TicTac

What about 'em?

Great looking mangoes. It almost looks like the Hayden mangoes we had in Kauai - which were the most unreal (superior to the very fragrant Indian varieties) I have ever had - huge, 2-3lbs, not fibrous at all - but oddly enough, pricey as hell, especially since they were local! (bought at both road side stands and a local farmers market) - ranging between $4-6 each! The flip side, local passion fruit were but $0.25 each (though I know these grow in abundance, but still, that is 1/4 of what we pay here - whereas the mangoes are double - if not triple!) Interesting....! Dried logan fruit. New to me. Food for thought....why is it Grapes are the only fruits lucky enough to have their own designated term for their dried counterpart - raisins!?

Properly cooked calves liver (seared, med-med/rare in the middle) is a fantastic thing. De-glazed with good balsamic and onions, a bit of rosemary or thyme. Mmmm.

Now that's a loot bag I would go Trick'o'Treatin for!!!

Thank you all for your contributions. It really means a lot to me (and my wife, who is lurking in the shadows and taking notes - hi honey!! 💗) Some very interesting thoughts. One thing I want to further investigate is how far does the 'GF' governing body investigate the production of anything labeled as such, to ensure no cross contact. I can envision the value of a 'CS' (Celiac Safe) labeling as well. From what I gather thus far, something can be labeled 'GF' even if there are traces, so long as traces are noted. An additional designation might be helpful for those with this disease....

Interesting. Makes sense. It is also notable that my son, ever since changing over (apparently it only takes 3-4 days for the gut to begin to heal and be able to re-absorb nutrients) he has had a huge appetite. One of the things to watch for is weight gain in kids especially who have Celiac and change to GF, as their bodies want to almost make up for lost nutrients, thus the increased hunger.

@Anna N - You are absolutely correct, just because a restaurant has a menu item labeled as 'GF' does not mean it is Celiac safe! Though from what the dietician has told us, in Canada, if it labeled GF, it is safe to eat and there is no cross contamination. @Shelby - So sorry to hear your friend is suffering. Hope she finds some answers so she can make the necessary adjustments to feel better (soon)! Thanks for the link. @Wolf- Very interesting that they eliminated proteins as well, I don't quite understand that, but at least she is feeling better! The Canadian gov offers tax rebates for GF purchases for someone with Celiac and we just learned there is a disability fund available (around $250/month) to offset the increased costs and medical expenses. @kayb - At least she is aware of what she has to now deal with and no more befuddlement as to her symptoms. I believe with smart choices, one can lead a relatively 'normal' life with this disease. @Okanagancook - That is quite strange, especially given the associated long term health effects of overexposure (lymphoma, low bone density, etc) Interestingly enough I also learned that they are now starting trials of a drug 'NexVax2' to treat the disease. Hopefully in his lifetime advancements are made to counteract the effects of gluten on a Celiac patient.

When the elusive pork and celery cross paths and mate once a year under the harvest moon and produce their spawn..... Pork Stalk!!! (sorry, couldn't help myself!)

@Lisa Shock - Totally agree with you. So many restaurants offering 'GF' options have no clue the impacts trace amounts of gluten can have on an individual with Celiac. A local pizza place delivery place (though I have never been a fan) 'Pizza Pizza' has GF Cauliflower crusts, but again, those are made and baked right next to the gluten laden flower and in the same ovens. We did find an awesome place in Newmarket recently called 'The Maids Cottage' that has a totally separate kitchen area for GF - they are known for their GF offerings, and in fact, have the BEST butter tart I have EVER had, and it comes in a GF package, and I must say, the pastry was fantastic! There is hope (least for the sweet tooth!). @Okanagancook - Thank you - so kind, and yes, we are very fortunate to have access to Sick Kids. Mexican has always been a favourite in my house, so I can absolutely see myself learning to craft fresh tortillas!

I can't sufficiently express the gratitude to you all for taking the time to post and share your experiences. It means a lot. @heidih - Thank you for the link, I will certainly be taking some time to go through her FB posts! @Okanagancook - Lucky for us we are in Toronto and have access to one of the best kids hospitals in the world, Sick Kids. Last week he had his scope and biopsy, the GI suggested she could essentially see the effects, interestingly enough (and luckily) the results came back, and while positive, it does not appear to have done as much damage as it might have. We have an appointment with a Sick Kids Dietician next month. @suzilightning - Has Jonny had a endoscopy with biopsy? I have read a number of cases whereby people test negatively on the blood but a biopsy will show positive for Celiac. Either way, you have already adjusted the diet so it would most likely not show up anyways. We did not evolve eating gluten, only recently in the past few hundred years did it become a staple in diets. No surprise that he (and I - and others!) have seen positive effects from eliminating it, Celiac or not. @kayb - Thank you for sharing. It must have been a rough 20 years growing up not knowing why she felt the way she did, until one day, such a significant change...one thing that I am curious about, which is hard to find concrete data on, is how people react to cross contamination or even minute amounts (if a mistake is made) - I have heard everything from very minor tummy aches, all the way to 2-4 day hospitalizations. Certainly lots of learning and experimentation to do. My recent purchase which has been quite well received was Sweet Potato noodles. Made a nice Korean dish with them, and a noodle soup as well.

I was debating whether this forum would be an appropriate place to post this. However after further reflection, the fact that this disease comes down to food and requires an alteration to ones diet, I felt it would be beneficial, perhaps for many people, as this disease gains more awareness, etc. With that being said... My 3 year old son was unfortunately diagnosed with Celiac very recently. I am curious to hear others experience with this disease, specifically regarding cross contact within the kitchen. I have made a decision to join him in a Gluten Free diet, for support, as well as I have had IBS all my life and from my limited research, the change should have a positive effect (4 days in, improvements notice already). Quite frankly, it hasn't been too difficult as we shop on the outer isles of the market. I am however saddened by the loss of Pizza... I would be curious to hear if anyone has come across a decent GF Pizza crust...besides that, I can handle the loss of bread, and its relatives. It is an unfortunate disease, but fortunately with caution and monitoring, one can lead a relatively normal life. Would love to hear others experiences and any great GF recipes!

This made me laugh. Thanks - I needed that!

So awesome, Shelby...thank you again. Fishing for turtles...that's a new one to me....very interested to see how that transpires! You have a beautiful piece of land there...and active water to boot...oh boy! 😍

No need to find a recipe - just sear the little beaut (thickly sliced) in a mix of EVOO and Butter till brown on both sides, S&P - a little thyme, perhaps - crust bread if you desire. Enjoy.

Slightly off topic - sorry - this pic appears to be a Wolf range (like mine!) - however I am curious what that metal plate your pot is sitting on (and what value it offers)?

Honey is a magical thing. The only food that never spoils. A little heat will bring it back to its liquid form. Perhaps try an unpasteurized creamed honey - might have a longer life before it crystallizes.

and I am sure they were fantastic... Nice color you got on them (critical, imo, in most mushroom preps). I adore mushrooms, and love foraging for them almost as much as I enjoy eating them. Elm Oyster season begins soon - with some rain in the forecast today and cooler temps, I will soon be in adult-scavenger hunt dream land!

Ronnie is a smart man, I too am horrified by the concept of Can'O'Meat! Looking forward to this installment, always tremendously enjoy following along in your adventures.

To further investigate, you would need to do a spore print. If you are not familiar with how - take a white piece of paper and leave the cap of the mushroom sitting on the paper overnight, remove the next day and ta-da - then the research actually begins!

Looks like a shroom from the Boletus family, though hard to tell without seeing the gills.

I quite enjoy, dare I say even prefer the bonus commentary! (and I would venture to say that I am not alone in that!! 😊)

If you ever want some fresh Shiso, come by my place - I was given some seeds from the owner of a Japanese fish store years back and have grown them (easily!) ever since. You can also try any PATs supermarket ( Koreans use a lot of Shiso as well ).

At some point one must be satisfied with ones results and simply ENJOY. scott's endless obsession with neapolitan pizza and reducing baking times aside.... What is the big deal if it takes 5 minutes vs 3 to achieve an excellent result!? I purchased a MC steel (cost about $120 after tax and conversion) about 6 months ago and am slowly perfecting my pies. A 1h heat at 550, top rack, and 10 minutes of broil before putting in the pizza, with 2 minutes of broil during cooking and 3-4 (Depending on ingredients) of no broil cooking produces a fantastic crumb with a nice little bit of char on the crust. Besides the bit of smoke, I can produce a pizza that most wood ovens would be proud to offer.

Awesome posts and thank you for taking us along with you on your journey... You mentioned in another thread you cannot get pecorino back home, and yet while in Italy, you are eating brie!? Surely there are some ancient local laws for such egregious offenses!

US Customs and Border Protection does not include an IQ test in their hiring process.... When you say 'strip search' - as in the literal meaning, or rather a 'pat down'??? Either way, sounds exciting!!