Pam R

We don't have a local frozen treat that I can think of, though we've been the Slurpee capitol of the world several years running. SuzySushi, I'm a big fan of the Hawaiian shave ice, and had sugarless flavours in Kona and Maui (have no idea what the names of the stands are). I'd like one now, please.

I was pulling mine out this afternoon to work on a recipe that's loosely based on one that my mother used to make -- and she always made it in the electric skillet. It's a recipe that would work in a good frying pan or skillet, but it's too large. The electric skillet is perfect. Not something I make often, but if you ever get a hankering for homemade donuts, one of these works well. Relatively shallow oil with lots of surface area. It's perfect. I've also made fried chicken a couple of times and it worked fine. Finally, every December I have to make hundreds of potato pancakes and there's no way I could do that number without one. Well, three. The consistent heat and large surface area work well.

I was just having a debate about electric frying pans with a friend. I like mine and pull it our for a variety of recipes, but he doesn't have one and hasn't missed having one (though he does see that they can be useful). So I'm curious, do you have one? If you do, do you use it or does it stay in the back of the cabinet?

Happy Canada Day! The menu for tonight will be simple because everybody is working today. Grilled rib-eyes, chicken, typical accoutrement, with fresh fruit for dessert. What are you serving?

According to the Crosby's website, cooking molasses is a blend of fancy and blackstrap. The cooking is darker/stronger and less sweet, making it better for cooking. The fancy is lighter and sweeter, better for baking. eta: Crosby's is the brand I usually see in stores here, in cartons. And I'm a big fan of molasses. Gingerbread is a favourite.

I haven't seen Jamie's Fowl Dinners - just saw it listed on the website for this season.

Ramsey has Kitchen Nightmares and the F Word on FTC. Restaurant Makeover (which seems to be on a 24/7 loop) is a Canadian show (I think it's always Toronto, no?). FTC pays half and the restaurant owner pays half. They bring in a designer and a chef to makeover the place. The list of shows airing now: 100 Mile Challenge 30-Minute Meals (RR) Ace of Cakes Barefoot Contessa Big Daddy's House Boy Meets Grill Boy's Weekend Chef Abroad (another Michael Smith show) Chef at home Christine Cushing Live (despite the name, I don't think they make them anymore) Chuck's Day Off Cook Like a Chef Cooking for Real Crash My Kitchen Dear Good Network Grilling DDD Dinner: Impossible Food Detectives Food Jammers French Food at home Fresh with Anna Giada at Home Glutten for Punishment Good Eats Grill it with Bobby Flay Guy's Big Bite How'd that Get on My Plate? Iron Chef Jamie's Ministry of Food Jamie's Eat to Save your Life Jamie's Fowl Dinners Kitchen Nightmares Licence to Grill nigella Feasts Opening Soon Paula's Best Dishes Restaurant Makeover Ricardo and Freiends Road Grill Simply Delicioso The Chef Jeff Project The F Word The Heat The Main Next Foodnetwork Star Thirsty Traveller Wild Chef Throwdown with Bobby Flay Unwrapped Will Work For Food Lots to choose from but very few that I look for.

Top Chef Masters will be on in the fall. I don't know why they're doing that -- Top Chef used to be on long after it was shown in the US, but the last couple of seasons were shown at the same time. It's annoying. Why did they give a football player a cooking show? Did we really need another grilling show? With a quarterback host? (It's called Road Grill).

I'm actually enjoying Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food. I think it's an interesting experiment. I used to hate watching him, but have enjoyed the last couple of his series that they've aired. Other than that, Top Chef is the only thing I can think of that I really enjoy. There are a few shows that I don't mind having on in the background when I'm working in the kitchen, but nothing else is really coming to mind. I did watch most of 100-Mile Challenge that they're re-airing now. But it really annoyed me.

New flavour out this week: Passionfruit. Available in regular and diet. I tried the diet version and it's not bad -- maybe a little too . . floral? Or maybe it's a sweetener aftertaste. I'm not sure. But it's not so bad that I wouldn't drink it again. I should try the regular just to see if it's the sweetener or the flavour itself. Anyone else try it?

I trim top and bottom and use the whole thing. If I'm chopping several at a time, I'll line them up and start at the white end. If I'm using one, I'll start at either end.

I have the same problem -- figuring out what local produce they can sell in the winter (and spring, really). But you know, you have a good point. The Forks is, I think, a failure. Instead of putting up a new building for the farmer's market, maybe they should take that idea to the Forks management and do a better job there. It would be great to see locals actually going to the Forks and combining the two might do it. With imported produce. In theory, meat and dairy produces can go year-round. Some produce is good into the winter months . .greenhouses are already producing things. Who knows. In the summer they could set up stands outside -- now that I think about it, why isn't there a farmer's market there during the summer?

I'm a big fan too. We have 3 large ones at work -- used mostly for frying onions. The 3 will handle 100+ lbs. of onions at a time. They're also the perfect pot for matzo balls and I like to do pureed soups in them -- cook them up and puree with an immersion blender right in the pot.

We don't have one yet, but there was a story in today's Free Press about a plan to build a farmer's market that could be open all year. I'd love to see it, but would it be able to provide local products all year? Does it matter?

I've been enjoying watermelon salads lately. Cubed watermelon, a little black pepper, lemon or lime juice, fresh mint, thinly sliced red onion, feta cheese, on a bed of arugula or not.

I'm honestly not sure. If I was producing packaged goods to sell outside of my store I'd call the government agency to find out exactly what I have to do before proceeding. I wouldn't assume it was ok. I have had some talks with our provincial kitchens about doing some items out of their facility and I was told that I'd have to have the nutritional data done for me. But I don't know if that's standard or because I'd be using their kitchens, or it's in Manitoba, etc.

There is a guide here: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/label-etiquet...al_2-eng.php#a8. If you look at Table 3: Assessment of the Indirect Approach: Using Non-Specific Product Information, it basically states that it's not recommended for labelling. I think they would have to check with Health Canada. It also depends on where the items are being sold (ie: out of your own shop vs. through other stores, etc.)

Gas or charcoal? What are y'all using?

No cumin or cayenne for me. Light on the black pepper. Add allspice.

Yep - closed the lid. Could easily have been 'over-topped'. I used the gas grill, brushed the crust with olive oil and cooked one side -- pulled it off and topped that side, then back on the grill, raw side down on the hot side -- just enough to seal it -- then moved it over, away from the heat and closed the lid.

Great timing for this cook-off. I need help with the technique itself. Last week, when my oven stopped working, I attempted a batch of grilled pizzas, but I had a problem with the crusts getting too well-done, while the toppings weren't done enough. I tried cooking over the heat and beside the heat -- but I had problems. Can somebody give me the 411 on how to get the toppings hot and melted and the crust crusty but not burned? edited for clarity

I just read this in the paper. I hope the weather doesn't ruin it -- frost warning tonight, low of 1 and it'll only be 6 in the morning. That also makes me wonder what will be available -- if the weather we've been having will reduce what would normally be available.

The non-dairy creamers and whip toppings work fine in recipes. Many people pu pu them, but they work as subs. They are, in fact, mostly oil - so no need to increase any fat**. The most common (non-Passover) brand is Rich's (their website). There are other brands out there as well (Ungar's, Mishpacha, etc.). Having said that, I'd do as chiantiglace suggests, and test your shortbread recipe subbing margarine and water. If you can get it, Earth Balance margarine sticks are the best for baking. **eta: I just looked at the website again, and they seem to have fat-free versions of the coffee-rich now. I've never seen it, but it's a soy product and could make a good alternative for people who don't want to use the edible-oil version.

Chris, this is such a great Dear Al letter. I think most of us have had a favourite restaurant that we continue to go to long after it's prime is over. I know I've had restaurants I've loved that I kept making excuses for until I realized that either they were no longer what they once were or that, perhaps, my taste had moved beyond what they were dishing up. Have you found another restaurant that you can love now as you once loved Al?

Yeah, I was thinking along the same idea as Ilana. Start with the dark, then pipe in the milk. Somebody else would have a better idea of how long or if you have to wait for the dark chocolate to set just a little (or not) before piping in the milk -- but it seems like that would work.