heidih

@blue_dolphin Where did you source the agave buds

I will confess to being quite fond of the spinach-feta wraps. Whole wheat wrap with egg white, spinach, and feta. Heated to crisp up edges and melt cheese. With 2 packets of their sriracha I;m good to go for hours and happy.

Born and raised in Southern California and we sure as heck never referred to TacoBell as Tex Mex. It started, as what at the time, was standard at local taco places (like this standard http://titostacos.com/ ) and over time has embraced soft tacos and other items including the crazy stuff. Kind of like what are referred to as American Chinese standards - Americanized renditions, often of Cantonese roots. I haven't eaten there is maybe 25 years, but I do see the ads.

Not food related dislike; think the worst bits about Beverly Hills you've ever seen on reality TV! I also did a number of projects there that I was proud of but are part of a painful past..... Culver City is the site of Vespertine - the restaurant gfron reviwed recently. I still have nightmares about working with that architect 26 years later.

Long ago I vowed never to set foot in West Los Angeles, Century City, or Culver City ever again. I may just have to eat my words... http://www.laweekly.com/restaurants/mario-batalis-eataly-la-now-open-at-westfield-century-city-8816577

Jacksoup- I got a reprint of Housekeeping in Old Virginia from a cookbook club I joined as a young teen. I love it. Made the taffy once - oh my what an adventure! I got all the cousins out on the back lawn (after mom banished us from the kitchen) and we pulled and pulled and pulled. After all that hard work we of course had to declare it the best candy ever. Luckily no fillings were lost in the aftermath.

Mine is packed away somewhere in the garage but it is a cheap plastic one. Probably from the market or the dollar stype store. Shouldn't scratch your enamel.

Along the lines of using some crushedd amaretti cookies - Amaretto containing the apricot kernel oil

I'm currently leisurely reading Honey from a Weed for the umpeenth time. Thank you for the heads up.

I always include a pumpkin bread on my holidzy sweets gift plates. It uses oil and is super moist and keeps well. I go way over on the spices so it turns outs like a moist spice bread with pumpkin backgound.

Here is just one example of a local opertion. http://futurefoodsfarms.com/Future_Foods_Farms/Welcome.html

Love that mustard (and the jar). I get it at the local German market.

I am linking fifi's 2005 blog on foraging because I find it inspirational. It might be new to some of you. Please note fifi passed away in 2007

Darienne - I think its kind of like Peeps - more visual than taste appeal. There are Halloween Peeps now too....

i'm seeing hard boiled eggs in posted salads like it is a constant. Curious if it is regional? I've only ever lived in Los Angeles so maybe we are different?

I roasted the surprisingly large seeds from the delicata squash I did yesterday. Just a 20 minute soak in super salty water, dried off and roasted till well done.

I said it way up thread but will repeat. If you are not making your own I love Trader Joe's Organiic. Not because it is organic, but for taste and strong eggy note- not just a filller item.

If you want a serious reality check about food and farming I suggest this article on seed technology as a weapon https://newrepublic.com/article/122441/corn-wars

I've mostly seen those pre-cuts of big hard squashes online in images from Europe. i have seen it locally in big Latin American focused markets.

I forgot to mention a recipe I've wanted to try since I read a version in a Marlena de Blasi book. Here is a link to Ruth Reichl's version. Rich creamy baked in the pumpkin thing http://ruthreichl.com/2016/10/how-to-stuff-a-pumpkin.html/

I abhor the fake pumpkin spice smell - think I saw something on the internet the other day about a place being evacuated for noxious odor - yup! An office I visited frequently last year had one pugged in - smelled like bad curry all day... But winter squashes are on my favorite list. Kabocha (Japanese pumpkin), aside from being beautiful, is a nice dry flavorful beast. I put it into microwave without even poking for a few minutes. After resting it is easy to clean out seeds and roast or otherwise use. I like it in a soup with coconut milk and Thai flavors. As a singleton I am partial to the personal size Delicata squash - halved lenghwise, cleaned, sliced to half moons , tossed with olive oil, miso, and hot pepper paste - roasted = heaven - I eat the whole sheet pan as a meal.

not sure if I have shouted it out before but their Dijon mustard is excellent and inexpensive. Also very fond of their staple froazen artichocke heats and frozen pesticide free spinach and store brand corn tortillas

The squeeze bottle must be regional. Around here I often see wait staff at diners refilling the glass bottles and that initial air gap plop on a full one is common.

Great stuff - thank you! One of our local treasures is Bernard Ibarra - of Basque origin, classically trained, and very very passionate about ingredients. http://tastewiththeeyes.com/2014/03/meet-terranea-resorts-executive-chef-bernard-ibarra/ He started a sea salt process at Terranea. I am sure he would be receptive if you reached out to him about the salt

Ya needd to read this book: The SECRET GARDEN: Talking Beetles & Signalling Trees: Hidden Ways that Gardens Communicate