*Deborah*

Only three courses? I'm sure it was delicious, but it seems very...low key for an official dinner. Of course I guess it's fancy compared to BBQ or whatever they usually have. (Just kidding, but evidently they're rather informal if that's the best they can do for the House of Windsor.) I reckon any number of eGulleters eat a fancier dinner than that at least once a month, if not more often.

Four years ago when I moved into my condo, I was all happy to put in an IKEA "floating" shelf (that is bolted to the steel stud in my wall to carry the ridiculous load) just for cookbooks. This shelf is next to my kitchen, although actually in the living room (open plan)...it's inconvenient from a being in the kitchen perspective, but it's opposite the couch where I do my browsing, so it works fine. Some time ago, I realized that stud or no stud, I couldn't continue to pile books up to the ceiling, so I branched out to the (IKEA) shelving unit in my dining room. Books are sort of grouped by type/author but also by frequency of use, so the Fannie Farmer which theoretically should be with the big books in the dining room is perched up on the wall shelf as that's where I instinctively reach for it.

Wow, Daniel, some crêpe! beautiful! and Megan, I love mashed with leeks, now I will try with some parsnips in the mix! I had warmed up leftovers from dinner at Blue Water Café last night: a bit of chicken breast and some chanterelles and turnips and corn, it was so good it even stood up to being microwaved. To that I added some fresh mashed yams (must keep using my fabulous new ricer, what did I ever do without it?!) with a bit of butter, salt, pepper and a hint of nutmeg. Hit the spot. I was far too hungry to take pics.

Does John Lithgow sing and dance about it? Or maybe some Canadian musical-comedy star? What rhymes with "Gardennay" anyway? Every day? Flambee? Chardonnay? In the reply that vanished when my browser hung on me, I had added that these soups have been available for a couple of years now. I don't remember the kick-off marketing (if there was any, even) but I am fairly confident that Lithgow wasn't involved! (In Canada, we end up with weird made-up words for some things because if a word is not actually English, it doesn't need to be translated into French to comply with labelling laws. I attribute the name to that...) Gardennay Good enough to serve with a Chardonnay Wholesome vegetables s'il vous plaît It's from Campbell's so it's OK Delicious Gardennay Show your guests that you're a gourmet Fancy flavours for every day It's Campbell's Gardennay (No, this is not a part of their marketing campaign! )

This appears to be the line that is marketed in Canada as "Gardennay." It's not bad, better than canned. I like the squash one, I add a bit of pepper and a touch of nutmeg. I am not as fond of the other flavours I have tried, and it is pretty pricey for what it is.

Thanks so much for the tasting, Aurora! I think I tried them all: the Cyser (apple and honey mead), the Ginger and Green Tea, the Cranberry, the Lavender and ...what was the second ingredient? I also had the Plum and Rhubarb, and the Harvest. Oh dear, I think I'm missing one. Another cranberry blend perhaps? My favourites were the Cyser, which I could see working very well with food, specifically plain and hearty sort of food; and the Ginger and Green Tea, which had a lovely nose and interesting flavour, and which I think would go well with Asian food or some nice seafood or fish, not too spicy. The Lavender one tasted good with gin (!) as per Zucchini Mama's brainwave, pop a little twist of orange zest in there, and you've got quite the little cocktail! and then the Harvest mead, the red one, had a rich sweetness that would work well with chocolate desserts, I think. I was very happy to try all of those, and to find your Merridale cider on tap! well! delicious. Now it will become even more difficult to decide what to drink at Aurora. Good to see you fud, Little Frog, mtigges, and Zuke, and nice to meet Chris, who seems to be as good a raconteur as he is a bartender, and very knowledgeable. If only I had not driven, I would have stayed for supper. But another time

I haul the (WiFi) iBook into the kitchen when necessary...instant access to Epicurious and recipes in my gmail or on eG...instant access to google amount conversions or whatever...instant access to email or MSN Mooshmouse or my mum with a "help! what is..." or "should I..." or whatever. I do think I should get a cover to keep flour (and water splashing from the sink!) off, though.

Great. Thanks for the constructive comments.

I can only conclude, because the studies say that rBGH cows are less healthy, i.e., with greater incidence of mastitis, etc., etc., that non-rBGH cows are more healthy. Am I extrapolating too far? ← Have you actually seen these "studies"? Please post the references if you can find them so we can check them out. Look what i just found on Medline: A study on the anti-science kooks that reject the rBGH studies! ← I take offense at your use of the word kooks, by the way.

Oh, you thought I was pulling those numbers I have been talking about out of a big hat somewhere? Whether or not it's good for the bovine production units to have to have more antibiotics, of course... The Canadians came up with the following items: I'm not going to quote it all, there is a lot, and there are items under each of the above headings, with loss of condition, increased mastitis, increased lameness, increased problems with reproduction, and on and on. The FDA thinks the Canadians are wrong in their conclusions. Whatever. Also, the Canadians find an average increase in milk production of between 11% and 15%, I haven't noticed that average 25% number anywhere...

I can only conclude, because the studies say that rBGH cows are less healthy, i.e., with greater incidence of mastitis, etc., etc., that non-rBGH cows are more healthy. Am I extrapolating too far?

Just because one doesn't trust the Monsanto Corporation to do what's best for humanity or the animal world out of the goodness of its nonexistant heart certainly doesn't mean one is in favour of a return to the cave. I wish all of the cattle could live a moocolic™ life and produce great quantities of joyful milk...but it's not like I'm running out to buy 40 acres and a ...cow.

Steve Parker loses me off the bat, talking about Doug's recent book, The Soul of a Chef.

Yetty, I'm not really sure what that is, but it looks plenty tasty to me!!

Mmm,. your risotto was so tasty, Moosh! and so very photogenic, of course!

I got my set of KitchenAid 5-ply stainless steel stuff at Sur la Table and I love it madly (originally I had intended to get All-Clad but I prefer the handles on the KA). I was recently looking for another pot to add, and Sur la Table's website indicates they don't sell KA cookware any longer. You can order stuff online from KitchenAid.com though.

OK! Class tonight: the fresh "crab cake" with pineapple salsa, mmm, mmm, good! plated with (fresh!) mayonnaise and sweet Thai chili sauce and lobster oil. My cider vinegar, red wine, cassis syrup and pomegranate reduction for seared quail breasts, reducing: And the plated quail, atop quail confit and squash risotto: There was also crème brûlée, but I forgot to take a picture! Chef made that for us though. I am soooo full! Very full night! Quote of the night from Chef: "How do you know when it's sauce? It's sexy!" Or maybe the line about eating pomegranates and watermelons in the shower, with the juice... You've gotta love Chef Tony!

"la la quality with lala service" Echt.

Well, a man who pays for dinner automatically gets laid. I mean, that's his right. ← Errmmm...depends whose dinner he buys. Heaven knows there are still women who equate sex with amount of money spent... ("would you sleep with me for a million dollars?" "yes!" "would you sleep with me for $5?" "no! what kind of woman do you think I am?!?!?!" "madam, we have already established what kind of woman you are...now all that remains is to negotiate your price.") (Edited to try and clarify that I wasn't disagreeing with you, Megan! )

Sheer speculation, but the carcass quality of the cow might also be better at that two-year shorter date. This would also help offset things. There are many wholly-owned chains, e.g. Braums, that own the cows, and the stores and sell the meat from the cows in the stores. "Value-added" I think is the concept. ← Ah, yes, watch me continually expose my ignorance of the whole agri-business... It's really not appetizing, is it? although presumably knowing the meat is used is better than thinking it isn't. It just feels so calculating and profit-driven, to me.

How can something that degrades the health of the cows (increased lameness, increased mastitis, increased reproductive problems, lowered condition, lowered life expectancy) at such a low benefit (10% increased production) be seen as worthwhile? I don't understand, especially with the lowered life expectancy...your cow is going to die approximately two years earlier, but, by gum, you'll get more milk out of her while she's here. Even if there is no health risk to humans, how is it worth the cost? I'm far from being a tree-hugger, vegan, or anything comparable, but I can't justify contributing to the sum total of misery in the world, even if "only" bovine misery, simply to enrich Monsanto Corporation and a few dairy farmers. Is that a faith-based belief? or a bit of humility and the thought that simply because Science can, doesn't mean that Science ought? I suppose you are arguing apples, R Washburn, and I am arguing emotional oranges...

Oh, I remember that from when it was Delilah's. It wasn't a karaoke bar then, just very plush and decadent. Loved going there with FB and friends. ← Are they doing karaoke at Parkside now (the room which used to be Delilah's)? Nobody tells me anything (I believe it's Ch'i with the karaoke private room, and Parkside with the curtained-off booth which nearly qualifies as a private room.)

He should not name his restaurant after his home town because...a pharmaceutical company used the word already? Please elaborate. I fear I'm missing your point.

There's coleslaw or salad on the right! with red cabbage! On the left, my first guess was poutine (fries, cheese curds, and gravy) but then I decided it looks like mushroom chunks covered in cheese. Maybe in a pita. There's definitely some sour cream involved though...So I'm down to some kind of German Oktoberfest pile of carbs? or Eastern European, given the sour cream. Oh dear.

OK, there are only two, but I had to get it in: Brunch today with Mooshmouse at Aurora Bistro. Chef mentioned the smoked sablefish hash when I saw him last, but when I got there, I was seduced by the thought of the smoked duck bacon with a potato rösti, with poached eggs, Hollandaise, and corn relish. Moosh had black truffle scrambled eggs (which she let me try) served on puff pastry, which became part of our ongoing vol-au-vent repartée. We began by running into makanmakan and her beau, very nice to meet you both! Then we had coffee for me and cappuccino for Moosh, and an order of the Five-Spice Doughnuts with plum sauce. HOLY COW! these doughnuts are of the hole variety, with apple bits, and with I think a rice flour component which gives them that grease and goodness consistency of those little sesame seeded balls of delight at dim sum...I think Moosh said they're mochi? Whoa. And the sauce, luscious, very tart to offset the sweetness of the doughnuts. I could gain some serious weight with those puppies. Our mains came, and were just lovely. Smoked duck bacon. It has nothing to do with a pig, but geez that is some good good stuff. Flavourful, and with a bit of chew. Tastes pretty damn fine with Hollandaise. My potato rösti was divine, just crispy enough, and sucked up the Hollandaise admirably. There was also some chard in there...a very good breakfast, good for you and bad for you at the same time, what any good breakfast should aspire to be Moosh allowed me a bite of her scrambled eggs with black truffle...whoa. You don't even really need to eat it, it smells soooo good. She also was glad she had a side of the duck bacon to herself Last Tuesday, I had an order of yam fries at HSG and a Sun God Ale whilst watching the Canucks game on Neil's fancy new flat-panels. Boy, I love that chipotle mayo. Excellent hockey fare!