Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food—Hippocrates
Due to some good fortune or bad Karma (you be the judge), I was presented with a bag of Impossible Burger Patties last week.
Now those of you in the carnivorous camp who eat only red or white meat and think the only veggies to eat are the onions, mushrooms, or peppers on top of your steak, probably never heard of these plant-based burgers.
To be honest, I probably would have never bought them. I would be thinking “Why Impossible? Impossible to like…impossible to enjoy…impossible to convince me I’m eating meat…impossible to convince me I’m saving the planet?”
Ok, that last one may have been uncalled for.
These plant-based burgers are “not unfortunate” in taste, as my blue-eyed darlin’ would say. They have the texture and shape of a meat-burger, but definitely not the taste or the juice dripping down your chin.
If I am hosting a plant-based-diet human in my abode, I would gladly serve up one of these burgers, they are tasty. However, I would never prepare one for a meat-eater, no matter how much you try to pretty it up with cheese and fixins’. You would never fool a meat-lover with this. I would be as nervous as a cocaine runner approaching a drug-sniffing dog in Miami’s airport.
Pre-cooked it looks like a regular burger, but maybe a little too perfect.
The Missus wanted hers disguised with cheese, a lame attempt at covertness.
Pretty it up all you want, still a soy burger. Good flavor, none the less.
Incidentally, I wander just how much less carbon is used up in producing this product. Based on the ingredient list, it looks like a lot of factory work here.
But then ol’ gassy Bessie can stop looking over her shoulder in the field.
I’m strong to the finich ’cause I eats me spinach—Popeye
When Daphne responded to George Costanza’s query about her eggs with “Eggs are eggs”, I cringed at this particular Seinfeldism. I, for one, value the importance of this often, taken for granted, ovate protein source. As stated in previous writings (that sounds so pretentious doesn’t it?), I love eggs and I am always trying to elevate the taste of them.
If I say the egg is my “muse”, does that mean I have to be artistic? No one has ever accused me of this. It is safe to say I will never cut off my ear if I break a yolk.
This past Friday morning, there was a smidgeon of something resembling a creative spark deep within me that was crying to see the light of the range hood. So the dish above was created.
I’m sure some of you will turn your nose up at this, but it really was a tasteful breakfast dish. If you can get past some of the biases that imprison your morning food choices, you may find this worthy of an occasional alternate start to your day.
This started with some delicious sourdough bread my blue-eyed darlin’ baked. It makes for a delicious toast canvas for my masterpiece. I spread some zhug (https://eat-with-big-surf.blog/2023/11/18/zhug-zhoug-sahawiq-schug-skug-mabooj/) on the toast. I sauteed some spinach with some store-bought marinated, grilled artichoke halves. I topped with a poached egg, salt and pepper.
Now Mrs. Big Surf and I loved the dish, though the missus felt like I used too much zhug and it overpowered her taste buds. I was surprised by this and when I verbalized my surprise, she said, “Your eyeballs are sweating”.
So the moral here is to know your audience. Based on a small sample size, the zhug can be a bit overwhelming to German and Irish palates, so go easy on this Yemeni originated condiment.
Show a little restraint like Van Gogh. He only cut off part of his ear.
Ours is a country built more on people than on territory. The Jews will come from everywhere: from France, from Russia, from America, from Yemen…Their faith is their passport—David Ben Gurion
The above quote is historic and also timely.
As one who finds the Jewish people fascinating, living in a country surrounded by enemies, I love this quote. I know the circumstances surrounding Israel, as of November 2023, with their war against Hamas, is a serious geopolitical event. And I have no sensical analysis to make any further comment. So, I will leave it at that since my little blog is nothing more than musings about things not so important.
However the above quote concerning the Jews returning to their homeland after 1948 reminds me of the many people who left Appalachia and returned to their homeland after their exile to Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and all other points North to work in the factories. That also fascinates me.
This little jar of spice and heat in the title picture fascinated me when I found it in a recipe. Zhug (or pick any other name or spelling this condiment goes by) was brought to Israel by the Jews who migrated back from Yemen in the 1950’s. I wonder if the northern cities thank the Appalachian workers for bringing them soup beans and cornbread?
Zhug combines the warm spices of the Mediterranean region like cumin, cardamon, cilantro, parsley, with lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Heat in the sauce is from jalapeno and black pepper.
The jar says you can use this on anything…so I am trying it on anything.
This delicious dish was the reason I ordered Zhug. It is an ingredient in Yottam Ottolenghi’s Braised eggs with lamb, tahini, and sumac, from his JERUSALEM cookbook.
I also used Zhug in a Japanese omelette with cheese and spinach. In the photo is my last tomato of the season that I happened to find while pulling up the plant…an added bonus.
People groups moving to different locations bring us new foods to try and enjoy. If you don’t want to move out of the region where you currently reside, you can always order from Amazon. For me it was easier than moving to Israel or Yemen.
Everything you see, I owe to spaghetti—Sophia Loren
I love spaghetti, always have, always will. However, I can’t make the same claim as Sophia Loren. In fact, I would never draw attention purposefully to my physical attributes. And since I am approaching the time in my life when metabolism slows to a slug-like pace, I need to make changes.
I was traveling through the internet yesterday and came upon a Bob and Brad episode. These are physical therapists who are quite helpful and entertaining. They were talking about getting rid of body and belly fat. One of the first life changes was reducing pasta…I immediately suffered a mild catatonic event. I love pasta.
I did find this dish on YouTube, can’t remember who the home chef was, but I did make a few changes. So full disclosure box checked.
So that was the backdrop of my new favorite dish…zucchini noodles with lemon, butter, garlic shrimp in a sauce kicked up with a little sriracha sauce. I wanted to fix a dish that would leave my little glycogen molecules standing at the bus stop waiting for the Bad Carb Wild Ride bus line.
If there is a way I can get good carbs in my system and not give up flavor, I will do that. This is a dish that allows me to do that. The zucchini noodles had basically the same texture as pasta noodles and I couldn’t taste much of a difference in flavor. Of course my taste buds may not be as refined as Sophia Loren’s or any others with pasta-based genetics. I will repeat, I love pasta and I will not allow myself to stop eating it, just slow down my consumption.
I used a Julienne peeler to make the zucchini noodles, sauteed the shrimp in butter, olive oil, salt, and pepper, Italian seasoning, and a few red pepper flakes. I then added garlic. I removed the shrimp to a plate. I made the sauce by adding lemon juice, lemon zest, butter, vegetable broth, and some sriracha sauce for a little kick and let it thicken.
After the sauce thickened, I added the zucchini noodles to the sauce for about 2 minutes while stirring and then added back the shrimp to reheat. I topped it off with chopped basil and served.
The best thing about this dish…you can still slurp the noodles like Sophia Loren.
Twas on the isle of Capri that I found her, beneath the shade of an old walnut tree—Jimmy Kennedyfrom Isle of Capri,1934
Nothing embodies summer for the tummer (sorry I was in a lyricist frame of mind) like the Caprese Salad.
My first sign of summer in eastern Kentucky was not the oppressive heat, or the air that felt like you were wearing a wet dog, or the flowers blooming in everyone’s small gardens, or the neat rows of tobacco in the field…it was the first bite of the “garden tomato”. Nothing tastes as good as the tomatoes grown in an eastern Kentucky garden.
Now I know some may take issue with this last statement, especially the good folks I have met here in my new home in southeastern Indiana, for the tomatoes are very tasty here also. And those who grow tomatoes in southern Italy, but c’mon will any of them actually read this blog?
In the hills and hollers of eastern Kentucky, the first tomatoes were usually eaten on a bologna sandwich, or just on a plate with salt and pepper, or as my dad would just make a tomato sandwich with mayo. But for me, it’s the celebration of the first locally grown tomatoes in a Caprese Salad.
This wonderful, simple salad is believed to have originated on the beautiful island of Capri, off the Amalfi coast in southern Italy. It is probably the closest most of us will ever get to this heavenly place and as far as the taste buds are concerned that is ok.
The salad is traditionally made with only five ingredients…tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, salt, and olive oil. Thankfully it can still be called a Caprese salad with variations of ingredients. I usually add olives, sometimes cucumbers and onions. I usually top it with red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar mixed with the olive oil and add pepper. I hope the Italian chefs don’t take issue with my liberties for it still has the red, green, and white colors of the Italian flag (well, other than the balsamic and kalamata olives and occasionally the purple onions and yellow tomatoes I will use).
I know this last salad is pushing the Italian envelope here with the hard boiled egg, so if you see “insalata caprese con uovo sodo” on the menu when you are in Capri, just remember where you saw it first.
The above phrase basically means “appetite comes with eating” or explained, as people always want more than they already have.
This is Big Surf Daddy in a nutshell. I am always planning the next trip when I am on a trip. I think about the next meal while I am eating a meal. I’m not proud of this trait and it drives Mrs. Big Surf absolutely batty.
In Italy, I can’t wait to eat. I am always thinking about the next thing to eat or drink, while I am already eating or drinking something. Of course in Italy it is easy to do. My thoughts are constantly swimming in pasta, sauce, gelato, cheese, wine, coffee, pastries, and pizza.
As some of you know, who read this blog, we travel a lot with our family and that includes small grandchildren, five to be exact (6 yrs old and younger). Eating with this group takes more planning than the D-Day invasion and also the ability to bob-and-weave like being in the ring with Ali.
As you could imagine, the food on our recent trip to Milan and Lake Como was delicious and easier than I thought it would be.
Beginning with the best food for children…GELATO!!
This was a great spot for gelato, Dulcis In Fundo Gelateria on Piazza Garibaldi in the beautiful Lake Como town of Menaggio. I recommend the limone (lemon).
The Gelato Fatto Con Amore, near the Cadorna train station was a big hit with all of us. I thought the name was a subliminal message to us Americans, but actually it means “made with love”. I could taste the love. The lead photo is the gelato bar in this gelateria.
At Gelato Fatto Con Amore, you get a piece of waffle cone with your cup, so innovative.
Venchi is a really nice gelateria, chocolateria, coffee cafe, and crepe-ateria. This is a large chain with quite a few locations in Milan. We had wonderful gelato here one day and breakfast crepes the next morning along with wonderful coffee.
This crepe with chocolate sauce was so good at Venchi.
The coffee at Venchi was very good and notice the little square of dark chocolate served with the coffee, a nice touch.
Ok, the last image of gelato (because it is causing a great yearning for me to return to Italy). This lovely treat was from Veranda Beach in Calozzo on Lake Como.
A big part of eating in Italy for me is the quick bites that you can take away and eat on the piazzas. We found this at Panzerotti Luini, a small cafe about a block away from the Duomo in Milan.
At Luini’s you get the panzerotto. This simple Milan tradition is made from flour, cheese, and tomatoes. It costs about 2.70 Euro and it may have been the best thing I ate all week. Mrs. Big Surf and I took ours to the steps of the Duomo and ate while watching the activity in the piazza. I advise you to do the same. You can also get a glass of red wine at a vendor in the piazza. We complimented our panzerotto with one of those.
Miscusi served a wonderful pasta dish called Paccheri Tricolore. While we were debating about going in, a very nice young local couple convinced us to eat here. It was their go-to pasta and I must say it was a good piece of advice.
We had a simple lunch at La Marmora. We noticed a lot of young people eating here after school. Normally this would not be the information I would use to choose a cafe, but this is Italy and young people evidently like good food in Italy.
This panini sandwich was Italian bologna and cheese. It was so wonderful. I would put it right up there with Kentucky bologna. The Missus had a pizza panini and it also was very good.
This small pizzeria was located across the street from our AirBnB apartment in Milan. I hadn’t planned on ordering from here and that would have been a big mistake. We were only Milan for two nights and our other family got in later on the last night, so we had to decide what to eat with the kids, so pizza it was. Johnny Takeue was a great place for carry-out pizza. It was the best pizza I had this trip.
With this pizza oven at Johnny Takeue you know it had to be good.
On to Lake Como…
We had two wonderful evening meals and a really nice lunch. Our breakfasts consisted of walking to town and getting some breads, cheeses, and pastries.
Since Signore Clooney and his lovely wife did not invite us to dinner, we were on our own.
Our best meal on Lake Como was at La Baia Ristorante in Cremia. In addition to wonderful food and a lakefront setting, they went out of their way to accommodate our large group with our small children and made us feel welcome.
Risotto is a traditional dish in Milan and Lake Como. This dish, called Persicotto, served at La Baia Ristorante, with lightly-breaded, fried lake perch was so good. It was the best meal I had on the trip.
The lovely blue-eyed darlin’ went with another risotto dish, served with pesto and a creamy cheese with red prawn carpaccio. This is their best selling dish and I could see why…so good.
This plate of small lake fishes was gathered from some of our parties seafood dishes and eaten like fries. I loved them, some of us weren’t so sure…couldn’t get past the heads.
This beautiful restaurant is called Veranda Beach in Calozzo. It was mentioned earlier as a place to get gelato. We came back later for our evening meal. It is a lovely restaurant on the lake, with an Italian menu and operated by a very charming lady.
Quite the ambience at Veranda Beach.
This take on a caprese salad with burrata cheese was the star of the meal, we all had some of this.
Our last meal on Lake Como was at the Grand Hotel Menaggio, a beautiful old hotel on the lake. Most of us had the spaghetti, a truly wonderful dish and one of us had the Insalata Nizzarda, a salad with anchovies and tuna.
This was our lake view for lunch on the patio at the Grand Hotel Menaggio.
Spaghetti at the Grand Hotel Menaggio was a dish of comfort.
The Insalata Nizzarda tasted as wonderful as it appeared on the plate.
We had to fly out of Milan back to the US. We had to have a negative Covid test to get back into the states, so it was easier to stay at the Sheraton Hotel at the Milan Malpensa airport. This turned out to be a good thing. The kids and adults got to swim and we had a lovely meal at the hotel restaurant, IL Canneto.
I had the salmon poke bowl, a delicious choice.
Mrs. Big Surf was presented with a lovely leek soup. She felt the presentation was better than the flavor.
It was a whirlwind trip for us, not much planning since we didn’t decide to go till about a two weeks before departure to meet the rest our family. I left everything up to the next generation and they didn’t disappoint us.
Today’s egg is better than tomorrow’s hen—Turkish proverb
Sometimes I come across a dish that I just have to savor. And savor can be eating slowly, but that is never going to happen. So in this case savor is writing about it as soon as I can and keeping its memory alive amongst my hordes of readers.
This Turkish-Style egg dish is one of those meals I couldn’t get enough of. This isn’t your grandma’s or your ma’s Saturday breakfast meal to eat in a rush to begin your day. (Though it could be). My history of breakfast foods did not include these assorted tastes for my morning start-the-day. Yogurt, garlic, chili pepper, and smoked paprika give this dish a wonderful savory taste. But no worries for all you breakfast purists, there are still eggs and bites of toast and salt and butter.
This recipe came from Bon Appetite. I did not have any fresh herbs for garnish as there is a wind-chill of two degrees today and a run to the store was not an option, otherwise the recipe was followed to the letter and was so very good.
So for all of you who wonder what the Turks eat for breakfast, one more mystery solved. You’re welcome.
I’ve been on a diet for two weeks and all I’ve lost is fourteen days.—Totie Fields
So yesterday was kind of a Mediterranean day.
No I wasn’t on a Greek Island, or on the Italian Coast, or the south of France, or dining in a Tunisian cafe, or on beach in Turkey…I was home in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky. My wife and I had just returned from the closest thing we have to the Mediterranean, the Gulf Coast of Florida.
So, yesterday I decided to reinstitute a new dedication to the Mediterranean Diet. I don’t know if it was the sea, the salty air, the breeze, or the fact that I ate everything in sight for a week and it hurt to bend over and tie my shoes.
Beginning with breakfast, a Greek yogurt with honey, walnuts, and berries.
For lunch (pictured above), a salad of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, scallions, olives, mozzarella, and topped with tuna. It was dressed with olive oil, red wine vinegar and oregano.
For supper (pictured below), Big Surf’s stuffed peppers. The peppers were roasted and stuffed with a vegetarian chili of crushed tomatoes, quinoa, cannelloni beans, and topped with cheese.
All of these dishes were very good and I loved them all. And the bonus, I felt so good about myself.
Until…
For lunch today, I made myself a bologna sandwich and chips. Hard to get away from that Eastern Kentucky DNA.
Hey!! Wait a minute, Bologna is in Italy, right? So Italy is on the Mediterranean…
So come on self esteem, get back over here. You can’t go anywhere yet.
Life is tooshort for self-hatred and celery sticks.—Marilyn Wann
My name is Big Surf Daddy and I have a problem…
I am a snack-a-holic.
My snacking event each evening begins as a small wake and swells to a large tidal wave of power that can’t be overcome. I start with something as healthy as an apple, move on to grapes, and as the tidal wave crescendos…chips, salsa, peanut butter, crackers, and Cheez-Its all come pounding down on me in a calorie-filled billow of salt and fried breakers. Duuuude!!
Then I do the walk of shame to the bed and curl up in a fetal position and think about what I’ve done.
As I try to incorporate the Mediterranean Diet into my everyday life, the Sea of Salt calls me back nightly, and the pounding of the calorie surf starts all over.
OK, enough of the metaphor.
I CAN’T STOP SNACKING AT NIGHT.
Mrs. Big Surf says I am a stress-eater. She is right, because I stress out if I can’t get enough snacks in me before going to bed.
Since the nightly Sea of Saltiness undertow drags me back into the calorie-infested deep (OK, last one), I decided to try to lessen my calorie and salt intake. I made my own crackers…less calories and less salt and less preservatives, right? Sounds like a good idea anyway.
This is such a simple recipe and easy to do. I added Everything but the Bagel spice, also extra salt, pepper, chia seeds and flax seeds. These are great with salads, cheeses, and just as a snack by itself.
I don’t know if it will lessen the shameful walks to the bedroom at night, but I feel better about myself and maybe I won’t be drawn into the seedy world of food porn.
Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education—Mark Twain
The Mediterranean Diet has been my goal since this past holiday season. It is still my goal, so no, Mrs. Big Surf and I have yet to transform our diet. It’s like we are mired in this quicksand of calories and carbs and occasionally we find a vine from the Mediterraneanus Dietus plant that we can grab and pull ourselves out.
This cauliflower dish was the lifeline that may just save us.
This delicious cauliflower recipe came out of the New York Times Cookbook, called “Cauliflower with Caper Sauce”. We ate this as an entree with a salad.
Now Mark Twain may have thought cauliflower a bit too pretentious, but some would say cauliflower is the “Work-a-day-Joe” of veggies because it is so versatile and accommodating to your mood. I love the taste of cauliflower. I eat it raw, steamed, roasted, grilled, and sauteed. This sauce elevated the cauliflower to another degree. Maybe Mark Twain would have awarded it an honorary doctorate if he would have eaten this dish.
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