Wednesday, September 24, 2008

lomo'd farmers' market

I've been toting around a Lomo LC-A this summer and have had varying degrees of success with capturing analog photos. There's a nice rich, color saturation that comes with the camera that brings out the best in memories. These two photos are just from a stroll to the Government Center farmers' market.


Sunday, September 21, 2008

Omnivore's Hundred

Sara posted her response to the VGT (Very Good Taste) Omnivore's Hundred list. I guess I've only eaten half of the things on the list, but I'd probably only be willing to eat 90% of the list anyway.

I felt pretty strongly about re-posting it for my loyal readers (all three of you) because I like the fact that the list spans all sorts of food groups, cultures, and price points. Who knows, I might obsess about this list as much as I did Stanford Magazine's list of 101 Things to Do Before You Graduate.

The Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari Tasty bites from the North End of course!
12. Pho Totally!
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes

22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava

30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float

36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
Filipino kare kare!!!
41. Curried goat Mommy influenced my opinion of goat - too stinky - I don't think I'll eat it.
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut

50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear I'm pretty sure prickly pear martinis don't count either
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal

56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores

62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian I assume Durian-flavored things don't count.
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie I don't enjoy these, but Sara totally does!
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong - maybe, I don't remember half the Chinese things I've consumed.
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict Reminds me of Stephen and my great brunch housewarming disaster.
83. Pocky AMAZING!
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash My Hungarian roommate Tomas was obsessed.
88. Flowers
89. Horse Yuck. I don't think I'll ever try this.
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
Mmmm. One of my favorite foods
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta And more of it thanks to the instant stuff at Trader Joe's
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

2008 Stanford Wine Program Selections

I used to think the Alumni office was all secret society-ish about their wine program offerings to SAA members-only. Apparently they've opened it up to the web-surfing public. Read about the selections here. The online prices are valid for CA, NM, and IA customers, but other out-of-state folks have different pricing and have to order through a special list of partner retailers - this list is not available online and is still secret society-ish.

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Vinum Cellars Wine Club - '08 Part Two

What was delivered in my Vinum Cellars wine club shipment last month?

2006 PETS, Petite Sirah, Clarksburg - Amazing. I think it's a great value for an easy to drink, unboring table red. Work people as well as Christophe and Blandine's Francophile dinner guests could not say better things about this wine. Boston folks can find it at Blanchard's ($12.99/bottle).

2007 White Elephant, California White Table Wine - I'm sure it was amazing as in my last shipment, but Ellen and Mary Ann bought these back from me as almost soon as I opened the box. I'm so happy they did!!! I'm not a baller who can actually afford to drink all this wine by myself. This would normally be just out of my price range if I were walking through a store ($17/bottle).

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley - I haven't tried it yet - as one of the pricier wines ($38/bottle) these puppies will keep until I have a nice excuse to open them.

2007 CNW, Chenin Blanc, Clarksburg - You know, as much as Vinum founders Chris Condos and Richard Bruno are famous for their love of Chenin Blanc, I can't say I share it. It makes me a little sad that I don't know how to appreciate this varietal. I've never had any other CBs, so I can't compare. That's probably my first step in learning what all the fuss is about (aww - I'm pulling the old "it's not you, it's me" excuse). But it's a very affordable, stand-up table white ($12/bottle).

Again, I'm really thankful to have stumbled upon Vinum through last year's Stanford Wine Program. I'm even more juiced that as a small boutique winery they can ship directly to folks in Massachusetts!