My son and I traveled to Hawaii recently also! I agree that it's painful to see the amount of waste that occurs on vacation or elsewhere. I consider travel to be a luxury that consumes much more fossil fuel and generates more waste than my usual lifestyle. For example 1 mile of air travel uses approx. the same amount of fuel as 1 mile of auto travel. While I only drive my car an average of 8K miles a year, one 10-day trip to Hawaii nets about 10K miles. So travel is something that I indulge in less frequently than when I was younger. When possible, I try to discretely dispose of organic waste, by burying it under some leaves, or throwing an apple core or something into a wild area where it can decompose. Also, if there are extra napkins, or plastic flatware, leftover from a meal I will pack those and bring them home.

I just made a bunch of pear-applesauce. I quartered my pears (and apples) and cored them, but left the peels on. Cooked until soft. Then sent them thru my food mill. I have a manual food strainer - a sieve with a wooden pestle - and I just find that it relatively easy to strain out peels but a bit harder if the cores are still mixed in. I do wash my fruit before using. I have not noticed any bitterness from my peels. Also, I end up simmering my applesauce for a couple hours, so I am assuming that I'm killing off any mold or bacteria during the simmering process.

kframe, you probably don't want my recipe for Parmigiana di Melanzane (Eggplant Parmesan) because it's a heart attack waiting to happen. lol But if you're craving eggplant, here's an ancient recipe from Gourmet Magazine that takes the fried version to a new level. Slice eggplant (approx. 1/2" thick). Beat an egg with 1/2 tsp. kosher salt. Dredge eggplant slices in cornstarch, tapping against side of bowl to remove excess. Dip in beaten egg to coat. Dredge in seasoned breadcrumbs, pressing so that crumbs will adhere. Dry briefly on paper towels. Heat oil to 375 degrees. Fry battered slices for a couple of minutes on each side, until golden-brown. Drain on paper towels, sprinkling immediately with more kosher salt. sm

Cathy, I agree, just sliced and roasted with olive oil, salt, lots of black pepper, it's yummy. I also like baba ganouj, this recipe is from Eating Well and uses some of that powdered sumac I bought to make Lars' Algerian chicken. When Elery is here he will grill the vegetables for me, otherwise I just stick 'em in the oven. They are better grilled but good roasted too. Baba Ganouj 2 medium eggplants, (about 1 pound each) 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled 1/4 cup lemon juice 2 tablespoons tahini, (see Note) 1 1/4 teaspoons salt Extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish Ground sumac, for garnish Preheat grill to high. Prick eggplants all over with a fork. Thread garlic cloves onto a skewer. Grill the eggplants, turning occasionally, until charred and tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Grill the garlic, turning once, until charred and tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the eggplants and garlic to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, peel both. Transfer to a food processor. Add lemon juice, tahini and salt; process until almost smooth. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with sumac, if desired. Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Annie