Shel_B

Your link and comments filled in some blanks for me and provided food for thought. Thanks!

Pickled red onions are on the to-do list and I am curious about their longevity in the refrigerator. Various recipes that I've seen suggest that they'd be good for about two to four-five weeks. In the past, I've made 'em in small batches to be used over a short time frame, and have not been concerned about longevity. Now I want to make a bigger batch for both longer-term storage and to distribute to some friends, and there's no knowing how long they may keep them. What happens to the onions when they go bad? Do they lose flavor, texture, color, or become inedible and perhaps unhealthy? Are there cooking or storage techniques that will preserve their goodness for a longer period, perhaps for six months, or even longer? Might vacuum sealing, such as used when jarring preserves be helpful?

Looks interesting. You'll have to tell us how you like them.

When I ate HD more frequently (can't recall when I last had some), the pints of vanilla with chocolate covered almonds were a favorite. There was almost always a pint or two in the freezer. Devouring a pint with my sweetie was a ritual-like weekly event. We'd sit in the back yard looking out over The Bay, San Francisco, and the Golden Gate Bridge and pass the container between us like Chinese takeout at a study session, feeling lucky and content. The NY Fudge Chunk came quite a bit later, and was equally enjoyed.

The Apple Cider Donuts are great! I buy 'em every year ...

Just to be clear, pisang awak = nam wah (nam wa, namwah), alternate names for the same banana. There are other names for the Thai banana depending on location, and there is more than one variety of the Thai banana.

It's been more than a year since I've had a Thai banana. I believe they go by the name of Nam Wah. I remember it as being sweet with slightly sour/vanilla overtones. They are firmer than the more popular/common Cavendish banana, and should be showing some black to indicate ripeness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8R64M22Pt50&t=22s I like them more than the Cavendish ... more character. I understand that they are often served fried, but don'thave first hand knowledge of that.

Adding bacon to a tomato sandwich can be great, but as you said, it's all about the tomato. I'm getting some bacon for an upcoming egg salad sandwich, and I may decide to add a couple of slices to my next tomato sando. BTW, have you seen Melissa Clark's interpretation of a tomato sandwich: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6a-UXhm-V8

@TdeV This morning I recalled how I came upon the numbers. I searched Amazon for Opinel Paring Knife and a few items came up. The 112 looked like what I wanted ... https://www.amazon.com/s?k=opinel+paring+knife&crid=13O8BZC3VZZK9&sprefix=opinel+pa%2Caps%2C189&ref=nb_sb_ss_p13n-pd-dpltr-ranker_ci_tech-br-left_1_9

This popped into my mailbox this morning. 14Trader Joe’s Items To Try In September (Before They’re Gone) https://share.google/LCXQeEM6no3X2YSk8

You're welcome. I hope it works out for both of us.

OK, let me dig out where I got the numbers. I'll get back to you. It was difficult for me to find them as well.

Perhaps this will help? https://duckduckgo.com/?t=h_&q=opinel+knives&ia=web Brings up many options ... don't know if I'm being very helpful

Like this?

Thanks for the recommendation. I looked into the Opinel and liked what I found. Ordered a set of 112s ... price is right, loved the wooden handle, and the thin stainless blade fit my preference. The price was a bonus, about the same price as the Victorinox. And it'll fit perfectly into my knife block. I also found an Opinel that would be a nice gift for a friend of mine.

I liked the way the grater made swift work of an onion. It's sharp and efficient. It would be nice were it a little longer, but I suspected that going in. However, that's just a personal preference, not really a complaint or an objection. The grater has a couple of nice features. One is a rubber edge that helps to stabiize the grater on the work surface and minimize it from sliding around. The other feature, and perhaps more subtle, is the bend in the grater's handle. Every other similar grater I've seen has been straight from handle to the end of the blade. This bend allows for a slightly different and more stable grip and positioning of the grater. The bend, and the rubber tip, also allow the grater to be used in a horizontal position on the work surface, allowing better leverage in certain situations. Well thought out, IMO. And, quite important to me, the grater stores flat in a drawer, saving space that a box grater would take up.

Today I used the first method, non microwave. What guides my choice can be any one of several things, and sometimes a combination of things. If, for example, I may have recently eaten something very soft, let's use whipped potatoes as an example, or hummus, I may want something with more crunch to provide strong contrast. The first cooking method can provide somewhat greater crunch ... I can get the tots almost kettle-cooked, rippled potato chip crunchy. The choice of seasoning affects the decsion. Sometimes, like today, I'll use straight vinegar, usually malt or cider. The straight vinegar soaks into the tots more than other condiment choices, like ketchup, BBQ or hot sauce, all of which are thicker or more roughly textured. To offset the soaked vinegar somewhat, method one is helpful. My microwave oven sits at an elevated position, and because of my complicated back issues, it may be uncomfortable to raise the plate with the tots to oven height, so method one is used. OTOH, if my back isn't bothering me, or if I've taken my pain medication, I'm more inclined to use the microwave method. And then there's my mood. I may not want to take the extra steps to plate the tots, microwave them, crush them with a fork, and then Brevillize them. Just dumping a few straight from the bag onto the tray in the Breville is more to my liking - quicker, less fuss, allows me to do other things besides baby sitting Potato Tots. HTH

I do it in one of two ways. The first, I preheat the Breville at 425 or so degrees for a few minutes, cook for 20-21 minutes, then add a minute or two of the broiler at 500-degrees. The other method is to heat the tots in the microwave for three-four minutes, crush 'em a bit to create more rough edges, and them cook 'em in the preheated Breville at high temp. Both work well for me although the results are slightly different.

No pics this morning. Breakfast consisted of TJ's Ethiopian coffee, fresh-made spinach-apple-carrot vegetable juice, TJ's tots, extra crispy, with Sarson's English malt vinegar.

☺️That was a light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek, compliment, not a travel itinerary. I just got back yesterday from Eureka and Redwood country.

@Smithy Just arrived this afternoon. I'll use it soon (in a day or so) and report back. OXO Good Grips Etched Coarse Grater

I'll be in Montana next Thursday. Mind if I stop by?

New-to-me today at TJ's: Have you seen them where you shop? TJ's Compound Butter formed into a small, 4-oz log Organic chicken bone broth. Although I regularly make my own chicken stock, it might be nice to have a package in the freezer. This item was found in the refrigerated section.

@ElsieD Frozen Drink Machine - Digital Slushie Maker with Multiple Modes, Ice Cream, Milkshake & Smoothie, 68oz Capacity, Self-Cleaning, Gray Visit the ABUKE Store 4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars (14) $261.75 with 25 percent savings-25% $261.75 Typical price: $349.00Typical price: $349.00 Or $43.63/mo (6 mo). Select from 2 plans May be available at a lower price from other sellers, potentially without free Prime shipping. Brand ABUKE Color Gray Capacity 4.3 Pounds Special Feature Digital Display, Frozen Drink Preparation, Ice Cream Making, Multiple Drink Modes, Slushie Making Material Metal, Plastic

Cool idea. Thanks. Yes, there were some small Yoplait and Chobani cups available, and also some containers of dry cereal. I couldn't find any juice, though. My friend, Cathy, travels with a small pepper grinder that she carries in her purse. It's about 3 1/2 - 4 inches long, similar to this: After seeing hers I grabbed one for.my use ... no longer know where it is.