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Juicer recommendation
We used Champion juicers in school and I am planning to buy one soon - they're great, and (for a juicer) pretty easy to clean.
Granola--help! Please.
Hm, I only bake my granola for 25 minutes at 300 and never have a problem, and the honey and oil in the Hannah's recipe seem like they should be adequate. It's hard to tell about clumping and firmness until it's cool.
a little help pls?
Almond milk is one of the best dairy substitutes around - to me it has a much nicer flavor than soy, and better body than rice milk. Try it in baking, where the vanilla flavor will shine!
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Recent Posts
Please - tone down the nasty comments about veg diets!
Posted by producestories, November 11, 2008 at 12:55 PM
More gorgeous late-summer tomatoes: for roasting and snacking
Posted by producestories, September 8, 2008 at 1:45 PM
My first strawberry jam is a success!
Posted by producestories, August 16, 2008 at 2:30 PM
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Recent Comments | Response to Comments
First Look: New White House Farmers' Market
@beano - Probably it was just for the opening day ceremony, since the First Lady and lots of other government folks were there. Otherwise, yeah, that would be incredibly annoying!
Juicer recommendation
We used Champion juicers in school and I am planning to buy one soon - they're great, and (for a juicer) pretty easy to clean.
Granola--help! Please.
Hm, I only bake my granola for 25 minutes at 300 and never have a problem, and the honey and oil in the Hannah's recipe seem like they should be adequate. It's hard to tell about clumping and firmness until it's cool.
a little help pls?
Almond milk is one of the best dairy substitutes around - to me it has a much nicer flavor than soy, and better body than rice milk. Try it in baking, where the vanilla flavor will shine!
Canning jars in NYC
@simon - $19 for a dozen quart jars in NYC is on the high side but it's not insane. I usually buy mine by the case at Fishs Eddy; I find their prices slightly lower than Brooklyn Kitchen, my other source (which is closer to my house). I've never seen them at a hardware store like people often mention, and the last time I checked Kmart at Astor Place didn't have anything, but maybe Target if you're near one? I always think of it this way: sure, I could probably find them somewhere really out of the way for $5/dozen cheaper, but once I factor in subway fare and my time, the closer source seems like a better deal.
Knife Storage
I pretty much only use a chef's knife and a paring knife, so I just keep them in knife guards in a drawer.
Making Plum Jam...
Sugar doesn't prevent things like botulism, but it does help your jam keep longer in the fridge. If you're using a sugar sub or you're using a low-sugar recipe, you'll want a pectin that specifies it can be used for low/no-sugar jam, like Pomona's Universal Pectin. I use it with my agave-nectar jams and I've never had bad results.
San Francisco: What to do and see on a college budget?
A fun budget night could include a rock show at Rickshaw Stop, Bottom Of The Hill, or Hemlock Tavern (the latter is also just a fun bar). If you can beat the crowds, House of Nankeen in SF for genius Chinese food is a classic for a reason. If you want a true weird new-agey Bay Area experience, go to Café Gratitude in Berkeley for admittedly delicious mostly-raw food served in an over-the-top environment (their key lime pie is amazing). Brunch at Boogaloo in SF is really tasty but can get super-crowded on weekends (go early). Also if you are a music lover, don't miss a stop at Aquarius Records, one of the best shops on the planet. Great coffee around there as well. Good luck!
I could eat ______ every day and not get sick of it.
I eat eggs and greens pretty much every day - sometimes together, sometimes separately.
I wish I may, I wish I might...
Blue cheese, eggplant, cilantro. I have gotten over so many other dislikes, but these three remain.
@eggyzhe: I'm no tofu-obsessive, but it's so versatile that I think you're right to hold out hope - I'm sure there's a way to prepare it that you'd like. (Personally I am a much bigger fan of tempeh than tofu, though.)
Frozen Shrimp: To Use or Not to Use?
Yeah, this question kinda doesn't make sense, since all shrimp are frozen on the boats. You're basically paying more not to have to thaw them. And the question of how long they've been unthawed in the store is a good one - buying frozen shrimp just makes more sense.
Thai cabbage?
I think you've hit the nail on the head - cabbage rolls would be perfect because of the big leaves that aren't packed too closely. Maybe you could make the filling spicy Thai-style in honor of your cabbage?
Critic-Turned-Cook Steels Herself for Canning Season with Canning Across America
So far this season I've made strawberry, sour cherry, and apricot jam, rhubarb chutney, and full-sour crock pickles (those are in the fridge - I didn't process them). Still to come: peach and nectarine jam, grape jelly, and possibly more pickles, if I can get my hands on enough small Kirbies next week at the market.
Foodie vs. (Vegan) Foodie: Let's Stop Dropping Anvils Already
@climbighak - I wasn't finger-pointing, simply mentioning that meat-eaters can be just as "proselytizing" as vegans, in my experience. I'm actually only about 95% veg at this point, but the idea that people are somehow infringing on others' rights by making personal dietary choices simply doesn't make sense to me. @mildlyinterested is right - it's all about acceptance and understanding.
Favorite juicing combinations
Beets, sour green apple, ginger. Yum!!
Foodie vs. (Vegan) Foodie: Let's Stop Dropping Anvils Already
@jwalz - True. And yet, as I have said before and will say again, I have never experienced diet-related zealotry to the degree that I have experienced it in meat-eaters telling me that I should be eating meat, that my choice not to eat meat is stupid, that my life will be shortened due to lack of protein, that for this, that, or the other reason my vegetarianism is spiritually or physiologically incorrect.
@sailordave - Not true. There's no way an analogy between dietary choice and musical taste can work in this situation. There are simply food lovers who eat meat (and very likely, have a whole host of other foods they don't prefer, like we all do), and there are food lovers who do not.
Does anyone carry their own condiments around?
Not sure if this counts, but my boyfriend brings a bottle of agave nectar with him everywhere when he's in the south, for sweet tea.
Milk Expiration Dates
The laws governing milk in NYC provide for a shorter time-window because milk delivered to stores/homes in the city is more likely to be left unrefrigerated for a period of time during the delivery process. Because this period of unrefrigeration shortens milk's shelf life, the standard date in NYC is several days shorter than for other areas.
A good brand of yogurt to use as a starter culture
I used freeze-dried Yogourmet starter. I find it yields much more consistent results than commercial yogurt, most of which include thickeners or additives. When I've started with yogurt, I've had the best results with a local additive-free yogurt from the market, which has the other benefit of being fresher than the store brands.
Serious Cocktails: Gin-to-Vermouth Ratios in Martinis
Boy was I surprised when, studying abroad in Italy at 20, I asked for a "martini" at the bar, and was served a glass of vermouth!
Cook the Book: 'What We Eat When We Eat Alone'
over easy eggs and white rice w/ lots of soy sauce & sriracha
When Is It Socially Acceptable to Share Food?
If I'm out somewhere fantastic with a friend, I'm going to want him/her to try whatever delicious thing I'm tasting - that way, we can talk about it. If I went out with a bunch of people and they all wanted to try my food, that might be a different story, unless we'd all agreed ahead of time to do a family-style thing. Germ-wise, though, I could care less: it says something that my favorite food to go out for is Ethiopian!
South Brooklynites--Question
I'm in Bushwick so not the right neighborhood...but I go to Brooklyn Kitchen. I've been to Whisk a few times, and while it's big and seems packed with stuff, I find that most of it is nothing I need (though I did buy a cherry pitter there once with BK was out of them). Brooklyn Kitchen is well-curated and the staff is really knowledgeable. Otherwise, I try to stock up at the Broadway Panhandler sales.
Buttercream gone bad!
It's summer - maybe the butter got too soft and melty during mixing?
Frozen Shrimp: To Use or Not to Use?
A little fun fact: Sushi grade fish is always previously frozen to kill any potential harmful parasites. There really is no such thing as fresh seafood when you buy it in stores. And many of us have never tasted fresh shrimp since we don't catch and cook it ourselves on the same day.
Egg in Toast: What Do You Call It?
A Hole in One!!!! My grandfather used to make these for me when I was a very little girl, visiting him in Lancaster, PA. He was not a golfer. He was first-generation American of Swedish descent, who had grown up in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Foodie vs. (Vegan) Foodie: Let's Stop Dropping Anvils Already
You can certainly be a foodie and vegan. While we may have some dietary restrictions compared to the average eater, we are also much more aware of what we eat than the average eater. Being vegan makes you aware of and appreciate your food just that much more.
SE'er Food Blogs
www.economybites.tv its a blog and a cooking show! You'll LOVE it!
SE'er Food Blogs
Why not - my blog is Tamarind and Thyme: http://tamarindandthyme.wordpress.com and I'm based in London.
SE'er Food Blogs
It is great to see and meet some new cooking faces.
My wife and my blog is Cocina Savant at http://cocinasavant.blogspot.com/.
Do you blog? What's your URL?
Cocina Savant
http://cocinasavant.blogspot.com/
Weekly pictures, recipes, and thoughts from a husband and wife who love books and cooking for each other.
SE'er Food Blogs
What a fun thread! Mine's still in its infancy, and most of it links right back to stuff I like on SE, but here it is: http://neverturndownacupcake.blogspot.com
SE'er Food Blogs
I've been writing Croque-Camille: Food adventures in Paris for a little over a year and a half, and I just started a mini-blog called Seasonal Market Menus, which is all about cooking from my CSA share.
http://croquecamille.wordpress.com
http://seasonalmarketmenus.wordpress.com
SE'er Food Blogs
I write about the DC-Metro area's restaurants and also my almost-daily bentos and recipes @ discojing.com
SE'er Food Blogs
there are a lot of great blogs here - i subscribe to a few already. i am not surprised they are SE readers.
i started both of my blogs last april. they are about pickling & jamming and also local, seasonal, and organic eating.
http://www.tigressinapickle.blogspot.com
http://www.tigressinajam.blogspot.com
have a look!
SE'er Food Blogs
Here I chronicle the rolicking ride that is my relationship with food! (And family, with some book reviews thrown in)
http://thesugarfiend.blogspot.com/
Look, all of us want more blog traffic, and there is no way we can read all of our collective blogs, but we should really make an effort to check out at least other 5 SE's blogs if we post our own in this thread --after all, not fair to 'shill' if you don't help others out!
SE'er Food Blogs
Updated daily, emphasis on eating in Southeast Asia, but also extending into enjoying the finer things in life. Accidental Epicurean - http://accidentalepicurean.com
Paul
SE'er Food Blogs
My almost-annually updated blog is http://overservedinmilwaukee.blogspot.com/
SE'er Food Blogs
I post my neurotic food adventures at www.postmodernfeeding.blogspot.com
SE'er Food Blogs
My blog is unvegan.com and I write about eating without vegetables. It's pretty funny, so check it out!
SE'er Food Blogs
Hi, my blog is at http://soupbelly.com and I blog whatever I feel like cooking that day. I have a background in photography so my site focuses on that as well. Please check it out!
SE'er Food Blogs
My food blog is at http://www.simplecomfortfood.com and I tend to focus on easy, family style comfort food with somewhat of an ethnic focus.
SE'er Food Blogs
So wonderful to have so many fellow writers! I actually have two blogs to share. One is my personal blog: www.thedilettantista.wordpress.com which covers, well, EVERYTHING, cooking, restaurants, movies, etc. I started it this summer when I was living in New York City for an internship, so it is especially heavy on NYC eating.
I am also a contributing writer to Carpe Durham, a food blog that focuses on eating in Durham, North Carolina. The blog was started a few years ago by Duke law students, and I am a newer writer. The blog is a great source if you live in the Triangle area!
SE'er Food Blogs
@Madelyn -- KarmaFreeCooking is one of my favorite blogs! I love it. Thank you so much for all the hard work you put into it.
While I'm at it, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you food bloggers. The time, effort, and enthusiasm you all put into your blogs delights, entertains, and educates the rest of us.
Thank you all!
SE'er Food Blogs
Err... Mine is part food, part life, so enjoy it... or don't, heh.
SE'er Food Blogs
Finally de-lurking to add mine to the list!
SE'er Food Blogs
I might as well just add mine, too :)
SE'er Food Blogs
Just started getting more serious about this a few months ago and I find it's addictive and super fun!
Recent Posts
Please - tone down the nasty comments about veg diets!
Posted by producestories, November 11, 2008 at 12:55 PM
More gorgeous late-summer tomatoes: for roasting and snacking
Posted by producestories, September 8, 2008 at 1:45 PM
My first strawberry jam is a success!
Posted by producestories, August 16, 2008 at 2:30 PM
Why the hostility toward restricted diets?
Posted by producestories, September 30, 2007 at 10:03 AM
What is your biggest food difference with your sweetheart?
Posted by producestories, July 19, 2007 at 8:17 PM
Question of the Day: What surprises your friends most to hear that you make yourself?
Posted by producestories, April 26, 2007 at 9:33 AM
Potatoes with some green tinge - what do you do?
Posted by producestories, March 24, 2007 at 3:34 PM
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About producestories
Website: http://producestories.blogspot.com
Location: brooklyn
About:
Favorite foods: strawberries, peaches, nectarines, blackberries, asparagus, zucchini, spinach, swiss chard, artichokes, black beans, tofu, seitan, goat cheese, olives, coffee, marinara sauce, risotto, stir-fry, fruit smoothies, nachos
Last bite on earth:

@beano - Probably it was just for the opening day ceremony, since the First Lady and lots of other government folks were there. Otherwise, yeah, that would be incredibly annoying!