GTO

I'm a sucker for canned rice pudding. However, on a visit home a few weeks ago, I tried low fat rice pudding. I knew it would be bad but I tried it anyway - Yes, it was bad. The reason is simple... It's rice pudding - Rice pudding is made with cream. How do you make a low fat alternative to something who's principal ingredient (aside from rice), is cream!?

I took this a few weeks ago, of some mixed nuts from a visiting European market. I used it as a desktop background for a while.

Hmmm, haven't tried that yet - Thanks. I'll have to stockpile quite a bit, lol.

If not buying fresh, I always save the liquid (oil/brine/vinegar) that olives come in and use it to thin out sauces, since it has all of that awesome olive flavour.

Apricots was what I actually opened the thread with - Full circle! So, how about apricots that have been steeped in Sherry

I love sugar when it's mixed with almonds and made into Marzipan

With you maybe having cheese at some point, for dessert, how about a chocolate & Perri mousse or Semifreddo type affair?

Lol, I know. It makes no sense. You think "Hmmm..JD & Coke...So JW Black & Dr Pepper!" Nnnnoooooo!

I've always had a thing for rum & coke. So once, in a momentary lapse of sanity I thought "Hey! Rum & Dr Pepper!" Jesus wept, what the hell did I create? It was fucking horrible.

With a good and strong... Brandy sauce

How have we missed these little gems!? Membrillo loves... Raisins (I love big juicy Flame raisins)

My crazy theory was right. Which goes off quickest, it's either macadamias or pecans isn't it?

I'm working purely by the method of "crazy thinking" and have no scientific grounds to base my reply on BUT - I'd have thought that toasting nuts would shorten their shelf life, since in their raw state, their oils are intact and when you toast/roast them, they begin to break down...

I borrowed a copy of "The practical encyclopedia of Asian cooking" today, it's full of information on everything from meats and fish to fruit, vegetables and spices. So I'm going to stick with the salad theme and say radishes with... Lychees

Aubergine

In the same vein as fruit cake, I was looking through the ingredients on a Sainsbury's Christmas pudding and I was surprised to see "mustard" listed as one of the spices used. I've never seen that added before, have you?

Yeast is used in beer but since I'm not a fan of beer, I'll say Guinness (Stout)

Su-Yin at Journal of a girl who loves to cook made Hushpuppies recently, they looked kinda fun and one of the ingredients was... Buttermilk

I just got my first bunch of lemongrass ever today and I can't wait to try it out tonight. Am I right in thinking that if crushed and extremely finely chopped, it can be stir fried along with other aromats such as ginger? Also, I'm definately going to try it as a drink, Dora S. Here it is anyway, in all it's glory, photographed on my shirt, lol.

Hey, I just noticed, this thread has officially become a "hot topic"! Thai sweet chili sauce is great used as a glaze for Carrots

Roast quail with... Baby turnips

You needed to follow on from Onions really, apronstrings but potato chips are good too. They're making me think "dip" and... Sour cream

My flatmates always throw their apple cores in the bin and I know a lot of people disagree - As do I. I love the core of apples/pears, espcially the seeds which I tell my flatmates they will love if they try them, since they taste just ike marzipan!

Chicken soup with shitake mushrooms and Beansprouts.

I've had a real craving for honey recently. I may have to get some to mix with... Yoghurt (Or yogurt)