3 little truffles

Tuber Melanosporum, aka Perigord Truffle, or just plain ole Black Truffle, yes please!

Black and White and red almost all over

Cherry tomatoes on todays nyt business section - I had to do something to offset reading the front section with the woes of the world saturating every column.  It may be viewed as escape-ism but I prefer to think of it as finding center in the midst of chaos, this morning's visual mediation.

Don't let facts get in the way of preconceived notions

broiled gluten free organic cinnamon toast

I do these often and like making the espresso I have with it, they require tweaking to your mood and palate. I went a little crazy with the cinnamon/sugar mix on the right slice, but visually it made the shot.

I am on a new bread, Udi's, Gluten free and now available at my local Costco, this is my first loaf and it is great bread.  Gluten-free use to mean cardboard slices, but not this stuff.  I just can't handle much gluten anymore and I don't want to give up bread completely, how could I?  I want my cinnamon toast, french toast and my beloved leftover filled sandwiches.  I'm using organic cane sugar for my cinnamon toast mix and pure butter so I feel totally convinced that I am eating healthy! Well that is my perceived  reality.  Please don't try to say otherwise, I won't hear it, at least not when it comes to my palate.

Co-existence of Reds

I learned many things at the Spy Valley Memorial Day Lobster & Lamb feast..here are the first 2 that come to mind.

1.  Their Pinot Noir goes down great with grilled half Lobsters marinated with garlic and olive oil.
2.  Lobsters are an orange shade of red, even when cooked and Pinot Noir is a purple shade of red.

 I suppose I already knew No.2 but I have not had the occasion to put them side by side to really see the difference and appreciate the range what we call "red" has. I have tended to avoid orange-red and purple-red together visually but taste wise, it works for me…just another boundary broken.

Now the question.. Why aren't these profound thoughts.. let alone the pictures, not in Food&Wine?
I will work on that puzzle over the weekend.

Earthy Beets

Beets

I am a fan of root veggies, I love them with a traditional sunday roast meal.. but the beet I save for summer lite meals, in salads or blended in a green drink.  The colors are amazing and there is no food that communicates the fact they are of the earth as beets do.  

Grazing in the Midwest

Graze in Madison, Wiconsin.  As the name implies they are part of the farm-to-table movement and wow I did some serious grazing here.  First time to Madison, first time having a house lemonade that blew me away, a seasonal mix of lemon, ginger and rhubarb.  First time to try deep fried pickles..yeah I know, I have been in a cave. They do their own pickles there..that is so hard-core.
I was impressed with the college town / state capital combo in Madison..a toned down and accessible version of the vibrant but sometimes too edgy Brooklyn, or maybe that is just my midwestern roots showing.  I also ordered and enjoyed their brisket sliders spiked with kim chee. The interior dining space has a great open feel, 18ft floor to ceiling wall of windows with the capital building towering out front. I was there for a mid day lunch and as you can see there was lots-o-light.  I don't do reviews…but I guess I just did.. I liked it and wish I could go back to land-o-lakes and try all they offer.

Embracing Ripe

Ripe Blueberries 

Maybe it is because I feel each year now, maybe my taste buds have fully matured, maybe I just forget to eat the food I buy.. most likely it is a combination of all of these and more…but these days I tend to appreciate fruit more when fully ripe. Unlike my youth, I don't mind so much the signs of aging; wrinkles, loss of firmness..all these things I take now in stride and as a badge of honor, a badge of ripeness, a true indicator of maturity and full flavor.