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I'm not so sure about this! Sounds fun for maybe 1 day... then kinda gross.

I'm a vegetarian (I do eat fish, though ) and I really don't like all the tofurky-type creations on the market out there. If I want tofu, I eat tofu. If I wanted turkey, I'd eat turkey. Why mess with either? To get protein, I eat natural, vegetarian sources of protein such as legumes and hearty grains. But that's just me. Lots of people like Tofurky and the like. Who am I to judge? :)

As others have said, it sounds like celiac disease or irritable bowel syndrome. You can learn to live a happy life with either, so don't fret too much. You need to see a medical or dietary professional and then start experimenting with your diet. Be prepared to give some things up, but also know that millions of people live with food restrictions and still get plenty of nutrition and enjoyment from their diets. Best wishes!

Just looked around online and found that almost all the quince sold in North America comes from Argentina. So it's an import food, which is why it is expensive and difficult to find. It is not commonly grown in the US anymore due to some bacteria that tends to kill it off. Asian markets tend to carry it because it is grown extensively in Asia and used in Asian cooking. So you might have more luck there, if you have a China Town or Asian shopping district nearby. Good luck!

I've never even seen that variety, but I'd love to try it. The biggest question is, what is the texture and flavor? Is it a crisp, tangy apple? Or softer in texture and sweet? I often mix varieties for a complex apple pie flavor, but the basic rule is that if you like the taste fresh, you will like it better baked because it will become even more intense when you bake it. Good luck and I'd love to hear how it turns out! BTW, do you reduce the juices before you bake? I love this technique and started doing it last year. It gives the apple filling a really intense almost caramel-like flavor.

I don't have a good recipe for you (mine are all a bit on the complicated side) but... I'd like to come over! Sounds like you are going to have a ton of fun!

Yes, toasting the whole pod and then grinding them will result in a much more intense and complex flavor. Another tip: Indian food markets are great places to buy whole spices in bulk for a fraction of the price you'd pay in your local grocery store. I don't know where you are, but here in Northern California we have a ton of Indian food markets in west Berkeley. I don't know how they sell the stuff so cheap, but they do.

And (this may be really obvious but...) make sure it's really firm when you squeeze it. Push your thumb into it -- the flesh should not give at all under the pressure.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream is such a tricky feat, I wouldn't try it with powdered whites. My hunch is that the dehydration process compromises the integrity of the protein strands in the egg whites. Even when you reconstitute them, they won't behave exactly the same way fresh whites would behave.

I agree with lemonfair. You can leave out the peanuts, and/or substitute something else. The peanuts have absolutely no effect on the brittle itself. I also prefer recipes that use baking soda. The texture is lighter and crispier.