Smithy

Actually, I like the marbling on those very much! I think the one at the top with little squiggles is especially fun and intriguing, but they all look great. If you really don't think these look good, feel free to send me the rejects.

I hope I'm not asking another question that's already been answered. Your posts show a great variety of fresh produce and readily available fresh meats (except during High Holy Week ). I don't see as much mention of seasonings, although Maggi (in multiple forms) and cinnamon have been mentioned. Is there a combination of seasonings that is characteristic of Ecuadorean food, or does the cuisine rely mostly on the flavors of the ingredients themselves? I'm also curious - if you have time to pursue it - about whether most farmers there are independent, work in a cooperative group, or are farming for some much larger corporation such as those that send so much produce up our way. Is Fair Trade a food pricing issue there? Jumping to yet another point - were you just lucky to find a house with that lovely kitchen and counter, or did you have that built? I do love the look of that quartz counter! Thanks for a fascinating and vicariously exhausting look at your world. It would be impressive under any circumstances, but it's trebly so during this week.

I am thoroughly enjoying this blog! Waaay back in this post you shared your cups of warm jello with us in this picture: I don't think I'd heard of warm jello to drink before now, but it's sounding pretty darned good at the moment. Are you mixing this from packages of gelatin with your own flavorings, or are you buying a commercial mix - maybe even JelloTM itself? Edit: sorry, now I see you answered the question on the next page. Never mind... (ducks head in shame)

This, and your answer to ElsieD's followup question, are the most succinct descriptions of the difference that I remember reading, even in the topic devoted to this distinction. Thank you.

...and she's launched the blog! Click here to follow along.

Here are the last two photos. I'll let @Panaderia Canadiense decide how much to say about them, now or later. I too am looking forward to this blog!

Just to be clear - yes, the game is to guess who it is. I confess, I'd hoped that it wouldn't happen so many days before the blog opens...but kudos to our guessers!

Thanks for the responses, everyone. I scraped, and then rinsed and rubbed. Here are two photos of the result: I think the stopper's shiny surface (see the portion between the handles and the rubber rings) was a simple surface coating to make it look pretty, and that the surface coat was loosened or corroded by the atmosphere in the bottle. My sister says that before she put the stopper into a plastic bag with some damp items it had rather pretty-looking crystals on the outside. We have no photos of that stage. She certainly doesn't plan to use the stopper again for a food substance. The question is whether the remainder of her expensive blackberry-infused balsamic vinegar is safe. She'll probably pitch it away (oh, woe). What would you do?

I'm not sure I follow you. Are you asking whether the blogger has been identified? If so, I'm not answering that question... ...yet... ...but I am offering up more of the promised teaser photos.

No no, don't spoil the fun yet! I have more teaser photos, when I get back to a computer...

One of my sister's friends makes decorative wine stoppers, and gave one as a gift to my sister. My sister put the stopper into a partly-empty bottle of blackberry-infused balsamic vinegar, and left it in place for some weeks. There was no contact between the stopper and the vinegar, based on the level of the vinegar in the bottle and the fact that the stopper wasn't wet when my sister removed the stopper next. When she removed the stopper, she saw a layer of crystals growing on the stopper. There didn't appear to be any corrosion. I don't have photos of its appearance then, but she packed it along on a road trip in a bag, and this is its appearance now: Questions: What is that corroded layer made of? Assuming that the atmosphere in the bottle caused that corrosion, is the vinegar still safe?

Get ready for a week of Easter preparations! An ambitious foodblogger is taking us on a tour. The blog is set to start this Sunday, March 20, and take us through Easter Sunday. Here, to whet your appetite and curiosity, is a teaser photo: Let the guessing begin!

What Jaymes said.

So far, the ribs at Butcher's look the best, most succulent to me...and I'd kill for some of that brisket.

Tere, I admire your ambition. If that garden takes off it will take over your life! Still, there should be some mighty fine food coming your way from the effort.

Getting back to the 'aging' part of the question: why would one bother to age golden syrup, and how would one go about it? I have visions of leaving the can or jar out in the sunlight, and that probably isn't what's meant. Edited to add: I've found part of the answer in this blog post: In Search Of Perfection: Heston's Perfect Treacle Tart Recipe.

Be still, my heart. The ribs are obvious. Is that white chopped stuff pork loin? And I echo Shelby's question about the bowl's contents. Looks like some sort of relish to me. Tomatillos? Pickles?

Deryn, I'm sorry you're in such a discouraging situation. While we wait to see whether there are other eGer's still active in your province, let's keep brainstorming. I really like Lisa's food club idea and helenjp's expansion on it. Does Canso have a library? If so, and if it's as moribund as the libraries in many small U.S. towns, the librarian(s) might welcome some sort of culinary explorations idea. Pick a country or culture, feature a book or three about said area, bring some relevant food. Does Canso have a school? If so, teacher(s) might appreciate the opportunity to liven up geography or social studies classes with some culinary examples of other cultures. This is hardly your original vision of throwing big dinner parties, then clearing the floor for a ceilidh (I have friends who grew up on that tradition, but they aren't in your area) but maybe, just maybe you'll find a few other outliers in your population. If you can hook up with younger folks you'll all get that intergenerational boost as well.

Not this time (I am still far to the west) but we DO pass through Joplin sometimes. I'll keep it in mind. Thanks!

Since I can't be there in person, I am so looking forward to the report!

Yes, please do let us know what you do and how it goes.

Wellcome to eGullet, @logicalidentity! Please tell more about how you made your crab apple paste and your smoked chutney. Crab apples grow in wild abundance near my house, and i've been looking for ways to use the ones with good flavor. This linked post is about one of my attempts to work with them. It was a huge amount of work. Others in that topic suggested chutney, but I'm always up for more versions and smoking sounds good. Incidentally, you may enjoy this related topic: eG Cook-Off #67: Apples, which was mainly about cooking or baking with domesticated apples but also made room for crab apples.

Hey! Glad to see a new Aussie show up. You lot Down Under seem to have a flair for the boozy arts; I'm sure you'll fit right in.

Why not get another Magic Bullet? Has the quality declined?