Tested: Sesame Chicken with Noodles

 

Tested and loved these noodles with sesame chicken. This one is getting a place in the rotation.

Cucumber Spoon Salad

 

I so wish this picture were better, because spoon salad is so pretty and so delicious, it really deserves to be properly celebrated.

I came across cucumber spoon salad at Oleana in Cambrige with Anne. We ordered the tasting menu, and this was my absolute favorite. It's so totally surprising, with layers like sorrel granita and flavors including cucumber, dill, red onion, and grapes. Love.

When In Nebraska ...

 

Make vinegar rolls. Joel's dad's family reunion in Northeastern Nebraska brought all new culinary frontiers. I had been hearing about the fabled vinegar roll (a Depression-era holdover that Joel's dad's generation talks about but doesn't actually feel the need to make or eat anymore) for a while, and so when someone said they had the recipe, I volunteered to make it.

It was ... okay? In all fairness, I didn't follow the recipe fully. I just couldn't believe that you actually needed 10 cups of vinegar for this thing. So it came out kind of dry. Ah well, next time. Or not.

You Are: Delicious

 

Sprouted garbanazo beans, lovely fresh dates, and crunchy almonds. A lovely way to greet guests. (Full disclosure: I had originally intended to fry/roast the garbanzo beans, but ended up not having time.)

Tapas in Puerto Vallarta

 

Should have posted this one earlier, but just getting around to it now. We went to Puerto Vallarta to eat, mostly. We ate at taco trucks, traditional Mexican restaurants, and to mix things up, a vegetarian restaurant with this totally crazy (delicious) cactus juice. We also walked just up the street from our B&B to go to this off-the-beaten path tiny tapas joint for a light meal one evening.

Best Tacos We Had in Puerto Vallarta

 

Little stand, lotta locals. We followed the scent for the last block, then ordered at the little window and grabbed two stools. The women behind the counter outfitted us with our tacos and three options of salsa (hot, hotter, and you-cannot-withstand-the-heat). The tacos were small but packed with flavor. And the flavor didn't depend just on the filling; the freshly made tortillas tasted of comfort and corn, and were so warm I needed the little piece of wax paper to pilot the taco. Both chicken and beef were slightly spicy and had the wonderful flavors of fire.

Boo

Hershey is going to close down Scharffen Berger. But will keep the name. Now I regret always putting off taking the factory tour.

Scharffen Berger, you are dead to me. Charles Chocolates, hello!