I can't directly help you with your question, but if you do enough work- what about getting set up w/ a local distributor as many also have an aftermarket supplier. A non dealer generally gets a lesser discount, but it works out in the end.

Much depends on what I'm doing. Most of the time I like the Pyrex clear glass ones. I like to be able to see from the outside if things are mixed. Plus the shape is great for mixing, even using a mixer and they're deep enough without being too deep. I even bought a larger one for making angel food cake since the others weren't big enough. There too, it's great for things like slaw and salads to see that it's mixed well. I like to be able to see! I had a plastic handle one similar to the one in the link only more conventional shape and used a lot for stuff that would pour. Don't use it much now though. I just bought an Anchor Hocking covered measuring thing from Aldi before Christmas when they had them reasonably priced and I used it to make banana bread. Worked great. I really liked the handle to keep a grip while stirring. I guess I'm not too fussy, I'll usually grab what I can get my hands on, though I do have preferences.

I can vouch for Sharon's stuffed mushrooms. They are the best. A few of my favourites. Mushrooms and Pimento in Puff Pastry The Foods and Wines of Spain 1 package puff pastry 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1 Tablespoon minced onion 1 clove garlic minced 2 Tablespoons minced pimiento preferably homemade 1/4 pound mushrooms, chopped fine 1/2 dried red chili crumbled or 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes Salt and pepper to taste 2 Teaspoons grated parmesan cheese . Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the onion and garlic until onion is wilted. Add the pimiento and cook for a minute, then the mushrooms, chili pepper, salt, and pepper and saute until mushrooms are softened. Remove from the heat and stir in cheese. Roll the puff pastry to 1/8 inch. You can cut Cut into 1 3/4 inch circles and place 1 teaspoon of filling on half of the circles. Moisten the edges with water, cover with the remaining pastry circles, and press with the tines of a fork to seal. I prefer to make them triangle shape,by cutting the pastry into 2 1/2 inches squares, add filling on one half and then folding over corner to form a triangle. (May be prepared ahead and refrigerated) Place on a dampened cookie sheet and bake at 425 F on the upper rack of the oven for 7 to 10 minutes or until golden. ( To cut down on work you could make this appetizer in a larger size and Bake for about 20 minutes.) Then cut into wedges. ---------------------------------------------------------- Blue Cheese Tartlets Source: Williams-Somona 8 ounces tart pastry dough (or frozen puff pastry) 3 ounces spinach or Swiss Chard 1 egg 2/3 cup heavy cream 3/4 cup freshly grated Emmenthaler Cheese 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg Salt and pepper 3 ounces Blue Cheese (Roquefort, Gorgonzola, etc.) 2 tablespoons pine nuts . If using tart pastry, prepare the dough and refrigerator 30 minutes before you are ready to roll it out. If using commercial puff pastry defrost in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Preheat an oven to 425�F. Bring a large saucepan filled with water to a boil. Plunge the spinach or Swiss Chard into the boiling water and cook for 30 seconds. Immediately drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to halt the cooking. Drain again, pressing against the greens to force out as much water as possible; set aside. Break the egg into a bowl. Add the cream, Emmenthaler cheese, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste and beat with a fork until completely blended. Coarsely chop the spinach or chard and add it to the bowl; stir well. On a lightly floured board, roll the dough out as thinly as possible. Sprinkle the Roquefort or other blue cheese evenly over the dough. With a fluted pastry cutter about 1 1/4 inches in diameter, cut out 18 dough rounds. Use the rounds to line 18 individual tartlet pans or wells in tartlet trays or miniature muffin pans. If using the former,arrange the lines pans on a large baking sheet. Fill each lined pan with some of the egg mixture and scatter a few pine nuts on top. Place the tarlets in the oven and bake until the filling sets and the crust is golden, about 15 minutes. Serve Warm. ---------------------------------------------------------- If you are looking for something easy, both of these are really simple and always well received. You can buy the focaccia instead of baking your own. And the mini cocktail toasts are easy to find in most grocery stores. All you need for this is mini toasts, toasted walnut halves and soft goat cheese and a drizzle of good quality olive oil. Focaccia with Warm Goat Cheese 1 focaccia, homemade or purchases 1 roasted red pepper, cut into strips and drizzled with olive oil. 1 recipe homemade Tapanade (or purchase all ready made) Chevre (Goat cheese) Cut the Focaccia into bite size squares Cut the roasted pepper into small strips Warm the Goat Cheese in the microwave to soften. Put a dollop of goat cheese on top of each square of focaccia. On half the focaccia place a few strips of pepper and on the other half place a small spoon of Tapanade.

I have what is called over here a chiffonier but I find that Webster calls it an escritoire. It's a tall chest of drawers with three large drawers below and a number of small drawers at the top and a writing shelf between that can be put up and locked to cover the smaller drawers. Very convenient with small grandchildren around. The contents are very much like yoyobon's, leftovers from several generations of children. The oldest stuff is from my husband's childhood. I meant to sort the junk and organise it later this year but perhaps it's a pity to ruin the fascination of the incredible mix of things and trinkets for the children. Games, a wooden Solitaire board with glass marbles, souvenir packs of cards (California redwood trees and Shakespeare's flowers), chess board and pieces in stone from Kenya, a gift from my daughter's first boyfriend, photos and postcards, including my husband's collection of the postcards his widowed mother sent him every week when she was away at university for two years, leaving him with her parents. My mother's mother-of-pearl cigarette case (an almost obscene object now when nobody smokes), a large number of things the children made in kindergarten, coins from every country we've visited, odd but beautiful buttons, old toys and souvenirs, a cloth bag with very small keys, part of my book mark collection and hundreds of other things.