Gallows humor. I live in NEPA, where some people can turn on their tap and light a match to it. We are definitely in trouble. 

I guess the good news is that more than half of it is not?

The other day we had Dominos for the first time in probably 20 years. It was the thin crust, and it was actually a decent pizza. I was pleasantly surprised.

I’m halfway through this book, Jamie has just arrived in Massachusetts. It’s odd. I enjoy it. 

Most drivers didn’t stock them. Each truck was independently owned, and the drivers bought the product at a distributor. When it’s your money, and space is limited, you get what is going to sell. If you had a jump truck (pickup based), there was no room for Toasted Almond. If you had an Econline van, you would stock a…

Going back quite a few years, I used to own a Good Humor truck. Even back in the 80s Toasted Almond Bars were DOA. The people that loved them, loved them. But I would go at least a week between boxes of Toasted Almond compared to a couple-three boxes per day of Eclair and Shortcake each. The other product I kept…

I grow both in my garden. To me, they are virtually indistinguishable by taste. Curly leaf might be a little stronger. If you’re mincing it up for a soup or stew, you can use either one, IMO.

What is strange for me is that I used to hate it, and think it tasted like soap. But now I love it! I plant it in the herb garden so I don’t have to buy the big bunches. By trimming it judiciously I usually get half a season before it bolts. I planted this years crop about 5 weeks ago and so far it’s just leaves and…

Just make slightly smaller burgers. Go 5 to a pound instead of 4. Or, just eat a little less meat.

Spiral cut them clockwise, then turn around and spiral cut them counterclockwise. Double the fun on one hot dog!

Yes! That is my #1 Instant Pot meal, and it comes out perfect every single time. There is nothing like deciding at 4PM that you want braised short ribs, and, starting with going to the store, having short ribs on the table at 6:30.

I still use all three: Dutch oven, crockpot, and Instant Pot. Interestingly, the same dish made with each comes out a little bit different. I’d give the nod to Dutch oven, then Instant Pot, then crockpot. But my reason for choosing one or another is process related rather than results related. Crockpot is if I need to…

I’ve never heard of tatsoi! Daikon and celeriac are in our grocery (Wegman’s), but are uncommon enough that I would have to look up things to use them in; I’ve used celeriac once, but I don’t remember in what. Soup or stew maybe? It was pretty easy to use. I do remember that everyone liked it; or, more accurately, no…

That is one of the few kitchen devices I’ve used that has done exactly what I wanted it to do, every single time. I don’t use it very often, maybe only a few times a year; but I can decide I want braised short ribs at 4 in the afternoon, and have those short ribs on the table by 6. 

Here’s a life hack: 4 lb packages of Wrights thick cut bacon from Sam’s Club, $15.99. Do 2 pounds at once on the griddle. Take the strips that you aren’t using immediately off a minute or two before your preferred doneness. Then use them throughout the week, touching them up for a minute in the air fryer. Repeat…

That is a hell of a lot of work for a sandwich that is “…basic, like something made from a bunch of things gathered from the kitchen cupboard.” I’ll stick with stuff actually gathered from the kitchen cupboard.

I can get behind this 100%. You know what, skip the sour cream. Just add some masa, and more cheese than you think you ought to. Then eat it with tortilla chips, or Fritos Scoops. 

They’re pretty good pickles. I’ve never had much problem opening them; my problem has been closing them. Twice I’ve gotten containers that didn’t snap closed, where the lid just kinda sat on top, and both times I got pickle juice spills that necessitated a refrigerator cleanup. Claussen for the win, in my case.

Wegman’s Butter Boy is awesome. It’s also $21.99/lb. I get Vermont Creamery instead. Butter Boy is worth it, but it’s worth it like A5 Wagyu is worth it: doesn’t matter if you’re not rolling in the dough. 

Okay then! I checked the recipe in the book; it’s actually in the companion volume Recipes for a Small Planet. Rather than type it out, I checked it against a Google search, and this is it exactly: