FOOD

Before Nancy and I teamed up 12 years ago (!) I did a tw- year series of food features called Jazz Kitchen. A lot of it was actually useful information, interviews, etc. Other times I indulged my sillier side with shows about Nuclear Fuel Rod Chicken, The Trouble with Toasters, Aliens in the Fridge, my days delivering liquor to a house of ill fame, and lots more. For this Independence Day week, I wanted to share a Jazz Kitchen about a July Fourth sing-along with some recent arrivals from Italy

Food memories are no more reliable than any others. I learned that this week after an email exchange with my sister, Debbie. Deb's been binge listening to Food for Thought and wrote to chat about a recent one in which I mentioned my childhood experience shopping for live chickens with my mother. She thinks I'm imagining it.

In this week's FfT, Nancy Leson and I talk about stuff we like in jars and bottles. Nancy hails the abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables at farmers markets. But when it comes to preserves and condiments her favorites are on supermarket shelves.

When I told Stein that Teddy Kolios, a high school senior, asked me to be a mentor for his senior project, Stein laughed. “Is he sure that he’s thought that all the way through? ” Of course he had. After all, as I reminded Stein, with 20 years of food writing and restaurant criticism (literally) under my belt: I’m a legend in my own mind!

Nancy Leson 's back from babysitting her eight-week old grand niece in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. But it wasn't all power tools and free weights for Nancy and niece. She also found time to food shop and pack down some Carolina BBQ. First, the shopping.

Nancy Leson 's wild romance with the Instant Pot grew too steamy for husband Mac to tolerate. "Every time you vent that thing it's taking the paint off the ceiling. " Solution: Put the pot on the gas stove where the big overhead hood can catch the steam. What could go wrong?

I try to get any piece of aluminum foil, paper towel or parchment paper to give its all. In this Food for Thought, I tell Nancy Leson how many uses I got from one piece of plastic wrap. I was proud. She was disgusted.

We'd been thinking about replacing our wobbly, tippy old dining table for years but never cared enough to really go looking. And then: "I found it!" the Lovely and Talented Cheryl Degroot announced. A nice old solid oak dining table in perfect condition with two extra leaves at Goodwill. DG rightly prides herself as the queen of thrift store bargain hunters, but this one surpassed even her high standards for low prices.

I'd never heard of Chili Crisp until recently, but Laoganma (Old Godmother) brand Chili Crisp is a Big Thing. In fact the Laoganma brand is the top-selling line of chili oils and sauces in China and is rapidly gaining a large following as the cult condiment de jour here in the states.

On our way to the ferry in Anacortes, DeGroot and I stopped for breakfast at a place recommended to us the night before – Dad's Diner A-Go-Go . Co-owner Fletcher McLean greeted us warmly and pointed to the chalkboard menu, saying "Or just tell me what you want and we'll make it happen." I'm easy, so I ordered eggs over, bacon and biscuits. When I complimented Fletcher on the bacon, I learned that they fennel-rub it before smoking over applewood. Dad's makes all its own charcuterie including