The Taste of Your Spoon

Fascinating read this... from the Financial Times.

Spoon fed: how cutlery affects your food

By Fuchsia Dunlop

Materials scientists are researching the link between metals and taste. Avoid cod with zinc, but do try copper with mango

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/776ba1d4-93ee-11e1-baf0-00144feab49a.html#axzz1uUyyOtWE

National Cheese Day

Well, I'd prefer cheese and bread to anything sweet. So this is my day.
All I can think is this...


Maytag Bleu - just stunningly wonderful. 
Stilton
Red Leicester
Cheddar - real cheddar
Sweet Home Farm - to you, I raise my glass. You make me happy.
Cowgirl Creamery - wish you were closer.
I can't believe I didn't post about home made mascarpone cheese - damn it - will rectify that situation. It was unreal. No, really it was. Made some excellent polenta. 
Neal's Yard - oh, I miss England so much (See Stilton, Red Leicester, Cheddar). 
Murray's - okay. Are you the dorky Scrubs fan who just wants to yell -- "Murray." I just would love to live in a big city... 


Well, I could go on and on (and on and one), but will not. Suffice it to say. Sigh. There is only so much cheese in the world. It's still one of my favorite things in the world. 

Bayou Teche Biere - Biere Pale

Well, what are you going to say after you meet the guys from the brewery. I'm me and I'm going to tell you how it is, not some spin after meeting some really great guys. The LA 31 Biere Pale is excellent and I totally get what the Knott brothers are trying to do with beer  - beer that fits the Gulf Coast life style - people north of us, just have to suck it.  Now I just hope that we'll have easier access to Bayou Teche Brewery beer soon!

Knott Brothers

turn of phrase ... or not

I read somewhere the other day that a person described herself as "jealous with envy." Now just what does that mean? Why not just be envious and be done with it.

Taking a little trip ...

We're so over New Orleans. Don't get me wrong, we love it there - it's a magical place, but we thought about exploring a part of Louisiana that we have not spend so much time in. We're going to cajun country - where the real cajuns live. I have plans to sample boudin from many small local producers and check out the natural beauty of the place. So we're going to spend our time in Acadiana. We've only ever been there once - to bug out because of hurricane - not ideal pleasure visit when you're worried about if you'll have a home to return to ... 

Expect to see posts on the area, the music, the beer, and the food. 

Check out my new site

http://www.3dayread.com/
It's my new site for all the words I care to read. I hope you enjoy it. 

Bayou Teche Brewery

We made some new friends this weekend which was really by accident, but very fortuitous. We have plans to go to Acadiana (Louisiana)  for my birthday trip - I was offered a present or a trip and mostly I choose trips to be with MotH* and away from work. Well, MotH found out about a brewery in the area - Bayou Teche Brewery - so we decide to see if there was any beer from their brewery anywhere around here - guess what, it was at *shock* Wisteria. So we went there Friday night and I'll be damned if two of the brothers from the Bayou Teche Brewery came by - damn skippy. We had a great chat and explained our boudin trip to that area and they had great ideas and we were told to get in contact as we get there next week. It was excellent meeting locals. They have the low down on where to go and what to eat. 
Now you have to understand the Wisteria. It's a bar in a totally residential section of town, but since it's been a store since before the time of Moses, it's allowed to still be a bar - the grandfather clause is a wonderful thing.  Well, we like it. And it's homey. So ... 
This whole thing started with a Garden & Gun magazine article that just got inside my head. It's like the Mississippi Tamale Trail (do your homework people), but even closer to home. And boudin is created in an area that we've been in before, but only because we were bugging out because of Hurricane Dennis (which was slightly meh compared to Hurricane Ivan which we didn't bug out for ... you pick your battles, don't you?)
It was great fun to hook up with Dorsey and Byron Knott with our friends Lindsey and Carey from Pensacola Bay Brewery - yes, our favorite place to be in town.  Can't wait to see Dorsey, Byron, and their brother Karlos, the brewmaster, this week. Really great people in a part of LA that we really like and want to get to know better. More details to follow. Let the hunt for the best boudin begin. 


*Man of the House - watch Quiet Man, you'll get it. 

Herb Gardens

I planted large planters of herbs this year - it was much easier than moving something to make room in the current herb garden. Here they are when they were first planted.

Sweet Basil and Flat Leaf Italian Parsley

German Thyme,  Common Sage, and Fernleaf Dill

And here they are just two short weeks later. Guess they like where they live and the water they have been given. 

Sweet Basil and Flat Leaf Parsley

German Thyme, Common Sage, & Fernleaf Dill

I have one more planter to set up which I did this weekend. And we'll see how it progresses. I expect good things. Oh, and the garlic chives that are in the garden bed are just about wild. They kind of look like long grass until they bloom. Lovely purple flowers.

In the Garden

Just a few pictures of what's happening in the garden now. We're getting a line of storms coming through tonight so these flowers won't be looking so hot in the morning. 

Timing in Recipes

Who knew such a food battle was brewing on recipe writers and their untruths. Not I. That said, one of the few things I ever look at in a recipe is how long, because it doesn't matter. It will take as long as it takes ... I enjoy being in the kitchen so if I get to be there longer to make good* food, so much the better.


* Good food being the key here ... 


And here is a good response.... from Chow - one of my favorite sites.