Darienne

Hmmm...I could probably live with a smear of mustard. DH would enjoy it. I gather that you are saying that you find that artisan bread freezes and thaws nicely. And also the garlic sausage too? We live 45 minutes from the nearest grocery store, so there is no popping out for fresh stuff. I think I like this thread. Quick serving of food has always been a problem for me and I'm not an easy short order cook. In fact, Ed makes the grilled cheese sandwiches usually. We do have frozen home-cooked foods in the freezer, but as Anna says, they would take just too long to ready for eating.

My first pick would be the grilled cheese sandwich, already noted. Omit the mustard for me, please. Ingredients for a 21st century ploughman's lunch would be next: several kinds of cheese, a few kinds of breads/crackers, olives, other jarred/containered goodies like sun-dried tomatoes, red peppers, etc. Any made salads on hand: cole slaw, bean salads...I always have a supply of these long-keeping salads on hand. Canned meats/fish which you might keep. Apples for dessert. Small dark chocolate pieces. This would be my go to lunch at a moment.

Progressing in the opposite direction and giving up cook books. My chocolate and confectionery career, such as it was, is over (health reasons) and 27 books are now gone from my cookbook library.

We are both retired from outside jobs and so this is not a problem for us. Both brown-bagged it in the midst of others paying for lunches. Son Ken has always brown bagged it, again in the midst of the larger paying crew. What floored and dismayed me in the extreme: we used to stay in a quiet motel in Utah with a small kitchenette and I would make us a salad or something similar every day which we would eat sitting at a picnic table under the ramada. The next table was the motel cleaning staff with their young children eating from Taco Bell or McDonald's or some other chain, everyday. I was gobsmacked. And saddened.

I've been making plain chocolate magic shell for a few years now...can't recall where I got the recipe, but it's very simple. Basically 100 grams melted coconut oil and 150 grams melted chocolate. Add a dash of salt. (I also add chile pepper sometimes.) That's it. So starting from there to make butterscotch...

DH drinks cold water with every meal. I usually drink nothing. But what I absolutely love is hot Jasmine tea with our Chinese dishes. And wonder why I don't make it for non-Chinese food...

Definitely out of our snack bracket. DH would never sign on for this one. Thanks. I'll look for it however.

Thanks Anna. I'll look in the store for this.

Welcome to eGullet, Cheryl. Your croissants look luscious. I am so glad we can't get decent croissants in our region or I should have eaten my way through more than my share. And Lisa Shock. Thanks so much for the butter information. I did not know that. Although we live in Canada, I would expect that our butter 'regulations' are about the same as those in the USA. It certainly could help to explain confectionery and baking 'failures'.

Not if you live outside a small city in East Central Ontario. Boy do I wish. Never found Chaokoh around here at all.

Just found a Bombay Grill in Ajax, just north of the 401. Next time in that direction..... Boy, did that look good!

It's still too early for picking, of course, but this is going to be another fantastic apple year. Our farm has apple trees all over it. Oh, it's not an apple farm...they escaped from the first houses built here. We are a hemp farm.

Although they are not long beans, the proper ingredient for Szechwan Dry-Cooked Long Beans, you can use them. DH loves them.

LIsa, that looks brilliant. I don't make enough lollipops anymore to justify the cost, but if I did.... Boy, did I hate the packaging part!

Here's a photo of how I tie mine. I use that curling ribbon that you can buy at the dollar store. Simply a double knot on the package and then curl the leftover with the blade of a small pair of scissors. The ends don't have to be even or anything. These are double colors, but you could use only one color. It's still a bit of a pain and I often get Ed to help in the process. I've also used those precut gold twist ties.

No help from me I'm afraid. All I know is that some folks are very allergic to agave syrup. End of knowledge.

Good kind of neighbour to have. Would like one myself.

A friend came from Quebec last weekend and brought some fresh Montreal bagels. I could have died right there on the spot. Nothing, repeat, NOTHING is as good as a bagel made Montreal style.

What are the white cylindrical items in #62 please?

PanaCana, words fail me. Exquisite.

You constantly bake for the staff at your hospital and this is wonderful. Do all the other doctors take turn doing this? Do staff members? ...or is this simply that wonderful time of the year when that incredible doctor comes north and bakes yummy offerings every day while she is here?

Thanks, GR. You obviously have the beginning of a video career ahead of you. :smile: Life has intervened in the interim, but I am still going to order one of these gizmos on Amazon.ca. Thanks again.

Ugly looking tape...but have you tried Gorilla tape?

Lovely cakes. Beautiful.

Add roasted Poblanos and I'm in.