19 Comments
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Lilly Drury's avatar

This reminded me so much of a bagel I got in Bologna, Italy where immediately upon ordering I was so disgusted with myself for getting a BAGEL SANDWICH in ITALY but lo and behold it was quite possibly the best bagel I’d ever had if you could even call it a bagel. Anyways I love how you write and this was so fun to read!!

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kiran gill's avatar

right!! there's just something a bagel!!!! and thank you so much lilly!!! i've been enjoying reading your writing as well 💖

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Lilly Drury's avatar

Aw you're sweet, thank you ❤️

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Tom's avatar
Aug 31Edited

There's absolutely nothing wrong with a bagel sandwich, anytime, anywhere. Getting a Bagel BLT at Tim Horton's used to be my reward to myself for going into the office early on Sunday mornings to get caught up on paperwork. The bacon slices could be sliced pretty thin, though, which is why I'd sometimes go for the sausage patty instead. And I have to admit the slice of processed-cheese-food cheese often seemed like it was a processed-cheese-food version of genuine processed-cheese-food cheese, but then anything tastes better if someone else makes it for you.

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kiran gill's avatar

oh i wholeheartedly agree!!! EVERYTHING taste better when someone else makes it. there is something about the processed-cheese-slice on a sandwich which is so bad yet so good??? its like the processed cheese makes it taste better?!? lol!!

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Tom's avatar

I was interested, Kiran, in what you had to say about fried capers. Does the frying enhance the flavour of the capers in the way that toasting spices beforehand does with Indian dishes? The reason I ask is because I once tried a recipe for beef stew from the south of France which called for capers, in addition to pearl onions and sliced black olives. The capers didn’t really add anything to the flavour that I could tell, which I figure is probably because (a) capers don’t have much flavour to begin with, and (b) whatever flavour the capers had was overwhelmed by the garlic and pearl onions in the stew, not to mention the dumping of Herbes de Provence I added to the mélange.

I haven’t made the recipe again, mainly because it was such a tedious, finicky job peeling all those rinky-dink little pearl onions, though I’ve since learned that blanching them first makes the peeling a lot easier. The little jar of capers is still sitting in my fridge, and I’d like to try that beef stew recipe again sometime, and I’m wondering if you thought frying the capers beforehand would develop their flavour more. The other option I thought I could try would be simply using more capers and giving them a spin in the food processor with some liquid from the stew before adding them to the pot. On the grounds that it never hurts to ask, I just thought I’d drop this comment. Thanks!

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kiran gill's avatar

I find capers have a slightly salty flavor and I do think that frying them would enhance that flavor and also add the slightest bit of crunch to what otherwise is a bit of a mushy addition to a meal lol.

The recipe you described does sound very intensive!! I always find cutting onions to be exhausting. Also, sometimes more capers is the answer when cooking at home. I think it helps add more flavor

Another idea - in an attempt to help you finish that jar in your fridge - would be to try incorporating the capers in an egg sandwich or just about any sandwich you make!

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Tom's avatar

Thanks for the tip about capers in sandwich fillings. Maybe I haven’t bought my first and last jar of capers after all! I do like mixing up a batch of egg salad or chicken salad for sandwiches at times of the year when it seems too hot, or I’m feeling too lazy to cook, and adding some capers along with the usual bit of ground cumin, Dijon mustard, or even horseradish for seasoning sounds interesting. And I’ll also try frying the capers next time I’m in the mood for some of that Provencal beef stew.

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Tom's avatar

The last time I can remember dining out was when a grocery store in town was handing out free samples of little cocktail sausages on toothpicks, and I ate a couple. That was before COVID, though, and I don't think they do that sort of thing anymore.

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kiran gill's avatar

aw man! there's something special about dining out. maybe you could catch a viewing for a film and get dinner out as well. a nice little treat!

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Alyssa aka Nerdy Nurse Reads's avatar

I second this! Treat yourself!!!

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Tom's avatar

Thanks, Alyssa!

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Tom's avatar
Aug 30Edited

Well, I suppose the least I could do is keep an eye out for the next bunch of McDonald's coupons that comes in the mail. "Thanks, Kiran!" he said, posting this comment for the second time. I say posting for the second time, because after posting a similar comment earlier, it somehow disappeared. I've had the same experience on YouTube occasionally, when I've gone back to a site where I've left a comment, only to find that it's no longer there.

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Alyssa aka Nerdy Nurse Reads's avatar

I’m down for a buddy read!!!!!

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kiran gill's avatar

LETS DO IT!

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Alyssa aka Nerdy Nurse Reads's avatar

Ok I’ll find a copy and then we can start

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kiran gill's avatar

perfect!!

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Alyssa aka Nerdy Nurse Reads's avatar

I bought the ebook, do you want to start September 2? I'll be off from work again for a few days.

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kiran gill's avatar

yes that works for me!!!

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