Hi MIchael,

 ML> >  ML> > But they are sour so, for example, a book that is a lemon,
 ML> has you >  ML> > soured on reading it.
 ML> >  ML> We are aware what it means now, but when that transition
 ML> >  ML> of connotation happened, that would be kind of interesting
 ML> >  ML> to know and the question I was asking.
 ML> > I've no idea, and since we can't time travel, we just have to hope
 ML> > somebody from the past has documented the origins.

 ML> And without prejudice or bias.

That, in itself can be quite difficult to achieve.

 ML> >  ML> So ... what's your latest pet cookbook?
 ML> > A couple, actually, from my "reference" collection. The Betty
 ML> Crocker > Picture Cookbook (I have a first edition, c 1950, inherited
 ML> from my
 ML> > grandmother.) and The James Beard Cook book, c 1961. We made both
 ML> cherry > and blueberry pies in the past couple of weeks, using the
 ML> books for
 ML> > reference on the pastry and filling. Beard has my favorite blueberry
 ML> > muffin recipe; I made a double batch last week. That book also came
 ML> from > my grandmother's estate.

 ML> Mine are the same as for a long time - for consultation,
 ML> Raymond Oliver's La Cuisine and Escoffier's Ma Cuisine;
 ML> for fun, George Lang's Cuisine of Hungary and MFK Fisher's
 ML> Art of Eating. Very occasionally I'll look at something
 ML> else, like FIDO's Cookbook, also mostly for fun.

I like to browse thru a cook book when I'm eating breakfast. The one I
pulled out the other day (still going thru it) is the Fido's Kitchen.
Saw some things I might try, others, no in a million years. But, then,
just about all of my cook books are like that. (G)

 ML> >  ML> I've seen the series prominently at times displayed in
 ML> >  ML> bookstores, which struck me amusing as the customers
 ML> >  ML> of bookstores generally aren't dummies and don't
 ML> >  ML> perceive themselves as dummies.
 ML> > No, but they make great gifts for others who may be dummies in
 ML> certain > fields. (G)

 ML> As early as 1970 I thought of writing a series of little
 ML> books about particular foibles such as pride, anger,
 ML> sloth, lust, covetousness, gluttony, and avarice, such
 ML> that people could give them to their friends and enemies
 ML> who they thought exhibited these traits.

Don't know how well those would go over but worth a try if you still
want to give it a try.


 ML> >  ML> > I usually steam them and add a bit of butter. Alternatly,
 ML> I'll do >  ML> them > with the bacon, onion and vinegar--the way my
 ML> grandmother did >  ML> from time > to time.
 ML> >  ML> A lot of butter, and I'd agree.
 ML> > Depends on if you want them swimming in the butter or not; I'd
 ML> rather > they not.

 ML> I'd like a side of melted butter flavored with
 ML> vegetables, please.

I'll go the opposite way. Last night I reheated some pulled pork Steve
had done a while ago, had it with some raw baby carrots, zuchinni coins
and slightly pickled cucumber and onion. Dessert was the last of the
blueberry cobbler. It was a refreshingly cool meal on a HOT(!) day.

 ML> >  ML> I wonder if vitamin E works better than, say, something
 ML> >  ML> like wheat germ oil that has vitamin E.
 ML> > I'm not sure but at this point, I'm going to stick with the
 straight ML> E > oil. It's pure enough I don't have to be concerned
 about rancidity ML> as I > might with wheat germ oil.

 ML> Someone gave me a bunch of E pills that they didn't
 ML> have use for, and after one of the ones I took, I
 ML> burped up the characteristic odor of oxidation and
 ML> rancidness. Either E is more prone to decomposition
 ML> than people claim or that batch was contaminated.

Sounds like it was past its prime and should have been tossed out.


 ML> >  ML> I've made cherry desserts and have always removed the
 ML> >  ML> stones, but not doing so makes perfect sense in any
 ML> >  ML> society that wants to maximize flavor and doesn't worry
 ML> >  ML> so much about liability issues.
 ML> > So it boils down to a matter of personal (cook's) preference?

 ML> Based on the factors as above (and others, of course).

 ML> >  ML> >  ML> stone; they are more frugal with ingredients, so
 ML> >  ML> >  ML> the pits add depth of flavor in a way that we can't
 ML> >  ML> >  ML> get so often compensate for by a splash of almond
 ML> >  ML> >  ML> extract; and they seem more attuned to texture, so
 ML> >  ML> >  ML> cherry pits and fish bones, though a universal
 ML> >  ML> > Quite a range of differences from the average American.
 ML> >  ML> The wealth of this land has its downside.
 ML> > We've noted that before.

 ML> There's something somebody said sometime about taking
 ML> the bitter with the sweet; our job is to minimize the
 ML> bitter - for ourselves and others.

Tho it's not always possible.

 ML> crunch >  ML> down > on a cherry pit and break a tooth. Spending time
 ML> at the dentist >  ML> is not > one of my favorite things.
 ML> >  ML> Someone who properly savors a clafoutis isn't
 ML> >  ML> likely to bite down on a cherry pit.
 ML> > We got a blueberry-blackberry one at the farmer's market the other
 ML> day. > It was good, and yes, the blackberries still had the seeds.

 ML> I've encountered seedless blackberries, and they are
 ML> disconcerting texturally (and not so seedless as
 ML> claimed) and not as tasty as they ought to be.

So they're best with seeds. Our neighbor's property used to have lots of
blackberry bushes--we'd pick the berries and Mom would make pies. That
was good, but would have been even better with a scoop of vanilla ice
cream on top.

 ML> +

 ML> >  ML> It recently tumbled to where I am. I cleared the caches,
 ML> >  ML> and it still does. When I arrived here, it had me a few
 ML> >  ML> dozen miles east.
 ML> > Sounds like the one GPS routing we had--had us on the old Route 15
 ML> thru > PA but we were actually on the "new" 15.

 ML> It can be excused for squawking if you are driving on
 ML> a hillside where it thinks there is no road.

IIRC, it did recognise the new road but had us on the old one. Not the
first time its little pea brain was addled.

---
Catch you later,
Ruth
rchaffly{at}earthlink{dot}net  FIDO 1:396/45.28


... If you focus only on the thorns you will miss the beauty of the rose.

--- PPoint 3.01
 * Origin: Sew! That's My Point (1:396/45.28)