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Hmm. This is the way traditions die. (Do guilt trips work on you, Steve? ) The traditions are safe in the much more capable hands of my Sister and Cousins. I enjoy eating their attempts at the old family favorites, but I'd feel guilty trying to make them myself. SB (funny that way)

Despite the fact that I hail from the "Land of 10,000 Lakes", as Minnesota's license plates proudly proclaim, I don't fish. I lack the required patience. My Grandfather, Father and Brother all fished, and I used to go along for the ride although I've never been that crazy about boats. The truth be told, I'm not even that fond of water either, at least until it's been made inro coffee. I have friends to whom the Fishing Season Opener is a holiday second only in impotance to the first day of Deer Hunting! I always wished I could enjoy the sport, but I lack patience. As for eating fish; the Walleye is locally considered to be the gold standard, although Bass and Trout have their devotees. Personally, I would rather have a basket of little breaded panfish filets, which resemble potato chips more than fish. So, while I admire the trascendentalist aspects of fishing, it just ain't for me. SB (atypical Minnesotan)

But, Steve, those are the ones you need to learn...........who else will make them? ← No, it just wouldn't be right. There are many items I believe I make as good as, or better than, my Mother or Grandmothers, but a few things are sacrosanct. Even if I had the time and patience to develop the skills needed to make these dishes, and thought I might, by chance, produce versions equal to theirs, I wouldn't want to do it. I'd rather savor the memories than the flavors.

I don't have any recipes I hold inviolate, but there are dishes I consider sacred to the degree that I don't even attempt to make them. Even though I doubt if I could ever make pastys as good as my Mother's, (who learned how to make them from her mother-in-law, my Grandma Baker), or potica and strudel like my Gramdma Baich, it just wouldn't be right, so I won't even try. SB (holds some truths to be self evident ....

really! thanks for the link. this looked to be a very interesting operation. some nice folks, indeed. ← I think it was in one of Tony's books he said something to the effect that "Butchers are always funny; fishmongers are not." I think maybe we could add that cheesemakers are always "nice folks"? SB (now, distillers and brewers ....

Under close examination, even using a very bright light, I can't detect any variation in coloration in my banana bread. I suspect that the described condition, (I hesitate to call it a "problem"), stems from the bananas themselves, since they'll always vary in size and ripeness, which affects both sugar content and texture. Maybe we all subconsciously adjust our batter to minimize these differences, which could give rise to some unusual variations? SB (like bananas because they have a peel) PS: It tastes very good, thank you.

Okay, this thread really piqued my curiosity. I bake banana bread quite often, and never noticed the phenomena described. I had three large bananas that were quite ripe, (dark yellow with black speckles), but not quite as dark as I usually use. I like over-ripe fruit for banana bread because I think it's sweeter and more bananny(?). I mashed them with my old 1/4" square holed potato masher and stirred them together with the other wet ingredients until the mixture had a "lumpy pudding" consistency. I often use part whole wheat or other flour in my banana bread, which I thought might disguise the darkening effect described, so this time I stuck with straight AP. I included two of my regular add-ins, mini chocolate chips and sunflower seeds, and a little Penzey's Baking Spice, but those shouldn't alter the visual aspects. It's in the oven now. After dinner, when it's had time to cool, I'll cut it open for an inspection and report back here. SB ("suffering" in the name of Science )

No. I like cooking better than eating. SB (might hire a pro to cook if I had guests though)

I fry bacon over medium heat, but I cook one side, which will go to the inside, at least twice as long as the other. It takes a little practice guessing pre-cooking time, but using this method I can even use thick sliced bacon for wrapping. SB

And if, after trying all those great suggestions, you still have some ham left, it freezes very well. SB (already has some frozen)

In a similar vein, I think people tend to take their own local ingredients and dishes for granted, and are often surprised, or even baffled, when outsiders make a big deal out of them. An example from my locale, Northern Minnesota, would be venison and wild rice. In upscale restaurants anywhere these would be considered fairly exotic, and priced accordingly. On the other hand, my friend Big Lou, an Ojibway band member, grew up eating venison and wild rice. As recently as the generations of his parents and grandparents, these items had actually been the primary means of sustenance. Lou and his children now enjoy wild game and other native products to honor tradition, but I know his grandkids would rather eat a burger and fries. SB (Kind of like the food version of "A prophet without Honor"?)

.... and says to the girl at the counter, "Do you serve chicken here?" "Of course." replies the girl. "Well", says the coyote, "then you won't mind if I hide under that table and wait until one comes in?" SB

There are numerous cornmeal yeast bread recipes, including Anadama Bread, which use anywhere from 1/6 to 1/3 cornmeal in place of flour, and can be baked in standard loaf pans. They don't have as much structure as regular bread, but toasting does help.

Is anybody still reading Gastronomica? I used to anxiously await each new issue, now my last three lay virtually untouched. Other than Mark Morton's Orts and Scantlings column, In doubt if I've read half a dozen articles from them all together. (In fact, I just noticed I haven't even read Morton's piece in the Winter 2007 issue.) Has the magazine changed, or have I? SB

I make banana bread a lot, and I've never noticed that. I do mash my bananas up fairly coarsely rather than puree them though. SB (or maybe I just never notices? )

Does the book answer the eternal question, posed long ago by my childhood friend "Big John" Lucas, as to why, "when we have 'em at home they're wieners, on a picnic we say hot dogs, and at the ball park they're callled franks? SB (I don't know )

I was just wondering if there's been any thought given to the idea of an annual "Best of Edible Communites" publication featuring articles selected from among all the regional magazines? SB (would buy one)

Here it is!

That pretty much sums up my own opinion. In my inventory of food additive issues, MSG ranks right below alar on apples. SB (believes consuming too much food, additives notwithstanding, is the most serious health issue)

The talk about brussels sprouts jarred my memory. I remembered GF announcing she didn't care them, and even though she's come to eat many things she originally claimed not to like, she still won't eat brussels sprouts. I'd also broiled bacon-wrapped filet mignon. (We used to give Omaha Steaks to the customers of our engineering firm for Christmas, so I always had a few on hand) I'm not certain, but I probably baked a couple potatoes, although hash browns are a possibility. SB (afraid to ask unowho in case I'm wrong )

When I think of chocolate and peanut butter I still think of Reeses. SB (Boy, the Hershey Web Site is sure cumbersome and confusing? )

I'm drawing a { ..... } SB (It was a long time ago )

Around here the stores get what are reffered to as "sour heads" of cabbage for people who make their own kraut. From the recipe below you can see why most people don't want to go to the trouble to do this themselves, even if you cut the recipe by 90%: SOUR CABBAGE HEADS 24 Cabbage heads (solid heads) 3 Red peppers; quartered 1 Fresh horseradish -- peeled and chopped 1/2 Box bay leaves 1 Garlic head 1/4 Box dry whole red peppers 52 oz Salt (not iodized) Remove large loose outer leaves from cabbage heads. Core cabbage and fill with salt. Place core side up in large crock. Layer cabbage alternatly with other ingredients Cover with large outer leaves which have been removed from cabbage and fill crock with water. Place a heavy weight on top of cabbage and cover with clean cloth. Keep water clean by skimming off the foam which will begin to form after about a week. Continue for six weeks, topping off water as needed. To locate sour heads try calling markets in Eastern European ethnic neighborhoods. SB (whose Mother's family made their own, but she was never interested in making it herself)

Stea-ling? Boi-ming? SB (how about "cooking"?)

Now, does a pressure cooker boil or steam food? SB