baroness

IIRC, 'bread machine' yeast includes additives such as ascorbic acid. Rapid rise yeast should work okay.

1/2 cup = 4 ounces = 1/4 pint. Do you find the 2-piece lids truly airtight?

Bread is very inexpensive to make; please provide more info on what you want to serve.

There are cloth bags that roll up and snap so they are very compact when not in use; I have a number of these. Here's an example! No advertising or logos and MUCH stronger than plastic I use the few plastic bags I get that do NOT have holes or tears for trash; most are returned for recycling.

I agree. Steaming would add moisture; you could try soaking the polenta in one or two of the recipe's eggs for 30 minutes or so.

David Lebovitz' Fig & Olive Tapenade

SOME bread machines, such as the Zo, do make sponges/biga/poolish/etc.

I see no pitfalls in your plan; you will need to start checking for done-ness earlier.

Here is a fairly sturdy caramel icing; it's particularly good with salted nuts on top: Penuche/Caramel/Praline Icing 1/3 cup butter 1 cup brown sugar (packed firmly) 1/4 cup cream or milk, plus more to thin if needed 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla about 2 cups powdered sugar chopped pecans or other nuts (optional; salted ones are good here) Mix butter, brown sugar, and milk in saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Cool until your hand can be held on the pan's bottom comfortably (can speed this up with cold water or ice). Sift in the powdered sugar gradually and beat in with the vanilla. If too thick to spread well, thin with milk or cream. Top with nuts if desired. Makes a generous cup of icing.

All Purpose Flour (King Arthur in this house)

I designed and coordinated a 600-plus recipe cookbook for my church. This company Morris Press was a pleasure to work with; contributors could enter their recipes online and we opted for the padded 3-ring binder. The cookbooks look great and everyone loves them. However, the minimum order is 100 books and someone would have to receive and then ship/mail out the books.

Richard, I've had my Bodum for years; here is the closest current model: Similar Bodum. I used the remaining 6 grams or so to about 24 ounces of water, 5 minute steep.

I brewed the remaining Da Hong Pao today "Western" style. As I suspected, I found this tea much more enjoyable brewed this way, with a mixture of plum, wine, and toasted notes.

I find most bread recipes (whether written for a breadmaker or not) work in the machine. King Arthur Flour has many, many good recipes; here is one to get you started: sandwich bread recipe! As long as you monitor the consistency of the dough ball, other than KA flour should work.

Long ago, I toasted the bite-size shredded wheat biscuits in butter with good curry powder and probably some other ingredients I don't recall. There were no flavored/frosted varieties at that time (thank goodness!), only plain wheat. The result was rather 'Triscuit"-y.

I've been very happy with my various Cuisinart, Showtime (rotisserie), and Kitchen Aid refurbs. KA owners: the KA outlet sometimes has refurb mixer bowls for an excellent price!

The fiber content of napkins is key; natural fibers like cotton and linen are absorbent and will come clean with sufficient effort. "Modern" synthetic napkins are horrid at blotting and tend to hold onto oily stains, IMO.

I'm with Anna on the issue of quite messy foods; as a guest I would feel guilty using cloth napkins for finger food.

I brewed the remaining Shui Jin Gui yesterday in a Bodum (press style) teapot with just-under-boiling water. Dry leaves have a sour/unripe fruit fragrance with a hint of unsweetened chocolate, changing to a mix of fruit and spice aroma notes, changing to ripe fruit while brewing for 5 minutes. The first cup was clean and fairly neutral flavor, medium weight with a fruity aftertaste. Subsequent cups (due to the press design which virtually stops steeping) were a bit heavier feeling and a toasty note began to emerge. The last bit some mineral flavor and was slightly astringent.

I brewed the remaining Ban Tian Yao in a Bodum (press style) teapot with just-under-boiling water. Dry leaves have a sour grape/plum fragrance, changing to a mix of fruit and toasted aroma notes while brewing for 5 minutes. The first cup was clean, light, but well-rounded with green fruit notes and a whisper of floral. Subsequent cups (due to the press design which virtually stops steeping) were a bit heavier feeling but very similar to the initial one. Verdict - A pleasant tea, but perhaps a bit lightweight for snowy winter weather!

And finally, 4 grams Da Hong Pao to 100ml (just less than 'Volume of the brain of a Tyrannosaurus Rex') just-under-boiling water: Dry leaves have a fragrance of green (unripe/sour) plums, changing to a mineral aroma when wet. 0:30 steeping - rich amber color; plum and wine notes 1:30 - color similar to first; a slight toasty aroma and taste 2:30 - As the leaves continue to open, there's a more vegetal aroma. Surprisingly, the tea seems to be past its peak of flavor and is now more neutral. 3:30 - Fading rapidly; quite weak 4:45 - Almost no flavor noticeable at this point Steepings 1 and 2 were my favorites. I suspect that this tea will be more to my taste brewed 'western' style. I was unhappily surprised that the aroma and taste went from a very promising, 'heartier than the others' start, to too weak so rapidly.

As a STRONG believer in not buying so cheap that the item is difficult to use or will need replacement, I would substitute a SwingAway can opener, and most definitely a Microplane for a 'garbage' grater. And what about a colander or other strainer?

I used 4 grams Shui Jin Gui to 100ml (just less than 'Volume of the brain of a Tyrannosaurus Rex') just-under-boiling water: Dry leaves have a maddeningly elusive fragrance, somewhat like red wine or perhaps dry wood; a bit more fragrant and wine-like than the Ban Tian Yao. 0:30 steeping - light amber color; clean, light, fairly neutral taste with a dry finish 1:30 - color a bit darker than first; a slight fruit note (green apple or pear); a slight astringent after-effect 2:30 - As the leaves continue to open, the tea is more rounded and full-bodied, with the hint of green fruit more predominant. 3:30 - Still rounded; very similar to previous steeping 4:45 - Starting to fade a bit, but more robust than the BTY at this stage. Steepings 3 and 4 were my favorites. I did not detect any toasty notes in this tea, but otherwise it was quite similar to the BTY. Again, I intend to brew the remainder 'western' style to see how it compares to other oolongs I regularly consume.

I used 4 grams Ban Tian Yao to 100ml (just less than 'Volume of the brain of a Tyrannosaurus Rex') just-under-boiling water: Dry leaves have a maddeningly elusive fragrance, somewhat like red wine or perhaps dry wood, changing to a mineral aroma when wet. 0:30 steeping - medium amber color; clean, light, fairly neutral taste with a whisper of grain 1:30 - color similar to first; a slight fruit note (green apple or pear) 2:30 - As the leaves continue to open, there's a more vegetal aroma. The tea seems more rounded and full-bodied, with the hint of green fruit remaining. 3:30 - Still rounded and velvety; a slight toasted grain note 4:45 - Starting to fade, overall; still a toasty note. Steepings 3 and 4 were my favorites. I intend to brew the remainder 'western' style to see how it compares to other oolongs I regularly consume.

This may be another job for canned air (with the slender extension tube).