Margaret Pilgrim

if you can get natural ones. But the commercial (OceanSpray et al) are REALLY sweet. As in aaarrrggghhhh sweet.

Oh, lordy, do we understand that!

How do you make your mustard sauce? Mine wouldn't take any awards...

Hens of the woods omelet to Not enough eggs for the amount of shrooms, or too much hen, but I suffered through it.

Oysters and tri-tip sandwich at Marshall Store in Marshall, West Marin

I'm afraid of putting (cold) clay from fridge to oven. Am I wrong?

We transfer leftovers to small Corningware pieces that have no problem with temperature shock, fridge to microwave or oven.

O'Henry peach with fresh mozzarella Chicken schnitzel, sauteed potato and onions, sweet pepper, herbed white gravy

Monday's "pie"...half inch by half inch by half inch...

This sounds very reasonable. I asked husband how old our formica was and he suggests around 30 years. (I think slightly less.) It has no blemishes, no differences in finish from area to area. When it was installed, I remember our contractor applying an industrial food-safe wax to it. Perhaps after removing the grape stains and letting the area dry thoroughly you might apply something like Jubilee. I remember its giving an excellent finish to kitchen surfaces, but then it went off the market. I see that IT'S BACK!

I would err on keeping up with the stains. I love BarKeep's Friend which has an amazing bleach agent. re your counters, I recommend doing whatever pleases YOU. If YOU need new counters, fine. If you're happy with what you have, just as fine. While we are all advised to do major sprucing before selling a house, I caution that whoever buys your farm will see themselves there in their own mind's eye, making the kinds of changes THEY dream of. Other than a slap of paint to refresh things, I'd cut them a deal, making allowances for the kinds of upgrades they prefer, When we last did our kitchen counters, I asked DH if we were wealthy enough for me to have exactly what I wanted, without thinking about resale value, etc. He grit his teeth and said yes. I CHOSE formica which I have found serves us well without any kind of preservation or upkeep work on my part, as in butcher block or stone. I am terribly happy with it and people who come into my kitchen know me well enough not to raise an eyebrow.

Two colors of plums, blue cheese. Cauliflower with green onion and ginger, sesame oil and soy Seaweed noodles with scallions With teriyaki burgers

. It looks fabulous, but paraphrasing Joe Friday, "Just the fries, Ma'am, just the fries..."

I think you've hit on a truism. Why not celebrate a product, veg, etc rather than try to create a faux-silk purse.

Per kayb, the tiny stuff rocks. Re this kind of judgment, I often stand next to another shopper while we each select produce. Sometimes I am aware that there is a tension between us, as she/he tries to out-maneuver me, until I notice that one of us is picking out the largest of the produce while the other is snatching the tiny. There's room for all!

"Home did" tortilla chips and crushed avocado Chili relleno, zucchini pancake

Some years back I read somewhere on the net on how to make mustard and catsup bottles table-friendly. You hold the bottle in your hand at your side, then make like a propeller, swinging it up over your head and back down, up over your head and back down. Repeat a half dozen times. The contents will be distributed throughout the bottle and will come out without effort. Just make sure the caps are tight before you start....

In 2015, the Butte fire came within a few hundred yards of our country place. CalFire established a staging area at the bottom of our hill. We made batch after batch of brownies to take down to fire fighters resting between shifts. Until we ran out of eggs... These guys are well fed, but still very appreciative of warm "home-did" brownies.

I can't remember if i posted this last time I made them, so with apologies for geriatric memory lapse, Here are Rye, cranberry, chocolate chunk cookies. Noting baking time is essential as their charm is chewiness. Poppy seeds and Malden salt are also important to both flavor and texture.

I recall buying live crayfish at the Marin Farmer's Market. I was driving a friend who was very creeped out by crawly things. I became aware that the bag sitting between us in the car was vibrating, kind of moving on its own. Fortunately, she didn't notice.

As Jacksoup suggested upthread, Wine and Roses would be a lovely stop. And I, personally, could easily spend a few days in Lodi. Actually, I am smiling because this is exactly the kind of place DH and I visit in France. Offbeat with a handful of interesting food and wine places. When we get home, our friends no longer ask us where we've been because they and we realize that they'd never have heard of them. Their loss, not ours! Enjoy!

Farmer's market tomato with fresh mozzarella and basil Cornish pastie. "Broken" and beef gravy poured into/over. Husband didn't add green onion And if that's not enough "pie" for one meal, backyard plums

My mother used to run a sharp paring knife down the middle of each row of corn, making it easier for young children to eat. You knew when you were no longer in the catered to age group when she stopped doing this for you, and when she stopped giving you the heart of the watermelon.

Apologies in advance for sounding peckish, but how do you eat these? They look like a clothing disaster waiting at table. I am reminded of the soup Bradley Ogden served at his Lark Creek Inn. Touted as a casual restaurant, but plating and pricing suggested otherwise. His soup contained 2" long cuts of corn-on-the-cob. Now, how do you eat that? I think he may have had a tie in with a local dry cleaner.

I put a rack in a large pot, fill with hot water and bring to a boil.. Using tongs, I arrange the jars on top of it. When fruit or preserves are ready to jar, I remove and fill a jar, cover with lid that has also been heated in the boiling water. Affix ring and replace in the boiling water. Depending on product, I water bath for 15 to 25 minutes. Remove jars and cool on another rack. Very clean, very simple. Requirements: pot, 2 racks, tongs, jar lifter (see pic) .