Deryn

Believe me, cretins can be found at the grocery store too but probably not on the same aisle as the cretons. I will have to look for some of that cuttlefish ink out here at Superstore - if you can find it in Sudbury, surely we should have it on the coast.

My herbs are growing fine on the deck. I have parsley stems that are 20 inches long and the marjoram is loving it where I put it - and the rain we have been getting. The lemon verbena nearly bit the biscuit - I let it sit a couple of days before I transplanted it to a large pot - but slowly it is coming back. I still haven't planted the berry bushes .. can't decide where they are going so they are still sitting on my deck .. but the currants have almost finished fruiting and the raspberries are showing signs of beginning to ripen as well. Other than that since summer is never going to arrive here this year I think ... if I actually get to planting any seeds I think I will only bother with 'cold weather' crops and very quick growing things that don't mind if there isn't much sun (since by the time I get them in the season will be almost over). Hasn't even gotten to 70 F yet at all. We don't get super hot here normally (though 50 miles from here it can easily be 20 degrees hotter than here) but this is a really cold summer in this locale. Today was low 50s most of the day - and misty/foggy/rainy. Yesterday was a brighter but it is also black fly season - I was out at the music festival and now am covered with itchy bites.

I realize that I am late to the conversation .. hadn't read this thread for a few days ... but was the problem maybe earwigs?

I agree. Not much of this is making much sense to me right now. But obviously I am less than the 'average person' since I cannot quite comprehend without further information and I cannot mind read. Working on those skills but I am slow.

Hello Alex77. Welcome to eGullet. Where are you living? Britain? How old are you? What level are you in school? Or are you still in school? If so, is there a 'guidance counsellor' at your school who may be able to advise you? How about your parents - can they be of help in any way ... perhaps by outlining for you generally what kinds of skills, abilities, background, etc. you may need to get a job in your area for instance. Do you already know how to cook? If not, you will probably not get a job as a cook per se but perhaps you can work in a kitchen as a dishwasher and work your way up. Do you have any experience at anything? Have you prepared a resume? I don't know how many we have here on the boards who would be able to answer your questions for the British market (especially the part about the wages over there) but in North America, though many places might like someone who has completed some kind of culinary training I am certain there are small restaurants who will hire someone without much of any experience or training as a kitchen worker or waiter (which usually doesn't require schooling as much as aptitude and attitude, a desire to follow instructions and work hard, a friendly personality, - and in most cases the ability to communicate well). Wages vary from place to place and between types of restaurant and of course by the actual job assignment and length of time on the job, etc., so that is difficult to answer for you here. If there are chain fast food restaurants in your area, it might be a good idea to call them up and ask them about their wages and job openings/opportunities. That would probably be much more useful than asking a bunch of strangers who probably live nowhere near where you are. Why I wonder would anyone need a degree in tourism to work as a cook or waiter? I doubt that these days one needs a degree in math for either job you listed - since making change (usually guided by an electronic cash register) is probably as much skill as a waiter might require and the ability to measure ingredients accurately probably is as far as most entry level back of house jobs might need. Some university level kids (or grads) do work as waiters/waitresses and cooks either to finance their education or to pay for it afterward when they can't find other jobs in their field of study, but that doesn't mean a university education is required to do those jobs. In fact, employers often don't want someone who is overqualified because they may not stay long. I do think it is best for you to get through your basic grade schooling though before you try to go to work full time. At any rate, are you trying to ask if you can get some kind of temporary job - just till you can afford a laptop - and then quit. If so, I would not tell an employer that at any interview (unless they advertise for a temporary worker). Please forgive me but you might want to work a bit on your English if it is the only language you know ... there is no such thing as 'worser' and, if used at all (which it probably should not be in the manner you used it), the spelling of money plural is monies - not moneys. You sound very young (I am sorry if I am misjudging there). I wish you much luck in finding your (probably) first job but the way to do that is to go around your local area and ask local businesses what kind of qualifications they require for any jobs they may offer.

I am still trying to figure out who exactly you think is your target market for this 'tool'. Novice bakers will usually follow a recipe they feel is tried and true - created by someone else. They want (hope for) instant success and good results from the outset - most won't experiment too much at that stage. Many home bakers will rarely vary their base recipe(s) once they have figured out they actually work, especially since there are so many variables anyway (humidity in the air, a new brand of flour, etc. being a couple) that one can make the same thing many times and each will come out good perhaps but no two iterations will be 'exactly the same'. Professional bakers I believe will usually use standardized recipes since they need to produce a product that their customers have come to expect will be 'the same' each day. And then there are crazy people like me who have been cooking and baking and eating for so long I just wing it most of the time .. mostly because I can pull from taste memory, and long experience learning the basics - leading to some understanding of the properties of/'kitchen chemistry' involved in mixing basic ingredients - but I don't write anything down .. the results (good or bad) and the analysis of those results just go into my personal 'memory bank' - sometimes under the 'don't do that again' file. And these days, I don't 'plan' to bake too much in advance - I keep basic ingredients around in case the mood strikes me and if I am out of something, I toss in something else or leave it out. I don't even measure very accurately (oh the horror) most of the time unless I KNOW that a particular measure is critical to the success of the recipe. And I measure success perhaps not the way you would - is it interesting, is it palatable, would I serve this to guests, what can I 'do' with this now I have made it (and made too much) ... can I use it in something else perhaps?). Most people aren't writing cookbooks so they don't really experiment too much unless it is to make a slight variation from a base recipe they trust. Perhaps they add a different kind of nut one day or try applesauce as a bit of the sweetening element - and they may discover through a process of trial and elimination what works for them and what doesn't - but usually they all start from a basic known recipe while widening their horizons with the added ingredients (like chocolate chips or spices, etc.) ... until over time perhaps that basic recipe has morphed into something more akin to another basic recipe. So who exactly IS your target audience?

I had a bit of fun with the tool and got this result: Smart tool ... it may not be anything I would actually use but at least it figured out that this is a BAD recipe (though it didn't tell me why - not that I didn't know). On the other hand it didn't seem to take account of the 3 litres of cream of tartar I chose as a leavener! I have no idea what size serving (unless I do my own math with the # of servings in x # of grams) is but hey apparently it is only 31.46 calories per - so (aside from the fact this would be totally unpalatable anyway) it is great diet food (for a carb based food) I would say. What does it do with the information one might put in for hydration? Just for fun, I told it 125% hydration (but why am I asked to then give that a 'measurement' as well?) but that wasn't even a possible 'request'/desire given that I only told it 1 Tbsp of heavy cream and no other liquid (although I guess if one doesn't drain the zucchini after grating that might be a bit more of unspecified liquid-ity. As to how I create recipes, that mostly happens through evolution (making a similar dish many times over the years, often when I don't have all the ingredients on hand) or sometimes I read a lot of cookbooks for 'ideas' and basics and then (without a specific recipe in front of me) I just start dumping into a bowl till the mixture or whatever seems the right texture (and I taste as I go along too - even at the raw stage if that is safe). Yes, I fail sometimes (but that is how I learn) but I have far more successes. Unfortunately though I rarely make exactly the same thing twice.

rotuts - Last time I was there (this spring) I think I paid a little over 6 dollars (plus tax but it didn't come to $7) for a burger (I didn't order with cheese which is a bit more) which comes with fries. Well worth the price .. and frankly that is pretty low these days I think for any kind of burger with fries.

I only eat a burger perhaps once or twice a year - but, in the Asheville area I can recommend only one place to go and that is the food truck in the Home Depot parking lot off Fairview Road. They only use only Hickory Nut Gap grass fed beef and they are THE juiciest, tastiest burgers I have ever had. No other fast food joint (fixed or mobile) has beat them yet in my experience - and since grass fed is better for me anyway, I was thrilled to find this place.

Is that a 'burger' in that neck of the woods? And I guess my other question is .. is it donkey meat?

Those students are amazing (though I am not surprised since education is very valued in Asian countries/families) in how well they communicate in English. Their writing too is especially clear and well formed - MUCH better than that of so many in North America these days (whose native language is supposed to be English) - especially considering that English text is so different from Chinese characters. Please give them my kudos and thanks, Liuzhou, if you see the class again. I am enjoying reading the recipes very much even if I will never try to make most of them. I love a) that the kids actually seem to know their way around the kitchen enough to be able to write down these recipes - I gather they themselves have actually made these dishes or watched them being made very often at the very least and b) the simplicity of the dishes.

AC used to be good 'back in the day' .. over 20 years ago ... but like most western based airlines they have truly become cattle class transport machines in my humble estimation. The cost for what used to be economy service (but now is reserved for business and first class) is now prohibitive for most except for business travellers from large rich corporations, and the otherwise wealthy or influential. I recall being wined and dined very well, particularly on longer flights but even on shorter ones when there was enough time to get anything out of the galley at all, mostly in economy, back when I was travelling at least once a week on business (primarily in Canada but I also took several flights to Europe and a number to US cities as well). Anyway, happy to hear you made it to your destination, even if you are tired. Rest up and commence the eating as soon as you can! We are eagerly awaiting descriptions to drool by.

Welcome to eGullet, Melpy. That is quite a list of allergens you have there. If this is new to you, it does sound as though you will be very challenged with carbs of just about any sort, including from garbanzo/chickpeas, being denied to you. You list scallops but no other shellfish - again if this is new for you, I suspect you may want to be cautious about using any other shellfish as well since allergies to similar things can 'grow'. My heart goes out to you - I would not be able to live well without pepper and garlic in particular. And I can see that salads may also be somewhat limited in your case as well without carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, beans, oranges, nuts. Luckily it seems that meats are mostly ok for you so I guess you are going on a high protein diet. I have things I need to be cautious about eating for medical reasons but luckily having them (cooked) once in a while won't kill me (at least quickly) so I just avoid them most of the time. Most of those are vegetables and fruits. But even for me, the list gets longer and longer as I get older - and there is a possibility I may also now be developing a shellfish allergy (which would be a tragedy for me in terms of the loss of enjoyment of a whole category of foods that often make up most of the protein content I enjoy). At any rate, I feel your pain though I can't really at this time offer you much in the way of any advice other than to just avoid those things to which you are sensitive and/or allergic. I am sure others may be of more help in that area however, especially if you can talk a bit more about specific types of foods or categories of things (salads, casseroles, stews, desserts, etc.) you DO like or need help with. p.s. check everything you buy (processed foods) for soy ... and learn the variant names by which it may otherwise be identified. I have to avoid soy too - and I love Asian dishes. Through experimentation I have found that if I use black vinegar, sriracha, fish sauce, and toasted sesame oil (which I can see that in your case you need to avoid completely) and sometimes a bit of non-soy containing oyster sauce I can get a depth of flavour that is satisfying to replace soy sauce. Mushrooms are also good for injecting umami and good nutrition where soy is not an option.

I should have mentioned the 'bright side' result of my late night ... the cheesecake (made more or less a la Great Dinners from Life) turned out beautifully. Delciious (which is too bad really) with nary a crack to be found (just one very slight dent where I touched it to check on its jiggly-ness during baking). Heavy. Dense. Very rich. Very caloric. Must be frozen in teensy squares and kept in someone else's freezer I think.

You tried .. beyond the call of 'duty', btbryd. Thanks. Not to worry. Although I know you want to try that technique yourself, I can wait. In the meantime, DDF ... that seems quite a method you have devised! Or did you get all that from somewhere else? Sorry the outcome may not have been entirely perfect on this run ... hope it is useable nonetheless. Thanks for the report with picture.

I would have loved to have the chance to experience an EMP meal but if I had to choose between the two opportunities, I would rather have gone to Franci's house for that amazing dinner! Kerry was extra lucky not to have to choose.

Oh dear, Darienne. Hope the burn is healing .. those REALLY hurt (don't ask how I know). And thanks for the dasher reminder as I am probably going to make ice cream today or tomorrow. Progress not perfection - glad you caught it earlier this time. My 'never will again' for today is ... I will never again (I hope) start making a cheesecake that requires almost 5 hours of 'supervision' at 9 p.m. at night. Mis en place and mixing time - 20 minutes max. Oven time .. on for an hour .. off for 2 hours .. counter time .. one hour .. then finally to fridge and bed at 2 a.m. :(. I am a night owl but that was too late even for me.

It's all my fault. Fort Wayne is named after an ancestor of mine (Mad Anthony Wayne) who fought in the Revolutionary War. Obviously they need a culinary revolution now (and/or to not roll up the streets at 10 pm). I've been through there a few times myself and thank goodness I didn't ever have to stay more than to pick up gas before I moved on. Of course, back when I did that there were no road signs advertising Burmese food or I might have delved a bit deeper. Have a safe trip back to Ontario, Kerry.

Perhaps freeze-dried waxed salt ice cream would work. The freeze-dryer gets down (at least temporarily) to -50 F. I have often considered trying to use mine as a 'slower blast chiller'. But, failing that, I wonder what would happen if you tried dry ice to initially chill that ice cream after the salt was added ... would it 'melt' as the temperature rose to a more normal ice cream storage temp?

Won't they be surprised when you and Lisa set up an LLC and make a killing in the pretzel and ice cream markets!

Big liability issues in the States if they don't take someone to an accredited hospital (which then passes on the liability). Good Samaritans, even trained medical ones, are not encouraged. But, no, I think unlikely the food show will foot the bill - the unfortunate recipient of the toothpick is likely to have to do that. Hope they have good insurance. Nice of you to try though (and I am sure you could have done a very admirable job had they not refused to allow you to - after all that is your specialty!). I hope there was indeed no nerve damage for the injured party ... sounds like just an excuse to transport. Is the last picture above of real wasabi roots, Kerry?

Culantro is an herb that was very new to me (and I still have only really tasted it once to my knowledge) till a few years back when I went to the nursery in the spring to pick up a few herb starters and spied one labelled Culantro. I thought it was a mislabelled Cilantro plant and asked about it. Apparently no one at the nursery had a clue and all ultimately also decided that that was probably what it was. I bought it and was very surprised when it soon did not look anything like what I know to be cilantro. What I later learned is that it is apparently very prevalent in Mexican cooking (at least these days - though I have never actually 'seen' it in a Mexican meal purchased locally since it must be 'cooked'. Around those parts - western NC - I don't think I have ever seen any fresh uncooked Mexican dishes or salads). Have never seen it accompanying pho either - but that strikes me as a great place to use it.

What you did get looks delicious but I am not sure I would have waited half an hour in line for it. The term 'guest' must be used differently nowadays than in my youth. Not surprising. One needs a translator it seems to discern which words that seem familiar are now being interpreted in quite a different way than this older person might expect. But I hope you enjoyed what you did get.

No ... I don't think those are junk (though apparently some people have abandoned them at the dump - after many years of good use - and I once saw an IH freezer being used for a garbage container somewhere on my travels). And most of us these days would be jealous that you own those and not anything newer, boilsover. That is the point of our tirades ... they don't build 'em like they used to.

What a fun and amazing meal that looks like. Seems as though there was nothing 'too out there' (other than perhaps the silverware). It all looks delicious and approachable. What did you like best; Kerry and Franci? What was perhaps less satisfying (if anything)?