There's so much going on in Talk and the comments 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.

This Week at Serious Eats World Headquarters

"Mixed with some mud and straw, those Spam bricks would make some indestructible adobe. You could build the new global SE HQ!" —imwalkin

"Ever seen that blog of pictures of Kim Jong-Il looking at things? Maybe it's time for a Hambone spinoff." —sobriquet

[source: Kim Jong-Il Looking At Things]

—How about a showdown?

Are Packaged Cocktail Mixers Ever A Good Idea?

"The Skinny Girl line is bad, really bad. You'll stay skinny because you'll never want to drink again after having one." —ag3208

Talk: Re-purposing French Fries

"My first thought is a spanish tortilla--I know there are a few famous recipes that use potato chips, so why not?" — Arien

Talk: Oil-Less Salad Dressing

"One of the best salad dressings I know of is mayo mixed with balsamic vinegar, with a little salt and pepper.

Water will definitely work to thin out salad dressings, btw. If you are making a creamy dressing (ranch or blue cheese, creamy Italian type) then milk can work too. A little wine or juice for flavor? Salad dressing is pretty forgiving, up to a point - but especially if it's meant for immediate use.

(Also - vinaigrette often does not have an emulsifier, and instead makes use of the food processor or slave-whisk-labor to temporarily emulsify the dressing.)" — kakugori

Gadgets: Ice Huggy

"Alternatively, for a mere $5, I will rubber band some paper napkins around two ice pops for you personally. Service with a smile!" — aintbaroque