Peter the eater

There is or was a cooking show from the people at Oster that claimed the use of small cooking appliances was more energy efficient than firing up the big 220V oven. This of course is a way of showcasing their line of products. I suppose there's some sense to this but I doubtg a dozen or so small dedicated appliances is an environmentally sensible way to go.

Thanks Randi for yet another entertaining week. That shot of happy hungry dogs is hysterical, and don't forget about the boob cake. If you're ever out this way I'll make you another lobster roll!

I'd like to see that wonderful farm market, lots of cheese, Bucky Badger ice cream and some Frank Lloyd Wright.

Enjoy the dip -- you deserve it!

Agreed. Could be Cape Cod . . . the deciduous tree colours are changing.

Any idea what the white ground turkey package means by "natural flavoring added"? I like a sloppy joe where the bun is eclipsed by the slop.

Tim, I'm afraid to ask my butcher for a spider steak, but I could try one of those synonyms.

What a fun topic, thank-you ladies. We used to have a Hungarian restaurant here in Halifax. I loved that goulash with fatty chicken chunks and potatoes and that samoooohkey paprika. I can remember thinking how many peppers there are out there, and how different they can be in a powdery form.

I'm catching up on another great Calipoutine eG Foodblog. Thanks for sharing! I very much like the look of those fish tacos. Nobody makes them out my way which is damn shame. Only time I've had one was in New Hampshire and the vendor said he was trying to emulate the Tacos de pescado from a beachside restaurant in LA somewhere. What I remember most is the crunchy corn shell with grilled Mahi-mahi inside with lots of sriracha mayo. Does that sound traditional?

I can get my small electric oven to maintain 60C +/-2C and I'm thinking of cooking beef at this temperature. Has anyone tried "sv" without the bags and water?

I'm mostly a home cook and I love the concept of sous vide (which really needs a different name). I use a big stock pot on an electric stove with a decent thermometer which allows me to cook stuff +/- a degree or two Celcius. I use vacbags, ziplocks and old milk bags. The best part is no more "well done" anything. And I don't need a panini press because all you really need is a pan and a weight.

That onion soup sounds perfect. I don't think any dish is ever truly repeatable, if you know what I mean. Even McDonald's french fries are like snowflakes.

I don't know why it's not more popular where I live. I'll take hanger ($8/lb) over flank ($10/lb) any day. It's not cheap for a cut that needs some TLC. I guess there's just not that much diaphragm in any given cow.

I finally found some hanger at the Seaport Market on the weekend, grass-fed grass-finished dry-aged organic. After reading this topic I went with 50C for 2 hrs sv. I was not disappointed! One half got a dry rub but it didn't really make much difference. Both were crisped up in an iron pan with butter - an important step.

Iceberg lettuce comes to mind, completely tastless and very crunchy. Perfect for a sandwich or burger. It's the opposite of wild greens.

Martin, as far as I know the sea plantain is ubiquitous in the sandy spots beyond high tide all over Atlantic Canada. Your 'shroom are gorgeous. My local Mycological Society has it's big foraging event this weekend in Debert and, sadly, I'm not with them. Fortunately, a friend has a porcupine for me.

On the weekend we went foraging along the beaches and dunes near Lawrencetown, NS with the local Naturalists Club (NOT the Naturist Club, VERY different group). The first two images are beach pea (Lathyrus japonicus). It's too late for the pods but the leaves are mildly tasty. The next two are sea plantain aka goose tongue (Plantago maritima). Nothing like the giant banana. They've gone to seed but the grassy leaves are quite juicy and herb-like. Number five is a type of lovage. It sucked. The last one is wild rose (Rosa virginiana) which is good for rose hip tea. We also gathered up some samphire aka sea asparagus and some bay berry for tea, sadly no photos. <edited because Windows 7 spellcheck has abandoned me>

I would enjoy that job. Great looking sandwiches, whose the tiny lady?

Great job Scott, loved following along. The left coast looks even yummier than I remember.

Gorgeous. Very gorgeous. I never put foie in the blender, now maybe I will.

Seas beans are those dark green succulent twigs? Looks like samphire - juicy and salty? Nobody sells them around here but they're real easy to forage.

I store apples like the onions and potatoes -- hanging in a cool dark spot with ventilation. So far so good.

Nova Scotia, McIntosh apples.

On a hot summer day a few weeks ago in my hotel's lobby I found the complimentary ice water bar. Each jug had a some kind of fruit inside -- lemon, lime, strawberry, watermelon and cucumber. All were fruity and refreshing.

Whoops, missed this one. It seems to me to be a tomatillo, vinegar and chili sauce. The flavor was awesome and I am a fan of textures that that. It was similar to a long simmered tendon in a great bowl of Pho... I missed it too. I went back and saw the meat with lemon, radish, pickle and herbs fully expecting a brittle taco shell made from pig skin, I suppose because of your chicken chips earlier. I'm getting an idea for that sack of pigs ears in my freezer . . .