I’ve mentioned before that I love Daiso, the Japanese dollar-store. Now Iris loves it too, ever since I brought her there and told her she could pick any toy in the store. (The most expensive toys in the store are $5, but most are $1.50.) She chose a gaudily-painted ceramic princess. The tennis game I bought there on my first visit (two flimsy rackets and two striped ping-pong balls) has provided literally hours of fun.

But it was Iris’s idea to record a commercial.

[Iris Out Loud #5: Daiso](https://www.rootsandgrubs.com/podcasts/IrisOutLoud-5.mp3) (1.3MB MP3)

For dinner tonight, I made Rick Bayless’s trout with macadamia nuts, which I’ve been meaning to try for a while. It was great. I’ve hardly ever made a Bayless dish that wasn’t at least pretty good. While I ate, I thought about two things:

1. Is there anything that doesn’t taste better with a ton of lime juice? It’s like the bacon of fruit.

2. Why don’t food people talk about macadamias much? Is it because they overdosed on mediocre chocolate-covered ones on a trip to Hawaii? I think they’re every bit as good as almonds or walnuts, albeit not as good as pecans or hazelnuts. Come to think of it, I also love Brazil nuts. I have never, ever seen a recipe calling for Brazil nuts.

I ask, Food Network answers:

Brazil Nut Crusted Pork Chops

**edit:** I forgot to mention that Iris, upon seeing the trout fillet with chopped macadmias, serranos, and cilantro, said, “Wow, that fish looks like you’re going out somewhere.”

Iris learned to read. She practices on the spines of cookbooks during dinner. Recent observations:

“If you want to know how to cook everything, just read that yellow book.”

“That book is called _How to Eat_, but everybody knows how to eat.”

(I don’t even remember who Laurie was talking about, and as you’ll see it’s irrelevant.)

**Laurie:** I gather from looking at his web site that he’s an eccentric Englishman.

**Matthew:** Oh yeah? On my web site, I’m Scottish.

**Iris:** On my web site, I’m Sweden.

On the way home from school, I found a bus ticket on the ground.

> **Me:** Oh yeah! A free ride.

> **Iris:** For two or just you?

> **Me:** You’re always free. Where should we go?

> **Iris:** I don’t know, where do you want to go?

> **Me:** How about the [taco bus](http://www.seriouseats.com/required_eating/2008/03/cooking-with-kids-tacos-el-asadero-seattle-washington.html)?

> **Iris:** Great!

> (pause)

> **Iris:** You know we’re not free on the taco bus, right?