Smithy

I have two wildly disparate ideas:1. something fairly light in flavor (especially on the hops) and slightly sweet...what about a honey weiss? 2. going still light on the hops but for a more intense flavor, would something like a sweetish porter work? It could be reduced down like a balsamic vinegar: different flavor profile, of course, but still intense, with a caramel note and color to offset the scallops and peas. Of course, the buerre might not be very blanc with this treatment.

That's the sort of endorsement a company likes!

Interesting, indeed. It's difficult to see how the grocery store could, with a straight face, explain the interior green color as mold due to improper packaging. Thanks for the extra research. I hadn't heard about Green Muscle Disease/Oregon Disease before now. It's another reason for me to keep working away from factory-farmed meat. We have spirited discussions about cost vs. care in my household, but like SylviaLovegren I'll refrain from bringing the debate to the screen.

Thank you for the excellent writeup! I'm curious about how people eat dishes like the crab. It looks like it's still in the shell, but the food in the dish looks sauced. Is it finger food?

Thanks for the appetizing report. Do you plan to inflict the leftovers on pigeons? :-D

It happens I have some smoked pork tenderloin...hmm. Can you think of any reason a smoky flavor would interfere? Right now it sounds outstanding.

One of our local brewpubs makes a nice Apricot Wheat Ale, and I'm planning to bring some home - for both cooking and drinking. I keep thinking that chicken and apricot are a nice combination, and plan to muddle around with that flavor combination. What else (proteins or vegetables) does apricot flatter? If anyone has suggestions, I'm all ears.

You may find some helpful information in the eGCI course on Basic Condiments. If you aren't interested in the first session on mayonnaise, then skip to Session II: Mustard and Catsup.

The bread looks very nice in the photos, Anna. In what way don't they qualify as bread to you? Is the texture too soft? Flavor still off? I have never had to pursue gluten-free recipes, so have been happy to lurk in this topic...but if I needed to accommodate some as-yet-unmet friend I would be pleased to have this topic as a resource.

Shelby, that looks good. I hadn't heard of wiper before, and had to look it up. Please tell more about the texture and flavor. I'm guessing firm and mild?

It's a shame you didn't have time to include a "finished" shot of those charming ravioli. The heart shapes are clever. Did you use a cookie cutter on them?

How does that affect the flavor of the shrimp?

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You picked a good time to go, given the glorious scenery and weather there and the dreary winter up north. Thank you for the photos. Those conch shells are beautiful. I've had conch once or twice (on Key West) and thought it excellent. How is the conch extracted from the shells?

Thanks for posting these photos. It looks delicious - and I'm eager to try those recipes!

The Farmers' Markets are great, too. There's a central FM in St. Paul and at least one in Minneapolis. (By 'central' I mean all in one place; you can also stroll along the Nicolette Mall in Minneapolis to catch farm stands on certain days.) You're likely to find good artisans at St. Paul for sure, maybe also in Minneapolis. Edited to add these links for more information: St. Paul Farmers' Market Minneapolis Farmers Market

I've had pretty good luck year-round with the Cherub cherry tomatoes and, for slightly larger, the Campari tomatoes. The larger tomatoes are usually a bust out of season, although they have a better chance of being good when they're still on the vine. As for those large winter tomatoes: Garrison Keillor nailed it when he referred to them as "tomato-flavored styrofoam" that are "strip-mined in Texas and shipped north". :-D

Thank you all for your answers. Maybe I'll try tomatoes again this year.

In addition to the comments you've already gotten, there's some very good information earlier in this topic that you may find helpful. Go up just a few posts to see about makeup air. I'm relearning some things that surprised me this time last year.

I'd be concerned about the shared ductwork on a couple of fronts. 1. How will the two fans be balanced so that, if they're both running, they both exhaust to the outside instead of one overpowering the other? 2. Not only will the bathroom need to be protected from kitchen odors when the kitchen fan is running, but the reverse is also true: you don't want bathroom odors blown into the kitchen. Some kind of double-flap system would be needed, and then see item 1 again. 3. Does the building code allow it? With regard to makeup air, I doubt you'd need it unless you live in a very tight house. The cheapest option would be to open a window, although that isn't practical in all seasons. :-)

I use the second type (Scotch-Brite ™ blue, non-scratch) regularly. I've never seen them bleed color.

Way to go, Kerry! (Thanks, Anna!) I'm impressed that the unit works with power sources worldwide. That's good thinking.

Those of you who grow tomatoes in containers: do you have to replace the containers periodically to avoid blossom end rot? I was replacing the soil (only) for my tomato containers, back when I did several containers' worth, and the last time I tried it almost all the fruit rotted before it came ripe. Now I'm down to a few cherry tomatoes in nursery-planted containers, and a lot of herbs. Speaking of herbs: I lovingly protected (and used) 3 basil plants during my winter trailer travels, and they've been sitting outside hardening since I got home. They aren't looking too happy at the moment. It got down to 30F a couple of nights ago.

Very Thick Asparagus, prosciutto, ramps from the back yard, pasta. A bit of butter, a bit of half-and-half, some grated parmesan to garnish. It looked very pretty but I couldn't remember where I'd put the camera. It tasted even better than it looked. I owe Paula Wolfert for the inspiration. The bases of the Very Thick Asparagus Spears were tough. I peeled them, cut into matchsticks and began dicing them for a last-minute addition to the skillet dinner above. A bite or two (before adding) convinced me that these were too tough to be so used. I'll save them to make Weinoo's asparagus risotto instead.

What criteria are you using to decide how to reformulate a particular dish? Is it a question (for instance) of reducing fat, changing fats, changing carbohydrates, reducing glycemic index? Are some foods assumed to be easier on the gut than others after surgery?