In the beginning there was the pig...

I was told by a friend that I had to start a blog like this. I like food; I really, really like food. We eat out way more that we should during any given month, and make crazy elaborate dishes at home. However, unlike most people who simply enjoy this kind of thing (the cooking, the eating) I tend to think of these activities as almost religious experiences. It's a down right dirty obsession.

My choice of profession tends to add to, and diminish at the same time, my levels of engagement with food. I am, by trade, an opera singer, a very young one, but a working one none the less. So as an artist, naturally the wages are meager, and the cost of doing my work exceedingly high. But the places I go and the things I eat fuel my love for the culinary delights.

The husband says I have no concept of moderation when it comes to food. I beg to differ, I must have have some concept of moderation since I still have a figure. However, you have to agree with the man on some angles of his accusation. I am a pig when it comes to the good stuff.

Such as last night, with my homemade Sangria. Way too much of a good thing. But it was darn good.

I intend this to be a place of reflection and contemplation of all my culinary escapades, both at home and abroad. So let's begin...

Last night we made tapas (I have already mentioned the tasty beverage that currently is making my head pound). It was a celebration of my husband birthday and also an excuse to show off our moose-sized Christmas Tree. It really is lovely. The menu: Potato croquettes stuffed with manchego; Olives, cheese and meats; tortilla with onion; shrimp with garlic and wine; steaks with rosemary and garlic; Mushroom crostini; and bacon wrapped dates.

The potato croquettes were great, though they need a little spicing up for next time. But they tasted like potato as they should, and we fried them, so they were lovely and flaky-crispy. I am now a huge fan of tortilla (usually Egg and Potato). I have to say I cannot take credit for last night's creation as a friend helping us cook did the honors. Seared onions tossed with paprika, then covered with beaten eggs and then broiled. Amazing flavor. Will definitely be doing this one again. The shrimp with garlic was a little lacking, I usually add lemon, which we didn't think to buy, and reduce the sauce a little more. They would have been better served marinated and grilled like the steak. THE Steak: it was fantastic, another Oliver creation, and it was amazing; the sauce created with the mortar and pestle was so tasty. The mushrooms were awesome too, sauteed with sherry and garlic, should have used goat cheese for the spread on the bread with them, used garlic aioli instead, it was good, just not like goat cheese would have been. And the bacon wrapped dates are always really great, very popular, and so simple to do, just wrap 1/3 a slice of bacon around a date and pin it with a toothpick and bake in the oven for about 20 min total till crispy. Yum.


Overall the night was great! We had a lot of cancellations due to the near negative degree temps that night but all the same--those who came I think really enjoyed it. Viva las Tapas!


Tonight's menu: Electrolytes.