[Laurie2]

If you want to serve guacamole, I suggest making a run to the Farmers Market here.

There you will find a vendor who is making the guacamole right there in front of you. They also make salsa and sell bags of chips to go with.

Their guacamole is really good. They sure know how to choose an avocado.

If you do this though, I would suggest serving it fairly quickly because it is fresh and can turn brown sooner than the stuff in those little tubs in the grocery, in the case with the hummus.

I have not been to the Farmers Market for a while, but I assume the guacamole people are still a part of it. The Brownwood market is on Saturday. There is also a Farmers Market on Thursday at Spanish Springs. I think they might be there, too. Maybe somebody here will know for sure.

You could make a pitcher of sangria to go with the guacamole and chips. There are lots of ways to do that. I soak fruit in Grand Marnier. -- I used to use brandy. -- After the fruit has soaked for a while, fill the pitcher with wine and gently mix. Give it a little time to blend all those flavors in that pitcher.

I serve the sangria in glasses not quite full and have the guests top their own drinks with a little club soda or 7 Up or both. That way they can adjust it to their own sweetness. Also by serving it that way, you don't lose that little bit of sparkle that gets lost if you put the club soda or pop in the pitcher. -- The sweetness of your sangria will, of course, vary by the wine choice, too. I used to use Lambrusco. But now I like a drier wine. You can make white wine sangria, too. White sangria can be pretty wonderful when fresh peaches are in season.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Laurie2

If you do this though, I would suggest serving it fairly quickly because it is fresh and can turn brown sooner than the stuff in those little tubs in the grocery, in the case with the hummus.

If you put a tablespoon of mayo in the guac, it will retain its color. Or do what is supposed to be the best method: cover the top with water. It doesn't mix with the guac but does keep the air off of it.

[Laurie2]

Originally Posted by CFrance

If you put a tablespoon of mayo in the guac, it will retain its color. Or do what is supposed to be the best method: cover the top with water. It doesn't mix with the guac but does keep the air off of it.

Thank you. I must remember this. The Farmers Market guac is so good. When it is just us, I am the one who really, really likes guac a lot. And I can't eat it all at once. . . Well, actually, I probably could, but. . .

[Vernster]

Originally Posted by Bonny

We always laughed when someone would ask for soda, we thought they wanted soda water. If they say pop, we say what kind.

I'm from western Ma and we always called it soda; no mater what the flavor. Never heard it called pop until I visited my son in Oregon.

[Vernster]

Originally Posted by TrudyM

When I was a kid in New England they called all soda Tonic. You would see signs "Tonic and Grinders" ie soda and subs.

I'm from New England. Western Ma and we always called it soda; all flavors.

[dbussone]

Originally Posted by Vernster

I'm from New England. Western Ma and we always called it soda; all flavors.

In eastern MA it's called tonic.

[Miles42]

POP is what we always called it in Western Pa.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Miles42

POP is what we always called it in Western Pa.

[Laurie2]

Somewhere out there in cyberspace, there is a map that shows what regions of the country say which -- pop or soda. (Actually, I think there is a thread deep in the TOTV archives that has that map in it.)

I like learning about regional dialect and colloquialisms.

I would try to find the map for those who are interested, too, but I am on my iPad and I have never learned how to link on my iPad.

So anyway, people have actually drawn a map of this pop or soda thing. It's out there somewhere.

Laurie Pop..............Laurie Pop, Laurie Pop, Ohhhhh, Laurie, Laurie, Laurie, Laurie Pop!

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Laurie2

Somewhere out there in cyberspace, there is a map that shows what regions of the country say which -- pop or soda. (Actually, I think there is a thread deep in the TOTV archives that has that map in it.)

I like learning about regional dialect and colloquialisms.

I would try to find the map for those who are interested, too, but I am on my iPad and I have never learned how to link on my iPad.

So anyway, people have actually drawn a map of this pop or soda thing. It's out there somewhere.

Laurie Pop..............Laurie Pop, Laurie Pop, Ohhhhh, Laurie, Laurie, Laurie, Laurie Pop!

That's funny. But now I will be singing that song all day!

[tomwed]

Last week I made a meatloaf recipe with crackers but baked them in a cupcake pan. One lb made nine meaty "cupcakes". It tastes better than it sounds. And at 350 only took 20 minutes to bake. I used the Fresh Market chuck for $3/lb. So I'm going to keep an eye out for 3 more cupcake pans. There's lots of toppers, cheese, mushrooms, jalapenos, shallots........................................