FauxPas

I've probably seen posts where you use them, but if so I have forgotten. 🙂 Just wondering how you like to use your beet greens - cooked, raw in salads or maybe both? Do you have fave recipes or anything? I'm not sure I make the best use of mine - I use the younger ones in salads and some of the older ones in soups maybe, but I'm not very creative with them.

Isn't yum cha the common term in Hong Kong? https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20190227-the-yum-cha-rules-you-need-to-know

Corn and tomatoes, two of my very favourite things! Is that Nirvana corn? Do you grow more than one variety?

Any other southpaws here? 🙂 From Facebook, Left Hander's Club

For @Shelby, from Facebook Happy Gardens group

Don't you get any of the new-potato varieties there before then, @Smithy? We are an in-between climate season here (I think) but we get the new Warba potatoes in late May or so. And others later in the summer. What type of potatoes do you grow @Shelby?

I laughed a lot over this! 🙂

My tiny little garden is doing ok. Getting a good handful of cherry tomatoes most days and the larger ones are getting there. Picked a few hot peppers and a surprising number of sweet peppers. Snap peas have slowed right down, partly due to some hot weather but the beans should be producing later this month maybe? I planted the beans late because the soil was wet and cold for much of June. I also have a few cantaloupe, watermelon and winter squash plants - they were also planted late because the original ones were planted too soon and succumbed to wind and cold. it's mostly a deck and container garden, so it's more for fun than quantity but we do enjoy whatever we get to eat!

I like Smitten Kitchen's Tomato and Gigante Bean Bake aka Pizza Beans. 🙂 She used RG Royal Corona beans also. https://smittenkitchen.com/2017/09/pizza-beans-cookbook-preview/

From the bits of information I saw, it certainly sounded like it was just the one neighbour. But sounds like he's been able to make things pretty awkward for the restaurant owner. Too bad, the restaurant does sound like it's well supported otherwise. It looks like such an interesting place to eat.

That might be pricey for them. I looked them up just for interest and found this on their Facebook page: Sal's Place We’ll be opening in Provincetown towards the end of June, unfortunately we basically get fined every day we’re open due to the ongoing nine years of litigation with our neighbour, so we’re doing the best we can to be open and limit our financial exposure. Some background: https://provincetownindependent.org/news/2022/11/02/owner-of-sals-fined-for-contempt/

It was often quite cool this Spring here on Vancouver Island so some things are delayed. Snap peas have been enjoying that weather though and there are still quite a few there for picking. They have become rather expensive to buy at the farm markets so I am happy to grow some from seed. My husband isn't a big fan though he's ok if I add them to salads or stir fries. That leaves more for me to munch but I love them so much, I should have started more. I only have a tiny area for gardening though - a few raised beds and some pots. I started hot peppers and tomatoes from seed also. My hot pepper plants have flowers but not much fruit yet. I have quite a few green tomatoes but have only been able to pick a few riper ones so far. I'm glad I started mostly cherry tomatoes - Red Robin (determinate and suitable for containers) and Sweet Million. Also some Mountain Magic which are larger but not full-sized. But then I have these crazy sweet mini pepper plants that my husband bought at the nursery and they are covered with ripe fruit! You can only see the red ones in this photo but there are also orange and yellow ones. Fun and nice to add to salads. I started a few winter squash and melons but some didn't make it through a big storm and the cold weather so .... compost. Sniff. I might still try to get some going this weekend.

I think it was this one? Was it really that bad?

No, you are correct! But Trader Joe's (proper) helped to shut them down. Not entirely sure why, since it was basically homage to TJ's. They bought products from TJ stores in the US and brought them legally across the border and sold them for a bit of a mark-up. People in Vancouver didn't mind paying a bit more because they wanted the products, but I guess TJ's wanted to maintain control over anyone selling their products. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/david-vs-goliath-pirate-joe-s-shuts-down-following-legal-battle-with-trader-joe-s-1.4152270#:~:text=Pirate Joe's%2C the Vancouver-based,described as a "David vs.

I can't believe your daughter is off to college! Wasn't it only yesterday that she was just a little girl? 🙂 I really miss Trader Joe's but it's highly unlikely they'd ever come to Canada - bilingual + metric packaging are just the start of it.

Interesting that you mentioned this. Last night I happened to be watching some older episodes of MasterChef Australia and one of the contestants had to feature wasabi. Billie made a beef tartare that utilized the wasabi plant in several ways and the judges all loved her wasabi leaf tempura! Here's the video from the episode (though unfortunately via Facebook, so some may not be able to view): https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1185637652291859 But here's her recipe! https://10play.com.au/masterchef/recipes/wasabi-beef-tartare/r220531rsqwx

@Shel_B, it's a bit hard to see in the photo. Are those magnetic shelves on the side of your fridge? Or are they attached via something else? Either way, it seems to create a decent storage area.

I love those Morton & Bassett ones with the names written on the lid! I wish all spices had that additional labeling. But why are some of their lids varying colours? Is there a plan to that? 🙂

Here's a place on the West Coast that grows and sells it fresh as well as the freeze-dried powder, but it's pricey. https://wasabia.com/ If you look, you will probably be able to find other sources but some of them are of questionable authenticity, I suspect.

But it's always nice to visit in person, isn't it? Aside from shipping charges, it's nice to meet the people who are involved in the product, you almost always learn something extra that way! I'd probably sign up but still visit from time to time! 🙂

@rotuts, I think I'd sign up for their Rare Apple Club and get first dibs at some of the small batch stuff! https://www.stormalong.com/cider-club "From orchard to press to tank to can and then to your doorstep. Twice a year, we ship a variety of small batch ciders that include limited releases, special collaborations and limited amounts of our vintage ciders to our club members. Showcasing rare, heirloom apple varieties, some that have been around since the country was founded, these ciders are released first — and sometimes exclusively — to club members."

Let us know. I am also missing the auto shut-off feature of my previous openers, but I don't know if I want to buy a replacement yet or not.

I've never tried this with ground meat but I have read it recommended before. I understand that the baking soda increases the pH of the meat, making it less acidic and that locks in water and keeps it moister and more tender and allowing it brown better. But soy sauce is somewhat acidic, so you might be reducing the benefit of the baking soda by adding the soy sauce. But I think the reason for adding water to the baking soda before adding to the meat is just to make it easier to spread around evenly. You only need a bit of baking soda and if you add powder directly, it's probably harder to distribute it evenly throughout the ground meat. So, I'm not sure I have a clear answer to this, except I do think it's best to add the soy sauce later, after the meat has had a chance to brown, so that it doesn't fight the pH changes of the baking soda. Maybe? But adding 15 ml (1 Tbsp) of water shouldn't create a problem. After all, the baking soda will help the meat retain its moisture so that's the goal really, if I understand it correctly.

Same issue for me. My previous ones all had auto shutoff and my current one doesn't. And I really have to press hard to stop it. Definitely a bit annoying.