Well, tomorrow Naylor is shipping some I got from their auction, including a Golden Meadows. A few of the northerly hosta shippers are having 45 degree weather, so if you are in zone 4, perhaps the hosta will stay on the cooler side all the way to you. I got some really nice plants from Mason Hollow first of June, and had some shipped from NH to around Albany NY as a present, and they arrived looking very sweet indeed. Another one to check into that is up north that way is Green Mountain Hosta in Vermont. I agree that Hallsons has prime quality, but so many are out of stock that I was wanting. With our heat AND humidity, it is a blessing to get things sent quickly via Priority Mail headed out on a Monday or a Tuesday, so the box does not languish in some hot mail depot where they essential get steam cooked. The order I got on 6/13 from Savory's up in Minnesota was mostly small hosta, and they didn't skip a beat were as fresh as the moment they came out of the field. Three even had blooms on them--which I looked at with a magnifying glass!!!! :) The big tall plants have a more difficult time withstanding the heat due to the huge leaf area, I'm thinking.

PASSOVER BROWNIES 8 oz. semisweet or bittersweet bar chocolate, chopped 1/2 C canola oil 1 C sugar 1/4 t salt 3 large eggs 3/4 C matzo cake meal Melt chocolate and oil together in medium saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool to room temp. By hand, use wooden spoon to stir sugar and salt into chocolate mixture until combined. Beat eggs until foamy, then add to chocolate mixture and stir until totally incorporated. Add cake meal and gently stir 2-3 minutes. Batter will be thick. Let rest for 5 minutes, to soften up cake meal. Line 8" baking pan with foil, grease foil. Stir batter briefly, then spread into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, do not overbake. Cool on wire rack in pan. Passover-friendly Chocolate Mousse Cake (JM Hirsch NYT 3-29-06) Serves 10 Nonstick cooking spray (I used a little margarine) 1 T ground almonds, plus more for the pan 10 ½ oz. dark chocolate (I used semi-sweet) 1 ¼ sticks unsalted butter (I used margarine) 1 ½ c sugar pinch of salt 5 large eggs confectioners sugar (optional, even when it isnt Pesach!) Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray or grease an 8- or 9-inch spring form pan, then dust it with ground almonds, shaking off any excess. [Dont worry if some of the almond "dust" gets on the top of the cake it looks really good that way.] In a double boiler set over barely simmering water, melt the chocolate, butter, sugar, and salt, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and 1 T ground almonds. Fold the egg mixture into the chocolate and stir until thickened, several minutes (I put it on a lowish speed on the mixer and left it there 10 minutes). Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake 45 minutes, or until the top is set and begins to crack. Remove the side of the pan and let the cake cool completely. Dust with confectioners sugar if desired. MATZOH BAKLAVA 6 sheets matzoh For syrup 2 cups sugar 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 teaspoon rose water For assembly 1 cup walnuts, chopped 1 cup shelled raw unsalted natural pistachios, chopped 1 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted margarine or butter, melted Briefly pass each sheet of matzoh under cold running water until wet on all sides. Layer sheets between damp paper towels and let stand until somewhat pliable but not soggy or falling apart, about 2 hours. While matzoh is softening, make syrup In small saucepan over moderately high heat, stir together 1 cup water and sugar. Bring to boil, then lower heat to moderate and cook, uncovered, until syrupy and thick, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, honey, and rose water and simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool, then chill until ready to use. Assemble dessert Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir together walnuts, pistachios, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom. Separate out 1/6 of nut mixture and reserve for topping cooked baklava. Transfer 1 sheet matzoh to counter. Press rolling pin once over sheet from one end to other to flatten. Rotate 90 degrees and repeat. Transfer to 8-inch-square pan and brush with melted margarine. Sprinkle with 1/5 of unreserved nut mixture. Roll out second sheet of matzoh and transfer to pan. Brush with margarine and sprinkle with nut mixture. Repeat with remaining matzoh sheets and remaining nut mixture, ending with matzoh sheet brushed with margarine on top. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer to rack and immediately pour chilled syrup over. Sprinkle with reserved nut mixture. Let cool, then cover and let stand at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. (Do not chill.) Cut into small squares or diamonds and serve. Makes 8 to 10 servings. Epicurious March 2007 Chef Einat Admony (Adapted by Nancy Davidson) Restaurant Taim Double Citrus Sponge Cake This moist perfect for passover cake is subtly flavored with lemon and orange peel. The cake is especially light and fluffy because egg whites and yolks are beaten separately, then folded together. 1 cup unsalted matzoh meal 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons plus 1 cup sugar 9 large eggs, separated 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon peel 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange peel 1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar (optional) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In food processor or blender, grind matzoh meal with salt and 2 tablespoons sugar until very fine (consistency will resemble flour). In large bowl,, with mixer at high speed, beat egg yolks with 1/3 cup sugar until thick and lemon colored and mixture forms ribbons when beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl. Beat in lemon and orange peels. Fold in matzoh meal mixture until well blended. Set yolk mixture aside (mixture will stiffen upon standing). Wash and dry beaters. In another large bowl, with clean beaters and with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually sprinkle in remaining 2/3 cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, until sugar has dissolved and whites stand in stiff peaks when beaters are lifted. Do not overbeat. With rubber spatula, stire about 1/4 of beaten whites into yolk mixture to loosen. Fold in remaining whites, 1/3 at a time, just until blended. spoon batter into ungreased 10 inch tube pan with removable bottom. With metal spatula, cut though batter to break large air bubbles. Bake until top springs back when lightly touched with fingers, 40 minutes. Invert cake in pan on metal funnel or bottle; cool completely in pan. Run thin knife around cake to loosen from side and center tube of pan; lift tube to separate cake from Pan side. Invert cake onto cake plate, slide knife under cake to separate from bottom of pan. Remove cake from pan and if you like, sprinkle with confectioners sugar. Passover Banana Almond Torte (recipezaar) 12 servings 1¾ hours 40 min prep 7 large eggs, separated, at room temperature 1-1/3 cups sugar 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon fresh grated orange rind 4 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/3 cups) 1 cup matzo cake meal 1 cup coarsely grated blanched almonds 1 pinch salt 1. Set oven rack at middle of oven; preheat oven to 325 degrees F. 2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat egg yolks until thick and pale, add sugar gradually, beating. Beat until very thick. 3. Beat in lemon juice and rind. Add remaining ingredients (EXCEPT egg whites). Beat until combined well. 4. In a separate bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites until they just hold stiff peaks. 5. Stir 1 cup of the beaten egg whites into the banana mixture. Fold in remaining egg whites gently but thoroughly. 6. Pour into an ungreased 9 inch tube pan (3 ½ inches deep) with a removable bottom. Bake about 55 to 60 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. 7. Invert pan onto a bottle neck, let torte cool upside down. 8. Run a knife around edge of pan; remove side of pan. Run a knife under bottom of torte to release it. 9. Transfer carefully with two spatulas to a serving plate. Matzo Crêpes Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups whole milk 1 1/3 cups matzo meal 4 large eggs 1/4 cup vegetable oil plus additional for brushing skillet Blend milk, matzo meal, eggs, oil, and salt in a blender until smooth. Let batter stand 30 minutes. Stir batter before using. Lightly brush a 10-inch nonstick skillet with oil and heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Holding skillet off heat, pour in 1/3 cup batter, immediately tilting and rotating skillet to coat bottom. (If batter sets before skillet is coated, reduce heat slightly for next crêpe.) Return skillet to heat and cook crêpe until top is set and edge and bottom are golden, about 1 minute. Remove skillet from heat and loosen edge of crêpe with a flexible heatproof spatula. Quickly invert skillet over a plate to release crêpe. Make 11 more crêpes in same manner, brushing skillet lightly with oil for each and stacking crêpes on plate as cooked.

wildchild, Is that " ... someone who is half equipped." (in the battle of wits)? __________________ I have sent private messages asking questions, or offering support, but when I disagree I confine my opinions to the public forums. Which I try to do somewhat gently ... most of the time, but occasionally I let some rather wry humour slip in, but just wanting to be funny, not to be nasty to someone. Often I find that there is more agreement than appeared at first. And sometimes offering a different slant on an issue helps people to look at a situation in a bit of an altered light. I appreciate the opinions and concern for others expressed here, and have learned a number of things from others. And I hope that I may have offered some useful suggestions, advice, empathy and support, as well. Also, I have disagreed with someone who has taken someone else to task, especially if it appeared rather unfair, high-handed, or such. Especially if the person being criticized/(attacked?) appeared to be rather lacking in self-esteem. But I hope that I succeed in doing so without putting people down. Good wishes for finding fulfillment of a number of your worthwhile dreams in this New Year ... and bringing some new ones to birth. ole joyful

Feisty DM got tossed out of rehab and moved to skilled nursing. They said, she doesn't remember her precautions and says I will use any D... walker I want! They need some psychology lessons - you challenge someone like my DM and she will let you know what she thinks. In any case, I think the SNF is a better match for her right now and the food will be 10x better. The chef used to bring oysters on the half shell down to my dad when he was dying last year. It would perk him right up!