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I cut and squeeze the seeds out of random tomatoes - roma, heirloom and "regular" ones in a pan, drizzle with olive oil, grey salt, fresh ground pepper, a toss of sugar, bruised/crushed garlic and a little onion - if I am making this for an Italian dish I add fresh basil...I roast it in my oven until it begins to caramelize slightly. I then puree it with either my stick blender or in my blender and strain.

a dark and exceptional bitter rich ice cream with ancho and/or chipotle chillies, vanilla beans and a light hit of cinnamon - think mayan chocolate but with not so much cinnamon. lightly roasted and salted pecans, walnuts and almonds with milk chocolate ice cream. Espresso ice cream with cocoa nibs, chicory and bittersweet chocolate chunks Or just a rich cream caramel ice cream with salt.

Isn't it grand? We have a lovely eatery in Atlanta that serves seasonal fresh fruit with greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey. Everytime she offered this delight, I was there. I started my quest for it last year and found it at Whole Foods now it is a staple in my fridge. For the most part, I bought yogurt, took a few spoonfuls and added fruit, cottage cheese or granola and the remainder died in the back of the fridge but not this. I take fresh berries, mandarin oranges, nuts, yogurt and a drizzle of honey (normally tupelo) and ta da - it's lunch time. The texture is magnificent and the taste is out of this world.

Honoring one of my favorite utensils with a moment of silence

Or grab a nice sized spoon and eat it.

I really like this method. It sounds perfect and as soon as we are settled in our new home, we will try it. Thanks for posting this.

I ran out during the craze of a few years ago and bought a rice cooker..why? We used to be large rice consumers but have since cut back. It was such a useless tool. It was fun for awhile and the kid got a big kick out of it but there is nothing like a pot of boiling water and a few grains of rice. I never measure...add water, add rice, boil, simmer, lid...eat. Always fluffy, always flavorful. Different types of rice do require more water than some - my browns, etc. My fave rices are: Gen-mai, mochi-mai and vialone. I love rice, I love butter...I love butter and rice.

Lindacakes - I adore Zingerman's! My partner is from A2 and grew up on Zingerman's and introduced me to them when we first started dating...and I still can't get enough.

logicalmind - I tried the same thing. I didn't use the entire root because I am just not a fan. The aroma was awesome and everyone loved it.

We are moving and I am emptying my cupboards and cabinets and here is a sampling of what I found: steel cut oat groats? Why and what for? Soy vinegar Ginger vinegar I also found some saffron - quite a bit - I don't remember where I bought it or why but it nicely sealed. What is the shelf life on this? Any recs for using these products - of course not necessarily together.

I love the responses. I have only used vodka when making my Lemoncello. I don't use the highest quality (e.g. Level, Absolut, Stolies, etc.) but I do use a pretty decent one. Great information and knowledge shared here.

Food freak again...I hate large chunks of onion (Blech) so I always dice mine. I leave the root/stem intact and slice the said onion in half and lay it on its flat side and cut horizontally into the onion from bottom to top or top to bottom (but not through the stem) - it is so convenient that the stem/root holds the onion in place. Then I slice vertically. It is so much easier this way.

I am weird about celery - I love the strong aroma of it - it is clean, strong and refreshing but I hate the taste of it. BLECH. The aroma can just set me off but I just don't like the taste of it.

We stocked up on peanut butter when my partner went on a vegetarian break as well as when she was diagnosed with diabetes. I mean...we stocked up. We are inthe process of moving so we gave my Mother a couple of jars. When I saw this article, I discounted it, as we hadn't purchased peanut butter in months (think at least six). You can only imagine how shocked I was when my 80 year old Mother called me and asked me had I checked I peanut butter. I responded "For what, we've had it forver" she responded "the peanut butter you gave me has the code on it - 2111" My jaw dropped. Regardless of how long you have had your peanut butter, please check it.

have mixed it with a nice butter (usually the one from the farmer's market) and rubbed it on a piece of salmon, planked it, grilled it and poured some vodka on it...ignited it and consumed it. I borrowed the vodka and plank idea from Bobby Flay. I love cumin - a spice my ex-husband turned me on to over 19 years ago. This potlach mix is spicy and fragrant...I was tempted to use it on steak and tuna.

Found this online...hope it helps. I never freeze my cheese...I eat it way to fast. My did when I was younger and it was just never the same for me. Best of success! Freezing Natural Cheese Cheese is a naturally preserved food and stores quite well under refrigeration. Freezing cheese is not usually required, and is not an ideal method of storage. All cheeses can be frozen with varying results, but the best candidates for freezing are firm cheeses like Cheddar and Swiss, and hard cheeses like Parmesan. If you do have to freeze cheese, keep the following facts in mind: Freeze in pieces of one pound or less Over-wrap cheese to be airtight and moisture-proof Freeze quickly and store at 0¼F Label and date the package Thaw cheese in the refrigerator Use within a few days after thawing and another Cheese keeps best in the refrigerator. If necessary, hard or semi-hard cheese can be frozen if cut in 1-1/2- to 1-pound sizes and packaged in moisture-vapor resistant material. This cheese may become crumbly and mealy when frozen, but will retain its flavor. Cream cheese, cottage cheese and ricotta cheese do not freeze well. However, if combined with heavy cream, cream cheese can be frozen for later use in dips or as icing on frozen sandwich loaves. Recommended freezer shelf life: Hard cheese (such as cheddar and Swiss), 6 months Soft cheese (such as Brie), 6 months

Oh no for me. I refuse to eat anything with snake in the name! Eeek - I've got the heebie jeebies right now. How does it taste? I will live vicariously through all of you. I am not very adventurous with my food (I am not Anthony Bourdain) and I am also “strange” when it come to preparations. I wanted to try monkfish and bought a couple of pounds of it and got home and could barely touch it – it was shaped so funny. I’ve got weirdness about me in regard to foods. I guess I should post a food hang up post, hunh?

I just can't get into frozen pizza - Now I love pizza but it is one of those strange things for me, I have to really be feeling it and if I am...then it is on and it must be fresh. Not that they are bad (because I would always have to doctor up the frozen pizzas for the kid) but I just don't have a taste for them. Sometimes my partner actually craves a frozen pizza...what is that about? I've consumed my fair share of this frozen commodity. I remember back in the day "taking out a second mortgage" for Wolfgang Puck's frozen pizza and really loving. We tend to buy Stouffers french bread pizza or Publix has a great thin crust square shape pizza or it maybe Freshcetta that has the spinach one. If partner or kid picks up a frozen pizza I will eat a slice and be gone. They don't "add" or as I say "doctor" their frozen pizza enough for me.

Hey - you don't have to rub it in that I don't have gas. Only kidding - you did not waste the space, I really appreciate the insight. I had a gas range only once - fresh out of college and married with a husband...I couldn't cook one bit back then. I already informed partner that our next home I was a dual range. Thanks again, everyone.

Those greens are quitely love and really set the cauliflower apart - the creamy white and dull green. I never thought about it so I normally toss but I did find this online... snip<<Q:We have beautiful cauliflower growing in our garden. Can we cook and eat the huge leaves on this plant? M.F.V., Spring A: Yes, both the large, outer leaves and any smaller, tender leaves are edible. The ribbed outer leaves are tied over the curd, the spongy head of undeveloped flower buds, to keep it a creamy white. You may want to remove the ribs, or at least chop the large leaves. Cauliflower and broccoli leaves can be used to flavor vegetable stock or used in soup.>> If you do try this (making a stock), please advise.

I'll have to post the pic later...my absolute fave mug is one that I "borrowed" from the FAWC in P-town about five years ago...simple white not too thick, not too thin mug...I go absolutely apes when I can't find them...I "borrowed" two of them. No worries...I left a replacement.

They know me at the coffee bars I frequent...sometimes I take my own cup (be it stainless or thermosy - wow...a new word). I almost always pour my coffee into another container. I don't think it is a taste issue for me but rather a habit issue...I just like the mug experience.

We've been thinking about one of these for awhile...anything that is easy - is for me and this seems quite easy. Bed bath and beyond has them on sale.

I find that the two TJ's I waited with baited breath to open here in Atlanta pale in comparison to the ones in LA (which I too frequented, brought back bags of goodies as well as bartered with my cousin in West hollywood to send me things). I went to the one on Crossville and Roswell Road - perhaps I went too soon...it was not a pleasant trip. Perhaps I will try again....

On a consistent basis - gobs of good butter, a nice all fruit spread (preferably homemade) or cheese - tons of cheese. Whoever said that man cannot live by bread alone...simply did not know me.