Margaret Pilgrim

As "pasta". I've had worse. As a conveyor for these delicate mushrooms, it was a travesty. They have a very gentle flavor and should not be over seasoned. It was my fault for trying to make something they aren't...and I succeeded! But not in their favor.

Not comparable. Repeating my mantra, there are no bad foods, only bad cooks. I was gobsmacked to be served and loved cabbage at many small Paris restaurants last year. I would never have chosen it, but each chef made magic with this humble veg.

Again, one of those ingredients one uses with discretion. A can -> 6 to 8 portions.

Same old, same old but favorite butter lettuce salad. Followed by bitterly disappointing hens of the woods pasta. This is one of my favorite plates, but not so husband's. So I looked up and followed a recipe rather than my heart. Blech. Usual suspects of onion and garlic, but then fresh tomato, Sherry, cream. So overwhelming. There remains another clump of these fabulous shrooms. Maybe a h-o-t-w omelet. For me.

Yesterday we sourced green olives from Mr. Nash at the Alemany Farmer's Market. DH started the; lye curing process. He will allow them to leach, drain, rinse, leach in water, repeat, repeat until they are palatable. Last year's were fabulous, and almost gone. The real scoop

Here is a forum question. How long does your home bake bread maintain its first day flavor and texture? DH tires of our loaves in 24 hours. Of course, they have value in different guises, but they lose their ethereal-ness early on. I don't find this astonishing. For me, after it loses it virginal bloom, I grill, toast and sop. Your opinions?

Hey...woohoo...whatever you call reason for celebration. Grilled a batch of vegetables. Removed them from grill pan early. Held and continued cooking in the CSO. 300degrees for 45 minutes. Chops cooked stovetop joined with perfectly cooked veg. Not rocket science, but a start.

Mixed grill...lamb T-bones and veg. Potatoes, eggplant, zucchini, red onion. EVOO, mint, red pepper splash.

Fresh mozzarella Snapper fillet, braised celery, "Mama's Spanish rice"

Happiness is knowing there is a cold pork chop in the refrigerator.

There was a joke in my father's family. He had three older sisters. When they had a roast chicken or turkey, the girls would start calling out, "I want the tail!" I want the tail!" "No, no, I want the tail!" Not to be left out, he would start howling for the tail, and being the boy, baby and spoiled, he would get it. And they would enjoy drumsticks and thighs. I don't know how old he was before the ruse dawned on him.

That's normal. I finally just "marinate" in cornstarch moistened with soy, then go for a good sear for flavor. And then, of course, lay on the Marsala, with a second splash just before the finish to "refresh".

That's a lovely chop!

It wasn't supposed to come down this way. We were going out for dinner tonight. Then Husband realized that a valuable package had not been delivered yet. So...back to the Mother Hubbard cupboard. Defrosted moussaka, and plucked final leaves from several bunches of purslane. Husband added substantial slice of apple croustade with whipped cream. He'll not starve.

I started thinking of it when I had a brief sleep lapse at 4am. SOUP! I want SOUP!. So when I finally got up, I nuked a bowl of minestrone. Perfect! I guess we should listen more to our subliminal suggestions.

KC is now pimping Lebanese sea salt as the latest be-all and must-have. For sale, surprise, surprise, on his website or newsletter. His praise is diametrically opposed to French friends/authorities who eschew salt from the supp;osedly much more contaminated Mediterranean Sea in favor of Brittany's Guerande purer waters.

Katie, one of the veg venders at Laney Flea Market has them frequently at season end. I've bought them twice this late summer.

I'm a peasant. I really don't appreciate caviar. Such a cheap date!

The oyster is a treat the carver gets. It's interesting how many people don't know about this lovely nugget and just toss it with the carcass into the soup pot.

Remember that a tagine is actually a stovetop (if you are lucky enough to have a real stove) oven. You can roast or bake many things in your tagine without heating the oven.

Simple greens, banyuls vinegar, EVOO Ricotta and pea pasta, lemon zest and Parmesan, sausage

I had bought a 5# bag of Honey Crisp when a friend dropped off a bag of small Gravensteins and DH announced that our backyard tree had a big crop coming on. So a croustade Then the Gravensteins. They were very highly scented and flavorful but SMALL! I put off dealing with them and then remembered "Whole fruit applesauce". Essentially, wash and quarter apples. Add a splash of water and simmer until soft. Run through a food mill; Taste and sweeten if necessary. So, an effortless "pie", and equally stupid-easy applesauce. We will freeze the applesauce in mealsize portions for future pork dinners. And the house smells divine!

Oui, Monsieur. To say I have a clay pot obsession wouldn't be overstatement. These (in town) are all "acquired by chance", i.e., garage or house sale where I couldn't say no. They seem to follow me home like stray cats. There are more in use in various capacities, more in the country. I use them in the oven but have been wary of stovetop, although they are made for that, since if there is a tiny, even invisible, crack, they will shatter when exposed to direct heat (I've been told). It's not the loss of a pot that worries me but the horrendous mess of contents flowing, dripping through stove.

You usually won't find them in a butcher case because they are so perishable. But most/many butchers will order them in for you. ETA, one wonderful thing about eating out is that you can order foods that your Dpartners don't like. Half of the things on my favorite list aren't household favorites. So when I see them on a menu, I'm all in,

https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-red-yeast-rice/art-20363074