Thank You

Refreshing!

To Go Ware

I'm trying to get away from my plastic habit, so I purchased this from a shop online. Seeing the packaging here though it looks so 1950s. Or let's go camping. Or something.
Kind of wish it came with someone to make gourmet salads and sides, and someone to clean it afterwards.

My Favorite

Fish Tacos & The Mermaid Wine Bar

First off let me say I'm sorry his fish tacos with two salsas (Spicy Mango and Pico de Gallo) are blurry but that's nothing compared to the way I mangled the photo of my lunch, Halibut Rockefeller (like Oysters Rockefeller but with halibut instead, locally caught halibut).  

We're like the Romans. When at the ocean, eat ocean food. We found this old time dining establishment that we have never visited and settled in. I was faced towards the wine bar while he got a view of the dining room and all the diners. 

He told me later when I started taking pictures of the mermaids, all eyes were on me. I had to laugh. My back was to my audience. Really I am so self-conscious just the idea of people watching me is enough for me to go hide in the bathroom. I'm certainly glad he didn't share this nugget of information until much later in the day.   

 

  

Anyway, my rice pilaf tasted exactly like rice-a-roni, but the fish and the veggies were good. He liked his tacos. And convo at the next table was pretty incredible and hard to miss. Hah, dining out can be so much fun! 

  

I didn't see the action, but he said (of the guy at the next table) that he didn't realize you could shove that much food in your mouth that quickly. I'm kind of glad I wasn't a witness.

  

 

The man excused himself shortly after finishing his meal, and the two women left behind said, 

"So how'd you like him, Ma?"

"Better than the last one."

"Oh I know."

"Ate kind of fast too."

"Yeah. He's only person I know that eats faster than me, but wasn't he sweet, Ma?"

Ma paid the bill.

Neanderthal Gazpacho (by The Mister)

The pound pound pounding was enough to wake up the cliche. I hadn't thought too much about blogging this until after the fact, or I could have gotten some cool chop chop chopping pictures and maybe even a small video of the action. Maybe next time. At least I caught this mess in time, and he proudly told me that it was His Very Own Recipe, Neanderthal Gazpacho!!!

Of course I Googled Gazpacho to see what came up (including my spelling of it, unbelievable that it's correct). I landed on this site only to discover the dish originated in Andalusian Spain. 

  

Wow, that's a cowinky dink! We took care of a couple of Andalusian goats for awhile and it's my Photostory Friday post on my other blog. Heck if others won't link me, I'll link myself. (That almost  sounded risque.)

I know you're dying for the recipe, so as told to me by him:

Ripe tomatoes picked from Judy's wonderful garden

Red onion

Cucumber, cut off skin

Bell pepper also fresh from garden (He usually uses a hot pepper, but my Bells are pretty tangy this year.) 

Parsley from garden

Garlic

Kiwi (and strawberries if available)

Everything is chopped up and then pulverized in his granite mortar and pestle. That's the Neanderthal part. He wanted me to be sure to tell you that neanderthals did not use mortar and pestles. I'll do a little research and get back to you on the origins on that which I should probably already know because I have a small collection.

Now combine all ingredients in one bowl and add to taste

Sea salt

Ground fresh black pepper Lots, he insists.

Juice of one lime

He then adds vinegar and extra virgin olive oil in a 3 to 12 ratio, tablespoons that is. It was at this time I entered the kitchen to find the above pre-clean up. I raced for my camera.

"Wait," I screamed. "Don't clean anything up! I'm going to blog your recipe!"

  

I can never tell if he's more amused or annoyed that I tell the world about us or our dirty kitchen, but I tell him, "Don't worry because nobody reads my blog anyway." I know that always makes me feel better.

Refrigerate soup overnight. In the morning, he scoops out a portion for lunch and adds more olive oil. He's an olive oil freak! He likes his soup chunky, but I noticed lots of recipes add bread cubes and blend it smooth. 

It's quite tasty.

Neanderthal Gazpacho

Corn Muffin Tops

I purchased one of those miniature muffin pans recently. I've always wanted one. The pan is super heavy duty and kind of non-stick but not Teflon. My first round of muffins were cheddar bacon corn muffins from scratch. And they were awful. I don't how I flubbed up the recipe, but I did. And in the trash they went. Too bad I don't have chickens or pigs or a dog, for that matter. I'm sure they would have ate them. Well no matter.

  

My second round, pictured above and below, were from a store bought mix. The package said grease the pan and I swear to you I did, but the muffins still did not want to come out whole. So instead of whole muffins, I have muffin tops and muffin bottoms. And they are quite tasty warmed with a drizzle of maple syrup for breakfast.

Zinnias And A Posing Lizard