Experts Say

Experts say that you can develop a taste for ANY food if you give it enough tries. The number of tries varies widely between experts, but I'd say it's a safe bet that 10 tries is a good average for their recommendations.

The funny thing is, most experts I've read or watched then go on to tell you the ONE food they can't get over no matter what. The Bizarre Foods guy can't take Spam. The author I'm currently reading (Matthew Amster-Burton) figures he needs to give sea urchin a few more tries.

I figure I've nibbled at least 50 shrimp in the 11 years I've been married. It's getting easier, but I still can't fathom DESIRING a giant glass of cold ones to dip into cocktail sauce. But I HAVE, in the name of International Night, now cooked with it three times in the past two months. The boys, who have been begging me to cook them shrimp for AGES, couldn't be happier. In fact, that's pretty much all they ate out of tonight's Spanish dish: Paella.



Oh yeah, it totally had mussels in it, too. I'm like my own version of Fear Factor. Now, if shrimp haven't tickled my pallet after 50 tries, I figure mussels don't have a chance. Tonight was hard, actually, because the COOKING of the paella was SO fun and I was so looking forward to being daring, but when I pulled off the lid and was enveloped in a cloud of Eau de Mussel, it was pretty gnarly. And it was pretty much all I could smell while I ate my dish of paella. But I musseled (ha!) through it, and was assured by people with good taste that it was quite delish. The meal had plenty else going for it, so I was happy overall. First course: Pa amb tomaquet (more on that later), and a citrus-y spinach salad.



Pa amb tomaquet translates to tomato-rubbed bread. And it sounds simple, and it IS simple, but OH MY GOSH it's soooooo good. Get a loaf of ciabatta bread from the store, cut it into 6 pieces, cut each in half through the equator (like splitting it for a sandwich), and toast it on both sides (I use the broiler). Then rub it with the cut end of half a clove of garlic (just a touch, unless you like it SPICY!), then cut a nice ripe tomato in half and rub it on the toast until it's naught but skin. That's what the book says, but you can't get tomatoes like that around here. I just rub it on there till it looks yummy. Anyway, then you drizzle some olive oil across the tops and sprinkle with some salt and it tastes sooooo much better than it sounds.

Dessert was Crema Catalana. Forbear of Creme Brulee, so you KNOW it's good. Think Creme Brulee flavored with just a hint of lemon and cinnamon... oh man, I'm drooling. Not cool. Ooh, speaking of lemon and cinnamon, we also tried out Spanish Spiced Lemonade tonight. Lemon juice, water, honey, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Strong, tasty, and something I will try mixed with apple cider and heated around Christmastime.

Post-dessert was a Brian Regan DVD. Not at all Spanish, but an excellent digestive aid, what with all the tummy muscles working so hard while laughing.

Good times! Amy La Mujer, signing off.

Oh, wait. First I have an unrelated picture of Joseph, who is cute. This is him doing a TV show called "Impossible World" outside our local library.