What I learned today (Take Two)

Yes, it is meant to be eaten at room temperature, or just very very slightly warmed. I put a bowl of it in the microwave for 20 seconds, e.g.

A lot of the big-box stores are actually terrible. I keep my interactions with all of them to an absolute minimum -- meaning, if I just can't find the thing anywhere else.

Anyway, does it make sense that they can sell a TJ product if TJ itself doesn't have it???

I wonder of places like Walmart pick up that a product is going to be discontinued, so they buy a load of it.?

I wonder of places like Walmart pick up that a product is going to be discontinued, so they buy a load of it.?

It's not a bad thought, but I'd guess that there isn't enough to go around. How many stores does Walmart have to keep "in supply"? Hundreds? Thousands?

There are a number of stores that sell discontinued merchandise, excess inventory, or merchandise from store bankruptcies. I've purchased plenty of such stuff.

In our area, Grocery Outlet would be the first place I'd look. I can't say I've ever seen a TJ's product there, though.

[Jenise]

Anyway, does it make sense that they can sell a TJ product if TJ itself doesn't have it???

Yes maybe. TJ's only recently ran out, and as I understand it this offer wasn't from Walmart itself so much as another supplier who vends thru them--Walmart has never carried TJ's products on their shelves.

But my 'sale' got cancelled as well. And am I surprised? Not at all. I hate Walmart and have only ever been a customer when we were on the road in our van and it was where we could get camp stove gas, ice, and a steak at one stop. Otherwise--never.

Our daughter is a special needs teacher in Ohio and has been for over 2 decades. A few years ago, she decided she wanted to pay her dad and me off for a house loan. So, along with her full-time job at the school, she worked at Walmart after school got out and worked until the loan was paid off. She had so many stories to tell about co-workers who did not do their jobs, and she had to do them so she could do her work. She would speak with management, but they did nothing to help her and totally ignored the situation. If she needed advice on something, she was ignored. Very sad, and she was so happy to get out of there. I have also heard stories from locals here in Redding about similar situations. Never again will I buy anything from them.

[Jenise]

Very sad, and she was so happy to get out of there. I have also heard stories from locals here in Redding about similar situations. Never again will I buy anything from them.

You may remember that Walmart, and I doubt things have changed, made a practice of hiring zillions of part-time employees and limiting their hours in order to avoid paying for benefits. I hate them for that, and in general hate the big box stores for the way when they move into an area and put all the moms and pops who have been meeting the needs of their community for eons out of business. I watched it happen in Anchorage, Alaska; they're unscrupulous.

I hate them for that, and in general hate the big box stores for the way when they move into an area and put all the moms and pops who have been meeting the needs of their community for eons out of business. I watched it happen in Anchorage, Alaska; they're unscrupulous.

And the shoppers are cheap: they could continue to shop at the mom & pops, right? (I know that isn't ordinary shopper behavior; my point is to reserve a half-teaspoon of ire for a community that does not act in its own best interest.)

Very sad, and she was so happy to get out of there. I have also heard stories from locals here in Redding about similar situations. Never again will I buy anything from them.

You may remember that Walmart, and I doubt things have changed, made a practice of hiring zillions of part-time employees and limiting their hours in order to avoid paying for benefits. I hate them for that, and in general hate the big box stores for the way when they move into an area and put all the moms and pops who have been meeting the needs of their community for eons out of business. I watched it happen in Anchorage, Alaska; they're unscrupulous.

I feel the same way about WalMart. I watched them destroy the main street in my hometown. Sad.

[Jenise]

And the shoppers are cheap: they could continue to shop at the mom & pops, right? (I know that isn't ordinary shopper behavior; my point is to reserve a half-teaspoon of ire for a community that does not act in its own best interest.)

Exactly right. They'll even wax nostalgic over the fact that their son got his first job out of high school at Old Joe's hardware store and in the next breath brag about the new toaster they bought at Walmart. They don't see the dichotomy at all.

Now yes, I do shop at Costco, who take care of their employees and is headquartered where I live. Most of what I buy there isn't easily available elsewhere in my area. And I sometimes buy from Amazon, but again for things not really available in my area or if I could find one, then only one or two and not the ten or twelve I'd have for choices online. But never Walmart.

[Jenise]

Karen, in paying my credit card yesterday, I noted that on the 14th Walmart charged me $11 for the jar of tomato-onion crunch that they DID send, that on the 14th they show the other order being cancelled but I was nonetheless charged $24.95 for the cancelled portion on the 17th. I'll get it fixed, but the BASTARDS!

I was just watching Jacques Pepin prepare linguini a la carbonara. He was, of course, talking while chopping and throwing cubed pancetta into a hot frying pan. He continued this all the way through 5 oz of pancetta. And, as I'm watching this, I'm thinking to myself that this is making things a little harder for himself because those bits are not all going to be cooked to the same degree: the first ones in the pan will be golden (and start caramelizing) before the last ones even arrive.

And that suddenly connected to a different cooking practice that I had always dismissed as mere internet puffery: We've all seen recipes that start with, "gather the ingredients" and you get a composed shot of a bunch of pretty bowls of different sizes filled with a bit of this and a bit of that. And, yes, that's definitely speaks of showmanship but, I now realize, it also makes you get everything really ready... like, say, all 5 oz of the pancetta.

I know that professional chefs have mise en place -- but they also have sous-chefs to do their work. And there are popularizers, like Bittman (and others), who tell you to do Y while X is happening rather than being ready at the start.

Strict mise en place is mandatory for many if not all Chinese stir-fry dishes. For example, many Sichuan dishes have a step where dried chiles (and/or Sichuan peppercorn) are fried in a bit of oil just until fragrant and slightly darkened in color and then some moist ingredient such as doubanjiang is added. The moist ingredient stops the chiles/peppercorns from burning. You must have it ready to go immediately. There is no time to open the jar and measure out the doubanjiang.

The practice of measuring out and cutting everything ahead of time is ingrained in my psyche. When I find myself making something where there is a long simmer of a first set of ingredients and then a second set of ingredients is added, I have to stop myself from reflexively preparing the second set at the same time as the first.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Today I learned the Penzey's Quebec Beef Seasoning is better on a baked potato than regular old salt and pepper.

I know that professional chefs have mise en place -- but they also have sous-chefs to do their work. And there are popularizers, like Bittman (and others), who tell you to do Y while X is happening rather than being ready at the start.

I have become a true believer in the mise en place thing. I know that there are plenty of people who can throw one thing into a pan and then chop some other stuff while keeping an eye on something in the oven, but that's not me. It all works much better if I have everything prepped that's preppable and sitting in little bowls or whatever before I really get into the cooking phase. If I have to start much earlier on the project, so be it.

I have become a true believer in the mise en place thing. I know that there are plenty of people who can throw one thing into a pan and then chop some other stuff while keeping an eye on something in the oven, but that's not me. It all works much better if I have everything prepped that's preppable and sitting in little bowls or whatever before I really get into the cooking phase. If I have to start much earlier on the project, so be it.

Of course. I don't think anyone would disagree.

It's obviously easier when everything is set, but sometimes schedules don't allow. You get home later and need to cook more quickly for various reasons.

I think that is one reason some people don't cook, because they can't handle the logistics of the timing. But I've gotten quite good at it over the years, planning out the steps as I approach home (e.g. turn on stove/boil water immediately upon getting inside, then change clothes, then wash and chop, etc)

Today I learned the Penzey's Quebec Beef Seasoning is better on a baked potato than regular old salt and pepper.

I got a bottle of that stuff free with a Penzey's order and have wondered what to do with it. I'll have to try it on potatoes.

-Paul W.

Years ago, when Gene started showing signs of Alzheimer's Dementia, I decided to purchase a three-wheel adult bike so I could comfortably ride along with him when he was taking our dog on morning walks. Part of the deal was that they would send someone to my home to assemble the bike. My next-door neighbors told me to cancel the assembly date because they would assemble the unit at home. I called Walmart and canceled the assembly date that same day. The day after the bike arrived, a man came to my door to assemble. I told him I had cancelled that date the same day I ordered the bike. I was charged the $40.00 anyway. I called my card people and Walmart, but they would not budge on the assembly charge. Sadly, the bike idea did not work out for us as the dog kept wanting to come over to me. Plus, it would not fit through my side gate, so we had to take it all the way to the back of the property, open a large, heavy gate, then close it when we left. It got to pain. I sold the bike for what I paid for it plus the extra $40.





sadly

Last night I made Poor Man's Jambalaya. Tonight will be Thai stir-fried chiles and chicken with holy basil (pad prik gai bai krapow), but with Thai basil leaves (bai horapa) instead of holy basil leaves (bai krapow, tulsi in Hindi). I will be adding some dried holy basil leaves to give it some of the proper flavor.

-Paul W.