lperry

Thank you for asking this question! I always thought it was just me. -L

^Lemon verbena and lemon balm are both very nice with peaches. I think Ferber puts the verbena with white peaches, but I only had yellow last year and it came out very nice. Would you share your recipe for the chutney? It sounds great.

I agree. I think that's why I've been pleasantly surprised by the functionality of my "armoire." It's about four feet wide, five feet tall, eighteen inches deep, with two big drawers in the bottom.

I needed a full cubic foot for the dried chiles alone.

Exactly. I can put away the cookware and have no place for the food, or I can put away the food and have no place for the cookware. One of my friends lives in a house built in the mid-fifties. No pantry. It does have a basement, however, and she put shelving against the wall all the way down the staircase for her pantry. Because the door is just off the kitchen it's fairly convenient too.

Unfortunately, I rent, so I am stuck with free-standing furniture solutions. Or lack of solutions as the case may be. Someday I'll have a real pantry (cue theme from Gone With the Wind)...

I moved in to a new apartment about six weeks ago, and last night was the first time that I genuinely enjoyed cooking in the kitchen. The problem was not a broken appliance or renovation dust, but lack of organization of all my staple foods. Despite the fact that the building was completed only two years ago, this kitchen has a relatively small amount of cabinet space and *no* pantry. I noticed the lack of pantry problem in just about every place I looked prior to moving, and I spoke about it with my realtor. Apparently, people eat out so much now that they want that space for other things. I remedied the issue here by purchasing a large, wood, "armoire" on Craigslist. It was organized and full prior to my cooking binge last night. Unfortunately, I still have several boxes of food to put away, so I'll need more space before I am really set. Do you have a nice pantry space? If not, what do you use? How well does it work for you? -L

Thanks for he heads up on the Costco ones. I was planning to buy those this week for the first time. Now I'll pass! -L

Poke tiny holes in them with needles, put them in a glass jar, pour in brandy to cover, wait a month or so, and enjoy! -L

I got that issue too and had the same reaction. My Newcomb memories include many pecan waffles eaten at that counter. -L

Great ideas everyone! Thanks and keep them coming!

I heard somewhere that native berries are traditionally used with wild rice. I've never tried it - but will do so now. Epicurious! I should have thought of them.

I've just acquired a rice cooker, and, to put it to good use, I'm planning to incorporate more whole-grain and bean salads into my summer repertoire. For grains I'm interested in ingredients like wild rice, barley, farro, and quinoa. For beans, I want to move beyond the usual (but much beloved) three bean salad that is ubiquitous at my family's outings. I have one good wild rice salad recipe that uses pecans, oranges, green onions, and parsley in a balsamic vinaigrette, and I also make a lentil and roasted beet salad with feta cheese that I like a lot. I've tried several others from various sources with varying degrees of success. So rather than wade through a bunch of mediocre salads, I thought I would ask here! Does anyone have a favorite grain or bean salad they can share? -L

I think the seeds are so the guests think, gee, s/he missed a seed when squeezing all those fresh lemons while slaving over this dish.... All part of the clever ruse.

I'll miss her posts, sense of humor, and contributions to the SSB network. How very sad that such a wonderful person is gone.

Liquid dish soap works well. It takes away the oil. Nice for poison ivy too if you can catch it before you break out. -L

Even if you do can a lot of food, sometimes you can do better just asking your regular farmers' market people if they have seconds. Where I grew up in Florida, the pick-your-own fields were an amazing bargain. Here, I think it's more about the "experience." I think it may have something to do with the farms here running completely off the income from the fields, while many places in Florida had small u-pick areas attached to larger, commercial fields that were the bread and butter of the operation.

I started a u-pick topic last year and got a little bit of feedback. Here's the link. I can vouch for Johnson's Berry Farm in Upper Marlboro. Great blackberries and excellent prices - I can't remember what she charged, just that it seemed remarkably inexpensive.

The fine disk on a food mill will work perfectly.

Thanks for the advice. I'll start scouting hardware stores. And Annecros, I hope that we have allayed some of your fears. If you are careful about your timing and follow the usual rule about home-canned food (if it seems iffy, toss it), you can have a pantry full of wonderful food.

I've thought about this since a full pressure canner heats up the kitchen so much in the summer, but I was worried about regulating the pressure since it's so sensitive (at least mine is). Are the portable burners easy to adjust?

I have a recipe for potato/tomato/poblano soup that is great in the winter and can be made in a snap with a jar of poblano strips and a jar of tomatoes. You just throw it in a pot with some stock and some cubed potatoes, simmer until the potatoes are finished, and there you have it. They are also good made into a side dish with black beans and fresh corn. Since they tend to be relatively inconsistent in quality in stores, I buy a bunch of nice ones when I see them.

Yes. I've got a pantry full of roasted red peppers, poblano strips, wild-collected mushrooms, etc. I use the USDA recommended times and pressures and have never had a problem. I am careful to follow the instructions, though, and if something seems off, looks "slimy" or the lid is bulged, it goes in the trash. If you follow the timing instructions, that happens very rarely if at all. I've canned for more than twenty years, and I only remember losing a few jars. A few years ago, I got curious, and looked all over the internet trying to find out just how many people actually die from botulism from home-canned goods. It turns out to be about one or two per year, and they ate something that seemed off - usually salsa that wasn't processed long enough. I'll go looking again for that information. I think it was from the USDA or CDC.

I'll check this out on his site. Thanks.

I love Manchego just as is - it never occurred to me to melt it into fondue. Thanks for the suggestions and please keep them coming! I don't know what I will be able to find, although the DC area is pretty good for cheeses. This is an actual allergy - anaphylaxis ensues. For him (not necessarily for others) it is just cow's milk that causes the problem.