Darienne

Three cheers for Ruth! They are adorable and yummy. I have had Ruth's chocolates and they are exquisite.

I am looking forward to see your results for certain.

No, of course not. I was using 'silpat' in the Pickwickian sense, as in calling tissues 'kleenex'. mea culpa.

Brilliant as usual!!! I am going to copy your idea. And buy some new ones tomorrow too.

The topic title says it all.

So now I have discolored silpats. They will be earmarked for potential discoloring processes. The good news is that Canadian Tire (Canadian chain) had the red silpats for half price this weekend and I shall scarf some up on behalf of self and confectionery partner, Barbara. New silpats will be for candy making only.

That quantity sounds like enough for two people. Is your M-i-L trying to set you up by any chance? I hope not.

I see your point. What I am searching for is some cake that I CAN freeze...as in make two, freeze one. We had our doggy humans and pups today and I had made my usual lemon curd poppy seed cake for the humans. It was delicious, it didn't rise properly and was a trifle lead-like. I could not serve it. Oh, for something I could have whipped out of the freezer at the last minute. As it was, I quickly made some chocolate molded doggy shapes and all was well. But I really could use that freezable cake!!

This cake looks like one for our family. Do you think it will freeze well, Emmalish?

We travel a lot each year, basically across most of the continent and back at least once. When on the road, we often buy salad stuff and buns and such, but sometimes we just need to STOP and eat. On the freeways, it's a chain or starve, especially when you travel through the less populated states. No problem. I can eat breakfast at a Bob Evans, lunch at a Taco Bell salad or a Subway wrap and not have a problem. Not good food...but that's life. Not usually worth the hassle to find a local restaurant, and as noted above, often the food is wretched. The only chain I truly loathe is Crackerbarrel. I don't like adult cute. Am currently reading Fast Food Nation. It will be hard to be on the road again in the fall and eat at any chain.

I'll try my question here instead of starting a new topic. What is the lifespan of the silpat? Cheaper one? More expensive one? Any difference? I did some chicken strips on three of mine...one expensive, two cheaper...at 350 degrees Fahrenheit today and two of the silpats look sort of burntish. Dark marks which won't come off. Just looking for some answers. Thanks.

Does anyone out there like Royal Family Food Co's Sesame Small Mochi? A friend gave me a small package yesterday. My DH doesn't like it, but I do. Sort of strange candy, not very sweet, but I like it. Any story about this candy?

Here is not only a good invert sugar recipe from Chef Eddy, he also answers many questions in this column, and will answer a question if you submit one.

Try the Caribbean markets in Kensington area in Toronto.

To dystopiandreamgirl: Oh my! Welcome back to posting your photos of your incredible work!

DH can no longer operate the computer or I wouldn't say this. He is a genius at renovations...there is no doubt of that. He has been doing it our entire marriage...plus 50 years now...but he made some errors in the kitchen...which I now have lived with for some ten years and hate every day. With all his experience at building, wiring, plumbing, etc, he was still subject to the kind of error that a designer would have pointed out from the get go. I say GET AN ARCHITECT OR DESIGNER IN ON IT FROM THE START.

Such a good idea. I never thought about using the grill in any other ways. Oh dear, our does not make grill marks.

You are a cruel pair, making mock of me and my dogs. Could you but meet them. Morgan is huge, but a wuss from the word go. Cowers when approached by a terrifying Lhasa Apso or Shih Tzu. Sable is a more alpha and will defend Morgan when needed. Both are completely socialized as regards both humans and dogs and useless as watch dogs. The cake is for the humans...as if you didn't know. I do have homemade biscuits for the dogs, of course.

Don't know about the Kitty Litter idea... Besides having some dog chocolate molds, I also have a quite large dog cookie mold. 7" high x 4 3/4" at the widest point. (We host a Dog Weekend every August for friends and dogs...yes, it is somewhat chaotic and so I do own a number of doggy things.) Thanks judiu. Time will be the deciding factor.

Isn't this the greatest??!! I love toast made in the press. You can even butter it first . It makes for a great toast for spreads and dips, too. Like really rev-ed up Melba toast. So, I wonder if you could simply make that kind of toast in an old-fashioned sandwich griller...you know grill sandwiches on one side of the removable plate...and make waffles on the other. Ours, bought last year in Moab second-hand, is SOOO old, it's made completely out of...wait for it...METAL!!!!

That's a little beauty. I have to make something for guests on Wednesday...perhaps an apple cake. This couple, whom we have never met, is bringing their two Bassets for a first play-date with our two Rotties. What does one serve??? Something with a St. Patrick's theme or a dog theme? What could be a dog-themed cake for humans???

Aloha Steve makes an excellent point. We like Chinese (especially Szechwan) food, African and Middle Eastern food and Indian food best, followed by others, like Mexican, Italian, Caribbean. Can't think where, if at all, that French food really fits in.

Ha! While we are outdoing each other in shame...I can say that I gave away my Julia Child cookbook many years ago and I just had to look up the word 'umami' to see what it meant. Top that, little sister.

So a friend came to stay last week from Ottawa, ON, and brought a dozen bagels. I specified...Montreal bagels or nothing bagelish. Unfortunately, I did not also say...buy them the day you are coming or don't bother. Not only did he buy them the day before, he didn't bother to put them in the provided plastic bag to keep them a tad fresh. Aficionados of Montreal bagels are aware of the stale factor. It is a tribute to my essentially forgiving nature that I did not mention it to him nor strangle him either, but smiled sweetly and ate the bagels, stale as they were. DH ran each remaining bagel under the tap very briefly and put them into a plastic bag into the fridge and truly, it did rescue them to a great extent. Visitor left his suit here by accident, so...I shall make a note of the house bagel requirements for his return visit. Bring 'em right...or don't bring 'em.

The first time I was ill after getting married, my DH made me a dish which means comfort and love to me after all these years: white rice, tomatoes and melted cheese on top. Yummm