Darienne

Just cut it open and ate some. Is it an acquired taste? Sort of astringent. Lots of seeds. Not sweet. Tell me about tamarillos and why people love them. Thanks.

Wasn't quite sure whether to put this request in the internet section or in the Mexican cooking section. Tell me your favorite Mexican and Hispanic cooking blogs, please.

That is THE most amazing fruit bearing tree, Andie. Mind blowing. Yesterday in the Superstore (Peterborough, ON, Loblaws) I saw for the first time a whole counter full of exotic fruit. Bought them all: paid enough. I see that the earlier photos of the dragon fruit are no longer available in this thread so here goes. Delicious. Also bought a guava, two different kinds of passionfruit, two tamarinds,and a tamarillo and a granadilla. Great fun! I really want to taste a Durian.

The topic doesn't rule out oranges which you don't eat straight from the hand. Seville oranges, which are soon to appear in Peterborough...I have the produce manager's word...which make superb marmalade. And Kalamansi/Calamansi/Kalamondon/Caladmondon oranges which many people grow simply as ornamentals, also make great marmalade. A friend has two fruit bearing trees, and now I have two seedlings, two years planted, which are about 20" tall. My children will be able to harvest the fruit I think.

Anyone else have any favorite picadillo recipes? Originally I had no idea of how many varieties there are. I think I'll try the Bayless Empanadas recipe posted by C. Sapidus, but with the picadillo which I have already made. I'll try the Bayless picadillo recipe next time with the pork only.

Let the marmalade making begin!!! Second thought: why would Guelph get their Seville oranges before Peterborough????

Sobey's in Peterborough has been carrying Poblanos, mislabeled as 'hot peppers' for a while now. Smallish. Really smallish. Imagine my surprise today when I went to get some more poblanos, hoping that Sobey's still had them and was met with these giant beauties: 7 1/4" long

The Superstore (Loblaws) manager says the Seville oranges are late and will be in any day now. Peterborough, that is.

Thank you Jane. What is an RI egg? Nothing on Google.

Any sorts of equipment, etc, that might be in order to bring: apron, dippers, spatulas, thermometers, containers to take stuff home ???? ...I don't know... I bought a tiny truffle ganache scooper from you last year and never used it. Could bring that and try it out finally. Should we be bringing anything pre-made for sharing and tasting? Thanks. If I get loose in Tomric, I'll buy one of those plaquette mats for sure. And I would LOVE to have a set of caramel rulers too. $$$$

Thought we'd leave the dogs in the car.

Our local library has Pig. If I had the extra cash...

Question: what about non-hotel conference folk? We have two dogs with our family and will have to find a dog-friendly motel somewhere nearby. Is there special dispensation for us? Not quite sure what the question is - dispensation for which part? Sorry. Can non-hotel folk join in at the hotel courtesy room?

Question: what about non-hotel conference folk? We have two dogs with our family and will have to find a dog-friendly motel somewhere nearby. Is there special dispensation for us?

Oh my! Never heard of Arancello before. Will have to make some. Do you have a favorite recipe? Too bad, we can't buy Everclear in Canada.

Blood oranges for me, although we do use Navel oranges too. Navel Oranges for zest; peels for Orange Beef, peels for candied orange peels subsequently dipped in chocolate, oranges for smoothies, Orange Juleps (Montreal 1940s style). Blood oranges for joy and color and taste. Mostly for joy!

I'm with Chris. What is there in pesto not to like? Oil? Cheese? Nuts? Garlic? Basil? Or the many varieties which exist? Is it the texture? The taste? Have you had it homemade? Store-bought? Fresh pasta tossed with only pesto? Heaven on earth!

So many good and useful replies. Trust you, Andie, to have such a novel method to roast peppers. Alas, Janeer, your link led me to a source for cheap web hosting. Could you either put the recipe into the post or PM it to me? Thanks.

As for colored dishes...I would use this set if I could ever find any of them...assuming I could afford the price. This is all I have left of the everyday set my Mother used when I was growing up. Bad photo. Color way off. No time to fix...

You know what they say about using your good dishes. What are you saving them for?

Andie, you just touched my heart deeply. We used to have Blue Onion dishes. I think I actually have one or two left. Love blue and white together.

DH and I were vegetarians for about 30 years so I wouldn't know exactly where to start in. I was raised by vegetarians also. One of my favorite cookbooks is Classic Vegetarian Cooking from the Middle East and North Africa. Habeeb Salloum. And just about any Indian cookbook will give you such a wealth of recipes. We are now what Mark Bittman calls Lessmeatarians.

Good dishes inherited from Mother are plain white. Everyday dishes are new and plain white. Had blue glass Arcopal for years. (Have a thing about blue glass.) Silly mid-winter to perk up your spirits acrylic set is wild pseudo-Mexican pattern and colors.

Take a look at this video on the joys of eating at chain restaurants. Posted on the New York Times daily blog. Pretty much says everything you need to know...

I have a food mill and it is great. Don't use it a lot, but when you need one...you need one. Truth is, I don't have anything dumb in my kitchen. No room. Even the dumb Magic Bullet is not in the kitchen but in the garage. So sad. Maybe my too small kitchen is the dumbest thing in my kitchen because I asked for it to be that way. That was 15 years ago when I could have had it made larger but I was still in my long term hating to cook mode with no idea that a whole new life lay ahead of me in my late 60s. BTW, the food mill is in the breezeway.