Finally: Sara's Food Questions Answered
As promised, Sara, the answers to the food questions you invented:
1) What is your favorite kind of cheese? Whatever I just tried, over at that little cheese shop that was down the street from where we lived when we were in Kensington in the winter of 2000. Now, there was a store. An entire store devoted to cheese. Everything labeled by type and provenance -- mostly the British Isles, in the latter case. We ate strong, interesting cheeses every morning for breakfast. No plastic wrap was involved.
2. What is the best way to eat chocolate? In the service of something else, such as toffee. I like chocolate, really I do, and mostly I like it dark and strong, but the fact is that given the choice between an excellent piece of dark chocolate and a very good piece of toffee, I will choose the toffee. Or marzipan, if that's what the chocolate is hiding.
3. What is the most "exotic" or "extravagant" thing you have eaten? In the dead of winter once, when I was visiting cousins in Norway up above the arctic circle, I sat in a reindeer tent with some Sami friends and had ceremonial boiled reindeer. There's nothing in it BUT reindeer -- salt wasn't around, at least not around the tent -- and though one is sitting under reindeer hides, and wearing reindeer boots, nevertheless, it is sorta COLD, and you have to eat quick cause stuff's congealing on the edge of the plate as you ceremonially eat your boiled reindeer. Afterwards, we went inside, where it was warm, and had strawberry cream cake. Do not ask me where the strawberries came from. It was December 30, we were above the arctic circle, and there were strawberries, apparently fresh. What can I say. There was also a centuries-old rowan tree, growing literally at the edge of the world, all wrapped up against the winter, but that's a different story.
4. What is your favorite bread or bread-food? Because it is more tasty than healthful, I don't make it except for potlucks or guests or special days, but currently (and for the last three years or so) my favorite bread, as made by me, is rosemary foccaccio, which kicks enormous amounts of butt. Lots of olive oil. Num.
5. If money wasn't an issue, and you could have it prepared however you want, what would be the thing you want to eat most? T-bone steak, very very rare, and charred on the outside, eaten with nothing but salt and pepper. Lord, t-bones cost a lot. I never buy them. Sometimes for my birthday Sam grills them.
6. What is your favorite thing about food? Well, the not dying part is nice, I guess, but what I like best about food is serving it to people. And I love the kitchen in Bear's Retreat, cause now I cook and people can sit in the giant kitchen and talk to me. Also we have music. Heaven on earth. In fact. Having read Paradise Lost, I'm pretty sure that in heaven itself, there's a lot of hanging about in heavenly kitchens eating and talking, though of course all the angels (those in heaven at least) are vegetarian. Hence their reliance on falafel.
7. Who do you want to share this table with? Well, since I got it from a student, though not one of mine, why don't I send it to students, present or past? That'd be Meredith and Lacy. (Any other of my students who haven't checked in, or whom I have missed? Just let me know.)
Thanks, Sara -- I enjoyed that.
Next, Victorian Taxidermy: How Bad Can It Get?* Stay tuned.
*******************************
*Answer: Very very bad indeed.
1) What is your favorite kind of cheese? Whatever I just tried, over at that little cheese shop that was down the street from where we lived when we were in Kensington in the winter of 2000. Now, there was a store. An entire store devoted to cheese. Everything labeled by type and provenance -- mostly the British Isles, in the latter case. We ate strong, interesting cheeses every morning for breakfast. No plastic wrap was involved.
2. What is the best way to eat chocolate? In the service of something else, such as toffee. I like chocolate, really I do, and mostly I like it dark and strong, but the fact is that given the choice between an excellent piece of dark chocolate and a very good piece of toffee, I will choose the toffee. Or marzipan, if that's what the chocolate is hiding.
3. What is the most "exotic" or "extravagant" thing you have eaten? In the dead of winter once, when I was visiting cousins in Norway up above the arctic circle, I sat in a reindeer tent with some Sami friends and had ceremonial boiled reindeer. There's nothing in it BUT reindeer -- salt wasn't around, at least not around the tent -- and though one is sitting under reindeer hides, and wearing reindeer boots, nevertheless, it is sorta COLD, and you have to eat quick cause stuff's congealing on the edge of the plate as you ceremonially eat your boiled reindeer. Afterwards, we went inside, where it was warm, and had strawberry cream cake. Do not ask me where the strawberries came from. It was December 30, we were above the arctic circle, and there were strawberries, apparently fresh. What can I say. There was also a centuries-old rowan tree, growing literally at the edge of the world, all wrapped up against the winter, but that's a different story.
4. What is your favorite bread or bread-food? Because it is more tasty than healthful, I don't make it except for potlucks or guests or special days, but currently (and for the last three years or so) my favorite bread, as made by me, is rosemary foccaccio, which kicks enormous amounts of butt. Lots of olive oil. Num.
5. If money wasn't an issue, and you could have it prepared however you want, what would be the thing you want to eat most? T-bone steak, very very rare, and charred on the outside, eaten with nothing but salt and pepper. Lord, t-bones cost a lot. I never buy them. Sometimes for my birthday Sam grills them.
6. What is your favorite thing about food? Well, the not dying part is nice, I guess, but what I like best about food is serving it to people. And I love the kitchen in Bear's Retreat, cause now I cook and people can sit in the giant kitchen and talk to me. Also we have music. Heaven on earth. In fact. Having read Paradise Lost, I'm pretty sure that in heaven itself, there's a lot of hanging about in heavenly kitchens eating and talking, though of course all the angels (those in heaven at least) are vegetarian. Hence their reliance on falafel.
7. Who do you want to share this table with? Well, since I got it from a student, though not one of mine, why don't I send it to students, present or past? That'd be Meredith and Lacy. (Any other of my students who haven't checked in, or whom I have missed? Just let me know.)
Thanks, Sara -- I enjoyed that.
Next, Victorian Taxidermy: How Bad Can It Get?* Stay tuned.
*******************************
*Answer: Very very bad indeed.
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