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This is a really fun blog, misgabi. What with the time difference, I hope you don't get discouraged about the replies. Look at the "views" statistics. Tell us more about native pepperberry!

Are we back to making rodent stock?

If you want to be humane, you pith the little buggers. Yes... pith... That is taking a knife or scalpel and give a quick stab at the base of the brain. (Ex-biology person experience speaking here.) However... The likelihood of my taking a "wild" rodent in hand to do this is extremely remote.

Just to throw another twist into this thread... Those of us that go around with a water source all day... Do you have a fetish about your water container? I have a favorite insulated, really big sippy cup that I use at the office and I fill at the cooler. I don't always drink ice water. I generally prefer mine cool, not iced. Then, at home, I have these really pedestrian acrylic glasses that are really more like a tall mug with a mug-like handle. That is my water recepticle of choice and it is filled with room temp tap water. That is also what resides bedside. Another aside. An offsite parking service, The Parking Spot, at the Houston airport, has won my loyalty because they give you a chilled bottle of water when you pay your bill and exit. When you get off of a really long flight, that is heaven. Somebody is a marketing genius.

KatyM... I just reread this thread and it looks like the reactions are overwhelmingly negative. I find that interesting. Rarely does a diverse group such as eGullet members agree so much. The more strongly negative reactions of the guys is really interesting. Can't wait to read your article. I am hoping you will provide a link when you publish.

Thanks for that post, lovebenton0. I really enjoyed envisioning your garden. I live in Houston and you can imagine our frustrations with growing the stone fruits. I am temprorarily in an apartment so you can imagine my gardening frustrations. Fredericksburg is lovely and you might even have a shot at growing apricots. Some of the best apricots I ever ate were purchased at a roadside stand somewhat west of you but I don't imagine that the climate is that different.

Richard... After I got up off the floor from reading that post, I want to know who did the autopsy.

Thanks for finding that AuntieEm. You learn something new every day. However, I am really suspicious about how the tortillas would turn out. The whole thing about a tortilla is that is made, sits around for at least a few minutes to get a dry surface, then is put on a scorching hot comal. That is what makes the unique texture and the brown spots on the uneven surface of the tortilla. I can't imagine one of these things coming even close in final taste and texture.

Other than the big complex machines that crank out hundreds of tortillas at a factory, I don't know of a tortilla "machine". And even those are just automated presses. The stacks of tortillas aren't cooked until just before you eat them and that is done on a comal (like a round griddle you put over the fire), griddle or (in my case) a hot cast iron skillet. Tortilla presses are just simple plates that you manually use to smash the masa flat prior to putting on the griddle. Of course, the traditional handmade ones are done by hand, pattting them from hand to hand... an art that I have never mastered and a wonder to watch.

That was a case of screwed up electrolyte balance that may or may not be related to hydration levels. I had an interest n reading about those things recently because my son just ran a marathon. (The "Mother Anxiety Meter" was just about pegged.) What hillbill said...

Me too... I got used to drinking a lot of water all day about 20 years ago. Kidney stones are a great teacher. I walk around with a big sippy cup of water all day. I still drink 2 or 3 big water glasses full with a meal. I am sure glad I am not weird.

Hmmm... good catch foodie52. I think you are on to something. I don't really like the attendant thing but I don't really get exercised about it. I just think of it as another person to have to tip that doesn't really do much for me. However, in countries like Mexico, I appreciate that people need jobs and I try to be prepared to tip generously but not obnoxiously so.

Before anyone gets all exercised about astaxanthin or castaxanthin (go to question 7) you might want to know that these coloring compounds are the same ones that wild salmon get naturally from krill and other crustaceans. YES!!! THEY ARE CHEMICALS! SO IS EVERYTHING! INCLUDING YOU AND ME! One thing I see in those links is reference to lawyers and lawsuits. Now I am really dubious about a case against farmed salmon.

I can see the point of 1) if the farms are not well managed and the fish are overcrowded or whatever. That has been an issue with some shrimp farming operations where the outflow from the ponds have caused problems. As to 2), (I am going out on a limb of ignorance here) as I understand it, salmon get their color from the crustaceans that they eat and that the feed contains the same compounds. (Maybe not?) An interesting aside on the color issue. There used to be big shrimp drying operations down in the swamps of south Louisiana. The shrimp are boiled in salty water and layed out on big screens to dry. They are then tumbled to knock the shells off. The shells were sold to zoos etc. for flamingo feed. It is the same stuff that keeps the flamingos "in the pink" so to speak. The shrimp are exported to Asia or used locally as bar snacks. I wonder if they still do that?

The visual on that one got me!

OOOOOKKKKK! Nuances of flavor or moistness may not make a big difference to me and I can go take a pill to get more Omega 3. I still don't get what makes farm raised salmon an evil thing.

Are your Australian ads anywhere near as bizarre as some I have seen from the UK? I was in Ireland last week. Watching the BBC, there was this car ad. The car was rushing down the street being followed by this big red jiggling jello mold and two front loading washers. No... I am not making that up and I wasn't drunk... at the time. Needless to say, I have no idea what kind of car it was.

OK... I am confused. What is so bad about farm raised salmon? That is a serious question. I really don't know if I would know the difference. And hasn't aquaculture been encouraged to supply much needed protein? After all, the Polynesians were practicing aquaculture hundreds of years ago. Enlighten me, please.

Me either. I don't think I could do that. And, I have done some pretty gross things in the name of biological research. I like the chloroform route, nice and peaceful, but I don't know if you can even buy that anymore. I used to get it from the druggist.

I am kinda with elyse on this one. Mice are so damn cute! In a house I had years ago, I went through a mouse infestation. I would trap them and then put them into a moving barrel (one of those heavy cardboard things) with a chloroform soaked rag and they would go nite-nite. (I used to keep chloroform for butterflies during my butterfly collecting period.)

I have only had goat slow BBQ'd so I can't say what to do other than that. Sounds like your braising idea is the right direction. I am thinking that lotsa garlic would be appropriate. (But then... I always think lotsa garlic is appropriate. ) Please let us know how it comes out.

Marble is not a very practical choice. It is particularly vulnerable to attack by acids. (Think lemon juice, vinegar, FIZZZZZ!) Marble is calcium carbonate that has been transformed by heat. Calcium carbonate is a realtively fragile stone. Granite is a silicate and therefore resistant to a lot of chemical attack, thus its popularity. I wouldn't do a whole countertop in marble. An insert for messing with pastry, maybe. A whole countertop... probably not.

If I had used white wine on Sophie, she would have just lapped that up, too.

I have always used club soda for an immediate fix, hydrogen peroxide for longer term stains. You do have to be careful with the peroxide since it will bleach some things... Like basset hounds... True story... Big red wine spill on a tile floor woke up the ancient and venerable Sophie. She had these white paws. Well, she was poddling around "helping" to clean up. The wine got on her white paws and tan ears and she was stained this funny color. I decided to use some peroxide on her to "clean her up". The white parts were fine but the tan parts were bleached blonde. She sure looked funny for a while. She also got drunk and had a hangover. A hungover basset is a sad sight.

I don't think you can get away from regional American food. This is a really big piece of real estate. Hell... Even hamburgers have some regional preferences on how they are put together. I really wouldn't try to find THE American specialty. (Well, the hamburger comes close.) I would go ahead and take a tour of regional specialties. Different styles of BBQ comes to mind. Then there is the whole South Louisiana thing with gumbo, crawfish boils, shrimp boils, jambalaya, etc. etc. etc. The evolution of Tex-Mex. The origins of chili and the stories about the San Antonio chili queens... So many wonderful stories. Even the traditional Thanksgiving feast has regional differences. The type of stuffing/dressing comes to mind. The regional differences should be embraced and the history of those cuisines explained. The diversity of this very large and varied country should be celebrated.