FauxPas

Kerry's recipe sounds perfect for what you want, as well as the other suggestions! I was just going to say that there are lots of lemon and orange loaf recipes and they tend to freeze very well so you can double recipes and so forth. You can bake some cookies and take a loaf out of the freezer if you want to offer variety for one meeting. You can add things like cranberries or dried fruit. I like mini-muffins because regular muffins are just too big at times. And muffins don't have to be sweet, they can be savory. Ham & cheese, corn or cornbread muffins with peppers (not necessarily hot peppers!), sun-dried tomatoes, etc. I used to make peanut butter and banana muffins - I think I started with a version of a peanut butter muffin and substituted banana for some of the oil. I'm not really giving anything special here, I'm afraid. (I was going to mention scones as well.)

It's a claim from their website - that there are only two single malt distilleries. But you are right, I can see that. Not sure why they made that statement. I'm not at all knowledgeable about this stuff, but I thought buying my husband a bottle from a local distiller would be kind of cool and hope that it is decent quality.

I'm waiting for Shelter Point Distillery to start production of their Single Malt Whisky on Vancouver Island - they say they are one of only two in Canada. They grow their own barley on site and it sounds very interesting but I'm not knowledgeable enough to guess what kind of product they will produce. Any thoughts from others? They may release some this year and I will buy some for my husband to taste if available. (We live very near here for half the year.) . http://www.shelterpointdistillery.com/

Arizona - native Indian Fry Bread, from the AZ Navajo http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frybread Sonoran Hot Dog! Mmmmm http://www.sunset.com/food-wine/fast-fresh/new-essentials-sonoran-hot-dog-00400000038780/ Prickly pear and saguaro cacti - prickly pear pad (nopalitas) and prickly pear juice/nectar are used quite a bit Mesquite flour, cholla cactus buds, tepary beans are used by native Indians http://www.arizonaguide.com/experience-and-share/featured-article/a-sense-of-taste-arizonas-food-culture

I wonder about that also. With regular commercial pectin, you have to use a lot of sugar so that is why some people started to avoid it. But low-sugar pectins are available. Maybe some people feel it's 'cheating' to achieve the right flavour and set by relying on a commercial product? I don't completely avoid the commercial stuff, I just don't use it unless I feel I need it. If I were going to make a port jelly or something, I absolutely would use regular pectin. I used to use it more when making larger batches and wanting to make sure that everything turned out right. Some fruits/recipes don't need extra pectin, of course. Mostly I do small batches these days - far too small to bother opening a package of pectin. I don't mind a softer set in some cases and I use enough sugar so that I don't have to cook the fruit too long. The commercial pectins are made from apple and citrus but the commercial production methods may be a turn-off to some people. But I've rarely run across people who actually know what that process entails. From: http://en.silvateam.com/Products-Services/Food-Ingredients/Pectin/What-pectin

Or you could brine them before cooking to keep them moister. Here's one version: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/brined_pork_chops_with_gremolata/

Here is an example of an easy jam/spread. I bought 6 Ataulfo mangoes from Costco and I knew I wouldn't eat them all before they were over-ripe, so I took 2 of them and made this today. It's just a couple of mangoes chopped, with a bit of lemon juice and a couple of tablespoons of sugar and simmered for about 15 mins or so. After the first few minutes, I mash them with a potato masher. It won't be a firm jam, but it will be spreadable and the fruit flavour will still be clear. It's enough to last us a few mornings on toast.

Fruit butters are traditionally made with very little sugar and you can use honey instead if you just want to avoid processed sugar. Or you can make them without any added sweeteners. Of course, if you want the fresh fruit flavour and bright colour of a good jam, butters aren't the best substitute. Here's an example recipe for Strawberry-Apple Butter: http://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2012/12/stop-buying-jelly-and-make-your-own-fruit-butter-instead-recipe-included/

You can exclude the sugar and pectin, but the result will be more of a fruit spread rather than a jam. And you'll have to cook it longer to thicken it. Here's an example that uses a bit of arrowroot powder to help with the thickening: http://livinghealthywithchocolate.com/desserts/truly-sugar-free-strawberry-jam-2806/ Sugar is a preservative, so if you make low or no-sugar spreads, you'll probably need to keep them in the fridge. I make small batches of fairly low-sugar jams. My fave is a mixed berry jam and I use about 1/2 cup sugar for 3-4 cups of berries, plus a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice. ETA: I don't use any pectin in this jam, I use a wide, fairly shallow pan to cook the jam which helps with evaporation. If you want a non-commercial pectin, you've probably already discovered that you can make your own from apples or just add high-pectin fruit.

I'm with janeer, I absolutely adore Lesley Stowe's Raincoast Crisps! If you're unfamiliar with them, here's a link: http://www.lesleystowe.com/#/the-crisps/ I made a version of these once with a friend and they were delicious. A lot of ingredients and quite a bit of work, though. And now I can't find the recipe we used, but I see there are others online.

I'd enjoy reading more, if you are willing to post more! Your experiences are your experiences and lots of people are interested in sharing them. And so great to see so many photos.

You could also consider making your own preserves from good-quality dried apricots until fresh ones are available. Here is a LA Times article on Finding the Best Dried Fruit and it has links to a couple of California growers that dry their apricots and sell online: http://articles.latimes.com/2011/oct/28/food/la-fo-marketwatch-20111028

Paul, you are not alone! Here is one link to a video by Chef Seamus Mullen, who suggests cutting away the sides and leaving the centre (which is where almost all of the seeds are). It's not a bad method if you have lots of lemons and don't want to waste too much time. http://lifehacker.com/chop-lemons-into-five-pieces-for-easy-juicing-1533998925 Here's another way of doing the same thing: https://www.stellaculinary.com/podcasts/video/cks-14-how-seed-cut-lemon-wedges

I made this version of whole roasted cauliflower recently and we really enjoyed it: http://www.purewow.com/entry_detail/recipe/8821/Forget-florets--roast-the-whole-damn-cauliflower.htm The yogurt and spices make a tasty coating.

That's one of but three companies I found that seem to produce or sell a quality product. I frequent a local spice company that carries Nielsen-Massey - though I haven't tried the powder myself, they say it is very good and it sells quickly.Though I know that's not a lot for you to go on, I thought I would provide the details anyway. Here is link: http://www.nielsenmassey.com/consumer/products-pure-vanilla-powder.php

It's funny you say this - I'm not sure where you live, but I get the sense that you have some decent food choices. I'm surprised you've never found a good one. I've had some awful roti chicken but also had some fabulous ones - and it varies all over the place. One thing I don't like is the tendency in the US to brine chicken (or add that godawful saline solution or whatever it is). A good quality bird doesn't HAVE to be brined. And I have to say that I think that the mushy texture that results is not always moist meat, it is just mushy!!! In Canada or Mexico I think I can find a decent chicken more easily, it's a bit harder here in the US. But maybe some of that is personal taste. I still remember some fabulous chicken in the Caribbean, though other places had awful stuff. And when you find something good here in the US, it usually is really good.

No, I must confess that I haven't. I know what it is, though. I should try it. I tend to be more of a chunky sauce person. More veggies etc. Oh Shelby, you should give it a try at least once. I like chunky sauces also, but I still adore that Marcella Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter. And huiray's pic looks like he left a little bit of chunkiness to the tomatoes perhaps? That's what I do - use whole canned tomatoes and then I don't always break them up as much as Hazan instructs. Sometimes I throw one or two fresh or frozen ones in as well (peeled). And sometimes I add meatballs. (In fact, I have some leftovers of this in the fridge right now!) She does have a slightly similar recipe where small amounts of onion, celery and carrot are chopped fine but still cooked in butter for 45 mins with the tomatoes. She used a food mill for the tomatoes, but I might leave them a bit chunkier. This is also a recipe where she normally would add heavy whipping cream at the end, but again, I think I've tried it both ways and still enjoyed it. Is it the slow cooking and the combination of the tomatoes and butter that makes this sauce so good?

Here's a cute post by someone who shares this pet peeve: http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html And illiterate means unable to read or write. Not unable speak or pronounce. Most people in the world are illiterate. It doesn't mean they can't speak their own languages or create cultural artefacts. I especially like the way you worked that last word in there with the usual British spelling - I'm pretty sure you know that most Americans would spell it artifacts. (I'm Canadian and though we follow British spelling on many words, I do believe that most Canadians would also spell it artifacts.)

Honestly, I don't remember ever seeing warnings about freezing tomatoes and I've been canning/freezing for at least 20 years (though I am certainly no expert!). But of course I remember lots of warnings about having to acidify any low-acid food before canning. If you freeze tomatoes, you still have to cook them if you want a sauce or salsa. If you can tomatoes, you can make the sauce or salsa in advance or have your tomatoes already cooked, salted, seasoned, etc. Also properly canned tomatoes do not have to take up room in your fridge/freezer.

Here are some expert university sites that say it is fine: https://food.unl.edu/preservation/freezing-tomatoes http://extension.missouri.edu/p/gh1503 http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/tomato.html http://web.extension.illinois.edu/state/newsdetail.cfm?NewsID=15026 http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8116.pdf All these sites state that it is fine to freeze raw tomatoes. You should wash them first, as you should with any produce, and you can hull them. Then you can put them in the freezer for months. If you like, you can blanch them before freezing and remove the skins. However, it is acceptable to freeze them with the skin. When you wish to use them, simply rinse under fairly hot water and the skins will peel off easily. (This is what I do.) The only time botulism is discussed is when tomatoes are canned - they must have acid added to them to make them safe for canning and long-term storage.

Aw, now I feel like creating some kind of costume out of a sheaf of wheat and a Jay's head and stopping by central Kansas next October 31. Also, I think your table looks lovely! - sometimes people overdo it with the linens and decor. (I've been guilty.) My husband and I were going to have steak and crab and whatnot, but it was a hot day here in Tucson and we hung out on the patio cooking burgers and sipping on Mexican beer. I had some patties in the freezer I'd formed from ground sirloin and it was a very pleasant evening, watching the sun set and enjoying the cooler evening air.

Not really sure what you are looking for, because it sounds like you might want to really simplify - maybe just one fruit? Would you be serving with greens or any other additions? There's a nice little article on fruit salads at BuzzFeed, especially the little formula for dressing - citrus juice + fresh herb + honey or syrup. It might be modified though to something like - something acidic + something herbal and/or spicy + something sweet (and possibly oil, if serving with greens) + nuts/cheese (optional). http://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelysanders/ideas-for-how-to-make-amazing-fruit-salads The acidic can be citrus juice or a balsamic or other flavoured vinegar or wine. I like strawberries marinated with red wine and sugar, and I've seen suggestions for dressing it up with a bit of vanilla bean, star anise, black pepper or orange peel. I have a White Balsamic Raspberry Blush Vinegar that I've used with fruit. Some of the suggestions play with the usual type of food variations - play with colour (same or different), play with texture (hard/soft), play with taste (sharp/creamy.) Pomegranate seeds with pear on greens, dressed with a pomegranate vinaigrette and some walnuts and cheese and black pepper. I liked the idea of using cucumber or radishes or tomato or avocado or even carrots in some fruit salads. I love jicama with mixed citrus supremes. The dressing can use spices like cardamon or chile powder or cumin. Mint or basil. Grilled pineapple or peaches, mmmm!

Your kitchen does indeed look nice and well-planned. I also like the outlets along the island edge. And the cats. I love cats. I hope yours work their way into a few more pics! You had frozen pipes? Hope that was resolved OK.

Gotcha. I also know how many times I have come home from a market and two weeks later said, 'Damn, I wish I had picked up some of those X, Y or Z items' that are never around otherwise. Heh. Still thinking about that Sorel by JFB. Sounds good. And looks beautiful.

It's just going to be the two of us for dinner tomorrow and it's a simple menu at home, as we are just getting over a nasty bug - so, filet mignon and crab legs, some kind of salad (probably butter lettuce, pears, blue cheese, pecans and pomegranate seeds with a pom juice vinaigrette just because that is comfort food to me). We're in Arizona this year and we really hope to at least have cocktail and salad outside. It should be about 70F. We want to sit outside, drink some bubbly and watch the constellations move by! But we'd really like to catch a flight to alanz's for New Year's Day. Wowza! And Alex, that Grove menu looks pretty tempting. How will you possibly have room for more food after that? Shelby, I vote for something with artichoke for a side. Hot artichoke and potato salad?