Chef--Agreed about artificial sweeteners and high-fructose corn syrup. Splenda is the best of that lot, if you can't tolerate real sugar.
Robin--Tofu hot dogs and tofurkey and the like are abominations. As you said, tofu is a fine foodstuff in its own right. There is absolutely zero need to make it pretend to be meat.
Jenise--Dare I ask what a deconstructed paella is? But constructed or deconstructed--turmeric has no place in it, in place of saffron. Yes, they both lend a yellow color to a dish. But turmeric hasn't got the wonderful fragrance of saffron, and it lends a slightly bitter nuance to a dish. As with any spices, both saffron and turmeric have a lot to contribute--in their proper places and contexts. But they're not substitutes for each other.
-Paul W.
