food

As Kerry told you last week, Catherine at Pink Asparagus tagged us in a food meme. Here are the rules and here's my list.

Here’s a chance for a little interactivity for all the bloggers out there. Below is a list of 100 things that I think every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food - but a good omnivore should really try it all. Don’t worry if you haven’t, mind you; neither have I, though I’ll be sure to work on it.
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these
instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment at Very Good Taste linking to your results.

My attempt at the VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart (only in Chicago)
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl (Best if eaten in San Francisco)
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk (in cheese)
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini (my favorite!)
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash (Hungarian)
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam (not one I am proud of)
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake (I lived in Kentucky for several years as a child, pretty sure I ate it)

I'll admit, I had to look up several, ok more than several, of the items. I was surprised to find out that I had eaten quite a few things on the list--better than 50%. I guess I am not so squeemish. I used to be known as "the kid who would try anything," not that I want to be famous for that!
We'll invite the following blog friends to try this activity. We tag: Rick, Angie (she already did it, check her's out), Ted, and MaryAnn. Anyone else is welcome to play along. Let us know when you do. We'd love to see what you eat!

Summertime...

Good friends...

good food...

good cheer...

lots of fun...

How was your weekend?

Cheese, Oh Wonderful Cheese!

Regular readers, as you know we love cheese! Luckily for us, there is a fabulous place here in Longmont, Colorado called The Cheese Importers.
They import cheese from all over the world. You have never seen so much cheese before. It is a truly magical place for food lovers and we thought we would take you on a tour.

When you first go into the shop, there is a beautiful gift shop with all sorts of crackers, candies, dishes and paper goods. After filling your basket with all the goodies you find out here, then it is time to shop for cheese. The cheese portion of the shop is in a giant cold storage room. You need to wear one of the lovely cheese jackets provided for you. As you can see in the picture below, I am modeling one of them for you. Doesn't it make me look like I have a tiny head?



Here is the French cheese section. There were at least 15 different kinds of brie alone. YUM!

Here I am marveling at the Spanish cheeses. There is a fabulous Spanish cheese called Drunken Goat. It is a goat cheese infused with wine, it not only looks lovely but tastes fabulous with a very distinct wine flavor.

More rows of cheese

Did we mention the olive bar? I sampled a wonderful feta stuffed olive. I don't know as much about olives except that I cold eat a whole bowl of them.

Rachel was fascinated with this next cheese. It was the most expensive cheese in the store at $29.99 a pound. Too bad we weren't rich enough to try it. If any of you out there have had the truffle cheese please let us know if it is worth the cost.

The Cheese Importers is a great little day trip for us. Luckily it is just far enough away from our houses that we can't get over there too often. But, there are rumors that they are opening a second location walking distance from Rachel's house. So, you'll know when they open because Rachel and I will gain 30 pounds and walk around in a cheese induced stupor. We count on our blog friends to pose an intervention if this happens! Don't let us become cheeseaholics!

A Monday Favorite

I love to cook. Primarily, I think because I love to eat. One of my favorite cookbook authors is The Barefoot Contessa. My favorite thing about her recipes is that the are often very simple to make, but because of her use of high quality ingredients, it tastes anything but simple. They taste like luxury foods. Two of my favorite recipes are for her Satay dip and her sun-dried tomato dip. The Satay dip is wonderful with grilled chicken and last for up to a month in the fridge.

Satay Dip:
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
2/3 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons good red wine vinegar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice

Cook the olive oil, sesame oil, red onion, garlic, ginger root, and red pepper flakes in a small, heavy-bottomed pot on medium heat until the onion is transparent, 10 to 15 minutes. Whisk in the vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, peanut butter, ketchup, sherry, and lime juice; cook for 1 more minute.

Check out some of her other recipes and books.

For the love of cranberries

I love cranberries! It's too bad we only really think about them during Thanksgiving and Christmas. I don't know about your area, but we can only get them fresh this time of year, too. Here are two recipes using fresh cranberries. So, get them while you can and try out these two tasty treats.

Frozen Cranberry Martini
1/2 cup cranberry juice
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup fresh cranberries washed and frozen
3 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
3 oz. Vodka
2 oz. Grand Marnier

Pour all ingredients into a blender. Fill with ice. Blend until smooth. You can add reserved sugar syrup (below) to sweeten to taste. Serves 4. Note: This recipe can be made ahead and stored in the freezer. Serve in a martini glass, garnish with a sugared cranberry and enjoy!

Sugared Cranberries (from Cooking Light December 2003)

2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups water

2 cups fresh cranberries, washed and picked

3/4 cup superfine sugar

Combine granulated sugar and water in a saucepan over low heat, stir until sugar dissolves. Simmer (do not boil), and remove from heat, let cool slightly. You do not want the cranberries to pop. Stir in cranberries, pour into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Drain cranberries in a colander over a bowl. Reserve the sugar syrup for mixing drinks (see above). Place the superfine sugar in a shallow dish. Add the cranberries, roll to coat with sugar. Spread the sugared cranberries in a single layer on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature until dry. Store in an air tight container in a cool place for up to 1 week.

They look so pretty in a holiday bowl. They pop in your mouth, and are a surprizing sweet treat. The contrast between the sweet, candy like shell and the tart, juicy berry is nice. These are great to put out when entertaining, to use as a unique gift, or serve at a cocktail party.

I hope you enjoy these recipes. What are your favorite holiday recipes?