rice salad

The initial idea was extend the powerful cheddar cheese, and that's all. The initial mental picture was rice and cheese.

But that wouldn't photograph very well. Needs some kind of colored dots.

A vegetable-tarian would like this.

I am not vegetable-tarian.

I could go for a pork chop right about now.

Fix Torchy's guacamole

There is nothing wrong with Torchy's guacamole. Eleven + ounces of pure avocado with scant flavor additions. It's a very good price too considering there are two avocados by weight. It's a very good deal.

But it does need help. 

I don't know how plain avocado became a thing. Apparently this is what people believe guacamole to be. Nearly pure avocado pureed but with lumps retained as if smoothed by squeezing between fingers. 

These are the elements for pico de gallo. 

So then the true nature of guacamole is really pico de gallo with generous avocado, say, 50/50.

Cumin is required but rarely tasted in other people's guacamole. And it's why I get asked to make this stuff for nearly every party the last three decades. <-- possible exaggeration, but I'm making a point over here, okay? 

At Torchy's I told the takeout register clerk, a young Latina, my intention of fixing their guacamole to my preferences. After listening agreeably she said, "Yeah, I like tomato in guacamole too." 

The young and rather massive Latino working the regular register overheard our conversation and moved over to add, "You can buy both regular pico de gallo and guacamole here and mix them to get the same thing." He does that. We three agreed that's the best way to go.

How smart.

These tomatoes are brighter than the other tomatoes available right now. They have good and bright and assertive tomato flavor. And I just now realized when I bought these tomatoes for this that I should have picked up cilantro as well. 

Oh man, total fail.

Kidding. This combination is the best guacamole that I've had in a very long time. That it's so easy now with two Torchy purchases plus cumin and cilantro leaves is a wonderful thing. And you'll get a bag of chips with both orders if the order for two salsas goes right. That might have to be managed. 

Prairie Breeze cheddar cheese

The cheese is so intriguing with bright and powerful flavor without being sharp that I assumed the milk is unpasteurized -- how else it's remarkable character? --  but I was wrong. 

A few days ago I picked up a block of cheddar cheese from Tony's. It was in their case near this one. There were two with similar labels and all three came from Ireland. I thought. I really don't know. The guy there recommended them. He said, "This is the milder one." 

It was the strongest flavored cheddar cheese I ever tasted. Although not particularly sharp. 

Once opened I could not keep off the stuff and the surprise of astonishingly strong flavor kept surprising each bite.

I went back today and the two that I went for are gone. Except this kind, Prairie Breeze, was still there. Horribly expensive, I thought, and I resisted buying it. The cost at that store is close to Parmigiano-Reggiano. 

And the cheese power is close to Parmigiano-Reggiano too. I assumed the milk is unpasteurized because the flavor has so much character and dimension. It has that tiny crystal bits effect thing going on with it as well. But surprisingly the cow's milk is pasteurized. 

I cannot believe how much flavor is packed into thin flakes of this stuff.

Although late in the day and near closing and there weren't many people at Tony's, the whole place nearly wide open. At the moment I went to the cheese counters women suddenly appeared at the counter as well. First two, then a single, then another single, then two more, all that during the time I spent trying to find the original cheese.

"Jeeze this stuff is steep." 

The young woman next to me answered as swooning, "Yeah, I know. But it's sooooo worth it." 

I concluded women really like cheese. Because at that moment and by random movement they were all at the cheese counter. 

I believe this cheese will make a fine gift. 

The sauce here is hot milk and this cheese. No cayenne, no jalapeño, not capsaicin at all, no nutmeg and no spices or herbs.  It's a test. The amount of cheese shown above flavors about one cup of milk excellently. And nothing is lost. Nothing diluted. The entire flavor bomb is extended. 

But it doesn't melt very well, nor blend very well.

I don't care. I can deal with that. 

Win.

antipasta salad

Not the slightest bit authentic, my version has the the things that I like. Today.

I almost put sausage discs in this because I have one on hand.

Tarragon has the flavor of licorice, an anise flavor. Fennel will do the same thing. The vegetable fennel and its fronds would be nice addition. 

Altogether though, Italians have this act down and their favorite herb, basil, is a better choice. 

two pizzas, mushrooms and sausage

The dough is started the day before with 1/4 teaspoon yeast and left on the counter overnight and through the next day.  This is 3/4 cup water and enough flour to form a wet dough. The flour is 80% all purpose and 20% hard yellow semolina.

Half the dough is refrigerated for the next day.

Half the mushrooms are sliced and oiled.

Now doesn't that look bee-ewe-tea-full?  ↑

Twelve minutes at 500℉, the excessive fresh mozzarella bubbled up and engulfed all the other ingredients and turned the whole surface white. And I don't like that.

The next day the second piece of reserved dough is prepared with the same ingredients except this time hard mass produced mozzarella is used instead of fresh mozzarella. 

Doesn't that look bee-ewe-tea-full? ↑

It is!

Parmesan and tarragon added. 

Advanced techniques were used for these two pizzas.

1) Aged dough. At least overnight. And that does produce a distinct fermentation odor when the bowl is opened.

2) Dough ball rolled in cornmeal to coat it top and bottom when flattened. Cornmeal also used as ball bearings on the cookie sheet substituted for a pizza peal.

3) Pizza stone and oven hot as it goes.