[cape chef]

Very funny Maryeo
I dry my herbs by first washing them and patting them dry. I then bunch them together like a bouquet, tie them with twin And hang them upside down in my celler. This method works well for me and my celler smells nice to boot!
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[cape chef]

I have the same problem with Cilantro. I just don't think it likes the Northeast. As soon as I plant it It seems to go to seed. However I do dry the seeds and use for Coriander. But I could not live without Cilantro in my salsa"s. Mareo In a weird way like Saffron-To much Cilantro is offensive,just the right amount is wonderful and refreshing
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[shroomgirl]

Yep Durian it is....UGH I get physically sick for hours with just one sniff.

Basil I use alot of....just purple is used as garnish.

Lemongrass from a plant not seeds.

Was that it on the questions? I think I got them all.

Shroomgirl, did you ever get beyond the smell and eat the fruit? I understand that it's incredible . . . where did you find it?

[shroomgirl]

Baton Rouge in an oriental ethnic store...cookies I opened the bag and then threw them out the window.

Dierbergs grocery store here had slices on meat trays covered in plastic, one sniff and literally I was ill...stomach churning for hours. Weirdest thing. No way would I try again....WHY?

Well, Roquefort smells ungodly and Parmesan ain't no rosebud, either hon . . . I'll eat the Parm (oh, yeah ) but I can't stand Roquefort, Stilton or any of the bleus. My first husband bought something called "beer cheese" once. He gave a nibble of it to the dog, and she took it outside and buried it. She never dug it up again, either - thankfully. I was preggers with my daughter at the time and literally had to leave the room when he was eating it.

It's funny what we'll eat and what we won't.

[momoreg]

Some people say that Durian is heavenly, if you can get past the smell. I'm not sure who thinks it's heavenly, but I bought a Durian once, and I thought it was sorta good. My husband tried it, and was not at all enchanted. I would buy it again, but it's way too big for just one person..

I read about Durian once in Smithsonian magazine I think it was and was fascinated by the article. I was quite surprised to find 2 of them the other day in the grocery store here. However since I didn't have the mag around to re-up myself on the thing I wasn't about to buy it. I did however break into one of the little points on it and did detect an odd odor. Still a fascinating item in the food world.

[cookM]

What does durian smell like anyway? Everyone says it smells horrible, but how? Does it smell like a dump on a hot day? Fetid feet? A very dirty cat box???? Come on, tell me...

My fave herbs: thyme, parsley, MARJORAM!!(how 'bout that marjoram?), mint (esp. chocolate mint), and sage. I'm lucky here in the Bay Area, and I'm doubly lucky cause my roomies are lanscapers and I have a beautiful garden. Oh, and lemon verbena--especially after the lemon verbena and mint tisane I had.

[mudbug]

According to www.foodsubs.com

durian = stinky fruit

Notes: The weird and smelly durian has attracted a cult-like following. It's called the King of Fruits by aficionados in Southeast Asia, but Westerners usually don't care much for its mild oniony flavor. Once cut open, the durian gives off such a strong and foul odor that it's banned on Singaporean subways. Look for it in Asian markets. The boiled seeds of the durian are called betons.

There is a picture here:
http://www.foodsubs.com/Fruittroex.html

Wow, it looks like a fruit hand-grenade. The description of the smells sounds somewhat like assafoetida (no way that's spelled right), which has sort of a garlicky-gone bad undernote to it.

[Isa]

What amazed me is all the fruits and vegetables that have appeared on the market in the last 20 years.

It's great, isn't it? Kiwi and carambola were considered so exotic twenty years ago, now they are standard grocery store fare.

I'd love to try mangosteen, yuzu . . . there's a couple down the street from Jamaica who talk about calalloo (the veg). A friend of mine (definite non-foodie) just came back from 10 days in Italy. She dieted while she was there . . . if it had been me, I'd have gained 20 pounds!

[Isa]

Among the "new fruits" my favourite has to be passion fruit. Some a poetic name for a really ugly looking fruit. You've never know what's under that brownish skin: a pure delicacy.

[shroomgirl]

tHERE IS THIS FUNNY YELLOW SPIKY FRUIT WITH GLOW IN THE DARK GREEN SEED GOO IN IT....NOT SURE WHAT IT IS/WAS BUT IT'S ONE WE'LL NOT REPEAT. wHAT THRILLS ME IS THE VARIETIES OF "TYPICAL" FRUIT....APPPLES, PEARS (COMICE YES) PLUMS, CITRUS THAT HAVE MADE IT TO THE TYPICAL GROCERY STORE SHELVES....i LOVE TO COMPARE CONTRAST.....A LOVE BOUGHT ME A DOZEN DIFFERENT APPLES TO TRY INSTEAD OF ROSES....GUESS HE KNEW ME WELL.