Balsamico - A Food Diary

[StereoPlayer]

The wife and myself both like balsamic.



And grilled cheese sandwiches.

 

[Fishheadjoe]

Here's my favorite balsamic tid bit...
Asparagus spears marinated in kosher salt, olive oil, pepper and balsamic - about 4 hours on the counter
Cut a firm smoked cheese into spears, along with 1/2 inch slice of red pepper
Roll the asparagus, cheese and pepper in a slice of prosciutto, close with a tooth pick.
Grill the rolls on the BBQ on medium heat, until the prosciutto is browned all around and the cheese is starting to melt out the sides.
Drizzle with balsamic and serve.
Fishheadjoe

 

[fcleff]

Did you know that if asparagus is served simply steamed, and with no sauce or dressing, then it I considered acceptable to eat the spears using your fingers?

 

[StereoPlayer]

Did you know that if asparagus is served simply steamed, and with no sauce or dressing, then it I considered acceptable to eat the spears using your fingers?

Of course....

 

[fcleff]

Parmigiano Reggiano dipped in chocolate is an incredible flavor combination. It helps to have a piece of the cheese cut from the heart of the wheel.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

But what kind of cheese? Asiago? Ossau Iraty? Buffala? Gouda? And what kind of tomatoes? Beefsteak? Brandywine? Cherokee Purple?
And, of course, the bread. What kind of bread? Then there is the whole conundrum of butter. Only butter or a compound butter of Dijon mustard and anchovies? How about a garlic mayonnaise for toasting instead of butter.
As for the soup, Roma tomatoes will work fine. But I like to roast them with a coating of brown sugar to help tame the acidity of the soup.

Now this is how you mess up a perfectly good grilled cheese sandwich. A true grilled cheese sandwich is commercial white bread, a slice of cheddar cheese, and lightly salted butter. In this context, it would be a can of Campbell's tomato soup. This should be accompanied with Nabisco saltine crackers.
Some foodie you are.

 

[MJ5150]

I really like cheddar on my grilled cheese, but it gets too greasy. Maybe I'm using to much cheddar.

-Mike

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

I really like cheddar on my grilled cheese, but it gets too greasy. Maybe I'm using to much cheddar.

-Mike

My Grammar never used too much cheddar. It never was greasy.

 

[friskinator]

Now this is how you mess up a perfectly good grilled cheese sandwich. A true grilled cheese sandwich is commercial white bread, a slice of cheddar cheese, and lightly salted butter. In this context, it would be a can of Campbell's tomato soup. This should be accompanied with Nabisco saltine crackers.
Some foodie you are.

I enjoy highbrow and lowbrow versions of a lot of foods. If I'm making tomato soup and grilled cheese at home, I usually do the lowbrow. But I've had delicious highbrow versions as well.

 

[MJ5150]

I enjoy highbrow and lowbrow versions of a lot of foods. If I'm making tomato soup and grilled cheese at home, I usually do the lowbrow. But I've had delicious highbrow versions as well.

Beecher's does the highbrow grilled cheese and tomato soup right.

-Mike

 

[bonin in the boneyard]

Coincidentally I had grilled cheese for lunch. Three different kinds of cheese served with bacon and avocado on focaccia.

I mean, it was no Kraft Singles on Wonder Bread, but it was pretty tasty.

 

[fcleff]

Bacon makes an exceptional Baklava. I mean, just mind blowing level of good.

 

[MJ5150]

Bacon makes an exceptional Baklava. I mean, just mind blowing level of good.

I just finished a serving of homemade baklava that a friend delivered to our home about an hour ago.
Bacon in baklava? Hmmmm. I think I'll have to pass.

-Mike

 

[bonin in the boneyard]

Yeah, I don't mix sweets and meats, or sweets and salads.

 

[dedpool1052]

Velveeta, if you can call that cheese, on sourdough bread.
No tomatoes on the grilled cheese. A grilled cheese is butter, bread, and cheese only. OK, maybe mayo instead of butter, but I'm not sold on that.
I use Kerrygold for butter, which claims to be Irish butter. I have never been to Ireland, but I suppose no one in Ireland uses Kerrygold. American marketing FTW.
Just like how the local supermarkets have starting selling logs of Amish butter. Umm, yeah, OK. I am sure that's the same butter Amish people (who live no where near us) use.
Campbells for the soup. Nothing finer.
The simplicity of a grilled cheese and tomato soup is what makes it so great. Don't no one go trying to elevate it.

-Mike

The only suggestion for a somewhat elevated grilled cheese, is this.

Get yourself some good sourdough (if you enjoy that)
Some Tillamook cheddar
If ya got a Safeway nearby, some of their house brand Tomato basil bisque.

Not too fancy, not too simple.
Just right, IMO.

 

[fcleff]

I just finished a serving of homemade baklava that a friend delivered to our home about an hour ago.
Bacon in baklava? Hmmmm. I think I'll have to pass.

-Mike

I was skeptical at first but the sweet, salty, smoky, meaty, crunchy, buttery, sticky all just works. It just works. The bacon must be the same size as the nuts, so diced fine.

 

[MJ5150]

I was skeptical at first but the sweet, salty, smoky, meaty, crunchy, buttery, sticky all just works. It just works. The bacon must be the same size as the nuts, so diced fine.

Ahhh, OK so you add it in with the nuts. I was thinking it was a replacement for another ingredient.
Yeah, I could see that being good for those who like bacon.

-Mike

 

[fcleff]

Sometimes I like to put a raw egg yolk on my salad.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

I enjoy highbrow and lowbrow versions of a lot of foods. If I'm making tomato soup and grilled cheese at home, I usually do the lowbrow. But I've had delicious highbrow versions as well.

There was a restaurant that opened near me last year that was focused on grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. The didn't have a lowbrow version. It lasted a few months and died.

 

[fcleff]

There was a restaurant that opened near me last year that was focused on grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. The didn't have a lowbrow version. It lasted a few months and died.

There are food trucks like that here in ATX. People here love them.