FauxPas

Your kitchen looks lovely from what I can see from the tasty food pics - spacious, clean lines, bright. Looks like you have lots of drawers? Will we see more pics of the kitchen space overall? I think you have a Miele cooktop, is it induction by any chance? Did you design your kitchen? It looks like you are busy with work, also - I am impressed with your organization and energy! I'm always amazed when the Food Bloggers are able to write during a busy work-week, I'm not sure my time-management skills would be up to that.

I'm a SouthPaw and I have always hated standard can openers, whether hand-held or electric. I received a One-Touch opener a couple of years ago and I love it. We gave one to my husband's parents, who are in their 80's and they absolutely loved it. They mentioned that several things are more awkward in the kitchen for them as they age, and I am wondering if anyone knows of any items that might make their cooking experience a bit easier. It makes me think of the studies that car engineers/designers did with women, finding that improvements that made women happier also made men happier. In other words - an engineering design improvement can benefit everyone!

Wow, this paragraph caught my attention. Will be very interested to see how much you can cover in a week, because it sounds like you have a lot to offer! I'm especially interested in fresh cheese and homemade bread, but would love to know how you use your CSA produce. I LOVE the Food Blogs!!!!

I like making alcoholic popsicles for the summertime. An easy one is pomegranate juice + vodka (I've used vodka with lime or orange flavour or just add a splash of lime or tangerine juice). Here's a pic: Or a tequila sunrise (sunset?) popsicle. I pureed strawberries and added tequila and froze that in the bottom of a mold. Once firm, I added the top layer which was pureed mango, lime juice and more tequila. This must be the worst pic I have ever taken, but I probably had too many pops that night! I played with proportions to find out just how much alcohol I could add and still have a firm popsicle, but can't remember what worked best. I do know I add more than what is usually suggested! Gourmet Magazine had some fun recipes a few years back. Some are here: http://www.gourmet.com/search/query?query=popsicles&queryType=nonparsed&sort=score+desc&section=recipes&sisterSite=gourmet.com&search-recipes-submit.x=0&search-recipes-submit.y=0 I keep meaning to try the Grapefruit Campari ones. The Blue Martini is pretty cool. I think they also had a classic margarita one, but my search didn't find it. At any rate, you could use lime juice, sugar water, tequila and orange liqueur. (Or use a honeydew melon base.) Pina Coladas would work well, many other possibilities also. What types do other people make?

I'll jump in with my understanding of the terms. A jelly is made from juice only, should be clear/translucent and contain sufficient pectin to hold its shape. A jam is a softer texture and contains fruit pulp and/or seeds. A fruit butter is spreadable and made by cooking down fruit pulp until smooth, with varying amounts of sugar and spices. Are chutneys just considered a preserve? That's how I would classify them. Same with whole fruit preserved for storage. Conserves and confits seem to be used more in terms of fruit suspended in a sugary mix, or do other people define them this way? Oops, confit can also refer to meats, can't it?

LindaK, here's the basic description: http://housekeeping.about.com/od/surfacefloors/g/Steam-Mop-Definition.htm

What brand of steam mop do you use? I've seen such mixed reviews on them, not sure if I should get one or not. Some say they leave too much water on the floor.

Shelby, I wonder if you couldn't grow a few nasturtium plants at your place? They are usually really easy to grow from seed. Mind you, they can be aphid magnets when I grow them in coastal BC, and they tend to reseed so if you don't want them anymore, you have to work a bit to remove them. But the flowers are so expensive in the markets, and they really are tasty and so colourful. They also make a lovely vinegar - you don't need many flowers - just immerse them in white wine/champagne/cider/rice vinegar. They only take a few weeks and you get a beautiful colored vinegar with a peppery taste that goes well with salads, etc. SobaAddict70, your food looks so beautiful, your meals simple and complicated at the same time. You make them look so appealing. How big is your kitchen - what are the dimensions? Waiting to see what you will do with the strawberries!

I am SO craving a sliced apple with cheese right now. Those apples are so beautifully photographed. And I don't think they are ripening in my part of the world (kinda Pacific Northwest), so would make a clumsy guess that it's southern hemi?

Also wondering what you think about Wisconsin cheese vs Oregon cheese? I still remember the first time I drove through Tillamook, OR. Heh. I emailed a pic of a single cow to a friend, told her to multiply it by 10,000 or so and she would have the sense of Tillamook. Yes, much of it is is kinda mass-produced but wondering if you find any specialty stuff or smaller local producers? I really like small-batch jams, I have an all-purpose recipe which is probably pretty basic, but that discussion is probably better suited to another thread. Actually, it's probably already been said on some other thread - I'm not sure that my approach is that original!

So did your Dad enjoy the meal? Was his roasted corn in the pics? When I asked about gardening, I forgot that you have a few young children and you are baking as a business and taking courses, so you probably just don't have time for anything else right now! You mentioned your home is close to neighbours - is that why the kitchen window is so high? I would want a lower window I could see directly out, but if the neighbouring house is very close, better to just see the sky! You mentioned U-Pick farms for berries and making jams - I am on Vancouver Island for most of this summer and the El Nino system seems to be delaying the warm weather and I am sure the berries here will be later than normal. Are you seeing similar delays in OR? You mentioned your use of liqueurs in baking, do you also use them in your jam-making? And do you incorporate fresh fruit or home-made jams or preserves in your baking? Forgive me if I am asking too many questions or getting off-topic!!!

I also think it would be fun to read about visits to a cocktail spot or two! I'm curious about the spice storage that you have on the inside of your pantry door - was that shelving put in by the builder or by you? Can you tell us anything more about it - who sells it, cost, ease of installation? Do you do any veggie gardening? Any fruit trees in your yard? Looking forward to a visit to the winemakers! (I think you mentioned one might be in store?). Looking forward to the rest of your blog!

It looks like a nice space! Can a couple of people work there comfortably? What's in the back corner behind the fridge?

I love pomegranate seeds in salads. I like to make a baby spinach salad with sliced pears, walnuts and pom seeds on top, maybe some feta or a soft goat cheese or blue cheese crumbled on top. I make a vinaigrette with juice from some of the seeds and mixed with olive oil, lemon juice, honey and pepper. I also like a warm potato salad with baby potatoes and lightly cooked green beans, mixed with halved cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, diced onion and a touch of oil and balsamic vinegar.

I agree with others who recommend Trader Joe's for their frozen fish. I live about half of the year on the West Coast of Canada (lots of fresh seafood) but am currently in the Arizona desert for about 6 months. Trader Joe's and Costco are the two main places I go to here for good quality seafood. Both have good to excellent quality Alaskan salmon. I also enjoy the halibut from either place, and Costco did have Chilean Sea Bass for a time (don't know if it was a special sustainable catch or not - does anyone else know and has anyone seen it recently?)Cooking Light has a Cumin encrusted or coated sea bass recipe that is simple, but delicious - one of my faves! I usually allow my frozen fish to thaw overnight in the fridge in its original packaging before cooking. With salmon, I sometimes marinate for about an hour before cooking and then broil/BBQ. Or I poach it. Or cook on a cedar plank! With halibut, I often use a basic coating and use a combination of pan frying and baking (especially if the piece is large/thick). I have read about thawing fish in milk to make it smell and taste fresher, but I have never tried that. Has anyone else? Also, some people just cook from frozen without thawing. Here, for example, is the Alaska Seafood Marketing website which has cooking tips including cooking from frozen and also cooking on a plank: http://www.alaskaseafood.org/recipes/tips/

Thank you so much! He is a great hunter and I wub him The kitty or the hubby? You talked about green tomatoes, how much summer gardening do you do? What types of things do you grow?

Not sure that this is of any use to you, but I read somewhere online (can't remember where, of course) about making a turkey "throast." Debone a thigh (or thighs?) and breast, spread the thigh on the breast and tie for roasting. Never tried it, but it did sound like a nice way to get a mix of white and dark meat and prevent the breast from drying out.

I would cut rather than purée as well, and try to find an Ataulfo mango, if possible. I think the flavour is much clearer and stronger. http://www.freshmangoes.com/varieties.html http://www.produceoasis.com/Items_folder/Fruits/ataulfo-mango.asp

I adore your house. Your study looks like the perfect place to sit and read during the day with those lovely big low windows. Your dining room has wonderful features also - that built-in bar is amazing and is that last picture in post #380 also a part of your dining room? Your furnishing and entertaining styles are so well suited to the house. Thank you so much for showing us your home and your various cooking/eating experiences. I also was fascinated with the cocktails. I can't help but wonder what your home's landscaping is like, and if you will be doing much gardening there in the summer, also. Not that you'd have much time for it....

I would so love to be able to see this room in its entirety - it sounds so lovely. Do you have a photo of the whole room or of the context of the shelves? Exactly! Wow, what a perfect match. And again, do you have a pic of the bar in the context of the room? Please, please, please... show us more of this adorable house! PS Hope you got your dishwasher installed OK!

Do you use a Rinse Agent? I think you can get filming and etching if you don't use a rinse agent. I read that some people use vinegar in place of a rinse agent. See here, for some discussion and examples: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf124892.tip.html

One of my husband's favourite breakfasts (esp when a tad hungover) is generic store-brand Tater Tots. I break a few eggs into a frying pan, put the "Tots" into a bowl and microwave them for 1-2 mins and then the soft-yolked eggs go on top of the Tots. Sprinkle with pepper. Add ketchup. If it's a bad hangover, I have an emergency bottle of Prosecco or similar that can be mixed with orange or tangerine juice. After all, then you're getting Vitamin C, right? Other leftovers can get thrown in with the potatoes - ham is especially good. I've even used a hot dog weiner.

With regard to the KFC signage, businesses in Québec really don't have any choice - due to the provincial language laws. At one time, it was illegal to have English in a business sign at all. Later, English was permitted but the French version had to be twice the size of the English. Not all Canadians (or even Québécois) agree with this aspect of the language laws. If interested, here is a little bit of background reading: http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/bill101/ I'm more familiar with the term "flash frozen" used to emphasize that the fish has been quickly frozen ASAP after being hauled in. I guess "fresh frozen" might mean the same thing, but it just sounds odd to me!

Two months on, and wondering how it is going? I would love to seem some photos at some point.

when I was shopping for a new stove a couple of years ago, they told me I should stick with the coil-top type stoves for canning and when I asked why, they said that the glass or flat-top ones can't maintain a high enough heat or something - the heat fluctuates more, apparently.