Darienne

Thanks for the list Andie. Printed out for my next visit to Toronto, Actually I have Tamarind paste on hand for other cuisines but you are so right.

Thanks all for all the useful ideas. I'll have a few items to add to my pantry next time I go to Toronto.

Your cupcakes are adorable, Kim. You are quite the cake and cupcake maker. Not too mention an incredibly generous lady, both with your constant creations for your workers and others, and also with your words of encouragement and praise for others.

Hello Douglas and welcome to eGullet. Just watched the entire video and am in awe of that cake and of you for setting out to make it. Alas, I have no advice for you, but would like to see your finished product.

I like your post, kayb.

Kensington Market in Toronto is where I have to shop. (I bought nothing I can find in Peterpatch) There are some fresh vegetables, fruits and dairy products and most of the rest is canned, boxed, packaged. I shopped last week and spent over $100.00 in about 10 minutes, but my mind went blank when I tried to think of what I should be buying. The small store was packed to the rafters and I could scarcely concentrate. I was too tired to find the tortilleria shop and I don't know if any meats are available in this area. What I bought: tomatillos, queso panela, queso fresco, Oaxaca cheese, real chorizo, banana leaves, corn husks, crema, chicharones, cajeta from Argentina, white hominy, Mexican oregano, ground canella, Pisco sour and assorted stuff. In Peterborough I can buy: poblanos, jalapenos, dried and ground chiles (most), Mexican vanilla, annatto seeds, corn and flour tortillas (not fresh). A few canned things: chipotles in adobo. I have already / or don’t care about: Mexican chocolate, piloncillo, Champurrado and Horchata mixes, Should have bought some Mexican limes and jicama and chayote. We see these occasionally in Peterpatch. Next time...2 weeks...please help me with my shopping list. Thanks.

I don't know...is there life without cumin???

HERE is my go to Marinated Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad. Can't believe how good it is. (This is not my original source...but it's exactly the same recipe)

snopes.com: Microwaved Water - See What It Does to Plants •••• FALSE

Thanks, Dougal. The ice cream is at least not slushy, just soft. I haven't taken a bowl out to see how quickly it might become 'slush'. On Saturday, I'll simply tell our guests to eat it quickly. I currently have no plans to experiment any further with the ice cream really. It was a one shot deal to see how it worked. We'll drink the tequila from now on in slushy Martgueritas.

Thanks Paul and Pastry Girl for your comments. Of course I agree with both of you on the subject and just wondered what could have been Mz Gerson's thinking. She does have a website, so I'll write to her. In the meantime, as noted before, the ice cream is delicious, full of booze...what's not to like? I'm not serving it to the public, so we'll just eat it with joy! And Helado de Cajeta for those under 21 and Empanadas de Jitomate for all. Thanks.

Two days ago I made Helado de Pasitas con Tequila / Tequila-Raisin Ice Cream from Fany Gerson's My Sweet Mexico. Alcohol doesn't freeze well and you can put a tablespoon or so into your ice cream base to make sure it doesn't get too hard. But this recipe calls for 3/4 of a cup!!!! It's sitting in our very cold (dog food) freezer and it's still pretty soft. Edible, but very soft. I can't imagine that one quart of ice cream can include that much booze and be hard enough to satisfy. Did I mention that it's pretty darned tasty??? I can't figure out what Gerson could have done to make this into a more conventional ice cream in terms of firmness. She says nothing about the ice cream being soft or hard. Any useful thoughts?

I love it!!! :wub:

I admit that I paid no attention to the price of the oranges because it was for a special event. However, I was wondering how the cake would taste with regular sweet eating oranges. There was no sign of the blood red which the oranges were. Also, and this is shameful so don't tell anyone I gave up trying to get the membranes off the segments and held my fingers crossed. You absolutely could not tell the difference. There was NO sense of skin/membrane/whatever. For the sauce, I used the juice without the pulp...yes I am lazy...and added Grand Marnier as is in the 'What would Cathy Eat?' version of the cake. The sauce was great. And blood red. I think I'll make it again for our next 'occasion' with regular oranges and will report back. Or if you use regular oranges, do let us know.

From Fany Gerson's My Sweet Mexico, Helado de Pasitas con Tequila / Tequila-Raisin Ice Cream, p.184. Eight hours later and it's still sitting in a very cold freezer (-20 C or 4 below F). And it's still quite soft. A regular ice cream would be hard as a rock. It's our dog food freezer and it's too cold for ice cream. The ice cream is delicious and it's very soft and I am not surprised. The recipe which makes 1 quart calls for 3/4 cup of Tequila. Could this much booze possibly freeze in an ice cream? Did I say that it was delicious???? Has anyone else tried it? (Next weekend I am making 'Mexican' for some friends who are very excited at the prospect. Remember that we live in the far frozen north in a very provincial region. I've made the above ice cream for the over 21 crowd and am going to make Helado de Cajeta / Cajeta Ice Cream for those under.)

Made Smitten Kitchen's (adapted from A Good Appetite) Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake with Honey-blood orange compote and thick cream. Oh my. It was delicious. Five of us for lunch and we ate almost the entire cake. Oh yes! Yes, I did take a photo...but alas! the photo is too blurry to post.

It is my considered opinion that making confections is a two-person job. A friend, like my confectionery partner, Barbara, or a husband with strong arms who will butt out after he does the 'manly' parts. Alas! My DH will help me...but he won't butt out. Your bar looks delicious.

Just finished dipping some raspberry truffles in dark chocolate. No, no photos. The only way I could ever post photos of my handiwork is if I could have the photos professionally airbrushed. But they are delicious. The raspberry ganache is the most incredible I have ever tasted. Calls for 1/2 cup of Chambord. Heaven.

Lovely cakes, Genkinaonna.

This is a great idea!

You and I are obviously not going to the 'mall' at the same time.

Tablecloth if you want the wood to show. Special runner if you are not fussy about how much table shows. In our house, I would use something with a "southwest" theme. Then change the runner depending upon the season, celebration, etc.

Froze half the poblano soup in early April and ate the rest tonight with two finely shredded potatoes in it. Lessened the heat factor substantially. And was good. Thanks all.

Not exciting, but still delicious. The original recipe for Morning Glory Muffins by Earthbound Farm's consultant, Chef Pam McKinstry, 1978. And...with absolutely no tweaks...well, my apple was not organic and I had to process pineapple chunks for the called for crushed pineapple. I don't think that counts really. Oh, and I upped the cinnamon. Of course. 1/2 a muffin is my 'the pharmacist say I have to consume 150 calories taking these darned pills first thing in the am' snack.

Lovely work!!!