Miso-Tahini Creamy Dressing: 3-2-1-1

 An addictive sauce good for many purposes.

tahini - 3 tablespoons

miso, mild & blond - 2 tablespoons

apple cider vinegar - 1 tablespoons

lemon juice - 1 tablespoon

salt - good pinch

whisk all together

add water as needed to reach creamy texture

 

The Classic In-Room

soft rind / local cheeses

salami / pate

bread 

olives

nuts 

fruit

chocolate

beverage(s) 

 

Standards

'Bratwurst'

Sauerkraut / Braised Red Cabbage

Creamy Raclette Potatoes

Pesto Pasta with Shrimp

Spinach

Parmesan

 

Shrimp Provencal

Spinach

Creamy Polenta 

Filet Mignon

Mushrooms

Asparagus

Potatoes 

Classic Chili

Nachos with Cheese

Sour Cream 

Yellow Dahl

Saag Tofu-Panner

Naan / Rice

Chutneys and Raita

Crispy Fish and Grits

Coleslaw

Biscuit

Lasagna

Cucumber salad

Pecan-crusted Salmon

Mashed Potatoes

Seasonal Vegetable 

Pork Chops

Apple Sauce

Boiled Small Potatoes 

Seasonal Vegetable

Green Salad

Baked Feta and Olives

Grilled Bread

Budget Friendly Foods

Lentils

Linguini

Tomato Paste

Canned Pinto Beans 

Eggs

Pork Chops

Flatiron Steak

Tortillas

Canned Tuna

Canned Clams

Peanuts

Tofu

Broccoli

Onions

Cabbage

Apples

Oatmeal

Cottage Cheese

Trail Food - Protein

Jerky

The New Primal, Sea Salt and Pepper Beef Jerky, very good taste and texture, clear leader, 94 pts

Perky Jerky, Teriyaki Beef Jerky, good texture (on the softer side), over-seasoned, 89 pts

Tillamook Country Smoker, Old Fashioned Beef Jerky, bit sweet, good. texture, natural, 86 pts

Lorissa's Kitchen, Organic Steak Strip Jerky, good texture, couple odd bites, 81 pts

Old Trapper, Peppered Kippered Beef Steak, not jerky, strong black pepper, not sweet, 73 pts

Humboldt Jerky Company, BBQ Brisket, much too sweet, excellent texture, tender, 70 pts

Country Archer, Original, very weird, soft to almost gelatin texture, wanted to like it, 69 pts

Canned Fish

Patagonia, Lemon Pepper Sockeye Salmon Pouch, excellent texture and taste, 95 pts 

Patagonia, Lemon Herb Mussels, 90, pts

Patagonia, Smoked Mussels, 89, pts

Patagonia, Savory Sofrito Mussels, 88, pts

Crown Prince, Smoked Oysters in Olive Oil, very good, 88 pts

Reese, Smoked Oysters, Medium, defines average, right size, 81 pts

Chicken of the Sea, Fancy Smoked Oysters, mealy, pretty bad, 61 pts

Memorable Meals II

MOON - Tallinn (Oct. and Nov. 2019)
Clear Fish Soup with Tomato-Horseradish Chutney
Warm Buckwheat Blinis with Golden Whitefish Roe and Sour Cream
- Italian White Wine (full-bodied and organic)

Hestia Resort - Lausamaa (Nov. 2019)
Blinis with Trout Roe and Sour Cream
Sliced Local Duck Breast on Green Salad with Pears and Black Currants
- Italian Rose Champagne, Chianti

Oysters

Favorite Oyster Features:
medium to large size, plump, creamy yet firm, moderately briny, plenty of liquor;
off white and opaque (creaminess and texture indicator), generally prefer Pacific, open to merroir.

Very Good Ones:
Konbo Mori (Hokkaido, JPN) - soft, creamy, minerally, low brine, medium finish; M-L (9)
Hiroshima (JPN) - sweet, medium creamy, firm, medium brine, M-L (10)
Senpoushi (Hokkaido, JPN) - very creamy, minerally, earth tones, long finish, M-L (10)
Namibian Pacific (SA) - very creamy yet firm, sweet, medium brine, M (9)

Good Ones:
Isigny Speciale (FR) - creamy yet firm, briney, a lot of liquor, M (7.5)

Favorite Cheeses

France:
Fumaison (smoked, raw sheep's milk)
Pont l'Eveque
Vieux Pane
Langres
Morbier
Saint Nectaire
Reblochon
Banon
Fourme d'Ambert
Bleu d'Auvergne
Chevres (various)
Italy:
Taleggio
Gorgonzola (dolce and naturale)
Pecorino Sardo
England:
Neal's Yard St. James (raw sheep's milk, funk)
Stilton
Cotswold
Mature Cheddar
Scandinavia:
Swedish Farmer's Cheese (Scandic)
USA:
Humbolt Fog
Cremont
Schloss

Coffee

On the British scale of 1 (weak) to 5 (very robust), I tend towards number 4.

Favorites are tropical Southeast Asian - Sumatra and Papua New Guinea.

Disappointing: Peruvian (too mild)

Best method - pour over with unbleached filters in a Hario ceramic cone.

Dinner of the Year Award

2019

Nishiazabu Taku - Tokyo

2018
Le Bernardin - NYC

2017
Genus Atelier - Dresden

The Five Mother Sauces

Bechamel - white roux with milk, base for many sauces; served with eggs, fish, and poultry

Tomat - tomato, pork fat, and sometimes a roux; served with pasta, fish, poultry, and dumplings

Veloute - white roux with light stock; served with eggs, fish, poultry, vegetables, and pasta

Espagnole - brown roux wih meat stock; served with roasted meats

Hollandaise - egg yolk, lemon, clarified butter; served with eggs, vegetables, fish, and light meats
 --

Roux: mixture of flour and fat used to thicken sauces
White Roux - butter and flour
Brown Roux - butter and flour, cooked longer; sometimes animal fats replace butter

More Fine Dining Terms

Prix Fixe - an entire meal offered by a restaurant for a set price, often three courses (app, main, dessert), substitutions not usually permitted. Pronunciation 

Haute Cuisine -"high cooking" - that is, cooking of an elevated level - fine dining. 17th c. French origin. Pronunciation

Cuisine Classique - modernized Haute Cuisine associated with Escoffier (1846-1935) in which service russe and reliance on sauces are characteristic.

Nouvelle Cuisine -  "new cuisine" that emphasizes fresh ingredients, lighter compositions, and avoidance of the overly complicated. Term as used today originated in the 1960s. Sometimes framed as a reaction against Cuisine Classique. Pronunciation

Services and Courses

Service a la francaise: serving all the courses of dinner at once
Service a la russe: serving the courses in sequence, one after another
("buffet" is a version of the service a la francaise; "family style" is a variant for main dishes)

the traditional three course - soup and fish, roasts, desserts
(multiple dishes per course for formal meals)

Current Multiple Course Arrangements
3 course: appetizer, main course, dessert
4 course: soup, appetizer, main course, dessert
5 course: soup, appetizer, salad, main course, dessert

Stored Goods / Pantry Items

Bottled Water
Sparkling Water
Wine
Beer
Juice
Cofee
Tea
UHT Milk
Canned Fish (Salmon, Tuna, Trout, Oysters, Clams)
Pasta (from Orzo to Tagliatelle)
Soup
Canned Fruit/Veg.
Spices (incl. salt and pepper)
Sugar
Flour
Shortening/Baking Soda/ Baking Powder/Corn Starch
Oils (Olive, Canola, Sesame)
Vinegars (Balsamic, Rice, Red Wine, White)
Nuts
Beans/Lentils
Tomato Paste/Sauce
Pesto
Oatmeal
Crackers
Chocolate
Honey
Salsa/Hot Sauce
Olives
Capers
Pickles
Mayo
Jam
Peanut Butter
Soy Sauce
Mustard
Ketchup
Sauerkraut
___

Paper Towels / Napkins
Cleansers (Dish Soap, Windex, Counter, etc.)
Sponges
Trash Bags
Ziplocs
Plastic Wrap
Aluminum Foil
Batteries