@LunaPier,
Looking at the thread '50 blogs from 50 States' http://www.seriouseats.com/talk/2008/05/50-blogs-from-50-states.html a moment ago I then headed off to look at LunaPier's great blog http://www.blogsmonroe.com/food/. Reading through I came across "Flint-style coney". I'd like to add this to my food dictionary. Can someone let me know what a coney is? In the UK (as, I guess, in the US, viz Coney Island) a coney is a rabbit......
It was flawless. A little puffball with Gruyère, a tiny cornet with poached salmon and crème fraiche. My bouche was amused! The first appetiser: 'Oyster and pearls' – 2 oceanic oysters with sago and caviar which popped extra flavour into the mouth. This I am adding to my last meal wish-list. A perfect pause later, a brick of foie gras terrine on a crunchy pistachio base with apricot jelly on top, mitigating the richness of the foie gras. A delightful fillet of red mullet. A small fillet with no dryness. And pork belly with a sour cherry conserve which cut the intense fat. We then went on to Wagyu beef or carre d'agneau. While our friends sighed over the Wagyu we chose the latter. I can honestly say that this was the single most delicious piece of meat I have ever eaten in my life. What made it so perfect? Believe me, I wish I knew. MOH and I exchanged dreamy looks. A pre-dessert, then Manchego cheese just right, and then a chocolate trio with a brick of parfait with an icing of jelly. I realised something about the meal. It was a symphony, with refrains that came round; a reference to the foie gras in the chocolate dish and others, so that the appearance was harmonious, as were the flavours, as was the service. It seems to me that a meal at Per Se is a piece of divine music and that their aim is to give you harmonious delight. Thank you Per Se. – And even more, thank you to our friends, who treated us to a memorable evening.
I am coming to New York on Monday for a week. I have visited a lot over the years, but this time I have got an apartment for a week at 1230 York Ave. A friend describes one famous retailer as "Fur coat and no knickers". What I want is food with real flavour and not get fooled by the big shiny retailers. Can anyone tell me where is best? We'll be eating out a fair amount, but not all the time.
We have managed to get a table at Per Se on the Friday. How much are we going to enjoy it?!
I *always* leave my favourite things to the last mouthful - so I will leave a lovely crisp piece of something gorgeous, the youngest and greenest of the broad beans, a crunchy roast potato, all to wipe up the last taste of wonderful gravy and then M(esteemed and adored)OH sweeps in and swipes it. He's eaten all his favourite morsels first, of course, and then eats at 100 miles per hour and is ready to finish off my plate just as I get to the most scrumptious bits!
@Butrflygirly, As you see, I mix foods happily - but PumpkinBear I will stand in the kitchen looking out into the garden to eat just about anything that is within reach. It feels very peaceful, splitting a few almonds with my teeth as I look at the burgeoning abundant green outside my window and the thrushes beating the living daylights out of a snail or two!
So sorry Perky, and can't think of anything particularly cheerful. Excepting it is not wise to demonstrate the extreme power of your extractor fan with a piece of kitchen towel when the gas burners are already lit.
I am so sorry Perky. What a terrible shock. And I agree with Chiff, you are so right. It doesn't matter when, Embolini, but just do say to your friend how you love him.
I missed a friend's recently, but she had also missed mine earlier in the year. I got in a muddle because I hoped she didn't think it was 'revenge'. But I managed to overlook the most important thing - that we are *friends* and she forgave me as quickly as I forgave her! The only person who doesn't forgive me for missing her, her husband's, her daughter's, her daughter's husband's and, finally, her grand-daughter's birthdays is my sister! I like very much the various suggestions given for presents. What about some wonderful cheese that your friend might be missing in California?
I have probably eaten a couple of pencils in my time, but I don't think they would appear as splinters of wood! I read recently as well that the "average person" (which I think means someone who is eating a lot of processed/pre-prepared foods) eats something more than a pound of insects a year........ But then I always think of shrimps as being a sort of marine insect, and I love them - and have also voluntary eaten crickets and flying ants in Mexico. If we are what we eat, I should be metamorphosing soon - with any luck into a beautiful butterfly. But also, if we are what we eat, I have some nice foie gras on offer.
Karen Resta,
This is really interesting - and there is also the issue of knowing what you are eating. Those who eat fugu without knowing what it is report a bland fish with no particular merit. Those who know what they are eating report buzzing of lips, tightening of throat, divine flavour and so on. Overcoming taboos knowingly, or risking death knowingly may change your palate considerably.
And objective measures of taste would be completely impossible to define. Starting with the ingredients, before you even start on the palate.... We carried out a blind tasting of tomatoes in our local garden club. Twenty different tomatoes were tasted by about 15 people. Top for flavour came 'Sioux' grown by Chris. Second was smuggled in vine tomato from a good local supermarket. Somewhere around 17th came another 'Sioux' grown by Mary. What we couldn't work out was what was the most crucial difference - the amount of watering, the exposure to warmth or light, the timing of the harvesting, the amount of feeding. I do realise that you 'could' create a constant, with something baked, but even DOC cheeses and wines differ in many cases. And the 'human' may, like me, be richly marbled, fed itself on wonderful foods, adding to my unusually good flavour; it could be practically pré-salé, or it could be scrawny, wiry, full of tendons like my friend Allan!
But then many Chinese, who like the elbows and feet and tendons of things, would prefer Allan to the rich cossetting of me. All to do with culture and the mind.
MOH ( a good Catholic) would make a *wonderful* banquet!
There is a story I like about William Golding (who seems to be famous for writing Lord of the Flies, whilst actually also having written a range of quite extraordinary books, including Pincher Martin, The Spire, The Inheritors, Rites of Passage etc).
He had a life-long interest in ships and life under sail. As a child he was taken by his father who went as a special guest to visit, I *think*, HMS Victory. They were taken around the empty ship by a Naval officer. This man recognised in William Golding the sense of magic with which the child was enveloped the moment he set foot on board. Reaching up he chipped a tiny bit of wood from a beam with his thumb nail, leaned down and handed it out towards the child. William Golding took it and, knowing that it was one of the most precious things he would ever hold in his hand, sought about for somewhere safe to keep and then popped it into his mouth. By this means the ship, its history, its men, its challenges on the ocean somehow all became absorbed into his own small person.
I recently saw a documentary involving the survivors of the air crash in the Andes on which 'Alive' was based. They had almost all survived into old age. They seemed almost without exception to have a grace and distinction, and a sense of indebtedness and appreciation of what had been donated by those who died in the crash, and enormous, profound respect.
They, of course, absolutely did not kill anyone, but ate the flesh of those who had died and which was preserved in the freezing conditions on the mountain. During the documentary, the survivors together with surviving relatives of those who had died, went to the crash site. It was so dignified and forgiving of their awful dilemma - but I think mainly because of their own extraordinary dignity and humanity.
You did sort of wonder whether they had ever really been able to have 'fun' again, but might perhaps have spent their lives thinking that they could never be seen again to be laughing or trivialising anything. I think I might feel that. That the actual eating might be almost the easiest part (only in this peculiar and dreadful extremis) and that then you would have a life time of thinking about the part that person now has in your own body and becoming more and more curious about them - a bit like after a transplant of a vital organ. You must feel incredible curiosity about that person who died so that you might live.
I once went into the local chemist with a cut and asked if he had any small condoms that I could fit over my finger. We then laughed as I said that I guessed there wasn't much of a market for them. Can you image, a guy walking into a chemist and asking for a box of small condoms?!!!
@PerkyMac,
Well - that's a relief!
You're right Cybercita,
Wonderfully remembered.
I had to go to check the whole song. Here it is:
http://members.optushome.com.au/pennywyatt/Interests/FlandersSwann/DropOfaHat/At%20the%20Drop%20of%20a%20Hat09.html
I seem not to have to have got the knack of putting in links that work. Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong? (Hope this one works in the meantime.
My mom always said anything eaten at the sink has no calories :-)
But I would have to say my favorite eating spot is in front of the computer - probably need to disinfect it if you listen to all the news stories about eating at your desk. At least I'm the only one that uses it so it's my own germs!
That way I don't rush through my food. The other thing is I'm not satisfied with a lunch unless it has everything your mom would pack for you. I can get away with half a reasonable sandwich if I have chips or pickles and a fat-free pudding; compared with a Dagwood sadwich, and I'm still "hungry."
It works for my husband, too but in front of the TV - he snarfs his food otherwise.
Oh, and I too pick my meat apart and feed "the ickies" to the cats, dog or my husband!
I eat the "worst" first and then the "best".
I also put hot sauce on almost all of my food before tasting it. I go through so much, you'd think I drank the stuff.
I need everything to be almost extreme tasting--be it sweet or savory. I use too much of most condiments. And salad dressings.
There is never to be ANY mayonnaise on anything I eat. Or peanut butter. I will refund if I smell either one.
I also sniff EVERYTHING before I drink it...this year at college, I woke up parched (and BADLY hungover) from the night before, reached for a cup of water and took a big drink. No, it wasn't water. It was pee-warm, CHEAP vodka. Urghhh.
I eat/drink all my soup broth first, then I eat the bits.
Not quite a weird eating habit, but I adore Chinese takeout. I think I order it at least twice a week.
PerkyMac, that was my favorite comment of this thread.
I prefer to eat my curse words first, then add one or two in French, for class.
@Butrflygirly, I, too, must have all my foods completely separated on the plate. I've even been known to use a napkin to soak up the juices (or excess water) that would run from one food to another (especailly if it was heading toward a crispy food). I hate it particularly when it happens to bread. Which brings me to another point, I don't put the bread on the plate with the rest of the food. It goes on a napkin or paper towel. I love the Japanese Bento idea.
@Sieseye - (((((hugs))))) I can gather, but can not even begin to comprehend the pain and sadness. That you have lived to move on from that life? You are my hero!
@Peanutbutter: I actually need my topping to be exactly the same size as the thing being topped. Inadequate cheese means dry cracker pieces. For the same reason, I spread everything to the very edges of the toast in an even layer, and almost never get toast in restaurants because they don't.
I pretty much can't stand up to eat. Even when I used to be out at 4 a.m. and got pizza, I would sit in the pizza place until I was finished - I'm not the most coordinated person in the world, and I fear eating/walking mishaps. Also I tend to be a fast eater, so sitting down at least slows me down a little bit.
I can't think of any other weird things, although I pretty much can't eat without a napkin in my lap - snack at home, pizza at the pizza joint, no matter how casual - the napkin (or napkins, if they're small) goes in my lap as a reflex. (This fastidiousness has saved my clothing man times, given the aforementioned lack of coordination.)
Everyone's comments are interesting! I'm glad y'all are so accepting of others' quirks.
@izatryt - yes, cause he's not just any garden-variety ex. He's a doozy. After 15 years of unpleasant I discovered his secret life which included five other gals who all thought they were the only one. Maybe I should call him The Juggler™ but that's not as self-explanatory. I was going to leave but then was in a pretty bad auto accident (totally not my fault as I was just sitting there and was slammed) and the injuries were so severe I couldn't work or much else for awhile and my car was totaled. I was still discovering gals too; decided it was still too much and was still going to get out which is when the battering started. In the end there were several broken bones and officers and mandatory batterer intervention classes for a year with projects that had to be completed, and court and mediators... there's quite a bit more to the story as I'm sure you can gather.
And now my life is completely different and much less stressed though I'm still healing. :)
However, that's where a great deal of my life was spent so when I look back he's in the memories and I can't bring myself to call him anything but "the ex" when referring to him so that's why I play with it.
He also had some serious food issues. Quirky squared with a bit of cruelty for topping.
I used to pull all the cheese off of a slice of pizza and eat that first, then eat the rest. I liked how the crust felt without the mozzarella.
I like blueberry yogurt. I also like Doritos - nacho flavored. One day, I've decided to dip the chips and I liked it. It was an odd/creamy/sweet/tart/cheesy combination.
I completely agree about inadequate speading on bread - I remember getting mad at my father as a little kid because he didn't spread all the way to the edges of the toast. Also he used to cut it into halfs down the middle when the only way to slice toast is on the diagonal! This was a big issue... Now that I make my own toast this is now sorted.
Also I have to eat all the broken crackers, chips, cookies, nuts, etc first before the intact ones.
The food can't touch on the plate.
I eat all the lettuce in salads first, then the crunchy pieces (cucumber, pepper etc...)
A topping can't be larger then the food being topped ( cheese piece is smaller than the cracker).
I like making little sandwiches with foods, like when eating nachos I apply 2 chips together with the cheese toppings in the centre. This also works with pancake pieces with the syrup in the middle.
I do have a bit of OCD...
I can't eat alphabet soup until I've laid out all the letters in order. If there are any missing, I can't eat. Once they're laid out, then I eat my full name first, one letter at a time, then my favorite curse words. Do they still make alphabet soup? Just joshin' ya..
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Website: http://www.whatamieating.com
Location: Cambridge, UK
About: I work on http://www.whatamieating.com, a dictionary of food in, so far, 256 languages. Some are enormous, like Portuguese, Finnish, Italian, while some have a few words, such as Zapotec. At the moment it has a total of 61,457 entries and rising.
Favorite foods: Bread. Cauliflower cheese. A lovely spicy dhal. Alfonso mango, pomelo or raw peas straight from the pod. Crab. Grilled tiger prawns and tsatsiki. Abondance cheese. Pata negra ham with melon.
Last bite on earth: Foie gras grilled and served with a perfectly ripe slice of melon, then a bit of a break to recover followed by vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce and nuts.