorter than I'd have set it, but Life has gotten in the way of good timing. This is the first time I've been near a keyboard so I could post a teaser photo after receiving it. Honest! To add to the compression, the forums will be going down at 11pm (CDT) tonight for an hour or three during the software upgrade (you HAVE read the banner announcement above, haven't you?) so there isn't much time left. I'll post one teaser photo now, and another in about an hour if I can stay up that long. (It's been a long, long day here at Chez Smithy.) Guess away. Tomorrow morning, all will be revealed unless someone identifies our blogger in the meantime.

Earlier this week it was Leah Chase; now it's Maida Heatter, gone at 102. I think I'll have to make one of her desserts in commemoration.

I aspire to that status (assuming it's voluntary!) but have a long way to go. Your creativity is inspiring!

It pains me to give up the dream, but I'm going to have to change my "maybe" to a "no". Discretionary funds just took a serious hit. I hope y'all have a wonderful time! Post lots of pictures, and make the rest of us envious!

Well, this is embarrassing but not unheard-of in this crowd: I see I bought the Simple Thai Food book in 2015.

I have no experience with Pectinex, but I have a lot of experience with receiving shipped goods. Do you know how this shipment would be sent? For instance, would it be in an insulated container, with cold packs? Can you get expedited shipping with it?

Pan-roasted vegetables drizzled with smoked and regular olive oil and balsamic vinegar, then joined by slices of a spicy sausage for the last part of the roast. Leftover potatoes from a ham dinner were warmed separately and added at the table, along with the ham juice. My food photography isn't up to snuff, but this dinner is so easy and delicious it's worthy of note. It has become part of our regular rotation. It's forgiving, too: the tomatoes, corn and ramps were all past their prime, but they were a nice addition to the mix and the roasting process brought out their fading flavor.