Thanks for the lowdown. :) I knew, of course, the why's of it regarding the whole wheat. The three hour thing may be true scientifically, but I milled enough flour for the day (to soak for my bread, and to feed the starter a couple of times). My first encounter with rancid flour was four years ago, after my three month kitchen remodel ended up taking more like ten. My canisters are airtight, so when I opened them, I could clearly smell that my flours were rancid. Milling is fun enough to stick with. :) I got big bags of the wheat I liked for the Pizza. If those prove consistent, I'll get more of this crop. I could measure out kits, but it's really not that hard to do on the fly. I just measure the red and white wheatberries in the same bowl and mill them together. This time, I also milled a scoop of peas and added a little water. I previously tried soaking the wheat alone, but it didn't come out right. It's much better to mix up the whole recipe, inc. ascorbic acid, and let it do it's thing for at least a day in the fridge. The peazza isn't green enough (I have to try all white wheat), but it tastes great! I made my first home milled soft white wheat pastry the other day, for early peach pies. The butter crust with vinegar added was nice and flaky, though not the kind of long flakes that I'm assuming come from the bigger globule lard. Do you know anything about duck fat? I have some that needs using up and I thought I might try it in pastry. I get it about being able to plant the wheat. Opposite of when they ate their seed stores in the Little House books, because they ran out of food during the winter. :) It's just kind of remarkable that eggs and milk--the freshest things which are always kept cold--are so much more stable as powder than wheat. :) If I can find small quantities, I might try some other of your powders. As it is, I use It's Delish (a kosher brand--very pure and inexpensive) dehydrated onions and mixed veg in wet quickies like omelettes and meatballs. They absorb the juices and add flavor when one doesn't want to spend an extra twenty minutes chopping and sweating little chips of veg. So my honey has gone all crystalized. I zapped it enough to liquify enough for my bread, but it's mostly still a chunk. Is that something I can turn into a powder? Don't know that I would do it, but it would be interesting to know how.. For the mixes. ;)

I've never had anyone offer to cook before, but we don't have many visitors and since we've been destroying the house at every opportunity, I'd hate to ask anyone over for a family dinner. Everyone is holding out for the finished product, I believe. That being said, I would let someone cook. I doubt they could do any more damage than I could in one meal. But we have a pretty no-fuss kitchen. It's meant to be used, and if something happens, it happens. It can be replaced or lived with. I did have a family member come over early one morning to watch the girls so I could go to an appt. without waking them up at 5 am. She called at 7 am to ask how to work the range. In that moment I saw myself being greeted in the driveway by firetrucks and the charred remains of the new kitchen. I told her there was cereal and oatmeal in the pantry, and the microwave was in the pantry cabinet in the kitchen. I probably would stay in the kitchen were she to offer.

circuspeanut, I didn't think it was possible to improve one of my all-time favorite kitchens, but you managed! That hood looks fantastic. pllog, your kitchen always makes me smile. I love the beauty and creativity. gsciencechick--fantastic fridge! cooksnews and firsthouse, your kitchens are also beautiful. I could easily see loving working in them every single day. holligator, definitely, we need pictures of that wonderful pear! I expected to feel ho hum about our kitchen after 5+ years and I can't believe that my heart still sings when I'm in it or when I look at it as I head up the stairs at night. If I had to pick one thing that gets my heart singing it would be the hutch-style cabinet we used as a separator between kitchen and table. The upper portion is glass on 3 sides and I adore it every time I look at it. I'm not big on ambient lighting but I love the way natural light (or even the light from the ceiling fixtures) streams through it and the privacy the hutch allows the 2 rooms while keeping them connected (I love separated rooms rather than open plans so this helps satisfy that desire.) The things I STILL often actively tell myself that I'm so glad we have/did are the much improved layout with lots of storage, prep sink (a biggie for me), 48" wide range (I love the room it allows for a 2nd cook--but I still really appreciate the expanse when I'm cooking alone), the warmth of our wood cabinets, lots of windows, and local stone counters. I also still really appreciate the way our dish drawer dw functions...and I still smile when I tuck our little tv into the cabinet over the fridge. And our improved mudroom, closets and powder room are also still well appreciated. It's great when things work out the way you hope.

I used to carve lots of pumpkins - now I wonder where I found the time and energy! I've been thinking of carving some of those fake Funkins so that I can place a light bulb or fake candle and have them sitting around for the month of October. I'll post a couple of ours from last night when I get home. :-)