kayb

Excalibur has a sale on its dehydrators on its website. $40 off the smallest version, $60 off the biggest one. Clickety

A friend picked up a 2-liter Mortier Pilon fermenting crock at WalMart for $9 the other day. I check Amazon and they're $40. I told her to get me one if there are any more there. Might keep an eye out at your local big-box store. I checked the WalMart website and there are no sales on them, but the crocks aren't listed, just the storage jars. They may be discontinuing.

For dried beans, there is no better source than Rancho Gordo. Amazon has a reasonable stock of dried fruits, as does Brandless. You can get a cheap (or an expensive) dehydryator and try your hand at drying fruit and veggies and making jerky yourself. I paid $20 for mine at Aldi (an Ambiano brand, four shelves), and it seems to work fine, or you can buy a $200 Excalibur, or you can use baking sheets in a low oven. I dry cherry tomatoes every year, bag them and stick them in the freezer. I think I may preserve some in oil this year, just to sample the difference. I think I'm also going to try my hand at drying herbs.

My very favorite "I'm by myself, I'm a grownup, and I don't have to eat a balanced deal if I don't want to" meal: A bowl or potato salad.

It's been my experience that Dollar Tree foodstuffs are things that are odd-lotted out from other stores or store chains, maybe near a sell-by date, maybe something they're discontinuing, that the chain gets, and then sells, at a big discount. I know when I was in breakfast fruit smoothie world, I used to buy my frozen fruit there; $1 for a small bag (about two smoothies' worth) that was $2.79 at Kroger. So it may be good, or not. Bear in mind that the vast majority of diners in the US have never had fresh pasta, or even pasta from Italy; their experience is limited to Ronco from the supermarket.

Now you have me thinking about making huevos rancheros, with leftover refried beans from the fridge, tomorrow morning. Pinto beans are also great as a side to migas.

You know, I've read that some vegans are OK with honey, and some are not. I suspect one could use agave nectar, if one eschewed honey.

Get some Pickapeppa. Not as hot, but beats Tabasco by a country mile.

I felt like veggies and didn't have any leftovers in the fridge, nor did I wish to cook them. So I betook myself to my favorite diner, where $12 netted me a plate of lima beans, corn, baby carrots and a bowl of pinto beans, followed by a slice of Key lime pie, which was not overly good but hit the spot for something creamy and citrusy. I am replete.

What's the problem with pasta from Mexico? He said it was pretty tasty. I'm willing to take him at his word. Hell, I was grown before I knew there was Parmesan that didn't come in the green can. Ate a lot of spaghetti, too.

Here's the link to the one-day sale on the Mini. Clickety Never let it be said I did not do my part to enable my favorite eG'ers.

Looks good!

I would have to name this "Happy Fish." Looks lovely.

...try to get through a bread recipe without changing the batteries in the kitchen scale if it starts acting wonky. The Hawaiian rolls bear only a slim resemblance to what they're supposed to look and taste like.

Shredded Brussels sprouts with farro. Toast the farro in olive oil, add water, cook, spread on a plate to cool. Shred sprouts coarsely; saute in hot skillet. Mix with farro. Season to taste with balsamic vinegar and a tiny bit of honey, salt and pepper.

I have occasionally gotten one that had a new "shell" that had gone what I considered to be a step too far...unpleasantly chewy. But a GOOD soft-shell, while there's a slight texture difference what would have become the shell and the inner meat, it's about like the difference in texture in the skin and the interior of a grape or a peach. (Minus the peach fuzz, of course.)

I was on a work roll (the muses were compliant and a project report was rolling off the tips of my fingers), and I didn't want to take time for anything complex. Fried some corn tortillas crisp. Topped with leftover refried beans and cheese, popped in the CSO to broil. Added some shredded lettuce and copious quantities of Pancho's dressing. Slapped the two together. Grilled cheese with beans.

Then it's time to road-trip to Mary Mahoney's (assuming the Gulf soft-shell season is the same as the Connecticut soft-shell season, which it probably is not) in Biloxi, Miss. This Redneck Riviera classic of a restaurant has an appetizer of a half-dozen small soft-shells, about silver-dollar-sized. I have been known to eat two plates of those as an entree. Mary Mahoney's is worth a look, if you're not familiar with it. And decidedly worth a stop, if you're down there. I have a friend who will go from Memphis to Biloxi just to eat there. The other master of soft-shell crab is Antoine's in NOLA.

@Kerry Beal -- PM'd you.

One I had to buy this morning*: The Art of Baking Bread: What You Really Need to Know to Make Great Bread *without assistance/enabling from @Toliver and others, no less!

@rarerollingobject, you are an artist when it comes to sweets. I'd swoon. That said, the carrot cake from the Silver Palate cookbook is damn hard to beat.

That's enough to tweak my interest. I'm a long way from Canada, but I'm wondering if London Drug can sell/ship to US customers? Anyone know? In the alternative, I'd be happy to send money to any of our Canadian friends who'd be willing to get a set and get it shipped to me.

That's the way it tends to work. Which is why there are so very many variations. And everyone is convinced their own is the best.

If you've never tried the @HungryChris pickled asparagus, it's worth it for Bloody Mary inclusion alone. Thanks for that info. My eggs all come from a local person who keeps chickens. Are those more or less likely than factory farmed eggs to have salmonella bacteria?

Beautiful, and the meals look stunning. Thanks for sharing.