Dave Smith wrote:

> > I got a pouch of candied ginger from TJ today. It's "Not
> > Crystallized". It is fully cooked and sweetened. Also fairly fresh and
> > the price is good -- 1.50 for 8 oz.
>
> That is a pretty good price, $3/lb is one quarter of the best price, and
> less than 1;5 what I had been paying before I realized I can make it for
> about less than $1.50 /lb.

uh... right.

> > The big bargain was a 16 oz package of nova for $14. Now I gotta get
> > some bagels.
>
> Nova lox is another thing you might try making yourself. It easy enough
> to do. Just mix equal parts of kosher salt and brown sugar and prepare a
> (separate) saturated salt solution which is then allowed to cool for use
> later. Smear the top and bottom of the salmon fillets with the salt and
> sugar mixture and lay them in a nonreactive pan, cover it with plastic
> wrap (or you can wrap the salted fish in plastic wrap....
>
>
> Let it sit for 12 hours, during which time the slat and sugar mixture
> will draw out the moisture from the fillets. Rinse them off and then
> place them in the brine for another 12 hours. Dump the brine and the
> then put the container of fillets under a light stream of tap water to
> rinse off the excess salt. Start slicing off bits to taste after about
> half an hour and when it is no longer too salty, pat them dry and brush
> with a mixture of brown sugar and booze (rum, whisky, vodka....) letting
> each coating dry until there is a patina. At that point, you you can
> cold smoke it (no more than 110F) or not smoke it at all. It's done.

Not my thing, but thanks for the outline.