What are you eating?

[kaergaard]

What happened to Toledo Bass's call for soup on a cool day? Was here just a minute ago.

[SonicMan46]

When the food looks this good, post away, Dave! It's been years since we had pork ribs. The picture makes my mouth water.

Hi Sarge - not a big rib fan but those were quite tasty! Susan loves to chew on bones of all kinds (one of my many nicknames I have for her is 'Bone Woman' - of course, she has a number for me, some not too appealing - but that's marriage! ) - her grandfather ran a grocery store in New Jersey which apparently had an excellent butcher section - sounded like they had plenty of delicious & prime cuts of all sorts of meats when she was growing up!  Dave

[PaulR]

Just had seared salmon with creamy dill sauce.  Even though they didn't have fresh salmon--and I cooked it the opposite way the recipe said (supposed to be flesh side down first)--I loved it.   Although salmon has lately been my favorite fish.

[Brian]

Just had seared salmon with creamy dill sauce.  Even though they didn't have fresh salmon--and I cooked it the opposite way the recipe said (supposed to be flesh side down first)--I loved it.   Although salmon has lately been my favorite fish.

Salmon's fantastic. I just had steelhead trout (very similar) with garlic, a bit of citrus, and capers. Delicious.

[TheGSMoeller]

Late Night Snack

-Slice of Pecan Pie
-Croissant from Sam's Club (they are delicious)
-Blue Moon in a bottle

[jlaurson]

Having lots of large and beautiful and tasty Porcini at hand at a friend's in Salzburg recently (the first few stripes were delicious with eggs in the morning, sunny side up), it called for a good risotto. While we were biking about in the countryside on a all-shops-closed Sunday, said friend's mother found risotto rice, fortunately... so I got to work, once we were back. But the sticker on the rice was a curious one: "20.99" Was that a price?? It couldn't be, obviously... or wait, no... Schilling & Groschen? Sure enough... that rice was 1999 vintage, and not vacuum packed, like the Gallo brand is now. Once I got the moth out and rinsed off what may have been card-board dust (in the best scenario), it turned out to be quite edible, though... and fortunately the ladies weren't of the squeamish sort. Made and consumed with a decent Austrian Riesling and Porcini stock I had prepared that morning.

[DavidW]

I finally had South Carolina's signature dish yesterday... shrimp and grits.  I like it.

[TheGSMoeller]

I finally had South Carolina's signature dish yesterday... shrimp and grits.  I like it.

David, I think was just a few miles from you the other day, I drove to myrtle beach and went straight through Florence.

[DavidW]

David, I think was just a few miles from you the other day, I drove to myrtle beach and went straight through Florence.

That's too bad we could have met up.  Florence is 20 miles away from here.  I go there pretty often as it has much more shopping and restaurants than Hartsville does.

Well actually it was a busy day yesterday.

I hope that you enjoyed Myrtle Beach.  About 20 minutes south of it is Huntington State Park, don't know if you visited it or the gardens but they're really neat.

[TheGSMoeller]

That's too bad we could have met up.  Florence is 20 miles away from here.  I go there pretty often as it has much more shopping and restaurants than Hartsville does.

Well actually it was a busy day yesterday.

I hope that you enjoyed Myrtle Beach.  About 20 minutes south of it is Huntington State Park, don't know if you visited it or the gardens but they're really neat.

My in laws have a house at myrtle, we try to go several times a year, I'll definitely hit you up next time we drive through.

We've been to Brookgreen Gardens a few times, I know that is south of where we stay, not sure if that's part of Huntington.

Nice thing is that the house is south of all the hotels and tourist attractions so it's calm and peaceful, never have to fight for a spot on the beach.

[Sergeant Rock]

Sure enough... that rice was 1999 vintage, and not vacuum packed, like the Gallo brand is now. Once I got the moth out and rinsed off what may have been card-board dust (in the best scenario)

  ...dining with Jens: it's not just dinner, it's an adventure.

Sarge

[SonicMan46]

I finally had South Carolina's signature dish yesterday... shrimp and grits.  I like it.

Hi David - one of Susan's favorite dishes - she's had dozens of versions all over Virginia & the Carolinas (and likely in Georgia) - everyone seems to have a different recipe, so if you're a fan then time to get a handle on the 'standard deviation' -    Dave

[DavidW]

Sounds like I have a new mission!

[Sergeant Rock]

Ah, tis the season! fresh mussels and truffles. We ate at our favorite local Italian this evening, Al Fiume in Worms, situated on the Rhine River just a few steps from the Hagen statue (Worms is the Nibelungen city):




For starters Mrs. Rock and I shared a platter of mixed carpaccio (salmon, tuna, squid, beef).  Then I had mussels in tomato sauce. Mrs. Rock had pasta with black truffles and parmesan. It's a production. They shave a generous amount of parmesan from the center of a huge wheel (a half meter in diameter) and then ladle in hot noodles, melting the cheese.





To finish the dish, they shave black truffles onto the plate. The result is this:





We drank a 2010 Barbera d'Asti from Tenuta Olim Bauda





Sarge

[Brahmsian]

To finish the dish, they shave black truffles onto the plate. The result is this:




Sarge

I've never had real 'truffles'.  I hear they are bloody expensive, and can only be found by pigs. 

[SonicMan46]

Ah, tis the season! fresh mussels and truffles. We ate at our favorite local Italian this evening, Al Fiume in Worms, situated on the Rhine River just a few steps from the Hagen statue (Worms is the Nibelungen city):

For starters Mrs. Rock and I shared a platter of mixed carpaccio (salmon, tuna, squid, beef).  Then I had mussels in tomato sauce. Mrs. Rock had pasta with black truffles and parmesan. It's a production. They shave a generous amount of parmesan from the center of a huge wheel (a half meter in diameter) and then ladle in hot noodles, melting the cheese.

To finish the dish, they shave black truffles onto the plate. The result is this:

We drank a 2010 Barbera d'Asti from Tenuta Olim Bauda

I've never had real 'truffles'.  I hear they are bloody expensive, and can only be found by pigs. 

Hi Sarge - looks wonderful!  Love mussels & truffles - and REAL parmesan! 

@ Ray - pigs are amazing animals, but dogs will work for finding truffles and won't necessarily eat them!   BUT, they are certainly expensive - once you've given them a try, expense won't matter, plus a 'little' goes a long way - Dave

[Brahmsian]

Hi Sarge - looks wonderful!  Love mussels & truffles - and REAL parmesan! 

@ Ray - pigs are amazing animals, but dogs will work for finding truffles and won't necessarily eat them!   BUT, they are certainly expensive - once you've given them a try, expense won't matter, plus a 'little' goes a long way - Dave

Thanks Dave.    All of it sounds really good.  Yes, mussels and real parmesan.  Quite yummy!

[Brian]

Thanks Dave.    All of it sounds really good.  Yes, mussels and real parmesan.  Quite yummy!

Watch the Croatia episode of "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations" and you'll see him go on a truffle hunt.

[mc ukrneal]

Watch the Croatia episode of "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations" and you'll see him go on a truffle hunt.

He's a real swine, so should have no problems finding them!

[Brian]

Folks, weigh in! A local cheese shop is having a tasting/class session where they introduce us to the wines and cheeses of the Jura region of France. My question for the Francophiles on the board: is it worth a evening (and a fee) to explore a range of Jura wines and cheeses? What could I expect?

There's also a "bubbly & cheese" tasting the next week...