Your current food obsession?

[Jenise]

Mine: a Mimosa salad. Butter lettuce, heavily mustarded dressing with either tarragon or fresh chopped chives, topped with chopped 7-minute hard boiled egg. Yeah, me who hates eggs. I've made and eaten four of them since last Friday. And I would happily eat another right now, for breakfast. Chances are good we'll have another tonight, since I have a new head of butter lettuce and not much else for salad around. And besides, it sounds better than anything else. I'm not done with it yet.

You?

Unfortunately, mine is likely to be vegan cuisine. Our daughter has decided to give up eating all animal products for Lent. While I'm tempted to serve her an undressed baked potato every night (while we eat normally), I could likely be brought up on child abuse charges for that. She'll be required to do some of the cooking but her homework load is far too tough to make that an every-night occurrence.

Sigh.

Mine: a Mimosa salad. Butter lettuce, heavily mustarded dressing with either tarragon or fresh chopped chives, topped with chopped 7-minute hard boiled egg. Yeah, me who hates eggs. I've made and eaten four of them since last Friday. And I would happily eat another right now, for breakfast. Chances are good we'll have another tonight, since I have a new head of butter lettuce and not much else for salad around. And besides, it sounds better than anything else. I'm not done with it yet.

Eggs?

.

.

Jenise! JENISE! Get over here quick - somebody's hacked into your account!

I'm going bonkers at the moment with a jar of Korean bean paste that I scored recently. I love cooking with miso, and I assumed the light Korean version I purchased would be similar to a shiro or maybe shinsu miso. Well, I guess it's sorta similar to those, but the Korean version has a coarser texture, to start, and definitely depth and flavor differences. I can see why Korean recipes often say to use Korean bean paste instead of Japanese miso if at all possible. It's not just national pride. It really changes the dish. I'm having fun plastering it on all sorts of things now.

Currently, it is hamburger... made from organic, locally grown beef. I love hamburger anyway, but for some reason I am craving it. Recently made a killer red pasta sauce and served over noodles. Tomorrow night I am making Patty Melt sandwiches, with lots of caramelized onions on rye bread.

Fish Chowder. We've been having it every Friday night, and will right through Lent.

Chicken wings. Hot, Buffalo style. This has been going on for 35 years. However, lately I've had a craving for ribs, which I haven't had since Summer.

Aside from the tamarind paste that I posted on the other week, one big thing in our house has been trying different Asian noodles. I've been frequenting an Asian superstore to find different ingredients and the wide array of noodles is mind (and palate) boggling. It's fun to try different stuff and tweak things for the different noodles. Right now in the house we have Toi San flat thick noodles, thin Chakou Minqing rice noodles, and an intermediate long curly Taiwanese noodle. Best part, my son loves them all!

Just curious, Rahsaan: is your son eating pescevegetarian, too?

Mark Lipton

In addition to my post above, I find I am craving canned tomato products, like Cento San Marzano whole tomatoes, diced tomatoes in rich puree, and fire roasted tomatoes....crazy!

Ramen. F'ing David Chang.

Schug. The Yemini condiment. Quite addicting with hot green chiles, coriander, garlic and other spices I am trying it mixed in dishes for flavor boost; as a condiment on roasted meats; on salads and just about anything I think of. It is the Middle East's equivalent of Lan Chi. Very distinctive and versatile. Got a jar from a visiting Israeli friend which she said was her favorite brand and I've been trying to recreate.
The fish eggs have been processed and cured so I'm also into blinchiki and caviar as more than garnish investigations.

Mine: a Mimosa salad. Butter lettuce, heavily mustarded dressing with either tarragon or fresh chopped chives, topped with chopped 7-minute hard boiled egg. Yeah, me who hates eggs. I've made and eaten four of them since last Friday. And I would happily eat another right now, for breakfast. Chances are good we'll have another tonight, since I have a new head of butter lettuce and not much else for salad around. And besides, it sounds better than anything else. I'm not done with it yet.

You?

Are you pregnant?

Just curious, Rahsaan: is your son eating pescevegetarian, too?

Mark Lipton

He actually doesn't eat that much fish/seafood, which I guess is normal for a little kid. The only sea creature he really likes is smoked salmon. But we cook chicken for him a few times per week and we have nothing against him eating other meat, if he comes across it at school or elsewhere. Although we don't really buy it and he doesn't seek it out. (When he was a baby we would cook beef for his purees and he liked them until he got old enough to express detailed preferences!)

Just curious, Rahsaan: is your son eating pescevegetarian, too?

Mark Lipton

He actually doesn't eat that much fish/seafood, which I guess is normal for a little kid. The only sea creature he really likes is smoked salmon. But we cook chicken for him a few times per week and we have nothing against him eating other meat, if he comes across it at school or elsewhere. Although we don't really buy it and he doesn't seek it out. (When he was a baby we would cook beef for his purees and he liked them until he got old enough to express detailed preferences!)

Interesting. I've known vegetarian parents who've gone both ways on the subject. FWIW, our son loves all manner of fish, but we've been careful to serve him only very fresh fish that's mildly flavored. Smoked salmon is an interesting starting point, that's for sure.

Mark Lipton

I'm obsessed with my chocolate mold, my paella pan, and my ice cream maker. Next up: chocolates with toasted slivered almonds, mixed land and sea food paella (I know I should do rabbit but I really want to do quail), and black sesame ice cream.

I'm obsessed with my chocolate mold, my paella pan, and my ice cream maker. Next up: chocolates with toasted slivered almonds, mixed land and sea food paella (I know I should do rabbit but I really want to do quail), and black sesame ice cream.

I'd like to hear more about the black sesame ice cream!

[Robin Garr]

I'd like to say Indian food or lentils and beans, but in all honesty, when it comes to obsession, I'm probably looking at Häagen-Dazs Chocolate Peanut Butter ...
http://www.haagendazs.com/Products/Product/2454

I'm obsessed with my chocolate mold, my paella pan, and my ice cream maker. Next up: chocolates with toasted slivered almonds, mixed land and sea food paella (I know I should do rabbit but I really want to do quail), and black sesame ice cream.

I love making paellas, Jeff, and I adore quail, but I don't know if that's the best use for them. And if you're looking for "tradition," what about snail and artichoke paella?

Mark Lipton

Mandarin oranges. My current peeland eat snack of choice. I probably average 8 or 10 of those little buggers/day.

At home - chillies

A red Birds Eye chillie held above a dish and finely cut with a pair of scissors gives a pleasant piquancy.

In restaurant:

Escalope of veal 'Holstein'.

Unfortunately the dish which was a standard is now 'old fashioned' so I travel to London where I can go to an old fashioned restaurant to have it - and have my choice of accompaniments - I choose Lyonnais potatoes, green beans and lightly battered zucchini slices. And a bottle of Ch Batailley.

Pig face.

http://chicago.seriouseats.com/2012/11/behind-the-scenes-making-roasted-pig-face-at-girl-the-goat.html

[Jenise]

Mandarin oranges. My current peeland eat snack of choice. I probably average 8 or 10 of those little buggers/day.

Me, too!

I'm obsessed with my chocolate mold, my paella pan, and my ice cream maker. Next up: chocolates with toasted slivered almonds, mixed land and sea food paella (I know I should do rabbit but I really want to do quail), and black sesame ice cream.

I'd like to hear more about the black sesame ice cream!

When I make it, I'll post. I've got the seeds already but my calendar is full of holes right now.

I'm obsessed with my chocolate mold, my paella pan, and my ice cream maker. Next up: chocolates with toasted slivered almonds, mixed land and sea food paella (I know I should do rabbit but I really want to do quail), and black sesame ice cream.

I love making paellas, Jeff, and I adore quail, but I don't know if that's the best use for them. And if you're looking for "tradition," what about snail and artichoke paella?

Snails are OK but Jim won't eat artichokes. That's why I end up doing seafood and chicken a lot.

But I am still working on my technique a bit. Getting a good sofrito is one thing, getting the right quantities of rice and stock for my 16" pan is another. (My first effort good but a little skimpy, the second effort was too wet.)