You may be single-handedly keeping the cuke farmers in business.
Curious - what type do you use? The common plastic- wrapped “English” cukes? (Whenever I have picked up one of those, I feel slightly wicked.) Or pickling cukes?
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Persian seedless 
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Looks fab!
I didn’t have any soaking troubles either! I did joke with my kids tonight that they were a little drunk and a lot caffeinated, so they needed to take it easy! My older son is playing a pirate in Treasure Island at his HS tonight (show last week and this week), so the drunk is just right for him!!! Yo ho ho.
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Mango
Sliced and heated tri-tip, hashbrowns, zucchini pancake
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right now, I am munching on the last piece of green crispy sour mango that I bought yesterday from the Vietnamese supermarket Good Fortune in Eden Plaza. It is good but not as sour as I would like it. I love green sour mangoes that are dipped in salty tiny shrimp called baggoong.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagoong
Bagoong is really very tasty added to stir fry ground pork, bitter melon with ginger, garlic and caramelized onions. Some people do not like the smell but my, it is delicious that way!
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You’re funny @digga, guess that’s why I didn’t see any cukes in the market today in @ChristinaM’s relative neck of the woods! She’s completely disrupted the supply chain! 
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We took advantage of the fact that my anti seafood, anti tomato older son is acting in his play tonight to make steamed mussels for the birthday boy.
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You are funny today too @Sasha!! The Tiramisu does look great, and I’m sure provided some energy for a pirate role.
Frustrating errands that didn’t accomplish anything, then finishing the last bits of holiday shopping (yes, yes, it’s early but I’m leaving, so really it’s last-minute 
) which was exhausting (Where’s the white tissue paper? there isn’t any. What about holiday paper? none of that either. Of course I found both after a while, and plenty of them. Why do they bother answering questions when they don’t actually have any idea? Sorry… crabby. The lady at the bank who said “do you know, you’re very calm, it’s unusual” should have seen me a few hours later as I struggled to hold it in 
)
Was near Koreatown, so takeout was WFD - japchae, bulgogi, and spicy pork. Ate some, rest for when I need a quick fix.
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Officially, our train is cancelled for our winter trip next Wednesday because of the strike vs retirement reform. Already more than a week, transportation is in chaos, very few train and metro circulate and many need to walk for work. Looks like this Christmas, we will be staying at home. Let’s see how the government will react in the next few days. People are in fight spirits.
Squid pasta, too bad I didn’t have enough ink to darken the homemade pasta, but it tasted alright.
Pork ribs with the leftover squids for salad.
Homemade tortellini with prosciutto, mortadelle and minced pork in chicken broth.
Burnt cheesecake - tourteau fromager. Thanks for @pilgrim and @mariacarmen for reminder.
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Rummaging through the freezer last night I found a couple steelhead portions and a bag of scallops with only 4 left. Salad and leftover black beans and rice to round it out
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Love squid esp when there is ink inside.
Unfortunately. they are not available as they get all cleaned and processed. However, last month. I found some frozen baby squids that had some ink in it.
My son made me take out the ink
So unfortunate! He and his friends do not want to eat the heads of prawns either!
Sorry for the strike vs retirement reform. This is so unfortunate esp for folks who has to travel and celebrate holiday with relatives and friends.
I am glad to. sun stay at home but got a text from son’s friend who wants to come here for Christmas or any time around the holiday She has to travel 3. hours one way, bringing her son from California to visit me. I hate to have accompany as it means I have to cook! Just want to stay at home b myself, listen to music!
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naf, I am awestruck with your “long pasta” and perfect tortellini. Beautiful jobs. Then you knock our socks off with a foursome of tourteau fromager! Totally amazing! Thanks for these.
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If you really mean this, there is a point in life when it is totally appropriate to simply tell prospective guests that “this year” you are unable to host anyone for the holidays. She may think she is doing you a favor in providing company at year’s end.
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LOL! We live far from my parents, my dad actually told me that avoid coming to visit them the same time as your other siblings as that would mean too much work for them.
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Actually I got inspired by your pasta making. I have been gifted the machine for 3 years and didn’t touch it. So a big thank you to you too!
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The “long pasta” looks like soba or buckwheat in color, or is that the sauce? I have never worked with anything but wheat flour,
Actually the squid we bought were not cleaned, but the ink bags were nearly empty. I want to buy some ink, but with the on going strike made it was not easy.
As for the head of prawns, only very recently I learn to use them to make sauce. Like your son, I don’t like to eat prawn heads, husband loves that and friends’ children got him a nickname “Prawn head eater”.
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Thanks for advise
I have tried to tell her not to come all the way to visit as I am not really lonely, not with m 2 baby poms
If my son is not here, I do not have to cook, life is simple
he eats every 2-3. hours, cooking is not problem as I can cook and freeze but I have to keep up with all the utensils f he use when he eats as I hate clutter!!!
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