Howdy!

[MTchef]

Hey everybody! I really look forward to meeting some new friends and sharing some cooking secrets!

-Ty

[Mezzaluna]

Howdy, Ty! It's nice to meet you. Are there dishes and ingredients in Big Sky country that you especially enjoy preparing?

We hope you enjoy exploring the forums and also the cooking articles, cookbook reviews and recipes. We have archives and a great search tool to help you dig up info of special interest to you.

Visit often! We'll look forward to your participation in the community.
Welcome!
Mezzaluna

[Lynda Louise]

Hello everybody. I hope to get some good advice on ingredients in the USA that are new to me.

[Mezzaluna]

Hello to you too, Lynda Louise! We hope you enjoy browsing the board and getting connected with this great online community. Are you in the USA or elsewhere? We have members, literally, all over the globe- from Antarctica to Alaska and everywhere in between.

Welcome!
Mezzaluna

[Lynda Louise]

Thank you Mezzaluna.
I was in UK, now I'm in Pennsylvania, which I love.
Many ingredients are new to me, and many I'm used to I can't get here. Others are the same but named differently, eg, grits/polenta, cilantro/coriander, eggplant/aubergine, rocket/arugula etc. I will be interested in all the expertise I shall be enjoying here!
LL

[Mezzaluna]

Lynda, that kind of "translation" is one of our fortes. Since we're a truly global community, someone is always able to provide such insights.

What else? How about zucchini/courgettes.....

[Lynda Louise]

Yes! True indeed. But where I come from up in the northwest of England we eat our courgettes when they have grown into huge elderly vegetable marrows, stuffed, or diced and boiled into submission under a bechamel based sauce, tasty though. I am getting used to the infant veggie now. In France we used to fry the blossoms a lot too.
I discovered Collard greens here. Never had them before. Jolly nice!
I've looked for a lot of things that may well be out there but I can't find them under the name I know, some not at all and need substitutes......

[Mezzaluna]

Ah yes, suet- a British staple. You'll need a good butcher, but I'll bet you can find what you want.

[Lynda Louise]

Yes, a British staple. Can't make my dumplings without it. My daughter is getting Atora dried suet mailed to me. Butchers around here don't do it, nor will they give me pigs blood for my boudin noir (black pudding) and that certainly won't mail! Ah well....