Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

slate had an article recently about food bacteria - apparently there's two types, and apparently the kind whose effects you can see (the kind that causes spoilage/rotting) are not the kind that make you sick.

http://www.slate.com/id/2300787/

i still scrape off the mold though because feeling icky doesn't have to get backed up by science.

dittoing goat cheese in salads, omelettes, on toasts with honey, in a sandwich with roasted vegetables (eggplant, peppers, etc.). i also love to have it stirred into pasta (while it's still warm so it gets melty) with grape tomatoes (heated enough so they start like splitting open), add olive oil, salt and pepper, any herbs that look good to throw in.

we got married in the central coast of california, so we gave out small paper bags of local salt water taffy, among other things. the wedding was outside and used a lot of local flowers, local ingredients, etc. (nothing like california for local bounty!), so i thought it was a nice little detail that evoked the setting. (and the leftovers came in super handy the next morning when i didn't have time for breakfast!)

this is such a fun thread! there are so many good suggestions and it's nice to read about people's personal stories.

home-smoked pastrami - totally awesome-sauce.

i love nectar! i usually get the sweet potato + avocado sandwich, which is amazing, but i think i'll have to switch it up next time and try this out, it looks so good.

would adding a little strawberry jam help? i like the idea of adding in rhubarb or another berry too.

it looks delicious in the pic - but last time i went, a colleague pulled a giant piece of paper out of his burger :(

another vote for blue hill at stone barns. last year my friend had her birthday party up there and everyone took a class on canning your own food, which sounded pretty cool (I unfortunately couldn't make it, but it seems like a fun idea).

you mean this place? http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/25/nyregion/25coop.html

i'm not a member, but i've eaten food purchased there by friends who are - good food and affordable prices.

if the nuts are so important to your husband, why don't you add them to the cake? (just curious)

i think a lot depends on the presentation. if you tell someone, i'm making this exactly the way so-and-so made it because i know that's how you like it, then it would be fair for them to be disappointed if there are noticeable tweaks. but if you say oh i'm making this food item, i took some tips from so-and-so's recipe, then they shouldn't be expecting the exact same thing and shouldn't be upset that they are eating a different kind of fried chicken, or whatever (especially since you're the one making the meal, not them!) so basically, i don't see any problem with changing mom's/sister's/whoever's recipe, so long as it's clear to other folks that the meal they are going to get is not the one they grew up on.

i second the panettone - my mom looooooved it, so we always had some around the holidays, so it always makes me think of her.

you could make cranberry infused vodka - i haven't tried this recipe, but it looks easy enough: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-chiarello/cranberry-vodka-recipe/index.html

and as others have mentioned, cranberries do freeze well. i also like the muffin idea.