1. | Nov 20, 2013

It's one of the reasons why I love smmuer. Being able to dry clothes outside, I mean. And thunderstorms. I love thunderstorms too. @Bookish Spazz: Ewww, I hate butterflies. I know they look pretty but they gross me out!

2. | Nov 16, 2013

Great question, Deb! There are a few trmnmiigs I would avoid in stock, and they're all for different reasons (you're correct that bitterness is one). Here goes! Avoid anything in the cabbage family (broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts) these fellows tend to get bitter when boiled. Cabbage trmnmiigs are better used raw or roasted (roasting gives them a very pleasant sweet-roasty flavor). Root vegetables: I avoid beets because of their overwhelming color and radishes because of their overwhelming flavor, anything else that is a root is pretty much fair game. Strongly flavored herbs can be overwhelming (think rosemary, oregano, sage and their relatives). Trimmings from these herbs can be used to add a distinct herbal flavor(if that's what you want), but wait until your boiling is done and add the herb scraps to infuse for a few minutes. Also avoid peels from any above-ground veggies like squash, cucumbers and eggplant. The skin of these vegetables (well, fruit but that's a whole different discussion) can be bitter, but more importantly they don't have much positive flavor to contribute. If you scrape the seeds and pulp out of your squash or cucumbers, though, those tasty scraps can definitely be added to your broth mix.

3. | Aug 7, 2013

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