MyEscondidoKitchen's Profile

I have not had such great luck with wood around the sink, especially if the sink is not undermounted so I wish these folks the best. I would have used something else on that part of the kitchen and used the butcher block on just the back.

Blender, immersion blender, ricer, food mill--once things dry on any of them it takes a lot of time to get them clean.

New cooks tackle big recipes without knowing the basic techniques and the time involved. Deciding to do an elaborate meal--like the ones Gourmet magazine used to feature in their major article--is a true recipe for disaster. Start small and then work your way up--and learn what you can make ahead of time.

None of my friends have issues with food. No vegetarians, no vegans, no shellfish allergies, no gluten or dairy problems. I do have one adult son of a friend who does not like onions so on the rare occasion he is coming I make the same dishes but leave onion out of a portion. Same with my family. Sometimes I wonder why it worked out this way. But all the time I am just grateful it did.

The list for my local market in Escondido CA would also include cheese,meat, flowers (wonderful bouquets of kangaroo paws last week) jam, bread/baked goods, eggs, handmade soap, and olive oil as well as kettle corn, fresh roasted peanuts, plants/herbs, dog treats, goat cheese ravioli, selection of both Greek and Middle Eastern foods, amazing vegan dips, and lots of food vendors. Had an early dinner last week of a squash blossom quesadilla and potato samosa with tomato chutney.

We put dark red swirled Marmoleum in our mid-century kitchen. (When we pulled up the pink and white vinyl right before laying the Marmoleum we found original but damaged olive green underneath so we were definitely going authentic.) It feels good on the feet and back, doesn't have any grout to deal with BUT it is a nightmare to keep clean. Within an hour of a good washing it looks dirty again. So I've taken to sweeping it every day but wash it less than once a week, because it looks the same dirty or clean. Wish I hadn't used it and I have read the same comment from many people online.

I made risotto for the 100th time last night and it came out perfectly--because I cooked it longer than usual. My husband hates it al dente so I made it his way. Shallots in olive oil and butter, then arborio rice, then white wine and then half an hour of adding homemade chicken broth cup by cup. A little butter and Parmigiano at the end, turn it off and let it rest for a couple minutes--the best as far as we were concerned. For us, those last couple minutes are what brings the dish together and though it might not be wet enough for some, we love it.

I love butcher block counters, but I have never seen one around a sink that didn't eventually get black. I would love to have wood on a big empty island, where I would cut on it every day and oil it periodically but everywhere--never--because water will get in unless you watch it all the time and become fanatical about wiping up every drop of water. Of course you can soak it in something so the water won't get in but it won't look natural.

I just wash with soap and hot water, rinse and wipe dry, though I don't worry about getting it bone dry. I've never had any problem with warping or splitting except last year when I slid my really big board into the handy space between a cabinet and my new Blue Star range--the heat from the side of the range put a nice bow in it. But I washed it and dried it with heavy books on top and after a couple of days it was fine.

I buy vegetables at the Farmers' Market every week and they're the first thing I see when I am contemplating what to make for dinner. At least three nights a week, we have a pasta dish with tomatoes/greens/zucchini/cauliflower/arugula or whatever else is staring me in the face. We also always have a salad, maybe with cucumber/green beans/apple/pear. It isn't necessary to have a large variety every day, when we make pasta it's at least two serving of veg for each person.