Marlene

I want to assume you've called the company and checked with your local Home Depot (do you have Home Depot in Canada?) but wanted to mention these suggestions anyway just in case you hadn't done that. I havent' called the company, but they don't list Canada on their website as a place to get it. (ever other country in the world!) However, I did call Home Depot (yes we have them here) and they tell me they don't carry it. I'll call the company next.

Although I've discovered that nothing kills a thread faster on this site than me posting to it, using my cast iron pan tonight reminded me of this thread. I clean mine by wiping it out with a damp cloth and then heating it on high heat to dry it. I used to coat it with a thin layer of oil, but find I don't need to now. For anyone who's interested, here's what I made tonight. Dead simple, but really really good. 2lbs ground sirloin, shaped into a round, and refrigerated for at least 4 hours. (this holds it shape when frying). Grind fresh pepper on top. Heat 3 tablespoons butter in cast iron frying pan. Sear sirloin on both sides on high heat for 2 minutes each. Reduce heat to low, and cook sirloin 15 minutes on each side. Remove to warming plate. Add three tablespoons butter, 1 pkg oxo or one cube oxo, 1/2 to 3/4 cup red wine, and stir. Add a little mix of cornstarch and water to thicken if desired. Stir 5 minutes until thickened. Pour over sirloin and serve. Don't knock it till you try it.

Sadly, it doesn't appear we can get Silestone in Canada, so I'll have to stick with Granite

I too, have no intention of acting as my own General Contractor, although I am professionally qualified to do so. I've loved hearing about your remodelling project Rachel. I'm living vicariously through you guys until my own starts. Thank you for sharing it with us.

I use mine fairly often, but then again, I'm a housewife (more or less)!

Alas, the Mercer Street Grill is no more. However, try Reds (where Moishe's used to be in First Canadian Place.) For steak, try either Barberians, Harbour Sixty, or if you like a LOT of garlic, try Carmen's. The Ruth's Chris in town is pretty good too. Can't help with fish since I don't eat it. Jump and Far Niente are good as well.

Weight Watchers works for beginners to proper nutrition etc. You are not required to eat their food, only learn how to eat properly etc. Being overweight is not alway caused by over eating. It can in fact be caused by under eating as well. For example, I've always been lousy at eating breakfast. And then I'd skip lunch too. So by the time I got home from work, I'd be hungry, snack on some chips and then have a fairly fatty kind of dinner, with a few glasses of alcohol. What I learned from WW is that breakfast of some sort is important to "kick start" your body's metabolism. When you don't do this, your body goes into "hibernation" and starts to store fat because it thinks it's not going to get any food. And I agree, I don't have to be hungry to eat. It does become a matter of discipline to say, I'm not hungry, I don't need to eat that. And while most others are "diets" , meaning there is an end to the "diet" at some point, weight watchers really is a lifetime way of eating. There is something to be said for people who need the "committment" of attending meetings. I use a personal trainer for the same reason. I have an appointment, so I have to go. Otherwise, I could quite easily talk myself out of going to the gym. You know when you are going to weigh in every week that there is someone else to account to. I have not attended a meeting in 5 years, but I still keep the weight off by following the principles. I pretty much eat what I want now, or at least plan for those nights when I know I'm going to be overindulging. And I still hate to eat breakfast, but I manage to get a high-protein, low carb shake into me.

It's a fancy form of denial. IF there's one thing I know about now, it's weight loss. Every calorie counts no matter where it comes from. The problem with alcohol is that those calories are what is termed "empty calories" meaning they have no nutritional value. If one is following the point system on WW for example, and you are allotted say 30 points for the day, a 4 oz glass of wine will cost you 2 points. There are very few "free" calories other than raw veggies.

Alcoholic beverages don't really fall into any "diet" as an acceptable item, however, in the spirit of "all things in moderation" most "diets" or weight programs allow them, mostly because they know people are not likely to give them up. As a point of reference, I lose more weight when I don't drink at all, following the same eating patterns that I do when I do drink. It tends to be a matter of making choices as are most things in life.

I have to say that after trying all the "diets" Weight Watchers worked for me. Mostly because it's a life style change or a life long way of eating. It's been five years now, and i lost 70 lbs and have kept them off. OF course, I find as I get older, I actually have to go to the gym as well. It's not enough anymore just to watch what I eat!

Thanks. I'm all for education, especially in this area. I will check it out. Appreciate it.

Jason, do you have more information on the annual tasting? That would be interesting to go to.

Geesh, touchy. I was only stating my preference.

do you find this to be the case in practice? I don't. I have left champagne in the fridge overnight, and haven't noticed a taste change. I don't however leave it in the fridge longer than that.

I'm with you awbrig. Although I do like Cristal better than Dom. But really! What's not to like?!

I'm fairly partial to Australian Shiraz, however my very favourite wine is from the Carmenet Winery in California called Dynamite Merlot. We can't get it here from the LCBO anymore so I have to have it imported but it's worth it!

I only put it in there when I'm going to drink it, like right after my son goes to bed. Otherwise, they are lying on their sides, in my wine cellar.

Yeah I know. I suppose I could have got up from the computer to look in the fridge, but I was figuring people would know what I meant. I know Cristal is really far removed rom this price range. It's my very special occassion champagne!

Veuve Cliquot and Moet & Chandon. Over $50.00 Cristal

no confit? canada is weird. Yes, but we're NICE weird. (what the hell is confit?)

I only drink beer on a very hot day in the summer usually and it has to be ice cold. Now of course I'll offend true beer lovers everywhere by also saying I like to put tomato juice in mine. (ducking)

My very first cookbook, The Joy of Cooking. Also Beat This and Beat That by Ann Hodgman and Helen Gougeon's Good Food. For Chocolate: Company's Coming Chocolate Everything

I'm a dedicated vodka martini drinker, and my personal preference is Sky vodka with Belvedere running a close secone. Grey Goose tastes musty to me. I also don't mind Smirnoff Blue. Of course in a Bloody Ceasar (or Bloody Mary for the Americans) any vodka will do, because you can't tell!

Ceasar salad dressing. I've never mastered the art of making it by hand, and when making it in a blender, it comes out runny instead of nice and thick, even though I've been told the secret is adding the oil very very slowly. It doesn't work, at least not for me!

well, if it ain't broke... Well now I gotta try it! We're having pasta tomorrow night (tonight being the marinated sesame seed pork tenderloin), so I'm gonna try it without the oil. I know you can hardly wait to hear the outcome (not!)