ita,

it has been long enough ago that I was on my vanilla bean kick that I don't recall. Thing is, I think you can get the latter in a small sample size (those 1-2 oz wee cups) that you don't have to feel like a jerk if you buy it and don't like it.

Does not have to be that pretty. A small steak knife (small knife with serrations work pretty well to remove core. Don't worry about getting skin off. If it left that is fine too. Better if you can keep bottom close, but if not just use more raisins to seal it. Or just cut apple into pieces making sure to get all the seeds and core and baste with sauce. Cooks faster, so check after ten minuntes and then every 3 minutes while baking. Sort of an erzatz cobbler, but still tastes good.

blaster 30 brown by JungleTribe on Etsy

Neatorama sez:

A Classy Replacement for the Fanny Pack: A Holster

Fanny packs are stylish and functional. Yet they has acquired popular scorn. Perhaps Jungle Tribe's leather alternatives made to look like holsters will fix that problem.

Much cooler than a fanny pack.

I forgot how much I enjoy watching a marathon.

You are right about the mini sizes. I was thinking about straying from my bean path just to pick up one or two of those. But the only deviations I made were gross--cheesecake and low quality strawberry (I basically like vanilla with chunks of strawberry with juice trails), so I've been sticking to the one true bean religiously for the past few months.

Thanks, TB. Tomorrow I'll give that a try. I should write down what apples I try, so I can remember which types at least have good instances. That would help.

I think I've chosen my sister's quote. Nothing from Arrested Development was working--most quotes were male-oriented (Alison Bechdel weeps) and about negative events. So I'm going with the same quote I used at the best friend's wedding "[Sister's name]...[Sister's name] is what brings us together today..." (uh, I didn't use my sisters name in the maid of honour speech, for reference's sake). Her name begins with an M and is two syllables, so it will scan well. The Princess Bride is far and away her favourite movie.

So--what should her shirt be? I'd hoped everyone could supply pictures of themselves with her--that would make a great collage. Now I don't know.

Thigh holsters are always win, and I'm pretty sure they haven't been banned in our office dress code. Yet.

Galas should not be flavorless.

They aren't really in season are they? Some kind of forced ripening would affect the flavor, I bet. They were my favorite apple for a while there, and it seemed like they were only available for a week or two out of the year.

Is it Galas specifically that are out of season, or apples in general?

Well, most apples aren't in season right now locally, and wouldn't be in the southern hemisphere I don't think, but some are. I was specifically thinking it's early for Galas.

According to this site, Galas should be in season now, or in the next couple of weeks.

The orchard I was at yesterday only had Paulareds, but I'm not sure they grow any Galas at all. (We were mainly there for peaches, of which there were a ton. I foresee peach pie ice cream in my future.)