Most anyone who's going on vacation knows that their normal, healthy eating practices are going to go out the window for a week or two so they can enjoy good food and local specialties. But when your job entails leading tour groups around different countries, you can't eat with a vacation mentality in mind. Doing so would result in carrying a lot of "extra baggage" home at the end of the season. And not the kind that resembles a suitcase.
Whenever I start a tour that's new to me, it's important to at least sample as much as possible so I can talk about the food and beverages to guests. On the one side, I'm thrilled to enjoy new tastes and dishes. On the other side, I remember how hard I've worked over the winter to stay in shape. And, trust me, two weeks of indulgent eating packs on more pounds than you can imagine. Multiply that by a tour season that lasts four to five months....well, you can just imagine.
But last night I had the opportunity to dine at a Michelin Star restaurant in the Black Forest region of Germany. I can describe my experience in three words: oh my god.
It was a six or seven course meal consisting of one other-worldly delicious plate of food after another. I say six or seven courses because my eyes began to glaze over after the third course. Rather than going on and on, let me reveal the rest in pictures. It's not the same as tasting, I know. But the pictures are better than words.
Vegetable compote w/horseradish creme
Liver pâté
Lobster soup w/prawn-filled ravioli
Cheese-encrusted pork tenderloin w/couscous
Vacherin Mont Dor (cheese from France)
Passion fruit sponge cake, fresh fruit & mini piña colada
And from the evening before, but very worthy of being included...
Creme Brûlée
As each course arrived, a chorus of "oohs", "aahs" and moans arose from the table. There was no way I'd be able to eat it all, but I did sample each course. I'm still drooling over the memory of the cheese (soft, pungent and a heavenly treat for cheese-lovers).
Today's eating will be much more low-key, but the memory of last night's gourmet meal will evoke "mmmm's" and "oh my gosh's" for a long time. The Piece de Resistance for me was the Creme Brûlée -- one of my top three favorite desserts!
Do you have find memories of a meal that surpassed all your food-related dreams and expectations? I'd love to hear all about it, and enjoy it vicariously through you.
On a yarny note (because this is, after all, a crochet blog), I've had no recent yarn sightings or time to crochet. But my crochet bag is always in my sight and knows that I haven't forgotten it. :)
