'Tis the Season for Pumpkin Chili! (And Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread)

The official food of the month of November -- as prescribed by immutable, universal laws set down before time began -- is pumpkin chili. Incontestably so. 

 

"Your authority to make such a claim?" you may ask.

And I won't respond. 

Besides, it's obvious. Chili -- warm, thick, hearty; pumpkin -- spicy, earthy, colorful. It's a potent combination. 

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Enough Habañeros to Kill a Reasonably Small Army

I've always thought of the habañero pepper much as I do the jaguar or great white shark -- they're all pretty to look at, rather dangerous, but not really my problem. 

Sure, I had a run-in with habañeros in high school, but I foolishly sought that out (when you don't know what these chilies can do, a recipe for habañero salsa with equal parts chilies and tomatoes doesn't seem so problematic). Sure, habañeros are hot, but I'm just not going to stumble across these piquant little fireballs in my sheltered, everyday American life.

However, during my time in Mexico, I had to actively avoid habañero peppers. Perhaps one in three of my meals came with a roasted habañero chili on the plate, whether as garnish or an integral part of the meal I'll never know, because my Spanish language education (generally adequate for my Yucatecan adventure needs) did not cover the word for garnish (it appears to be "guarnicion").   

Moreover, I came across this impressive stand at el Mercado Municipal in the city of Mé rida:

It hurts just to look at. Also, the price is five pesos per bag -- about 38 cents. Cheap!

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A Brief Rant About Nutella

I'm back from the Yucatan, dear friends, and soon I will have a few posts detailing the stupendous dishes I enjoyed while away. But first, welcome to "A Brief Rant About Nutella."

Ok, people: I like Nutella as much as the next guy who loves chocolate. That's because Nutella is chocolate. With, like, some hazelnuts ("Over 50 hazelnuts per 13.5 oz. jar!" I hear).

But then you see ads on Facebook, Google and elsewhere, marketing Nutella as part of healthy, balanced breakfast. And it's not even just a marketing ploy -- the website, www.nutellausa.com has a "Nutella & Breakfast tab" as well as a dynamic "breakfast builder" with which you can design a balanced breakfast (which will, inevitably, include Nutella!). So OF COURSE NUTELLA MUST BE PART OF A BALANCED BREAKFAST? How could it not be? The website says so.

From www.NutellaUSA.com

Well, sort of. The section referring to Nutella and nutrition goes into great depth about how critical breakfast is, without really ever adding the caveat that WHAT one chooses to eat for breakfast might have some impact on things. By this logic, straight, unadulterated spoonfuls of butter could be part of a balanced breakfast. Sneaky (and good lawyering).

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Hungry Sam is Going to Mexico! (And Will Bring Back Xtabentun)

Tomorrow, I depart for my first big boy vacation since entering the workforce! I'm crossing a line item off my life's to do list: Visiting, exploring, and climbing Mayan ruins in the Yucatan. 

Not my photo...yet. From Wikimedia Commons.

Though not the primary impetus, there's not a doubt in my mind that I'll be seeking out odd dishes and culinary experiences as well as bringing back interesting foods, coffees, and liquors for future enjoyment -- I look forward to sharing this with you, loyal readers.

Among the gustatory gifts and savory souvenirs with which I'll inevitably return is a bottle or two of a very special liqueur: Mayan Xtabentun.

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The Great 5-Hour Energy Experiment

Just seconds ago, I drank a 5-Hour Energy brand energy shot. Like Dr. Henry Jekyll's potion, it has begun to wreak terrible changes within me.

"The Transformation: 'Great God! Can it Be???'"

Dawn, upon hearing I'd done so, just said, "Uh oh." Based on the sickening, pseudo-fruity aftertaste I'm currently "enjoying," I'm beginning to agree with her assessment.

Update: I drank the bottle 5 minutes ago. Pretty gross, no immediate discernible impact on my energy level. I'm still yawning.

Allow me to back up. Now, I'm a pretty energetic person, and have generally been scornful of those who needed "energy drinks" to feel normal. "Pshaw!" I say. "They should just do what I do and drink 30 plus ounces of coffee every day!"

Alright, maybe there's not much of a distinction. Yes, I know I have a little problem -- but to be fair, 30 ounces of coffee is slightly less than two Starbucks mediums, or grandes, or what have you.

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Legit Paella, with Chicken, Shrimp, and Sausage

In between law school applications, the Jewish High Holy Days, preparations for my travels to the Yucatan, and the regular ebb and flow of work -- I've still been finding a little time here and there to engage in kitchen adventures.

Among the recent dishes I've whipped up is a recurring favorite of mine: My chicken, shrimp, and turkey sausage paella (recipe below)! And I'm excited to show you the awesome pictures I took, like this one:

See how nice I made it look? Just so you know, it was really hard to make the shrimp stand up. But I did it for you, my loyal readers. I even artistically splashed some chipotle hot sauce on the plate!

Though I live by the maxim that anyone can cook any dish with the right preparation, ingredients, and patience, I'll readily admit that paella is a challenge. It's time and recipe intensive, entails juggling multiple prep stations and multiple burners-worth of ingredients, and makes for a LOT of dirty dishes.

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Procrastination Tastes like Sausage, Apple, and Cheese

Help me procrastinate a little. Instead of applying to law school right now, I'm going to a) put together a fantastic and delicious snack and then b) blog about it.

BAM.

This is a nice slice of peppery, garlicky, slow-cured pork sausage atop sharp cheddar cheese and a slice of apple. This snack is brought to you -- well, me -- by my impulse purchase of an Olli Salumeria sausage at Whole Foods the other day. Now I have an awesome treat.

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