There's so much going on in Talk week to week that we almost can't keep up. If you're in the same boat, here's a small selection of topics and responses that have piqued our interest this week.

I've Found Bits of Heaven at Trader Joe's

"Bra drawer!!! Well, I guess that's better than hiding them in your underwear. What cup size is needed to conceal a bag of Dark Chocolate Nutty Bits?" —dmcavanagh

When 'Hip' Has Ruined Your Food

"I see your point, but you may not actually have anything to worry about. As soon as hotdogs became hip I noticed several restaurants in San Francisco adding housemade hotdogs to their menus (using very high quality ingredients resulting in an excellent dog) and Chris Cosentino has actually given demonstrations on hotdog making. I think the craft of making a good hotdog may get more attention if the a hotdog trend in general continues...." —CatBoy

Holiday Gifts for Foodies?

"...A cook's best friend is a sharp knife, and a good chef's knife spells the difference between a happy cook and an angry, pissed off cook. Having cooked in a lot of stranger's kitchens lately, I've mostly been an angry, pissed off cook because meals that should take me five minutes of prep end up taking half an hour...." —eatup

Use for Overripe Bananas?

Just don't leave the peels lying around.

"All excellent ideas. A few more: mash and mix with mayo and spread it on practically anything.(honestly, try it...you'll be amazed) Use in your favorite banana nut bread recipe, or mix with peanut butter spread over warm crepes and top with fresh whipped topping mixed with banana liquer for a taste of France, Elvis style." —daddyplaid

Help! I Oversalted My Chili!

"The potato thing is a MYTH—it does NOT work. The only thing you can do is add more chili ingredients to thin out the saltiness. Get some cans of beans and go to town." —sailordave

Do Good Spatulas Still Exist?

"Spatula City," from Weird Al Yankovic's "UHF."

"At restaurant supply places they are often called food "turners" rather than spatulas. I suppose a spatula might technically refer to the scraper thing you reference, or at least not be as specifically designed for turning/flipping food. I agree with you that a small amount of flexibility is good, and the metal ones you can find in pretty much any store with cookware are often sturdy stainless steel with no flex. Another case of things being overbuilt. A cheapie from a restaurant supply place will be thinner and more flexible yet built to withstand hard use." —Lorenzo

How Do You Sriracha?

"Oh, my lord.... so many ideas! Stick it in your purse and just carry with you at all times to spice up food on the go? (I kid... but I DO have a friend who keeps one in her desk at work.)..." —ec_washington

Let's Talk Turkey...Or Not!! What's for Dinner, Dec. 1?

"Kitchen remodel, week 5. Sigh." —lambowner

[That's what I'd call a high-class problem. Good luck with the remodel, lambowner. You can look forward to all the great stuff you'll be cooking in the new year! —AK]

Where Can I Find a Restaurant Where I Can Be Blindfolded?

"You should try this at home. Have your buddy pick up some take out for you. That way, you'll only look like a total ass to one person, who presumably likes you already." —Kerosena

Kolacky, Kolache, Kolachy, Kolach

"I'm Czech, and so here is the low-down on the Czech version(s). In Czech, a koláč (koh-laach) is a simple pastry made of a simple sweet yeast dough (containing eggs, but not much butter, unlike the Danish version). Koláče (the plural of koláč) can be filled with sweetened cheese (often garnished with apricots, cherries or raisins), ground poppy seeds, grounds walnuts, prune butter or an apple filling...." —TallulahRose

[Wow. And this one just keeps going. It's a veritable koláč taxonomy. —AK]

What Do You Do with Corn Syrup?

"Mostly use a spoon at a time for things that might crystallize (fudge, etc) because the corn syrup (like cream of tartar) will keep the sugar crystals from growing large. In cookie icing to make it glossy popcorn balls — a much underrated treat. Let's make popcorn balls." —lemonfair

Favourite Puff Pastry Applications?

"It's sort of the 'little black dress' of the freezer case. Especially if you've come up with the frozen all-butter version. ( Dufour or Trader Joe's) Obviously good for topping up any kind of savory pie, meat or otherwise. But my favorite isn't savory, it's a quick dessert: cut into squares, toss in a handful of dried fruit, nuts and high-quality dark chocolate, fold into triangles, crimp ( a wash and sugar on the outside is nice) and bake." —Shecooks

Food Is Sexy...

"My husband thinks a grilled cheese sandwich is sexy ;-)" —finewinendine

[That joke never gets old, does it? —AK]

Thread of the Year

[Photograph: jampaper.com]

"Just like the menu at a Greek-owned diner, there's too much to choose from. There were so many that caused me to choke from either laughing or saying "Ewwww!" that I couldn't begin to choose a favorite. There were quite a few that made me re-think some of the foods, equipment and techniques that are second-nature to me; some that made me question my no-room-for-improvement dishes (who would've thought that a plain old grilled cheese could have that many variations?); and so very many recipe tweaks that I want to try but don't have time for them all...." —betteirene

Food Containers: Need to Upgrade

"As to the BPA issue look at the recycling symbol on the container and avoid Type 7 (PC) and Type 3 (PVC)." —tapioca

Bonus Video: 'Dancin' in the Dark'

Because the "Dining in the Dark" thread put this in my head. Now it's in yours, too.