Re: OT: Peeves about websites

I think you will find yourself a super taster - if you are at the top level, you will be found as a wine taster who can narrow a wine down to the exact vineyard etc. I can't do that, but am usually fairly good at figuring out everything that is in a recipe, herbs, spices etc. Like you, anything that contains aspartame is anathema to me, quite hateful. The other synthetic item that I can't abide is fake shellfish, crab, lobster etc. It doesn't taste remotely like the real counterpart to me, but I have friends who are otherwaise sane who love it. They claim they can't taste the difference, so I guess in the long run, they are lucky.

Like you I still prepare a 'proper' meal for myself most days, or eat out, and I am terribly healthy, so maybe there is something to eating well, everything in moderation and particularly, eating in season.

I wouldn't let that effect my choice - if you do everything naturally all should be well. Sometimes too, instinct kicks in. I was travelling with two babies, by sea, to Japan on my own, six weeks at sea and several months pregnant. It made me desperately seasick (I didn't know at first that I was seasick never having been any sort of travel sick) and the ships doctor offered me a couple of sleeping pills to help me out. I turned them down because I didn't think it was a good idea and was I glad I did when the news broke about Thalidomide which as he said, would only give me a gentle sleep, nothing I couldn't wake instantly from if the other two needed me. Phew !

I wasn't really suggesting it might be responsible for autism or ADD - I think today my eldest would be diagnosed as ADD but back then the doctor just said "So sorry, some kids are very active" lol However, so long as they kept her busy at school, as I did at home, she was fine and no doubt, had and has a very fine brain. Turned 50 last Sunday and makes me feel old as Methuselah (sp?) where my own birthdays never did.

Sounds like stevia - want me to send you some?

It is, I was just having one of those senior moments, but thanks no. I use little sugar and some honey but neither are used in any quantity. I just hear people saying today - if they have a sweet tooth - that Stevia is great.

Stevia?

Elizabeth

For specific values of typical: apparently 1/3 of right handed people are left eye dominant.

Elizabeth

Interesting - the last thing I had looked at was a much higher percentage. But, it was an older anatomy book.

Ellice

"ellice" wrote

When Dnot quite X H lived here, I used Splenda because he is diabetic. It keeps its sweetening ability when you cook with it, so I could replace sugar in baking, sauces, hot drinks etc. Yeah yeah I know--he should not have been eating baked goods, hot chocolate etc, but he was going to anyway, so it helped.

Dawne

I try to eat in season as much as possible - and I'm lucky that I live in one of the largest and most diverse agricultural areas in our country - central California. If you eat it we probably grow it here - almonds, rice, tomatoes, grapes, cherries, strawberries, olives, corn, lettuce, etc. There are 4 strawberry farms within 2 miles of my house :)

I'm very fortunate to have enough room where we live in a semi-rural area to have a large vegetable garden and fruit trees. I eat fresh produce every day - and walking out to pick your tomatoes, basil, peppers and corn 2 minutes before you cook them is divine :) There are also a lot of farmer's markets here, and even some year-round ones that include honey, eggs, meat, breads and herbs in addition to the fruits and veggies galore.

Guess I'm spoiled and didn't really realize it. MelissaD

"MelissaD" wrote

Yike. Seasonal eating in Saskatchewan would be....snow (try to avoid the yellow stuff) Dawne

Yes, we are. I love going to the farmers markets and talking to the people who actually grow the stuff.

It's not significantly cheaper than Safeway, but it's a lot fresher. And if you go just before closing, they give you extra, because they can't sell it the next day as "fresh-picked today". :)

Just before we hit 100, the new yard guy turned off the water to the drip irrigation and I didn't notice it for over a week, so all our veggies died of heat stroke. Now that the temp is more reasonable again, I've got to get out there and try to start a fall crop.

But it is available commercially - as a raw ingredient.

That's scary. Makes me glad I had to stop taking them and increase my food based sources of iron and the B complexes. I was getting horrible stomach cramps.

Cheryl

I agree with you - I have always worried about the artificial sweeteners.

Cheryl

Yes because when we are in the throes of Jan/Feb/March it is all root veggies - anything like strawberries etc. will come from California or Chile and has travelled many miles, usually by truck so the price is escalating, and one has to fall back on parsnips, turnips, spuds, carrots etc. I was used to eating them as a child so don't mind, I love roasting parsnips along with the lamb and for people who don't particularly like them, Julia Child has a recipe for creamed parsnips that you really don't know that is what you are eating.

I used to grow veggies in the garden before condo life - particularly leeks which are never inexpensive here and pole beans which were pretty to look at and good to eat.

Dawne ! Naughty girl.

A Frank Zappa fan???

C

am not sure why they think they have 'improved' it - it is herrecipe except I poach the parsnips for a much shorter time, keeptesting them, then dump them in the food processor and cream them.Julia then added a little cream - I see they left that out ! Theyshould be happy, it was one recipe she didn't add gin or similar :) It's also a good recipe if you are cooking for several people, you can prepare earlier in the day and just keep it simmering slightly until you want to serve. It's that second step of simmering which gives them an altogether different type of flavour.

Thank you!

Have you ever tried parboiling them and then roasting them with a little oil/butter and some herbs???

Cheryl