To All,
This e-mail contains follow-ups and some small topics that are not worth an entire e-mail.
The big winner among the fruits so far is the kiwi. Including the one reported on, I have purchased 81 of them. They are easy to prepare, have a highly pleasing taste, are visually appealing, and don't need to be washed. Moreover, they will keep for weeks in the fridge and for a week outside the fridge.
You have read about my first, unsatisfactory encounter with an ataulfo mango. I had my second encounter when I had dinner at Mei-Ling and Rik's. For dessert, I first had three pieces of Mei-Ling's chocolate ganache pie. I then cleared my palate with a glass of water and had an ataulfo mango. Unfortunately, I found that my palate had not been cleared; it was still ringing with the glories of the chocolate ganache. The ataulfo mango never had a chance. Another unsatisfactory encounter. I will have to try again.
Influenced by Corey, who is adamant and insists on using fresh garlic, I have returned to the first of my five garlic strategies. You will recall that the drawback to the fresh garlic strategy was that it took too long to peel a clove of garlic. Thanks to Corey, I now see how quick it is to peel a clove after crushing it beneath a knife. We will see if in the next year and a half I again cycle through my five garlic strategies.
A few weeks ago I got my first garlic press, and it turns out that I have a natural affinity for this appliance. I can see myself becoming a collector, with my specimens ranging from colonial times to the space age. My starter garlic press is from Target; my fantasy is to obtain a replica of a garlic press used in ancient Rome. I imagine someone coming over, and I proudly display my collection of garlic presses. I would demonstrate three or four ways to press garlic, including one of my own invention. Then we would get silly and unnecessarily press a lot of garlic. Good times.
Don't make the mistake of getting a craving for bananas and racing to the store to get some. All you will find are green bananas. It is a constant annoyance that I cannot get a ripe banana when I want one. You have to plan your banana eating strategy for a week in advance and buy accordingly. I think I will start an NGO called "Bananas Now!".
I have found that off-season grapes from South America tend to be sour, so I taste one in the store to see if it is edible. This always enrages Mike, who denounces me for exhibiting poor shopping citizenship. Nevertheless, I continue the practice since I claim the right to protect myself from low quality produce.
I have found that a bag of baby carrots will last for five months in the fridge. Even so, I have yet to finish one.
Rick
