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@Douglas K I am puzzled, why have you mentioned me? I was responding to Rajala and putting out a positive message for all who choose to temper chocolate via tabling. Temper your chocolate with whatever methods you like and that work for you.

Tabling chocolate to temper it doesn’t have to be messy. I took a 3 day chocolate showpiece and bon bons class that was taught by Ewald Notter; he tempered all of the chocolate that we used for the class via tabling. In the hands of a master tabling is fast and clean. Ewald tempered huge amounts of chocolate quickly, cleanly, and effortlessly. It was amazing to learn from him and watch him work. @Rajalaif tabling is your preferred method, keep doing it and enjoy. If I recall correctly, tabling is also the method that @Chris Hennes prefers.

Wonderful! Looking forward to seeing your next box. I’ve set an alarm so that I can order early.

Dishwasher!!!? A standard household one or something special for moulds? Are you using soap? If so, what kind?

Yes, I’m going to try to log in when they open. I liked a lot of the produce that was sold out — need to sign in sooner so that I can get a box that I want to cook from! Want to try this out a few times so that I know if this is the right thing for me or if I just stick with grocery shopping & delivery (if/when COVID gets worse around here).

@chefmd have you ordered or received your box yet? What do you think? Yesterday I was scheduled to make selections for my box. Scheduling opens around 4pm... I was busy and couldn't get to the site until around 8:30pm... there was still a selection but not too many things that I interested me (did not need onions, limes, lemons, or green bell peppers) so I cancelled this weeks box and will try again next week. I hope that your experience was better!

Interesting, that is the mould that I use for cherry cordials and it works well for me.

Agrimontana makes some wonderful candied peels. Looks like some of their products are available for mailorder from Market Hall Foods https://www.markethallfoods.com/collections/agrimontana

Every time I go grocery shopping I look for Lysol, Clorox wipes, and Ball jar canning lids. I have seen various wipes. Yesterday, at Wegmans, they had restocked Ball canning lids (regular and wide mouth)! They also had Ball jar bands and one case of jars. Strangely other aisles had added limits to things I hadn’t seen issues with previously — only one per customer for aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and plastic take away containers. I did not check the status of the toilet paper and paper towel aisle (we have a good supply).

Thank you for the info! I’ve ordered a box too. Mine is scheduled to arrive next Saturday. Looking forward to seeing how this all works. Went with the smaller of the two box sizes.

Trader Joe’s has sous vide egg bites in the refrigerated section that may help. They can be reheated in the microwave or the oven. I picked some up this week and had them for breakfast with an English muffin — heated them in the CSO. Quite tasty. Same issue with them that I have with other egg bites, they are sticky, had issues removing them from portions of the ceramic ovenware that I used to warm them in the CSO.

Went to Trader Joe’s today and got their kraut with Persian cucumbers. Thank you for mentioning that this could be a substitute for Vivian’s can do kraut! A few more weeks until my citrus shrine is done but I sampled a lemon quarter today... chopped it up and added it to the kraut. Tasted good, hoping my gut bacteria like it too. Also feeling very lucky that I got to TJ’s early, while I was in the store they were ringing the bells and adding cashiers. When I made my way out, there was a long line of socially distanced people waiting for permission to enter the store (COVID restrictions are tightening back up in Virginia). Still haven’t picked up any Thanksgiving groceries, think I’ll go to the store early tomorrow or see if I can do curbside pickup or delivery.

What temperature is your room? Which chocolates are you trying to temper? Why are you taking your chocolate up to 115 degrees?

That is horrible! They should refund you; they damaged it.

Wow! Your husband did an amazing job. Hopefully no other EZtempers were injured by the fork truck.

If you know anyone with a vacuum former, they could make the coin molds for you using real coins to create the mold. A few of us played with this technology at the St. Louis eGullet Chocolate & Confections workshop.

Very interesting apple @BeeZee. I’m going to see if it is available in my area. Did you get the Lucy Glo apples at a speciality or regular supermarket?

Yes I do. Most are labeled with blue painters tape. I usually hold off on labeling until after the picture taking.

Now the waiting begins...

Thank you! Largest canning jars that I have are quart sized. Will try slicing my fruit in halves or quarters and see how much I can fit into one quart jar. Can always make more later when the winter citrus is in abundance. I look forward to trying her margaritas and lemon pie. Also using it as an addition to various recipes. The summer squash with citrus shrine is also calling my name.

Getting ready to make my own batch of citrus shrine. Going to start with lemons and limes... the oranges that I saw didn’t impress me. Do you think you could add clementines to the mix or are they a too much juice / too little skin citrus? I haven’t made preserved citrus before so not sure what types of citrus will work best for this preservation method. @Shelby what size jar (or jars) did you use for your batch and how is it coming along?

@Kim Shook sorry to hear about your injuries; wishing you a speedy recovery. Perhaps instead of repeated spaghetti dinners Mr. Kim can pick up takeout from some of your favorite restaurants.

Black walnuts are great in banana bread. Not sure how you would translate that into a bon bon. I like your cheesecake & black walnut idea.

Unseasonably warm weather in Virginia along with time to prepare lunch = tuna salad on greens with assorted nibbles. (Cross posted to the Cooking with "This Will Make It Taste Good", by Vivian Howard topic)

I don't taste the mint in my batch of LGD, it is in there and the scent of mint was almost overwhelming when I made the LGD. I get a mix of flavors and what I pick up most is the acidic notes of brine, lemon, and vinegar. From what I have seen and read of Vivian Howard she would encourage everyone to make their own versions of the her "master" condiments. Today I made her LGD tuna salad but left out the celery and used Ortiz tuna. I really like the use of LGD with the tuna. Very different from my normal tuna salad.