BarbaraY

I have never heard of Gibberellin. Interesting because I have grapes, Thompson Seedless, that are naturally seedless. They must be propagated by cuttings.

I have had "The Book of Miso" for many years and it's falling apart. Lots of suggestions for both Japanese and Western food. I have cod marinating in miso for my dinner. I sometimes spread it on Salmon just before it finishes broiling. Delicious!

I think the pastry things may be the mutton dumplings. Just took another look and think I'm weong. They look more like a sweet of some kind.

Hi! I'm here too. Just haven't felt very well but I'm reading even if I'm not posting. I hope your new restaurant holds up. I saw that there is a new Indian restaurant being opened soon in our little town. I hope they make it and if it fails it will be because the local idea of exotica is Chinese and Mexican food. Your puppies eating ice cream reminds me of the time we ordered three cones at a drive through. The girl behind the window cracked up when she saw that the third cone was for the dog.

I guess we haven't been making yakisoba lately but this was what I made for my lunch today. It turned out very well and I have enough left for another lunch.

As a person of advanced age on a limited income I can certainly understand why this situation happens. Most places now days put way more food in a serving than we can eat and some things just don't reheat well. Just because we're on a limited menu shouldn't preclude us from having a decent meal on occasion. Having spent my whole adult life in the food service industry there are things that I think are reasonable. There should be a reasonable fee for split plates and a fee for extra bread. Had one group that split entree and then used three baskets of bread to fill up. Worst I ever saw was a couple that came in for breakfast regularly. They ordered one cup of coffee which he drank and then she drank the refill. Now that's chintzy.

My daughter recently went to a place in Oakland that served what they called Oregon roll. It was filled with smoked salmon, cream cheese, and avocado.????? She liked it. I can't comment because I have never had sushi with cream cheese.

This may not be Maryland and I have never been there but I love crabcakes. I don't want a bunch of weird stuff in them, a lot of crab, a little onion, a few cracker crumbs (not bread), and a bit of mayo. No red, green, or chile pepper, no strong herbs, and God help us no flour! Worst crabcakes I ever had were in what is one of the better restaurants around here and I swear the chef stuck them together with flour. Worse than the ones at Long John's and thopse are pretty bad. I want to taste crab which is easily overwhelmed by other flavors.

That's very interesting and makes things much simpler. I go from book to book trying to figure it all out. I have fifteen Japanese cookbooks and some are very good (Japanese Cooking, a Simple Art) and some not so good nor very authentic. I'm more interested in doing the kind of cooking that is done in the home rather than trying to duplicate restaurant foods.

There's nothing new about chickens getting milk. I remember my grandmother feeding the chickens the buttermilk left from churning because there was more than we needed. The chickens tasted really good but then they lived on the ground in a chicken coop!

We prefer Jasmine to basmati rice. I use it almost all the time except when making Japanese dishes. Then it's Botan, medium grain because that's all I can get. I bought a bag labeled sushi rice and it was expensive and horrid and didn't make nice sushi at all.

You took the words right out of my keyboard. Want to make compost? Keep it damp. I do the paper towel wrap inside the plastic bag if there's any doubt.

There is a carniceria in a town about 30 miles from here which we stop at whenever we go that way. The pork is to die for. The butcher told us that the owner selects the meat himself. No cryovac stuff from Sysco here. Yes, and they have the deli with lovely tamales.

Joanne Weir on PBS drives me out of the room. I know it's for beginners but the way she talks to her guests makes them seem like total morons.

Obviously, you never met my mother. Cakes I am precise with, cookies a little looser, biscuits, just toss it in.

I really understand the "I'd be afraid to cook for you" attitude because I've met it many times. I always told these people that everyone who cooks has something they do very well and I would appreciate it. As to cooking for "chefs", I've had many a wait person turn in an order and tell me that the guest told them that they were a chef. I always replied that they would get what everyone else got because I did the best I could for everyone. I always figured they probably worked at Denny's. When I dine, I never tell a staff member that I have been in the business. As to anyone who came this week, it would probably be Santa Maria style Tri-tip. That's what we gave our last guests and they loved it. A big group would get pulled pork or Texas brisket.

There will soon be no plastic grocery bags anywhere. They have been banned in Santa Cruz, too. Just have to start reminding ourselves to bring our bags back when we shop.

Mmmmm! Takoyaki! I hade my first taste of it at a street fair in San Francisco two years ago. I want more. May have to get a cooker of my own since it's a long trip for me.

Not to gloat but I have a bottle of Inner Beauty in my fridge. Probably the only reason is that my daughter can't eat anything spicy anymore and I can't bring myself to consume it in front of her. My first taste was, "WOW!"

I don't know if it's available in VA but the Mexican Crema that is in the dairy case near the cheese would work well. It's thick and rich but not as thick and tangy as sour cream.

I never cook tongue because I would have to eat the whole thing myself. None of my children, who are all grown, will even taste it. Where did I go wrong? I especially like it cooked in the Mexican style with a chili sauce. When I was a child skinning the tongue was one of my favorite things to do in the kitchen

Thank you for a lovely blog. I have enjoyed it very much. As you probably know, I am very interested in Japanese home cooking as opposed to American restaurant food. I must try your recipe for furikake if I can find the mackrel. Niku jaga is one of my favorite home-style dishes as is curry rice. My best wishes for your wife's quick recovery.

A pea salad has already been mentioned but a pea salad with green onion and celery and an Oriental type dressing of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, etc. is very good.

You are not alone. I feel exactly the same way. Imagine peanut butter and jelly panini!

On the local news this morning, there was a report that suggested that this may be caused by a fungus. Time may tell.