I have a very large assortment of FS canisters. Sizes from the 6 qt. all the way down to 1 pint. The smaller diameter ones have domed tops instead of the concave type on the big 6 quart models. I have been buying many of the canisters for several years now and was still able to get another of the narrower but taller ones just for the loins. The phosphates help the pork hold onto moisture, as well as acting as a binder. It MUST be dissolved in water all by itself, and can take several minutes of continual stirring. I usually do it in a drinking glass. About a tablespoon or two of the phosphates are used per gallon of brine, more than that and it can bet a 'bleachy' taste. Once dissolved, its added to the balance of water in the brine mixture along with the nitrite cure #1. A good digital scale able to weigh up to 25 pounds can help too. Mine was cheap and is a godsend when it comes to weighing meats before and after injection of brines. I also use it to weigh the ground pork for sausages, so I can usually figure out how much seasonings and salt to use. I like to inject the brine as much as possible into a loin. Its because its quite dry once its cooked, and with the extra brine it helps or retain more moisture. You can't overdo the injection, as it can only hold so much of the brine. I usually use the same injection ratio for pastrami/corned beef. 4 oz per gallon of the nitrites is way too much!! Sausage Maker site- http://www.sausagemaker.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2 Has the cures and usually needs about 1 teaspoon per 5 pounds of meat. With a gallon of brine, the nitrite can be up to about a tablespoon. Keep in mind the nitrites are only about 30% of the actual pink granuated product, the other 70% is salt. They do this so you can measure more accurately by diluting it so it will not be as difficult to measure. Sometimes the bags of brine mix will include the nitrite as an added packet and they also usually have some basic instructions on how much to add to the quantity of water. Think of the measurements of the total liquid in the brine, and not the weight of the pork loin. Adding maple syrup to the brine is fine. In a gallon of brine, a couple of teaspoons of maple syrup is very small. I would add about a half cup to a gallon of brine. Keep in mind it will make it slightly sweeter, but still has a mild maple flavor when used with a little liquid hockory smoke flavor. The brine mixes usually have salt, brown sugar and some other minor things. Usually when I bake mine at that low 175 degree oven its about 3 hours in the oven. After 2 hours I raise the oven temp to about 200 degrees. I use a digital probe thermometer to measure internal temp. 160 is the max, 150 is fine too. Follow the instructions on the cure mix for baking etc. I don't have a smoker here so I use the liquid smoke. When I do beef pastrami that can be in the oven about 6 or more hours before it reaches 140-150. If you plan to make some with the added herbs, they would be chopped up in the brine, but NOT injected as they can clog the needle. In that case but don't add the smoke, maple or any other flavors. Sage, thyme, and even pepper, and garlic are OK, but the amounts you mention are still a bit small for a gallon of brine. If your only going to do a 5 pound piece, then make a half gallon of brine and half all the other additives. Never reuse a brine, never mix it and then refrigerate if its not injected right after mixing. For sugar, they use dextrose which holds up better to heat compared to cane. As mentioned, the brine mixes already contain brown sugar. Bake the loing untrimmed, fat side up. I cover mine with foil so it doesn't dry out too much while baking. Your loins should keep for at least 10 days in the cold part of the fridge.

Lars: Here is something I came across while searching Chicken Soup. - - - - - - - - It was at a well known Restaurant. - - - - - - - - The second surprise was the " Caldo Tlalpeno ". This savory chicken and vegetable soup is on a lot of menus around town, but I was rocked by what arrived at the table: a big bowl brimming with rich homemade broth spiced with a smoky chipotle chile and a spoonful of thick adobo flavored with ancho chiles, tomato and a little vinegar. The adobo (which comes in the can with the chiles) burnished the soup, turning it bright orange, lending fire and a touch of smoke to the rest of the ingredients: shredded chicken, carrots, chunks of potato, squash, rice and a few chickpeas. Just before serving, the cook had showered a handful of cilantro over the soup and added a few creamy chunks of ripe avocado. Maybe I was right ??? LOU

I just wanted to thank the three of you for your thoughts, info and advice re my spiral bit question. Yesterday I had an opportunity to get a bit (one of HD's Porter Cable line)and it worked great. As reported by handymac, I encountered zero tearout on the finish side of the ply. Even on the top work surface there was only very tiny, minor splintering. I'm a "once in a blue moon" woodworker so a lot of anxiety goes into every move I make. I must admit that not only was this the first time using a spiral bit for a through- cut but it was also the first time I had ever used my plunge router base! I did a test piece in old ply to get my procedures down. I never exactly said what I needed this for... simply because it seemed a bit long and complicated to write up. So, here goes. I designed a 3-case entertainment center for a 32" LCD, audio/video components, cable box and lots of drawer space at the bottom of each case. (Graphed it all out and made up a parts list with sizes et al.) All three cases are to be screwed together as one unit so I can disassemble it should we move. I needed to vent the area over the LCD and also over the stereo component case to alleviate heat buildup. The top of each case consists of a double thickness of cherry ply... one finish face facing down, the other facing up. With the jig and spiral bit I did a straight cutout into the LCD cabinet. Then with a 3/4" straight bit and the jig I routed to a depth of 1/2" into the bottom of the upward facing ply member. Next I used the 1/4" spiral to cut through fully. This left a matching cutout in the top finish ply member but one with a shoulder in which I inserted a piece of decorative aluminum mesh held in place with some small wood strips. Since I routed the two members separately I had to make sure everything was precise and so the cutouts lined up exactly when put together. They did!! After repeating the process for a smaller cutout in the stereo component case tomorrow then I'll start milling down solid cherry for 1 1/2" x 3/4" facia strips that will finish off the ply edges. I have edge glued solid cherry for five drawer front panels and one pair of doors that will hide the stereo components. The finished cabinetry should be fairly contemporary and simple with the slab doors and drawer fronts all being flush with the facia. I have had a jointer/planer for years but finally got a Ridgid thickness planer. Nothing like a new tool! All-in-all it has been a challenging project but I have just taken it all little by little and not rushed things. There will be some imperfections here and there but I'm learning a lot and enjoying the process. And thanks to the internet and people like you who like to help others you can get through the rough spots. Regards, Bob W. Campton, NH

Fruit trees are usually girdled above the graft union and I just connect them as close to the ground as the tree permits. An inexpensive source on line is AMLEO.com. I am also using them to protect my trees from rabbits, which are epidemic this year. I will have to apply new ones as the snow rises to protect higher and higher parts of trunks. Damn rabbits!