Not wanted to call a plumber on what I’ve heard is their busiest day of the year, I looked up “unclog disposal” on Google. Several fix-it sites recommended the same thing:

1/2 cup baking soda, followed by 2 cups white vinegar. Let set for 30 minutes and follow with hot water. (Note: it foams up into the sink, then settles.)

My first attempt only dislodged a little of the clog (enough to get a bit of running water through), but I followed with a second attempt and, BINGO, a giant hiccup from the sink and then clean and clear. Saved me a lot of money and I learned a lesson about squash! Happy cooking to all.

DoubleTree Hotel Chocolate Chip Cookies
http://foodgeeks.com/recipes/r…..e_id=18302

Maple Pecan Cookies
http://www.foodandwine.com/rec…..an-cookies

Cinnamon-Nut-Raisin Crescents (Rugelach)
http://www.jewish-food.org/recipes/rugel05.htm

2 & 3/4 cups sifted flour
1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cups shortening
2 & 1/4 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
1 small package chocolate chips*
1 tbsp vanilla

Mix and sift flour, baking powder and salt. Melt shortening and add brown
sugar. Stir until well mixed. Allow to cool slightly then add the eggs, one
at a time, beating well after each addition. Add dry ingredients, then
chocolate chips and vanilla. Pour into a greased pan.

Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until it tests done with a toothpick. Cut
when almost cool.

*I tend to use a large package. As Rule #4 says: There can never be too
many chocolate chips. (Although there can be too little cookie dough.)

Shrink at 199 — You know, I bet there is a mildew resistent variety for tomatoes that you can use for your area. I’d ask at the garden center if you have a greenhouse/nursery near you. Not at Home Depot/Lowes, but at a small garden center — that’s generally where I get the best varietal information for here. We have a very humid, wet summer as well, and I try and get varieties that work in that climate for that reason. Be we are warmer than you all, so I’m not sure what works here would translate there. FWIW.

When you buy the rum, be sure to get a little extra and drink a toast to a wonderful woman, Gisela K.

Lynne, I will do just that. How wonderful of you to honor your friend, Gisela K, in this way.

I’ve been looking for a good rum cake recipe, so this will have a special meaning now.

Shrink in SF @ 199

kirk murphy @
183

I’ve only been here for three years; my first summer I planted tomatoes – in the Richmond. In August.

Hey welcome to the bay area! Your tomatoes gotta start as soon as you dare, the nurserys try to trick you by selling tomatoes too early and hoping you’ll buy more when those get killed, but we’re always planted by may, sometimes april (I’m not really SF, just SF adjacent),

Our nearly unbeatable tomato challenge has been of the rodent variety: we are near a school and its huge garbage bin, so we get very intelligent not-white rats that just LOVE tomatoes. Last year we took extreme measures and put the tomatoes INSIDE a cage. It was a huge production, but worth it for the bruschetta alone…

Happy gardening!

Gisela’s Rum Cake

1 Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
1 instant vanilla pudding (small box – 3.4 oz.)
4 eggs
1/2 cup Bacardi Gold rum (the dark kind)
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water

Mix well, pour into oiled and floured Bundt pan.
Bake at 325 for 40-45 minutes.
Cool for about 1 hour, then loosen by gently shaking but leave in pan.
Using a fork, poke holes in the cake (LOTS of holes).

Mix together:
1 stick melted butter (1/4 lb.)
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup rum

Cook until it bubbles, cool, then drizzle over cake – use it all!
Leave cake in pan overnight, then remove and dust top with confectioners sugar.

When you buy the rum, be sure to get a little extra and drink a toast to a wonderful woman, Gisela K.

kirk murphy @
183

Shrink in SF, best wishes for the new garden!

Thanks for the encouragement, So far i’ve been lucky, only the things I planted out of shame and obligation (but would never really eat) have been hit…ahhh who will miss brussel sprouts?

I’ve only been here for three years; my first summer I planted tomatoes – in the Richmond. In August.

Turns out my Santa Monica gardener wasn’t prepared for the big city…

But the mildew on the tomato vines was a lovely shade of grey next to the sages.

kirk at 183 — I make a great veggie stew with big chunks of potatoes, carrots, some chopped portobellos (which are really a meaty texture, I think), finely chopped celery, tomato paste, onion…whatever I have on hand, really. I thicken it up a bit by frying the onions in oil to soften them and then adding a little flour, and browning it to get a good roux before adding the rest of the veggies and some good stock. I don’t have any set recipe for it, but it turns out yummy — especially with some crusty bread.

Thanks Christy -

You’ve kept me on the straight and narrow (as long as I can still pretens seafood is a vegetable).

Looks delicious. Just back from the vet – now off to the market.

Thanks!