Darienne

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.

Not too exciting. Leftover vegetables and some bits of Spiral Ham went into a black bean soup. So nice to eat something that is completely down to earth and isn't 'festive'.

I'm fine with pepperoni or salami...summer sausage I love...thinly sliced good Italian prosciutto...yum. But sausages have little gristly things inside them...yuck. Takes me back to the horrible sausages of my childhood. Don't go there... I'll think about something sweet to go into them maybe. Thanks Shelby.

Shelby's dish looked delicious...but the ingredients were a problem for me. Well, one ingredient...the sausage. I don't do sausage...sorry, Shelby, David...

OK. Now it is 'my' recipe. The first ones were not a winner: too dry. But then I'd never made them before...in fact, I'd never eaten one or even seen one. Dumped the finished product into the food processor, pulverized the mess...then added more chocolate and more rum. A success. And they're all gone. Well, I did gift the neighbors also. He has the flu. Needed something like that. Just made a second batch. No problem. And this time took less time and less skill. Mostly they take rum. Delicious.

These look great. What are they? With puff pastry?

Now that's funny.

It's not 'my' recipe'. It's from The Spruce Eats. https://www.thespruceeats.com/rum-balls-521518 and I have no idea of whether it's a good recipe or not. Sorry. And no, they don't take any time or much skill as far as I can see. Mostly they take rum.

Made my first Rum Balls ever today. Not exactly a stretch...

Gorgeous Kim. I've not had problems with the chocolate coming off, but then it was the famous Chocolate Doctor, Kerry Beal, who first told me to dust the toffee with cocoa before putting on the melted chocolate. And how did you do the second side? And truthfully, I've never done much of what you might call 'storing' the toffee and never in a fridge. I'll have to think of that one. I package it up and get it out of my reach (and mouth) as quickly as possible. I once made a batch for the previous owner of our rented condo in Moab, Utah, and he ate the entire thing by himself. Astounding. No storing going on there.