Who else thinks that it currently feels like it is March outside? I know I sure do! Four layers in mid-May, really? Guess that's what global warming does to us, huh? If each and everyone of us took just an extra minute in each day to reduce our negative impact on the environment, do you think we would be able to make any difference? I like to think we could! Every little bit counts right?
Enough of my environmental preaching, granted it is a very important issue and one that we should all spend more time on. However, you all don't read my blog so that you can learn about how to save the environment, you read my blog for CHEEESE and that's what you will be getting today! Moving right along, shall we discuss the results of our Gruyere Marriage Mondays.
The trick with this week's contestants is that since each of the three candidates has so many sub-categories, to be very honest, each could win for a different reason. But the key here is which I think goes the best!
Contestant Number One: Tomatoes - Although luscious and juicy, tomatoes in their fresh form sliced thinly with gruyere and say some olive oil and basil are not good bedfellows. Why you may ask? Well that is because the juiciness of the tomatoes overwhelms and consequently takes center stage to the hard, nutty, caramelly-ness of the cheese. More simply, this just isn't a case where opposites could hypothetically hit it off. Granted, that isn't to say that non-fresh tomatoes wouldn't be a hit with gruyere..
Contestant Number Two: Salmon - Another case where opposites don't attract but again, not necessarily a case where they couldn't find another means of potential attraction. The fishiness coupled with the consistency of roasted/baked/etc salmon gives off an indulgently rich melt in your mouth sort of feel that triggers a different set of flavor profiles than gruyere and unfortunately they simply are not complementary. However, if you take smoked salmon, gruyere, some herbs and creme fresh and maybe some other veggies and throw them in a crepe, and heat the entire mixture up together, you probably wouldn't be disappointed, thrilled, I'm not so sure, but satisfied yes.
Contestant Number Three: Pickles - Did you figure it out?? Obviously I have chosen pickles to win.. The reason for this choice is the salt + puckery-ness mixing with nutty + buttery + barnyardy + puckery-ness working together. In more paired down wording -- both the pickles and the cheese share certain similar characteristics and complement each others' differences -- key needs in any and all relationships, right?
So, without further ado, the simplistic recipe for this evening's meal. Being that it is cold, this is meant to warm you, your tummy, and your soul -- bring back memories of elementary school lunches and delis you frequented in college.
Start off with some good ole fashioned Italian bread (you know what I mean, the crusty bread with the white fluffy cloud like interior), nothing too fancy, but good quality bread. Before you do everything else, lets slice length wise, three carrots, toss them with olive oil, garlic, and herbs and roast, depending on your oven for twenty to thirty minutes or until they are caramelized. Next up, a nice amount of sliced gruyere, then a few of Rick's Pick's "the People's Pickle," a crunchy garlic dill pickle. Now most people would then want to insert a meat here, as you all know, I do not eat meat and have an interesting other option, a marcona almond, green olive, olive oil, garlic, chile, and herb spread that can go on one side of the bread -- somewhat like a tapenade, but saltier and spicier. Apart from the tapenade, this sandwich needs its roasted carrots and a few leaves of mixed greens and it is ready to go! Salty because of the tapenade, puckery because of the pickles, vegetal because of the greens, nutty because of the cheese and finally sweet because of the roasted carrots, this will all create a surprisingly successful dialog when placed in the confines of two pieces of Italian bread. Heat and enjoy tonight's recipe.
Nite all.
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