Mjx

That's the crux of the matter. A good place to start is with a shoe that you find comfortable in the ordinary run of things (e.g. when you're out shopping for several hours), and look into what else the brand has to offer. This is what I did when I was working as a massage therapist (7.00 to 22.00, seven days a week). For me, New Balance trainers, augmented with gel insoles, did the trick, because it's a brand that uses a last that works with my foot shape. The last shape is crucial, and if it is significantly different from the shape of your foot, the shoe is going to give you hell, sooner or later, no matter how much other people may swear by it. With regard to insoles, I began with a cheap but likely-looking offering, and was prepared to work my way up (pricewise) if necessary, but my first pick worked out fine. One other thing I found was that lacing the shoe loosely enough to turn it into a slip-on allows your feet to move more in the shoe, and the structure of the foot can do its natural shock-absorbing thing far better. I wouldn't recommend this for those with weak insteps or ankles, however (I'm extremely foot conscious, partly because of an 11-year dance background; almost no other physical discomfort can make me as miserable as even slightly uncomfortable feet, and I'm on my feet a lot).

I have fond memories of the food I ate in Denmark, except for the sild (cured herring) {shudder}. Danish food always struck me as more refined than German, but along a similar vein. Of course, most of my food memories of the place are from when I was a teenager who approved of things like potatoes in caramel and was impressed with eating good bread, which was tough to come by where I grew up. But Christmas food is delicious, so at least you've got that to look forward to. If a purloined brick or two from someone's garden is unapproved by the oven owners, give a thought to the cast iron. I regularly cook pizza in my oven using a cast iron pan as my 'stone' at 210-220 C and it's worked well. I wasn't aware of any potential problems using it at that temperature and have never experienced any. Danish food may have deteriorated since you last visited: A sort of inverted snobbery more or less dominates what happens in the kitchen these days. I should also add that since my tastes were formed by a very different culture, things like potatoes in caramel are intrinsically disturbing to me (sugar-sweet in a savoury dish just doesn't work for me). I can actually handle sild, however. I've been thinking about using the cast iron items, although I'm wondering how my boyfriend's parents react to the idea, given that they like to economize and use 2 or three racks full of stuff in the oven at one go, meaning they'd have to remove all the cast iron from the oven before using it each time. Under the 'schadenfreude' heading, since neither the oven nor the stove was accessible the other evening, I tried reheating some braised chicken in the microwave. I thought the stuff was indestructible (braised three hours to spoonable tenderness), but I was wrong. Two minutes in the microwave, and it had a weird, soggy, stringy texture, and smelled vaguely of wet dog. I admit to having next to no experience with microwaves (never had one, since I couldn't imagine what I'd use one for), but I'm underwhelmed.

But so many places identify themselves as being some sort of crossover establishment, there would inevitably be tons of screaming over having been judged according to the wrong set of guidelines. Could be entertaining, actually Thats exactly why I said the category would have to be agreed with the owner, there would still be lots of screaming and shouting though as delusional restaurant owners and out of date Michelin inspectors clashed horns Agreement on a category? Can't even begin to imagine that happening (not to mention, I think the question of the food being worth going out of one's way for being the defining criterion really does make more sense)!

Regarding the lack of richness: Wet peppers (impatience has caused that problem in some things I've cooked)? You could add some fat, too. I keep a pot of mixed fat (duck/lamb/chicken/whatever) in the refrigerator, and tossing a teaspoon into a gallon or so of soup does wonders. Ginger is always brilliant with winter squash.

But so many places identify themselves as being some sort of crossover establishment, there would inevitably be tons of screaming over having been judged according to the wrong set of guidelines. Could be entertaining, actually

As a term, I'm used to hearing it (in this specific context, I mean) as 'breakfast'; can't think of any time I've seen it written, but would expect to see it/be inclined to write it as a single, unhyphenated word. I'm most accustomed to hearing this as a phrase (e.g. '...going to so-and-so's place to break the fast'.

Roasting them should boost the flavour, but I find that winter squashes mostly contribute body/texture, sort of like potatoes. I use them in a winter squash and chestnut soup (chicken stock, roasted squash, caramelized chestnuts), in a winter squash, lamb, and white bean stew, which I season with cayenne and various Indian spices, or roasted and mashed like potatoes (and seasoned with Indian or Latin American spices). I used to use pumpkin, but now primarily use hokkaido squash, because it's the easiest to get locally; as you pointed out, winter squashes are on the bland side, which makes them fairly easy to interchange. ETA: My boyfriend just reminded me that we also once used a blend of winter squash, shredded lamb, and black pepper as a ravioli filling, and it was an extremely good combination.

Why not just try it? That's the plan. It's also useful to hear from people who've tried something one has in mind, and get the benefit of their experience.

This is going to sound really apathetic, but I just don't have the motivation in this case to buy the bricks (about USD10, here). The arrangement is temporary, and my boyfriend's parents really don't have a problem with it, but actually find it amusing. I don't want to know how much a brick house costs at $10 a brick. Around here, bricks cost 30 - 50 cents a piece and they'll often just give you a couple for free if you're only asking for 1 or 2. It's Denmark! Everything is shudderingly expensive! On the other hand, the food is delicious, the people are friendly and it has a great social security system. That's it in a nutshell. Except about the food. The food is, erm.... edible. Yes. That's it. Entirely edible. Incidentally, I asked a few more people about the cost of bricks, and got wildly varying answers, except in one respect: Everyone wanted to know why I didn't just, well, 'appropriate' some. I don't think the brick idea is going to fly with my boyfriend's parents, however. Since the bricks don't look like they're going to happen, and bread is regularly baked (according to the dial, and, occasionally, the thermometer in the oven) at 210C or higher (=410F), the cast iron pan thing isn't likely to be workable, I'd still really like to know: Do any of you have any success with relying primarily on a probe thermometer temperature when you use the oven? This really is looking like my best bet, if it's doable.

I think for many, it's the smell. My boyfriend and I are temporarily staying with his parents, and since I bought some cockles recently, I had plans for something with a strong seafood component... then found out the damn things will have to just sit in the freezer, because his father loathes the smell of fish. However, in his case, the blanket veto excludes salmon.

Anything special and regional? Although I spent most of my allegedly formative years in Italy, I did spend a bit over half my life in the US, and remain kind of fascinated by its regional food, which I somehow never actually experienced much, and seems sort of elusive. Looking forward to whatever you have to dish up, though!

Good point, BUT since Danish toasters are the flat, incredibly inefficient kind, making a batch of toast in the oven would actually be not be a waste. I could just keep an eye on the toast, and pull it before it starts throwing out billows of smoke. Not to mention, if I made an oven-trayful of toast, it's be so appreciated... even if they had to scrape some of it a little lighter This is going to sound really apathetic, but I just don't have the motivation in this case to buy the bricks (about USD10, here). The arrangement is temporary, and my boyfriend's parents really don't have a problem with it, but actually find it amusing. Cooking rice is one thing I am actually in charge of, since my boyfriend's mother finds it irritating and challenging, and what you suggest is prompting me to expand my repertoire of rice-based dishes. Unfortunately, most of the time there wouldn't be anyplace to put an electric frying pan, and it can't go in the dishwasher (and washing up pans with cold water is really aggravating).

I've definitely seen it done in here, in DK, and have seen mothers from Greenland do it, too. Never saw it done in Italy, however, I think it might feel too much like going in the direction of 'brutta figura' (what with taking chewed food out of your mouth), but it may just have to do with the particular parents I've known.

I've been thinking of that, but the thing that makes the oven sort of challenging is that it seems to have random, unpredictable fluctuations, mostly downward, but occasionally upward. I'm not planning on baking anything finicky, that's certain! Thanks, and you have a good point. I braised some chicken thighs tonight, and they went down well, so I'll probably try that again. I really just need to sort of wean myself from being so stove-top reliant. One good thing is that it's already very cool here, so the heat generated by the oven over several hours is actually a plus. Good ideas, although I'm thinking of making the latter experiment with toast, since baking a bunch of cookies and having them kind of tank would be a little depressing (it happened once before, last year around the holidays). This is really new territory for me, so I'm trying to look at the positive side of it

Here in Denmark millet gruel is a popular first solid food, along with mashed vegetables and fruit... pretty much what I remember my mother giving my sister, in the US.

Hah. The thing is, we're sharing the kitchen with my boyfriend's parents, who naturally have dibs on its use. Typically, the stovetop is taken, and when they're done, the pots and pans go in the dishwasher. They aren't running the hot water in the kitchen (something about the pipes) so washing up in the sink is also fairly frustrating (and messy, because they have a 15cm/6", shallow sink, lots of splashing on the wood surround). They only want the dishwasher run once a day. Expanding my very limited repertoire of things that are done in the oven is looking like the best option, at the moment.

Have any of you relied exclusively on probe thermometers when roasting (as opposed to apparent oven temperature), and if so, how has that worked out? Recently, my boyfriend and I sold our flat, so our super-familiar and reliable Gaggenau oven and stove are sitting in boxes next to our bed in his parents' place, where we're staying while we house-hunt. I won't even go into all the kitchen utensils and appliances (each of which was chosen with the sort of rigor normally reserved for selecting a heart surgeon) languishing in their boxes, and for which there is no room. The stove works a bit oddly, and it isn't possible keep on hand things like stock, since there's no room in the refrigerator, but my biggest concern is with the oven, which goes back to the 80s, and fairly unreliable. My first thought was that I could simply rely on a probe thermometer, but the oven's temperature may be off my as much as 30C/85F (judging by a few results so far), and since the rate at which something heats does have an effect on final results, I'm wondering how this is going to work out. The oven thermometer is a no-go, because you cannot see in through the front of the oven. I'd love to hear about anyone else's efforts, results, or workarounds in this area.

Well, yes, if you accept the concept of 'supposed to', here, since that hinges exclusively on subjective, personal reactions to the technology and its results. Nothing. It's just not your thing. What's great about food and its preparation is that it offers something to everyone. There doesn't seem to be any basis here for contention, or debate, even.

What are you using for storage? I put dates on things (I just use whatever marker is laying about), but I use clear, lidded containers or clear, heavy-duty freezer bags (both of which are reusable, mitigating my environment-related guilt pangs), so I can usually tell what's inside without making a note of it. If the item being frozen is not so easily identified (e.g. gravy or some other brownish substance), I do add a note regarding the contents. When I reuse the container, I cross out the previous date/note. Over time the older things wash or rub away completely, so the container never actually gets covered up with writing. If you're tossing the container after you use it, that wouldn't even be an issue.

I too have sometimes encountered this assumption when dining alone (and hadn't even considered dining with someone else, so there was no question of my mis-stating this); evidently, this is still regarded as unusual. Because of this, I doubt I would have questioned a booking noting a party of two, either, not because I'm careless or lazy, but simply because I would have assumed that it was a boilerplate response, and that questioning it would have been a pointless exercise likely elicit an irritated response from whichever staff member addressed my query.

WWoOFing is something I highly recommend: It's the way I first visited Denmark, and the family I initially visited as a WWoOFer are now decade-long friends (it also meant I got a great inside view of the country, since the family I stayed with brought me along to various family and other social functions). Get your request in early, though, because these countries are some of the most popular.

That was my thought, too: CI discussed (can't remember in which issue) the need for modifications to pizza dough recipes, when they're intended to be baked in home ovens, for the simple reason that few home ovens reach the temperature of a commercial oven, among other things.

What Paul said.

I'm not sure what you mean by my having to take them at their word. If they eat in my home, I'll honour their wishes and take care to ensure they don't get that food. I'll not prevent them from taking on whatever diet they want. In fact, I point out new GF food sources around town that I trip up over to my GF friends. But I most certainly will not accept it as true simply because they said so, nor will I necessarily 'agree' with them by keeping silent if keeping silent would indicate consent. Self observation is pretty close to hopeless. If people want to try out various things and make their conclusions, that is ok, but you can't expect everyone to roll over an agree just because those people have found comfort. I wish I could explain exactly why this offends me so - this, and many of the other posts on this thread. First of all, please do a little reading and have some idea of the facts. There is no test for gluten sensitivity, or other food sensitivities that don't rise to the level of an allergy or celiac. You go on an elimination diet, you see how you feel, and your doctor tells you not to eat what made you feel sick. There is NO TEST. The science has not caught up, and it remains a guessing game. You do not have to agree with what I think or what I eat. My doctors agree with me, and that is more than enough. It is my body and I will eat what I want. I'm not asking anyone - including restaurants, or you - to make accommodations for me. But the constant denial of my experience on these boards - and that of thousands, if not millions, of other people - is beyond insulting. Just because there's not a test to prove to you that I'm right doesn't mean I'm not. To Country's and Darienne's point, allergies (as well as autism - another phenomenon there is no explanation for) have skyrocketed in recent years. Our food systems are practically beyond repair, and grains are often genetically modified. Is it truly surprising that there might be a backlash? I would think that there have been enough posts on here and elsewhere reflecting experiences similar to mine for some of you to have a little more consideration for what we are saying. My experience does not depend even remotely on whether or not you agree, but it would be awfully considerate if you could open your minds and ears a little. I'm a bit curious as to why the questioning and scepticism offend you. I actually have some food sensitivities, and agreed, there is no test for them, and all you can do is eliminate things from your diet, and see how that goes (it's only really effective if you arrange with several of your friends to sneak the potential problem ingredient into your food at some point, so when you test your reaction, it is unbiased by your awareness of its presence). However, I'd love for someone to prove to me that I'm wrong about my apparent reactions some of my favourite foods, that my failure to, say, chew a specific number of times is actually responsible for my symptoms, or that some (fixable) psychological issue is at the back of them. Most people are unscientific in their thinking, and the media/public tendency to simplistically stamp various substances as 'bad' actually undermines the credibility of those who genuinely have celiac disease, or various other sensitivities/allergies: legitimate questioning is not inconsiderate, it's crucial. If we reject questioning, science cannot ever address this field, because science is an approach, a process to which questioning is intrinsic, not just sets of imposing sounding results.

I like blueberries with yogurt, even more so if vanilla is involved. I can't think of anything else that really adds to the yogurt experience; I sometimes get fruit yogurt, then sort of wonder why. Don't regret it, but there's no love there, either. Sliced fresh fruit seems somehow too wet to mesh nicely with yogurt. But if you like it, why not (that goes for foie gras, too)? On one occasion, I did have an (initially) inexplicable, pressing craving for strawberry yogurt and artichoke hearts (not as a mixture, however). And no, I didn't go there.