Meatcake! And Leftovers

Main Entry: left·over
Pronunciation: \ˈleft-ˌō-vər\
Function: noun
Date: 1891
1 : something that remains unused or unconsumed; especially : leftover food served at a later meal —usually used in plural

What I see:



I get defensive when confronted with food that has been in the refrigerator for more than a day. It always makes me feel like I somehow failed in preparing it right the first time.

Cold Chinese or cold Italian are exempt. They are perfect at any temperature.
Chili needs a day to rest and relax. Orzo salad is great for lunch the next day.

I'm talking about that ball of foil from last night's dinner. It's cold. It has developed a gelatinous, alien-like coating. It's unapproachable.

I had a situation earlier this week when I made our favorite gingered pork loin. It's kind of a blur, but I had two loins. AnonyMouse used the word LEFTOVERS, and there I was wrapping one up in foil to be placed in the refrigerator. I didn't feel good about it.

COLDPORKLOINCOLDPORKLOIN echoed through my head all the next day. It was awful. I wanted to create something new with it so it didn't resemble the previous dinner in any way. You know, trick myself into thinking it was a brand new meal.

In the end I realized: RESISTANCE IS FUTILE. I had to let go.

I did. Some things just deserve a second chance.
And Meatcake is still the funniest word in the english language.

Three Favorite Words Paired With Three Delicious Cold Meals

Cozy and dumplings
Cake and the other half of an eggplant parmigiana hero
Home and a big plate of meats and cheeses

Please Bear With Me

Sometimes you're at a kick-ass, Friday night rooftop BBQ and you find yourself eating bear while listening to an in-depth play by play of how that bear came to be in the shape of a sausage. Yes. Sometimes that does happen.

In some circles, bear is a perfectly acceptable hors d'oeuvres. Discussion of how that bear was captured and prepared is required. Since I don't roll with a hunting crowd, you could say that I was horrified and intrigued by the prospect of eating...BooBoo. So it's no surprise to say that that slice of Yogi was one of the most bizarre and unpleasant tastes I've ever experienced. The display of grace while spitting into a napkin was a thing of beauty. I've never moved that fast in my life.

We've all met that person whose favorite mode of conversing is via monologue. I happen to be a good listener, so it's usually interesting for a while. I prefer give and take in a conversation, but sometimes you're held hostage by someone who brings bear to a party, and will not take no for an answer.

Cooking has an element of self-indulgence that could potentially lead to a one way conversation. I'm definitely someone who aims to please when foisting food upon friends and loved ones. I would hope that somewhere in the back of everyone's cooking mind is the teeniest glimmer of the people being served.

Sorry, BooBoo.

Since AnonyMouse and I are going to the US Open tomorrow, I share with you:

Three Game Meats I Will Never Try Paired With Three Great Games:

Kangaroo and Nadal v Federer Men's Wimbledon 2008 Final
Goat and Giants-Patriots Super Bowl 2008
Ostrich and Balderdash