Tastes change. I was once fine drinking Schaefer Light. Today, not so much. What keeps showing up in my notes is the concept of cooking something exotic or esoteric versus cooking what I like. Sometimes these approaches unite and other times, well, not so much. I am continuously reminded to cull through ideas in order to get to dishes or concepts I truly want to eat again and again. And I am not merely talking about a great roast chicken or a hot fudge sundae. It is essential to be honest in the examination of ingredients and their combinations. For instance, I brought back the feta sorbet last evening for a cheese course. We paired the sorbet with honeydew melon, olive-sherry puree, and zucchini ribbons dusted with coconut powder. The dish and the combination of flavors were tasty. Our guests appreciated the unique aspect of feta sorbet and the flavors in combination. And herein lies the rub. I liked the dish. I liked the idea, the concept, and the taste. The textures were fun, and the feta sorbet was a fun way to integrate a cheese course on a hot evening. Yet, at the end of the day, I am not all that excited about eating feta sorbet again and again.
On the other hand, I was going through my notes and came across a dish from who knows when. Actually, I am using my notebooks, some of which are linked to via the notebook category, as key instruments in dish development. I just type in an ingredient, and wherever that ingredient is used, it becomes highlighted. I am able to use my wellspring of ideas to use products and pantry at hand to adapt dishes to current scenarios. Similarly, I am able to search for and execute ideas which I like. Dishes I want to eat again and again. We were fortunate to receive some beautiful tuna over the weekend. With tuna as the starting point, we used some notes which highlighted tuna, Comte, and sorrel. We combined those base elements with a fresh mint and olive oil marinade, and the result was a delicious and sensual dish which would make many Italians cringe. Oh well, it is tasty and what I like.
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