We don’t have a Trader Joe’s. But maybe one day! Aldi’s is coming soon, but we also have a good selection of various International markets, a good Publix (very much nearby) and a Natural Foods co-op.

I’m happy that they are offering this! I hope even meat-eaters will give it a try. But Mexican places like Chipotle and Moe’s are among the few fast casual places where I can eat a semi-healthy meal full of veggies and beans and not feel deprived, so it’s not something I’d go for.

My husband (an occasional meat eater) actually prefers plant-based chorizo. I get the Field Roast when it’s BOGO sometimes. It’s the only one of their products I really really like. I make breakfast burritos with potatos, the chorizo, , peppers, onions, eggs and cheese. I’ve never had real chorizo, but he says it’s…

Bet those two cats are looking pretty tasty right about now. (Just KIDDING! I’d let my cats eat my little toes if they needed them. They ain’t good for nothing except getting stubbed anyway.) But I do bet that car smells like cat shit right about now.

That’s what I get too. I make pickled herring potato salad.

It also had chopped egg and chopped cooked carrots? All unseasoned, nothing crunch or pickled. The texture. Gaaaaah. Shudder.

I like pickled herring, but OH MAN, I bought a tub of Russian herring salad (shuba/fur coat salad) from a local Eastern European market and it was probably one of the most disguting things I’ve ever eaten. Unseasoned mush on mush on mush. This was probably just a bad version of something good. I’d like to think that.

Hmm. Maybe experiment with maple syrup or golden syrup and brown sugar? The brown sugar adds “chew” to the texture so it isn’t gloppy gel. I think molassas would be way too strong and honey would be way too sweet. My filling is about (don’t have the recipe in front of me) 2/3 syrup, 1/3 brown sugar, 2 eggs, 2 Tbs…

A mixture of cane syrup and brown sugar, eggs, salt and a bit of flour. Helps the bottom layer be a lot more flavorful, less sweet and less loose. Corn syrup has that generic too sweet flavor. Cane syrup flavor is pretty strong, which is why I cut it with brown sugar to mellow it out.

That’s sad!

Yep. Like, I don’t like anyone else’s pecan pie. My recipe is perfect (for our family) and not goopy, not too sweet and has no corn syrup. Now I can’t enjoy pecan pie. This limitation is managable with pecan pie - but not with pasta. I still have to be able to enjoy pasta!

Oh man, I admire you. I’ve never made fresh pasta and probably never will. It’s just the two of us now and there’s no way we could eat enough pasta to justify the learning curve or the expense. I do know the difference between the good dried pasta and the not-so-good dried pasta, so there’s that. Wishing you the best…

Sweat a shallot in olive oil, throw in a chopped roasted red pepper, two chopped carrots, a cubed sweet potato, add stock to cover. Boil until the vegetables are tender. Add some ground red pepper or cayenne, a bit of brown sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Puree with an imersion blender. Add cream or half/half.

Am I alone in not liking English muffins? I’m willing to bet that I haven’t had really good ones and I’m open to changing my mind.  But I’m not really committed enough to that bet that I would make my own. If anyone does, report back.

I’m enjoying slug week far more than I should. Watched Don’t Look Up. Hilarious and demoralizing. Catching up on the new Dexter and Yellowjackets and starting 2nd season of The Witcher. Also making some red pepper, carrot and sweet potato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch. And washing all the sheets for the…

I’m glad you inherited a ring you love! From my research, this ring is earlier than Art Deco...Art Nouveau or Victorian. I don’t think it’s spectacularly valuable, although it’s signed by what appears to be a Spanish designer? I’m going to take it to an expert soon to learn more about it. Just for my own curiosity.…

I’m obsessed with this Victorian (I think) onyx ring I made my husband buy me for Christmas. We had been out for a sushi lunch at break and next door was a pawn shop with a half-off sign. I am NOT a jewelry person. And this shop was not a vintage shop. But as soon as I saw it I said - THAT! I want THAT! He was shocked…

Oh wow. Best wishes! Still haven’t met our only granddaughter and new DIL in Australia or seen our son since early 2019. Enjoy your mum and hold her tight.

In our city all of the mid-tier chains are struggling. Chili’s, Applebees, etc. Higher tier chains, fast casual chains and fast food chains are doing okay. Seems like people want fast and cheap, or fast and kind of cheap or a fancy meal.

I’m with you! But as you suggest, lots of people are just looking for ways to be offended. Those of us who aren’t public figures can do and say what we want (for the most part) without much fear of public pillory. Public figures walk a fine line. Ben Affleck may be at a point in his life where he wants to say whatever…