I love using panko - which I've only recently added to my cooking arsenal. But from what I've divined from watching cooking shows it seems to do best as a complement to an item with fat that it can grab onto. As a toss on a sauce it appears that it can lose it's character. So unless it is a topping on a dish drizzled with EVOO for example it can just become another breadcrumb. I could be wrong but I'm just going on what I've seen as of late.

bri29... Are you sure you can't tack on an extra couple of vacation days on those work trips? That's what I used to do when I traveled for work (drove my boss nuts!). I don't know if it would work for your schedule, but, if you haven't already, I'd highly recommend staying overnight in Venice. The evening stroll along the canals, when the large tour groups are gone, is magical. Compumom... You're WAYYYY overdue for a visit. The apartment stays are not as difficult to arrange as you might think. Though some require a week stay, especially in the high season, there are many more apartment owners who will rent for 3 or 4 nights. It does take much more planning time to find the right place though. As for the agriturismos, many of these are run like a small hotel or B&B, so you can stay even one night if that's all you can allow for your schedule, but to really get the experience, again 3-4 nights to me is about minimum. What we do is pick a place based on location that allows us to do day-trips from that spot. It really saves on the wear and tear of packing and unpacking, and too much hotel/restaurant food. Eileen...there's always a 20th anniversary trip?! ;) Barnmom... I think it's a combination of tons of walking and numerous espressos. That might be the true key to the "mediterranean diet" Dlynn... That's one thing I like about Italy; there are plenty of options that are a great alternative to fast food, even if you're not a gourmet eater. Annie... Hand gestures, shrugs, smiles all go a long way toward communication. And people are mre than happy to communicate in whatever language works. Grazie, everyone for the kind words!

We are having a fabulous week and Wednesday's meeting was definitely a major highlight. I love meeting CF friends and there has never been a meeting when we didn't all feel that we've known each other forever IRL and my good friend Mimi, who has heard much about the CF for years from me, also felt that she had known Helene and Eileen forever. Years ago Eileen helped me with buying Easter basket gifts for our new step grandson who is just a few months younger than her son, that was a lifesaver. Eileen, Max loved your bottle design - clean, elegant and sophisticated! We're taking the wine home and I know we'll love it too. And I thank you for the wonderful cards with your photographs and the orange marmalade. Helene became a wonderful in person friend within the first few minutes we all were together and I can only hope we can meet again. I'm missing the two to three biz trips I had to SF every year (and missing the LA ones too) so I guess we'll just have to vacation more. Rachelellen the food at Skate was indeed fabulous, so please do pass that message on. And our lunch was actually Max's treat, sweet man that he is! I've also had lunch at the Metropolitan Club (picture of desert to follow later) that was wonderful. It followed a slide show talk on Art Deco architecture in Shanghai given by a woman who is now 80 (in her case 80 must be the new 50). She has lived there long enough that she has great photos of the Deco buildings when they were newly constructed followed by more recent photos which, sadly but necessarily, are filled with webs of electric wires everywhere and room air conditioning units dotting the walls in a random, haphazard way. She was a knowledgeable and entertaining speaker. When asked if she would be back in San Francisco soon to speak again her cryptic answer was that she was 80 and no longer buying unripe bananas, but she hoped to come back next year! She has written a number of books and I'm sure I will order the Art Deco one, unfortunately only able to be ordered from her in Shanghai and shipped. Last night we saw the Birth of Impressionism exhibit at the de Young Museum. The hundred or so paintings are on loan from the d'Orsay in Paris, available to travel only because that museum is undergoing major renovations. It was our favorite museum in Paris and it was fun to see the same paintings in a different environment. Our high level of activity caught up with me yesterday and I was really wiped out but overall I'm doing pretty well and really appreciate your comment Ellen; it has been a long struggle and I don't feel like myself yet (well, my brain seems as normal as it ever was, but my body still rebels). On Tuesday, Mimi and I took Oliver and met another old friend for a two hour lunch in Burlingame. We ate outside at an Afghan restaurant, again great food, and Ollie watched the world go by from under the table the entire time. He is a good dog! Tuesday night we cooked pasta at Mimi's using the Wild Porcini Sauce that Sciabica's delivered to Mimi's store for me. That is the first sauce I have ever had that I could just open the can, heat it and use it. I might add some red wine and fresh basil when I use it at home but it was great as it was. We also had paper thin ribbons of zucchini, simply dressed with one of the Sciabica olive oils, a little lime juice and S&P. We brought the baby zukes from Max's garden and this has been one of our favorite ways to eat it. After about an hour of marinating in the small amount of dressing the zucchini, which is uncooked, becomes softened and mellow, I just shaved some parm on it before serving. Mimi made a tossed salad and it was a great healthy meal until we got to dessert from Bombay Ice Cream. I cannot come to San Francisco without at least one stop there and this time we bought saffron-pistachio ice cream and lychee ice cream. The condo we are staying in is fine, and accross the street from a great park to take Ollie for morning and night walks and Mimi lives just on the far side of the park so it has been a very convenient location in the Marina. Ollie has spent every other day with me and the in between ones at Fog City Dogs daycare. He's having a great vacation too. Today we are again taking Ollie out to lunch and then to dinner at a close friends house with two young children who will adore him. I would never just presume I could have him with us, but he has been really good when goes with us and had a great time in daycare when he was there. The only downside to the condo is that the public wifi connection that they advertised no longer exists, or is down this week, or who knows, but that is why I have been unable to post. Oh to have the quick and accurate touch that teens have on iphones - it's a struggle for me to text a two liner from it. My BlackBerry keyboard was easier to use. Guess it just takes more practice. I'm at Mimi's connected to her wifi to post today. Max is loving his watercolor workshop and they have painted all over the city. He says he's learning some new techniques and using brushes that are new for him. The week has been a mix of success and frustration - but he's having a great time. We're ready to leave for lunch so that's all for now. Thank you all for your help and well-wishes. This is beginning to feel like I've written a tome, but I wanted to share with all of you who were virtually, and on the phone and net, with me and Max when I was so very ill that I'm so much better now and really able to enjoy this trip. Lee

Everything looks so good, but this time it's Maureen's roasted potatoes and Ann T's perfectly rare beef that has me hungry. Stacy, I love that "tree" you have there. He's sure getting big and looking more like his Dad all the time. Sharon, thanks for the weather report. I missed those. OK, let's see if I can catch up. We had Thanksgiving dinner, of course. On Friday Elery came up and we had leftovers, he had to work Thanksgiving so that was his Thanksgiving dinner. I made this dessert, a version of coconut cream pie. His grandmother always made coconut cream pie for Thanksgiving but he doesn't eat much sugar. So, the sugarfree coconut cream dessert, with gingersnap crumbs instead of pie crust: Saturday we made turkey sausage with dried cherries, it was good but not worth the skinning and deboning of all those turkey legs. For supper we had a "pizza" made of phyllo dough topped with some fresh sausage, artichokes and portobello mushrooms: I poached some pears in white wine with vanilla beans, whole cloves and cinnamon sticks: Those pears became part of this salad, romaine topped with pears, walnuts and fresh pancetta. Yes, Elery and I made pancetta too, I'll make a different thread on that, maybe tomorrow. Anyway, the salad was dressed with a light honey mustard dressing: On Sunday Elery made tortilla soup and turkey tacos out of leftover turkey, served that with a glass of commercially made Sangria: Last night it was turkey pot pie. Here it is before and after baking: I still have turkey left, but no more for another day or two, please! Annie