FauxPas

Unico does sell diced tomatoes without salt but they still add calcium chloride which adds a weird rubbery texture in my opinion. I almost always buy whole tomatoes but rarely Unico as I think most of theirs have calcium chloride. There are a few different brands I buy but they are almost always whole peeled tomatoes with no calcium chloride and not too much added salt (if any).

Unico does have a "San Marzano Type" product. Have you tried it? I see it in some of the stores here, but I prefer the Costco version, partly because Unico adds a lot more salt. http://www.unico.ca/products.php?id=18&catid=16

Are you looking for canned tomatoes? I often buy from Costco - 6 cans for about $15 or so, I think. Here's the link but it shows the online ordering price and buying in store is less. https://www.costco.ca/la-san-marzano-whole-peeled-tomatoes%2c-6-×-796-ml.product.100417662.html Edited to add: I don't think 6 cans is a lot of tomatoes because I use them frequently but you may feel differently. 🙂 I like to make tomato soup with them, for example.

@Anna N, here's to many more cookbooks and many more birthdays! 🙂

Love these photos. But this one in particular makes me think of "like kids in a candy shop." 🙂

More details on the bike tour. A tad pricey, approx $1,000 per night. (I'm assuming that is US dollars) https://www.travelandleisure.com/sardinia-italy-culinary-bike-tour-tourissimo-7106528

Looks like Gabrielle is hosting a culinary cycling tour of Sardinia later this month. And it looks like some renos are still ongoing at the former Prune restaurant. One of the comments suggests that Covid funding was received and must be spent on approved expenses or returned. But does that mean Prune will re-open? Nothing I could see gave a good answer to that. (Also, I am not sure how up-to-date this reno info really is, it looks like the same thing that was reported a year earlier. 😞 )

I now have a huge frozen custard craving. 😄

@Alex, @gfron1 - that all looks and sounds so fascinating and tasty. 😋 I really like the recipe for the watermelon bread. Were you able to sample some of that, @Alex? Did you have a favourite dish?

Happy Birthday to John! Did he enjoy the cake? How many layers?

I freeze peppers all the time - whole or chopped. You can dry or dehydrate also, of course. I really liked my last pickled jalapeno. My brine was white vinegar (may have added a tiny bit of cider vinegar), pickling salt and a tiny bit of sugar. I put fresh sliced garlic and jalepenos in a jar and poured the brine over. Pretty simple. Refrigerated, but they didn't last long. I liked the garlic and bit of sugar, but whatever suits your taste buds. I have a Sandia Seeds recipe that is on my short list for this year. Hot sauce isn't hard to make, but here is a modified version of their easy hot sauce. I can't find the original online, I did change it a bit. @liuzhou, you have lots of nice hot sauces available to you already but I'll type this out, just in case you have any interest. 500 ml filtered water (basically chlorine free, etc) 300 grams jalapenos (or other peppers or a mix) 1 small white onion (or whites of green onions) 3 cloves of garlic, diced 1 teaspoon of salt 250 ml white vinegar (5%) acidity (or other vinegars?) Heat water, peppers, onion garlic and salt on in a sauce pan. Bring to boil, simmer 15-20 mins. Allow to cool. Blend this mixture along with vinegar. Add salt to taste. Pour into clean jar and refrigerate for up to approx 1 month.

Happy (Belated) Anniversary! Zynoda looks particularly interesting. Too bad about the potatoes! 😞

Aw, you two are such a cute couple! 🙂

I'm another southpaw and didn't know there were universal ladles! I really need one of those. Then again, my husband would probably still graciously let me do anything that involved ladling, as well. 🙂 So I should maybe just go shop for a southpaw one. The only one I have is for northpaws. However, I already have canning funnels and I agree, they are pretty awesome. 😄

Trader Joe's has a banana recipe contest. Valid entries must use at least one banana-based TJ's product. How many banana products does TJ's have? 🙂 Top 3 winners get $100 or $200 TJ's gift cards. https://www.traderjoes.com/home/discover/stories/banana-recipe-contest

The Amerind Museum used to do some fun and varied cooking courses. I did one of their annual tamale classes, recounted in this thread.

I love the promise of Spring. Also love the promise of a newly started garden. Hope you have a great season. 🙂

Let us know if you notice anything that improves the germination rate. I don't know what I'm going to do with mine. I have some hot pepper seeds and some sweet ones.

I'm not very knowledgeable at all but Sandia Seeds sells a lot of pepper seeds and seems to have some good tips. I have some pepper seeds I was going to try and start and I should do it pronto if I'm going to do it at all. Sandia says to use a seedling mix rather than potting soil and make sure they are kept warm for germination. Consistent watering but well-draining soil mix. https://www.sandiaseed.com/blogs/news/pepper-seed-germination You could try the paper towel method also.

Yes! I just let them bake a bit longer and they did dry out somewhat. They were very tasty! Some fresh kale (or spinach or chard) would have added something but I just made a small side salad and it was a fine meal.

I have to say that my effort definitely looks a lot soupier than David Lebovitz's take on this. And I don't think he made many changes from Deb's recipe. Maybe the fresh kale makes the difference? https://www.davidlebovitz.com/giant-bean-gratin-cheese-pizza-recipe-smitten-kitchen/

Funny, I am just making these right now, they are in the oven. Unfortunately, I don't know if I had the right kind of beans (using Rancho Gordo Cassoulet because I really have to use them up) and although I had some kale that I froze last summer/Fall, it looked so woody when I thawed it, I decided not to use it. Deb's recipe says crushed tomatoes and I only had whole canned ones so I decided to use my immersion blender to "crush" them, but I think they may have ended up a bit too watery. I certainly didn't need to add any extra liquid. I hope the soupiness of the bean mix doesn't make the whole thing a waste of time. Mind you, my husband loves any kind of baked beans so beans with tomato and cheese will appeal. He'd probably prefer that I completely omitted the carrots and celery, ha. 🙂

We've always been advised to refrigerate new potatoes like the Warba variety that we get in the Spring. They are truly a new potato and don't have a proper skin when harvested and they aren't cured at all. But in warmer places like AZ and Mexico, I kept most new potatoes in the fridge. I don't think I'd do that with russets though.

I don't think they are making it anymore. But a couple of sites discuss substitutes or copycat recipes: https://www.hungrybrowser.com/phaedrus/m1015M12.htm https://thebrilliantkitchen.com/white-wine-worcestershire-sauce-recipe/

Yes, this. Everything I could say. But Maggie the Cat was sleek and flexible, just like real cats. This lady was gracious. Fun. Entertaining.