Maison Rustique

I got those pancakes a year or so ago at my Costco. They were tasty, but I didn't use them as quickly as necessary. I took the rest and used them to make a maple-bacon pancake bread pudding. Waste not, want not!

The dill jumped right out at me, too. Even during warm weather I can hardly ever find fresh dill. I've tried growing it and just can't seem to keep it going.

I'm not sure how they manage it but the foods all come from local producers. And they seem to deliver nearly everywhere. I have no idea. It has to be a logistical nightmare. Or maybe it is set up like a franchise where each region has someone who pulls it all together for that area. If anyone knows, please share.

@Shelby have you ever looked at Market Wagon? It isn't exactly cheap, but it appeals to me that it is all local. I keep thinking I will give them a try. I've got them pulled up on my PC now, so maybe I'll take the plunge and give them a try.

Curse you, @blue_dolphin! You're a cookbook pusher!! 😅 You've got a way of making me want every cookbook out there and I'm supposed to be down-sizing. Darling kitty!! 😍

This is for a huge quantity. I cut it down considerably when I made it and it still made a lot because there are so many ingredients. I found all the flowers on Amazon because I don't think there is a good source locally. This is from blog post (I think, but I have no idea what blog it was now.) The narrative in this is not mine:

I love Penzey's blends. Fox Point, Sunny Paris, Garden Salad (I've never used on a salad. I use it on garlic bread.), Mural of Flavor and probably others. Occasionally, Trader Joe's has a blend I really like. A number of years ago they had Flower Pepper--black peppercorns with various flower petals. Like many things I love, it was promptly discontinued. My sister and I moaned about it for years and years. I finally found a recipe online and made my own a couple of years ago.

I just bought Rustic Breads, too. I really needed another bread book. Ha!

I'm so sorry to hear of this. He was one of the original members here, if I remember correctly. RIP and thanks for sharing your thoughts with us for so many years.

That is the best cookbook for bread machines! I use it more than any other.

@ElsieD here are a couple if I can get photos to load.

I haven't made it but I'm sure there are recipes in my bread machine cookbooks. If you'd like them, I can post.

Those Brown Butter Sage Sables sound fantastic! I want to make those when I get time.

Sorry it took me a while to find the recipe. https://www.justapinch.com/print/dessert/cookies/real-deal-irish-shortbread-cookies.html?ttl=1639088943 And now I can't find the other one that said corn flour. It has been one of those weeks--sick cat with many trips to the vet and worrying about him. (He seems to be getting better.) Anyway, I'm disorganized and frazzled.

I've been addicted to these in past years. I picked up a bag last week and haven't opened it yet. I so hope you just got a bad bag and mine will be as wonderful as in the past.

I've got that Lee Valley tool to pop the seal on jar lids and it has been a life saver!

Lifting heavy items is difficult for me, too. I seldom use very heavy pans like I used to. Cast iron, when full of food, is nearly impossible for me to lift. I am trying to re-arrange my pantry and cupboards so that I have better access to my appliances and don't have to carry them so far. Ideally, I'd like to have the ones I use most on the kitchen counter, but that is very much space.

Also, don't discount the idea of buying meal kits (I think @chromedome posted an article about them in a recent thread.) and also pre-chopped/shredded foods. Freshly done is always best, but if that is the only way, so be it. Will not be the end of the world.

I want those little pans, too!!

This is an on-going quest for me. My hands and right arm get worse and worse all the time. I have changed the way I cook--nothing that requires tons of chopping or slicing unless it can be done with a food processor. Even a mandoline is problematic because you have to hold things. I got this gadget a few months back (someone recommended it and I can't recall who or if it was an eG member). It works great and makes peeling many different things so easy. They are available at various prices from many sources. This just happened to be the first one that popped up. Starfrit Peeler Blenders, mixers and immersion blenders can also save your hands/arms/shoulders from a lot of mixing and stirring. After many years of it sitting in the back of a cupboard, I am using my bread machine a lot for mixing a kneading dough. As I say, it is an on-going search for me as my issues get worse.

@Annie_H, if I recall, it calls for around 1 1/2 CUPS of corn flour. I'll find the recipe and post it later. I'm not on my PC now.

That salted rosemary shortbread sounds wonderful! Please let us know how it turns out.

So then, I can use corn starch with no worries and expect a wonderful shortbread like I want! Thank you all! ❣️

First of all, I am not really much of a baker, so be gentle with me and use little words. ☺️ I love shortbread and in a cooking group, saw someone post about Irish Shortbread. That led me to looking for recipes. I saw one that calls for corn flour and another that calls for corn starch. I do know that these are 2 different things. Obviously, corn starch is much easier for the average person to find. So, my question is, what would be the difference in using one vs. the other? How would it affect the dough and the handling of it, and also the finished product? I have never used corn flour nor have I ever baked anything that had a significant quantity of corn starch in it, so have no experience. Thanks for your patience with me and my probably stupid question.

I bought both of those cheeses yesterday, though both have best by dates that are much shorter than I'd like (next week) so I'll be eating them for lunches. I also got the new Kentucky Bourbon Cream Liqueur. I tried it in coffee when I got home and it was very tasty. I couldn't get my photo to load, but here's a link to reviews, though I don't see any reviews. Ha!