Here are my slides from this afternoon's panel discussion at the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. Along with the Tufts University Alumni Association, the Food for Thought: Tufts Food, Wine and Culture Series has included famous alumni like Dan Barber. Tonight's panel discussion on Sustainability was a thought-provoking and fun event. We were billed as "leaders from the restaurant industry and local farms" who (would) explore the challenges and opportunities of bringing sustainable practices to what we eat."

For my part, I was delighted to participate and scribbled notes while my co-presenters spoke. Peter McCarthy spoke of his commitment to whole animal utilization, to Pete & Jen's Backyard Birds (and bunnies and pigs) as well as his progress toward LEEDS certification at EVOO.

Jennifer was entertaining and managed to cover a lot of information on the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project. What a terrific program they have at this school!

Panelists:

I look forward to continuing the discussion started this evening, and I really enjoyed the lively chats with many of the attendees during the reception.

Please email me or drop a comment here if you want more info on the slides, the books we discussed or if you have any further questions!

All photos are mine except for the gorgeous fish dish on slide three, that's Matt Wright's entry into last year's Teach a Man to Fish event, and the NASA photo on the Issues to Watch slide.

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Food, Glorious Food: Our Palate vs. Our Planet- is this the choice we must make or a false dichotomy? Three experts lead what is sure to be a terrific discussion.

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Okay, full disclosure: I'm a world traveler and I've been many places where the water was probably less potable than what's coming out of our taps right now. I like to think of myself as fairly intrepid. And I'm freaking out, just a little, over our current water crisis here in Boston.

Boston's Fecal Spill

Yes, it pales in comparison to the oil spill in the Gulf. And it pales in comparison to what others go through daily around the world to get fresh potable water, but we are having a pretty icky water crisis in and around Boston.

For those of you who haven't heard, there was a huge water main break on Saturday that caused the water supply to 30+ towns East of Weston to be contaminated with things like e. coli, fecal material and probably stuff like giardia. Here's our official "Boil Water Order".

Today the Globe reports "People in Boston and 29 of its most populous suburbs, whose clean-water supply was cut off by a catastrophic and unprecedented pipe rupture, remained without clean tap water for a third day." They also indicate it may resolve more quickly than originally anticipated. They were saying "weeks" before. This happened to coincide with what must have been record-breaking heat so the elderly and infirm are even more at risk.

As we stock up on bottled water (and by "we" I mean Doc) and boil water (that would be me) and sanitize dishes (again, me) and so on, I keep thinking of people the world over who must go through this hassle every day just to eat, wash, cook, etc.

And, I have to laugh at myself freaking over things like - whether kissing his cheek - bathed in the contaminated water - will give me a case of giardia two weeks from now -- and trying to recall if I santized this mug or that glass. In the heat of Sunday we went to Pho Hoa in Chinatown. (By the way, their renovations are complete and they now have a Banh Mi counter and a bar.) We had bun - thin rice vermicelli - with lemongrass stuffed beef and tea. Every sip of tea I wondered - did they really boil the water? Were the noodles boiled in pre-boiled water? Were the cooking and slicing surfaces washed with clean water? It's enough to make you crazy. Brush teeth with boiled water. They say showering is okay but if we wash our hands we must sanitze them after. What is sitting on my skin and in my hair all day?

Well, they're now saying 24-48 hours we might be done with it. "Heavily chlorinated water will be pumped through" to clean out bacteria. Then there's the giardia that we ingested before we got the notice...what's the sound of 90,000 toilets flushing? Come to Boston in two weeks, I'm sure you'll find out.

So we'll be inconvenienced and I'll have a good laugh at my own expense but what's the real issue with drinking water worldwide?

• 884 million people, lack access to safe water supplies, approximately one in eight people.
• The water and sanitation crisis claims more lives through disease than any war claims through guns.
• Poor people living in the slums often pay 5-10 times more per liter of water than wealthy people living in the same city.
• Without food a person can live for weeks, but without water you can expect to live only a few days.

For more on the world's water situation see Water.org.

At least for now, there's beer, and Gin and Tonic made with ice from last week. And wine. I guess we can't complain too much.

Just for fun, here's a "giant microbe" plush toy version of the bacteria in our water.

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A friend said to me today, “You know it’s interesting how many stories you have about really bad PR practices. I know it irks you because you deliver good service to your clients. And, I don’t doubt you, but isn’t it stunning how many people are paying big bucks for such awful service?”

Stunning is one word. Yes. Criminal might be another.

Who is your face to the public?

Thoughts from an ex Account Manager, ex Bus Dev Director, and current survivor of bad PR

As a writer, I probably receive upwards of a dozen press releases per day. If you include “newsletters” that are gussied up press releases, you’d be over three dozen, easy.

I have finally decided that it’s time to start cataloging these bad practices in the hopes that my friends in various industries will know that they have a right to expect more. I know it will not make me popular with the PR professionals but you know what, I could stand to get fewer releases in my in-box. And besides, the true professionals will have nothing to complain about.

Who am I to have an opinion? Well, I’ve been in client services nearly all my professional life and I do take the time to discuss goals and to provide measurable results. I take the time to be thorough and expect others to be, as well. I try always to be accurate. If I make a mistake I try to own it, and prevent it from happening again. It’s called integrity. It’s called being a professional. It’s called serving my clients well.

My friend could not believe one or two my most recent anecdotes until I pulled them up on email and read them aloud. She suggested I draft a PR Clients’ Bill of Rights. As she says, “Even airline passengers have a bill of rights now.”

So here goes, if you have hired, or are about to hire, a PR professional, you have a right to expect the following:

1. You have the right to measurable results or at least deliverables that can be met. You may be told that it’s impossible to measure the results of an ad campaign or a press release. Ask careful questions to ensure that it’s really the case. Too often “not possible to measure” is code for “I don’t want to bother to measure.” Or, “I don’t want to be held accountable for results.”
2. You have the right to be represented professionally. You may be persuaded that “edgy” is cool, even if you’re not comfortable with it. Be sure to hire someone who will represent you appropriately. I got one newsletter that touted a cooking class and made a cocaine joke. Actually, two cocaine jokes. Is that professional? If I were that client, I’d be horrified to be represented that way by my hired PR “professional.”
   
   
3. You have the right to be represented by someone that actually knows your food, your book, your product. If you’re standing behind a table with your client’s book on it, you should have taken the time to open the damn book up and actually see what it’s about. If it’s a seafood book and you are asked if it highlights sustainable seafood, your answer should not be “I don’t really know. I’m just with the PR firm.
4. You have the right to expect your PR professional to understand social media. Today’s publicity is not driven by column inches in print media. At least, not exclusively. If your agent is sending out tons of email blasts and very few bloggers are using the info, ask them why. Have they checked with the bloggers to understand how the info could be presented to be more useful? Do they know how to elicit “Tweets”???I receive many, many email blasts along the lines “Come to my client’s restaurant for this dinner... blah blah blah and be sure to tell your readers about it!” Now, if I were only publishing a blog that functions as a bulletin board, that might be okay. But if my content is more valuable, people will come to my blog for that content and see a concise bullet point and contact info with a link. It’s in my “Events” box/sidebar.?? If you send me a PDF I have to open it, read it, summarize it and then develop a concise bullet to drop in my events box on my website, guess what, it ain’t happening unless I really, really like you. That is the job of your PR professional. I want a link to the website and the contact info as well as a concise description of the event. I should not have to call or email someone for more info in order to post info on my blog about your event.??Why not send me a release with a bullet and a Twitter-ready “tweet”? I guarantee your event notice would get wider distribution, better public relations, if the communications were made easier for the audience whose help you are trying to enlist.?
   
   
5. You have the right to expect your PR person to tailor their communications to the audience. It makes me crazy when someone doesn’t take the time to look at my website/blog before sending a request. Which products of mine did you think you want to sell in your store, exactly? (I don’t have products.) Even worse is the email blast that claims to have ‘read and enjoyed’ my blog then makes the inappropriate request. If you actually read and enjoyed my blog and I ask you which was your favorite post, you better have an answer, Ms. PR Professional. If the blog is called “Mayberry Gourmet” and you are opening a restaurant in Mayberry but your PR person fails to reach out to that blogger, what does that say about the care they put into their work? Their knowledge of your customer base? Your market?
6. You have the right to a PR person that will not inconvenience the people with whom you are trying to build good relationships. If you’re asking me for mailing info to mail me stuff, and you’ve already mailed me stuff before, you look lazy. An extra email to and from me means you’d rather inconvenience me than find that spreadsheet on your computer that already contains my info. If I had a nickel for every time someone asked for my phone number in a follow up email, I could buy everyone reading this post a drink. (Hint: it’s in my email signature.) Oh, and my last name is not “blogger”. Nor is my first name “Leather."
7. You have the right to a PR professional who will be smart about working for you. They should make it a regular practice to put themselves in the shoes of the recipient and ask: “Am I representing my client appropriately and professionally?”  “Am I giving the recipient of this communication, the information they need in a format they can use, to enable them to communicate the message for my client?”  “Am I asking my go-to bloggers who else I’m missing, who’s up-and-coming?”
   
   
8. You have the right to a PR professional that accurately and completely represents what s/he claims to represent. If your PR person is claiming to be an expert with data, they should get it right. It is not sufficient to say that the data they received was “incomplete.” If they failed to get complete data from their source, then they shouldn’t represent it as complete. This goes to integrity. If they purport to offer expertise and report half the data - they I’d say they got it half right. If they blame someone else for shoddy data they chose to use, then shame on you for settling for that quality of service.

If your PR person cannot give you a clear sense of deliverables, cannot honestly represent you professionally, accurately, and with integrity; then they are creating as much ill will, as they are doing good, on your behalf. I then have to ask: what the heck are you paying them for?

I’ve been invited to consider a career in PR on a number of occasions. I know a few true professionals in town that do a great job. They are, unfortunately, in the minority. I hope this helps everyone re-evaluate their face to the public and who they have paid to represent them in that manner. May the good ones continue to rise to the top - you know who you are and I thank you.

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Boston Magazine just popped in my in box, with a blurb about open kitchens. I love the concept and here's the comment I left:

Craigie on Main, photo credit Boston Magazine

I love open kitchens. The main thing it tells me is confidence. The chef has confidence in his staff. The staff are confident in their skills and the system they're working in. If you see a smooth functioning open kitchen you can bet that hours of good solid management and training go on behind the scenes. No place to hide. And don't we all want a little more transparency and authenticity these days?

What do you think?

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We got there late, the sun was almost gone and there were loads of tourists -- but I still managed to squeeze off a few shots that are decent. Please forgive poor lighting and cropping, and enjoy.

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Taking Thyme

Pasta Puttanesca, Crostata and Being in the Moment

The day didn’t start so auspiciously. Putting away dishes before I’ve had a full cup of coffee, a bowl slips and crashes. Luckily it wasn’t a special one, but it was an all-purpose, one we use a lot. Oh well. It’s a gorgeous day and I have just enough time to finish the crostata and shoot it in the perfect light before I scoot out the door to my appointments and errands.

Of course, I didn’t really have “just enough” time, I just made myself believe I did, because I really wanted to see the crostata in the late morning light. Then, I decide some of my last thyme would be lovely with the Italian plums and some balsamic. A little leftover jam from a friend was the inspiration (yes, Chez Us you know who you are!)

So in goes the lovely crostata, while I pop a shower.

Out we both come. And it’s photo shoot time. Of course, it’s really about time for me to be out the door. I start scaling back the “to do before I go list” - how much makeup do I really need? How perfect must the hair be? No time for second cup of coffee, I can get that out...Did I mention the gorgeous light this morning?

Flying out the door once a few shots are shot. All I could do not to eat it with another cup of that joe...

Trying to email on iPhone while crossing the Surface Rd is nothing short of suicidal, but you know, that Chicago workshop is coming up fast. Did I get so-and-so’s email yet? Did I send all the follow ups yet from the Boston show?

I imagine which stop is closest to the first appointment and jump on the Orange line. To be more precise, I enter the station. Wrong direction, but catch myself before paying. “Outbound” is meaningless when you’re in the heart of downtown. BOTH directions are outbound. Just sayin’...

Right direction. I’m there just in time to make my 1200 appt. But the train refuses to come. No, I cannot help you - skinny dude who needs train fare. I ask the booth attendant if the train is working. Yes. How frequently the train runs? Not very. Great.

Then it comes. I note that my stop is just three away, I might just make it. (Already the wheels are turning, I realize that I will never leave more time to get to this destination because I know that I can make it in less than a half hour even if the train is late. Which it is. And even if I haven’t actually arrived on time, which I won’t. But the wheels are turning.)

I have an intermittent signal so I try to get another email out. There’s my stop. Out I go.

Hm. This...doesn’t....look like ...the right station. First mistake. (Well, second, if you count that I went into the wrong station first. Or third mistake, if you count that I stayed home too long baking and photographing...)

Now I have decided that I’ve taken the wrong train, but I think I know just where I am and start walking. And emailing, of course. I call the appt and let them know I’ve made the foolish mistake of jumping on the wrong train, but tell them I’m probably 7 blocks away, will be there soon. No problem they can fit me in at 1215 instead.

But then I realize nothing is looking familiar as it should since I’VE LIVED IN THIS CITY FOR OVER TWO DECADES. Do I check the GPS on my iPhone - of course not.

A young woman shoots me that “Sister, you are SO lost” look and I realize she is correct.  I consult the GPS and realize I’ve walked now several long blocks IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. I cross the street and turn around attempting to reorient myself and suddenly from behind the truck unloading booze at the liquor store, “Hey Sweetie, how about a nice gold necklace?”

Not even kidding. He’s not threatening, very polite almost laughing at himself. Then quickly he calls out to someone else and he’s off as I give him that half polite, half eye-roll look and keep walking. Like I know where I am or how to get where I’m going.

At this point, I’m pretty sure the first appt is shot. I try to keep myself from spiraling into "what a shitty day" mode, and note how nice it is out. Really glorious Fall day. And we’re walking.

And walking. Now I see a landmark I recognize, but it is in the wrong direction. Completely. Who moved that tower? Oh. Uh oh. I am so ridiculously not in the right spot but at least now I have my bearings and I’m off.

No cabs in this part of town and no bus stops that I can see, so I’ll just walk briskly and try to not make myself crazy. Almost two miles later and half an hour late I arrive at the first appointment which they graciously let me keep though I am 30 minutes late.

The second, the third. Then off to the tailor, who I believe is on Gloucester - or is it Hereford? I head off toward Gloucester. But I don’t see his sign. I head back toward Hereford hoping no one in the shop has seen me double back after I’d regaled them with the saga of the morning commute.

I head back to Gloucester and find him (sans sign)in the same building different unit. We catch up, he’s now married and has a daughter. When I saw him last he was just about to leave to meet his wife, then he was a little apprehensive since it was a blind date sort of arrangement with old school marriage fixer upper types involved. The good news. They are in love and so happy.

I walk home, enjoy the afternoon. Grab an olive roll from the Farmers’ Market. Pick up some chocolates for my sweetie. Since I’m eating alone tonight I have options. I decide to make Pasta Puttanesca. Doc’s not crazy about the dish so it’s a perfect one to make for myself. I have a bit of hot cappicola that’s a little dry now, that’ll go in. Have some lovely salted capers, some nice anchovies, a handful of olives and some tomatoes I’d opened and not needed. Perfect. Pop open some wine (Chilean Carmenere) and decide I can put the freaking phone down, enjoy a calm glass of wine while I prep.

Dinner was great and the secret to Puttanesca* is that it packs a triple or quadruple umami punch: olives, anchovies, tomatoes, Parmigiano-Reggiano. I would guess that capers themselves also have some umami.

So once I focused on the cooking, the wine, and the crostata dessert I could laugh remembering the staff at the first appointment telling me next time I could bring a gold chain in lieu of tip...

Pasta Puttanesca to calm a harried girl...

1. Pour a glass of wine.
2. Put the pasta water on to boil.

3. Mash:
two anchovy fillets
4-5 cloves of garlic

4. Sauté
half an onion, sliced thin half an onion (working girls would not waste what was hanging out in the fridge)
and anchovy in a couple tablespoons of olive oil. As they begin to soften,

5. Add
garlic
~1/3 - 1/2 cup olives pitted and rough chopped
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

6. Deglaze
with ~1/2 cup of hearty red wine.

7. Add

tomatoes - if whole crush with hands.

2 tablespoons salt-dried capers, soaked, drained

If fresh herbs are handy - chop and add. Today, I had about a tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary, 1/4 cup of parsley, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano.

Oregano blossoms

Toss with pasta, grate Parmigiano-Reggiano on top. Enjoy.

* The story of puttanesca is that it was a sauce made with pantry items and in a hurry so the working girls could whip it up between clients. I’d like to imagine the dish gave them a few moments’ peace in a busy day, as it did me.

Crostata for dessert. Liking the thyme and balasamic with the plums. Very much.

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To be asked "when the next workshop would be taking place" and "could it be after the holidays, please?" was simply music to my ears. 

Monday the 28th of September, I gathered two dozen chefs at the gorgeous Fairmont Battery Wharf in my first live event on the topic of sustainable seafood. Among the participants were Executive Chefs and Line Cooks, single proprietors and employees of large properties. Veteran sustainability advocates and folks taking their first steps on the path to more sustainable menus. Most everyone indicated they'd learned something new.

This was due to the excellent panel of presenters who generously donated their time delivering up-to-the-minute information and cutting-edge resources designed specifically to meet the needs of culinary professionals.

Executive Chef Brendon Bashford, Fairmont Battery Wharf: Shared what the Fairmont Battery Wharf has been willing to do, such as eliminating endangered species like bluefin tuna and Chilean Sea Bass from the menu. For those starting out on the path to sustainability, it was good to hear the encouragement. And for those already engaged in sourcing sustainable seafood, reinforcing that "small steps toward sustainability" as both necessary and possible, was an equally welcome message.

Lydia Bergen, Assoc. Dir. for Strategy and Outreach Sustainable Fisheries Initiative, New England Aquarium: Described the work of the New England Aquarium from penguins and public awareness to research, advocacy and conservation. She highlighted the steps that chefs could take to move toward more sustainable menus and invited active participation in the work of the Aquarium. At least two in the audience (Andy Husbands and Jose Duart) are already doing so with the celebrate seafood dinner series.

Carol Devine of Australis Barramundi, The Better Fish: Reviewed both the problems and the promise of aquaculture, taking us through the features of sustainable aquaculture as practiced by The Better Fish. As the Boston Globe noted Monday morning the world's appetite for fish will cease to be met by wild caught fish. The question becomes how will aquaculture be managed. 

Leigh Belanger, Program Director for the Chefs Collaborative: Provided the Seafood Solutions report to all participants and presented the brand new on-line sustainable seafood educational tool called Green Chefs/Blue Ocean, developed in partnership with Blue Ocean Institute. Some of the participants are thinking of using it as a staff training tool which would be a fantastic outcome for the day.

Jason Clermont, also of the Conservation Department of the New England Aquarium: Walked us through the new sourcing service FishChoice.com. Several chefs were eager to give it a test drive and were able to do so on laptops in the room. I was delighted to have these new hands-on tools presented to chefs, many of whom were unaware of them prior to the day.

As we wrapped the afternoon, I tried to chat with as many of the participants as I could before they left. Several asked what our next topic would be. Noodling over Community Supported Fisheries which some chefs have been trying out. Other ideas?

 L to R: Jason Clermont, Carol Devine, Lydia Bergen, Brendon Bashford, me, Leigh Belanger, Elyse Antrim. Thanks to Suzanne Wenz, our able photographer!

Just in time for the workshop, I was able to get these nifty USB flashdrives created and loaded with materials from our sponsors and presenters. Included on the reusable flash drives were the following items:

• Chefs Collaborative Seafood Solutions report (also available here at their website)
• Alaska Seafood Spice Pantry Chart & Brochure (co produced with the CIA), Seafood Sustainability Brochure
• Blue Ocean Institute Overview of Green Chefs/Blue Ocean
• FishChoice.com Online Sourcing Guide and Screenshot
• MSC Foodservice Quick Guide
• Australis Barramundi presentation on aquaculture
• Overview of Teach a Man to Fish

 I'm so grateful for the support of our sponsors, our hosts, and our chefs for their enthusiasm. And now, Chicago - Lookout here we come!

•  Submit your sustainable seafood recipe to the blog event: Teach a Man to Fish - going on now!

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Knowing how I love the pig, and Craigie on Main, when Doc saw the Craigie on Main newsletter announcing the Whole Hog dinner - he immediately said "you've got to go!" Who am I to argue? After assuring me we had it in the budget for one of us to go, I graciously accepted. 

From the moment you enter Craigie, you feel well-cared for. My last visit my girlfriend and I were brought glasses of water before we even had a table. Artful, well-conceived classic and innovative cocktails are a real draw. Anticipation of what one might get to drink, taste, explore heightens the delight leading up to the dinner.

For me, good food, good drink, good service are only enhanced by the opportunity to learn something new each meal. Whether it's a fun new wine (Oltrepo Pavese from the Lombardy region in the North of Italy) or a new herb like calaminthe, or a new cocktail ingredient or combination, if you are introducing me to some new taste experience, you've got my attention. And a bit of my heart.  

Hors d'ouevres - "les Cochonailles" - Piglet's Delight

Pate de campagne, lardo, pork belly, crispy pig parts. Delicious with our libations from the bar. I could eat tons little salty pig nibbles. That reminds me of the suckling pig skin I have in the freezer. Chicharrones up soon.

First Course - Tortellini of Braised Pork Belly squash blossoms, squash jus, calaminthe. These delicate little tortellini were so light and the filling so luscious. I wanted to spoon every drop of the jus. Calaminte has been described as mint like or thyme-like. It was delicate to be sure. I had a glass of a nice dry, crisp Riesling.

Second Course - Crispy Fromage de Tête - that's head cheese, y'all. Earthy inside, crispy outside, egg to emulsify and, as David pointed out, all the components together really work well, together. 

(So fun to dine with a photographer! See me snapping this shot, check out David Dadekian's photo!)

Sunny-side up farm-fresh egg, potato-mustard puree, sauce charcutiere.

The Oltrepo Pavese was one I chose with some help from Richard Auffrey, the Passionate Foodie, a real connoisseur. We settled on this glass partly because I'd never had it before and because it was described as a light Burgundy or Pinot Noir -ish in style. The color was bright berry and the medium body worked fine with the tasty pig head.   

Third Course - Suckling Pig Head with Brains over pea greens, local black trumpet mushrooms, spiced puree of eggplant. David and I shared this entree for two. The skin was crispy and salty, the meat was tender like pork-brisket. The fat was creamy and sticky. I am hooked. The brains were served separately, and oohs, aahs and mm mms were peppered with the odd zombie jokes, natch. This was a double-first for me. Both head and brains are something I've never had. Wait. That doesn't sound right. I mean, I've never eaten a pig head nor its brains. I'd compare the brains to creamy sweetbreads. More delicate than foie but meltingly delicious. This course was truly a revelation. I wish I had another one. Right here. Right now. 

Dessert - Late Summer Macerated Fruits, sweet white peach soda, yogurt sorbet. When is a foam not passe and blah? When it's fizzy and fun. This was a surprisingly interesting dessert. Thin ribbons of perfect honeydew melon took me instantly to the memory of the first time I'd ever tasted the melon. 

Mignardises - sorry Doc, I couldn't save the pate de fruit for you. You would have loved this one. Blackberry so deeply flavored. Tea to finish the meal.

Rooibus, Rhubarb custards light and just perfectly tart and sweet these little treats came when we were certain we could eat no more. But eat them, we did.

Really a perfect evening all around. I'm still floating on a porcine dream. Thanks to Chef Maws, Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli, my fun dinner companions, David and Richard and of course, Doc - mwah! - for making it all happen!

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This post by Kim O'Donnel which ran in the Huffington Post, The United States of Canning, explains the genesis of an event coming soon to Boston/Somerville!

For me, a canning novice with a too-tiny kitchen, I want to go and learn from others what I can. But, given the circumstances I don't expect I'll be doing a whole lot of canning myself. I promise to bring you an overview of the day, however and it looks to be a great one at that.

Just check out Linsey Herman's Cake and Commerce blog here, Join the Canvolution.

→ Note: this event is sold out. If you want to get on a waitlist or let Linsey know we should have a second event, please go to her blog via one of these links and do so!

# # #

For me, the idea of self-sufficiency is so appealing. Confidence in the kitchen, access to wholesome food year-round, and saving money; these are all bonuses. Right now I have homemade yogurt, mayonnaise, sourdough bread in my kitchen as well as jams/preserves from three friends. A friend was ribbing me about becoming a hippie housewife and then I pointed out that I can bake bread for pennies, make mayo with good eggs and quality oils, and my yogurt is made from Richardson's 2% and costs pennies. It also all tastes wonderful. 

If you're interested and intrigued - stay tuned, I'll be posting after the event, too. 

Other links:

 includes recipes and posts by the likes of John-be-still-my-heart-Besh and lots of great resources

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