What's cookin', good lookin'?

[vrmmsm]

Ooooohh! Lick! Yes, there is one right by the farmers market I visit, and I drop in occasionally. I have had some odd ice creams there, like rosemary something or other, and... I can't remember the other ones. No matter how weird they sounded though, they were always good!

OK, so I had to try the Lick Dark Chocolate Olive Oil Sea Salt Ice Cream. It's actually very tasty. You don't get the strong olive oil taste that you get from some olive oils, but you can tell it's there, more by mouth-feel than than anything else. The Ice Cream isn't as creamy as Three Twins or Jenni's, but it is very tasty.

Sesame Halva!! Why haven't I discovered this awesomeness before?!? I want MORE!

Hmm, We've had folks from India visit at work, and when they do they often bring Halva. It's OK, but I've never had any that really knocked my socks off.

I do however like Carrot Halwa. More similar in name than anything else.

And, what I really like that's kind of similar to the Halva is usually called Besan Burfi. It's like a moist shortbread cookie made from chickpeas, but you'd never know it from eating it.

 

[vrmmsm]

Is it possible to not like garlic?

Agreed. That was one of the things that I loved about my trip to southern Spain. EVERYTHING except the Sangria had garlic in it. When you went to the grocery store, you couldn't buy single cloves of garlic like we sell it here. It came in huge braids with many, many cloves.

....Yes.

I don't care much for cheese or bacon or onion, either.

Hmm, yeah, what planet are you from? OK, I could probably live without bacon as long as I never had to smell it cooking, but Cheese is a must have and Onions are second as an ingredient only to garlic.

 

[vrmmsm]

But it's got a nasty habit of making me gag uncontrollably (which is something that's happened since I was a child) for whatever reason, so for the most part, I prefer to avoid it. I don't really care for the taste, anyway, so I don't feel like I'm missing anything.

OK, I take back the, what planet are you from, comment. Now I'm just sad and feel really sorry for you. Hahahah. I guess different strokes...

 

[desertslave]

I've just never been a fan.

It's fine on some things, I guess. Pizza. Macaroni and cheese. That kind of thing. But it's got a nasty habit of making me gag uncontrollably (which is something that's happened since I was a child) for whatever reason, so for the most part, I prefer to avoid it. I don't really care for the taste, anyway, so I don't feel like I'm missing anything.

I like mashed potatoes, but I can choke on them in no time. So weird!

I didn't used to like much cheese. My first Sir convinced me to try a few different ones and got me hooked. Now I'm a damned mouse. LOL

And mmmmm garlic! Occasionally I roast full heads, drizzled with a little olive oil. My kids would eat the cloves as candy! I prefer mine spread on some good sourdough bread.

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

I've just never been a fan.

It's fine on some things, I guess. Pizza. Macaroni and cheese. That kind of thing. But it's got a nasty habit of making me gag uncontrollably (which is something that's happened since I was a child) for whatever reason, so for the most part, I prefer to avoid it. I don't really care for the taste, anyway, so I don't feel like I'm missing anything.

Ok, I realize what I wrote sounded kind of... judgemental. I didn't mean for it to sound that way. I'm just really shocked, given that cheese runs from mild to tangy to... that stuff Seela likes to creamy to hard to... well, it's one of the single most versatile foods we have! To not like any of it truly flabbergasts me. Now, given your physical reaction, that's understandable. I also understand lactose intolerance. That's a totally different matter when your body rejects it...

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

<snippety snip snip, sniperoo>

Hmm, We've had folks from India visit at work, and when they do they often bring Halva. It's OK, but I've never had any that really knocked my socks off.

I do however like Carrot Halwa. More similar in name than anything else.

And, what I really like that's kind of similar to the Halva is usually called Besan Burfi. It's like a moist shortbread cookie made from chickpeas, but you'd never know it from eating it.

Well! I have heard tell of another human who likes this Besan Burfi stuff. Hmmmmmm... interesting

As to halva, I'm pretty sure you aren't doing it right, especially as you mentioned carrots immediately after This stuff was in candy bar format, and nom nom nom delectable!!

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

Agreed. That was one of the things that I loved about my trip to southern Spain. EVERYTHING except the Sangria had garlic in it. When you went to the grocery store, you couldn't buy single cloves of garlic like we sell it here. It came in huge braids with many, many cloves.

And BTW, those are heads, not cloves

 

[BiBunny]

OK, I take back the, what planet are you from, comment. Now I'm just sad and feel really sorry for you. Hahahah. I guess different strokes...

LOL, no worries. I'm good. I'm sure everybody else will make up for the cheese that I'm not eating.

I like mashed potatoes, but I can choke on them in no time. So weird!

I know that really sucks, but there's a part of me that's glad I'm not the only one who has this sort of problem.

(It's not just cheese, either, BTW. It just happens to be the worst offender.)

Ok, I realize what I wrote sounded kind of... judgemental. I didn't mean for it to sound that way. I'm just really shocked, given that cheese runs from mild to tangy to... that stuff Seela likes to creamy to hard to... well, it's one of the single most versatile foods we have! To not like any of it truly flabbergasts me. Now, given your physical reaction, that's understandable. I also understand lactose intolerance. That's a totally different matter when your body rejects it...

Oh, no, no, no, don't even worry! I didn't take it that way at all.

Even though I'm not a fan of most kinds of cheese, I actually do like some of it. Cream cheese, for instance. But even that can trigger that gross reaction sometimes.

 

[La damnee elle la licorne]

 

[seela]

Chicken salad. No garlic involved. Two kinds of lettuce, basil, red onion, cucumber, cherries and goat cheese. Cherry infused balsamic vinergar syrup.

 

[Curious_in_Cali]

Chicken salad. No garlic involved. Two kinds of lettuce, basil, red onion, cucumber, cherries and goat cheese. Cherry infused balsamic vinergar syrup.

Wow, that is just beautiful and looks delicious!

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

Are you still packing my care package seela?
I'll take one of these too, please

 

[seela]

Wow, that is just beautiful and looks delicious!

Cherries make everything look better, if you ask me.

Are you still packing my care package seela?
I'll take one of these too, please

It's on its way already. Filled with lutefisk, tar soda and squeaky cheese.

***

This was my breakfast today. Oakleaf lettuce, basil, goat cheese and strawberries on rye, drizzled with the cherry infused balsamic syrup I made yesterday.

I love this time of year when both cherries and strawberries are sort of cheap.

 

[desertslave]

Cherries make everything look better, if you ask me.



It's on its way already. Filled with lutefisk, tar soda and squeaky cheese.

***

This was my breakfast today. Oakleaf lettuce, basil, goat cheese and strawberries on rye, drizzled with the cherry infused balsamic syrup I made yesterday.

I love this time of year when both cherries and strawberries are sort of cheap.

I don't remember which, but one of the fast food chains is enticing me to 'foodicide' with a luscious-looking spinach and strawberry salad. I love spinach and I'm only allowed to eat it rarely. I could eat this salad every day!

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

Cherries make everything look better, if you ask me.

It's on its way already. Filled with lutefisk, tar soda and squeaky cheese.

***

This was my breakfast today. Oakleaf lettuce, basil, goat cheese and strawberries on rye, drizzled with the cherry infused balsamic syrup I made yesterday.

I love this time of year when both cherries and strawberries are sort of cheap.

<IMG snip>

My 9 year old nephew and my cat will make short work of the tar soda and the cheese, and love it! Now, if I could just make friends with a 'possum, I'll have a jolly tea party

How did you flavour you're balsamic? Just boil it down with cherries in it?

 

[BiBunny]

Gah, Seela, your salad from yesterday and your breakfast from today both look amazing! Fresh fruit's just the greatest.

I had rolls, yogurt, strawberries, and a nectarine for lunch. Not particularly creative or inspired, but...fruit!

(I love this time of year. You know, in case there's still someone out there who hasn't noticed yet. )

 

[La damnee elle la licorne]

 

[Vixandra]

Hokkaido milk bread in the oven and probably chicken Katsura for dinner. Cause I can.

 

[seela]

I don't remember which, but one of the fast food chains is enticing me to 'foodicide' with a luscious-looking spinach and strawberry salad. I love spinach and I'm only allowed to eat it rarely. I could eat this salad every day!

Spinach and strawberries are both really good. Why I've never made a salad of them, I don't know. That must be rectified ASAP.

<IMG snip>

My 9 year old nephew and my cat will make short work of the tar soda and the cheese, and love it! Now, if I could just make friends with a 'possum, I'll have a jolly tea party

How did you flavour you're balsamic? Just boil it down with cherries in it?

You think a possum would eat lutefisk?

I smash the cherries with balsamic vinegar to release the juices, let it sit for a bit and then boil it down gently.

Gah, Seela, your salad from yesterday and your breakfast from today both look amazing! Fresh fruit's just the greatest.

I had rolls, yogurt, strawberries, and a nectarine for lunch. Not particularly creative or inspired, but...fruit!

(I love this time of year. You know, in case there's still someone out there who hasn't noticed yet. )

What you described is my usual lunch, unless I'm feeling especially ambitious or there are leftovers from the previous night. I work from home, I'm not gonna cook for myself. Except for pea or spinach soup, made of frozen stuff because it's easier. The ambitious days mean I might make some lemon pasta, so not very ambitious.

Cherries are nothing like cheap here yet . But I am noticing them ripening on trees in local plantings. There is a wonderful time of year when cherries are cheaper than grapes. My favourite might be the blushing yellow ones.

I think it's so very relative what is cheap. Right now both cherries and strawberries are about 6 euros a liter and the prices are going down. Sometimes in the evening you can get them for half price, and it's all imported. Local strawberries will have to wait until July probably and local cherries...I don't think I've ever seen any place where you could buy them, they're too rare here so nobody sells them I guess.

 

[IrisAlthea]

Spinach and strawberries are both really good. Why I've never made a salad of them, I don't know. That must be rectified ASAP.

It's great with strips of beef.

I think it's so very relative what is cheap. Right now both cherries and strawberries are about 6 euros a liter and the prices are going down. Sometimes in the evening you can get them for half price, and it's all imported. Local strawberries will have to wait until July probably and local cherries...I don't think I've ever seen any place where you could buy them, they're too rare here so nobody sells them I guess.

Much the same here.
I love cherries so I'll pay what they are asking now and then as long as the quality is reasonable. I know people who think this makes me really high maintenence though.

 

[seela]

It's great with strips of beef.

I'll definitely keep the beef idea in mind. We very rarely eat beef, but if you say it's good, I have no reason not to believe. Any sauce to go with it?



In other news, ABC cooking is moving forward. Today was N for Nepal.

Aloo ko tarkari, or potato and pea curry. Naan to go with it. I baked the naan in the oven instead of doing it on a pan, so it wasn't perfect and lacked those nice crunchy, charred bits. I was still very good.

It was a bit of a cop out on my part, because I cook Indian food all the time. I was at first thinking of making momos or lamb stuffed naan, but even the idea of rolling, cutting and stuffing the momos made me want to avoid cooking altogether and I've been feeling vegetarian lately, so this dish it was.

 

[IrisAlthea]

I'll definitely keep the beef idea in mind. We very rarely eat beef, but if you say it's good, I have no reason not to believe. Any sauce to go with it?

Goat cheese or mozarella works too.

I use a balsamico vinaigrette.

 

[La damnee elle la licorne]

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

I thought possum ate everything? No??
And, I love the look of your baked naan - poufily perfect! : ) I know what you mean about the little charred bits though... those are my favourite!

 

[seela]

I thought possum ate everything? No??
And, I love the look of your baked naan - poufily perfect! : ) I know what you mean about the little charred bits though... those are my favourite!

I don't know? I've never seen a possum, but if you say they eat lutefisk I believe you. I don't eat it. Its grossness is only exceeded by surströmming, as far as fish products go. I'm pretty sure hákarl would be right up there with surströmming fighting for the first place of grossness in the fish product category, but I'm yet to have the pleasure of trying it.