Granite - I'm a Botanist. I'm pretty sure that is NOT cilantro that is hot. You must have mistaken some other plant for it. And be very careful because there are extremely toxic plants in the family (Parsley Family/ Apiaciae). You are probably eating a mustard family plant like a cress or mustard (from mustard seed that you also composted?). I also keep sprouting seeds with my spices - so it could be another plant from that family like radish, if you also keep some of those seeds around. See if when it flowers it forms an umbel (like an umbrella) with the flowers in the ends of the 'spokes'. If so it's in the parsley family - but then photograph it and post it. If it does not flower (from a Spring sprout) - it's not cilantro either, as cilantro bolts very easily. Also - The cilantro I buy is often without nearly any flavor. When I grow it, it has lots. Some people think it's soapy - but in reality it's not soap, but the fragrances that are often put in dish soap, especially a popular one that is green. I can't stand scented dish soap so use unscented (though it slightly smells of the citrus oils they use as grease cutters). I don't think cilantro is soap-like myself, though it is very understandable. Cilantro also tastes very differently once it starts to produce flowers. It's often referred to as smelling of fleas - though human fleas are not at all common anymore so I have no idea (human fleas are a different species than the common cat or dog flea)! I still like it then, but it's not like the plant before that stage - and that may be more soap-like to some. Then the green seeds have another aroma, which then changes onces they are dry. So it's quite a unique plant. I did not like it at all when I grew it in our family garden when I was about 16 (years and years ago). Now I love it.

ajs - I made the bruschetta in a jar recipe last year. Too vinegary for bruschetta. But we like it on pasta. I'll use up the 10 jars or so that I made. But I doubt I'll ever make it again. Besides - after I bought the wine and the wine vinegar, it ended up being pretty expensive! I slow roast tomatoes, and then freeze them. I usually use plum type tomatoes. Cut them in half, or cut the larger ones in thirds. Place them on parchment paper on rimmed baking trays. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then I put them in a 200 degree oven overnight. They shrink in size, but are still moist. They are definitely different than a dehydrated tomato. Next morning, I let them cool to room temperature and then put in a ziploc in the freezer. FWIW - a 20 lb box of tomatoes fills 4 rimmed baking trays, and once slow roasted they all fit in a gallon ziploc. I use them on pasta or pizza or brushchetta. Pretty much take them out of the freezer, chop them, throw them in a pan with a little garlic and olive oil. Them put on the pizza, the pasta, or on brushetta bread. The tomato flavor is really intense. They remind me a lot of the sundried tomatoes in olive oil that I buy at Trader Joes.

Suzi, I do have a collection of fans that I can take, including a battery operated one that I got from L.A. Metro at some festival I went to downtown years ago. I'll also take several hats. The one I have from the Ivory Coast keeps my head the coolest, and so I may have to wear that. I am definitely going to the three olive producers, and the remote one is close to Cass Winery, which I thought we would visit on the way there, but I find the descriptions they have of their wines a bit off-putting. I'm not sure I would appreciate "Complex flavors ... with notes of pomegranate, dried cranberries, whole white peppercorns and crushed geranium flowers." I've never eaten geranium flowers, crushed or otherwise, but I generally crush the white peppercorns instead of leaving them whole. I received a DeLorme southern California atlas today, and so I should be okay in the map department. I also received a brochure from the Paso Robles Wine Country Association, and it has a very good large map. The brochure has very good information as well and will be handy to have with us. I will definitely give you an olive report, and I hope to be able to buy some interesting olive oil. I may or may not buy wine - that is less important to me. There should be some small, friendly wineries that we could visit, but they might not be open on the days we are there. Lars

Bragu, continuing the digression (grin), I can't begin to imagine doing this with kids. I just can't. It's unfathomable. Major kudos. This will sound like a commercial: I'm finding the IP to be invaluable (I'd barely heard of it, and thought it yet another useless kitchen gadget for those who don't really cook - stupid me!), but using it now for much of everything has given me a fantastic experience as I've used it in more ways than perhaps I'd have used it with a working kitchen, giving me a better familiarity with it, and I know I will continue to use it for many, many things I'd ordinarily do on the range-top or in my oven. Eggs - from hardboiled to poached to those eggbites: just put them in and leave them until done - perfectly done. No babysitting the burners. Risotto - easy peasy. Stocks, soups, beans - again, no babysitting the burners, no spillovers. One pot proteins that I use to cook in my dutch oven - again, faster and meats are so tender, absorbing all flavors, and... no babysitting. Only thing is you have to learn to add some items (such as bell peppers, etc., in last or they cook too much. But now that I've learned, again, easy, just turn it to saute and add the remaining ingredients. BTW, saute settings high and medium will bring anything up to a boil. I reduced half a bottle of wine to a 1 Tbs. syrup in no time for a recipe. That's how I thicken gravies and sauces, all in the same pot. Low saute is a gentle simmer for soup. Steaming veggies - again, it's not rocket science on a range top, but no babysitting in the IP and it takes such little time with perfect results. Rice - all kinds cook differently, but to keep repeating myself over and over, no babysitting, no boil-overs, and Keep Warm is lovely. So yeah, I'll use this far more than I'd imagined. I've never used the slow cooker setting. And as someone said, if you want to use your own recipes, find something similar and go by those (pressure) cook times. Also bragu, I got the Ultra IP for something I'll never use (faux sous vide - horrible!) but found the Ultra IP does something I will use: for many of the settings you can adjust the temps to Custom (saute can be set for low, medium, high and also custom - you select your temp). When life slows down, I'll make my own yogurt. Spices? My gosh. You are lucky! McM is better here than the other available alternatives. I suppose it's not a huge loss to have to toss my spices after we're done and unpacking, as I'll most likely order online for better quality. I do like making my own spice mixes, also. And drying my own herbs. Just not now... due to inadvertent additions of plaster, mortar, and saw dust ; ) Thanks for letting us go OT. But look at where OT takes us. From helpful cooking tips to how complex but incredible relationships are : ) Great thread!