Best 09: Day Twelve

What was the best new food you discovered in 2009?

When I was growing up, I thought everybody ate like my family. Bratwurst and spaetzle one night, tuna casserole the next. Snacks of granola, kiwi or freshly ground peanut butter on sourdough. We ate organic food long before mainstream grocery stores knew what it was. We always had fresh fruit and vegetables in the house. We ate dinner as a family, without television or loud music as distraction, every night of the week. We frequented Greek, French, Chinese, Thai and Mexican restaurants without thinking of them as foreign. I am very grateful to my parents for introducing me to the world through food and introducing me to the foods of the world.

by walraven/flickr

However, that means that, at this point in my life, I am rarely introduced to a brand new food, or at least a new food I have any intention of putting in my mouth. On my various trips abroad (my parents infected me with the travel bug as well), I have turned down scorpions, cows brain, snake, and fully intact baby fowl (feathers and all). I do not regret rejecting those delicacies. I have eaten Haggis, fried fat, fish head soup, and Hungarian fruit soup the color of Pepto Bismol. I do regret tasting those delicacies.

Otherwise, I really like food.

I really like fruits and vegetables.

I really like avocados. And please don’t make me tell you which one it is.

BUT, that (finally, right?) leads me to my selection for best new food of 2009. The dish itself isn’t new to me.

GUACAMOLE

However, this year I tried it with a new ingredient.

POMEGRANATE SEEDS

And I have the blogosphere to thank for this gastronomical revelation. Actually, I have Lemmonex to thank for it.

She is one of the first bloggers I discovered when I entered this crazy interweb world, and I liked her voice. I was not a cook or a foodie. I’m still not a cook or a foodie. But I VERY MUCH appreciate those who are, and will be a guinea pig or dinner guest for any of you who are out there. HINT!

Lem made the use of pots, pans and multiple ingredients accessible. So I followed her. And one day, she mentioned putting pomegranate seeds into guacamole. That day was actually in 2008, and I thought her idea was crazy. Ludicrous. Ridiculous. And kinda brilliant.

The post stuck with me. Partly because, based on the picture she included, pomegranate seeds make guacamole super pretty. And you know how I like pretty things.

by chany14/flickr

So early in 2009, mid-January I believe it was, I took the plunge. I purchased avocados, pre-chopped onions (an alternative to Lem’s suggestion of garlic, and pre-chopped because, as you might have gathered, I have a crying issue), sea salt, and pre-collected pomegranate seeds (can you IMAGINE pulling all those suckers out of a fresh pomegranate – unless you have kids, in which case it might be a brilliant though slightly messy project for them). Hallelujah for Trader Joe’s!

Oh. My. God.

I’m telling you people, YUMMY to the Nth degree! Not to mention fun, surprising and conversation-invoking.

Go ahead, try it yourself, and let me know what you think.

Share the Pleasure!

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