CaliPoutine

What size are the can's? Btw, Loblaw's has Pork shoulders( aka boston Butt's in the US) on sale for 99cents a lb, bone in and 1.49 boneless. Chicken thighs are also on sale for 99lb. Randi

I haven't tried the cakes on this thread, but over the last several years, have tried many, MANY different chocolate cakes and always went back to the Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate cake on the back of the cocoa can. So, I started just tweaking that recipe to make it even better. One day I came accross the mention of Hershey's Black Magic Cake and looked it up. It's almost exactly my tweaked Perfectly Chocolate cake recipe! (Great minds think alike ). So, I'd have to say that of the probably 20 different chocolate cakes I've tried, the Hershey's Black Magic cake is my favorite. ← I happen to agree with you. I love the black magic cake. Everyone who I bake it for raves about it. I have tried to bake it with out Hershey's cocoa's(using a different brand) but its just not the same, ( Hershey's cocoa isnt availble in Ontario) . I usually stock up on Hershey's when I go to the states. I even won first prize with this cake at my town's Fall Fair. I usually bake it off in a bundt and top it with powdered sugar. If I'm making it for a special occasion, I make the one bowl buttercream icing.

← Good question - I was wondering the same thing, but assumed (and hoped) they were low-sodium, which seems to be typical of authentic San Marzano tomatoes. ← Ok, I made the trek down to the basement to grab a can. This is what the can says Serving size 3 piece( spelled peice) servings per container about 6 calories 20 fat 0 sodium 15mg, so basically a can would have 75mg of sodium. btw, these are not DOP, but I was still happy with them.

I'm pleased to say that I was one of the ten people who bought the book back when it was first published. It has served me in good stead on days when I felt uninspired and too lazy to go to the grocery store. Very useful cookbook! ← I just bought the book too, but I'm sad to tell you I only paid $1.15 for it.

Thanks, the La Valle DOP 35 oz cans from Todarobros are an excellent value. Are their shipping rates reasonable? ← I don't remember the exact amt. of shipping but it was reasonable and they shipped very quickly. ← I have ordered from them as well. I called them and placed the order of the phone and the shipping was cheaper than listed on the website.

I;ve seen those and they are actually from California.

We had chocolate fondue for dessert on New Years Eve.

After reading the discussions, it appears that there are two groups of San Marzano users. (1) I'll buy the real DOP can, hang the cost; it will be better. (2) There are good substitutes worth looking for. I'm in the latter group, since the real thing doesn't come my way, and I'm suspicious of products controlled to keep the price high. A year ago I found a widely available substitute, 'President's Choice Splendido', grown in farms adjacent to San Marzano. This was sold at $1.50 per can, and seemed good to me, better than the North American product. P.C. is part of the the Weston group, and available at Loblaws and other stores. ← I tried those based on your recommendations. I dont really like them as much as SM. I recently bought 2 cases though, because they were marked down to 49 cents a can. I use them for my personal chef clients and they dont mind them. I find them too acidy. I just bought the PC organic line of canned tomatoes and I made a roasted tomato basil soup and it was excellent. Those were on sale for 69 cents a can, regular 1.69

Randi, what about the bagels at Zingerman's? I find those adequate substitutes in between my trips home to NY. ← Sorry Danielle, I wasn't that impressed with Zing's bagels. I really think that if you're raised on good Jewish bagels, nothing else will do. The bagels I bring back from Florida are really good. On Sunday's people line up out the door to get them. While eating a bagel last week, Robin said " I don't understand what the big deal is about these". No, of course she wouldnt because she grew up eating rolls with holes in them.

Here is another thing we're on the same page about. I wrote about this same topic in my blog too. I can't find a decent bagel here, even Montreal bagels dont measure up to NY Bagels. Whenever I go back to Ft. Lauderdale, Fl to visit family( 2x a year). I bring home bagels from my favorite Jewish Deli. I have you beat though, I bring home 2 dozen!! I just ate my last one a couple days ago and now I really want one!! Have you ever tried making them at home? I heard the recipe in Bread Baker's Apprentice was good.

Try my Thai is no longer there. Based on a reccomendation from another thread on egullet, I went there Mid December when I was in Hollywood visiting my family. It was closed and vacated. Another great restaurant in the Hollywood area( Young circle) is Mia's grill. Great Italian food, reasonable prices. I would kill for the recipe for their house dressing. There is also a Mexican place in the circle that's wonderful.

I know this sounds kinda boring, but I'd like to see some tempura!!

"at home we ate macaroni and cottage cheese which we called lochkshen and cheese, lochkshen being yiddish for noodle. its still my favourite dish in the world. " OMG, Noodles and cottage cheese is one of my favorite comfort foods( I add a tbls of sour cream for some creaminess). I'm going to take the liberty of speaking for Danielle because I know she loves it too and I think Dylan really likes it. My mom always put Lochkshen in her matza ball soup. She used the really fine egg noodles. Funny, I never thought about how it was spelled. I just assumed it was spelled Luckshin. LOL

When It was my turn to blog over here on egullet, we planned an outing to an Italian restaurant in London, ON. I called ahead to ask if I they minded if I take pictures and I explained why I was doing it. The manager called me back and said " No, you cant take pictures, because you arent a profesional food stylist and they dont want amatuer pics on the web". Needless to say, we didnt eat there.

*raising hand* I have the book Melt and I love it. Last year when It was my turn for a foodblog on egullet, I featured your prosciutto and fig jam sandwich. It was yummy. I'd love to see some more from the book.

Thanks for blogging, oh and if you want one more sweet thing, feel free to have some of that halvah parfait you had at your wedding( you sent me the recipe last year, I've yet to make it, but I dream about it)

Here is more information about Marzipan Bakery in Jerusalem. You can buy them in the US. I didn't know that. ← Oh wow, I can't believe they have them in Ann Arbor. I know exactly where the store is too. Next time I go there, I'll have to bring back a box. Btw, I've used an electric menorah in the past because of my cats and I loved it. It may not be as pretty, but I think it was just as symbolic.

what is that contraption that is plugged in behind your menorah? Are electric menorah's availble in Isreal? Being a New York Jew( born in NY, raised in Florida) I thorougly enjoyed the look at Isreal. Thanks for blogging.

"I made a herb omlette today. Can you guess what herbs I used? How much do fresh herbs cost where you live? How much do you get in a bunch?" sage, thyme, chives, flat leaf parsely, oregano? Herbs are expensive here. 1.69-2.00CAD for about a handful. Most of my clients and myself grow herbs in the summer. I rarely buy them. If I dont grown it, someone I know will. I have rosemary, thyme and parsely wintering over in our sunroom. So far, so good.

Omg, I totally know what that is. There are a lot of Dutch people in Goderich, ON and my Robin grew up eating these. Since this thread started I would say " have you tried so and so" and she would say, No, but I've had Oliebollen. And I would say " she hasnt made that yet". We're excited to see them!!

Milk in Ontario( maybe all of canada???) comes in plastic bags. There are 3 individual plastic bags in one larger bag( 4L total). You insert one bag into a special milk pitcher and cut a slit in the top. I have Michigan milk in my fridge at the moment or I'd take a picture. Maybe another Canadian will oblidge

Nice cookware chris, great price. I have one piece of sitram that I love. I got: America's test kitchen cookbook Huge Paderno( Canadian Brand) Roasting pan Silicon set( glove, pastry brush, tongs, etc) Deep fryer( tfal, exchanged for the West Bend Pro) As an added xmas gift. I found 4 brand new copper pots at a thrift store for 4 bucks.

I participated in a food exchange thru the foodblogging world and I received a container of Old Bay. Its a really wonderful all purpose seasoning. I love to use it in my tuna salad. It's not sold here, but I was very familar with it as I used it when I lived in California. You can find " seafood seasonings" in the bulk stores and I believe they try to approximate old bay.

I always use a non-stick skillet and mine come out great!!! I do use a fair amount of oil though.

Michelle, I'm curious as to what brought you to Isreal?