Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

(So ironic given that I'm doing paleo at the moment and would kill for some delicious vegan carbs.)

McDonalds oatmeal is assembled by the associate and I believe that you can ask for it without the shot of cream from the coffee station (so, made with just water). You can also add apple slices if calcium ascorbate is vegan... which I'm not 100% on.

I haven't been /sad/ but I've helped other plan foodie itineraries. A few places not mentioned:

Neals Yard Dairy (either the main shop or the outlet at Borough Market )
Mr. Christian's Delicatessen - Notting Hill
Books for Cooks - Notting Hill area
The Ginger Pig (shops or at Bourough Market)
Lina Stores - Italian Delicatessen in Soho

I do think you get the most bang for your buck at the food halls in Harrods and/or Borough Market.

This is day... 7 on paleo for me. It's critical to go into it knowing that you will be following the "getting better" Paleo camp rather than the "optimizing" Paleo camp. The optimizers are typically quite healthy, very active, and are working on optimizing their performance. They get to eat more carbs.

I'm strictly in the "getting better" camp and am doing this to make trying a GAPS intro diet in a few months more bearable with the hope that I'll stay mostly paleo when I get my gut back in order. Weight is falling off nicely but slowly, although I have more than 20 lbs to lose. I'm having a bit of a tough time because I've been mostly vegetarian for years and meat doesn't appeal. I'm keeping it 100% grain and bean free and limiting starchy vegetables because I'm trying to resolve some painful digestive issues.

But mostly, what Leo_G said, get thee to http://www.marksdailyapple.com, he's awesome. If you're looking for more specific guidance I've been reading this blog lately too: http://whole9life.com/9-blog/

I've heard from others in the industry that the conversion rate from sampler to buyer is something in the neighborhood of 80% if you can get a customer to take a sample. But I think that pertained more to samples offered out of a case rather than set up in the aisles. Either way I try to avoid them, especially the cheese, because I always end up buying :)

Posting from sunny and freezing Madison, WI.

@Traveller - that is a good point and part of what is so confusing to me about all of this. I'm a big fan of her as a person (her recipes are fine, they usually work) and she is so brutally honest about her struggles and her past in books and interviews. That's what I was expecting here - I think some real candor about how scary a diagnosis like this is, how hard it is, etc. would have garnered a lot of sympathy from people who are currently scratching their heads over a goofy interview.

I read someplace that she's going to be on Oprah's new show in a few weeks. Hopefully in a calmer (not live TV - she did overcome a serious anxiety problem in the past, one of the things I really admire her for) setting she's more candid about her experience.

So, let's say you cut into an avocado and discover brown stripes or a brown patch. Is there any reason why you can't still use it? Does it affect the taste particularly? I've never noticed any big difference (and am still alive) but avocados in WI are generally pricey and I'm not inclined to waste any.

Also - storing cut avocados in water? Brilliant.

Huh... I think I must have lucked out (or the original Betty Crocker Cooky book was a really good teacher) because I've been successfully making these since I was in middle school. I love that you get lots of cookies for your effort.

@Lisa Martin - Wilton, Cuisinart, and QVC's house brand Cook's Essentials all make electric versions and they seem to all be quite badly reviewed. It might be worth comparing the three to see if you could live with some of the faults.

I've never heard of this but I really like the roasted flavor in Genmaicha so I'm intrigued. I'm heading to Whole Foods tonight so I'll take a look.

Hard to say. For me it was something that I had never considered trying in an elimination diet but, with all of the recent press, I gave it a try. Boom. Constant reflux and heartburn gone without drugs (even without heartburn the constant feeling of food coming back up is really not fun). I'm also less bloated but that's more subjective and could just be the slight decrease in refined carbs overall. I'm trying to figure out a livable ratio of hamburger buns and pizza crust (because life is too short and, darnit, my celiac panel was negative) and overall not feeling bad.

As someone who works in food? Yeah, Atkins 2.0. Look for a peak sometime this year in a tsunami of processed garbage. The bubble will pop but I think we'll be left with better labeling, some solid mixes and flours at large grocery stores and superstores, and greater awareness.

I can vouch for the Recchiuti Burnt Caramel Hazelnuts. My sis gave them to me as a present and, man, are they tasty.

@BitchinFixins - I actually like your dad's way of handling the situation, 100% truth in advertising. She knew going in that she would need to be the cook in the relationship :)