pkeibel

The Spice House (store in Milwaukee - http://www.thespicehouse.com/spices-by-cat.../vanilla-beans) sells all three types and a vanilla paste. I've only tried the Madagascar and Tahiti. We use the Madagascar for baking and the Tahitian in ice cream

We will be in Cuzco next November ( and then on to the Galapagos) - so I can't wait for your review

I also have the fisher-paykel dish drawers and love them. Interesting that I've had the exact same repair calls as Raoul Duke

Thanks for the suggestions. I will report back after my next trip

Looking for recommendations for the best bread bakeries in NYC, Would love to do a taste comparison on my next visit.

We are having a dinner with Endive salad, Provencal ratatouille and Onion tart a friend is bring her Gateaux de tour - the icing is divided into white, green, yellow and polka dot areas

These have been recommended to me from previous egullet posts. I've been to the first and they had quite a good selection Ambassador Liquors 1020 2nd Avenue (54th St.) New York, NY Sakagura 211 East 43rd Street, B1 New York, NY 10017 (Between 2nd & 3rd Avenue) Landmark on 23rd, between 6th and 7th

You said you were adding equal amounts of flour and water is that by weight or volume? 1 cup of flour is 4 oz by weight, 4 oz is 4 oz for water. Maybe you need to add more flour = food

Although it is outside your half hour range - more likely one hour - I would recommend Hemmingway's in Killington

I've taken to removing from each magazine all the ads and articles and flagging the best recipes with post-it flags. All other clippings, egullet recipes are placed in plastic paper protectors and stored in 3-ring binders. But after 4 years this too is becoming unwieldy.

You've got the three best recommendations for Burlington, I would also add Opalines. In Jeff, there isn't much for food. Jana's is the local favorite for hearty breakfast, but I have not eaten there with the new owners. In Stowe you could try the Trapp Lodge, more for ambiance than food, Michael's on the Hill (actually in Waterbury), or Pickwick's pub for English fare

We've made the molds several times and have used different kitchen tools with mixed success. The best so far was the tip end of a metal turkey baster. You could also fashion it around a cardboard mold and remove the mold before baking. A toothpick or baking string held it together. We ended up buying molds so we could make more at a time.

It is presumptous to assume that pkeibel only used the word "chemical" instead of "hormone" for misleadingly rhetorical reasons...because it sounds "artificial".... I used the term chemical because it is more global and includes artificial chemicals and hormones plus natural hormones and natural chemicals. Please lets return this to a discussion of why we consider rBGH safe or not safe

The point of my first post was that the downside of rBGH is on the cows not directly on the consumer. The secondary effects from stressed cows is increased antibiotic and hormone use plus a need for more and cheaper feed. These are the impacts to the consumers and the studies are not testing them. My second post was in response to Washburn's assertion that no impact in a short term test implies there should be no long term testing. It's a statistical question that I raised

Washburn it is a fallacy to assume that if a short term study shows no safety risk then a long term study is not warranted. This is what happened with DDT and other chemicals. The reason no long term studies have been done is because it would cripple the R&D budgets of corporations. There is always a trade off between allowing an "unsafe" product on the market early versus "assuring" that a product is safe through long term studies. The decision to use the short term study as the test for longer studies is based on economics not science. One must then gauge that risk for themselves. As an aside just because an article is in Science do not assume the data has been verified

The problem with the Science article is that it doesn't really address the issue. rBGH, the chemical, is not harmful to humans in the short term. There have been no long term studies of this chemical. Why I don't want it in my food is because of what it does to the cows. The cows become stressed and consequently need more antibiotics and feed. It has been rumoured that the the drive to provide more protein rich foods for these rBGH cows has driven the need to use questionable food products, which in term has led to an increase in mad cow disease. Since the true scientific study, that is long term and checking secondary aspects have not been done, I opt to not have it in my diet.

If you're in Warren, the best bet is to head over the Appalachian Gap (Route 17) west toward Vergennes. Before Bristol is Mary's at Baldwin Creek and in Bristol there is the Buffalo Cafe which I have been told has some local microbrews. In Vergennes you can try Christophe's on the Green of Black Sheep Bistro. North on Route 7 there is Rolands. And then travel to Burlington. My favorites would be Opaline for french, L'Amnte for Italian, Single Pebble for Chinese and Roques for Mexican Staying this side of the mountains, there is the Pitcher Inn, go north on Route 100 and east to Montpelier, either Sarduccis or in Barre the Farmer's Diner which has diner food but all organic and grown locally. West to Waterbury/Stowe Michael's on the Hill or up to Stowe for a variety of things. Trapp Family Lodge for the ambience more than the food.

We were there last May and had a superb dinner. The meal was the best in Sonoma, the ambiance a little pretencious. The cheese cart and fromaggiere alone are worth the evening

Rather than checking with freethegrapes.com for local laws call the Dept of Liquor Control in your state. Freethegrapes has not updated their site in some time. They still say no shipments to Vermont. I have for the past two years been receiving out-of-state shipments with a legal permit. The process is cumbersome and barbaric but works for scheduled shipments.

We've used the Mist Grill for larger gatherings and it worked but a little noisy (for the other diners). Another possibility is Kitchen Table Bistro in Richmond (just off the interstate exit). There is a private room upstairs that we used several times (but it was with the previous owners). The food there is much better. Michaels on the Hill in Waterbury, excellent food and many small eating areas so a private area may be possible.

If you go to Barre go to the Farmer's Diner. Typical diner menu but all the food is locally grown and much is organic.

I tried Rogues and was pleased. By far the best mexican in Vermont (not saying much since all we have in Burlington area is Tortilla Flats). Although itm is not in the class with some others, like Cempazuchi of Milwaukee (which I learned of from other gulleteers) still we had an excellent meal. I would try it again and I recommend that you should too. However I have tried Smokejacks three times and just not impressed.

Robinlhunter is correct avoid the moutain passes unless you are adept at winter driving. My experience is mostly in the western half of the state. Hemmingways near Killington has a great reputation, an approximately half hour summer drive. I have also heard Ariels in Brookfield is good. If you work your way on the interstate toward Montpelier you have the Farmers Diner in Barre, Sarducci's and Conoscenti in Montpelier. Warren won't be easy to get to but there you have Pitcher Inn and American Flatbread

I've stayed there several times and WHS is correct it is like being on a cruise ship. More than the food is the wait staff - they and a table are dedicated to you for your stay so you can eat whenever you want and your table and staff are there. The food is excellent, not compared to some of the destination restaurants that are discussed in this forum but worth the visit. The building is historic and the cross country skiing excellent. The downhill mountain is very easy but Cannon is not too far away if you want expert terrain. Many friends also go there in the summer for golfing. You will enjoy your stay

Definitely plan everything out first. We upgraded our kitchen last year and are very happy with it. Determine what you need versus what you want - we didn't get the warming draw but there are those times..... We purchased the F-P dish drawers and are very happy with them. There are just two of us and the smaller drawers means that food doesn't sit for a week before the need to wash. I have had no problem fitting pots and plates in. The organizers are removable and having two means one can be for pots and the other for plates. Plus they are very quiet and in a small kitchen that's a plus.