Darienne

I'll have to find a Loblaws. I've tried the Freshco (which is Sobeys) and the NoFrills. Never heard of Overrwaitea. Where are they? There must be condensed milk here, Eagle Brand or otherwise, because all those Vietnamese and Thais can't be making their iced coffee/tea without it. I just have to find it! ETA: What Matthew said. There's condensed milk everywhere in Peterborough. And I've never had trouble finding Graham crackers either. Overraitea does not exist in Ontario. There's no Save-On as far as I know. That's a USA brand (I think).

I rarely shop at the FreshCo here, but I'll go and take a look! I know I can get them in Toronto, and assumed I could in Ottawa, but it seems like every time I look at a Mexican recipe, it calls for poblanos, so I really don't want to have to plan that far ahead... and since they're perishable, I can't exactly stock up in advance! Thanks for the tip. I find Poblanos to be eminently freezable. I buy a large quantity, roast them in the oven, leave them whole or cut them into rajas and freeze them in plastic bags. Yesterday I made a few 'Tex-Mex' casseroley type things using previously frozen poblanos, both whole and chopped. Worked perfectly. ...but then we are not big on presentation in our somewhat scattered life. If it tastes good, that's about all that matters. Actually when I get off the computer, I am going to roast and freeze green and colored bell peppers. DH, for whom a 'bargain' is heaven on earth, bought me more bell peppers two weeks ago than I wanted to contemplate. And I still don't want to think about using them. ps. And as I mentioned to Jaymes and others last week, you CANNOT buy Hatch or other green chiles in Peterborough except in teensy cans. So much for making things with canned Poblanos, Anaheims, Hatch or New Mexico peppers.

You haven't been to Ontario lately. In Peterpatch, fresh herbs are everywhere...don't look for epazote...now two grocery stores carry Poblanos (although both have been shorted for two weeks now), you can buy dulce de leche (well...) everywhere, and achiote is carried in bulk food stores and in the one 'hot' store. from MKayahara (I never have figured out how to multi-quote) Lately, I've been on a quest to find poblano peppers. There seem to be signs for them at the local grocery stores, but none of the actual item. And, this being Canada, I don't have a "local Latin market." It's no wonder Canadians aren't familiar with real Mexican food. Poblanos are normally available at FreshCo and Sobeys in Peterborough. Slowly more 'Latin' products are available here. Toronto would be the best in Kensington market. Ottawa has a store on the Merivale Road. I think even Whitby has a latin market now. Don't know Guelph at all.

Question: for how long is that water potable? We buy large water containers every year and I mark their dates on them hugely in black and we will restrict ourselves to using only the current year for drinking purposes...except that we have yet to need to use any of them. Thus I have sealed water going back a few years in our cellar now dedicated to possible burns, fires, etc, only...and still unused. Ed has water up at the Drive Shed for burns, fires, etc, but it's from the well, unprotected so to speak, etc. I really need some guidance about this. We are currently setting up to set up for emergencies and will probably do it properly within the next six months. To date, it's been a trifle haphazard although with the extra space which we have in the cellar we are set for quite a while with canned tomatoes, canned beans, Habitant pea soup, this and that and quite a lot of it, prompted more by sales and the fact that we are quite far from grocery stores than any organized thought. Thanks.

Glad I found this topic. I am so looking forward to reading what you eat in the region.

cookingofjoy, those are so pretty. Really, really, lovely.

You could do what we did. We were staying at a motel at the time and the next morning I went to the housekeeping center and asked would anyone like this jar of Nutella? Just one clean spoon dipped into it. And sure enough, one of the cleaning staff was glad to get it for her kids. ps. The staff did know us. We stayed there every year.

Spice Cookies , (http://www.earlenescakes.com/CakeCrumbRecipes.htm) posted by Shaloop up above. (Still can't do the new URL link properly). Took some uninteresting dry Peanut Butter Banana muffins made a few days ago and made the above cookies. Turned out very well. Especially loved them with Jalapeno Jack cheese.

This I know. My Buddha's Hand syrup is just like your syrup. Almost completely crystals. What do you suggest I do? If any. If not, well, it has ceased to matter... Thanks

We did one spread made by Peanut Butter & Co, http://ilovepeanutbutter.com/ called Dark Chocolate Dreams which I really liked. Really, really liked. We don't buy it...because I would simply eat it. You might try that...considering that DH and I don't like Nutella but love Gianduja.

Forgot to add that I tried the holes in the muffins and brush on the syrup. Was not worth the attempt. You'd have to somehow permeate the entire muffin to make any real difference. Have now cut the muffins into chunks and will next make a 'bread' type pudding from them. Found a recipe of sorts.

My attempt at making my orange syrup into sugar is at a standstill. I cooked it and cooked it and it never reached the hardball stage in that I was sure it was going to simply burn before it got there. Would that be because the sugar syrup was too 'liquid', as in not enough sugar in it to make a proper mixture? I poured it out and it's sitting there, a more or less solidified chewy taffy. The bottom of the pot was definitely on its way to burnt. Perhaps my heat was too high? Perhaps I can still work with it, but how? Thanks.

Great fun re-reading this topic. And I have just used some orange syrup made over a year ago in a way I would never have thought of. I made this banana-peanut butter recipe a few days ago and the muffins were both dry and not exactly winners. What to do? Found a tip online to poke holes in the muffin tops and brush them repeatedly with a simple syrup (or in my case, an orange syrup). So pleased. And now that I have re-found Andie's wonderful suggestion about flavored sugar, I think that's what I shall do right now. Thanks as always, Andie.

:laugh:

I am going to try this one. Thanks.

OK. I don't understand the love of Nutella. I love Gianduja. Even in Milk Chocolate. Like many others who have confessed...I shaved it off the block to eat. I love nuts and chocolate together. But Nutella? DH and I tried it a couple of years ago and gave it away right away. I think it tastes pretty awful. Sorry. Is there anyone else out there who doesn't like the taste?

I was raised on Miracle Whip and never tasted mayonnaise until I was married. But then I was also raised on Heinz Chili Sauce and never had ketchup either. My Mother hated cooking. Period. So did I until about 4 years ago. Live with a Mayonnaise DH, but I'm not really enchanted with the entire Miracle Whip/mayonnaise thingy anyhow. Much prefer olive oil/lemon juice for dressings.

I really got stuck on 'with their liquid'...as you knew some would. I don't understand. "Open a can of chickpeas...rinse the liquid off big time. personally like the taste? Should I really try this idea? I would first think of tahini (Middle East) and, if not, then olive oil, etc. We host our Annual Dog Weekend in August and I'm always looking for new Hispanic stuff to serve...all dog owners being lovers of Mexican food...especially Margaritas.

Oh my. How lovely, Steve.

Yes, I am green with jealousy. But, good for you, Anna.

Sounds good. Now all I would have to do is to add black beans and niblets.

I can't access the NYT recipe through your URL but I did find one for Sweet Potato Salad with Lime Pickle. We have a family favorite recipe for roasted sweet potatoes and I printed out the recipe without its provenance and now can't fine where it came from. I looked up a number of recipes for Black Bean and Sweet Potato and they were all pretty much in the same league: roast potatoes, add black beans, onions, bell pepper, lime juice, etc. To ours I have added roasted Poblano rajas and canned or frozen niblets. A whole meal and then some. Love it! :wub: Will PM the recipe if wanted.

It's been terrific and a lot of fun. (I'd love one of the cotton candy toys also.)

Trying to track down "bakeshop" muffins and can't find a definitive answer. It appears that the "bakeshop" designation means those overfilled muffin cups which spread over the top into huge muffin tops. Kerry: are your muffins simply tops with no bottoms?

1. Keep all extra slow cookers. I have 4 and could use another or two. They are so good for keeping things warm at a gathering. 2. Never heard if this freeze-dried corn but will try to find it in Peterpatch. 3. Don't start cooking with your DH. You might well live to regret it as it will turn out to be one more area of life in which the partner feels free to interfere. (This could have a personal element in it. )