Food Fun

by Clara Robinson Meek



Anyone can be glamorous when it comes to dining, entertaining, decorating. Just pick up any Martha Stewart Living, Southern Living, Bon Appetite, Gourmet, Saveur, Wine Spectator magazine ----------- and the list is endless. I can tell you right now I have an excessive and irrational commitment to food. I watch the food channel when I pause long enough in the kitchen to grab a few apple slices with peanut butter for lunch.

I would like to share with you one of my favorite menus. Let's begin with a nice sashimi grade crudo and, of course, foie gras. Follow this with a simple salad, escabeche of skate with French first press olive oil. yummmmmm! Now for a bit of roasted bone marrow and parsley crostini.

Now we're getting to the good stuff................slow roasted wild salmon on dilled cucumbers and avocado with tarragon creme fraiche and Spanish Marcona almonds.

I chose a bottle of white full bodied Louis Jadot Montrechet (1999) for the above.

The dessert could be either a lovely raspberry and lemon curd roulade, or my to-die-for Grand Marnier creme brulee. A bottle of Taylor Fladgate & Yeatman 20 yr. tawny port would be perfect with either.

Of course, for this meal, I would have polished every piece of silver, drug out my best china, and made sure there were no spots on my crystal. And let's not forget the painstaking ordeal of floral arrangement. No table of mine is complete without a fresh bouquet-----and I like'em big!

Now let's look at some examples of my personal touch.

Okay, so the flowers are not exactly fresh----or real------and I haven't changed them in 2 years. I LOVE red poppies. How often do you see fresh red poppies, really? Now, let's get a closeup of my lovely bouquet. You may not have noticed an inhabitant.

That's right. It's a crow. He was so cute (in a macabre way) that I had to put him right in the middle of my precious poppies. Not ONE person has ever said a word. It's like getting a really bad haircut and everyone pretends they don't notice.

When you wrap a tree toad or a lizard around a person's napkin it is impossible for them to not notice. It even sets a certain level of expectation, as in, "I'm not getting foie gras tonight." So, I'm off the hook and can serve my fake crabmeat crab cakes. I think I may stock up on Yellowtail Pinot Grigio. WalMart has it on special for $4.97.

Why not kick up the atmosphere a notch with a couple of spectators on the windowsill? They don't eat anything.

Don's personal touch for the cooktop. Doesn't it look terribly French? Again, no comments. I'm beginning to think we have acquaintances lacking senses of humor--------or maybe we ARE just weird.

Dessert. It appears my brulee torch is out of fuel. How 'bout some ice cream? And coffee. Put enough Irish Cream in that coffee and everyone leaves thinking what a wonderful meal they had, even if the decor was strange.

The part about having a food fetish is absolutely true.

Titles

Written by
Clara Robinson Meek

I'm making some progress regarding my blogphobia. However, here it is, my turn again and I seem to be blogless in Boerne. One of my earlier reasons for procrastination was lack of titles.

How silly! Inspiration is all around me. Titles are now hurling themselves at me, practically attacking me. Following are a few examples.

I got out of the shower this morning, stumbled to the lav, looked in the mirror........... Title: My Mother Never Told Me I Was The Adopted Sister of Jack Nicholson

I ran an errand, got cut off in traffic by someone juggling food, drink, phone, and want ads............. Title: Seriously, Are There Any Sane Drivers?

My practically brand new computer freezes, AGAIN............... Title: I Was Lead to Believe that Apples Came from God

No one responds to my cheery, lilting "Hello" on the walking trail......... Title: Do I Look that Scary?

It is mid morning and I realize I haven't eaten breakfast, my resolution for a healthier me.......... Title: Leftover Stirfry: Its Not Just for Lunch

I'm in my closet trying to get dressed for a 2 o'clock appointment................. Title: Total Chaos Can Play Havoc with a Tight Schedule

Today I notice in my computer class that I'm the youngest student. I ROCK!............. Title: I'm Too Sexy for my Computer

Don is tilling his garden.............. Title: From Three Piece Suits to Dirt

There is a phone message. My Tai Chi class has been canceled AGAIN............... Title: I May Never Learn BUDDHA'S WARRIOR ATTENDANT POUNDS MORTAR

Is it dinner time already?.............. Title: Dining Goes Eclectic or Don't Ask, Just Eat

One last check of Face Book before bed............ Title: Face Book Addiction--It Could Happen to You.

Do you see what I'm saying? Life IS a title just waiting to be written. So, please, someone out there grab a few of mine and get after it!

Next time I may try to tackle content.