Wow, so it’s not just me! I got a wonderful PM from a member here telling me just that, after my very first posts in a thread drew an individual who for some reason took issue with my “style”…or something…who knows.
I’m a big boy. Grew up a red-head being called all things including “red on the head like a (insert word that means male sexual organ here) on a dog”. Life has a lot of jerks in it…it’s just how we determine for ourselves who the jerks are…right? That jerk is likely someone’s friend elsewhere…ya neva know…
BACK on topic,
Ardchoille is clearly a health conscious person. Clinical in nature and see’s food as simply “body fuel”. Have you seen the tubs of powdered stuff health nuts and body builders consume? That’s what they do, they see life and food very differently than most. Dr. OZ comes to mind.
He is very correct that the love of food consumption and flavor and texture often leads to obesity and health problems. That sign in some places that says “never trust a skinny cook” nails this.
Ardchoille, is an ordained minister in Seattle…from Central Virginia that looks like an oxymoron! Doesn’t compute, but I’m glad he is there spreading the word.
So his tasty creation was a pulse or chop of baked chicken breast, spinach, pickle slice, tomato slice, pepperoncini rings, hummus, diced red onion, and green pepper ring. I think the two ingredients that makes people kneejerk are the chicken and hummus but is this really all that weird? Think about it.
I’m sitting here right now sipping a thick gazpacho from a mug. A food processor version because the tomato harvest had been so big this year I am worn out from processing by hand. This gazpacho was made from cherry tomatoes…yep, you read that…I skin every single one, it’s not as hard as it sounds. But I usually de-seed by hand and hand chop everything. Tired of it for the season, so I pulsed all the Gazpacho ingredients and mixed together, then mixed the rest of the liquids and spices.
A lot of folks can’t wrap their head around a cold soup like this, especially with the tomato seeds in there, but I love busting them up while chewing what is already a semi liquid soup.
I’ve known people who will not eat refried beans because it looks like a loose stool, will not eat guacamole or avocado because of the texture and color (they say they don’t like the taste, but seriously?) and would never consider eating a cold Borscht.
I absolutely love really good boudin. The steamed kind that Louisianans don’t think twice about walking, sitting or driving around squishing and sucking out of the natural casing…that’s how you eat boudin…you don’t fry it, grill it or smoke it, at least in the bayou. It’s sold in gas stations for a quick lunch down there. I have gotten my Boudin recipe really close to some of the best I’ve had and if you’ve had the good stuff…you crave it. However, I have had grown macho men gross out and say they “aint eatin’ nothin’ that looks like it’s coming out of a condom!”. These same macho types are terrified of sushi. Squirrel is OK, but sushi is disgusting!
I know someone who shudders at the thought of mayonnaise…I’m not even going to delve in to what trauma may have caused that.
So my point it is, we all have that one, two or three…or more foods, textures, smells, whatever that we do not like and will not consume.
Ardchoille has made something not unlike some tapenade concoctions I have seen. Heck, traditional tapenade has anchovies in it, something many people shudder at the thought of. Pesto’s…same thing, meat would be weird but then again…now I’m thinking anchovies in an arugula pesto! Thanks Ardchoille…you got my wheels turning, I love weird!
I can’t imagine living life seeing food as fuel rather than a love and special event at almost every meal…even snack. That’s why I seldom eat “bars” of stuff. I’ll wait until I can have something better if I can, but will eat a “bar” of something or drink a protein or nutrition drink if I’m starving and need to just keep working. My Gazpacho in my cup next to me is the biggest prep cheat I usually do, I hate shoveling something in my face just to make the hunger pangs stop.
Rock on with your bad self Ardchoille…good news is I won’t be over for dinner!
They do taste great though, really, I'm not kidding.
