Manitoulin. If I can make it there…

[Anna N]

My lunch is a tribute to Shelby who reminded me how much I love raw scallions and a pile of salt beside my protein of the day (in this case leftover pork chop).

[gfweb]

Close. Very close. Here's your first hint.....it is of Czechoslovakian origin.

Hockey puck warmer.

[gfweb]

yep. ballpark has its ( limited ) place.

'American" processed 'lower-end' ground-up 'meats' in a casing.

I'd add egg salad/deviled eggs as a place for yellow moutard. But a hotdog is #1 for me.

[Kerry Beal]

The Lebanon bologna needs the sharpness and acidity of the ballpark as a counterpoint to it's rich smokiness - similar to a hotdog.

[Anna N]

I have been meaning to thank you for all these pictures of the Lebanon bologna. It doesn't look like bologna I am used to seeing - it looks more like summer sausage to me. I dislike (with a passion) the bologna that I always see in grocery stores (a pasty, homogenized, overgrown hotdog-like mass) and so while I have read your previous conversations about the sweet and the savoury versions, I just could not imagine liking either of them (and definitely not the sweet kind). I do like summer sausage on occasion however so this stuff looks decidedly more palatable than I imagined. Thanks for educating me.

 

hmm Czech ... cabbage roll maker?

 

(p.s. nope .. I cheated and found what looks a lot like it maybe? http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-1407158/koolatron-total-chef-czech-cooker.jsp?skuId=koolatron+total+chef+czech+cooker&search=koolatron+total+chef+czech+cooker&submit-search=web-ta-keyword - Koolatron Total Chef Czech Cooker?)

Actually that must be a newer version since I see a temperature control. Mine is called a Remoska and is very popular with some Brits. My sister in England has one and really likes it. I knew how expensive they are so was quite stunned to find a brand new one for just $30. It will amuse me up here but I am not likely to become too attached.

[Tri2Cook]

image.jpg

And because I positively had to try Kerry's rhubarb concoction it ended up as my breakfast. Kerry suggested it might be great with whipped cream but that early in the morning? It was still very good. Loved the hit of ginger.

A confession... for crisps, crumbles, cobblers, buckles, things in that general category, I actually prefer just pouring some milk or cream on/around it over whipped cream. Even when it's for dessert.

 

[Anna N]

A confession... for crisps, crumbles, cobblers, buckles, things in that general category, I actually prefer just pouring some milk or cream on/around it over whipped cream. Even when it's for dessert.

Me too, to be honest but it would have behooved me to honour Kerry's beautiful cake by doing it her way!

[Anna N]

So here is my first attempt at using the Remoska. These are cheese and chive scones and turned out rather well for a first attempt with the new appliance.

And dinner preparations have begun. This is a leg of lamb that Kerry spotted in Espanola on our way up here. Lamb is usually very expensive but she got this one at a very good price. It is punctured and garlicked and salted ready to go into the Big Easy.

[rotuts]

How does baking work in the remoska ?

 

Ive looked here 

 

http://www.remoska.co.uk/cookbook/

 

and the one baking Rx i found indicated the the pie in question was made into a heat proof plate that was then inserted into the R.

 

it sort of like a small round oven w heat from the lid ?

[Kerry Beal]

 

Lamb leg after about 90 minutes in the Big Easy.

 

 

Rested and cut.

 

 

Lamb, mint sauce and creamed spinach.

[Shelby]

I LOVE creamed spinach.  Thanks for the reminder.  I need to make some.  Hopefully this fall I'll have some spinach in the garden that doesn't bolt so quickly.

[Anna N]

How does baking work in the remoska ?

 

Ive looked here 

 

http://www.remoska.co.uk/cookbook/

 

and the one baking Rx i found indicated the the pie in question was made into a heat proof plate that was then inserted into the R.

 

it sort of like a small round oven w heat from the lid ?

Yes, that is exactly what it is. The original (like the one we have) has no temperature control and many recipes rely on "cook until done" instructions. Roast chicken is supposedly a revelation done in the Remoska. You can cook directly in the lower container or use oven proof pie and cake tins.

[Anna N]

I LOVE creamed spinach.  Thanks for the reminder.  I need to make some.  Hopefully this fall I'll have some spinach in the garden that doesn't bolt so quickly.

Shelby,

I thought our Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team would win the Stanley Cup before I ever got all the dirt out of this spinach! It has been quite some time since I have cooked fresh spinach and I had forgotten how full of dirt and sand and bugs it can be when pulled directly from the farm. And there is still another bag of it

[Okanagancook]

I LOVE creamed spinach.  Thanks for the reminder.  I need to make some.  Hopefully this fall I'll have some spinach in the garden that doesn't bolt so quickly.

Shelby, try planting some New Zealand spinach. It goes all summer long. The leaves are smaller and thicker. I will post some pics in the garden thread tomorrow.

[demiglace]

Shelby,

I thought our Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team would win the Stanley Cup before I ever got all the dirt out of this spinach! It has been quite some time since I have cooked fresh spinach and I had forgotten how full of dirt and sand and bugs it can be when pulled directly from the farm. And there is still another bag of it

 

Now that's funny!

[huiray]

Shelby,

I thought our Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team would win the Stanley Cup before I ever got all the dirt out of this spinach! It has been quite some time since I have cooked fresh spinach and I had forgotten how full of dirt and sand and bugs it can be when pulled directly from the farm. And there is still another bag of it

 

I assume fresh spinach is available in the GTA, though.

 

Trim the plants under a low-flowing tap and put them into a fairly large tub of water (or a big pot of water).  Swish around, let soak in the water, swish around.  Remove to a colander, shaking the plants in the water as you take them out.  Repeat w/ a fresh tub of water.  Done.  Only if absolutely needed, a third tub of water and another repeat.  This is what I do, no issues with grit and sand and only the very occasional extra protein (very rarely) gets through.  I happen to have fresh spinach readily available to me fairly frequently at the places I shop, including at the Chinese/Vietnamese supermarkets/groceries.  Certainly at the Farmers' Markets in spring & early summer, and then at periods during winter when the spinach is especially nice because they get stouter and sweeter.  I can't remember the last time I bought and used frozen spinach, although that is good too IIRC but not suitable for the sorts of things I like to do with spinach.

 

Another cleaning method I am aware of but which I have not used is to put the plants into a tub with a sealable cover with enough water (leave some air in), close it then shake the whole shebang. (Take into both hands, lift into the air, shake with inversion of contents etc) Repeat with fresh water.  I guess one needs upper body strength to do this with more than just a few plants and more than a relatively small volume of water.

[Anna N]

Good morning. Not sure what we will get up to today. Kerry just left for rounds at the hospital and when she finishes there we will head out to Mindemoya in search of planters for the herbs we brought up. Since the grocery store in Mindemoya is much, much better than the ones here in Little Current we will certainly drop in there. After that I do not know. Kerry will be off for the rest of the day so we are not tied to the hospital.

Breakfast this morning is a reheated cheese and chive scone (first use of the Cuisinart steam oven this trip) spread with homemade butter and topped with Serrano ham.

[Anna N]

I assume fresh spinach is available in the GTA, though.

 

Trim the plants under a low-flowing tap and put them into a fairly large tub of water (or a big pot of water).  Swish around, let soak in the water, swish around.  Remove to a colander, shaking the plants in the water as you take them out.  Repeat w/ a fresh tub of water.  Done.  Only if absolutely needed, a third tub of water and another repeat.  This is what I do, no issues with grit and sand and only the very occasional extra protein (very rarely) gets through.  I happen to have fresh spinach readily available to me fairly frequently at the places I shop, including at the Chinese/Vietnamese supermarkets/groceries.  Certainly at the Farmers' Markets in spring & early summer, and then at periods during winter when the spinach is especially nice because they get stouter and sweeter.  I can't remember the last time I bought and used frozen spinach, although that is good too IIRC but not suitable for the sorts of things I like to do with spinach.

 

Another cleaning method I am aware of but which I have not used is to put the plants into a tub with a sealable cover with enough water (leave some air in), close it then shake the whole shebang. (Take into both hands, lift into the air, shake with inversion of contents etc) Repeat with fresh water.  I guess one needs upper body strength to do this with more than just a few plants and more than a relatively small volume of water.

I use a modified version of your second method. Up here we have a giant Oxo salad spinner which serves to both soak and agitate the spinach. I have cleaned lots of spinach in my life but this bunch was particularly grubby.

Although there are wonderful farmers markets in the GTA physical limitations mean they are often out of my reach. The fresh spinach available to me now is often "pre washed" so presents far less of a challenge.

[SylviaLovegren]

I was teasing you. It is not really smuggling. You can bring groceries across the border without too much issue. Most of the time we come back with much more than our limit and we are just waved through. This time we perhaps pushed it a little far and were told to go in and pay taxes on the excess. The taxes were $10 but because we had to produce receipts I got in trouble for bringing back a product called weed and feed which apparently is illegal in Canada. But he neither confiscated it nor ranted about it but was polite and suggested I don't do it again.

 

We visit the Buffalo TJ regularly, too, but I didn't think dairy was allowed cross border.  We always declare and have never had any problems -- the border guys always seem pretty nice. 

[Shelby]

I use a modified version of your second method. Up here we have a giant Oxo salad spinner which serves to both soak and agitate the spinach. I have cleaned lots of spinach in my life but this bunch was particularly grubby.

Although there are wonderful farmers markets in the GTA physical limitations mean they are often out of my reach. The fresh spinach available to me now is often "pre washed" so presents far less of a challenge.

My greens get especially dirty after a hard rain.  

 

I have the same salad spinner and it's a life saver. And, it's fun to use lol.

[ElsieD]

We visit the Buffalo TJ regularly, too, but I didn't think dairy was allowed cross border.  We always declare and have never had any problems -- the border guys always seem pretty nice.

According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, each person is allowed to bring back into Canada from The U.S. 20 kg. of dairy products. Here comes the caveat though - if the value is over $20 it MAY be subject to duty. Seems to me these rules were made a long time ago as $20 sure as heck doesn't get you anywhere near 20 kg. of dairy anything. I have brought back cheese and butter and have never had a problem.

[Anna N]

According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, each person is allowed to bring back into Canada from The U.S. 20 kg. of dairy products. Here comes the caveat though - if the value is over $20 it MAY be subject to duty. Seems to me these rules were made a long time ago as $20 sure as heck doesn't get you anywhere near 20 kg. of dairy anything. I have brought back cheese and butter and have never had a problem.

I don't think Kerry and have ever come close to 20 kg in dairy. But we do bring back many pounds of butter and cheese between us.

[Anna N]

My greens get especially dirty after a hard rain.  

 

I have the same salad spinner and it's a life saver. And, it's fun to use lol.

I think the big one up here could potentially be used to do a weekly laundry! I have a small one at home and it is forever in use for drying this that and the other thing. It also serves as a colander and a spare bowl when I need one. Found mine at a thrift shop for a dollar!

[SylviaLovegren]

According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, each person is allowed to bring back into Canada from The U.S. 20 kg. of dairy products. Here comes the caveat though - if the value is over $20 it MAY be subject to duty. Seems to me these rules were made a long time ago as $20 sure as heck doesn't get you anywhere near 20 kg. of dairy anything. I have brought back cheese and butter and have never had a problem.

Wow, thanks!  We thought it was prohibited. 

[Anna N]

This is what Kerry took in for rounds this morning. This is the summer torte that figured so prominently in our last couple of trips up here. It is the Marian Burros' Plum torte recipe adapted to use rhubarb and strawberries.

The plate came back from the hospital rife with freshly picked strawberries and a wee taste of the torte for me. The strawberries are from a tiny garden at the hospital planted in memory of one of their nurses.