Deryn

I don't care how you describe that swordfish dinner (though I much prefer your down to earth rendition to those of the pretentious) - I would be eating what you made with 'gusto' were I lucky enough to be invited. Swordfish is my very favorite fish and I get it so very rarely that it is a special treat. It has been some time since I tasted it but, through your pictures and words, I feel as though I have just had my fill for the next while. Silly question, but, is it easy and relatively inexpensive in Ambato to obtain all those packaging materials you use for your baked goods? I also noticed that a lot of the prepared foods in the market/on the street, even those which may have a warm or hot component, seem to be served out of plastic bags - which I think is a great idea (and one I never see up here). Is that the norm there or is styrofoam ubiquitous too and we just didn't see that where you were?

I feel as though you have already written a whole book, complete with pictures! It is a very good day when I learn something new - today and yesterday have been epic, thanks to you. How you have managed to fit us into everything else you have been doing I cannot imagine but I am so glad you are taking us along with you as you go about your day/week. This is an adventure not to be missed! Please tell your parents from me that they have an amazingly talented and generous daughter - and thank them for taking the path that led you all there. p.s. I wish you were on Gusto TV - a show featuring a genuine person like you taking people around the culture (especially the cuisine) of Ecuador would be 10 thousand times better than what that channel is edging into - 'perky personality, non-cooks' pretending to be FoodTV/HGTV stars!

If you blinked you missed it. The sales pitch was mostly about the app and the pre-made dinners as far as I can tell.

I have one but can't really give you a decent review. It is, in fact, still waiting to be used (after being purchased a few months ago). Got caught up in trying to figure out what to add (kansui-wise) to make fresh ramen noodles in it and never actually got around to making them. I am however fairly sure that for some people under some family circumstances, it is a decent machine. What I mean by that is if you have early teen kids and they want to have fun making their own noodles (I think it is fairly fast and foolproof) or if you want to have your own fresh noodles regularly but don't want the mess of doing all that on the counter, etc. It certainly is solidly constructed. I decided I also need the other set of disks though - and I am worried that ramen noodles may not work that well because one cannot rest the dough between mixing and extruding. And I am fairly sure that one must follow the recipes/instructions pretty closely as the texture depends on exact measurements. For me, that may not be ideal (though at the time I bought it I thought perhaps I could mend my ways in that respect). Will let you know if I actually use it, what I really think about it.

I am in total awe - and I echo the statements of just about everyone reading this blog - so I am not going to repeat them all. I will just add my thanks for going to all this trouble to educate all of us, and tantalize us with all the facets of your amazing life in Ambato. I am just so pleased to be along on this amazing journey, chez Panaderia. I particularly like the idea of establishing an eGullet retirement home near you! This morning, as I listen to the ice pellets pound my roof, and see the glistening layers of freezing rain on my windows, I am thinking I will soon list both my NC and NS properties and sell off everything I own (well, maybe I will bring the IP and the TMX, but, I doubt the freeze-dryer would fit in my suitcase - though I think it definitely would come in handy there - if the electrical systems can support any of these 'gadgets'?). Please book me a room with a window near the kitchen!

Thank you in advance for what I am certain will be a fascinating week. I really need at least a vicarious spring vacation right now and Ecuador sounds like the perfect place to 'visit', especially with you as our tour guide. Congratulations on becoming an Ecuadorian citizen, but you will always be a Canadian 'ex-pat' as well! We just can't let you go entirely and that easily!

Eggs today here: $3.49/doz, not organic, nowhere near fresh. $4.99/18 pack large. Chickens: on special today: $3.99/lb whole. These never saw a range, much less walked freely upon one. Breasts and thighs: $3.49/bone in. $4.99/boneless. Rotisserie: $10:99 (plus 15% tax). Only mitigating circumstances: 1) in Can $ and 2) antibiotic free as all must be these days in Canada I believe (but still with hormones which affect me, well after my natural ones died).

My dog would say only 1. I would say, if not feeding said dog, I could get 4 or more but that is only one person and I would not use much at any given meal.

Warranty - Guarantee. Sigh. 'Continued strong usage'? And they are only concerned with the 'hardware'? Their major 'innovation' really seems to be the 'software' ... no? Are you contacting a 'call center' in India or the Philippines perhaps? Hate to sound skeptical - I really want this to work out well for you, rotuts - but this doesn't look good to me.

Here's an IP corned beef brisket recipe that calls for 90 minutes for a 3-4 lb roast: http://nourishtofuel.com/instant-pot-corned-beef/ . I wonder if chuck is a bit more tender naturally than brisket (which is essentially flank as far as I know) might be. You can also slow cook in the IP for 4 hours.

Kitchen Aid mixer + fluffy white-clouded mountains ... added to the fact that Panaderia bakes - she is going to make meringues?

So I guess it IS Panaderia after all? I got confused when I saw Smithy's comments about how she was not going to say yet and then posted the extra pictures - and Tri2Cook then quoted me but ******'d out the name. My apologies. Again though, if it is our Canadian expat friend ... I am so excited to 'taste' the South American fare that I hope we will be treated to soon.

Ugh, rotuts. I do hope that was not the only response you receive - but only an auto-generated response to your purchase, one that all 'backers' receive - and the more personal, answers to your questions one is also 'in the mail' and will arrive soon.

And I just changed my post - the one you 'quoted', Tri2Cook. Seems some of us may have jumped the gun - it was not my intention to do that. Tere - I am sure we would all love to hear about your travels, especially the food related parts, either on a 'a la minute' basis or after the fact upon your return. You can, I think, just start a new thread to chronicle all that, but, if you want to consult someone, maybe you could send Smithy or Chris a PM.

Welcome to eGullet, Slick! As Tere indicated, I hope you will love this group/site as much as many of us do. I am looking for adventurous people like you here in Nova Scotia. If I can move from TX to here (though in my case, via NC) .. you and your wife can too! (Just kidding ... but ... I couldn't help planting the seed).

Congratulatons on your sleuthing, blue_dolphin. I figured Kerry would be the first to find the original home of the image - she seems very adept at that. I agree with Anna that perhaps a picture that has never appeared here before (but related to previous posts by the blogger to be) may be a better way to keep the excitement going for a while longer but this was, though short lived, fun nonetheless. Eagerly awaiting the Sunday start of this new 'mystery' blog. It is bound to be fantastic! (edit: to remove someone's name as it appears that may not be the correct 'answer' after all)

I guess LindaK too. But whoever it is .. I am chomping at the bit(e) to begin digesting this new blog.

I have contributed to other people's dinner parties occasionally unsolicited but I (nor anyone I know personally) have never actually thrown a party like that and no one I have invited to my place has ever brought anything (other than perhaps a bottle of wine) so, I have never had that problem, ElainaA. But then I am a 'foodie' and something different and interesting - outside the 'norm' - would probably be a real treat and I would showcase it if I could (without hurting anyone else's feelings, of course). I have never moved in a circle which did the 'potluck supper' kind of thing when it came to entertaining - not sure why not though. That was mostly reserved for things like church suppers and the like in my experience. I have also lived in 'communal' circumstances where people cooked together - but didn't bring in things from outside. However, when I did take anything to a dinner party I never felt they actually had to put It on the table, mind you (and, if unsolicited, it was usually a small dessert type treat - not to overshadow the host/hostess - just to show my appreciation for being invited). They could keep it for later or they could throw it out behind my back and it would not have bothered me somehow. I never asked even for the dish it was contained in/on to be returned - I made sure it was disposable or was purchased as part of the 'gift'. I would say however, if someone asks people to bring a 'casserole' with recipe for a cookbook, but doesn't say more than that, they may be leaving a lot open to interpretation and may have to put up with 14 dishes full of spaghetti chicken (apparently a southern dish and guftporter is in a southern state so it is probably at least known there) or 4 mac and cheese dishes and 10 tuna casseroles or whatever. And they deserve what they get in that case - although this may be more organized than that and we just don't know it. Maybe they have explained more that gulfporter didn't relate (will ALL recipes brought be included in the cookbook, and if not, will some people feel really left out if theirs isn't? etc.). In the absence of further instruction, I say one should take whatever one interprets to be a 'casserole' and feels like making, all else being equal.

Poor Cameron, abandoned for three days, alone in a waterless apartment. I hope no one called the Pig Face Police to report you for negligence. But, on the other hand, though forced and not already planned I presume, I hope you had a lovely countryside sojourn! p.s. have a good trip.

There are probably as many recipes for Basteeya/Bastilla/Pastilla/B'steya, etc. as there are names for it in English. I have made it several times (quite a while ago now) but I am a terrible person to ask for a recipe as I am sure that I probably just read about it and winged it in the end. I therefore would not be able to give you my recipe unfortunately. There is one good thing about that though - it means you can use what you have and not worry too much about anything but the ultimate taste you want. I think you probably should have tasted what you consider a decent Bastilla at some time before attempting to make it or it could be quite a surprise if you follow a recipe that makes the end product way too sweet for your tastes/intentions. I have, as far as I recall, not actually ever put confectioner's sugar in the body of the 'pie' (only on top) but some recipes seem to lean that direction. Instead I think cinnamon. cloves, allspice, mace, etc. lend enough of a sweet inference. And I have never attempted to make Warqa so Phyllo/Filo/Fillo for me was always the fast answer. However, if I were you I would find a chef you trust (David Lebovitz? Paula Wolfert?) and use one of their basic recipes, but if you don't have some ingredient on hand such as a particular prescribed spice (or spice mixture) then fake it with some others. For instance, Ras en Hanout - some recipes call for that spice mix and others avoid it entirely substituting instead just some of the spices that are predominant in that mixture. Lebovitz's recipe: http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2013/11/chicken-basteeya-bstilla-recipe. I don't have a link to Paula's but apparently it can be found in her Couscous book - maybe someone else can find it if you don't have that book either, gulfporter. I suspect hers is very authentic but may be a lot more work. David's looks fairly straight forward and familiar to me. Here is a link to a site with pictures of the process - again the recipe is not 'kitchen tested' by me so I apologize: step by step bastila recipe with photos

As a Canadian I have no doubt what currants are either. I found them very hard to find in the southern US but can buy them even in this local co-op grocery in the boondocks in NS. Just bought some the other day as a matter of fact. Christmas cakes, scones, welshcakes, tea breads ... currants were a favorite staple in our house when I was young.

How about a Moroccan chicken bastilla 'pie'? Light-ish, a bit different than most will probably bring, no cheese. Perhaps not a traditional 'casserole' but you can make it in a casserole dish and pretend it is.

Monogram I believe was HCB for my grandmother - Helen Cobb Bragdon (and if so, she may have received it for her hope chest rather than at the time of her marriage). Or it could have been for my grandmother and grandfather because her first name was Helen and his was Charles so that makes sense too. Haven't seen it for a few years so I can't remember (I should be able to but right now can't recall) if the letters were arranged as HBC overlapping or as HCB. At any rate, it was sold at auction in Asheville so conceivably I guess your sister (if I am recalling correctly that she lives not that far from there) could have purchased it. Wouldn't that be an interesting coincidence, Jaymes. If she did, I would be thrilled to relay some real family history to her sometime. I would love to know she had it - sounds ideal to me! My mother who knew she would eventually give me my grandmother's silver anyway - and how much can one girl ever need? - bought me some Dansk flatware when I got married in 1967. I loved that stuff - it was not the cheap stainless at all .. had weight and simple style - and appealed to the practical side of me I guess. I had enough other sterling and plated silver dishes and platters as it was.

Those sound and look absolutely delicious. What could be better than rhubarb and ginger - and 2 kinds of chocolate! Thanks for the spring-y wakeup. I was born in Yorkshire - but left when I was a baby ... nice to know they 'export' more than just one good thing!

Laughing my head off, Jaymes. Upthread I switched it up on you when I asked you how much you would charge me for you to come to visit. Wasn't your fault at all. I was sneaky. If you come at the right time, we will find a place 'down on the tickle' as it is termed here (just down the road a mile or so) to pick wild blueberries or walk around and steal apples off the wild trees or pick the rosehips down by the water or raid my rhubarb patch so worry not about fresh fruit, at least the more ordinary types, in summer. Not sold in any store but I like to 'forage'. 'Dessert' in the 'desert' to go with those hot tamales! I can't wait!