We first learned about brining when it was done before smoking, but now (when I remember beforehand) I always do it. Chickens, pork chops, whatever. Pretty much anything but beef (and probably I should do that too, sometimes).

And yes, I count on a nice cold front porch as a refrigerator. Looks like it’s going to be closer to freezer, tonight.

And Lacinda, probably Florence fennel “bulb”, alias finocchio, which doesn’t have quite the same strong licorice taste as the leaves/seeds of common fennel. (I have an allegedly-Florence fennel in a pot on my windowsill. It has never formed a bulb, despite having all summer to do it. I suspect Dutch’s sold me a ringer.)