JJB’s Ramblings

Saying that I like cheese might be somewhat of an understatement.   

I make a habit to eat it as often as possible and am always down for trying a new cheese.  This is all common knowledge.  Most of my friends share their own cheese stories with me knowing that I will probably appreciate it more than the average listener.  I get cheese as gifts.  I talk about cheese. I listen about cheese and now I write about cheese.  But it’s not my own cheese experience that I write about.  It’s to alert you to possibly one of the best websites out there.  I would bet that this site has more traffic than CNN.com or MySpace.  Professor Benes, that fine swiss gentleman who helped me experience fondue shared this site with me.   

Some people wish they had written that one great novel.  I just wish that I came up with this first.  It’s just so freakin’ awesome.

Last night I crossed the line.  For a long time I have been reading the works of Anthony Bourdain and Jeffrey Steingarten (among others) and taking in copious amounts of food knowledge.  They have made me reconsider the foods I don’t like and driven me to try more foods that I am not normally exposed too (usually for the better).  I can now look at a plate of cured olives (not to be confused with those salty black rubber rings sold in cans) and dig in and try and understand how it’s appealing and give it another shot of my own, sometimes with pleasant results.  Does this mean I will eat anything? No.  Zucchini is still on my Most Not Wanted list but I did eat a beet after 17 years of aversion.

ANYWAY.  Last night we dined at Petit Robert Bistro  in the South End.  This little frenchie joint has been on my “restaurant to-do list” for at least a year, so I was very excited to help eRock celebrate her friend’s birthday there.  The service was decent, the atmosphere was quaint (and they had the sox game on) and the company was enjoyable.  Now that I have all that out of the way, let me dish on the dishes. It could be called fabulous and new (to me anyway) and intriguing.  It could (and most likely will) be called potentially gross by those that don’t wander far from the sanctuary of meat (read: beef or chicken) and potatoes.   

To start with, here are some of the appetizers that were passed around the table:

French Onion Soup (complete with a giant gob of gruyere)
Carrot and Ginger Soup was the special of the day 
Braised Endives and Ham au Fromage (with more gobs of what I think was gruyere, parm {maybe} and emmental) 
Trio of Homemade Patés with Condiments (this was mine, though I shared a little).  Chicken liver, pork and pate de campagne served with little cornichons and some mustard.  Spread this on the warm crusty bread they gave us and it was perfect. I really wanted to try the Pan Seared Foie Gras, Apple Wedge Tatin Style, Cinnamon Vinegar Sauce but decided that would have to wait until our next visit.  All of the appetizers were delicious but it was really the entrees that I was looking forward too. 

First, here is a photo of the entrée options so that you can try and decide what meal YOU would have ordered…   

As I said, I crossed that culinary line.  I was feeling adventurous and was eager to try the something new.  E opted for the Beef Short Ribs Pot au Feu with Vegetables, Broth and Marrow Bone, which had also caught my eye but I let her run with it.  The dish was very similar to a pot roast, where everything is simmered together for a long time, allowing for very tender meat.  I had wanted to try roast marrow  and was not disappointed.  It was incredible…. I may even give this a shot in the home kitchen. 

My entrée was Duel of a French Andouillette with a Boudin Noir over Mashed Potatoes.  This is Andouillette .  I assure you that it was tasty and not nearly as repulsive as this wiki article makes it sound.  Would I eat it again?  Oh sure.  Am I going to go out of my way to find it? Probably not.  The Boudin Noir on the other hand … that I will keep my eyes peeled for.  It had a fantastic flavor and texture that was complimented very well with the mashed potatoes.  I am officially a fan. 

The other (and probably most interesting dish to me) was the Tripes Provencal ordered by one of the other diner companions.  I was offered a taste and found it to be a very likeable dish.  It was hearty with a tomato base to it and root vegetables simmered along with the tripe.  Probably not a dish I would order as an entrée, but certainly a dish that I would accept a taste (or two) from every time. 

After all of that food, I was feeling fat and content and knew that it would be weeks before I could take a cholesterol test.  Only the birthday girl opted for a dessert, which was intriguing.  It was called Ile flottante and it was delicate and silky and carmely and delicious. And I could only eat one bite for fear of splitting my own seams.  

So I urge you… get outside of your palates comfort zone and try something new.  You can eat burgers and fries any old time, this is just something a little different that you owe it to yourself to try. Or maybe not.  

In the time since the last posting here are some things that I have done, I haven’t done and I might have done. 

Things I Have Done

·         Travelled 2,170 miles in a seven day period
·         Made no less than 3 no more than 8 u-turns
·         Learned the difference between a Manhatten and a Perfect Manhatten while in Brooklyn from a cracked out bartender.
·         Sweat out about 15 lbs from the heat and humidity below the Mason-Dixon line
·         Ate enough southern food to make up for what I sweat off….and thensome.
·         Found a head of cauliflower bigger than E’s head and then roasted it (the cauliflower, not E)
·         Found $0.69 draft Dos Equis
·         Watched the finale of Rock of Love.
·         Built a step and painted a fence
·         Watched as 4 friends got married.  Not at once. 

Things I Have Not Done

·         Followed the start of the NHL
·         Found the Mason-Dixon line
·         Found Waldo
·         Totally rested despite two weeks vacation
·         Baked a lasagna
·         A good blog post
·         Gotten over seeing the spider that was the size of a softball.  I swear he was cracking his knuckles and taunting me.
·         Changed my broken taillight or brake light 

Things I Might Have Done

·         93mph somewhere in Virginia
·         Gotten a sunburn in a mere 45 minutes at the beach
·         Changed my mind on random things about 87,824 times
·         Played Guitar Hero and regressed into an 8 year old saying how much I want the game every 6.2 seconds since I left it.
·         Gotten E pulled over because I havent changed my broken taillight or brakelight
·         Invented a new Southern cocktail.  Apparently they have never added Spiced Rum to their sweet tea.  You should.
·         Roasted a chicken and two porkloins in less than 3.5 hours for fun.
·         Wached the entire series of Scott Baio is 45 and single.
·         Painted a fence purple instead of red.

Things I Wish I Did

·         Photographed that windfarm in Lowville NY
·         Had another $0.69 Dos Equis
·         Took another helping of the Roasted Wild Boar
·         Allotted more time for Charleston sightseeing
·         Stopped at Wegmans.  Seriously, that store is killer.