Most likely they're Gammarus! They are a native crustacean, so they are actually shrimp. I used to catch and breed them as fishfood, when I had access to them. I have Daphnia, cyclops and Caddisfly larvae now, but would like to get my hands on those again. Congrats on having the good taste to keep natives!!;~) I have many different kinds and really love them. As soon as I expand my curent system, I'll add more. Here's one of my Black-banded sunfish and a Rainbow darter(submissive male) in a cloud of Daphnia! Red Cherry Shrimp are just like C. japonica, although from Taiwan and prettier. They're completely different from these guys, but we do have similar type of freshwater shrimp that look more shrimplike. Here is a link that might be useful: Hyalella azteca

I have about 4 aquarium plant books. The most useful that I bought is 'The Aquarium Plant Handbook' published by Oriental Aquarium. This book seems to be a catalog for a company in Sinapore. It was difficult for me to find. The book is set up alphabeticly by genus. Has temp, PH, easyness, water hardness, type of plant (creeping, erect...), where it is found, how its propagated, how much sunlight and forground-background plant listed for each one. I would guess the book has 400-500 plants listed. If you have never grown aquarium plants I would start by growing anything to get practice. The rice should need to grow above and below the water so you will only be able to fill the aquarium halfway. The Limnophila aromatica is listed in the book above and it states it can grow above or below water and how its growth patterns are different. Anyway, I would start off with Ceratopteris siliquosa (water sprite)- This plant is easy to grow provided strong light. I would then advise that you grow any type of hygrowphilia. You could try Heteranthera zosterifolia (star grass). If you can grow this one then you are no longer a beginer, but no expert either. The whole trick on this on is the water softness. As for your lighting. You can eaisly take a two bulb, 18" fixture and put in a electronic ballast and add two more bulbs for under $50. Ill try to do a write up on how that was done in the future. Good luck. -Bill

I learned a few things tonight. When making the chanterelle sauce, don't use flour to thicken. Instead, take the stems you trimmed and cook them down with butter, then put in the food processor and make into a paste, thicken the sauce with that. And add Bristol cream sherry. Simmer for an hour. For the pork loins, coat one side with honey and anchovy paste, to brown quickly, brown just that side in the skillet, then in the oven and don't cook past 130F. Not overcooking, plus brining, made for juicy loin. Brussel sprouts go well with a TBSP or two of Baileys Irish Cream. Cavatica Stout. A great dark beer. Just saying. This post was edited by johnliu on Mon, Sep 23, 13 at 9:12

Years ago on a hot summer afternoon, I was visiting a friend whose family came from Italy. My only exposure to "Italian" food at that time had been spaghetti and meat sauce, pizza, etc. I tasted many things there over the years that blew me away, and were nothing like the "franco american" italian food I was used to. That day her grandmother served cups of ice cold minestrone type soup out of a thermos. I was appalled at first. COLD SOUP? Not vichy or cucumber or gazpacho, but leftover minestrone soup COLD? I was afraid to try it LOL. But I finally did, and let me tell you it was filling without being too heavy, and very refreshing on a hot day. Afterwards we had grilled sausages, sliced onto the best bread I have ever tasted. You can use this recipe, or your favourite recipe - just try to keep the fat down because it is served cold. A bit of olive oil is fine, but you don't want cold fat globs in there. Ew. This is a meatless version. Go ahead and use meat stock and add small pieces of cooked beef if you want (leftover steak or roast beef would work well). Cold Minestrone Soup 1 small potato, peeled and diced 1 cup cooked mixed beans (small beans, lentils, etc.) 1/4 cup ditallini pasta (small tubes) or small soup pasta 1 carrot, diced 1 small onion, diced 1 celery rib with leaves, diced 1 tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 2 cups tomato juice 3 cups vegetable stock 1 cup vegetable juice (like V8) or more stock or tomato juice Lemon juice, to taste Fresh parsley to garnish Heat a small amount of good olive oil in a soup pot or large sauce pan. Add the potatoes, carrot, onion, and celery and saute, stirring often until they are starting to soften but not brown. Stir in the pasta, beans, garlic, and tomato pieces. Add the stock and juices, stirring well to make sure nothing is stuck on the bottom. Add salt and pepper to taste, then bring to a simmer. Simmer until the potatoes and pasta are tender. Remove from heat and cool slightly, then refridgerate until well chilled. Overnight is best because it allows the flavours to meld properly. The pasta may swell and take over, that is part of the charm ;). Taste and adjust seasonings. A splash of lemon juice will brighten the flavours, and a sprinkling of parsley is a nice touch. If the soup is too thin after chilling, remove 1/3 and puree it then add back. If soup is too thick you can thin it with more juice, but really this should be thick enough to practically eat with a fork LOL. I like to add barley as well, but some people don't like the texture of it, especially cold. If you serve it with hot, crusty bread (try brushing it with oil and garlic and grilling it until toasted) the contrast in temperature and texture is very nice.