SylviaLovegren

I like that salad idea, too. And then maybe offer 3 or 4 cheeses. A bit of simple before the complex dessert.

I wanna hear about the Grenadian dishes. Spent a couple weeks there a long time ago and loved it -- what a beautiful place. Had lots of good food, too. Mmmmmmm. We're driving down to the States for Christmas with MIL. She no longer cooks and her kitchen is tiny and, because she doesn't cook, things are hard to find or just not there. But there's a great market nearby that has wonderful prime rib, so probably we'll have that, since it's easy, and roasted veg alongside, since that's easy. Simple salad and plenty of wine. Christmas cake and lotsa cookies which I'm bringing down from Canada. If I can convince everyone else, we'll have my favorite Christmas Eve meal, which is spaghetti with white clam sauce -- so easy. SIL has a new boyfriend, whom we haven't met yet, and I know he's quite a cook -- so maybe he'll change things up from my simple ideas.

Love the marshmallow snow! Great job. Was your kid impressed?

I use paper coffee filters to strain things all the time -- they work very well to make Greek yoghurt. Put a paper filter in a regular kitchen strainer, fill with yoghurt, place over deep bowl, cover and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. Next day just pick up the filter and turn over, dumping the now thick yoghurt into a clean bowl. Easy peasy. I never liked Chemex coffee but do like Melitta -- never could understand why there would be a difference, but there is.

I have the same question with raisins in Rum Raisin ice cream. My homemade version has little raisin flavored granite chips. How do they keep them soft in commercial versions?

That's interesting that you find her writing and syntax difficult. Maybe it's an age thing -- are you young? I'm old enough to have known many folks of Paddleford's generation and both heard and read a lot of them, too. Her writing always reminds me of the Roz Russell character in the movie "His Gal Friday," which I adore.

I've never made them, but Martha Stewart says "store in an airtight container for up to 2 days".

Yes, it's good in place of cow cream. Makes delicious rice pudding. Use to make Brazilian shrimp. Make Puerto Rican "eggnog" called coquito. Yummy stuff. And then there's always pina colada...

I like to add chopped capers and green peppercorns to my Thousand Island, which is otherwise mayo, ketchup, garlic and just a bit of relish, perhaps some yoghurt or sour cream if I'm feeling it, some olive oil and vinegar for balance.

I've realized I've got to get going on my citrus peels, because many of the Christmas goodies depend on them. Ack!

Judiu, you didn't like Clementine Paddleford? Is it the big American volume where she talks about the people who give her the recipes? That's much more interesting than the condensed version that just has the recipes, which may -- then -- just strike you as old-fashioned. Context is enriching. I'm trying to learn about Canadian cooking. Just picked up a 1939 Purity Flour cookbook, which is fun. And a book about the Amish in Ontario from the 50s -- it has recipes, so it counts, I think! So add my two more.

Had no idea that shopping mall was there. I have to go to Markham once a week -- but J Town is now a destination! Thank you!

Who or what is Paulins?

Thank you for posting this! I didn't know about either book and will put them on my Christmas list -- and get them myself if no one cooperates in the Santa department. Richard Olney seems a bit "difficult" as a personality, but his cooking was amazing. French Menu and Simple French Cooking are two of my favorite books and a couple of the best things I've ever tasted in my life have come out of them. He isn't/wasn't nearly as well known as he should have been.

How hard is it to find cranberries and pecans where you are? The bread looks beautiful.

Pumpkin soup, especially if flavored with sage, thyme and cream, maybe with a floating crouton topped with some parmesan. And of course muffins and quick breads. Pumpkin waffles, with maple syrup and pecans. There's a Richard Olney recipe for hand made ravioli thingies rolled out with a rolling pin and cut by hand, filled with sage and pumpkin. Can't find it...and when I made it, it didn't come out very well! So you may not want it, anyway.

I love the idea of it, but it always makes me feel funny, not in a good way. Now a hot toddy or a hot buttered rum, on the other hand... We've already had our first hot toddies of the season and they were quite enjoyable.

A free glass of wine would not begin to entice me to try again. It would entice me to be quite p.o.'d.

Isn't that what the ratings are for -- to let other users know problems or joys?

One of my great aunts once brought a can of Del Monte zucchini with tomato to the family beach cottage when I was little. None of us had ever had zucchini in any form (WASPs in the Pacific Northwest in the 50s). For years after, my parents would say, "Zucchini? It's awful. Just tasteless glop."

Riesling, yes, or Beaujolais Nouveau are both possible. Unfortunately, the Ontario Liquor Board doesn't carry the Pegau (which sounds delicious!) nor the Finger Lakes rieslings. (This is one area where I REALLY miss the States -- you just can't get some wines/spirits here.) I happen to really like Riesling but maybe I'll pick up some Beaujolais for the red lovers. Thanks bunches, all.

I'm finally getting serious about shopping for Thanksgiving dinner but am at a loss about what wine would work with the turkey. In the past, we've lived close to family members who would always bring any old red wine and we just drank that and liked it (or not...). But now that we're in Canada (but celebrating US Thanksgiving because that's when our son gets a school break) we'll be providing the wine. Suggestions gratefully accepted.

Looking at the angle that "poolside mimosa" was taken from, it appears you're IN the pool. Is this fair? Is this right? Speaking as someone who's looking out at frozen snow, I say it isn't.

Acorn squash filled with a stuffing of rice, raisins, onions and sausage is yummy.

You have fresh chevre and fresh mozz -- both from the same place? Is there a lot of local cheese making going on in Florida?