Celebrating a birthday tonight. I couldn't decide which entree to get, so I got two appetizers. Crispy pork belly over polenta and oysters Rockefeller. A little "Heaven's Door" for dessert.
I occasionally try and eat some healthy things (bacon, pulled pork, fatty beef, etc) so grilled up some spicy Italian sausages and made up a kale/sausage sauté. Yum! (tonight I'll go back to health food - pulled pork)
POUTINE!! - my fellow Canucks on this site knows what Poutine is
cheese curbs from our local cheese factory -
sliders with sautéed mushrooms, onions, melted brie cheese and pancetta on a brioche bun
Last night the Mrs. and I dined at Cafe Rustica in Boone, NC, an Italian restaurant. We were very pleased with the food, the staff, and the ambiance. We started with Calamari.
Friday night we dined at Pedalin' Pig, a bar/BBQ restaurant. Their pulled pork is excellent!
Last night the Mrs. and I dined at Cafe Rustica in Boone, NC, an Italian restaurant. We were very pleased with the food, the staff, and the ambiance. We started with Calamari.
There's a story behind the tentacles. Mrs. WM81 loves calamari and we often order it as an appetizer, but she wouldn't eat the tentacles. It was a visual thing, they didn't look appetizing. This was fine, as I prefer the tentacles, so it was an equitable split.
One night when we were first married we dined at Red Fedele's Brook House (Rochester NY) and the Missus ordered the calamari dinner. It arrived and it's 80% tentacles. The look on her face was priceless. But I didn't laugh -- we hadn't been married long at that point, but I was wise enough to not laugh!
I had explained the tentacles and rings taste the same, but it was that visual thing. A lot of folks will look at a plate of deep fried tentacles and say "NO!". However, she got over her concern and discovered I was right. [This restaurant always cooked calamari just right!]
Since then, she eats the tentacles, but still prefers the rings, so I generally take most of the tentacles. Saturday's appetizer was very good!
Nothing fancy to report, more an observation. When Jimmy Buffett passed away a few weeks ago, I bought some Heinz 57 to make a proper "Cheeseburger in Paradise". I was surprised at how good it was. A few times since, I've used it on simple grilled chicken and it really works. Tonight, I seasoned some BSBs with "The Blend" from Kinders. Available at Costco and basically, salt, pepper and garlic. Grilled them up and finished with the aforementioned 57. This was during a brief break we had between activities and I later just cut up the chicken and put it on a salad. Good stuff. Not gourmet, but certainly worked on this time constrained Sunday.
happy thanksgiving giving to all my Canucks
i smoked a ham on Cherry Wood, honey glazed, scalloped potatoes
butter nut squash, stuffing, homemade pop tarts, and some beautiful mouth watering Labanese sweets(baklava, Znoud el sit)