Tuesday, January 24, 2006

DESERT ISLAND DISHES

Covering reception can be lonely but it gives me plenty of time to ponder various random thoughts. Here's a little discussion to start amongst yourselves: If stuck on a desert island, what eight ingredients and two dishes would you take with you?

At first I thought it would be an breeze to pick my favourite things but once you start making a list and getting to the last few spots, ten different things will pop into your head putting you back at square one. So here's my list of must have ingredients:

1. Garlic - As most of you know this will jazz up anything and since I assume that on this island I will be alone, I won't have to worry about kissing boys with my garlic breath.

2. Cilantro / coriander - One of my favourite fresh herbs- if not my favourite. I love the flavour, the colour, the taste. It works fresh and cooked and can be paired with so many other ingredients.

3. Lemons - To use it savoury and sweet dishes.

4. Pig - Yes, a pig. One whole pig. I don't like fish (which I would have to get over real quick) but I like pork. Most of the parts of a pig can be eaten that it would be invaluable to get it onto my island. I love bacon so much that I would strap that thing to my back if I had to.

5. Onion - Once more, a basic ingredient that is the starter for so many dishes.

6. Corn - Imagine never having corn tortillas again. It's hell on Earth as it is with the lack of them in the U.K. let alone stuck on an island. Since I would have so much time on my hands I could make them myself. Or I could have fresh corn- yum.

7. Tomatoes - I just could not live without them. I splurge on them in the winter now (even though they aren't as could as they should be) so I feel like it is warmer outside. Salads, soups, salsas, sauces- I could easily come up with tons of uses for this.

8. Chilis - Come on- how many Mexicans do you know that live without chilis?

And my two dishes? It is so difficult to narrow down to two items that you couldn't live without. There are so many things I love depending on my mood. I would hate a lifetime without dim sum from Royal China and Yautcha, what about no In n Out burger or no salad. My conclusion is that it would be real shitty to leave without so many food delights but I am happy with what I narrowed it down to. Because it is cold out they are quite heavy meals maybe if it was Summer I would think differently.

1. Steak and chips with an iceberg wedge with blue cheese dressing - The steak would have to be either filet mignon or part of a chateaubriand. I don't need to eat 150 ounces of mediocre quality meat- that is just wrong. I prefer to have a small portion of an amazing steak. The chips have to be thin cut. And since I'm going old school a wedge of iceberg with a blue cheese dressing on the side.

2. Chile Relleno with a side of refried beans - It must be from my Tio Meno's restaurant too and it must have the secret family sauce on top.

Now it's your turn. What couldn't you live without? Post it as a comment and I will compile a list of the top ten ingredients!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

After much internal debate, I have decided on the following list for my island confinement:
wine, ice, baguette, cheese,
salami, assorted beans, rice,
oranges.

meal #1: peppercorn filet mignon, twice stuffed potatoes with gorgonzola and wilted spinach salad.
meal #2: The same potatoes and salad with garlic-rosemary lamb chops.
When can I go?

Anonymous said...

Ok, here are my choices.
Garlic, same reason you said.
Onion/Scallion
Oranges
Corn Tortillas
Eggs (or a couple chickens to lay and eat)
Beef (I also want to take the whole cow, also for milk before I eat her)
Herbs De Provance (or herb seeds and vegetable seeds)
Wine-any kind, and since it's my island I won't get gout (plus I can eat Barbs pate)
I am expecting to have fish and shrimp to be there, plus bananas, mangos and sweet stream water.
My meals would be:
Carne Asada/Beans/Rice/Chips meal
Phad Thai and whatever goes with that dish.