Encounter with oysters at Pearl Dive

A few posts down I included a quote from Ernest Hemingway describing his experience eating oysters and drinking wine. I shared this partially because of my fascination with the once journalist but also because the quote perfectly captures the way I feel about food. A dining experience speaks to all of our senses. Our eyes are pleased by carefully decorated interiors, our ears perk up to the hustle and bustle of the kitchen and waves of conversation from surrounding tables, our fingers carefully hold cristal wine glasses, our mouths and noses...well that's obvious, they have the greatest treat of all. Working all together, these aspects create such a full, satisfied feeling --the nearest real life definition of "contentment" that I have ever encountered.

Anyway, it's obvious that this quote spoke to me in a way that it felt like it could have been my own. So when I finally tried oysters for the first time this weekend, I was totally surprised that I HATED them. Hate is a strong word and I hesitate to run completely against Hemingway on this one, but I didn't find the appeal of eating animals resembling sea-flavored jello. I could see how people might like the experience though -- like drinking wine, I could see eating oysters as being hobby-like. You get to know oysters from different regions and how that might affect their flavor profile. To each her own.

But here's the silver lining. When one of the five senses fail you can always count on the others. And because of that I totally enjoyed myself at Pearl Dive Oyster Palace in Logan Circle. Fun atmosphere, great bar, cool decorations, and lots of oysters...if you're into that sort of thing.

Eating In

When I moved into my apartment two years ago, I made a vow to myself that I would cook. I live above Trader Joe's and I have a Viking range -- I figured I would have no choice. But of course, my lazy, less-than-Susie-homemaker self finds every reason in the world not to cook. And really the only thing that gets made on a consistent basis is pasta...

But this past week, my wanting to check out the new Foggy Bottom Whole Foods forced me to actually pick some stuff up and (GASP) make dinner for me AND two friends. And kidding aside, fud wuz good.

Here is what I made: a wild rice blend (no effort, picked up a bag and threw it in water), orange-scented broccoli and cauliflower, and filet mignon with blackberries. And while the photo above does not do the meal justice, I've got to say, this is some of the best cooking I've done. Check out the recipes that I've linked here, they are simple and totally flavorful.

Shout out to the series finale of Entourage

DRAMA [WHILE SNIFFING WINE]: I GET TOFFEE, MOCHA AND A HINT OF TERRA FIRMA.
ERIC: TERRA FIRMA IS DIRT, DRAMA.
DRAMA: YEAH, WELL, WINE COMES FROM DIRT, E

Wino for the Day

Sunday morning - one of my favorite times of the week. Also known as the morning I attempt to charm my boyfriend into having brunch with me at a new restaurant in the city. But this morning no deals were brokered and no brunch to be munched. Why? Because I joined in on my very first wine tasting. (My friend said that must be like 10 times as good as taking communion.)

I’ve always been into food, however there’s always been a void in the wine department. Partly because I’ve been age-challenged, but mostly because when I think about wine knowledge I think about this. Pretension alert!

But wine knowledge doesn’t have to be stuffy or stuck-up, it can be expressive and open for interpretation. And if you’re with the right people, they won’t even care if you like to drink Merlot.

My favorite wine of the day was Dolcetto D'Alba Tre Vigne 2009. This is a wine that you can drink like water, medium bodied and low on tannins. I love its mineral quality and sweet berry smell.

Inspiration

As I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea and their faint metallic taste that the cold white wine washed away, leaving only the sea taste and the succulent texture, and as I drank their cold liquid from each shell and washed it down with the crisp taste of the wine, I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy, and to make plans.

- Ernest Hemingway