Why DIdn't Anyone Tell Me?

[lillibet]

Occasionally someone serves me a combination of flavors that makes me think "why didn't anyone tell me that you're supposed to eat these together?!" My standard example is good balsamic vinegar on panna cotta (trust me, it's amazing). Tonight, a friend shared with me the knowledge that we've been failing to put hazelnuts on our beets all these years

Have you ever had this reaction? What was the combination?

Comments

This is one...

[taura-g.livejournal.com]

That my Mom always used to use, but whenever I tell people about it, they go OH!

Steamed spinach sprinkled with parmesan cheese...fresh shredded like they do in restaurants is best.

[whitebird.livejournal.com]

I tried using white balsamic vinegar with olive oil as a bread dip and was quite entrance with the combination.

[jelazakazone.livejournal.com]

Have you had mustard with beets? We had beets with mustard sauce in Venice and I could not stop eating it.

Also, chocolate chip cookies with orange oil. Chocolate chip cookies just don't taste right to me without the orange oil. I suppose you could use zest, but we always have the orange oil.

[melted-snowball.livejournal.com]

Actually, beets with lime.

A discovery from this summer is fruit salad with lemon basil, also.

[gilana]

Grilled cheese sandwiches dipped in mustard.

[ceo]

Ooh!

[jostajam.livejournal.com]

Nutmeg on asparagus, green beans, spinach and anything in the cabbage family especially brussel's sprouts!

[hammercock.livejournal.com]

I just had some salad of tomatoes with peaches and pecans, and it was surprisingly good.

[ayelle.livejournal.com]

Nutmeg in parmesan-based sauces (and, as someone mentioned above, on broccoli -- this is why broccoli au gratin is so amazing). Herbed (or spinach & artichoke) cream cheese on pretzels. There are others but I can't remember them. And, is this really a flavor combination or just a nostalgia-thing for me? boxed mac & cheese with a side of baked beans that are slightly sweetened with molasses... I had that again recently and could hardly BELIEVE how good they tasted *together*, sharing a fork with each bite.

As a picky eater who grew up separating everything on her plate and eating them in stages instead of alternating bites, I also learned the magic that happens when you go to a really nice restaurant where they've piled everything in your dish attractively together in the center of your plate, and you stack a proportional amount of each element on your fork with each bite, so they can compliment each other as the chefs intended. Duh, I know, but it took me YEARS to discover this.

And there is also The Flavor Bible. I got this as a gift last year.

[lillibet.livejournal.com]

Glad this didn't get eaten after all!

[ayelle.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Unlike pretzels & cream cheese, LJ comments are not tasty!