Thursday, October 18, 2007

Friday Five: Top Chef

RevHRod at RevGalBlogPals writes:

This Fall my family has been energetically watching Top Chef on the Bravo channel. My teenage daughter watches with the dream of some day being a chef. My husband watches because he loves reality shows and I mean, really loves them. Plus the whole competition thing really works for him. Me, I love cooking and good food. Every so often I get an idea from this group of talented young chefs who are competing for big money and honors galore.

The winner for this season was Hung. Not the fan favorite, but he won fair and square. In his bio, he says if he were a food "I would be spicy chili - it takes a while to get used to, but once you eat it you always come back for
more!" With that in mind, here is this week’s Friday Five.

  • If you were a food, what would you be?

  • I would most likely be some crazy combination of flavors with a weird title. Something that sounds like a Ben and Jerry's flavor of ice cream. Something with unexpected bits of spunky flavor, with the occasional meltdown, and definitely something that tickled. I might be a flavor that takes some getting used to, but once you do, you enjoy it in a weird kind of way. Nothing bland, though. I would not be a casserole with cream of mushroom soup. But I also would not be so exotic that you'd never try to have me around again... (And if you can figure out what in the heck I am, let me know! Because I don't have a name for me other than 100% Deb!)
  • What is one of the most memorable meals you ever had? And where?
    It would have to be the little restaurant in Northern Virginia where we went for a friend's wedding reception. They had lobster bisque for one of the courses. Chicken Marsala that was fabulous. And there was some kind of kickin' chocolate dessert. The lobster bisque alone was so fabulous I wanted to lick the bowl! But it WAS someone's wedding reception. And I WAS trying to be a grown-up. (Even if they didn't have crayons to color at the tables... sigh...)

  • What is your favorite comfort food from childhood?
  • My mom's fresh bread from the oven with country butter. White. Yeasty. Totally yum. And the smell of bread baking as I came in the door from school? (drool, drool....) Then add to that some of her homemade jelly or jam??? Oh my.

  • When going to a church potluck, what one recipe from your kitchen is sure to be a hit?

  • Well not THIS one. (Scroll down... I just blogged about it...) Every summer I make a batch of peach salsa and the batch I took to the Labor Day picnic disappeared before anyone came back for seconds. It's only good when you make it with FRESH peaches. One of the highlights of our summer...

  • What’s the strangest thing you ever willingly ate?
  • It would have to be fried chicken necks. Yes. Really. Deep fried. Supposedly you crack them open and slurp. I could not ever do it again. And darn! Part of mine fell on the ground and the dogs took it away.

    Bonus question: What’s your favorite drink to order when looking forward to a great meal?
    My absolute favorite is a good German wine. A pinot gris perhaps. And if you happened to serve it to me in a jacuzzi overlooking the German Alps, so much the better... sigh...

Bon Appetit!
Deb

24 comments:

RevHRod said...

Slurping fried chicken necks?!? Okay, you beat out the entry of armadillo hands down. I can almost hear the slurp!

Thanks for reminding me about the joy of coming home after school to warm bread. The yeasty smell! Yummm!

And maybe you're the peach salsa but with a really funky name?

Cathy said...

Deb, I'll bring the armadillo, but don't feed your chicken necks to those dogs again!!!!!

Jan said...

I used to bake bread, especially when my children were young, which they no longer are. Home bake bread with butter is so good. If I wasn't dieting as usual, I'd bake some tomorrow! Thanks for the reminder.

Hot Cup Lutheran said...

yeah i just can't do fried chicken no matter the part - bleah... and it's a good thing you aren't a casserole with cream of mushroom cuz i think we just had that for supper tonight. (whew! we're safe it was cream of celery!)

Elaine (aka...Purple) said...

Peach salsa...sounds wonderful. My mom baked bread and so I too, love the smell of bread, and that first taste right out of the oven.

leah said...

but i like cream of mushroom soup, and in casseroles, too! and i'm right there with you and your mom's bread, only for me it would be my grandmother's. great pics--thanks for playing!

1-4 Grace said...

100% Deb sounds like a great B and J flavor!

It could be extra creamy vanilla ice cream (start basic and simple) with bits of fresh peaches, crushed up graham cracker and crstalized ginger and a band of carmel swirl throughout.
Not too exotic, but differnt.
I love home baked bread.
I have a peach salsa that I make too. Ususally a big hit. When I can't get good fresh peaches, I use canned, but the kind packed in juice, not syrup. Makes big difference.

Sista Cala said...

I thought the expression 'country butter' was something my family coined. We had no luxuries and had all sorts of 'home-made' or 'country stuff'. As a youngster, I equated it w/being poor. Now I believe we were the richest people around because of our love and sharing with one another. And oh was that country butter the best. Hard to find anything close to it these days.

Sally said...

yew... fried chicken necks... think I'll stick to 100% Deb Ice cream...
well played :-)

DogBlogger said...

Good play! Love your answer to #1. The reason I haven't played yet is because I can't figure out that answer!

revhipchick said...

i was drooling until the chicken necks. the only bad thing about this friday 5 is trying to keep from hurling when we read the weird stuff we've tried (mine included)!

wonderful play! my hubby loves making jalapeno jelly--perhaps we could exchange sometime!

Melissa said...

Chicken necks? Wow...that's impressive.

Good play!

Princess of Everything (and then some) said...

I have never had peach salsa. I get it us good!

I can make you some bread.

Unknown said...

The Bread sounds wonderful. Great Play.

Nina Reeder said...

Ohhhhhhhhhh, fresh bread. Just when I find out I'm allergic to wheat, too. I'll just help myself to more chicken necks.........

Terri said...

ewww...slurping chicken necks, I'd definitely let my dogs have that one (not the bones, though)...

and ahhhh, I love peach salsa, delicious - and homemade bread still warm with butter - yes!

good stuff!

Althea N. Agape said...

Chicken necks make good broth, but deep fried??? Ick.

Unknown said...

I can practically smell that bread!

Diane M. Roth said...

I can smell the fresh bread! and your recipes are inspirational.

Diane M. Roth said...

and oh, dogs should only eat RAW chicken necks...

RevDrKate said...

Did you COOK the chicken necks before slurping? Inquiring minds want to know? Love those German wines, too!

Sarah said...

Love Top Chef...don't love chicken necks...do love bread...and love anything made with peaches! :) Perhaps you could be described as sweet potato casserole...it can be savory or sweet...mushy...and good no matter what way you have it! One of my favorites...a coincidence? I think not! :)

Groovy Mom said...

Wow you make me hungry. Those loaves of bread look delicious. I love homemade bread and don't make it nearly as much as I should.

Lori said...

Geez that bread looks wonderful!