Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Another Food That I Never Heard Of. No Wait, Shouldn't That Be "Another Food Of Which I've Never Heard"?


Here's something interesting I found at the Deli in the grocery store - Oklahoma Caviar.  What's in it?  Black-eyed peas, red onions, sliced Spanish olives, Jalapenos, yellow bell peppers, and an oil-vinegar dressing.  Just add a sandwich - delightful!
Anyone who knows me knows that I have a long history with unusual foods - having French grandparents and a long time subscription to Sunset Magazine, plus a collection of cookbooks that weight more than a car, has insured that I at least recognize even the trendiest new fad foods.  For example: Think Yerba Maté is new - we have had a gourd and weird silver stir/straw/infuser for over 40 years old.  (I was thinking how odd my choice of words was, specifically "insured" and cookbooks weighing more than a "car".  And then my phone rang, a phone call from my daughter telling me that her car had been hit by the woman who has the parking space next to her.  But then I remembered that I have very good insurance on her car, and gave her the State Farm agent name - so it'll be all right.  So back to food writing.)  Anyway, I love to visit the Purple Pig, a Tapas Bar in Chicago, where I was introduced to Farro, a grain much like wheat, that was done with a roasted winter squash, in a sort of small salad.  I Googled for recipes, and found a Vegan blog, Flora Foodie with a recipe for Acorn Squash Stuffed With Farro.  I love vegetables and often read vegetarian blogs for recipe ideas, so I added this one to my list.  I might have glanced at the picture of the cute blonde writing it - did not recognize my niece, Leslie (the one I wrote about who passed the California Bar last November).  In my defense, it is a tiny picture and she has a different dog than I'm used to seeing her with.  Some days, I just feel clueless!   

8 comments:

  1. A lot going on here in this post, beginning with the title. When I read it, was reminded of the story about Winston Churchill regarding ending sentences with prepositions. An editor changed a sentence he wrote so that it did not end with preposition. Churchill’s rebuttal was something like this: "This is the kind of impertinence up with which I shall not put." Sources disagree on the actual quote, but the idea remains that Churchill believed it was unnecessary to rearrange the structure of a sentence to avoid ending with a preposition. So there you go! Your first inclination is OK because it sounds better!!

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  2. Hi Sanda - That was exactly what I was aiming for - I love that Churchill story.

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  3. I was sure Oklahoma caviar would be catfish roe! I'm afraid I tend to tuck my prepositions away out of long habit.

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  4. Hi Shelley - If truth be known, I think good caviar is just OK, so the idea of Catfish roe sounds absolutely inedible. But I've seen my grandparents eat all sorts of odd things and I have searched my memory for all the instantaces of fresh Catfish being prepared. I see the big eyes and whiskers and thinkiing how ugly that fish was, but unlike the Salmon, I don't remember the roe being coveted, or even consumed.

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  5. We were watching Big Bang Theory the other night and there was a remark made to a foreign student about how well he spoke English. He responded that so did he except for his propensity to end sentences in prepositions. Too funny.
    I've never heard of OK caviar. I don't think there is anything like that in KS.

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  6. Hi Debbi - Your outfit this Monday is one of my favorites on you. Adding that belt was such a nice touch.
    There is an old joke (very old) about a Northern Bachelor who brought his new Southen fiancee to meet all his family. Being friendly and excited, she started out by asking one of his sisters, "Where're y'all from?" The sister replied, "Where I am from, we do not end our sentences with a prepostition!" So the sweet Southern belle rephrases her question and says, "I am so sorry, what I meant to say was, where're y'all from, Bitch?"
    One of the great grammar jokes!

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  7. I've been in OK 7 years now (CA transplant) and have never seen nor heard of Oklahoma caviar. Now I want to try it!
    s

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  8. Hi Simone! I got mine at the Reasors Store on 86th in Owasso from their Deli. It's not always available, but I'll be looking for it again, since black-eyed peas are lucky and it was a very good way to eat them.
    Depending on where you lived in California, you might already have a lot of Oklahoma influences that you're not are aware of. I found that I was. One was having black-eyed peas for luck.
    After 7 years, I hope you are enjoying Oklahoma as much as I am. At first I thought I'd landed on Mars, in the 1960's. (But not in a bad way.) I still get that every once in a while, but the friendliness of the people is the main thing I enjoy. (Maybe it's just Tulsa?)

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