andiesenji

I bought mine at a local "Factory Outlet" kitchen store. They have just about every brand and type of spatula on the market in the U.S.

After all that I forgot to mention that the spatulas I use with best effect in the Vitamix are the long skinny ones with blue, green and clear paddles. The paddles are flexible enough to slide under the Vitamix blades and yet firm enough to clean even fairly sticky stuff from the corners.

Birch sap is collected and made into syrup in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. I have seen it done when I lived in Wisconsin. People in Wisconsin also tap butternut trees and cook syrup from the sap but it is a very long process as the sugar content is quite low.

Garlic Chives pancakes - I add grated Asiago cheese. There are several variations. You can prepare them, wrap tightly and freeze them and reheat them in the oven - very good with brown gravy.

You could always knock on the door and offer to do some weeding or other garden tasks in exchange for being allowed to pick the stuff. It's possible circumstances beyond their control kept the owners from being able to use the produce. Several years back neighbors down the road started a fairly large garden in the spring, then the husband, a police officer, was badly injured in a traffic accident and his wife was six months pregnant and also had a 4-year-old. All the neighbors pitched in and helped with the garden, took most of the produce because she was not capable of handling it and her mother's helper was not a cook. In my experience, people who go to the trouble to plant a garden will take care of it unless for some reason they can't.

I also like playing with my various gadgets and appliances.

Uhhhh. If you wipe the inner surface of a glass lid with a thin film of oil, it won't fog up. The steam that condenses on the lid will immediately run off to the sides.

I am also a fan of glass lids. In fact, I have repurposed some old glass lids that conveniently fit my older Calphalon, AllClad &etc., skillets and pots because I do like to see what's going on inside, without having to lift the lid. This is especially important with something that can go from underdone to way too done in seconds. Catching it at the perfect instant is much easier with the glass lid.

Preparing things that most folks do not bother to make at home. There is something extremely satisfying about making something as simple as butter. Wielding the butter paddles to achieve the perfect consistency is a task of which I never tire.

Fresh tomato basil soup is one of the best things on earth. Besides, they're garden tomatoes, not holy relics. The perfect use for them is to satisfy whatever fresh tomato craving the recipient has. Your friend could do a LOT worse than tomato soup. Exactly my point. I do actually use the tomatoes and I am not growing any this year - I have neighbors who grow too much for home use and often let them rot on the vines, which to me is a crime. I am happy to take their extras and prepare pasta sauce, tomato jam, salsas and even whole canned tomatoes, which I do share with the folks who shared with me but they don't demand it or dictate the use. I used to grow lots of several varieties of winter squash and gave away wheelbarrows full to my neighbors. Some just used them for decoration and then tossed them and that was fine with me! It meant that I did not have to dispose of them, although they would be fine in the compost, as long as my then gardener made sure to chop back all the vines that would sprout in the spring. (It used to look like "The Day of the Triffids" back there.

And exactly as it should be!

In my opinion that borders on the ridiculous. The whole point of cooking a whole pig is so the skin protects and adds moisture/fat to the meat. Having scalded and scraped a lot of hog hides, I know it is not all that difficult, just needs some effort, and a blowtorch to finish of the wire-like whiskers on the head. There is actually more chance of the meat being contaminated when it is not protected by the skin during the extra handling require to remove it.

They're faboo with peanut butter. It's excellent with Boston brown bread that has been lightly spread with cream cheese. Lovely combination of flavors. You can even lightly toast the brown bread but it isn't necessary. Check this link - consider Whoopie pies made with DdC.

Perhaps I am just way too callous but I have this attitude that once I am gifted with something, it is MINE to do with what I will.

Me too. Also I like a place that has adequate light. At one local Mexican restaurant, most of the seating area is rather dim but they know me rather well and when I show up, they always take me to a rear booth that is usually saved for employees and family, where there is a light right above the table that is much brighter. The chef, one of the owners, often comes and chats with me. He used to live on my road, three houses away. I don't really have to order, they know what I usually order and just ask if I want something different. If not, I get a selection of things they know I like.

I do go alone to restaurants, always with a book, or in recent years, my Kindle with me because I like to read when I am not paying attention to my food. I usually go to places where I am known and as these are places that friends frequent, I am often joined by them if I am not too far along in my meal, often we meet up by chance on arrival or while waiting for a table. At a couple of restaurants, where I go to have an early dinner (no, there is no "early-bird special"), I am sometimes joined by one of the owners who needs to have dinner prior to their busy time. These are ethnic restaurants, one Thai/Korean, one middle eastern, and I have greatly enjoyed the discussion (and have learned a lot of interesting tidbits).

I have been checking the various links on my blog to see if they are still active. Clicking on this one brought up this recipe for Banana Pudding Dulce de Leche. It sounds delicious. It doesn't use much Dulce de Leche, only 3 tablespoons, so I don't really understand why it is so prominent in the title. However, now I have to go out and buy some ripe bananas ( I have a bunch but they are totally green) so I can prepare this interesting dessert.

I'm bumping this topic up because of the recent discussion about the subject of Tabouli/Tabbouleh etc., in the topic "I'm Conservative about - - -" I was going through the blog links on my blog to see if all the links are still viable and came across this page on the site of David Lebovitz. This recipe for Tabbouleh sounds more interesting than the recipe I posted - it includes some spices or a mixture of Lebanese 7-spices that I had forgotten about. I used to drive down to Glendale where one of the markets specializing in Lebanese foods, sold a mix that was packaged in the store and was a perfect mix. I am definitely going to prepare this recipe - also make a batch of pita bread in which to stuff it.

Thanks Kerry. It doesn't look too substantial. It's cute but not enough different to add to my collection.

I usually slice bread to the "standard" thickness but occasionally slice it thicker if needed for a particular purpose. I also have a gadget that allows me to split a regular slice into two very thin slices. I use this slicing box (made of maple) for regular and double thick slices. After breaking two or three of the ones with plastic guides, I ordered this from Lehman's (they no longer carry it) several years ago. It is heavy, sturdy and deep enough to take most loaves. (5 1/2 inch tall, inside). The piece of shelf/drawer liner under it is to keep it from sliding. The knife has a 12-inch blade. When she couldn't find one like this, one of my neighbors sent her husband over to take measurements and he made one that is actually prettier than mine as he used different woods.

Mine are 25 inches above the counter. I only have one section of wall cabinets above a counter.

I think I must also have a rubber/silicone spatula/spoonula scraper fetish like Kerry. I gathered most of mine from various crocks and hangers (a couple are in the dishwasher) and lined them up and took photos. The longest and largest 16 1/2" at the far left, spoonulas at the far right, along with a "chopula" recent addition at the far right that doubles as a scraper, chopper, flipper & etc. Some are showing their age but are still useful. A while back I tossed all the ones with wooden handles after breaking one and getting a big splinter in my hand.

Uhhh. I just hold the tip of the stem and slide the fingers of my other hand backwards down the stem, stripping off all the little leaves. I've a friend that only has operable fingers on one hand who secures a comb(new of course) over a bowl and drags the stems through the comb. (He was born with one arm shorter than the other and with only little stubs in place of fingers.) He uses the comb technique on marjoram, oregano and even rosemary but for the latter uses a comb with bigger teeth.

I like that too. Do you chop the egg up or slices? I like an egg between soft and hard boiled. Yolk not runny but also not 'paste-y'. I use an egg slicer - a gadget that I also use for slicing many soft things. It's quicker and the egg doesn't cool too much and I don't have to hold the hot egg while slicing.

One of my favorite snacks is a still-warm hard-boiled egg sliced onto hot buttered toast, especially rye, minimally sprinkled with Worcestershire sauce and eaten open face.