The Food Was Not Undelicious: May 25-June 1, 2007!! Completed - Post #794

[luvhockey]

Oh Brenda, where are you. I live reasonably close I can come find you.
Oh, that sounded like stalking didn't it?
Angela

 

[cmp1111]

Definitely needing my Brenda fix - and I really hope everything is OK.

 

[Disney MAINEiac]

subscribing....great report

 

[oybolshoi]

Hey everyone... sorry for the disappearing act.

It was a really bad week - sick...unpleasant at work...have some ongoing medical issues that we hope to have some clarity about by the end of this month...and oh my god Harry Potter 7 is being released in 5 days!!!!!!!!!!


Thank you all very much for asking after me - I am feeling much better (all things considered) and will try very hard to finish this either tonight or tomorrow. I really am sorry - had no intention of dragging things out this much.

Jay did take me to see Order of the Phoenix yesterday as a "pick-u-up" and I was pleasantly surprised overall at how good it was (one of the few instances where you'll hear me say the movie was better than the book).

Hope you all are well and thanks again for the laughs (That Simpsons-Brenda looks remarkably like me, except I think she may have jaundice...did you see her skin color?) and the expressions of concern. You've reminded me why I love the DIS so much...all the wonderful people

 

[cmp1111]

I'm glad you liked the movie, and that you're doing a bit better. We missed you!

 

[kikigirl]

Brenda, I hope you're feeling better. I'm glad you liked OotP the movie. I did too though I felt that if a person didn't read the book (like my mom), then he/she'd be very confused.

Hope everything is going well.

 

[MA pigletfan]

feel better soon Brenda!!!

 

[whogirl'smom]

I'm sorry you haven't been feeling well. I hope you have a much better week!

 

[sherry8253]

subscribing. Brenda your reviews are great!

 

[SmallWorld71]

Prayers for your health.

 

[Scornelius]

Gee Brenda, I suppose if you ever feel unloved or under-appreciated, just stop posting for a couple days! I think we were hours away from a candle-light vigil. Now that's some DIS commradery!
I hope you feel better soon. And good to hear the movie is decent!
Take care of yourself.
-Sonia

 

[BriarRosie]

Aww, get well soon!

I saw the Potter movie yesterday, too. Loved it.

And I don't know if you saw this, but I thought you'd love the similarities.
First, check out the first silly link. Be sure to stay at least until the "snake".

http://www.badgerbadgerbadger.com/

And now the comparison Potter one. Be sure to cycle through a few times
to see the costume changes.

http://thefifthdistrict.com/potter/

Hope this cheers you up.

 

[Poppinsme]

Aww, get well soon!

I saw the Potter movie yesterday, too. Loved it.

And I don't know if you saw this, but I thought you'd love the similarities.
First, check out the first silly link. Be sure to stay at least until the "snake".

http://www.badgerbadgerbadger.com/

And now the comparison Potter one. Be sure to cycle through a few times
to see the costume changes.

http://thefifthdistrict.com/potter/

Hope this cheers you up.

 

[rentayenta]

Brenda, I hope all is back to normal soon.

 

[disneyjunebug]

Gee Brenda, if I was closer, I would bring you a "get-well" caramel chocolate chip cheesecake.

Wait, It's not but 6-8 hours.... And I would do it by myself.... no boy.... no stepkids.....no husband..... sounds heavenly!

ROADTRIP!!!

 

[irisbud]

Aww, get well soon!

I saw the Potter movie yesterday, too. Loved it.

And I don't know if you saw this, but I thought you'd love the similarities.
First, check out the first silly link. Be sure to stay at least until the "snake".

http://www.badgerbadgerbadger.com/

And now the comparison Potter one. Be sure to cycle through a few times
to see the costume changes.

http://thefifthdistrict.com/potter/

Hope this cheers you up.

Thought the movie was very good too, though I will have to see it from a row further back. We were in the very front off to the far side, as it was sold out, and all of the motion scences made me ill, and everone had distorted heads and no ankles .

Get well soon Brenda!

 

[oybolshoi]

Victoria and Albert's - The Chef's Table, Part IV

When last we left you, Jay and I had finished chewing our way through a goodly portion of the Animal Kingdom. Or at least that's what it felt like after we swept the seas clean.

Need a recap? So far we've had tuna, shrimp, crab, salmon, caviar, quail eggs, buffalo, duck, elk, pig, goose liver, and some divine soup. And a whole lotta alcohol. We should have been on tilt by this time. Hmmmm...actually, now that I think about it the entire kitchen was tilting.

Well, when you've reached the saturation point there's nothing to do but to keep moving forward. Besides, there's plenty more tasty animals out there to be sampled.

Course Six (Brenda and Jason)

Tasting of Japanese "Wagyu" and Australian "Wagyu" Beef Tenderloin with Oxtail Jus
Brenda's wine: Toad Hall Pinot Noir Dijon Clones, Carneros 2003
Jason's wine: Sarget de Gruand-LaRose, Saint Julien 2003


Oh dear...where do I start? First off, I am again somewhat underwhelmed by the presentation of this course. I'm not opposed to eating meat and I do enjoy strong carnivorous urges now and then, but I don't care for the "we just butchered the cattle on your plate" approach. My beef (har har har) is with the oxtail jus that has been splattered across the dish rather than with the fact that the meat is supposed to be served rare.

Last fall I actually ordered the Australian "kobe" beef tenderloin as one of my choices in the dining room and it was the most incredible, tender, succulent beef I've ever eaten. This offering was not as good in my opinion and I admit to being really disappointed in it. The beef struck me as tougher than it should have been - probably a little overcooked - and the sauce was too salty.

The little pot, by the way, had a small portion of yummy potatoes with some shredded beef plonked in the middle. I would have been happier with just the potatoes...at this point I think I hit my red meat quota for the month. If we ever try the Chef's Table again I may ask if they can go heavier on the fish courses and lay off some of the beef for my tasting.

Wagyu beef is also known as kobe beef - I looked it up because I was curious and thought I'd share that with everyone. The meat is marbled in such a way that it results in exceptionally tender and flavorful beef when cooked. It is highly sought after as a culinary delicacy and as such, prices are ridiculously expensive - an average carcass can cost between $10,000 and $20,000.

You guys want the honest truth? I let Jason eat most of mine because it just wasn't doing anything for me. I also let him finish off my wine because that didn't appeal to me much, either.

Jay's opinion: This Japanese meat was so tasty the only dish that could have possibly topped it would have been a sampling of pufferfish. To quote Homer Simpson, 'bring on the Fugu!'

Brenda's sensible response: There will be no poisonous fish ingestion this evening, thanks anyway.


Course Seven (Brenda & Jason)

Comte' Saint Antoine, Pierre Robert, Constant Bliss and Gorgonzola Stuffed Pear
Brenda's wine: Brachetto D'Acqui Banfi Rosa Regale Brut, Piedmont 2005
Jason's wine: Cockburn's 10-Year Old Tawny Porto

My first thought when I read this on our menus was, "I have no idea who any of these people are..." and then I reached "gorgonzola" and realized that this was the cheese course. Silly me!

For starters perhaps you, like me, have noticed that the pear in the middle of the plate is not stuffed with gorgonzola cheese. I'm not complaining because it was a drunken pear that had been poaching in spiced wine for most of the evening and was it ever tasty! Mmmmmm... drunken fruit is great when not embalmed in fruitcake.

Let's see if I can actually remember anything... that white cheese at the top left-hand side of the plate with what looks like a dying worm was similar to a brie with a creamy, slightly nutty taste. I think this was the Constant Bliss but I'm not entirely sure.

The next cheese is that melted pile of goo on the opposite side of the plate. It was similar to a camembert - very creamy and rich. I believe that this is actually the Pierre Robert which is a triple creme style cheese with a mild taste. I liked this the best of all the cheeses.

Next up: the yellowish cheese rectangle which Jay and I are pretty sure is the Comte Saint Antoine. This was a firmer cheese, with a buttery flavor - also quite good.

Last and least in my opinion is the gorgonzola cheese at the bottom left-hand side of the plate. I don't eat blue cheese so I can't comment, but Jay thought it was quite good.

The cheese course comes with a lot of accompaniments - dried fuits, balsamic vinegar, walnuts. I just like the cheese by itself for the most part, but I'd encourage you to give them a try... sometimes you end up with suprisingly yummy taste combinations.

What can I tell you about the wines?

This was my first time (but not my last!) trying the oft-discussed Rosa Regale. I was a little surprised that they paired it with the cheese course because I've always been told that it's a dessert wine that is especially tasty with chocolate. But I'm here to tell you fine folks that the Regale was wonderful with the cheese.

Wanna see what it looks like?

It's fizzy and it's pretty and I like it just fine

Grimace would kill for this glass of port...

We've tried the Cockburn's Tawny Porto in the past and it's a fine, fine port - sweet and smooth and it tastes fabulous with cheese. Some day if you're feeling adventurous, pour some tawny port over your favorite ice cream and then sit back and enjoy the bliss.

Since I need to stop for the evening, I want to at least give you a hint of the scrumptious desserts to come. Remember when I mentioned that I ordered a cake from the Grand Floridian bakery for our anniversary? Here's a picture...

You must eat your way through the chocolate coating to find the cake within...

This is a vanilla layer cake with a white chocolate mousse filing and a vanilla buttercream frosting entirely covered with a hard shell of swirled white and milk chocolate. Oh, and the cake it resting on several layers of white chocolate shards, as I like to call them. For the curious among you (and who isn't curious?) we paid $25 for this cake. It's absolutely delicious and I think it actually can serve between 6-8 people depending on how it's sliced.

We didn't eat any of this at the restaurant but it made for a really tasty breakfast during the rest of our WDW stay. Now that's what I call starting off the day with a sugar rush!

Thanks for reading and for your good thoughts - I really appreciate each and every one of you!

I should be able to finish this up tomorrow night with dessert and some last minute goodies and excellent coffee and one final surprise that I had nothing to do with.

 

[cmp1111]

Now, the beef looks good to me, but if you say it was overcooked...

I have had some Toad Hall wine and liked it, but I don't know that particular bottle.

D. & I LOVE tawny port. He actually goes to Portugal for work about once a year, and he always brings home some port. We haven't broken into our last bottle yet - he thinks he was grossly overcharged, so we'll have to see if it's any good.

The cake is divine!

SO glad you're back.

 

[cntkg1]

So glad to see you back B. I missed you. Great review. I'm waiting for the best part now...DESSERT!!

P.S. That cake would probably serve only one if it were mine.

 

[WDW Poly Princess]

You're alive!

I hate when meat (or any food, really!) is served with sauce splattered across the plate in a way that makes you wonder if the chef just lost a finger in a scary knife accident!

The cheese, however, looks yummy! I wonder if I could book the chef's table, and force them to find a way to serve me variations of cheese for 7 courses?