The enjoyment of great food

I love to cook. I love to eat. I love to have others cook for me so I can eat.

In our family food is more than just something that will sustain your body..it is enjoyment and pleasure at it's finest when you find GREAT FOOD. One of my passions is to eat at places where I would not necessarily attempt to cook it myself....(I make one Thai dish I am quite proud of)...
Let me share that if you are going to drive over one hour to go out to eat to a "joint"...not an upscale or famous Restaurant the food better be in the category of GREAT FOOD. The House of Kabob (and make no mistake this is an Afghan Restaurant)...what can I say ??! well...what I would like to do is actually get into the kitchen and learn. I chose a Gyro Sandwich. No sides. No fancy extras. It came tightly wrapped in foil and felt heavy. From the moment I started slowly peeling back the shiny wrapper I was being taunted and assaulted by smells that were making my taste buds stand up and say HEEEllloooooooooo...hurry the heck up and FEED ME...feed me...! I inspected the wrap and figured, it was time to stop waisting the time and just take a bite. And sooooooooo....I chomped down and ohhh my ohhh my...mother of all creatures....I was in heaven! Yes...in heaven...
Greek Gyros...move the heck over...and do not get in my way! The spices simply enveloped my senses and started softly dancing in my mouth. The lamb and meat combination of my gyro was perfectly cooked with good..hmmm no GREAT quality meat. The flavorings were harmonized in every way. Amazingly everything else inside my pita wrap was fresh and ohhh so very tasty. Lettuce, Tomatoes, Onions, red peppers, green peppers and again...perfect seasoning. The yogurt Tzatziki sauce (which should be eaten with a Gyro) added just another dollop of love to my Gyro. Tzatziki sauce is usually made from Greek yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, dill and garlic. The green sauce made for Kabobs is also yogurt based but gets its green tint from Cilantro. Hints of cumin and coriander and lemon juice...garlic...and a few things I was just not sure about, but I will ask on my next visit. Which will be very very soon! The ending to this fantastic meal was Baklava. Good grief...who decided to serve me a piece that was about the size of a deck of cards but twice as thick! Basically four times the size of any other restaruant I have ever been too and have had the pleasure of trying Baklava. This Baklava is the queen of all bakava's...perfectly seasoned with cinnamon and  honey syrup. The layers were moist but not drenched. The pistachios and other nuts (hmmm almonds I think) were in perfect proportion to the mountain of filo layers. This was not only finger licking good, but lick your plate clean anyway you can good!
Until soon...because you know I am going to be eating great food...weather I am preparing it or finding another place to have them share their love for food with me.
XoXo
Susan -TotallyAddicted
Should you decide to visit me (because you are my friend)...then you are certainly going to be ending up at this lovely little gem of a Restaurant with me.
By the way...I ended up having to wash my shirt when I got home because I was so happy and enthusiastic about my Gyro I ended up having it drip with all its yummy-ness over my hands and onto my shirt...
I didn't even bother cleaning my face until I was completely done and having devoured everything. Today I simply sigh as I remember the dining experience from last night.
Last but no least, because what makes a wonderful and delightful dining experience are the people who surround you. Being the only caucasian (you know..white folks) in the restaurant makes me humm with joy because I know I have hit a jack pot. Families gathering and making food a ritual and softly talking and laughing is one of the many layers of what makes me seek out great food.
Fat girl gotta eat (I will be forever grateful for this phrase from my friend Connie who like I do...appreciates GREAT FOOD).