memesuze

I looked in my two print sources: Ann Clark's Fabulous Fish and James Peterson's Fish & Shellfish - neither list the barramundi. I suspect that you won't find it in Austin, even frozen. It appears to be local to down under....

Oh, you're making me homesick for my favorite vacation spot - an egg custard is always on my list of sights to see....I've never been to Golden Gate - I always stop at Wonder Bakery on Waverly - lines are shorter and I think the egg custards are pretty damn good

I posted this on the gardening thread, but in case you don't get over there, here 'tis again: for those of you with tomatoes, check out the Tomato Problem Solver from Texas A&M University and for a natural mosquito repellent, into 4 ounces of almond oil add the following drops of essential oils [can be found at a natural food shop, Whole Paycheck, Central Market, aromatherapy, or herb store]: 8 drops of lemongrass oil, 4 drops of thyme oil, 4 drops of lavendar oil, and 4 drops of peppermint oil. There will usually be sufficient room in the air space of the new bottle of almond oil to add the essential oils. Let the mix sit for a day before using - Slather onto your exposed surfaces, and watch the mosquitos buzz around but not light. Smells good too.

wanted to pass along two things: for those of you with tomatoes, check out the Tomato Problem Solver from Texas A&M University and for a natural mosquito repellent, into 4 ounces of almond oil add the following drops of essential oils [can be found at a natural food shop, Whole Paycheck, Central Market, aromatherapy, or herb store]: 8 drops of lemongrass oil, 4 drops of thyme oil, 4 drops of lavendar oil, and 4 drops of peppermint oil. There will usually be sufficient room in the air space of the new bottle of almond oil to add the essential oils. Let the mix sit for a day before using - Slather onto your exposed surfaces, and watch the mosquitos buzz around but not light. Smells good too.

Have you considered worm composting? Perhaps you don't have that small bit of unused space it would take - but even city-dwellers can compost. To keep my dragon running smoothly, I try to compost everything except the plate-rinse scraps and wipe grease/oil out of pans with paper towels. That downstream grease is murder on pipes - it usually manages to congeal just past where a home plumber can reach.

I felt like Jaymes in Springfield - table for one: duck and sausage gumbo; field greens with a crab cake, topped with gorgonzola cheese, spicy toasted pecans, and creole slaw with a bit of horseradish; and a glass of Riesling since they were out of the Gewurztraminer I had my eye on. Service was attentive, friendly, and I missed you guys - I wanted more tastes - I almost asked the couple next to me if I could share their pate - I remember it as wonderful....

well, my fridge is empty so I'm heading down to see who shows up

I have a middle-of-the-line InSinkErator. I'd recommend that you find a manual for the brand and model you have, either on-line or by going to a big box home store and opening a carton to read the manual. Be sure to return the manual to the carton when you are finished. My model recommends strong cold water during the grinding and for at least 15 seconds after - never hot water. Corn husks, artichokes, and other fibrous materials are verboten. Citrus rinds and ice cubes can be ground to keep the unit sweet-smelling.

Yesterday I scored the following from several garage sales: an Osterizer blender with a glass jar for $2 a wooden spoon and a wooden scraper for 50 cents each two small bowls, two ceramic soup spoons, and a small platter decorated with the ubiquitous fish ala oriental groceries for $3 a 500 ml French-style jelly glass for 50 cents

I'm in

not exactly on point, but the instructor showing up with cookies and potato chips reminded me of the defensive driving instructor who suggested that, after we took and passed the class-ending test, we should all go out for a drink!

Depending on how fresh the chard was, I've kept it in the fridge for up to a week. My favorite quick method is to cut out the stems, then slice the remaining leaves into 1" strips [each side of the leaf minus the stem/backbone piled on top of another side of a leaf], rinse, shake the water off lightly. After sauteeing some minced garlic in EVOO in a big saute pan, I put the masses of chard leaf pieces, clamp the top on, and steam in the water clinging to the leaves for a couple of minutes until they wilt down. Plate up and drizzle a bit of balsamic vinegar before serving. I confess to ignoring the stems....Maybe you could share a bunch of chard with a neighbor or friend....

As I get older and ache-ier after long bouts of weeding, mixing compost into existing beds, and unloading pickup truckloads of mulch and compost, I dream of a few areas completely submerged in rocks, both river and boulder. No doubt the former owners weren't as judicious in their coverage as you or I might be - but I wish I had more than a few buckets of your rocks. Unfortunately, Austin, where I received over six inches of rain the last three days, is too far from MN....

At a friend's house for the weekend, I watched her mash up bunches of garlic and beat forever a mix of olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and a bit of bread in an attempt to make a Spanish eggless mayonnaise for our shrimp - thin mixture, even after much hand beating and then blenderizing. It may have simply been the particular proportions - but she'll be using eggs from now on

how do you intend to sharpen your new kitchen companion when the time comes - is it any more difficult to have a proper edge applied - do you have to seek out a special pro accustomed to working with the Furi or the santoku blade?

andiesenji, when my Italian parsley starts sending up those tall sprouts in the middle of the plant that make it look as tho it's about to clower and bolt, is the plant telling me it's nearing the end of its two-year cycle and I should get a little sister coming along soon, or is it merely telling me that I haven't been pruning severely enough when I go get the makings for a very-parsleyed tabouli?

And a rose it was, Marques de Caceres - did the job admirably at a very reasonable price - even with the sweet honeydew for dessert. Thanks to you all.

The insalata caprese was the carrier for my basil oil several times this weekend, and last night

the tatumas at Central Market here in Austin are somewhat dark, rather than light, but they are definitely roundish - not too terribly elongated - no neck to speak of - just the perfect date!

I was just planning on a basic vinaigrette: 3 or 4 olive oil to 1 of sherry vinegar, with a bit of Dijon for emulsion - but I just saw Jerry Traunfeld's Herbfarm Vinaigrette that calls for sherry, balsamic, shallot, Dijon, and mild EVOO -

I did a quick look through the lesson and these Q&A's - my eggs are floating - doesn't that mean I should go pluck another dozen from the store?

fifi, you thinking of tatuma?

I'm looking for general recommendations for what to serve with a Nicoise salad tomorrow - flavors that should be considered: fresh albacore broiled [it's too hot right now to grill it outside - we hit 100 yesterday in Austin], Nicoise olives, tomatoes, vinaigrette. No breaking the bank here - just a couple of gals for a midweek supper.

These notes may have me visiting my mother more often - I grew up outside of Richardson, in Buckingham, and remember Saturday afternoon at the Ritz Theater, getting library books at Miss Jessie's Dry Goods Store, and picking up supplies at Morris' Ice House - all on Main Street. Thanks for reminding me to wander around town....

I pruned my basils last night and made basil oil, ala Jerry Traunfeld, by blanching the 3 cups/3ounces of leaves briefly in salted water, squeezing dry, blending with 1.5 cups olive oil for a few minutes and then letting drain without disturbing through my yogurt cheese maker. IIRC, I've successfully frozen basil pesto that didn't have the parmesan included. Since I generally cook just for myself, I'm not sure that I'll go through the resulting 1+ cups of basil oil before my month of refrigerator storage suggested by JT is up. Any impediments to freezing in small quantities for doling out later?