Nyleve Baar

The New York Times Natural Foods Cookbook by Jean Hewitt. Includes such family pleasers as Soybean and Nut Loaf, Green Revolution Breakfast (apple, raisins, wheat grass, wheat germ and lecithin granules), Consciousness III Pudding (including carob powder, among other things) and Fruit Bat Soup. It's a classic. AND it's the New York Times!

Holy mackerel - you people don't even come close. Just last week I cleaned out a string of cupboards under my stove top where I've obviously been dealing with a mouse problem for several months. I think I finally eradicated the mice - via a combination of live and not live trapping - but their aftermath remained. You have no idea. At the back of these 3 cupboards there was a vent pipe that ran along the wall, and so there was enough room that these mice could easily go from cupboard to cupboard. It was like a gigantic mouse mansion, with a living room (the pots and pans cupboard), a kitchen (the bowls and platters cupboard and, oh yes, the garbage bag holder), and the bedroom/bathroom (casseroles and baking dishes). If this were a restaurant, I would have been promptly closed down, arrested and most likely shot. The cupboards are now clean. I have replaced the garbage bag holder with something more substantial and things seem fine. By the way, I have two cats. Where were they during all this, you might ask? Sleeping. On my kitchen table. Oh well.

Main advice concerns finishing. Use the very best quality urethane (or whatever) finish available at any price. Better quality material absolutely translates into longer wear life. And I would very strongly suggest you go for a low-gloss finish - satin or something - since it won't show scuffs as quickly. You will eventually have to refinish the floor - we do it every 3 or 4 years but by that time it REALLY needs it. My floor is century-old pine, though, so it's quite soft and when the dog takes off at a run he leaves big claw marks. I will say, though, I love the look and feel of the wood floor and wouldn't want to have anything else.

I always use wild grape leaves. They're delicious and free. Find a vine with big ones, though, or it gets kinda fiddly.

I`m a Costco addict. But, having said that, there are some things I don`t get there - even when they have it. I prefer to buy produce at either the farmers market in the spring-summer-fall or at No Frills, whose prices are usually better for similar items. At Costco, you`re getting premium produce at quite high prices, and almost never (I could probably say absolutely never) anything locally sourced. Producewise I will buy: the large packages of romaine hearts (always a good value), grape tomatoes (better flavour, quality and usually price than elsewhere) and their skinny green beans because they`re delicious and I can`t find them anywhere else in Peterborough. They do often have eggplants (small ones) but the price is higher than No Frills but I don`t think I`ve ever seen cabbage or parsnips. As far as the rest of your list - the DO have Stoned Wheat Thins. Or at least they used to last time I looked. Other items come and go for no obvious reason. I like their olive oils - the Kirkland is good and that unfiltered one is very nice. I also very much like the Kirkland balsamic vinegar. The muesli is excellent, and they carry big tubs of Liberty 2% plain yogurt, which is a staple in our house. The prices and quality of nuts is better than anywhere else in the area, and I do like some of their cheeses. I buy big packages of 100% recycled paper towels and toilet paper, both of which are not always easy to find elsewhere. And I hate to admit it but half my wardrobe is from Costco. I work from home so I can virtually live in jeans and t-shirts. The fact is that if you buy just one set of snow or summer tires, the savings has paid for your membership for the year.

I assume that you've probably already booked your flights and discussed your route - however, in the off chance that you're open to a drastic suggestion, I would advise you to cut your route roughly in half. Having driven quite a lot in that part of Europe, I can only say that however long you think it will take to get from A to B, it will actually take twice as long. Which means that you'll either be spending a lot of time whizzing past charming-looking spots where you'd like to stop or driving a whole lot more of your day than you'd planned. For what it sounds like you want, I'd chop off either the San Sebastian end and make your foray more into southern France or fly into somewhere like Lyon or Marseilles and go west from there. Othewise, you could drive downward from Milan into central Italy and then take in a bit of the Ligurian coast and the Riviera. There's good eating in all those places. Yes, there are fast autoroutes that will get you from one place to another quickly, but you'll miss all the towns along the way. And I don't mean almost miss - you won't even see where they were. This is a very ambitious route for 15 days of leisurely dining experiences. Just my two cents worth.

Once I ate a raw oyster and, well, never again. Even that time I wouldn't let it touch my tongue on the way down. I love Kraft Dinner. I could probably eat two whole boxes if I let myself. But I won't because I do have some self respect. I love onion dip made with Lipton's onion soup mix and sour cream. I could eat it with a spoon - but it's better with potato chips because then there's even MORE salt. Liptons Chicken Noodle Soup from a package. Especially when I'm feeling sick. Maybe it's the salt again. Sometimes I'll even lick the powder off my finger.

I have that cookbook!!!

I quarter the lemons, at least, season the inside of the chicken with salt and whatever, stuff with lemon chunks (I rough them up a bit so they're a little bruised and squishy), sew shut. There is absolutely a subtle but very nice lemon flavour and fragrance in the chicken. It isn't knock-your-socks-off lemon, but it is definitely there. Actually the flavour is more noticeable the next day with the chilled leftovers.

My mother regularly made stuffed breast of veal and I absolutely adored it. Unfortunately I can rarely get the cut around here, so I haven't made it in years. Your post reminded me that I should pick up a veal breast soon. Anyway - it's Hungarian-ish, and the stuffing had no problem holding up to the lengthy cooking time. Saute two or 3 chopped stalks of celery and a chopped onion in butter or olive oil until softened. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Tear a loaf of challah or good Italian bread into pieces, soak briefly in warm water, then squeeze all the water out by hand and place in a bowl. Add the sauteed mixture, one or two beaten eggs and a lot of chopped fresh parsley (much more than you think is decent). Adjust seasoning with s and p if necessary. Now, make a paste of fresh garlic, salt, pepper, plenty of good paprika and olive oil. Smear all over the veal breast - inside the pocket, outside all surfaces. Stuff with stuffing and sew the opening up with kitchen string. Place this in a shallow roasting pan, add a small amount of some kind of liquid - white wine, broth, whatever - just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Cover with a lid or foil and bake for umpteen gazillion hours at, I don't know, 325? 350? until tender and you can't stand it anymore. You can remove the cover at some point to allow the veal to brown. That's pretty much it. My mother used to let it cool slightly and then slice crosswise so that every slice had a portion of stuffing and the surrounding meat. Done. It's also good at room temperature.

Well, turns out I found a "gently used" Bron mandoline from a private seller for $75. I looked it up and it seems a very heavy duty, serious piece of equipment. So I bought it. It hasn't arrived yet, but I think it should do the trick. I will buy a cut-proof glove (the Rapala sounds sensible) to go with it. Thanks for all your advice - I would have gotten the Benriner, I think, if this one hadn't come along.

I will have to ask Son if he is interested in waffle cuts. So far, he has just explained that he feels his life is incomplete until he can make shoestring fries. Which is why the mandoline. Research continues. Keep those opinions coming - thanks!

It's my son. Whatever else I get him, I'll also get a glove to go with it. I've heard you can get good ones in fishing supply stores.

I'm looking for a mandoline as a gift for my son - the obsessed cook. I personally have never owned or used one, so I have no idea what to buy. All I know is that it has to be good enough quality and easy (and reasonably safe) to use. I need recommendations for mandolines that would fall into the $50 to $100 range. He isn't sure if he wants a V-cutter or regular so it's even more complicated.

I would brown the chicken breast meat - whole - in butter, then cut up. Set aside and add to the sauce late. Also brown the mushrooms separately and add late to the finished sauce. After adding both, I'd simmer just a few minutes to heat through, but not really cook. ALSO I would use only flour to thicken the sauce and skip the egg yolks - the sauce looks too thick to me. And throw in a good handful of chopped fresh parsley with the chicken and mushrooms.

Fact is, it's supposed to be good for your grill to leave all the gundgy grease on it. Protects the grill from rust. So don't clean after cooking - clean before during the preheat. Two birds, one stone.

Maybe too late to help you, but for another time...perhaps. If you're taking the Don Valley, exit on Lawrence Ave East. On the right (south) side you'll pass a place called Arz. It's a few streets west of Warden. Anyway they'll have both orange and rose water. And everything else you can imagine Middle Easterny.

My recipe - given to me by a South African friend who is married to a New Zealander. I sometimes use it to coat salmon or rainbow trout fillets before frying or baking. But mostly I like it as everyone else has described - with olive oil and bread. It's addictive. 1/2 cup sesame seeds 1/2 cup sunflower seeds 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds 1 cup blanched almonds 1/4 cup cumin seeds 1/4 cup coriander seeds 1-1/2 tsp. coarse salt 1 tbsp. paprika 1-1/2 tsp. turmeric Heat the oven to 350o F. Put the seeds and almonds in to roast, in separate foil dishes or pie plates, in the order given. We find that the first few take longer than those lasted last. Watch carefully, checking them at least every 5 minutes, and take out each container when the seeds have darkened a little (but not a lot) and have an appetizing aroma. As a guide, most will take about 10 minutes, but sesame and sunflower seeds take longer. Leave to cool, then grind with the salt, paprika and turmeric, in one or two batches in a food processor, using the pulse button, or grind in a mortal and pestle. The mixture should have some texture – it should not be ground to a powder. Makes about 2-1/4 cups.

Good for you! I've never been able to figure out why people think it's like so obsessively over the top to use a fresh pumpkin for pumpkin pie. It IS better and I just love the whole idea of starting with a pumpkin. And once you've split the pumpkin, as you have discovered, it's not actually a lot of work. Suggestion for future pumpkin cookery: bake several pumpkins at once, puree the pulp and freeze in 1-cup containers. I like to let the pulp drain for a while in a coffee filter so that it's thicker too. Once you've made it, you'll always have real pumpkin around when you want to bake something.

Just some advice regarding predators. I've been keeping a flock of chickens for almost 30 years now and we've had our share of massacres. In almost every case, the fatalities have been OUR fault. When we've forgotten to secure the coop at night; when we've failed to notice the beginnings of a tunnel; when the wire mesh around the windows weren't tightly stapled to the frames. Our worst predators are raccoons and they ONLY hunt at night. Foxes will hunt during the day but they're not nearly as adept at opening doors or pulling away screening as a raccoon is. And hawks are, well, hawks. Can't do much about attacks from the air. Also there are weasels and skunks and both will do plenty of damage if they get a chance. But like raccoons, they're nocturnal, so if you keep your chickens in a closed coop at night they should be safe. Make sure your coop is very secure. The chicken door should have one of those catchy latches that can't easily be opened without a degree in Mechanical Science. If your coop has a dirt floor, embed wire mesh down to a depth of maybe a foot - and then angle it INWARD. Bury deeply and tromp the dirt firmly. Better yet, pour a concrete floor. If you have a fence around your run, consider putting wire on top also. We let our chickens run loose all over the yard, so when a fox is hunting they are toast. But this year we've been lucky - so far no major losses. And my dog is very protective of "his" chickens and goes racing down to the coop if he hears a commotion. Not sure if I've posted this before, but it's worth repeating. When we first got chickens, I was a recovering urbanite and very upset when we had our first death. My neighbour - a lifelong farmer - came over, leaned against the fence and drawled, "You got livestock. You got deadstock." Words to remember.

Not to discourage reasonable caution during pregnancy, but I really can't imagine too much risk that would be involved in eating in Italy. Ricotta in ravioli would have been cooked unless you plan to eat raw ravioli (which I doubt); you can easily avoid Parmesan cheese as an after-cooking addition (as in sprinkling on top of pasta) and any that is contained in a cooked dish would have been heated to a safe temperature anyway; and any fish or shellfish in risotto will be cooked, not raw. I suspect that you're every bit as safe in Italy as in the UK or anywhere else. The salads made with raw vegetables can contain pathogens - but this is no more likely in Italy than in the US. There is so much good food to choose from in Italy I don't think there will be any shortage of options, pregnancy or not.

Here's a shiny sugar glaze that might work for you. It dries smooth and not sticky to the touch - I guess as long as the weather isn't humid. I haven't tried it in the summer, though. You can use lemon juice in place of part of the water if you want it a bit lemony. 1 cup icing sugar 2 tbsp. water 1 tbsp. light corn syrup In a bowl, stir together the icing sugar, water and corn syrup until smooth. To glaze the cookies, hold each one carefully by the edges and dip into the glaze so that just the top surface is coated. Let excess drip off and place on a tray or rack until dry. The glaze will take one to two hours to dry properly. (You can double-dip the cookies into the glaze if you want a thicker coating. Let first coat of glaze set for a minute or two before the second coat.) Makes enough glaze for 2 to 2-1/2 dozen cookies.

I live in Ontario too - ok, not brutal Ottawa, but still rural and COLD in the winter. Chickens do quite well, thank you very much. I give them hot water morning and afternoon, so they get a nice warm drink. And we've never, to my knowledge, lost a single bird to the cold. Agreed, smaller combs don't frostbite as badly, but really, it's never been a big problem. A single light bulb is plenty of heat, if you're worried. We never even bother with that. Just make sure your coop is well insulated and the body heat of a bunch of birds will keep it warm.

How did you know that I was picturing myself holding the match, turning on the gas and adjusting the flame in order. I will look into this torch. You know my husband is wondering why I am so determined to figure out the caramelization because he says the creme is so outstanding by itself. Go figure! ← I described this specific order because I have done it the other way around and, well, you don't want to do that. When you turn on the gas first, then light the match, you can end up with more flame that you really want to deal with. I would have gotten the self-igniting kind but my hardware store didn't have one.

I just did this yesterday, so it's all very fresh in my mind. First, just a thin layer of sugar, evenly sprinkled on top. I used about 2 tsp. sugar per ramekin - mixed half and half white and light brown. Next, a REAL blow torch from the hardware store. It costs about half of what a kitchen torch costs, and isn't really all that big and scary. You light a match, turn on the knob to release the gas, and then adjust the flame so that it's small enough to feel safe to you. Done. Finally, you have to torch the custards very delicately, and keep the torch moving all the time. Eventually you'll get the hang of melting the sugar without burning the sugar to blackness (a few spots are fine). should be easy to aim the point of the flame pretty precisely where you want it to go. Don't be in a hurry. And don't be scared. And let the creme brulees rest for about 5 minutes before serving.