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goldie

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Everything posted by goldie

  1. Andiesenji- I am so sorry for your garden. What a bunch of jerks! It has been so cold here in New England that I have held off as late as I can remember for my planting. But, today was the day. I put in the following: Roma tomatoes, early girl tomaotes, supersweet 100's tomatoes, something called mr stripey tomatoes, peas (they probably won't do well), zucchini, red peppers, kale, romaine, arugala, strawberries (too late but my three year old had to have them) and pickling and salad cucumbers. Last year I had more variety but cruciferous vegetables don't seem to like my yard. For the first time I used that black fabric type material to avoid too much weeding. We'll see how it does. My herb garden is seperate and I did (or already have because they are periennials) lemon balm, spearmint, peppermint, chives, sorrel, dill, parsley, rosemary, lemon thyme, thyme, bay, oregano, anise hyssop, and a ton and a half of basil (Thai and genovese). The best past about gardening is that I do it with the whole family. We all go to the farm together and pick out the plants and they help (as much as they are able at 10, 7 and 3) plant and pick. I can't wait until I can trust them to weed! They love going to the garden and pulling stuff off to munch with their friends- tomatoes, balckberries, even lettuce- they just help themselves. Almost worse than rabbits!
  2. I did my kitchem remodel a few years ago and have been really happy with the choices we made. Some of my favorite features are: My undercabinet lighting- halogen, nice and bright with good color My hot water tap (right on the sink)- makes boiling water for pasta so much faster My sink- undermount and elbow deep, never have problems lifting heavy pots out but I also regularly slug around forty wiggly pounds of boy My microwave mounted undercounter with a deep drawer beneath "Steps" for my spices Electrical outlets every twelve inches or so An Imperial range with two huge ovens- I can cook two turkeys and a primerib at the same time. Don't forget the importance of good ventillation- I used commerical fans and lights over the stove. I love my granite countertops and they are easy to keep clean. I did tiles on my backsplash and over my stove and solved the dirty grout problem by using black grout with my deep red and bronze tiles- they can be nasty dirty and still appear clean. I wish you the best. I had so much fun planning my kitchen, almost as much fun as using it when it was finished.
  3. I've had so much fun reading this thread! My (now) husband and I went to UMASS and loved to dine out (we saved our pennies for good meals!). When we were in school we became very close friends with a couple in NOHO who taught us so much about great food. We still get out there to see them a couple of times a year and always eat way too much and extremely well. I think the VERY best Chinese food in the Valley (and among the best I've ever had) is from Amherst Chinese. They grow their own vegetables, everything is seasonal and incredibly fresh. We throw our three kids in the car under the auspicies of going to the Eric Carle museum and drive for over two hours just to go to AmChi for chicken with fiddleheads in the spring and their vegetable raviolis anytime. The owner is lovely, recognizes us and our kids and still tallies the bill on a abacus. I have always liked Spoleto's, but I think that is because it was the first nice restaurant where we we're treated as regulars (other than Delano's pub in Amherst). Yes, the prices are a bit high for a college student, but the food has always been intriguing and the waitstaff professional. THe Black Sheep deli makes my all time favorite sandwich- a Black Sheep Baguette with fresh mozzarella, sundried tomotoes and pesto. Now, this was a novelty the many years ago we were in school and while now not a "modern" sandwich by any means, it is very well executed. I lived on DP Dough after last call. Still my benchmark for all calzones. Bruno's (I'm pretty sure that is the name- I was usually half in the bag when ordering -made really good steak and cheese subs. As others have mentioned, Atkins Farm, the Asian market on Route 9, and Table and Vine are great.
  4. When my brother-in-law was undergoing chemo I brought him a lot of food. Some of his favorites were: Homemade chicken and rice soup- easy to get and keep down Lentil soup Fresh cold pea soup Mushroom and barley soup- again filling but easy to get down Potato soup- sometimes with cheddar cheese Bean soups On days he was feeling a bit better he enjoyed: Meatloaf- turkey or beef Vats of mashed potatoes Roasted chicken, pork, or turkey reheat well Veal or eggplant parm Salads with flank steak, carmelized onions, and bleu cheese Pasta with cheese sauces (ie. alfredo or mac and cheese) Bean Burritos One thing to keep in mind is calories be damned- pick items loaded with calories. I used full fat cream cheesse, real butter, heavy cream. You can beef up milkshakes by adding powdered whole milk- works best with malted milkshakes. High calorie breads for nausea-fighting toast is good, too. My brother-in-law loved cheese so we would bring over the richest triple cream cheeses. If he likes pate that would be a good option. For snacks in his room I'd provide full fat yogurt (Stoneyfield Farm is yummy), nuts, dried fruit, and potato chips (they can help with the nausea). Also, provide lots of caloric drinks- smoothies and the like. I wish you both the best.
  5. goldie

    Minerally Whites

    1er Cru is usually referred to as "Premier" cru ← Ah- that makes much more sense now. Thanks!
  6. I've had the Bleu Cheese Bistro chips and they were just fair. I seem to remember a funky smell but then again they are bleu cheese! I wonder what would happen if you took regular thick cut chips and sprinkled with bleu cheese that you had patted dry or even let sit out for a bit. Then put them in a moderate oven for a few minutes...hmm sounds like I might need to hit the store this afternoon.
  7. goldie

    Minerally Whites

    Thank you all so much. The links were very helpful and now a I have a whole list of wines to try- many of which I'm not familiar with. What does "1er cru" mean and does one say "one-er cru" or "first cru" or something different all together? It's intimidating enough to try to remember how different wines are pronounced never mind the terms. I was looking at some of the links and they mentioned the sugar percentages- I'm assuming I want to find the lowest possible, but what would that range be?
  8. goldie

    Minerally Whites

    Thanks to you all. I'm writing down the notes and bringing them with me to the wine merchant. Hopefully I'll be able to find a few examples of these wonderful suggestions. I'll be sure to share any notes.
  9. goldie

    Minerally Whites

    I know relatively little about wine and very little about white wines. Certainly, I've had plenty to drink , just not many whites I've cared for. However, the whites I do like seem to be very minerally and not remotely sweet. For example, I've enjoyed Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa and Mulderbosch (excuse the poor spelling attempt) Sauvignon Blanc. I've had some pino grigios in Italy that I've enjoyed (but I've not liked any I've purchased here- sweet yuckiness). I also enjoy the French style, but I have no idea what to ask for or even look for in the store as far a regions or grapes go. I've been drinking vihno verde this spring, but I think I want something with a bit more umph and I don't love the bubbles with food. I don't care for oaky chardonnay or sweet wines (unless they are for dessert). With that history in mind, could someone out there help me find some whites to enjoy this summer? I really need some suggestions for what to tell the wine merchants when I shop or the sommelier. Grapes? Regions? Styles? Give me what you've got or send me to links with the info. The salesperson I always went to just left and she had similar tastes to mine so I'm a bit at a loss. It is important to me that the wines I select are food friendly as well. Cost isn't a huge factor- we drink a range of price points; however, I'm more inclined to spend the big bucks on a red I know I'll love rather than I white I'm not sure about. Thanks for your ideas and suggestions.
  10. I HATE raw celery. People tell me that it doesn't taste like anything or that it's important for "crunch" but I just loathe it. I will add a small amount (as in a stalk) to soups, but that's it for me. I think papaya smells like my son's sneakers and I want to like it- so pretty and so many uses- but the odor kills me. I would never eat a raisin by choice. I might gag down a few golden raisins in a bread pudding, but that's it. Fried chicken livers make me want to gag. The smell alone puts me over the edge. I think supermarket white bread is gross. My whole family loves it and I buy it for them, but I think it tastes like marshmallows (which, come to think of it, I don't care for either). I agree with the above poster that pancakes and syrup are yucky. For me, though, it is the syrup. The only time I like syrup is when it is countered by heat (as in cayenne) or sour (maple combined with balsmic vinegar and mustard is great). Interestingly, my two sons with terrific palates (they eat an incredible array of tastes ant textures) both dislike celery intensly and don't care for raisins. Now, my son who could live on pasta with butter and frozen chicken fingers likes celery and raisins.
  11. A few memories: Picking blueberries up in the upper pennisula of Michigan with my grandmother and always eating more than hit the bucket. Summers with my southern grandmother and eating her wonderful cooking and getting to read her cookbooks. My mother would freak every year because I'd gain like ten pounds every time. The food was just so much better than my mother's cooking. I started cooking most of our meals when I was in middle school. My mom hates to cook and I love it so she was more than happy to give me free reign in the kitchen. I think that was about the time I got my first subscription to Gourmet. The cookbooks were in the kitchen, so I spent many meals reading about food.
  12. Did you notice that the man's hand on 147? It looks like he has a dirty thumb nail! My cover photo looks out of focus. Quite frankly, I'm also not interested in seeing models eating the food either. I'd rather have better photos of the food or said illustrations.
  13. I grow lemon verbena in Massachusetts. I treat it like an annual. After one mild winter it did return, but that only happened once. Wait until the night time temps are above forty- five and plant it in good soil with moderate light. I also underwater it because the flavors become more pronounced. In addition to all the other recipes mentioned, I have had good results with a lemon verbena pesto (essentially substitute lemon verbena for basil) which worked well with grilled chicken. A nice dip for aspragus ond red peppers is lemon verbena, creme fraiche, salt and pepper. Sometimes I'll toss a few leaves in a fruit salad. I've added some into a green salad, but I was the only one who liked it. I've never seen it in my markets, but that's not surprising.
  14. If I had to say just one food it would be a perfect avocado. But, even better is a sandwich with avocado, still warm from the garden tomato, salt and pepper on toasted sourdough. OMG!
  15. I think trends are useful because they cause you to think of food creativly. That said, there are a few things I'm tired of: "Baby Vegetables" that don't taste good. So often they have the worst characteristics of that vegetable. I had baby patty pans the other day that were like eating pebbles and as bitter as could be; Lavender in foods (violets and roses are trendy now too- I do like them in their traditional roles, however). It was interesting a year or two ago but now people are abusing it- lavender infused pork anyone? Cocktails that taste like Lifesavers; Darkly colored glasswear- the waitstaff can't see if your glass is empty. An interesting question would be which trends deserve to stay. My votes are for organic/ locally grown, the huge variety of greens we are being served now, and the starches that are appearing more frequently (quinoa, barley, and other "ancient" grains which seem to be replacing potatoes and rice.
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