Smithy

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?

That's quite a street food fair! Thanks for the pictures. Can you elaborate on the 'rotisserie'? It looks like a component turntable, the kind we'd have considered standard about (urk!) 30 years ago. Did someone mimic that structure, or am I looking at the photo wrong?

So many new things - what fun exploration! Thank you, Jess, for continuing the saga.

So would I like to see those bottles, if you find them. Better still would be a report on their quality and age!

"Zoodles". I like that word!

Do you think the wine has gone downhill from all wineries that you've tried? What was/is your preferred brand? Your comment reminded me that Sangre de Toro was one of my early favorite red wines. At some point I lost my taste for it. After a quick search it appears that the blends differ by more than just language. Hmm, a side by side wine tasting may be in order if I can get the Egri Bikaver at home: a Multicultural Bull's Blood taste test. I have my next party idea!

Oh, Anna! Those look wonderful! I do love stuffed peppers, especially those miniatures.

I like the idea of a section devoted to a Rice Cooker chapter, even though I don't have a rice cooker. It sounds like some thought went into the organization of this book. Nice photo, and the rice sounds wonderful.

Eureka Springs, Arkansas is nestled deep in a valley in the Ozark Mountains, protected by twisty roads marked with signs like "steep grade, sharp curve, 20 mph" followed by "very steep grade, very sharp curve, 15 mph". The town began as a resort area during the Victorian era, and parts of it retain that over-a-century-old feel while the updated, newer developments sport touristy shops and ads for zip-lining. It is not a place for a large pickup to maneuver, much less park, but there is a trolley car near the top with adequate parking. I think one could eat oneself happily senseless given the variety of food places - everything from Mexican (reputedly very very good) to Tex-Mex to Jamaican to barbeque - there are many, many barbecue joints, and the locals tell me they're also very good. At the edge of town closest to our campground sits the Bavarian Inn Restaurant and Resort. This place was established some 20-30 years ago by a pair of Czech immigrants, and German-Czech food is their specialty. This young lady greets you just before you enter: The interior is quiet and comfortable, and continues the Bavarian/Swiss motif. I'm afraid I can't show any interior photos. The greeter, who I think is one half of the founding couple, very firmly and emphatically said "no interior photos" when I asked. She doesn't trust the way photos get out on the internet and what they might be used for, and would not give me a chance to explain my purpose. So...if you want to see their food as they serve it or some interior shots, take a look at their web site. We ordered wiener schnitzel and a sampler platter. The schnitzel was very nice, and the bratwurst on my sampler was probably the best bratwurst I've ever had: nice snap to the skin; well-balanced flavor; not too salty. The biggest surprise of the evening for me was the wine I selected: This pleasantly dry Hungarian wine is worth seeking out: flavorful, well-balanced, and at 12% alcohol not the sort of wine to knock one flat. It probably isn't very expensive, either; it's one of their house by-the-glass wines, and the restaurant charges $16 for an entire bottle. I can provide this wine photo because we were able to bring the bottle home. Their liquor license does not allow them to sell an unopened bottle, but diners can take the opened bottles home with them! (We are endlessly bemused by the variations in liquor laws from state to state - and in some cases, county to county.) I had already bought one glass of it and liked it. I ordered a bottle, had the waiter open it and pour me half a glass; the rest came home to be savored later. We also brought home desserts: apple strudel and a lemon buttercream cake with raspberry filling. They jealously guard their recipes. Two years ago at our last visit we were able to confirm that caraway and brown sugar go into their sauerkraut, and we've tweaked ours to suit since then, but it took a lot of wheedling to get that basic information. This time when we left, I asked whether she plans to write a cookbook when she finally retires. "Oh," she said, "there are all sorts of cookbooks that tell about German and Czech food. We carry some in our gift shop." Away I went, inspired; I came home with these: I know already, however, that her very popular sauerkraut soup is not in there. I'll just have to start messing around to figure our what we like.

That looks very pretty, Bart!

You know I'm big on brisket, and want to learn how to do it at home. I'll have to look into this one. Thanks!

I hope Jess comes through with the recipe! It's really nice to see the side trip through Portugal, and to know that this trip isn't over yet. Kerry, thank you for the tour. Jess, please keep it coming...and on the basis of seeing a "2 posts" next to your name, I'll add a "Welcome!" I hope we'll see more of your posts around here.

Great story, Darienne! I bet it will be delicious anyway.

Thank you, Franci. This looks like precisely the sort of thing to tempt dinner guests who usually look askance at cake.