You're lucky if you pull out a plum.

I've pulled a good number of those, also probably an equal number of lemons.

Which makes me wonder about lemons, specifically their
bad rep. I'd have thought that as they are tropical and
strong in flavor they would have been a relatively
prestigious item back in the day.

But they are sour so, for example, a book that is a lemon, has you
soured on reading it.

We are aware what it means now, but when that transition
of connotation happened, that would be kind of interesting
to know and the question I was asking.

There are issues worth pondering that one is not
directly involved with!

Which probably aren't worth discussing here.

It doesn't matter, your criterion of "worth"; pretty
much anything that is germane to any of us and that
doesn't cause strife is okay by me. Worthless isn't
necessarily worthless, if you know what I mean.

True, but maybe we should discuss cook books?

We've discussed numerous things here, including cookbooks.
There is no particular mandate to stay all on topic all the
time. I was, for example, tempted to make some snide comment
back when the balance threatened to turn this into a
handicrafts echo, but I decided that lots of talk about
quilting and stuff wouldn't do any harm, and if people
didn't want to read about it, they didn't have to.

So ... what's your latest pet cookbook?

I wouldn't be reading a book that was too technical,
contrary to my reputation in some circles.

Don't want to buy "Violin Making For Dummies"?

That's a reference too that I don't understand.

For a time, seemed to have started in the 90s (IIRC, "Windows for
Dummies" was one of the first ones out) there were a number of books on
the market along the theme of "XYZ for Dummies". They covered quite a
range of topics.I never bought any because none of the subjects covered
were of interest to me but they did cover quite a wide spectrum of
topics. As I remember, most of them had a yellow cover meant to look
sort of like a legal pad.

I've seen the series prominently at times displayed in
bookstores, which struck me amusing as the customers
of bookstores generally aren't dummies and don't
perceive themselves as dummies.

I'd rather have the squeak than green bean mush.

For me the first choice is no green beans, second,
grossly overcooked to eliminate the origin of the
squeak, last, heavily greased with butter or other
fat to lubricate it away (and not incidentally
improve the taste).

I usually steam them and add a bit of butter. Alternatly, I'll do them
with the bacon, onion and vinegar--the way my grandmother did from time
to time.

A lot of butter, and I'd agree.

not putting > honey on the rest of the scar as I don't want to cover
it or deal with a > sticky leg.
That shows the power of the stuff ... but also gives
you a clue about the diminishing returns, as it were,
when you go farther down and use more goo.

It served the purpose well. I'm now using vitamin E oil on the scar;
it's faded some but not as much as where I used the honey.

I wonder if vitamin E works better than, say, something
like wheat germ oil that has vitamin E.

Or one can do what the French do with a clafoutis and
refrain from pitting the cherries.

Easier on the teeth if you pit the cherries. Anyway, the cherry pie

is > gone, blueberry pie (fom local berries) is on the agenda for this week's > baking project.
Better for the flavor as well as easier if you
don't. The French have some characteristics that

I'd rather pit them, but, that's my choice.

I've made cherry desserts and have always removed the
stones, but not doing so makes perfect sense in any
society that wants to maximize flavor and doesn't worry
so much about liability issues.

stone; they are more frugal with ingredients, so
the pits add depth of flavor in a way that we can't
get so often compensate for by a splash of almond
extract; and they seem more attuned to texture, so
cherry pits and fish bones, though a universal

Quite a range of differences from the average American.

The wealth of this land has its downside.

annoyance, are not as much an obstacle with them as
with us. In addition, they may have higher tolerance
for pain or the loss of teeth. Our pace of life and
consequent need for immediate gratification has'imposed
some attitudes that are not exclusively beneficial.

I can tolerate a certain level of pain but I don't want to crunch down
on a cherry pit and break a tooth. Spending time at the dentist is not
one of my favorite things.

Someone who properly savors a clafoutis isn't
likely to bite down on a cherry pit.

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05

Title: Chocolate Almond Snowballs
Categories: Desserts
Yield: 1 Servings

1 3/4 c All-Purpose Flour
2/3 c Nestle Cocoa
2 ts Baking Powder
1/4 ts Salt
1/4 c Granulated Sugar
1/2 c Butter, Melted & Cooled
2 Eggs
1 ts Almond Extract
Confectioner's Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F. In small bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder
and salt; set aside. In large mixer bowl, beat granulated sugar, butter,
eggs and almond extract until creamy. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
Roll
measuring tablespoonfuls of dough into balls. Place on ungreased cookie
sheets. Bake 6 to 8 minutes. Let stand on cookie sheets 2 minutes. Remove
from sheets, cool completely on wire racks. Sprinkle with confectioners'
sugar. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

Dan Klepach [dan.klep@worldnet.att.net]

-----
--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr5
* Origin: Fido Since 1991 | QWK by Web | BBS.FIDOSYSOP.ORG (1:123/140)

Hi Michael,

Which makes me wonder about lemons, specifically their
bad rep. I'd have thought that as they are tropical and
strong in flavor they would have been a relatively
prestigious item back in the day.

But they are sour so, for example, a book that is a lemon, has you soured on reading it.

We are aware what it means now, but when that transition
of connotation happened, that would be kind of interesting
to know and the question I was asking.

I've no idea, and since we can't time travel, we just have to hope
somebody from the past has documented the origins.

There are issues worth pondering that one is not
directly involved with!

Which probably aren't worth discussing here.

It doesn't matter, your criterion of "worth"; pretty
much anything that is germane to any of us and that
doesn't cause strife is okay by me. Worthless isn't
necessarily worthless, if you know what I mean.

True, but maybe we should discuss cook books?

We've discussed numerous things here, including cookbooks.
There is no particular mandate to stay all on topic all the
time. I was, for example, tempted to make some snide comment
back when the balance threatened to turn this into a
handicrafts echo, but I decided that lots of talk about
quilting and stuff wouldn't do any harm, and if people
didn't want to read about it, they didn't have to.

So ... what's your latest pet cookbook?

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

I wouldn't be reading a book that was too technical, contrary to my reputation in some circles.

Don't want to buy "Violin Making For Dummies"?

That's a reference too that I don't understand.

For a time, seemed to have started in the 90s (IIRC, "Windows for Dummies" was one of the first ones out) there were a number of books

on > the market along the theme of "XYZ for Dummies". They covered
quite a > range of topics.I never bought any because none of the
subjects covered > were of interest to me but they did cover quite a
wide spectrum of

topics. As I remember, most of them had a yellow cover meant to look sort of like a legal pad.

I've seen the series prominently at times displayed in
bookstores, which struck me amusing as the customers
of bookstores generally aren't dummies and don't
perceive themselves as dummies.

No, but they make great gifts for others who may be dummies in certain
fields. (G)

For me the first choice is no green beans, second,
grossly overcooked to eliminate the origin of the
squeak, last, heavily greased with butter or other
fat to lubricate it away (and not incidentally
improve the taste).

I usually steam them and add a bit of butter. Alternatly, I'll do

them > with the bacon, onion and vinegar--the way my grandmother did
from time > to time.

A lot of butter, and I'd agree.

Depends on if you want them swimming in the butter or not; I'd rather
they not.

not putting > honey on the rest of the scar as I don't want to

cover > ML> it or deal with a > sticky leg.

That shows the power of the stuff ... but also gives
you a clue about the diminishing returns, as it were,
when you go farther down and use more goo.

It served the purpose well. I'm now using vitamin E oil on the scar; it's faded some but not as much as where I used the honey.

I wonder if vitamin E works better than, say, something
like wheat germ oil that has vitamin E.

i'm not sure but at this point, I'm going to stick with the straigh E
oil. It's pure enough I don't have to be concerned about rancidity as I
might with wheat germ oil.

Or one can do what the French do with a clafoutis and refrain from pitting the cherries.

Easier on the teeth if you pit the cherries. Anyway, the

cherry pie > ML> is > gone, blueberry pie (fom local berries) is on
the agenda for this > ML> week's > baking project.

Better for the flavor as well as easier if you
don't. The French have some characteristics that

I'd rather pit them, but, that's my choice.

I've made cherry desserts and have always removed the
stones, but not doing so makes perfect sense in any
society that wants to maximize flavor and doesn't worry
so much about liability issues.

So it boils down to a matter of personal (cook's) preference?

stone; they are more frugal with ingredients, so
the pits add depth of flavor in a way that we can't
get so often compensate for by a splash of almond
extract; and they seem more attuned to texture, so
cherry pits and fish bones, though a universal

Quite a range of differences from the average American.

The wealth of this land has its downside.

We've noted that before.

annoyance, are not as much an obstacle with them as
with us. In addition, they may have higher tolerance
for pain or the loss of teeth. Our pace of life and
consequent need for immediate gratification has'imposed
some attitudes that are not exclusively beneficial.

I can tolerate a certain level of pain but I don't want to crunch

down > on a cherry pit and break a tooth. Spending time at the dentist
is not > one of my favorite things.

Someone who properly savors a clafoutis isn't
likely to bite down on a cherry pit.

We got a blueberry-blackberry one at the farmer's market the other day.
It was good, and yes, the blackberries still had the seeds.

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


... Are you sure you really want to know that?

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