I was expecting so much more

Not a phrase you want to hear, especially about food. However, that was the theme of this month’s Fabulous Foodies meetup. For a long time, I was at a loss of what to do. Were people expecting more quantity, like fine French dining? More quality, like am I supposed to make some kraft macaroni and cheese? I decided to riff off of both of these ideas. My offering was a slice of pepperjack cheese, a slice of apple, and a slice of onion which I had been marinating in beet juice. These were skewered together and platted. Then, I took the beet juice, soy lecithin, salt, and a couple egg whites and frothed with a stick blender. The idea was to create a stable foam so that I could add bright purple clouds over the skewers. Diners would curiously pick out a skewer to find a simple, yet tasty bite, hopefully, expecting so much more.   

  

Others took different detours on their paths to lowered expectations. Simplicity was the name of the game for many. One person made guacamole on site, which is a specialty of hers. Heavy on the cilantro and the shallot, she keeps the pit in as she mixes for additional agitation. Another member brought the fixings for lox sandwiches, just romaine, cream cheese, cured salmon, and tomatoes. To add to the mix, she also brought maple candied bacon for BLTs. A large skirt steak was seasoned with salt and pepper and seared in a cast iron pan over high heat, resulting in a charred outside, yet a medium rare center. Simple and delicious.

On the other hand, size was another factor to play with for the theme. There were two kinds of sliders made, one was ground turkey with lettuce, tomato, and a spicy aioli. The other was a sweet potato, with a maple/apple chutney spread in the bun. Even some of the desserts were sized individually and kept to the theme of simplicity. Chocolate dipped oreos and cream stout beer root beer floats capped off the evening.

Despite the theme, I ended the night with a full stomach. After raucous debate, we voted on next month’s theme, “Tongue Twisters.” To all those in attendance next month, good luck.