small things...

#25–Take a tour, any tour

Did it.

On Saturday there was a mini break to the heat wave, so my friend Sarah P. and I took the opportunity to take a tour of local distillery – FEW.  Named for Frances Elizabeth Willard, leader of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, a nod to our town’s dry history.  To enter the distillery feels a bit like finding your way to back alley speakeasy.  Because it is, in fact, in a back alley

The building is tucked right up against the El- tracks.  After entering you find yourself in their tasting room where we met up with the guide and the other tour-ists.

See those posters up top?  The images on each were inspired the the Chicago’s World Fair.

I mentioned earlier that we’d received a bit of a break from the heat wave that afternoon.  Apparently the distillery had not received the message.  Holy sweat balls.  It was seriously hot.  It was a sauna! Have I ever sweated so much in my life?  It’s debatable.

Our guide brought us into the warehouse/production part of the facility and I’m sure told us a lot of good information on how Gin is distilled and this and that and the other.  But my brain was focused on cooling down so the learning was at a minimum.  I did learn that it's juniper that makes gin, gin.  isn't that kismet.

Here is our guide, explaining what those blue tanks are for.  (I have no idea!).  But I do know that one of those silver canisters contained grappa.  I sniffed it.

I also learned that bourbon gets it’s lovely amber color from the barrel.  And look at the top right, they also make hot sauce.  random.

barrels and barrels and barrels of booze.

“Bungs!”  Why didn’t I ask what was so exciting about Bungs!? IT’s because my brain was sweating.

The inside tour took about 30 minutes and then it was on to the tasting and to a room with a breeze!

 

Despite what my grimace is telling you, I actually liked just about everything we tried.  4 different types of Gin, a Rye and a Bourbon.

Do you like a tour that ends in shots of gin/bourbon?  Then you should go on this tour.  Just wait til it REALLY cools off.  for reals.

 

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#3–eat or drink 10 things I’ve never tried before

I’ve added numbers 6 and 7.  I am officially not worried about finishing this goal by the end of the year! wahoo!

6) Beet and Black Bean Burger.  I am one of those people that find beets a bit too earthy.  However I’ve recently had them a few times and seem to be starting to like them so when I came across this recipe I decided to give it a try. 

It is so pretty and purple!

Best veggie burger I’ve ever had, I think.  Savory and meaty – which is how I like em.  I adapted the recipe from several that I found, but this one most resembles a recipe found here. 

7) Squash Blossoms

Most of the recipes I’ve found called for stuffing the blossoms, but I wanted to make them with food I had on hand – especially since I was feeling seriously hesitant about this one.  I sauteed some zucchini with garlic and butter and added the blossoms in at the end with a pinch of salt.

What puts me off is that they are sooo delicate and flowery.  I didn’t like the texture.  I feel like I should try again.  Maybe deep fry them this time.  Everything can be made better deep fried.  Or with bacon.  Plus do you eat the stems?  I didn’t.  But I tried it and that is what counts.

Okay…I need 3 more foods/drinks to try….any suggestions?  Maybe a type of cuisine or a specialty drink? 

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Can a girl let go of the food dogma that’s been literally and figuratively weighing her down?  I hope so.

I get wrapped up in the what-is-healthy-eating? debate frequently (with  myself).  Should I eat more carbs, less carbs, which carbs, and what exactly is a carb again?  heavy protein or low fat.  Should I be a Vegan or a Paleo or a carb-cycler.  A points counter or a calorie counter or full-on intuitive eater.

It’s maddening.  It’s been maddening since I was a teenager, if not before.

Lately,  I try to return as often as possible to the following questions:

• Is it real food (grew out of the ground or came from an animal)?
• Does it make me feel better or worse after eating it?
• Will it make a pretty photograph?  Ha. this is only partially important to me.

Breaking up is never easy, amiright?  Breaking up with food habits and food dogma is also super challenging.  Like a lot of people, especially those who have dieted many times over many years, I can get very confused and worked up about what is the RIGHT WAY to eat.  These days when I feel that stress building I try to shake if off quickly and go back to those first two questions.  Does that mean I only eat something which answers those questions positively?  My diet coke habit says ‘not-so-much’.

The bottom line is that this is all a work in progress for me.  Finding a way to feed myself without judgment, or analysis or second guessing is no longer a natural process in my brain, but I’m hopeful. 

Here is a little bit of what I’m been eating that I think goes in the right direction with those questions:

::Roasted potato tacos. My own recipe.  potatoes, onions, avocado, salsa, corn tortillas, sour cream (not pictured) and lime.

:: Stuffed Zucchini.  This is my favorite dish to order at Dave’s Italian Kitchen in town.  Decided to make it myself.  3 zucchinis with the center scooped out and reserved to be sauteed with garlic and olive oil then added to, ricotta, walnuts and a little cheddar over the top, some spices. Add all back into the hollowed out Zucchinis.  Bake until the cheese melts and gets all browny on top.  Serve with a tomato sauce of your choosing.

:: Spinach and Italian sausage pizza. Homemade dough topped with mozzarella, garlic, spinach and Italian sausage

 

:: Plum and kiwi Galette (adapted from this recipe).  Holy cow did this need more sugar.  Tart-city

:: Bibimbop ( adapted from this recipe).  I’ve never made Bibimbop before and this was a surprise hit in my mouth and my belly.  I swapped the mustard greens for kale and added the fried egg.  not pictured: a few shakes of siracha. 

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so there you go.  That’s where I’m at now.  Where are you at?  Do you have any recipes to share with me of your favorite homemade eats?  please share!