I'm glad you're feeling better, Theodosia.

I just made clam chowder from scratch for the first time today. It turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself. I used this recipe: [link] However, I used half and half instead of full on cream and added some chopped carrots for color (so it's health food now, I guess).

my brief Goth-before-Goths-were-cool period.

I had one of those, plus "how do you goth while black???". I do follow the "so goth I'm black" tumblr, and I see I have no imagination.

I was listed on the goth usenet Goth Sites info for a while. I mean, my website was.

eta:

all of the songs

"Me and the crew used to do her." Go!

A high hematocrit sounds like heaven to me. You have red blood cells! Many red blood cells! Okay, maybe too many red blood cells.

We need a red blood cell exchange program. We could call it "transfusion". No, wait, that's something else.

Too many red blood cells means not enough oxygen, I think. Must breathe more. Ah, asthma.

"Me and the crew used to do her." Go!

Okay, this band's channel on Pandora is so far EXCELLENT. I love how many devices you can log in from as well.

eta:

"She's just a girl who thinks that I'm the one. The child is not my son... She says I'm the one, but the child is not my son."

Mmmm, Calli, that looks delicious. Except for the pork part. What's a good (or anyhow adequate) vegetarian-friendly (for very loose values of vegetarian, obviously, since we're talking about fish soup in the first place) substitute that'll add some nice salty smoky density to it without any actual pig?

Hec has already worked out that for any food involving a cream sauce, shredded smoked gouda does the trick. Maybe it'd do for this as well, since it's a creamy chowder?

Liquid smoke, smoked paprika, and smoked almonds put in a blender are all good for adding smoky flavor to stuff.

Ooh, we've got a goodly store of smoked paprika, and we may already have some liquid smoke too. Thanks, Hil!

Today was one of those days everyone should be grateful I don't have access to nukes.

Foul enough mood that while I may box up the cookies tonight, but I am unfit to deliver them.

"Let me lick you up and down until you stay stop."

Sorry, I'm stuck in a time/genre warp.

What's a good (or anyhow adequate) vegetarian-friendly (for very loose values of vegetarian, obviously, since we're talking about fish soup in the first place) substitute that'll add some nice salty smoky density to it without any actual pig?

Thanks--I think it worked out pretty well. Well enough that I'll be sharing it with the neighbors tomorrow, anyway (I like the neighbors). I think the pig bits are as much for fat as for flavor. (Although the flavor they add is very nice.) So I'd go with the smoked paprika and liquid smoke, and then be sure to add a fair bit of extra oil. Maybe double the butter? Olive oil is my usual go-to, but I'm not sure it's right here. Maybe canola oil or something else that isn't going to add flavor that goes in an unexpected direction. And you'll probably need to salt it more at the end, since the potatoes will take a fair bit of that out of the picture.