IowaDee

I think I would compare it to the taste of black walnuts. Years ago picking the meat from hickory was entertainment in the winter. Ladies sewed and men picked nuts. Whose to say if watching television is much of an improvement? Used to be able to buy small jars, baby food size, of picked nuts for about $15. Haven't seen any for sale in years.

Lots of people use them instead of black walnuts. My MIL used them in her own version of pecan sandies. Of course she had five kids at home she could call on for nut picking duty. I think bashing them with a hammer, the nuts not the five kids, is the only way to go at it. Then just use a nut pick and have plenty of bandages around.

Hickory nuts for sure. Little devils to pry out of their shells but tasty.

Thanks for answering the no salt bread question. What you said makes perfect sense and makes me wonder if the author of the book has ever tasted Tuscan bread herself. I can't remember meeting a bread I didn't like and it shows!

Another bread question for you. I just finished reading Taste what you're missing by Barb Stuckey. In the chapter about salt she mentions that Tuscan bread is made without salt. She calls is pale and bland and lacking in flavor. She offers several theories as to the reason for saltless bread but no real answer. She ponders why Tuscany is the only part of Italy to have this taste killing tradition. I'm curious to hear your take on this! Looking forward to spending a week with you, most Danish food and customs will be new ones for me.

You're leaving us in good hands but you will be missed! Best wishes for your exciting future.

The current issue of CI has the results of a tasting of artisanal cheddar. The top of the lists and highly recommended is Prairie Breeze from the Milton Creamery in Milton, IA. If you haven't tasted it, your'e missing a treat. We are lucky to live just a bit away but the cheese is carried on Igourmet, in most WF stores and lots of other places. Well worth searching out. I love the fact that it is made from milk produced on local Amish farms. The makers are a Mennonite couple and their sons. Give it a try, it is wonderful.

Either way, it sounds fishy to me!

The wood looks a lot like iron wood as well. I have several items carved from that. They are far more heavy than you would expect. I bought the carvings in Mazatlan, Mexico. I too am anxious to see the results from the stunning press.

It is mine as well. Party time...

Several years ago I was at a restaurant in Orlando. The woman in the next booth asked for her eggs to be cooked "rare". First and only time I've heard that. I'm another over easy person.

I guess my only real gripe stems from the pages which are printed in red ink on a black background. Add to that the tiny font and I find it super frustrating to read. The articles themselves rock. I have issue #1 in near mine condition...hum. I do know that these are magazines that I won't be passing along to the local book sale or putting in the library free rack!

Lucky Peach #3 arrived today and I think it is the best one by far. I have already pre-ordered #4! Write on...

Let me add my thanks for this amazing blog and to Mrs. Sheepish, Happy Birthday to Ewe!

Bryson's from Iowa. I think it may be in the state constitution that we are not allowed to be brash or to brag at all. Honestly, if Bill heard that tape, he would be the one laughing loudest and longest. He is a genius in a teddy bear suit.

Bill Bryson is a god in this house. I agree with anything he writes, even if I haven't read it .

Could it be "Fletcherizing?" I think you had to chew each mouthful 100 times or something. Shoving it all into a blender and hitting puree would be the way to go today.

I'm am so enjoying this. I grew up in your neck of the woods. Our first apartment was right across the street from Santa Monica High School. I was too young to appreciate the wonderful foods available to me and too poor to buy them anyway. I love going back and seeing all changes. Culver City and Venice are entirely new worlds and the restaurants are amazing. Off topic a bit, but I seem to remember you mentioning that you were an eBayer in your last blog. Do you still do that? I find it almost too easy to buy cookbooks from there!

Our local Mexican restaurant offers it for those who can't/won't eat salsa with their chips. I don't think they like doing it because of the way they plop the bottle on the table. Almost as though they want to shame the customer by calling attention to the stuff.

Daughter had a friend over to spend the night. I fixed pancakes for breakfast. The guest piled up several pancakes in a bowl after sprinkling sugar on each of them. She than poured milk over them and ate them as if they were cereal. She said that's the way her family has always eaten them.

I pick up a copy of Edible Iowa River Valley every time I find a new issue. Always at least two or three interesting articles. Love learning about local producers that I can use. Discovered the Milton Creamery less than 15 miles from home. They have some world class cheese. It is strictly a family operation that uses milk from local Amish farms. Glad the magazine steered me to it!

I too have enjoyed this so much. Sad to say, it looks as if I won't be buying or tasting conch anytime soon at those prices. If I could get a pound, I'd jump at the chance in the hopes that I would love it. Your week stirred up a lot of happy memories for me. Thank You.

I'm about half way through The Spice Necklace. Now, in addition to tasting conch, I want to make a necklace! When I was a kid, our family went through a rough patch and skindiving friends would bring us abalone. Most of them were from the Santa Monica beach area. At the time, it was "poor food" but I sure would like to afford it today! I'm so enjoying your blog, it makes me homesick, but it is worth it for the enjoyment of seeing my favorite part of the country.

I just finished reading An Embarrassment of Mangoes in which the author talks about cooking conch. From her description it sounds a lot like abalone. She mentions needing to beat it with a mallet. Is conch similar in taste to abalone?

Why not airline food in honor of Kare's parents and their former professions?