tejon

I'm stitting here with my mouth wide open. I buy Nishiki rice in 20 pound bags for about $13.00 .

We were really careful with all the common allergens (mainly the top 8 offenders: egg, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat) and delayed introducing solids at all until 6-7 months old since I had severe food allergies as a child. I don't know that I'd really recommend such careful attention in families with no history of allergies, though. Excema and hives would pretty much point to an allergic reaction of some kind. I'd keep track of what the baby's in contact with (detergents are also a biggie in contact dermatitis - Tide being the worst offender of the lot) to see if you can figure out what's causing a reaction.

Thank you! Have to give that cake a try sometime soon .

Definitely looking forward to this! San Francisco is my original home town. I look forward to seeing a current glimpe .

I'm off to yoga class, so this will be my last contribution to the blog. I feel as if I've had a huge party overflowing with goodwill and great conversation. Thanks to everyone - my kitchen will always be open to you .

Haven't had a chance to try that on peaches, but I bet that's exactly what my Grandparents used it for most, since they had quite an abundance of peaches every summer. Have to give it a try next peach season. I roast cumin on the stove as well. Medium heat and a heavy pan until they smell fragrant and turn color. Chapati: 2 cups atta or chapati flour (or 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour mixed with 1 cup AP or cake flour) 1 teaspoon salt 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil about 3/4 cup warm water (enough for a kneadable dough) Mix all ingredients, then knead until smooth. Cover and let rest for at least an hour or so to let the gluten relax. Divide into 10-12 balls, roll flat (dust with more flour to avoid sticking), then bake one at a time over medium heat in a heavy pan. Brush with butter and serve.

That looks positively decadent, Alinka! Care to pass the recipe along?

I also made eggs with stuff in them last night. Just barely sauteed onions, eggs poured in and cooked quickly, then everything topped with roasted, ground cumin, chiles, and cilantro. It's more commonly breakfast in India, but we have it for dinner pretty often.

Thank you, everyone! I have had such an incredible experience this week. There's something about food that touches something deep inside, isn't there? I feel as if I've opened up my kitchen and my family and been warmly received.

I love tea in all forms, from chamomile to Darjeeling to genmae. One of my most favorite cups of tea is warmed with spices and mellowed with milk and a little bit of sugar. For my final food post, nothing could be more appropriate than the purest comfort food I know. Masala Chai serves 4 1 small cinnamon stick 6 cardamom pods (or 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom) 4 cloves 6 peppercorns 3 cups water 1/4 cup sugar 1 cup milk 3 heaping teaspoons loose tea or 4 tea bags (orange pekoe) Place spices and tea leaves (if using) in a tea ball or tie in cheesecloth so you can remove them later. Place water and spices in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Add sugar, milk and tea leaves or bags, bring to a simmer, turn off heat and cover again. Let mixture sit for 2 - 3 minutes to allow tea to steep. Strain and serve. It's a wonder that a few twigs, leaves, and flower buds can scent the whole house and bring such flavor to a simple cup of tea. Tonight I made enough for Dan and me to share .

Some day I want a Sumeet. I'm getting by with a coffee grinder now, and while it does work, it's nothing in comparison with the big guns.

That's one wicked pissah post, Chris.

Whirley Pop! ← YES! I love my Whirley Pop .

Rolled out the chapatis, cooked them in a large skillet, brushed with butter, then stacked in a cloth to keep warm: For dinner itself, I started some cauliflower by heating mustard seeds and coriander in some hot oil, then adding fresh ginger. Turmeric and some cayenne followed closely, then in went the cauliflower. A few minutes later I added salt, then turned down the heat and covered the pan. Twenty minutes later the cauliflower was tender and infused with flavor. Then I chopped onions and cooked them in hot oil until just crisp-tender. Added beaten eggs mixed with salt, then stirred it all together quickly as the eggs set up. Onto a plate, then a sprinkle of roasted ground cumin, red chile, and cilantro. I'm full .

A little something snacky before dinner. I cooked up some potato, then diced it along with some tomato and onion and tossed those with the dry mix. Topped it all with cilantro and tamarind chutneys that I had lurking in the freezer, then some chopped cilantro over all. The boys munched on the dry mix but wouldn't touch the final snack - more for us!

The printing reads: "D. Carmichael" in all capital letters. No other markings, and I have no idea where it came from.

Roasted cumin that will be used later tonight: I love the flavor of cumin once it's been roasted and ground. It gets a smoky, earthy taste that goes well with all kinds of things. I used a coffee grinder that is used exclusively for spices. I usually toss in some oats or breadcrumbs and whir for a few moments to clean it out afterwards. Chapati dough resting:

Amen.

Tonight we'll have some bhel puri in an effort to empty the freezer a little. I cheated and bought bagged mix, but I won't use the sauce packet since I already have tamarind and cilantro chutneys defrosting .

Looks like I have until the end of today for food-ish stuff instead of yesterday, so I'll continue . No breakfast (bad Kathy!) - just wasn't hungry at all. I had a swig of elderberry syrup and some water and that was about it. Lunch was scrounged from the refrigerator. Mmm...leftover jambalaya! I added some sliced Fuji apple and yet another cup o' tea. I used one of my absolute favorite kitchen tools to core the apple. I got this from my Grandma's kitchen and couldn't for the life of me figure out what it was for at first. I finally admitted that I had no clue, and was told it was used for coring apples and other hard fruit. Gave it a try and I was in love. It's very sharp at the edges and does a quick job of cutting through just about any piece of produce I use it on. I use it almost every day and marvel at how well it works every single time.

Naturally! I'll probably have to work on the new kitchen as well .

Wait - does that mean I have a little more time? This is a good thing!

I never even thought of making copies for folks outside the family....but I suppose I could make up another copy if you'd like one. It's just copies of the recipe cards, both front and back (the backs are what the rest of the family really wanted to be able to read, I think!), with hand numbered pages and an index. Though there are some great recipes in there .

I bake the pizzas just on the "not quite finished" side, since they're going to go into the toaster oven to finish, and freeze individually (lay out flat in the freezer until solid, then bag or place in tupperware). In the morning I toss one in the toaster oven for one cycle (like putting a frozen waffle in a regular toaster), then take it out and slice. The tinfoil keeps it from getting really cold, but it isn't warm any longer when Ryan eats lunch. He doesn't mind in the slightest .

How did it get to be the last day of the blog already? Here's my final food picture - a bed-time cup of tea in my favorite mug, the one I got when Dan and I stayed at The Jabberwock bed and breakfast on our honeymoon .