MaryWynn's Profile

Display Name: MaryWynn
Member Since: 4/20/09

Latest Comments...

There's a strawberry ice box cake from this blog that has been a frequent one for me. I'm looking forward to trying the lemon one too.


Enter to Win a Copy of Bakeless Sweets by Faith Durand! Cookbook Giveaway on The Kitchn
5/9/13 4:25 PM

Basic knife skills FTW. I remember the first time a friend saw how I slice a pepper his mind was blown like woah. I'd love to see a list of simple how-to animated gifs for knife skills.

Also, I just want to thank the Kitchn for having the least annoying of slideshows on the internet. Quite a few other publications I read have deeply heinous ones that take forever to move between slides.


How to Chiffonade Fresh Basil Leaves Cooking Lessons from The Kitchn
5/8/13 2:16 PM

I grow them myself. It's only been spring in WI for about 30 seconds though, so it's too early for most things.


Blink and You Miss Them: How Do You Keep Track of Short-Season Foods?
5/8/13 2:02 PM

I wouldn't recommend using styrofoam for a massive range of reasons, starting with toxic leaching and a tendency to degrade and leave icky petrochemicals in the ecology. You should avoid styrofoam, especially around food.


The 5 Best Pieces of Advice If You Want to Start a Small Container Garden Reader Intelligence Report
5/7/13 10:37 PM

This is both sexist and heteronormative and it's super-disappointing. Boo AT. I don't expect a design blog to be a bastion of progressive thought, but I'd at least expect it to not be demeaning. It's too bad that an interesting question got wrapped up in this BS.


Moving In Together Means Getting Rid of All the Ratty Old Granny Panties
5/6/13 3:38 PM

Eww, oil? That just results in pain and sadness. I do this both ways (folded or with two whole ones), and I often flip these with my TEFLON MITTS OF DOOM er my hands.

Hands-down my favorite drunk food.

Anybody have a favorite brand of tortilla they'd like to share?


How to Make Crispy, Cheesy Quesadillas on the Stove Top Cooking Lessons from The Kitchn
4/30/13 4:56 PM

My dad let me eat a lot of things she would NEVER have allowed when she was away - maple syrup on cheerios, pizza for dinner, ice cream every night. It was our secret, and it was a lot of fun.


4 Pizzas and a Burrito:
What They Eat When I'm Away

4/29/13 2:23 PM

When something goes wrong in an event I plan, whether it's for two or 200, I always remind myself that only I (and in the case of work, my colleagues), know the full plan. Most of the time guests are blissfully unaware of the absent garnish or timing snafu.

Don't call their attention to it, just enjoy the company!


The Cure for Party Anxiety: Letting Go of Perfection
4/24/13 5:24 PM

I do this with oils near the stove, so I never fill them up all the way. I found the spouts in a restaurant supply store and they're made with corks instead of plastic, which I like. They fit in just about any wine bottle. Works well for me because I buy multiple liters of oil at a time to decant.

I'll just pop a spout into the vinegar bottle and plop it on the table for salad, then put the cap back after.


A Perrier Bottle Makes a Really Excellent (and Cheap!) Oil Cruet Reader Tip
4/23/13 3:34 PM

My personal bar gets stocked thusly:

1) Brokers gin
2) Early Times bourbon
3) Prairie Organic Vodka
4) Seasonal something:
Autumn: Applejack, Great Lakes Pumpkin Spirit
Winter: Peppermint Schnapps, Chestnut Liquor, Tuaca
Spring: varies - often meant to pair with fresh herbs, citrusy things
Summer: Silver rum to make my sangria
5) Something funky - most often Great Lakes Absinthe or a pastis/ arak of some type.
6) Everclear or other high proof knock-you-on-your-backside kind of thing.

These are all well priced and good quality. If my personal faves aren't available, I rely on Great Lakes Distillery for the basics too. They're local for me though, and I do love me some local booze.


Stocking a Home Bar From Scratch:
Which 6 Bottles Would You Choose? Reader Intelligence Request

4/17/13 2:41 PM

I live in Wisconsin, where hangovers can be nearly as competitive as drinking. I absolutely rely on AlkaSeltzer. Usually if I overdo, I wake up in the middle of the night to use the restroom - this is the ideal time to take the first dose.

If I'm still struggling at lunchtime, Pho will revive me.


My Favorite Hangover Cure
4/15/13 2:48 PM

I prefer a mild-flavored gin like Brokers as a mixer. Most of my vodka-based cocktail experiences have been overwhelmingly sweet. Many vodka brands cater to that with their insane range of flavors, so I associate it with hangovers and misery.


Vodka: A Good-For-Nothing Spirit or a Go-To Staple?
4/15/13 2:41 PM

Milwaukee, WI


Crêpe Parties, Taco Bars & More: 9 Build-Your-Own Party Meals
4/12/13 3:16 PM

I hosted a bridal shower to which a guest brought both her daughters without informing me beforehand. They insisted on opening gifts, refused all foods offered, and had a shrieking-circle dance-party during the games. Mom ignored them.

While I hope this never happens again, I'd love some advice for how best to handle the situation. One of the other guests did corral them as best she could for short periods of time but I couldn't think how to politely approach the mother due to my level of annoyed-ness.


Bringing Children to the Party: The New Etiquette Dilemma
4/12/13 3:13 PM

Happy happy joy joy! I love my cookbooks so very much. I have a collection of "classic" ones that I'm working on, but I never hesitate to buy vintage cookbooks, especially if illustrated. I love them, because they give a snapshot into the food habits and trends of a particular time. Some, however are timeless. I use Marion Cunninghams' Fannie Farmer at least a few times a month, and my go-to cookie book was a giveaway by GE.


Four Reasons Why I Will Never Give Up Print Cookbooks
4/2/13 1:56 PM

I had a crepe buffet for my birthday a few years ago and my friends went through three jars of homemade jams, a jar of nutella and one of PB, a bear of honey, multiple containers of berries, so much cheese like woah. It was complete and utter carnage. They still talk about it. Obviously I do too. It was awesome.

For our New Years Day Recovery Party, boyfriend and I did a DIY panini buffet using the Foreman Grill plus Bloody Marys.

Seriously, we are entertaining geniuses. You all want to hang out with us.


Crêpe Parties, Taco Bars & More: 9 Build-Your-Own Party Meals
4/2/13 1:46 PM

I thought that there was a reason not to put wines in metal containers - the acidity of it will react with the metal and change the flavor/ leach things?

These are really cool looking though.


Stainless Steel Stemless Wine Glass by RSVP Endurance
4/1/13 2:10 PM

I don't care for the pattern selected, and I agree about not covering up a beautiful floor. But I think this is a great idea for hiding flaws in a less lovely or damaged floor.

I wonder that nobody's come up with floor decals like the vinyl wall decals that have been so popular the last few years.


Look! Oversized Floor Stencil in the Kitchen Kitchen Inspiration
3/28/13 4:14 PM

The list of compostable items is OK for a small-scale home composter. It would be a good idea to mention that.

Most cities in the USA do not have municipal "composting". If someone is using city biowaste recycling through curbside pickup, it is most often done in a bioreactor or anerobic fermenter, which can accommodate most forms of organic waste (including "compostable" diapers). Thus, results may vary. By the way, this process isn't really composting.

The recycling list here mentions some things some folks might not think about, but overall I do have to agree that this isn't a terribly thoughtful or well-researched post.


What Not To Compost or Recycle:
30 Items to Avoid
Mother Nature Network

3/26/13 1:12 PM

I hate rosewater in sweets, but I love it in lemonade. Can it be Spring now please?


Beyond Vanilla: 6 Additional Extracts and Flavorings for Desserts
3/25/13 11:35 AM