Friday, June 06, 2008

Culinary Meme, finally!


a lame is a lame, originally uploaded by BakingSoda.

A meme brought to me by Table bread, (in December 2007...) one that forces you to go back in time and memory, asks you to think about the road ahead or back. I am always afraid that my answers turn out to be trivial and not interesting but since I like to live life vicariously by reading about other peoples interesting lives I'll be a sport:

What were you cooking/baking 10 years ago?
- 10 years ago? Warp speed back; with one toddler and two babies in my kitchen, I was cooking baby food. Well not exactly baby-baby food (fruit bowls consisting of manga, papaya and pine apple or ginger flavoured mihoen is not exactly baby-ish). Around that time the oldest was already interested in all kinds of exciting flavours and preferred to have his food served in bite size chunks, the twins would have their food more or less pureed and the husband would like to have a grown-up meal.... So I cooked three fresh meals, cooked to order. Yes I was that crazy.

What were you cooking/baking (in December) one year ago?
Thanks to blogging, I'm able to show you these peanut butter - jelly cookies that were on my table one year ago today! And two years ago today? I made Christmas stollen!

Five snacks you enjoy:
- Lays paprika chips
- Cheese (any kind, any way, as it is or as an ingredient)
- Pecans
- anything caramel
- anything with bacon (dates rolled in crispy bacon)

Five recipes you know by heart:
Well that's a difficult one! Come to think of it, as soon as I know something by heart I don't consider it a recipe anymore. It evolves from being a "skill" to common; now I know how to do this, and if I can do it, anyone can do it. You know basics, what flavour goes with what and from there you proceed. Same is true about writing recipes here, I just go ahead and do something and most of the times I think duh... nothing to write about...

- breads, different styles, different flavours without even thinking about it.
- Pancakes ever since I was 11
- Pasta/Noodle dishes (dream up variations based on what's available in the fridge)
- Preserves, basics are simple so..
- Meat dishes like stews, chicken; again based on availability and what my eyes see in the spice cabinet.

Five culinary luxuries you would indulge in if you were a millionaire:
- I think I would travel.... travel to sample each and every dish I like in their original setting cooked for me by master chefs. That said I wouldn't know where to start.. Japan might be a good starting point.
- I shamelessly steal Lewis's idea of building/buying a house with an excellent kitchen, all fitted with appliances and attend the culinairy schools which are too far away (financially or geographically).

Food you love to cook/bake:
-Bread of course
-Soups for the comforting 'I'm in charge feeding the world feeling"
-Preserves...although no one in my family is a jam eater, I just like to make jam. Can't help it.
Maybe it's all about stirring a big pot, and the satisfaction of looking at rows of potted stuff.

Five things you cannot/will not eat:
-Things that try to escape your teeth...
- Slimey rubbery, well see above...
- Offal (can I make a small exception for goose liver? not PC but soooo good!)
- I certainly won't be stared at by my food...

Five favorite culinary toys:
- My stand m ixer (sooo original!)
- the Peugeot nutmeg shaver
- Rolling pin
- my Sabatier knives (hate the expensive Global knife I own...)
- guests and family who'll eat what I cook, without them no joy/toy in the kitchen!

Five dishes on your “last meal” menu:
I won't even go there, just too depressing.

Name five happy food memories:
- Taking turns eating corn off the cob with a toddler in my lap
- Having lobster on our first night in Nairobi, Kenia
- Mussels on a campsite in France, so fresh, barely a kitchen, no frillies but so good!
- Building a fire and roasting frankfurters and making cheese sandwiches on the top of a mountain after a long hike in Norway.
- The fun we had in our hotelroom taping stupid video we took showing the folks at home what a Red Lobster take out meal looked like. Back home discover we dwelled on the packaging and the tiny salt and pepper shakers without showing the actual meal.... duh!

Now I'm supposed to hand over the rolling pin baton.... I don't know! Someone? Anyone? Takers?

1 comment:

  1. That is a most fun one. And you are so funny and true . . .
    "- guests and family who'll eat what I cook, without them no joy/toy in the kitchen!" so they are a toy!

    ReplyDelete

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