Food and Drink at Tom's Dinner Table

[Mouser]

Again, I bow to those who can eat strong cheese and drink red wines.

AND anyone who can stay on a unicycle for more than 5 seconds!

Italian food IN ITALY is more delicate than it's counterpart in America. We do love Italian here, but it is heavier. Some restaurants maintain the blends of herbs and spices tho. Also, the more European custom of many small courses. Here we tend to get one giant helping of one thing.

I lived in Germany for a few years, and while there, we had many a good bye party at the restaurant of one co-worker's girlfriend. She was French and the meal took hours. You almost looked forward to someone leaving.

[jaybee]

Italian food... truly Italian food! A shock to our North American palates when we're so used to the Italian food that (in my neck of the woods anyway) is made in restaurants owned by members of the Lebanese community.

We have a "Little Italy" here in Ottawa and, after having eaten in several restaurants there, I no longer go anywhere else for my Italian food. Light, flavourful, delicate tomato sauces, freshly made pasta -- scrumptious!

[WhoGabe]

If I had a Tardis I could jump on it and visit all of you making homemade pasta and ragu' wih real Parmigiano! It would be great to meet friends like that: over a good meal!

[GluttonousAnorexia]

Well... I am an honest and good citizen of the United States. And being only 19, I can't actually drink. Well, I could, but I can't at the same time. Sure, it is easy enough to get a hold of something compromising, but even if I wanted to... I would have no idea where to start. Fortunately, my best friend's parents own a winery and make some good wine (I have been told.) However, one night we spontaneously decided to go over and try the wines for a small get-together we were having (my friends are all older than I am) and after about fifteen sips of fifteen different wines, I could only conclusively say "Uhm... well..."

A connoisseur of wine, I am not.

[CorinaMLennox]

Well, I'm not really much of a winer as there is nothing ale-ing me at this time. However I do like a few cheezy things. Some mild cheddar, swiss, or Mozzerrella are great in many a different sandwich. But enough with the cheeze.
I also enjoy the wild game that my brothers hunt in their seasons. Stir-fried elk and grilled mule deer are both fantastic meats to savour. I can even make a palatable elky noodle soup. (I'm more of an experimental cook than a professional one though.) Although when I'm out at a resteraunt, I tend to order something chicken.
When it comes to beverages of choice, I'm more of a social coffee drinker than a private one. I love the different flavours of creamer one can choose from these days. I discovered that if I really wanted to treat myself to a good cup of tea, using Molassas, as the sweetener of choice, is absolutely wonderful.

[MCH]

Is there anyone that comes on Tom's website that hasn't fantasized about being invited to his real table ?

As for wines I am also fond of the Sweeter German wines. Dry wines make me thirsty, lol. A good Chardinay is quite refreshing. I found a rather odd but good wine called Chocovine. Yes it has and tastes chocolatey and it sounds weird to mix chocolate and a red, yes red, wine. But it tastes more like a chocolate liquer. Ooh yummy ! However, these days I can only have an occasional sip. And with all those great micro brewed beers and decadent martinis around it is sad indeed that I can't have more then a tiny bit. Oh well, lol.

As for breads, hmmm, I like all kinds of multi grains, asiago, cibata, Italian, rye, semolina, pumpernickel, sesame. Well all kinds, lol.

Cheeses !?! I love cheese. From mild Monterey to limberger. I especially enjoy the Swiss with a bite, cream havarti and the kind with dill in it as well. Butter kase is good and Stilton blue is heavenly. I like a warm Brie with fig preserves. Five year aged cheddar is totally awesome to. Gorgonzola, gruyere, fetta and other goat cheeses. Quesadilla, ricotta, parmesan, roquefort, Colby-jack, Gouda, provolone, saga blue, mmm cheese! And there is a world of cheeses out there that I will never know. "snif" lol

Deserts? Woohooo! Yes I like them of course I do ! Recently I had a wonderful bread pudding. The name of the bread they used escapes me but it was a small diameter bread sliced very thin. They used a cream brûlée sauce with makers mark bourbon in it. That had honey drizzeled over it and then a dollop of vanilla bean ice cream topped it off. I think it would have been even better if the sauce was stiffened by flame like regular creme brûlée. But it was pretty awesome the way it was. Of course I'll never turn down a chocolate cake with fudge icing, lol.

All of a sudden I feel a bit peckish. I wonder why ?

MCH

[tch]

I don't drink, so it's a cup of coffee or a Pepsi for me, but I'll take some of that cheese and bread.

Good homemade crusty bread and a really strong, aged cheddar and I'm a happy guy.
My wife got a bread machine for christmas a couple years back and it quickly became our favorite kitchen gadget.

[MCH]

TCH,

We got a bread machine when were first married. It was the kind that cylindrical bread. Had fun with it for a while. I haven't tried one of the larger rectangular ones.

My hubby has made some handmade bread. Kolache egg bread from an old Serbian cook book. It is difficult to make but sooo good !

Last summer we were up in Ohio and I bought some five year aged cheddar. I fell in love with it. Which reminds me that I need to order some more, lol. I can't find any around where I live.

Mr. Tom sir, may I have another scone ? mmmm

MCH

[Clara Listensprechen]

As a yankee, I would dare to ask for an English Muffin Pizza. And Jelly Baby Pie for dessert. Now that Kraft Foods is acquiring Cadbury, I do think I will DEMAND Jelly Babies in the States from now on. I feel another rebellion on the British coming on...



Oh, Tom--this is your dinner table. Nothing personal--I wasn't going to start a food fight HERE.

[CorinaMLennox]

Wait a minute here !!! Did someone say "Home-made bread???" Awesome!!! Pass the jam!!!!