Monday, September 28, 2009

Addictions, Obsessions, Fixations...

Recently, I've become fixated on three new foods.  Well, the foods aren't new; I'm sure they've been around for ages, but they're new to me.

Based on the recommendation of my friend Kellie (who makes up one third of my brain, which is composed of me, Kellie and Anna von Beaverplatz - I'm not even lying, we are totally the same person!), I finally tried real maple syrup.  I'd only ever had imitation maple syrup, like Mrs. Butterworth and Log Cabin and I didn't really like them very much, so I assumed I wouldn't really care for the real stuff on which it was based.  So, yeah, I was wrong.  Real maple syrup is the SHIT!  Ohmynomnomnom!  Every day I have to talk myself out of having pancakes, French toast or waffles.  Every day.  Because now, that's what I want all the time, just so I can put maple syrup on it.  And here's the thing, guys, real maple syrup is NOT cheap!  I bought this wee 3.4 oz bottle for almost $5.00 from the Amish Market (which is also a new obsession - I can't even stand going to the regular grocery store now because their produce sucks hairy, sweaty ballsacks.  The Amish Market has locally grown vegetables and fruit, fresh churned butter, cheese, fresh baked bread, maple syrup, homemade pies {and they have MINI pies, so I don't feel like a giant hoggy pig girl}, and beautiful and inexpensive flower bouquets.  I love the Amish Market SOO much!)  FIVE DOLLARS for like 1/3 of a cup!  So worth it though.  A little goes a long way and it just has so much more flavor than fake syrup and it's not sickly sweet.  If you haven't tried it, I recommend picking up some.  Don't waste your money on the Canadian crap though.  You can get US made and then you're not contributing to the impolite, hockey-loving Canadian economy.  Fucking Canadians, all superior (oh, pardon, "superiour") with their REAL fucking maple syrup.

The other food I've become addicted to is spaghetti squash.  Mmmm, spaghetti squash...  Evidently, people put pasta sauce on it and use it as a substitute for traditional spaghetti.  I haven't done that yet.  The texture isn't even similar to pasta, so I'm not sure I could fully embrace that dish.  However, baking the squash (which I call "squish" because I amuse myself for reasons I'm completely unable to explain) and then using a fork to separate the strands, like spaghetti, and eating it with butter, salt and pepper or with butter & brown sugar is so yummy!  It's even good mixed with rice and Chinese food.  I had some leftover Spicy Brocolli and only a little bit of rice, so rather than making more rice (because I'm lazy - I feel certain that we've covered this fact before), I added a clump of the spaghetti squash to the mixture.  It had a great texture and was a bit healthier (or at least less carby) than white rice.  The squish is a bitch to cut before you cook it, fucking rind is HARD, but if you nuke it in the microwave for about 5 minutes and let it cool a bit, it's easier to cut it in half so you can bake it.  Also, I wouldn't have known to do this if Resa hadn't mentioned it, but you can totally roast/bake the squish seeds like you would pumpkin seeds.  They make for a damn tasty little snack!

Speaking of seeds, I've recently become obsessed with black sesame seeds.  I put them on *everything*.  I add them to salads, the aforementioned squish, crackers and cream cheese, asparagus or any steamed vegetable, Chinese food, etc.  They're delicious and nutty tasting with a tiny, little crunch to them.  They're ridiculously high in fat, so I'm not sure what's up with that.  I love seeds and nuts, so finding these and the squish seeds pleases me greatly.

Are you fixated on any foods right now?  Anything you'll pay WAY too much for?  Any spaghetti squash recipes for me?  Know any Canadians who are all stuck up about their delicious syrup?

10 comments:

Mrs.H said...

Just my usual: cold cereal, tater tots and margaritas.

Real maple is the tits!

(This is Kellie.)

The Management said...

Have I ever told you that I find your anti-Canadianism endearing. It just makes me want to pour real, Canadian maple syrup all over you and have my evil canuck way with your boobies.

My obsession: Cold smoked steaks from a local cheese/butcher shop. 4 steaks = $50.00 and it's worth every fucking penny. Also, maple-chipotle bbq sauce. So sexy.

x said...

God dammit. Now I'm starving. Be right back.

Sarah said...

My allergies are so bad right now that I literally cannot taste anything, because I cannot smell anything on account of how I can't breathe because my brain is melting and running out all the holes in my head. So mostly I've been eating dry Crispix and cold chunks of roast chicken. The only reason I have chicken to eat is because my mother yelled at me and said I'd die of malnutrition if all I ate was dry cereal, so she brought over a chicken and some grapes. I haven't eaten the grapes yet, because I keep hoping I'll suddenly, magically be able to breathe and smell and therefore taste, but that doesn't seem likely to happen anytime soon. So I'll be eating lovely red grapes that I can't taste. But hey, at least I won't have scurvy!

x said...

Took longer than I thought. I have nothing of value to add. But I ate pizza, so that's rad.

Lainey said...

Kriegerfrau - (What does that mean, btw?) Dude, like I wouldn't have known that was you from the tater tots and cereal? Heee! I'm so glad you linked your old blog. I'ma go read that bitch!

*Man*agement - Thank you for indulging my anti-Canadianism. You're very polite to put up with me... Oooh, sessy maple boobies! And, I don't know what those steaks are, but I'm going to ask the butcher/caterer guy I deal with, for work functions, about it. I'm intrigued!

Whorish Mouth - You made me giggle and then I almost wanted pizza, but I had waffles instead. I think it's going on Day 5 of the Waffle EXTRAVAGANZA!

Sarah - Poor dying girl! BUT, I'm glad you're not dying of scurvy. Your mum is very nice to you. I like her.

Anonymous said...

you had me at "Amish market"

i would eat ANYTHING those fine people cook/bake/create. the VERY BEST brioche i've ever had (and i've had a lot of effin pastries in my day) came from the Amish. it became a compulsion.

Anna von Beaverplatz said...

I am obsessed with pretty much every food I eat. Which is why I weigh the same as a house.

Also, I have known for years that real maple syrup is the tits. I always ask for it at the diner, and I usually keep a bottle in the fridge. Not to eat off a spoon, though, or anything. I mean, that would be weird, right?

P.S. It makes a yummy ice cream topping.

Anonymous said...

My new obsession is bison meat, for real. I've only had it once, but those were the best damn steaks EVER and I would really like some more. Now, please.
I'm abnormally obsessed with red bean ice cream in general (what you get at the Japanese restaurants) and I keep scouring Asian markets to see if they have it so I can just, you know, HAVE some in my freezer without being the freak that goes to a sushi bar just for ice cream.
And honeydew melon flavored frozen yogurt with berries on top. Must have all the time.

Lainey said...

gp - I'm very lucky to live within 20 miles of Amish country - and yet, I've never visited; I am lame. However, the market by my house is a natural foods/Amish/Mennonite market and I want to try everything in that store!

AvB - I had not considered adding maple syrup to my ice cream... AWESOME! I added it to my oatmeal today. I fear I may need an intervention.

FunctionalWeirdo - Bison meat seems like it would be tough, but I'm gathering from you that it wasn't...Hmm, I may have to ask the butcher about that, too! Also, I'm not familiar with the red bean ice cream. I have some investigating to do.