<-----------------Check the location ;), although not a native. I'm always "fixing to" do something, too.

I've been trying to just buy some lemons and cut up a wedge, and I try to order water with lemon in restaurants. I can sympathize with your sister; I'm trying to break a pop habit (did a Southernism pop out there?) and it's not easy! So police away ;).

The greatest soul food I have ever had was in a place that by appearance, was the diviest dive of divedom in a divey neighborhood. Don't judge a book by its cover (usually)!

I think they did a soup filled dumpling on Masterchef Australia last year. It looked very interesting. I think sharing dumpling filling recipes sounds like a wonderful idea!

I wing it most of the time, just throw in bits of this and bits of that... it's difficult when you can't taste as you go along, if you're using meat like chicken, etc. I'm usually too lazy to get a pot boiling just for one tester.

I'm just about to try a batch for breakfast now.

Oh so pretty
 

http://fantes.com/images/8839pasta.jpg


This is the flashy new toy that my chef buddy tells me just landed on his counter. Funny how that works. Cant wait to try it out. LOVE the color *swoon*

I live in New England and I've never heard anyone call it pop unless they're from the south.

I've heard some locals call it Coke even when it's not Coke though.

Here we just call it soda. :lol2:

Very very nice.
I get more excited about these kinds of things than shiny new red sports cars! Lol.

Sometimes they do use bugs. There's always at least one show devoted to seafood. Yummm <3

Last year (or was it the year before?) they were demonstrating how to prepare an octopus. I think you bash it against a rock?!

Dumplings were pretty good. I have to get out of the habit of buying the leanest mince possible though, I always forget when it comes to dumplings. I think they just need a little bit of that fat, for the texture.

Okies, maybe I should try to get ready for work. It's really hot already and it's not even 9:00 am - now there's an incentive to get into the airconditioning!

I know it's confusing-born and bred in Cleveland, found myself down here. I'm often asked if I'm from Wisconsin because of my accent (what accent?) ;).

Bugs are soooo goood - the meat is kind of like lobster.

The octopus is already dead! I think you need to bash it to tenderise it because the meat is very tough. Nonetheless, it looked like a lot of work and I don't think I'll give that one a go.

Yep - last night I had chicken mince, ginger, garlic, scallions, lemongrass, a little rice wine, chinese five spice, and some maggi seasoning. Oh, and a bit of carrot - just because my food processor needed a bit more volume to get going. Everything was getting stuck up the sides and not moving. I hate it when that happens!

Edited to add: ok, really really going to get ready for work now!