Let me specifically address freezing cream cheese. I ALWAYS have several pounds of it in the freezer. There's such a range of price for it (.89 on sale, up to 2.50 when it's not) that I buy loads when it's cheap, pop the boxes into ziplock bags and toss into the freezer until needed. 'They' say not to freeze it because when defrosted, it gets an odd, splintery texture. Here's the fix. Let the cream cheese (in the package) defrost completely to room temp. Put in your electric mixer and beat 5-10 minutes and it will smooth out beautifully. Alternatively, you can put the defrosted cheese in a microwave container, zap 1-2 minutes, then stir with a spoon. Either way, the cheese will taste and look perfectly fine. I use it in cheesecake, for dips, and as a spread. And by freezing cream cheese, you can save many, many $$$ in the course of a year

Foodonastump, funny you should ask. I never did use the stirrer thing. Upon inspection I decided that it was too whimpy for anything but the lightest of sauces/batters. A whisk works just fine and doesn't require batteries. The spatuala thermometer has never been used because I can't pull-out the platic strip protecting the battery that powers the thermometer. I tried taking out the battery box, and can't get that out either. Right now it is laying on my side cabinet in hopes that someday the grandson who loves such challenges will come to visit and get it to working. yeonassky: I have a tool called a 'seal breaker'. You use it like a can opener to break the seal on too tight lids and it works every time.

This thread made me think about cheeses I haven't had often but really like. Abbaye de Belloc came to mind. It's a sheep's milk cheese made in the French Pyrenees. I searched the web and found it's no longer here. Not banned; it's a raw milk cheese but it's aged. But the monks who make it decided not to jump through the hoops the FDA requires anymore. This is really too bad. The article I read is from two years ago so I'm hoping that was temporary, but I doubt it. http://www.janetfletcher.com/blog/2018/3/10/gone-for-good

We are very brand-oriented so like many these days, get specific items from specific companies. - Use our local supermarket chain for certain items. Toilet paper, some basic produce (their produce is, interestingly, more local-oriented and frankly better/riper than Whole Paycheck). They are the only ones, for example, who carry the hydroponic Kumato tomatoes, the Kobayashi Farms artisanal romaine, and real Tuscan melons from a Central Coast farm that only picks when the brix levels are judged high enough. I try to get them from on-line ordering, but sometimes going into the store is the only way. - I use Imperfect Foods (formerly Imperfect Produce) altho as mentioned above, they are very flawed. Still, they have some items I have a hard time finding elsewhere. We love their Great River potato chips - much fresher than the stale stuff in the stores. And thru IF we have discovered some specialty items we would never have discovered otherwise, as they often will feature 'special buy' items for a month or two. I love the Zoi honey yogurt, and again, not easy to find in most stores but IF usually has it. IF also introduced us to Stepladder Creamery's Ragged Point brie-style cheese, which is now a staple in our house. - Normally don't like Stonewall Kitchen products - jams & sauces too sweet - but they carry the Tillen Farms Pickled Baby Cucumbers (cornichons) which are a special variety they grow. They are pickled with fresh dill, onion and garlic, so the brine is mellow rather than harsh; should be refrigerated for a day prior to opening so they will become super-crunchy. For serving you can bring them to room temp. - Some items I get through Amazon. Only use Whole Food on rare occasions, since I dislike their meat/fish/produce. - We get our jam from the WeLoveJam folks, after a NYT article mentioned them. It's a couple who bought one of the few remaining farms left in Silicon Valley, CA, and for over 20 yrs has been making great jams, including some rare fruit varieties like limequat. Their Blenheim Apricot jam has less sugar than any other artisanal brand we've tried, and really tastes like fresh fruit. Sadly, they are trying to retire so have the farm up for sale - one day soon I'm afraid I'll get an email saying they're finally found a buyer who will take over the farm! They want to keep it a farm, but that's a hard sell these days, especially with our drought conditions and climbing interest rates. There is a small independent specialty market we started using more often during the lockdown. I really wish they did delivery, or at least a pick-up service, but unfortunately it's walk-in only. Excellent meat, dairy, and cheese depts. Otherwise, we have numerous ethnic markets around so no real need to mail order. Ethiopian injera, Mexican markets and bakeries, Caribbean grocers, Eastern European delis, Asian/SE Asian/Indo-Chinese markets; along with scores of herbs, coffee and tea purveyors, are all reachable by car within our county. Interestingly, a number of the Thai/Laotian restaurants lately are making their own versions of sai oua, the super-spicy pork sausage, and also sell it in frozen 1-lb pkgs on the side. Used to be that only one or two eateries did it, but now we know of at least half a dozen in our own town that are willing to sell their sai oua retail. Surprising because that's not common for any other Asian restaurants. Chinese restaurants sometimes will have a deli section, but that's as far as it goes.