Smithy

O.M.G. indeed! I don't know whether to thank you or slap you! It looks decadent, wonderful and all too irresistible.

Thanks for that information, Sam. I'm curious about the seeds. In my experience they turn bitter when cooked - at least, when the goo is cooked down heavily. Do you avoid that bitterness by straining the seeds out, or does your "quick and momentary boil" not go long enough to change their flavor? Or (the 3rd door) have I just been misled by embittered tomatoes?

Please let us know how it works out. Enquiring minds, and all that....

rbenash, what did you finally do, and how did it turn out?

No, they mean to dip the vacuum-sealed bag in boiling water to sterilize the enclosed surfaces.

Welll...I have to say that the last few times I was in Dryden, ON (admittedly over a decade ago) the fast-food joints I visited had malt vinegar on the table. I found it refreshingly British, since I'd learned the malt vinegar + chips trick while working in Yorkshire even longer ago. I am obviously no expert, but wish to offer a counterpoint. Where in rural Northern California were you raised, ElsieDee? I grew up in south-central California, but we spent many a summer vacation up in the northern part of the state. I have fond but hot memories of the northern Sacramento Valley, as well as Shasta and Trinity Lakes.

Johnnybird's Toast Dope, from Johnnybird himself.

Thanks so much for reviving this topic, kwankapang. I've loved the satays I've tried at restaurants here in the United States, and look forward to trying to make it myself without using a packaged mix. :-)

I do that: spouse goes away, out come the foods I love but he doesn't. I want to make sure I understand this: the Velveeta was fine but the high-quality cheddar went grainy?

That's a nicely creative way to use leftovers, mgaretz. I'll bet it tasted wonderful.

Those are fun!

I love those podcasts but would have missed this one without your comment. Thank you for the notification.

It doesn't seem so, although the very adventuresome and interesting William Dampier in the article linked above might have encountered something like it. I fear I'd be keelhauled if I served fish - nay, even anchovies - on pizza to this gang.That's a fascinating article, FauxPas. Thanks!

Shiver me timbers! Some rollickin' good guidance from all o' ye!

I know it's a ton of work, but you make it sound fun - especially since your other half is doing most of the work. The place is beautiful! I'm surprised at the landscaping plants. Are those yuccas Spanish Dagger? I thought it was a southern plant.

I just realized that International Talk Like a Pirate Day is coming up this Saturday. We'll be glamping. With family and friends. There will be a boat. Fishing. Campfire for said fish later. Grog. Food. It's already off to a good piratish start, and may need only a slight push. I bet I can get my grandson and his mates to join in on the "Arrrr mateys", and maybe some adults after the grog starts rolling. What food would help push the celebration along? Is anyone else thinking along these lines?

A Polish Harvest Festival! That would be fun. For those of us nowhere near the site, photos afterward would be welcome. Extra points if you manage to work in a celebration of Talk Like A Pirate Day while you're at it. :-D

Welcome, ElsieDee, we're glad to have you here! Come on in, make yourself at home. If you have questions about how the forums work or where to post or find something, feel free to PM a host (I am one) or post your question in the Moderation and Policy Discussion Forum. "Opportunistic vegetarian": I like that phrase. :-) Edited to add link.

Have you gone yet? If so, please tell us about it!

Very interesting! I'll be looking forward to more, also. Can you tell us more about why the sulfur discourages the wild yeast but not your desired (added) yeast strain?

Boucaneer, you may find inspiration for your hard tack in this topic: Homemade Crackers. If not, you can always start a topic on Hard Tack. Would something like our granola bars be closer to what you're after? Incidentally, I've made ice cream on a small scale by enclosing the ingredients in one well-sealed bag and enclosing that bag in a larger bag containing ice and salt, then kneading the lot. It's a low-tech, lightweight version of the ice cream 'soccer ball' ('football' to you :-D) that can be found in camping stores. If you'll have ice or another good chilling source - spare CO2 if you have it - that may be worth exploring. The above-linked ice cream topic will be a good place for further discussion.

Welcome, Alex. If you have questions about where to find things or how to navigate the forums, feel free to PM a host (I am one), or ask your question in the Moderation and Policy Discussion forum, which is where the technical questions belong. I have tremendous admiration for disaster relief operations, and understand the need for morale-boosting. Have you found the Home Made Ice Cream topic yet? If you hadn't before, now you'll have a quick link. :-) I look forward to your contributions.

The bagels look wonderful, kayb! Glad you went ahead with the project, and that it worked out so well.

I finally got around to doing this today. It really is easy. The last jar I did contains a pepper and some zuke as well as cukes. Thanks for posting this recipe, Shelby!

Here's an amusing and interesting essay - rant, some might say - by Jane Middleton. She sounds close to the end of her tether. Want to write a bestselling cookery book? Don't worry about making it any good. Do you agree? How many of the cookbooks published today are more fluff and flash than substance?