Smithy

Their new web site has the advert as a banner across the top, and I've followed the link to check it out. It does look interesting. It's expensive, of course, but that's me being a tightwad, and expense is a relative thing. For instance, 2 meals for 2 people in my test scenario came out to $61: $29 for oven-roasted chicken shawarma and $32 for glazed salmon. The photos, of course, look wonderful. I'm pretty sure I could do either of those for less money, but I'm pretty sure either would cost more at a restaurant around here. I may try it; if so, I'll post back here. I hope someone tries it out and reports here!

Mouse melons! What are those like? Do you eat them whole, like kumquats or grapes?

As someone who got an extensive sneak-peek at the book* I want to confirm that the book is not specific to a given region. Some of the recipes are specific to items he foraged in his own area, but many focus on foods that can be foraged (or farmed or hunted) in very different parts of the world, and the ethics are universal. It's also fun to read. *Like Shalmanese, I appreciated the shout out.

I thought you already had a buyer. Did that fall through, or is it just taking more time than expected? Many congratulations on the publication of the book! It's been a long time in the development. I can hardly wait to hold the finished product in person!

Welcome! What sort of food do you like? Do you like to cook it, or do you prefer to eat other people's cooking?

Hmm, in that case maybe a better option would be plain fries with a dipping sauce. Not what they're after, of course, but it sounds more manageable.

That food looks spectacular. I can understand wanting to try a new restaurant, but Winslow's Tavern doesn't look like a hardship!

Thanks for that link. I guess that explains the name! Too bad their execution - at least, for those you tried - is as bad as their grasp of geography. (The San Joaquin Valley isn't over there. ) Still, I think I'd like to try something with the flavors described by @blue_dolphin from the Gilroy paper's article.

I'm with you on the fried garlic (if that's how they did it) as well as the likely non-provenance of the garlic.

Let's hope Gilroy's reputation doesn't suffer from those fries. I wonder whether McD's thought that attaching the Garlic Capital's name would somehow make the fries better?

There are a lot of items I'd like to ask about or comment on, but I'll settle for two right now: Did anyone give a reason for whisking the egg yolks in a figure 8 instead of a circle, other than "we've always done it this way"? If so, what is it? Did you manage to catch the person who switched his plate with yours in class? Thanks so much for posting these entries.

I've seen Ghost Pines wines at the store, but never tried one. Now I will. Thanks, @JoNorvelleWalker.

It's quite a few years since I last got there, but I've had some delightful dinners at Bombay House. The food was excellent, and the price was modest. I also liked that the place was staffed by family members, and tips were shared throughout the operation: the cook got his share.

Thank you for a wonderful and entertaining trip!

All 7 courses look divine, and I wish I'd been there to share it with you. The pickled strawberry sorbet palate cleanser is a puzzle that I hope you can clarify. Could you tell it was pickled? That sounds like salty or vinegary strawberry, yet you say it was the essence of strawberry flavor. I'd like to know more about it.

Is the mystery item a cradle? It doesn't look it would cradle securely, but it would rock very nicely indeed.

Uncooked rice is a wonderul desiccant. I've saved more than one bit of damp electronics this way: turn it off (if it's still running), remove the battery, plop into a bag of dry rice, seal, leave alone for 24 - 48 hours. If she hasn't already done something along those lines, I recommend she do so asap.

My garden sorrel is French sorrel, rumex scutatus. Compare its photo in this Wikipedia article to the photo in the above-linked Wikipedia article for Common or Garden sorrel (rumex acetosa) to see the difference in leaf shape: the French sorrel has leaves with angular bases, and the Common sorrel leaves are more rounded. Based on their botanical names they seem to be fairly closely related. Wood sorrel seems to have shamrock-style leaves instead, and is an oxalis of some type. Everything I've been able to find says that the oxalis and the rumex aren't closely related, but they both have relatively high oxalic acid content to provide that sour flavor we love. Hmm, I wonder whether that purple shamrock oxalis I have growing in a pot would make a nice salad addition? One web site says it's toxic to pets but they don't bother it. I haven't found anything to suggest that any of the oxalis are toxic to humans, unless the oxalic acid is eaten in too high amounts.

An organic farmer friend told me years ago that I needn't bother trying to cultivate French sorrel because I could just go out in our woods and pick wood sorrel for the same purpose. I cultivate the French sorrel anyway for convenience; this year it's going very well, some years not so much. It does very well with fish and with chicken, or just as an interesting addition to a green salad. Wood sorrel might be a good substitute when we're traveling, and be a good foraging exercise. Thanks for the reminder.

Do you suppose the 'droit' exercise was too simple for adults but would have been appropriate to the high school students? It does sound too ridiculously simple for words.

No picture of the cod tongues? Or is that the bottom photo? The miniature fishing village is amazing!

Thanks for that link, @Lisa Shock. I have no interest in bidding, but the listing is entertaining to read. There's quite a lot of history in it.

Less peeling required!

Sorry, did you explain what "Newfoundland dressing" is and I missed it? I'm having trouble wrapping my mind around dressing and gravy together. The fish and chips look tasty. Those tarts look a treat!

I think you'll need to take some photos and show us the results! I've never cooked from any of her books, but 1000 Foods to Eat Before You Die looks like an interesting read.