Margaret Pilgrim

Rough bread, strong Cheddar and a pickle that Americans would more likely akin to chutney all fall within the ordinary lacto-ova veg regime. But, certainly they are not vegan.

I might love that! During the vegetarian period I spent in the UK, ploughman's lunch was my pub order. You see, you need the butter to cut the strong cheddar and pickle to brighten both. Yes, I could do that!

Either would be nice.

One of my favorite sandwiches is a half baguette, generously buttered, with thick slabs of camembert end to end. (A glass of white wouldn't clash with this.).

My current sandwich is seeded bread, pastrami, razor thin slice of red onion, dill pickle, seeded jalapeno, mayo, lettuce. Not for purists.

My lightbulb sandwich moment was at the lunch counter at Grey's Antique Market in London. Chicken sandwich on white bread. Mayo and "salad" (lettuce). BUT, the guy salted and peppered the chicken. All the difference in the world. Salt and freshly ground pepper.

Rereading previous comments, it occurs to me that time is a factor in preventing splitting. Low and slow, and they heat evenly and don't split.

Exactly. Thought I invented that method. 😆 How else would one want one?

Will never again leave Meyer lemons on the tree too long. Last year, I went out to pick a few and found that (apparently) rats had stripped the peel off every ripe lemon. Mr. Google confirmed that they do find the peel delicious, while leaving the completely peeled fruit hanging on the tree. Of course we composted the molested fruit. This year, I am watching like a hawk.

Not dry fried, but I frequently glisten a non-stick pan and scorch green beans. Splotchy blackened outside, half-cooked inside. Maldon salt and yum.

Of course, it has nothing to do with the fact that you run through limes much more quickly than lemons? That penicillium hasn't a chance in your lime bowl.

Exciting and educational thread. I'm thinking of a dinner party starter for this weekend, a thin pool of raw sorrel cream topped with a grilled jumbo prawn, several steamed mussels and one or two, depending on size, drained canned sardine. It works in my head. We'll see.

Word! Thank you so much.

This concept has been a family joke/mantra for years. Our version, when there is a process that is labor intensive and/or boring, put the laziest person on your staff on that job and they'll quickly devise an efficient way to do it. (Certainly works for me. I can trim hours of tedium and detail off a project. Maybe because I hate following directions.)

To be honest, I have to laugh at so many current baking mandate: flours, yeasts, bakeware, ovens, specialized equipment, certainly expensive scientific cookbooks. My mother made Paris quality batards weekly using AP flour, fresh then later dry yeast, table salt, tap water. She had no mixer, put it together by hand and feel. She baked them on an aluminum cookie sheet. She hydrated the oven with a squirt bottle. Her oven suffered a door failure that couldn't be repaired, so she propped it closed with a 2 by 4. Eat your heart out trying to match her loaves.

Am reminded of a NY dinner and theater many years ago. A business associate took me out to dinner and ordered clams casino and a clam pasta, both redolent with garlic. Then on the the theater where I was seated with their close friend, who passed me breath mints throughout the performance. Afterwards she told him, "Don't you EVER take out a sweet young thing and stuff her full of garlic before the theater!"

Bingo. From my perspective, we make pasta at home in order to have fresh pasta. Erse, why not just buy De Cecco or some artisan product?

Got it. Maybe caramelize some white sugar and invent a new cookie? (Are you getting the picture that I skirt most recipe restrictions, like ingredients?)

FWIW, I usually use veal stock and white wine, and when available sweet yellow onions. But, yes, it does have, as a friend used to say, "authority". Edited to ask, has DW had a French onion soup that she enjoyed? And can she recollect how it was different from yours?

Thought of subbing white sugar for brown and adding a splat of molasses? Might/probably change the texture but might work well enough to be interesting.

My group is always amused with my collection of table oddments.

We were gifted a trio of superb Spanish tinned fish. Cockles, octopus and sardines. So far I have only used the cockles. In a cerviche, a taste of the sea. Fresh and briny. Will rebuy. I'm planning to serve the sardines before next dinner party. With tongs like these, if I can stick my tongue that far into my cheek. I bought them for a friend years ago but somehow never passed them on.

What about this spooks you? It sounds fabulous to me!

Good points. It's not like the concept of supply chain issues is outside our ken at this point!

Return of the "casserole". Green chili, chicken, pappardelle, sour cream, green enchilada sauce, Oaxacan cheese. A delicious dive into last mid-Century.