Darienne

Finally, after wondering for Lo! these many years, I asked Ed to buy Spam today. We just opened it. My curiosity is satisfied. It's horrible. The taste is horrible and the texture is horrible. Our dog liked it. But then she likes deer poop also. Now we have to eat it. Maybe buried in Dijon mustard or horseradish or chipotle sauce. We could give it to the dog, but it's probably not good for her. Never again. 😖

Thanks for the information, FauxPas. I guess our taste in canned tomatoes is not all that sophisticated. No, I am not being sarcastic. I've never been aware of that rubbery texture you speak of. Somethings we are aware of...others not. Chocolate yes (restricted here by snack brackets). Canned tomatoes no. Then I think we are all pretty much like that. I have a family member who has travelled the world and eaten with the best of them and yet she loves Cheese Whiz (gah!) and birthday cakes from Loblaws with the icing containing well...other than butter for sure (Gag!).

Of course, I always have a flat of diced tomatoes for our cooking use. This isn't a case of trying to use only one can...it's a case of not paying out of our normal price range for something that we end up feeling is not worth the money...TO US...not that it's not worth the money...but it's not going to be something we do. Just as we don't use Valrhona chocolate either. It's out of our comfortable spending regime...but we do eat the best salmon because we've decided it's worth it to us.

You are correct. I just opened a can of Unico diced tomatoes and was stunned at how salty they were to taste. It's fine for spaghetti sauce...but not for tasting. Ed bought some speciality tomatoes last week when he couldn't find the San Marzano...sorry the name is gone forever...and they didn't taste this salty at all.

Me too.

Nope. $20.,00 to begin with...

OK. Thanks. I'll send Ed there...but he won't like it. He already doesn't like the store...

I just want to try them once. If they are worth in my humble estimation...then I'll make the jump, after convincing Mr. Ed that it is necessary. If not...then that's it and we are back to Unico as always. Thanks.

Keeping in mind that we shop in Peterborough and not Toronto and we don't have Farm Boy, Longo's or any of the other speciality grocery stores...where do you suppose Ed should look for San Marzano or San Marzano type tomatoes? Costco is supposed to carry them, but in multiple quantities and this is out of our normal snack bracket. We do buy Lindt couverture (admittedly not the best) and the best salmon, but probably that's about it for more costly ingredients. He's already looked at Super Store and they don't seem to carry them. Thanks.

Like a dog and a cheese wrapper....

Welcome to the group.

Just before I actually do it, I'd like some feedback on an idea. I thought I'd melt 2 - 3 oz of chocolate couverture and add it to the Tahini cookie recipe. Surely I'd be able to get away with doing that without changing the amounts and directions for making the Tahini and Almond cookies from David Lebovitz... Thanks.

Yes, that was the first requirement established.

He was quite specific that it was to have tiny chunks of strawberry in it. Initially he refused all offers of ice cream, stating that he was getting fat and getting a paunch. The guy is as skinny as a rake. However, when he finally realized that it was HOMEMADE, he jumped at it. So his ice cream will contain vodka and sour cream and that's that.

Speaking of gifting with ice cream which I tend to do, our wonderful IT guy who treats this old Luddite woman so wonderfully has now asked for Strawberry Ice Cream. Fine, say I...until I go to look in my ice cream books for recipes. And Lebovitz and Damerow and Torrance Kopfer don't have any simple basic ones. And then I learn why. Apparently strawberry is one of the most difficult ice creams to make properly. I think I'll end up going with David Lebovitz's Strawberry Sour Ice Cream.

Not in East Central Ontario they don't. And I call a limit to some searches at this point. Thanks. I did try the one place they might have it in my local city. Like me, she hadn't heard of it until a couple of minutes ago. I'm going with the cinnamon for now.

Onion Bhajis. Haven't had one for years. LOVED THEM!!! Might I please have your recipe? Thanks.

Just tripped over the above from @Anna Nso to speak. Life without chickpeas, for me, would scarcely be worth living. (Slight exaggeration. ) I eat them constantly and in several formats. Yummm....

So many of you are so experienced...I would like some suggestions about how to ramp up the taste of these 'Tahini and Almond' cookies. From David Lebovitz, they are delicious, that's certain...but I keep thinking about adding something to them to give them more 'taste'. Their taste would be supplied by the ground almonds, tahini, and vanilla. What could I add safely? Thanks.

It it's permitted, and if you have the time...which I can't wonder how you might have...could you please identify the folks in the upcoming photos? Thanks. Wish I could be there.

No Trader Joes near where we live. Maybe in Toronto. And that ain't gonna happen. Thanks.

Thanks to all who responded. Found one package of instant noodles. I'd forgotten all about them. There weren't any Asian ingredients available when we went to university and so they've never become part of our eating pattern.

Brilliant. I never thought of that. Freezing cooked spaghetti, etc, and then using it. Duh.... (I mean 'duh' me, of course.)

I should know the answer to this question but I don't. I've looked it up a dozen ways but can't come up with a solid answer. I know that when I make Hot & Sour Soup, I've only to soak the bean thread noodles for a few minutes in hot water and then I can cut them up and put them into the soup. However, what I am looking for is a noodle, but not a bean thread type, that I can either soak for a few minutes...or cook for only a few minutes...before adding it to a very last-minute combination of already cooked chicken, already made sauce, probably commercially frozen vegetables or defrosted already home-cooked ones. I do tend to roast and freeze a lot of vegetables. This is all for those times...of which there are increasingly more...when I am just too tired to make a proper meal. But we still want to eat non-processed foods. We don't buy or eat much in the way of processed foods. For instance, we've never eaten any of the M&M's entrees and have no intentions of doing so. And I've never bought spaghetti or enchilada sauce. Or salad dressings. Not making value judgements...it's just the way we have always eaten...even when Ed did most of the cooking at night and I had yet to learn how really. (Hated cooking and came from a Mother who hated cooking.) Thanks.

Interesting. I made it also and we loved it. Could it have been the oranges you used? I wasn't crazy about the icing part.