I will always adore “The Scarlet Pumpernickel”!

Glad you could get LASIK! For sure, I would if I could, too. I’ve been advised against it.

Tiny kitchen without a microwave (yes, I know). I assume this would work just fine with a bain-marie?

The only thing I can offer is that people aren’t always consistent with distancing. I go for the occasional walk for a friend who thinks 2 feet is “generous” distancing and frequently takes off her mask to give her nose a good honk, often veering even closer at the same time. I mean, I know the risk is minimal…

ordered online (’s got ‘em—mind-blowing, I know)

Hello! No, that’s not the problem, at least. I always use tinned kidney beans and prepare my chili on the stovetop. But I appreciate your pointing it out as a possible issue.

Well, it’s been ages since I sneaked soybeans into something (I mean, on their own rather than via tofu), so perhaps I’m wrong about his having a problem with soybeans. I’ll have to go back and give that a try! Ditto with the seitan. I’m a big fan of tempeh, too, so perhaps that warrants exploring.

Yeah, I’ve been trying to get him to do that for ages. He doesn’t want to. It’s only a guaranteed way of figuring out where the problem actually lies! *sigh*

A very fine-tip tweezer works well, if you exercise great caution...

I’ve tended to brush only once a day, really thoroughly, at bedtime... and it wasn’t a big deal... in the Before Times.

I’ve tried cornstarch (excellent!) but not cream of tartar. It sounds like they have similar properties.

Snow in Victoria is very, very rare. That’s why the Blizzard of 1996 (before my time) was such a huge deal. IIRC the city had sold its (few) snowplows because it “never snows” here. Then came a once-in-a-century dump that immobilized the city for days on end.

You left out spam musubi. I think it’s mostly safe...?

Thank you for the suggestion of probiotic foods, and the kind advice generally. It’s good to hear that it’s possible to adjust gradually! I’ve tried suggesting some of these things (it’s my husband’s issue, not mine) but he’s been unsuccessful enough that he’s stopped looking for any solution other than “I won’t eat…

I love vegetarian food, but my husband has big difficulties with legumes - chickpeas, soybeans, lentils, most beans, basically any kind of pulse. This makes it a lot more challenging to think of balanced, filling meals that don’t rely on lots of starchy foods — or tofu (which he is OK with, but you can only eat so…

If anyone has a shortlist for the storage-impaired, I’m all ears! I do have white wine, red wine, balsamic, rice (seasoned) already, if that helps.

Ooh, definitely gonna try that then. Thanks for coming back here to let me know! Much appreciated!

They could even have a little fun lampshading it. As in Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s, “Dawn’s in trouble. Must be Tuesday.”

Which shocked the county of —shire, you mean :)

Please post back and let us know how the garlic works out!