kayb

Flight is great because you don't have to limit yourself to any one appetizer, soup, salad, entree, or dessert, in addition to wine. Small-portion "flights" are available of all of them. I had contemplated having just an appetizer flight and a cup of soup, which would have been plenty for me, but then I saw the soft-shell crab on the chef's choice selections, and I was a lost puppy. It's all @HungryChris's fault, with those gorgeous soft-shells he's been frying up.

It was a great meal and wonderful company! Many thanks to @robirdstx and her DH for treating me to dinner for my birthday, which will be tomorrow, and to Flight for the complimentary creme brulee. I also had two small plates, the halibut and the softshell crab, with a glass of Conundrum white blend. Excellent!

At that price, it'd better do the gardening, too. My plastic bucket will work just fine for me at 2.99.

Peaches, blackberries, and and a cantaloupe this morning at the Farmers' Market.

Yay! Loved last year. Looking forward to this one!

Missed last week, but here's today's haul: Green beans, tomatoes, blackberries peaches, onions. And purple billed peas and cinnamon rolls. Yes, there is a cinnamon roll missing. I'll own that one.

Today's haul. Zucchini, more tiny tomatoes (Romas are starting to show a blush of pink, but nobody else so far), and the attack of the cucumbers has begun. And I discovered radishes I'd forgotten I planted. Some are ginormous and probably no good, but some are still small enough to be good, I think.

I have plugged a watermelon or two. Birthday and otherwise.

Happy belated birthday, Darienne, and happy early birthday, Ed! My birthday is Monday, and I MIGHT make myself a coconut cake, but likely won't. I'm more likely to go get myself a birthday watermelon. I have been known to use an ice pick to put holes in the rind for candles. Might set the melon on fire, though. Think I'll skip that.

You forgot to say the notebook should be red.

You can order it directly from Lodge here, for $26.75. But shipping is likely to eat you alive. I calculated shipping from their plant in South Pittsburg, TN, to Arkansas and it was going to run $6.99, and that's just one state away.

Intellectually, I know that. But viscerally, when I see calamari on a menu, I flash back to chewing rubber bands, and I pass it up.

That is a PRETTY thing.

I suspect beef tongue is one of those things I might like just fine if I ever had it done right. The only tongue I've ever eaten was in Japan, and the texture put me off -- it was tough and chewy, two characteristics I Do Not Like in meat. I may ask my farm folks where I get my beef if they have any beef tongue, and try the corning/smoking. I suspect I could steam it in the IP for 30 minutes after smoking, like pastrami, if I needed to. Come to think of it, the only things Japanese that I have not liked have been due to texture; abalone sushi, for one. And texture is the major reason I don't like calamari, and by extension, squid or octopus. Only calamari I ever tried was like chewing rubber bands, and I haven't been able to bring myself to try it again.

I'm going with Irma on this one.

Quite well. I run it, then take the rack out and wipe the interior with a paper towel. Done.

Chef and the Farmer was the one I was thinking of. Didn't know she had the others.

Eggplant canneloni. Peeled and sliced eggplant, roasted, wrapped around a mixture of ricotta, parmigiano and an egg. Topped with a combo of leftover Bolognese sauce from the freezer and canned roasted tomato-garlic sauce, grated mozzarella, more parm. Baked 25 minutes at 350 in the CSO. Quite good. Served with marinated veggie sala

I want someone who's been to Vivian Howard's restaurant to chime in. Have never spent much time in NC. Can't say any of the trips involved memorable meals.

I'd actually ought this before your post. Have skimmed through it and bookmarked half a dozen recipes. Cool looking stuff!

I've used it for those kinds of things. Have eggplant canneloni in there baking as we speak. It takes a little longer than the microwave. I kept my microwave (the CSO sits atop it). I use it mostly for melting butter, and occasionally heating water or making instant noodles, etc. Convection bake is a fine thing for crunchy snacks you might have once thought of deep frying.

Bumping this up to ask a question. I'm in the notion for falafel tomorrow. However, I do not have the first chickpea in my house (Horrors! When did I use the last ones?). Can I get by with using cassoulet or navy beans, the only other variety of white beans I have on hand? It's raining like nobody's business and I really don't want to go to the grocery for ONE thing.

Interesting. I'll be intrigued to learn more. Welcome to the group.

Thanks!

I became a fan a few years ago of keeping a jug of water in the fridge with cut-up cucumbers and limes in it. Still do it a lot in the summer. Sometimes I'll put agave or Stevia in it; sometimes not. And I generally add a handful of crushed mint.