Darienne

OMG. OMG. Thank you DDF. I've noted before that we have a number of undefined types of apples on our farm (which was originally two separate 50-acres pieces). We also have several patches of rhubarb and used to have asparagus also. Found an asparagus plant growing in one of the bean fields last summer and have transplanted it with hope in my heart. The original asparagus got wiped out during our house renovations without my knowledge at the time. We don't eat rhubarb so I don't know its current state. I'll check in the spring. And yes, I tried to give it away. I could get only one person to pick wild grapes this last fall when we got a bumper (BUMPER) crop. I had it much broadcast. We are alas running out of jelly. I should have made more. We are not jelly eaters...but this stuff was incredible of course. Added: We live in east central Ontario, about 100 miles from Toronto.

Thanks Nyleve and Okanagancook. We have overnight visitors at least once a month (Anna and I work with gourds) who have strong European backgrounds, one from Slovenia and one with Latvian parents who built a smoker in their backyard. Their responses should be useful. I'll freeze some for their next visit.

OK. Back again. Ed tried it...reluctantly...and didn't like it at all. I didn't think he would and he didn't. So it's all mine. I really tasted it this time. In fact, I ate a goodly amount of it. Loved it. Delicious. Now how long will it last and how do I store it? I'll check online also, but of course, mine has no preservatives in it. Oh, and how might I eat it? On crackers? Not keen on the mustard sauce bit I have to say. Thanks as always. Three weeks in the fridge properly wrapped. Freezes well. Good with crackers. Might try the sauce after all. Sorry to be a bit of a nuisance. It's hard for me to work with something when Ed feels strongly negative about it. Just life as it is.

So here is some of my completed gravlax. Does it look as if it's in the correct range? I had trouble getting the crushed bits off it. I did taste a bit but I feel sort of reluctant to "dig in" some way which I don't understand. Any thoughts?

Absolutely adore thyme.

Thanks so much. And thanks for the good wishes. First of all, I'll cut the recipe in half because my dear husband of 59 years will not touch anything which hasn't been cooked by heat. He just won't accept it. It's not intellectual...it's a gut reaction. Plus he just doesn't care for smoked salmon anyway. (Some eGers might recall the thread about bamboo steamers from many years ago. Ed wouldn't accept that either. andiesenji actually sent me a gift stainless steel steamer so that life could carry on. Yes, I love him dearly but am not above twitting him on occasion.) Secondly, I hope I can get away with leaving out the dill. I don't like dill and I won't touch it. It's a long story and I won't bore you all. I guess we are both deficient in some areas. If cutting the recipe in half and omitting the dill is a problem...please let me know.

OK. You are on. I've used your recipes before with success. Salmon is one of the few items that Ed buys top notch quality. If you post or PM me your recipe...please...I'll defrost a piece and do it.

And here I thought they just made one an ageing human. I have the exact same diagnosis.

Might try the Superstore ones. Thanks Nyleve. (And trust me, I'd never 'happen to end up in Toronto' anymore. We have friends who come regularly from Mississauga and I'll scope that one out. Edit: Nope, way too far out of their way to ask.) Don't think I'm up for making gravlax at this point. But I might try it in the future.

Would you be willing to post when the problems include raw vegetables, dairy or meat? Probably most on this forum don't eat prepared foods much. Thanks.

Maybe I'll just settle for cod and chips at a local fish place... And I'll make the dessert. With chocolate, of course.

Next time we are in Halifax, we'll go there, but the shipping cost with an extra $20.00 for our country address on top of the already about $45.00 is way out of our snack bracket. We should be in NS in a year or two from now. Thanks Elsie.

Just called them and they don't carry it any more. Thanks, Elsie. Good idea though.

No Kroger in Ontario. Thanks anyway.

Anniversary, 59 years, is coming up and I would like to have smoked salmon for a treat. We live outside a smallish, provincial Ontario city which is not known for its exotic culinary output. I don't know of any delicatessens which carry smoked salmon and so I am going to have to buy it in one of the mainstream grocery stores. And just noting we don't have a Food Basics or a Longo's in the bunch. I've tried a couple of smoked salmons ...names forgotten...from Costco and found them unsatisfactory. Or am I chasing an impossible dream? Thanks.

One can only wonder how rubber gets into pork patties. I'm grateful to you, Toliver, for your constant reporting of these problems. Can't be much fun for you though....

Our daughter's BF is from Grenada and he is aware of Black Cake. (He's the most amazing cook I ever met.) I have no idea if there's any connection or not, but when I hear 'Black Cake', I immediately think Caribbean.

I have finally heard from Waterbridge, January 16, 2019, a lovely but, unfortunately, unhelpful letter. I phoned yesterday morning because, as noted on another thread, my Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is acting up quite seriously and only my stubborn need to report back on this topic sees me typing this morning. The Communications Manager, as I perceived it, spoke with the unfortunately too familiar lack of attending to the actual question by answering something I did not ask, a common 'political' tactic with which we are all too familiar. I expect she had no other option. And she talked over me while I was talking. She assured me that the change in wrappers is the company's responsible step up in recycling intent. (Ignored my question about the horrible ripping). Apparently, the gold cardboard inserts were only ever in the nut bars according to company policy. I said not so. She ignored my statement. It was definitely in the Milk, Dark and Extra Dark bars. I am not subject to hallucinations nor is the friend to whom I gave the many 'non-existent' cardboards for various craft purposes. "And no, the formula has not changed. Not ever." She suggested that my bars must have been past their legal time dates. (The wrappers are long gone. Who knew I should have saved them? And I guess it must have been my cream, or pot, or spoon which ruined my topping. Yes, I'm being sarcastic now.) "And did I want to speak to the Quality Supervisor?" No I did not. I told her I had figured out another way to still use the bars (and the President's Choice bars also) but she was not at all interested in that. I finally just said, "This is getting nowhere. Thanks for your letter and your help. Good-bye. " And thus, regrettably, it is done but life moves on.

What? Wood chips? Did they run the chicken through a wood-chipping factory? How does a chicken facility get wood into its product?

You know, I've never even made tomato soup... Seems incredible, doesn't it? Could either liamsaunt or some other eGer point me to a favorite recipe please.

Several weeks later. Wrote to Waterbridge on the twelfth of December and heard nothing in return. Quelle surprise! Ed bought me some bars of President's Choice Dark Chocolate 70% thinking I might like them. Kerry Beal spoke of them posts ago. We did eat some...strangest 70% chocolate I've eaten...so sweet...and so unlike regular say Lindt 70%. Still, it will get used up one way or t'other.

I photographed today's dessert and went to put it up, noting the odd provenance: My Blueberry Cobbler Recipe and then remembered that I had put together three different recipes into one to make it. So it really is mine. (sort of...) Ed thinks he'd like some whipped cream on it. Talk about gilding the lily.

Wonderful seasonal dishes....and what is Happy Accident Candy???

Twenty-five years ago I was a knitter/designer when Carpal Tunnel syndrome hit. I've worn braces at night since then. I gave up knitting and took up a craft called coiling which had a different direction to the stress factors. although it too is small movements which are repetitive. I decided some years ago, that despite my great interest in chocolate that I could not become a chocolatier, which I had intended when I first joined eGullet ten years ago. I've now had to give up all coiling also and am now finally facing surgery as I have nowhere else left to go for relief. I've also left my involvement with the internet pretty much because even typing causes problems. I realize that this post is not encouraging to you but it is what has happened to me. Just typing these sentences is likely to result in a worse morning than if I had not typed them. I wish you all the best.