Lori, I have somewhat small fingers myself, and so it fits comfortably on my hand. I wanted to start peeling something with it as soon as I got it, but I didn't have anything to peel! I plan to try it on apples and potatoes, when I get some. I tested the strainer, and it works fine. At first I thought the holes might be too small or not enough of them, but that is not the case. It looks very pretty hanging on a rack with my other utensils. I plan to install the magnetic knife holder this week-end, when I can get DB to help. I don't like using hammers or screwdrivers, but he does. I'm also going to use some of the wasabi-ginger sauce this week-end when we grill outside - it's gotten quite a bit cooler here now - it's 70° and overcast - not quite warm enough to hang out laundry, but my ginger plants will like it. Lars

Jcrowley, I can't imagine who thought 2 am was a wise time to end a high school party either! Jeepers, right when the sleepy drunks are hitting the roads! There's a local talk radio team around here I like, and one of the guys (who was apparently quite the party dude in his time) says every so often, that "nothing good happens after midnight". Around here (CA Central Valley), we are battening down the hatches for a storm that is meant to be coming our way. 50 mph winds, supposedly. Our back yard will be a lake again...the hardpan is so high that any hard rain saturates the thin layer of soil quite quickly, much to the displeasure of our resident felines, who, upon demanding we open the door to let them out will survey the liquid environs and eye us with displeasure, sure that they are that we could arrange the weather to their liking if we were really interested in their welfare. My husband is off tomorrow afternoon to sing with his Barbershop Quartet, which means I'll have all afternoon and evening to deal with the pile of Meyer lemons given me by a client (Lemon Curd, Lemon Marmalade, frozen lemon juice and peel...and, my husband may just come home to a nice loaf of lemon bread, saturated with lemon syrup.) I was really wanting to get out into the yard this weekend, but it seems that is not to be, so I will console myself with cooking! Enjoy, all! :D

If we have to pay for it, I'm outta luck! If the bill is being footed by someone else (i.e. taxpayers), I guess I'd splurge. My son would have to be with me. He's my dinner buddy! He gets to leave before anything bad happens (whatever makes it the "last meal"). And how long does it get to last? I hope long enough to rest some! 1) Vodka martini (chilled, straightup with a lemon twist), at least Belvedere, Chopin, etc. with salted almonds and sexy jazz playing, Diana Krall, Frank, Ella, all of them. 2) 3 cups of soup and Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio; the grilled chicken and rice soup from Demo's on 2nd Avenue in Nashville or in Murfreesboro; Crab bisque; and some chowder with potatoes, like the flounder chowder we had in Florida. 3) Artichokes three ways. Grilled, steamed and fried, with hollandaise and any wine. I am not picky ;) (Although it can be a challenge to match up wine with artichokes (or asparagus) I would try it nonetheless). A huge pile. At least three pounds of it. 4) Good pumpernickel bread, slatered with butter, a huge glass of Gerst, and oompa music in the background 5) Surf and turf. Sparkling wine/champagne, Gruet would work. Dom would be better. Chopin playing this time instead of being consumed. Seared scallops, Dungeness crabs, drawn butter, and either really good prime rib or a filet served oscar-style to continue along #3's theme. Maybe some jalapeno creamed corn, or my mom's. 6) Dessert is way too hard for me. I love it all. My downfall is sweets. Cappuccino. Michael Buble. A slice of buttercake with blackberry filling and a lemoncream frosting. Another slice of chocolate cake with some sort of ganache. Another molten lava cake. Coconut macaroons. Huge platter of that. Enough to last another 40-50 years.

As Linda mentioned, you can make sorbet just by freezing the sorbet, scooping it into a food processing and whizzing it a couple of times, we did the Limoncello sorbet in Chicago that way. I have the same Cuisinart posted above, and I've made mango sorbet, prickly pear catus sorbet and a lime/kiwi sorbet. It's all good and works fine. Annie