SylviaLovegren

When we lived in NJ an Italian friend there used to make delicious zucchini pickles with olive oil, vinegar, lemon and oregano. Unfortunately, I didn't get the recipe.

I was going to suggest biscotti, with sugar on top for the second baking, but this sounds more interesting.

Raspberry crumble. Raspberry shrub to have in the fridge on hot days. Crushed, sugared raspberries (cooked a bit if you like) on top of meringue shells, bit of whipped cream. Or crumble it all up together, serve in a coupe and call it Raspberry Mess. There's a cake I used to make in Joy of Cooking that's yellow butter layers baked with meringue on each, then the two are sandwiched together -- I always used raspberry jam as the filling, then top the upper layer with raspberry sauce and whipped cream. Just found it -- it's a Blitz Torte. The Joy and I never used the cream filling in between, just jam, but otherwise it's like these recipes: http://www.jsonline.com/features/food/117553558.html%C2'> It's very easy, very festive and very impressive looking...and delicious. Your pie doesn't look too bad, either....

Hey! Welcome!

How far ahead are you making the cookies? And what type of cookies are you making? Unless you're making them far ahead, sealing them, and then storing at room temp for a long time, there would be no need to use preservatives.

Thank you! I think it will be baking tonight. Looks easy and delicious.

Why are you preserving cookies and for how long?

Congratulations!

I'm not normally wild about graham crusts either but I made a key lime pie a few days ago and had a wonderful surprise. I used graham cracker crumbs, butter, and 1/2 cup sugar (for two crusts), then baked the crusts for 10 minutes. Added the lime filling and baked on lower than normal heat -- about 325 -- for 40 minutes. Somehow, the crust kind of caramelized -- it was extra crunchy and had a deep browned butter/caramelized sugar flavor that was addictive. I don't know whether it was the pre-baking or the longer, slower final baking that did it. Will obviously have to try to recreate this success!

Do we have a recipe for this summer tart, which looks so delicious? Picked up some apricots the other day and they're good but not great for eating out of hand, but I'm thinking in a tart...

There is "Italian Bread" in Hudson County, NJ, too, and some of it is sublimely good. Not anywhere else in NJ, either, unless it's imported from Hudson Co. I think "American muffins" are called "cake" in England. And "Canadian bacon" isn't. I know what "coriander leaf" is but I've always called it cilantro -- maybe that comes from having lived n California and Miami. But it's called "cilantro" in my neighborhood in Toronto, too.

Cold and rainy in Tronno, too. The Mantoulin Manchaca looks good, but right now I'd go for some of those baked goods y'all keep churning out, with a big pot of hot tea, a blankie, the couch, and a pile of murder mysteries! And cookbooks, of course.

I've never understood people who don't respect cooking and eating, who consider the growing and preparation of food beneath them and eating a not very interesting but boringly necessary job. Eating is a daily necessity, essential to our life and health, and something (most) people take pleasure in from the first moments of life to the end (in fact, I know many old folks who find eating to be one of their last surviving pleasures). We have to do it, why not approach it in a thoughtful way and enjoy it?

My dad always made that for the fruit salad that he made for Thanksgiving and Christmas, except there would have been no mustard or pepper and the vinegar would have been canned pineapple juice (drained from the pineapple chunks going into the salad). It is quite delicious. A related but slightly lighter dressing would be a zabaglione -- varying the wines/flavorings to reflect what's in the salad. Zabaglione used to be really popular but it has fallen out of favor, a shame as it's easy, delicious and a little special. I also really like a fruit salad dressing I found in a Saudi cookbook that is a honey syrup infused with cardamom and lemon zest -- truly outstanding. If you toss the fruits ahead of time in the dressing and keep cool, they become infused with the spice/honey mixture themselves. Swoon worthy.

What are the zucchini ribbon roll things? There's a simple zuke recipe in Huntley Dent's book on southwestern US cooking -- just coarsely grated zucchini, grated carrot, bit of green onion, quick saute in the fat of your choice till just softened. Then stir in some fresh cheese or sour cream and serve. Lovely and simple.

Those smashed potatoes look amazing. As for your two being boring... !!! ??? !!! No the heck way. It's like being on the perfect vacation myself, with the plus of seeing you two cook and enjoy yourselves. Really magical. Really, I think people would pay to read this stuff. Don't stop.

We ended up going to Adega -- we weren't sure how many people or time, but they were able to be flexible and still let us eat at a reasonable hour. We loved it! Very attractive room, attentive and professional service and the food was really good. We had: -- rustic bread with a beaker of oil, with oil cured olives -- a somewhat strange amuse-bouche of Portuguese cheese with lemon marmalade and a sprig of baby basil -- my warm goat cheese with pistachio crust on baby bitter greens -- the goat cheese was delicious and I want to find out what it was, dense and creamy -- tablemates all had PEI mussels in a white wine, garlic and tomato sauce, which they loved -- my grouper with a tomato/caper reduction served with delicious stewed potatoes, and some seasonal vegs, really good, fresh and sweet -- lobster with a Portuguese style sauce (tomato, peppers, etc.), said to be very good -- sea bass, deboned at the table, with olives, capers, tomatoes, peppers, etc., also said to be very good -- A Douro red wine the waiter recommended, which was delicious and perfect with the food -- Fantastic lychee creme brulee (very hard, glass like top, fabulous) with a side of strawberries and a blob of good mango sorbet -- Tablemates all had fresh gelato and sorbets in tropical flavours, all of which they liked Really, really enjoyed everything, very pleasant space and service, well-timed food presentation, and not all that expensive, considering. Did notice that except for a steak and a chicken, most of the menu seemed to be either fish or pork sausage, which might limit it for some people. But we were all happy as clams. Thanks for the recommend!

When we were in northern NJ, the WF was very competitive on milk, eggs, some meats and some of their own brand staples, but very expensive on other items. In Toronto, they are definitely Whole Paycheck and we almost never shop there, unless we need a specific something. But I am always shocked when I do go in by the prices (although I have the same shock when I visit Loblaws, a grocery chain -- who shops there? the rye bread I like is $5.99 a loaf at Loblaws and $1.99 a loaf at No Frills down the street...)

Do they have a sweet ginger taste? I can't imagine that with maple syrup! I know some old recipes use soda/seltzer water and some use snow, to get the airy effect.

Interesting you say that. I was worried that it might be too old-fashioned, with some things good and some things very much "flamed hearts of palm" style. But I keep hearing from friends that it is really good. Since someone else is paying, maybe that's the ticket! Thanks!

Love rhubarb but the season here was at its peak a month or so ago. We had a couple of big rhubarb crumbles. And I make an Estonian rhubarb tart/cake/torte I got from the nami-nami blog -- it is really really good. Make a sweet pastry with 1/2 pound butter, 3/4 c sugar, 2 cup flour, 1 t salt. Work together until just combined, then press into a baking pan that's about 9x12. Preheat oven to 400 and cook the pastry for about 12 minutes, until slightly golden. Fill the pastry shell with about 4 stalks of rhubarb cut up into smallish bits, mixed with about 1 cup sugar, depending on your taste (I like mine sweet) Beat 4 eggs, then beat in 4 tablespoons sugar, beat until thick and lemon colored, then whip in 4 tablespoons flour. Pour the egg mixture over the rhubarb, and bake at 375 about 35-40 minutes, until topping is golden brown and cooked. Let cool then eat.

There's a Trader Joe's in Beirut? Why can't we get one in Toronto?!

Actually, when I jog the noggin, I think Nixon liked ketchup on cottage cheese and it was President Ford who put ketchup on his mashed potatoes. This is not to say that Nixon DIDN'T put ketchup on his mashed potatoes, as well, but that wasn't the newsmaker at the time.

President Nixon's favorite!

I love the starry night glaze on that jug. Very unusual and pretty.