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I agree. I completely forgot about garlic shoots because I don't find them in the stores too often. One of my favourite ways of eating them is sauteed with rice sticks and shredded chicken -- very simple but comforting.

Aside from baby bok choy and pea shoots, gai lan or chinese broccoli is a favourite. I like it with oyster sauce and lots of garlic.

I didn't like watermelon when I was younger and only became a fan after trying watermelon and feta. If no feta is at hand, salt does just fine. I salt almost everything.

I prefer a slightly sweet, soft, fluffy dough, just enough sauce (not too sweet) to moisten the meat and steamed. I don't like char siu bao as much as Filipino siopao. Same idea but different fillings. My favourite has minced pork or chicken, strips of ham, shiitake mushrooms, scallions and the yolk of a salted egg. The best I've ever had are from New Town Bakery in Vancouver's Chinatown. Friends from the US always request a box or two whenever I go home to Vancouver.

Panko-crusted pork chop with chipotle-glazed apples Simple salad of baby greens Fresh pineapple with salt for dessert

Very funny article! I was laughing out loud while I was reading. It reminded me so much of college. I had three roommates, but I only shared groceries with one of them. The two of us never had problems. However, one of the other roommates liked to experiment. Her most memorable meal was also a chicken stew with bananas -- no ketchup but I'm quite sure she used almost a whole bottle of rice wine vinegar. The apartment smelled absolutely terrible.

Roasted asparagus, artichokes and grape tomatoes tossed with some potato gnocchi and flavoured with garlic and lemon zest. A tangerine for dessert.

92 cookbooks for me.

Pierre Herme has at least a couple of recipes that use Rice Krispies. But then Rice Krispies are quite neutral and can be added to almost anything to add crunchiness.

Aren't you all getting sick of asparagus yet? It used to be my favourite veggie, but it hasn't been appealing lately. I've made it every way listed above and all delicious, but now I think I need an asparagus hiatus. I have one bunch going slimey in one of the fridge drawers.

I don't think this is really a regional difference, but I've had what's been labeled "chow mein" as fried crispy noodles with a light brown sauce as well as soft, thin noodles with the same light brown sauce. Will the real chow mein please "stand" up?

You may also see if you like Richard Sax's Classic Home Desserts. Lots of recipes and the ones I've tried have been good. There aren't the fancy knock-your-socks-off type of desserts as you would find in Pierre Herme books, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

I second the Baking with Julia recommendation. It has a great variety of recipes and none of them have ever failed for me. Baker's Dozen Cookbook is also good, but I still prefer BWJ.

Cravings induced by the Chinese sausage thread lead to my dinner of, what else but Chinese sausages and rice. I also stirfried some cabbage with dried shrimp. Dessert was a couple of clementines and homemade rugelach.

Yes, that sounds right. They're quite common in Vancouver's Chinatown. I think almost every butcher has them; however, I've never had them in any restaurant.

That was a staple in my college days. It's still comfort food for me. What are the fatter and longer sausages (look similar to salami) called? My mom buys them sliced from a Cantonese butcher and they're usually hanging beside the bbq duck and other bbq meats. They're a little less sweet that the short, thin ones and I tend to just eat them on their own.

Clean out the fridge night still (I'm pretty much down to nuts and bananas in the freezer, yay!!!): Chorizo and Potatoes with Spinach and Soft-Boiled Egg Sharon persimmon Two clementines Two mini York Peppermint Patties

I suppose they're daifuku. The cute little containers always just say assorted mochi. If I get a chance this weekend, I think I'll try making some savory ones at home. I have lots of glutinous rice at home, so I was thinking of starting from scratch. Or is that too labour intensive and I should just buy some mochi-ko?

Porcini-crusted lamb chops Gnocchi w/ sauteed shiitake mushrooms and baby spinach Dessert: Raspberry Mazurkas and a cup of Darjeeling tea

Among my airplane treats whenever I fly out of Vancouver is a box of sweet mochi. I've had the black sesame and that's close to my favourite. It reminds me of peanut butter but not too sweet. My favourite is probably the green tea. I sometimes have cravings for the marsmallowy strawberry ones, but I can only eat one of those at a time while the others are more addictive.

I think being in a high end, professional kitchen for the first time might be a bit intimidating and having the cameras and lights in there with you would make it even worse. Also, they had to produce the dishes as quickly as the professionals. I thought the two kids did fine under the circumstances although the guy was annoyingly cocky. I do have a question about the show: people freeze, defrost then use fresh mozarella? I can't even bring myself to freeze hard cheese.

Not exactly a recipe and I'm almost embarrassed to post something so simple. Frozen lychees are great! Stick them whole and unpeeled in a freezer bag and eat one whenever you like. Sorbet at its simplest.

I had six delicious chocolates (flavours included burnt orange caramel, salt caramel and ginger fig honey caramel) handmade by someone over at Fine Cooking's Cook's Talk. Then, I made chicken stock and a couple of loaves of bread (white bread from Baking with Julia but used 50% white whole wheat flour). I had the bread for lunch and breakfast today and I'll use some of the stock for tonight's dinner.

I never noticed that she doesn't list salt. However, I did cook a yummy Butternut Squash and Chicken Stirfry based on the Pumpkin and Chicken Stirfry in Off the Shelf and there was no salt. The recipe has fish sauce and salt isn't necessary. Maybe Donna Hay just doesn't bother to specify "season to taste" in her recipes? I like the Donna Hay books for those days when I have little desire to cook or need something fast. Her recipes are comfort food for me and my fridge and pantry have always been stocked with many of the ingredients she uses.

I've used it for a Green Tea Mousse Roll. Matcha was in both the genoise and the mousse. I think the recipe was in The Cake Bible. It was a simple-looking cake and came together in about an hour, but it was one of the best tasting cakes I've ever made. The green tea cut the sweetness and the cake was wonderfully light.