[aaronatthedoublef]

We've had a couple bats. The first one hid in the house for a week before we saw it again and caught it. We all went through a round of rabies shots which are inconvenient and expensive.

The second time we saw it I snagged it in a towel - apparently its claws get hooked in the terry cloth loops. I then put it outside for animal control.

We've had all sorts of creatures through our yard - coyotes, foxes, wolves, bobcats, and something that left major claw marks in my trash bins (I'm guessing raccoons). Some of my neighbors have seen bear. And we live in a fairly urban area. So it doesn't take being in the woods.

Reading about geckos, I had friends in Boston who had salamanders or chameleons (can't remember which) running loose in their apartment because they kept out the cockroaches better than any other trap.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 3 months ago by aaronatthedoublef.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Sorry IC, for not responding and thanks, Mike for following up. The vanilla Mike described is what I have from Costco and it is good. I think I have a couple more pints but wish I'd bought more. Still, as Len says, compared to other places it's a pretty good price right now.

I may buy some of the Walmart cheap stuff just to test and if it's good I'll let everyone know.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Len, I did find vanilla for $16/pint at Walmart. I cannot vouch for the quality but it is real vanilla.

Costco is $24-25 and it is pretty good.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 3 months ago by aaronatthedoublef.

[aaronatthedoublef]

I am using some bait called Tomcat and the mice seem attracted to it. I've used a combination of glue boards, snap traps, and live traps all of which have worked to varying degrees. My mice do not like peanut butter anymore. They did like granola.

A friend suggested some kind of bait that the mice carry back to the nest and then they try to get outside to water. I may try that next. But that friend is using a bucket of water and a plank baited with food to catch chipmunks.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Silly BA! Everyone knows Cinderella pumpkins are for making coaches not pies!

If you need some horses I have some mice!

[aaronatthedoublef]

Went to Walmart today and ironically the "Great Value" brand vanilla was the most expensive. The least expensive was Watkins Baking Vanilla which claimed to be double strength so as not to have the flavor "baked out" or "frozen out" two thing of which I have never heard. It was $8.24 for 8 oz which would be $16.48/pint. Pretty good.

I used Penzy's double strength because we had a bottle and did not notice a difference even using it one-for-one with a regular recipe. The biggest difference I ever noticed in vanilla was Mexican vs. Madagascar. Mexican was a little sharper. It came through in lighter-flavored baked goods liked scones but not stronger-flavored things like chocolate cookies or cake. I could tell the difference in pancakes and waffles without syrup but not once I added the syrup to them. I do not remember the brand. It was a gift from someone who went on a cruise to Mexico.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Prices will probably never go all the way back down. Some of this was caused by the disaster that struck the vanilla crop but part of it is the result of the increased use of real vanilla.

Coffee prices went up after something similar and they've never come back down. There was a WSJ article a week back or so that talked about people paying as much as $40 per CUP of coffee.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Yes. I stocked up too. Someone (Mike or BA) warned us here and I bought a gallon or so from Costco. It was $16 a pint last March and is $24 now which is actually still a decent price compare to what I can find anywhere else. I have to go to Walmart today for some flour so I'll check there.

My one question about the article is, do people who eat Hershey's kisses really care that they use fake vanilla? 😉

[aaronatthedoublef]

Just saw this... Didn't check the reply box. Sorry. Thanks for the reply BA.

We have a couple of v slicers/mandolins. If you do not know what you are doing and/or are not very careful these things are wicked dangerous. You might also get him a cut resistant glove to go with it.

Also, expensive does not mean better. Someone gave us a very expensive mandolin from William Sonoma that we've used twice and never again because it is dull and does not cut well (I suppose there must be a way to sharpen it).

We used to use our cheap Japanese box slice a lot but now we just use knives.

[aaronatthedoublef]

I made scones this morning. I used to make these almost weekly and now I just do this for special occasions. Not sure why as they are pretty easy. But my wife and kids were happy.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Cass, Thanks. I always appreciate hearing from you.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Thanks everyone. Lots of ideas to try. I don't deep fry them but typically pan fry or bake them. I was also taught that chilling them for a hour or so before frying helps the bread crumbs adhere. I usually use whatever bread crumbs we have in the pantry which is mostly panko.

But from everyone here, it seems like I might be able to skip the first step of flouring and dredging which will make life much easier.

Buttermilk, and mayo seem to be the two liquids of choice.

Thanks again

[aaronatthedoublef]

Thanks for the tips. I know I prefer all butter over butter and shortening. I'll look at some of these recipes. I've always wanted to try lard, too but then my wife wouldn't eat it (not that she eats pies anyway).

[aaronatthedoublef]

I couldn't sleep and was watching "Halloween Wars" on the Food Network and saw a new use for wafer papers. Someone made a giant birdman out of cake and spun sugar (and maybe pumpkin) and the feathers were wafer paper. It was pretty neat.

I believe it was this episode.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Thanks. Any advantage to the curved bottom? Or is it just for design?

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