Sunday Food Thread: What Makes a Meal Special? [Y-not guest hosting for CharlieBrown's Di]

This morning the cobs woke to a bleg from our very own CharlieBrown's Di. Various circumstances prevented him from doing the Food Thread this week, so he was looking for someone to fill in for him.

It went something like this:

Well, I'm a sucker for a guy in a black suit (which is the main reason Mr Y-not keeps me away from Hasidic Jews, but that's another story!), so you're stuck with me today.

Our topic is "what makes a meal special?" and was inspired by a "special meal" I had last night. What made that meal special was the location, on top of a mountain in Sundance, Utah under a starry sky. Here was the view heading up the ski lift:

The food itself was quite good, but it was the location and atmosphere that really made it for me.

My most memorable meals are usually special because of circumstances even more than the food. For example, one of my all-time favorite meals was a pretty simple lunch I ate while traveling on my own in Strasbourg. It was in a nearly-empty, small, family-run restaurant off the beaten path. Not a tourist in sight. I had a dish of escargot in a blue cheese sauce and a house white. It was so heavenly after over three weeks of near-starvation in Germany. (I was there trying to do some experiments and my accommodations were quite spartan. Plus, I'm just not a fan of most German food.)

Another favorite meal was in New Mexico. It was a pretty simple meal in and of itself, but it was memorable because of the treatment we received. They were nearing the end of lunch service, so many of the menu items had run out. As I recall, my husband and I were the only customers and rather than shooing us out the door the owner/chef came out and designed a meal for us based on what he had in the kitchen. Really special.

Possibly the only exception to my trend of "special meals" being that notable because of circumstances more than the food itself was at a place called Tru in Chicago. On a whim during a trip there, we grabbed a late seating of the chef's tasting menu dinner which was served in the executive chef's office. I can't remember if it was 15 or 18 courses, but it took several hours during which we had some of the best food (and wine pairings) either of us have ever had. It was a once in a lifetime dinner that we are unlikely to repeat any time soon. (VERY pricey.)

So, what makes a meal "special" to you?

In honor of Travis County Democrat District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg, here's today's recipe:

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH ROSEMARY

Makes a nice side-dish for a pork roast with a gallon or two of vodka.

And, because it cannot be disseminated widely enough, here is Rosemary Lehmberg, who is the Democrats' idea of a public servant:

What's cooking in your kitchen?

posted by Open Blogger at 04:35 PM

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