Deryn

Thanks, Elsie. Sounds like a fun outing! Passed through a few weeks ago heading south and thought of you but didn't have too much time for a get-together unfortunately. Will be driving back north again in the next week or two but not yet sure if I will be coming through Ottawa or not. In other news, I was in B&N the other day and bought myself a copy of 'Dumplings All Day Wong' which seems to have decent reviews on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1624140599?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

My mother never did dishes without rubber gloves on because of the same red cracking skin/'eczema' problem she had from the 1950s on till she passed away in the late '80s. This is not a new phenomena and I don't think it is associated with the newer antimicrobial products on the market today as they didn't exist back then - though perhaps they may aggravate an existing issue. She often also (particularly in winter) wore white cotton gloves to bed each night over Noxema'd fingers. No idea if the Noxema was magic but that was the only cream she ever used (and probably also one of the few brands on the market at the time).

Kerry - I haven't yet seen a major change in the frozen department (in other words for things like dumplings) or on the shelves but at the superstore in Antigonish we do see more basic Asian vegetables (mushrooms, bok choy and all its cousins, Asian eggplants, long beans, etc.) than at the Sobey's competition store. I knew about their T&T connection so I asked them to bring in lemongrass - and they did but I think it walked all the way from where it was grown - looked very sad and old. T&T is a major stop for me when I am in Ottawa though.

rotuts - For future use, you might consider doing what I do - Year round, I keep a HUGE apothecary type jar full of dried fruits with a bottle or two of brandy and rum poured over top. I stir it up occasionally and add extra fruit and a bit more of the liquid stuff if I use any or it 'dissolves' somewhat. You can keep this mixture for years and it will never go bad. Then you can cook up fruitcakes on a whim and give them out almost immediately rather than having to wait so long for them to 'age' gracefully (although they will still do that as well). The 'syrup' is also decadent on ice cream if you are stuck for a fast dessert (for adults). Just make sure you have a well sealing top. I learned that the hard way when once, before I got wise and put in an 'insurance' topper (plastic wrap will do fine or that sticky freezer wrap stuff) under the lid, a fruit fly family decided to take up residence when they detected that lovely sweet liquid and managed to find a teensy space to squeeze through into the jar. Added 'protein' (they 'drowned happy and quickly) but since they were not part of my recipe, I had to throw out a lot of yummy booze-soaked fruit. If you don't want to actually make fruitcakes though, how about just bottling up some dried fruits in booze and giving those out as fast and simple adult gifts at the holidays. Along that same line, booze soaked fresh cherries or even pears also make a great gift.

Grain alcohol = Everclear (brand name) overproof 190% I think (or it used to be). When I was a teenager in the Yukon, friends of mine used to mix it with grape juice for a Purple Jesus. (disclaimer - I didn't drink at all till well into my 20s - just didn't like the taste - so I never partook of that concoction). At any rate, it was sold where I was but I think it may not be sold in all provinces.

Your latter comment is exactly what occurred to me when I read that about the cast iron pan having to be moved around constantly. It definitely would mess with an electric glasstop stove (which is a large part of why I so rarely use the one I inherited when I bought my last house) but I am wondering, with induction, if one could not put a piece of paper on the element and place the pan on that so you could slide it without actual contact with the glass? I agree though, the fact that one might have to do that at all, at that pricepoint, is troubling.

So glad someone added a new post to this thread because I had somehow missed it back in September and it has now surfaced again. Thank you so much, Okanagancook, for documenting all this. I am fascinated and impressed by all you and your DH have managed to produce/accomplish. You live in what I think is the most beautiful part of the country - and where the weather is usually much better than the rest of Canada - so I am a teensy bit jealous too of course. I have 2 sons who live near Nelson but I was not sure where Naramata was with reference to them - since you are all in the Okanagan and I could not recall exactly where Naramata is. So first I had to mapquest ... darn, you are a 4 plus hours drive from my oldest who makes peach and pear wine on his Kootenay Lake property. I think his methods are very primitive compared to yours however - and from what he tells me he doesn't bother to bottle the wine ... he just sells it to friends in 5 gallon plastic containers. I think he could use some lessons in the art of fine winemaking from you two. Quick question ... backing up to the beginning of your chronicle .. do you wash the grapes at the point where the spiders are scurrying out or immediately press, etc. In other words, are there possibly some minute bits of spider essence incorporated into the final product from some who may not have joined the exodus? I am sure added protein is never a bad thing and I doubt it has any effect on final taste - just a weird question that struck me as I was looking at the pictures and reading your excellent narrative.

Me too. And it got me thinking that I need to make a whole lot more (and perhaps different) dumplings when I get back up north. So, while I already have a variety of cookbooks that have smatterings of recipes in them (which I, as usual, never follow but do read from time to time) but aren't exclusively about the art of dumpling making, I took a short side trip to Amazon to see if I can find a more focussed tome on the subject. I found this one by Andrea Nguyen - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580089755?ref_=cm_cr_pr_product_top which is a survey approach I gather to various ethnic dumplings ... Mastering Gyoza, Spring Rolls, Samosas and More ... which appears to be well reviewed. What else is out there on this subject? Is there a better book that specializes in, or is even more focussed, perhaps exclusively on Chinese and Japanese dumplings, that I really should add to my library?

My goodness, Chocolot - You deserve a grand prize if you organized this whole busy professional 'tour', 'conference' and road show! This wasn't just a gathering of a few neighbourhood friend chocoholic foodies traipsing off to a chocolate shop down the street to try the truffles with a cup of tea. Kerry - Thanks for the FD/HR pics and info (and the rest too but I am pleased to see you slotted them onto your dance card as well).

I am still hunting for decent no/low sugar chocolates for that friend of mine (although I did get her some TJs bars last time I was in the south). The other day, I bought a few boxes and bags of Russell Stover ones (some filled) for her at WalGreens. I suspect there will be more about with the holidays coming. No idea how good these are and I am not going to try them though.

Oh I know what you mean and commiserate, Liz - although I am surprised you have this problem in Delaware. When I am in Nova Scotia (which is most of the time), I live about a 1000 miles from the closest decent Asian market I know of, and almost 300 from a teensy tiny Asian grocery store that doesn't really stock much frozen stuff like dumplings. Likewise for any decent ethnic restaurants. I am making my own now - of necessity - and occasionally curse myself for not thinking about this very problem before I bought that NS house. I load up on specialized ingredients when I travel. I have managed to bring home fresh lemongrass and lotus root, various kinds of mushrooms, vinegars of all types, hoisin, sherries, etc. Luckily, most dumplings are actually not that difficult to make as you said and the ingredients are relatively simple in most cases - pork, shrimp, chicken, green onions, bok choy, and wrappers can be more readily had for me though even those too usually take a 70 mile each way trip. In my case, I guess most people are really stuck in their 'traditional' food ruts and there are few Asians living in my area so they don't demand it I guess. Or perhaps they too make their own. When I am up north though, I do miss the small Asian grocery I have near me in NC which sells many different kinds of pre-made frozen dumplings. However even that store is a relatively new development. The east coast is definitely not like the west when it comes to the availability of all things Asian.

Thank you for that explanation. I look forward to hearing more about your food adventures and insights over time, windy_city_fan. I had to go look up a vada pav recipe - and I love when someone talks about something I have never heard of so I have something new to investigate and think about. They sound delicious. You should definitely fit in well here!

I am really missing my IP right now (and my Vitamix and TMX which also would be useful I know). They are all up north and I am down south - with the perfect pie pumpkin sitting on my counter (which has been awaiting my experimentation with the baked pumpkin with gruyere and sausage recipe from thekitchn.com I posted about on the cook off thread). If the IP was here I might have changed my mind and tried hummingbirdkiss's puree instead - and used the huge acorn or a very pale pumpkin-shaped butternut squash I also bought (eyes bigger than stomach - why did I buy 3?) for that other dish. When I get back up north I doubt I will be able to find a good pumpkin for IP cooking so I may have to live till next year on that one - but thanks for the description - it had my mouth watering.

Thank you for filling me up with jamon and sardines and tomato bread - not to mention hake! Delicious. I certainly wish jamon iberico was 'ubiquitous' here in my house. Just fyi, while it is not food related (other than you had to endure that on ground snack as you waited), if the pilot fed you that line about BCN being responsible for your departure delay due to daylight savings time changes ... it was probably hogwash! It is highly unlikely that BCN would have anything to do with NAT track slot assignments and, in any event, everyone in the air traffic management/airline field works on UTC. It was more likely AA (or whatever airline you were flying) which messed up - and I would suspect that it was for their own internal aircraft scheduling reasons in North America. They should have plied you with champagne and caviar.

Welcome to eGullet! What type of cuisines are your favorites? What Indian street foods were your secret passions ... and do you cook any of them these days for your family (toning down the heat perhaps to accommodate what you say is an 'ex-cast iron stomach')?

I haven't used the slow cooker capabilities of my IP yet either to be honest - but yes, it should do what the crock pot does and more. The reason I haven't used the slow cook part is that if you can pressure cook a meal in just a few minutes, for most things it seems crazy to take all day to get to the same end. Do you have to start up the generator to use the slow cooker, Smithy? Or do you use coach power to make it work while you are driving? I don't see why you could not set up the IP to start at a certain time (much later in the driving day if you are pressure cooking) while you are driving too - since it doesn't need to go all day (although it could as well if on slow cook setting) - and also use coach power in that case.

You really should clear out a teensy bit of room for an IP in your glamper! I think you would find it tremendously useful there in particular.

I have never heard of nor seen these. Where did you find them - only on the web? I don't have little ones around but I can think of 2 families, each with 3 kids - all boys, ranging in age from 3 to 10 - I would supply these for if they would help their mother/grandmother get a bit of quieter time with the kids learning about 'cooking' maybe as well. ETA: Found them or some at least on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Kracie-Cookin-Bundle-Hamburger-Takoyaki/dp/B00K5D4NDC/ref=pd_sim_325_7?ie=UTF8&dpID=61XdKbNQ9dL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=1SR8YJRDQZMWPFMEAQ73 Are they all just candy? They certainly are inexpensive and have a lot of positive reviews but apparently they can take some time to arrive by mailorder?

Love that sink!

Well, I have to say you certainly make dieting look delicious! Thanks, Dejah. Wish you well on the quest. How long have you been at this so far and is it yielding the desired results yet?

Oh goodie ... another amazing adventure to watch vicariously through the eyes and typing fingers of some of our most outstanding eGulleters! Have a wonderful and safe trip, Kerry. Thanks for starting this thread - and thanks to Chocolot for organizing what sounds to be a great gathering of the chocolate clan. I will be looking forward to hearing about everything.

So sorry to hear about that expensive disappointment. Were they all out of steak and lobster? If so, wow!

Focaccia? I am not sure I have ever made a basic bread that actually included dairy so one would think almost any yeast bread would do as long as those with issues don't add butter on top. Gluten-free is another story. Focaccia would be ideal I think since it is fast to make, substantial and you can use olive oil in and/or to brush it with - and you can vary any herbs you may decide to put on/in it to go with your particular soup choice.

I agree with you. That part I never had a problem with at all, though I admit I thought that was settled science many years ago. Most people I know also already know that it is probably not a great idea to eat 10 slices of bacon every day - for more than just the nitrate reason. The point is really that they communicate this stuff in a manner which either has people suddenly getting scared stiff or pooh-pooh-ing it, especially when they don't really, in plain English, tell people what this means for THEM personally. And, of course, nitrates won't cause cancer in everyone, nor are nitrates be the only thing that causes colon cancer. And some people will get colon cancer having never eaten anything containing nitrates in their lives. They probably are capable of causing cancer but the risk for any individual is much lower most likely than if that same individual smoked, etc. This announcement (given its limited useful scope) would have been fine buried in some darned obscure journal but the WHO and the media decided they wanted to make a bigger deal out of it. Why would that be do you think?

Honkman - I eat beef, pork and/or lamb (all of which are classified as 'red meat' by this study) a sum total of about once a year, though I like them. I had a grain fed beef hamburger the other day but I cannot remember the last time I had a hamburger or any of the listed 'red meats' otherwise. I, likewise, can't recall the last time I ate bacon or any other processed meat. But, I do that by choice, not because I am told to lay off. And I am aware of the probable dangers inherent in cured meats - and get that/believe it is probably true - but, if I want to eat them, I will not be influenced or bound by any scientific study in my personal food choices. As far as the carcinogenic potential for cured/processed meats go, here is a clearer explanation I found, which talks about 'how much', etc.: http://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2015/10/26/processed-meat-and-cancer-what-you-need-to-know/ and here is a decent piece as well explaining why although scientific entities may do good and useful work they are lousy at communications: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/10/why-is-the-world-health-organization-so-bad-at-communicating-cancer-risk/412468/. p.s. The video at the bottom of my second link is interesting - and frankly, though it doesn't apply to the advice about cured meats particularly - it IS where science is trying to lead us - to NO MEAT and thence to 'fake meat'. Nothing wrong with 'fake meat' I am sure though I can't eat it if it is based on anything soy and I really hate the idea of what I call 'regurgitated' meats which this has to have the look and feel of - so, I hope to keep having more choice than that - on the few occasions I decide I want to eat 'meat'. I am hypothyroid. I have to avoid quite a few foods as a result of that - and I do - but occasionally, I will indulge in vegetables I love for instance, because I also like to enjoy life a bit. Doctor, for good reason, tells me not to eat them, and I understand why - it is good advice but the window has gotten steadily narrower. Regardless .. I think you read my post all wrong. It was personal and said with some jest - but my post capability right now messes with smiley faces so there was no emoticon. Sorry. As for 'global warming' - you got that right .. sort of. I believe in nature and history. I believe that people need to do something about pollution, etc. but I do not think we are more than a drop in the proverbial bucket when it comes to our 'power' to change nature and weather through mere daily living so no I am not buying the 'we are to blame for everything' line. And I dislike the nastiness that spews from the mouths of some who are fanatics about that issue, having much of anything forced down my throat, and the idea of paying for carbon credits, etc. - monies that just seem to go into the pockets of jet-setters. This is not the forum for this but you raised the issue, not me. (mods - feel free to remove this last paragraph).