Have you eaten it? (and days on Triple Creek Farm)

I had big plans for this post. I was going to share with you some yummy grilled pork chops with a bacon ranch potato salad and some garden fresh green beans. But then the sky opened up, taking away my natural light and grilling plans and flooding my basement (not from the bottom up as you'd think but by seeping in through a crack between foundation and 1st floor). And then, when I decided to do a breaded pork chop instead, I somehow managed to overcook the chops while ending up with soggy breading. On top of that, the sauce I made for the green beans was de-scust - ting (I know that's not how you spell it).

The potato salad fortunately was FABULOUS as usual, so the rest of dinner got fed to the dog and we binged on that. I'd love to show you it, but like I said - no natural light which for me means no photograph. The strange thing is, I have made this recipe 4 other times, each time meaning to post, and every time something happens to prevent it. I will try again in a couple weeks. Maybe this time Murphy won't thwart things. We shall see.

So tonight I give you a strange melange of topics: a delightful meme I came across at Last Night's Dinner (I couldn't resist) and some stories of my escapades in the Hudson Valley last weekend.

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating. (I can't figure out how to cross out in this version of Blogger so I italicized)
4) Optional extra: Post a comment at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue perfect for a valentines day in!
8. Carp
9. Borscht Hello, I'm Hungarian - of course!
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari Only every time I've ever been to dinner with my brother!
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi See my own recipe for it here!
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses - no but I love stinky cheese!
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes I have a raspberry port calling to me from my wine rack
19. Steamed pork buns Recipe here
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes Constantly! They're in almost every summer recipe I have!
22. Fresh wild berries We always picked wild black raspberries behind my Dad's house - they're great with a syrupy Tres Leche cake
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters I LOVE them - but then again - I live on the Chesapeake Bay!
29. Baklava have a killer recipe for this - will have to post soon
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut I live in Bawlmore, hon!
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar (sorry but I happen to enjoy my healthy lungs)
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goatMy uncle served this at his weddings (he owns pack goats for mountaineering - one was unlucky!)
42. Whole insects
43. PhaalCrazy spicy!
44. Goat’s milk I was raised on this, on the theory that it must be better for you, since goats have one stomach like us and not 6 (or 4? I can't remember) like a cow.
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu (i'd be scared but I'd do it)
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eelin sushi
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnutwarm out of the fryer...Yum...
50. Sea urchinsushi again!
51. Prickly pearDo prickly pear margaritas made with the nectar count?
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone I would love to!
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal Unfortunately!
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini Love it!
58. Beer above 8% ABV The real Bavarian stuff!
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips My mom made our whole extended family eat carob brownies at cook outs - oh were they disgusting!
61. S’mores I was a girl scout for 11 years!
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin - wasn't even able to figure out what this is
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake All of the above!
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong One of my favorite teas!
80. Bellini My favorite beverage!
81. Tom yum I'm obsessed
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash Again - I'm Hungarian!
88. Flowers
89. Horse No way in hell. Not my favorite animal.
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab Love em!
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee It was a black apron coffee while I was a black-apron wearing coffee master and manager at Starbucks.
100. Snake

I would actually love to make it a goal to try all the things I haven't had yet (except the roadkill and horse meat). I was pleasantly surprised to see how adventurous I've already been! I'm not a particularly picky person. Good thing mayonnaise wasn't on the list (although I have tried it - I just have no desire to make it a habit). Some other things I will never eat: testicles of any animal, cheese with maggots in it and fermented fish.

My Mini-Vacation in the Hudson Valley


On that lovely note, let me share a little bit about my lovely weekend in the country. I drove up on Friday, arriving in time for dinner which was a great homemade egg pasta with meat sauce. I am green with envy that C has a pasta maker attachment for the Kitchen Aid I got her as a wedding gift. I must get me one!


Life on Triple Creek Farm (a 200 head dairy operation) starts early, we're talking 4 am here people! Luckily, I didn't have to wake up that early - but R was milking until 11ish. C and I ate cake for breakfast! Now there's a vacation! In between morning and afternoon milkings, we went to the nearby Hudson - Chatham Winery for a wonderful round of wine tasting. They have a wonderful blog you should visit. The hostess was VERY generous with her pours, but they had some great wine, including a lovely award winning Merlot (I generally hate Merlot), a great blush and a tasty raspberry port.


In addition to the wines, they had a great selection of maple and fruit syrups and locally made cheeses. I fell in love with this Camembert from Hudson Valley Sheephearding Company made with sheep and cows milk. Come to find out, it's even sold by Dean and Deluca, a sure mark of quality! I left with 5 bottles of wine, a round of cheese, a tasting glass and a big ole grin! (So far the camembert was melted down over a fresh spinach open faced sandwich, washed down with Merlot - pictured below).


R had to be off milking again, but we went on a long walk / picture taking expedition. Toby (collie/sheltie mix?) was annoyed. People should not be allowed to take cameras on walks. There should be some rule against this.


Lila (miniature pincher) just wanted to go for a car ride. So C pacified her.


While I played some ball with Tobias.


Our walk eventually led us into the barn.


Here's C's cow. Her name is Vivi and she's an Ayrshire, very pretty in red and white. Apart from her sister in law's Jersey, she's the only non-Holstein in the barn.


We raided the garden for dinner, grilled zucchini with steak.


At about 10 pm, the cows escaped. This seems to happen every time I come to the farm, or talk on the phone to C. They assure me it never happens when I'm not around. I'm worried they're not going to allow me back! I swear I didn't let them loose! Six of us rounded them up. I washed my clothes and they still smell of cow. Not so pretty.


The next day R had off from milking. He made us waffles and we hiking in Bish Bash Falls State Park. I'm a little confused as to whether this is a New York or Massachusetts locale, as it seems to straddle the line between states, but suffice it to say it's in the beautiful Berkshires.


After a steep hike up, we were rewarded by the cooling mists of the double waterfalls. What a relaxing retreat!


Turns out we left just in time because as we stepped into the car a mixture of flooding rain and hail bore down on us. They've had this sort of weather almost every day. I guess the corn likes it though! The power lines didn't like it so much - time for a nap and a good read!


Chinese for dinner - I miss having a good restaurant nearby. Lots of wedding talk and photo sharing that night. Has it really been almost a year? I will be married someday, right? I've got the guy - someone want to provide the ring and other various funds?


I went on a garden raid in the morning, grabbing some basil, jalapeñoes, spinach, zucchini and summer squash, green and wax beans and assorted hot peppers. I had to stop at the Brotherhood Winery in Orange County on my way home. It was part of our Bachelorette wine tasting and spa weekend last year and I fell in love! Besides Boordy - they're my favorite vineyard. I was hoping for some fabulous pictures, but rain struck again and I couldn't hurry my case into the trunk fast enough.


All in all, it was a relaxing, wine soaked trip. It's so nice to have someone cooking for you every once in a while. A restful end to an exhausting summer.