Enter to Win a Vita-Mix Blender! (Contest now closed.)

By
Jessie Cross
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202
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*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.*

The Hungry Mouse’s Holiday Gift Extravaganza continues!

As a special thank you for all your support over the last year-and-a-half, we’re giving away a Nespresso espresso machine, a Cuisinart food processor, and a Vita-Mix blender this month! Details are here.

We’re giving away one prize each week. The first week, Lara from Good Cook Doris won the Nespresso espresso machine. Last week, Elle from Elle’s New England Kitchen won the Cuisinart.

This week marks the final week of our giveaways, and the prize is a Vita-Mix blender. (That’s right: the mother of all blenders.)

I should just say: I don’t even have one of these. It took all of my restraint to not have this prize go, um, missing. 😀

This week’s prize is a Vita-Mix blender

Here’s the deal.

This week’s contest is open between Monday, December 14 and midnight (EST), Friday, December 18. During that time, you can enter to win a Vita-Mix 5200 in black. Estimated value: $565.

Vita-Mix

Here’s the Vita-Mix, sitting in his box on my counter, just waiting to be shipped to one lucky winner.

Vita-Mix

One winner will be announced on Saturday, December 19.

A big thanks to the good folks at Vita-Mix, who kindly donated this prize!

How to enter

We’re in the middle of planning out the next few months of recipes. What better place to start than with reader requests?

So, to enter this contest, please leave a comment on this post answering the following question:

What’s the most memorable thing you ever ate?

Write as much as you like (we like stories here at The Mouse House).

That’s it. (No really, that’s it!)

The rules

  • You must enter a valid e-mail address on the comment form. (That’s how we’ll contact you if you win.)
  • Only one entry per person.
  • This contest is open to U.S. residents only.
  • Deadline for entries is Midnight (EST) on December 18, 2009.

One winner will be chosen at random on Saturday, December 19, 2009. The winner will receive one Vita-Mix 5200. Read the official rules here.

Have you seen our new holiday cookbook?

These are exciting times here at The Mouse House! We wanted to be sure you knew about our new cookbook, A Holiday Feast!

The Hungry Mouse Presents A Holiday Feast

The book is available as a printed book. (Buying one won’t improve your chances of winning, but we think it’ll make a great holiday gift for all those foodies in your life!)

It’s also available as an eBook. And because we’re so full of holiday cheer here at The Mouse House, we’re giving it away for free all month! Download your copy here.

Good luck!

If you’re on Twitter and want to help us spread the word, you can find us @thehungrymouse. You can also join us on our Facebook fan page for exclusive content and tons of links to interesting food articles.

Happy holidays!

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Jessie Cross
Jessie Cross is a cookbook author and creator of The Hungry Mouse, a monster online food blog w/500+ recipes. When she's not shopping for cheese or baking pies, Jessie works as an advertising copywriter in Boston. She lives in Salem, Massachusetts with her husband and two small, fluffy wolves.

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202 COMMENTS

  1. The most memorable thing I ever ate has to be whole shrimp in France when I was 11. I'm not saying it's the best, but I remember the shock of seeing the little eyes and everything, not what an 11 year old expected!
  4. most memorable meal recently: banh xeo cookout with the phamily. something about burning oneself during the frying process in the summer heat and chowing down with fish sauce.
  7. The most remarkable thing I ever ate was Dakta Bird and that was 30+ years ago. It is a halw domesric and half wild fowl. For a very short time there was a store called "Fins and Feathers" here in Cleveland, OH. As the name says they sold many unusual fowl and fish. They went out of business and I have never heard of Dakota Bird again.
  8. My most memorable eating experience was the BEST pork chop I EVER ate at a restaurant in downtown Chicago (I forget the name now but I know where to find it). My friend and I actually went back home - to different states - and tried to recreate the succulent, juicy nature of this magnificent meal. It was 2 years ago and we still talk about it. It was memorable because 1) I'm cheap and don't eat out often and 2) If I could have a pig tattooed on my ass I would - that's how much I love pork.
  9. My mistake. most memorable thing I ever ate would have to be the ice cream from Berthillon's in Paris. Perhaps it's all tied into a sense memory of a really great vacation, but every time I think of Paris I wish they could fedex me a pint.
  10. My Army vet son and trained chef arranged a tasting menu birthday dinner for me at the French Bistro he was cooking at. It was the first time in many years that he, his brother, and I, had been out together. It was a magical meal and an even more memorable reunion.
  11. The most memorable thing I've ever eaten were my great-grandmother's Swedish pancakes. I've never gone back to the traditional, fluffy kind. Every time I use her recipe, I think of her :)
  12. Hmmm, the most memorable thing I ever ate was when I was around eight. I ate these amazing whipped egg whites on Christmas eve. Which sounds lame, but was actually amazing. They were called Ouefs du noel...or something. I was eight so the memory is probably spotty :)
  13. The most memorable meal I've ever eaten was at French Laundry in CA on our honeymoon. It was amazing. There was a beef dish that was just incredible. It was the single best cooking piece of meat I've ever had in my life.
  14. The most memorable would be the first time I had our marinated flank steak over the camp fire. It is so awsome! Melt in your mouth good.
  15. the most memorable thing i ever ate...hmmm. okay so the first thing that comes to mind is this incredible cod, lemon potatoes, fresh asparagus and proscuitto from Ecco restaurant.
  16. Wild boar Speck (kinda like bacon) my uncle made. He did everything himself including hunting, butchering and curing the meat. It was so good. I can still taste it. I fried it up with fresh porcini mushrooms and homemade pasta. Hmmm... Now I am hungry and I haven't even had breakfast yet. Worst thing is, I can only eat my uncles homemade sausages and meat products when I visit my family in Austria (7000miles from where I am now)
  22. The most memorable thing I ever ate was habanero stuffed beef tenderloin at my uncle's restaurant at age 10. I love spicy food and I remember this being ridiculously spicy - nobody else would even go near my plate. I of course at the whole thing :)
  24. The first (and so far the only) time I had escargots in a little restaurant in Syracuse called Phoebe's. It pretended to be an upscale French restaurant across the street from the University Theatre. It was snowing (it was Syracuse, of course it was) and the restaurant had the most delicious warm scents. The escargots were good, and I felt so worldly and grown up wearing my best flannel (it was the early 9os and I was a college student, whaddya want frmm me?)
  25. The most memorable meal I've ever had was at Sugiyama in Manhattan. We had an 8-course Kaiseki tasting - all chef's choice. Each course was more impressive than the previous one - so artfully beautiful and absolutely over-the-top delicious! Thinking about it now . . . I want to go back!!
  27. Most memorable was a fish that was served up still breathing on a platter in a Japanese restaurant in China. Not my favorite thing I've eaten but most memorable by far.
  29. The most memorable thing I ever ate? This is tough, because my memories are often tied to the food I was eating, or the others involved, were eating at the time. After my oldest niece's confirmation we went to a lovely Italian restaurant where I ordered veal piccata. When my youngest niece asked what veal was, I tried to say, "beef," but my mother beat me to the punch with "it's baby cows." My niece was none too impressed with me, but the picatta was divine.
  30. The most memorable thing I've ever eaten? It's got to be the seafood brik I ordered at a restaurant on the coast of Tunis. The brik itself was absolutely amazing -- the crisp pastry, tender (fresh!) shrimp, and delightfully runny egg yolk. Classic Tunisian cuisine! But, I think what really made the meal was the fact that I was dining there -- out in the Mediterranean air. It's like eating sourdough bread in San Francisco. Simply nothing like it!
  32. For me, the most memorable thing was the entire 12-course menu I enjoyed at Alinea with a great group of food bloggers this past summer in Chicago. Every single course was a visual and olfactory masterpiece, capped off by Chef Achatz himself "creating" dessert for us right at the table.
  33. Steamed mussels in wine and tomato sauce. Not extraordinary in and of itself, but it was eaten at a small hotel (more like a house that rented out rooms, really) on the shore of Lago Maggiore, while drinking a simple, perfect glass of Frescati wine. Context is everything.
  34. the most memorable thing i have ever eaten was in france, in 2001. we (my grandmother and i) took a dinner cruise along the seine river. for dessert, they served us a chocolate mousse inside of a chocolate bowl. sooo delicious. i've never found chocolate mousse again that was that good.
  35. The most memorable thing I ever ate was this kalamari on the Greek island Kos...in the far eastern Aegean. It was at a beautiful house that you had to go down the mountain to, a winding swirling road down to this home. The whole front of the house was converted to a patio for diners, and it was right near the water. What seafood was on the menu that day was what the fisherman had caught and brought to them. The kalmari I had was so tender, so melt in your mouth...not a bit of toughness. Fresh. We had it with the most glorious tzatziki sauce and a salad, with some white wine. The food, sea, sunset was all perfect, and real.
  37. Since I am limited to one memory, I'd have to go with a shrimp dish I had in Mexico. It was the last trip I took before I had my son (I was actually pregnant with him at the time, but didn't know it yet) and my first "girls only" trip since being married - so the trip itself has a lot of meaning and strong memory for me. My best friend and I traveled around Mexico for 10 days, including stays in Puebla and Oaxaca City. This would lend itself to talk of some amazing moles and TRUE Mexican cuisine. The dish that was most memorable, however, was found on an afternoon on the coast in Puerto Escondido. It took a fairly treacherous road to get there, but when we did we were rewarded with a tiny stretch of gorgeous beach, secluded beach. We were starving and the only place for food was a tiny shack that had a menu of fish, shrimp or octopus prepared one of three ways. That was the entire menu. I chose the Camarones Mexicana - a dish of shrimp prepared in tomatoes, onions and spices with rice. The shrimp were whole - beady little eyes staring at us the whole time. It was simple and delicious. We ate without silverware and had it all over our hands and faces when we were done. We rinsed off as we snorkeled in the ocean, where the desire to let our full satiated bellies float us off into the horizon was only outweighed by the fear of crashing into the enormous rocks along the sides of our private cove. I don't think any gourmet five star experience will ever be able to compare. :)
  42. It would have to be the red velvet cake I had at Emeril's New Orleans Fish House in Las Vegas. My husband and I had dinner there after our wedding ceremony. (We eloped.) I'm going to try to replicate it for our anniversary this week.
  43. The most memorable thing I ever ate was the horrible Cheese Wiz Sandwich I had when visinting my college prior to going. Menu said it was a turkey sandwich with cheese - but it wasn't regular cheese - it was a sandwich smothered in a Cheese Wiz type substance - not my favorite!
  44. My life seems to largely revolve around food. Or rather, I tend to tie memories, and landmark moments with the food I ate. Highlights include: Eating grilled lobster, mexican beans and rice and tortillas in Pueto Nuevo, MX with the family. Amazing food, and we had a great time. Taking my mom out to dinner at Cien Anos in Tijuana, Mexico for some amazing high cuisine mexican, the first time I ate escargot, the first time I had honest to God real pasta made by my own italian beau, the first time I made bread with my friend enrique and then ate it with soup and cheese sitting on his bed, listening to Vivaldi and drinking wine and being truly in the moment. So many more memories to share... the best things in life are good food, good wine and good company.
  45. mine is nothing fancy, it's actually quite simple. I remember being a little girl sitting in the kitchen after my grandmother came home from the grocery store and her giving me a piece of sugar cane....mmmmmm....i loved it!!!!!
  46. When I was maybe 7 or 8 years old, we were living in the Philippines - and I remember a huge celebration, complete with a whole pig roasting on a spit. I remember feeling a little bit queasy looking at that pig ... but after the first bite - oh, my word! I almost never eat pork anymore ... because nothing ever measures up to that memory.
  47. About 10 years ago, friend of mine had just gotten back from a trip to Thailand and decided to cook me an authentic Thai meal. The soup he made was so hot, I had to keep applying Chapstick between bites! But the really memorable part of the meal were the squid-like creatures he put in the soup. They were about the size of a golf ball, and whole – he just removed their tiny jaws/teeth before dropping them in the pot. I enjoyed them, but when I look at pictures, I still can’t believe I ate them!
  49. Memorable, but not necessarily in a good way was escargot. I was in high school and had eaten it once before and it was just fine. Then I went out to eat with my boyfriend and ordered it again. He made a big deal about it and how gross it was. All I could think about was the fact that I was eating SNAILS, and i had a hard time getting them down! I thought his graphic comments were so immature yet they totally changed my eating experience!
  51. Oh This is great! I didn't think I'd ever get to tell this story again w/o my husband rolling his eyes... LOL He has just heard it so often because I still have not found anywhere or anyone that can replicate this dish as authentic as I have had it prepared. The most memorable thing I remember eating is Paella. Not just any Paella, Authentic Paella when I took a trip to Lloret de Mar in Spain when I was 16 yrs old. I was a military brat and being so, I have had the opportunity to travel a lot! I have been to many different places and have loved the food everywhere! When I was a teen in Germany the Big Spring Break Trips and Senior Trips were either Amsterdam, Spain, or France. Well, I had been to Amsterdam & France a few times prior and had only been to Spain once when I was 13 yrs old w/ my friends parents. We didn't get to see anything or go anywhere unless we were with parents (we were 13) so, I chose to go to Spain for Spring Break when I was 16 and had a choice of traveling w/o my parents. Many things were the same except this time, I got to go to some of the actual restaurants that were off the beaten path and not really known by tourists. Some friends of mine & I stopped into this little restaurant that didn't look like much as we first entered (and it was very open so not really "entered" as we sat outside) It was great though! I wanted to have something I had never had before and I wanted to have something that was the real deal! The guy who ran the place came out to speak w/ us and I spoke fluent Spanish so we got into a nice conversation about my travels and how long we were there for this time, etc- to the food... He told me he was making a special dish for me that I would love. He asked if I had any allergies (very nice) and if there were any foods I just detested (again so nice) - I agreed for him to surprise me with a great dish! We were served by him and he let our waiter just handle drinks and leave us to him. He brought out a massive pot-like dish w/ a lid- much like a Dutch oven- Everything smelled great and I already saw my friends selections which consisted of a hamburger, a club type sandwich, and a pasta dish w/ shrimp. He took the lid off of mine and it was fabulous! The dish was full and had actual mussels, shrimp, squid and other meats including sausage in a beautiful and very flavorful bounty of spanish rice. It was great and I have tried to get Paella at restaurants ever since the same. Many don't even offer it- those that do, it is always "different" somehow. I have even bought a huge mixed bag of seafood at Sam's to make it myself and I can not get it the same as I had in Spain when I was 16! I will never forget it and even though I was able to visit Spain a few other times since, I can't wait to go again so I can take my husband (who has never been) to that little place (hoping it is still there) and get my authentic Paella! (Btw, it is said to actually be a Mexican dish but none of my Mexican friends can make it like I have had it, I must prefer the Spanish version) With the Vitamix I hope to make many other dishes, drinks, desserts, appetizers and more if I win! My e-mail is LuvMoeDog2@ aol dot com Twitter Luv2CUSmyle Thx so much for this opportunity!
  52. My most memorable meal was a meal in Spain during Carneval. I had the best shrimp I have ever eaten over a salad, and an AMAZING roast rack of lamb. Yum. Didn't hurt that a friend was buying us all dinner. Free food (that you couldn't afford otherwise) always tastes better!
  53. the most memorable thing I have ever eaten was my grandmas burnt sugar pies. she always made them for us because she knew how much we loved them. I just remember her browning sugar in an old black iron skillet. I sure do wish she was around to still make them for me. Another favorite was chocolate gravy for our homemade biscuits in the morning.
  54. The most memorable thing I ever ate was a homemade cold calamari in canned enchilada sauce (with the metallic taste.) It was rubbery and disgusting, but being in someone else's home, there was no choice but to eat it. Fortunately, there was also wine. One bite, one sip. Thanks for a chance at such a fabulous giveaway!
  55. The most memorable thing I ever ate was when I was visiting in Costa Rica on a mission/drama trip. We went to a school where they treated us like celebrities and fed us an entire meal. The main course was a dish that was wrapped in plantain leaves and made with salty plantains and various vegetables and shredded chicken, beef or pork. It looked disgusting but when I tasted it, it melted in my mouth. I ended up eating several other people's main dish as they were too afraid to try it. It goes back to the "don't judge a book by it's cover" statement.
  57. The most memorable thing I have ever ate was scrambled eggs that my dad made me, it was not just because they were the best scrambled eggs but because of the love he put into them. No matter what was happening he would make sure to take the time to make me the eggs in the morning. It did not matter if he was not feeling well or if he was tired or in a hurry he knew I loved they way he made them and he made sure I had them before going to school. A wonderful memory
  59. The most memorable thing I ever ate was an amazing beet salad at Ubuntu in Napa. It was so unbelievably fresh and simple -- it left the biggest impression. Thanks for hosting such a great giveaway!
  61. My most memorable food moments are when my mom would bake homemade bread. We would fight over the first thick slice, the crust, and slather on the butter and honey. The aroma of baked bread is etched into my memory and hopefully, I am creating those same memorable moments for my children~
  62. The most memorable meal I ever ate was in Barcelona at a tapas bar called Cal Pep. We didn't even order but just let the staff bring us whatever they thought we would like and it was all fabulous - not a single bad dish!
  63. I was a young girl, sitting behind my alternative school on the newly-laid strips of roll-up lawn (where underneath revealed THE BEST hideout for roly-polys) and in my hand was a pomegranate. I believe it was a day everyone was given one to try. The seeds, we were told, were difficult to acquire, but worth it. I mined for the little red rubies and popped them into my mouth and was immediately convinced - never before had I tasted something so funky, tart, and sweet at the same time. It satisfied my need to pick at something to find the core of goodness; it helped me process the angst I felt amongst my classmates; it was the perfect recess project to keep me occupied and away from their silly games. I didn't have a pomegranate again until I was an adult, but as soon as I tasted it, I was right back to my own little back-of-the-school spot with the roly-polys, the warm bricks to my back, and the satisfaction of something GOOD and mine.
  67. Haha, the most memorable thing I've ever eaten was jellyfish at a dim sum restaurant....but I don't think you should add this to next month's recipes. It tasted, well, like you would expect jellyfish to taste! Squishy and slimy!
  68. I don't think I can answer this question. Becuase I can remember everything I eat. It's a weird trait eith me, but ask what I had to eat at any occasion in my life I can tell you. First pub in England age 13? Ploughman's lunch. First Paris restaurant, age 14, soupe de poisson. Travels, family events, special times with friends, I remember the food most of all. And thought that's an interesting quirk, I think the actual food is less important than the experience and the people. Sure, alpaca tenderloin with a view of Macchu Picchu was pretty memorable, but so was corn dog casserole on the floor with my nieces, the first meal we ever cooked together.
  74. Last year for New Years I got a group of people together for the Pre fixe menu at Grafton St in Cambridge. It was absolutely amazing. One of the starters was a Cauliflower Puree shooter with White Truffle oil on top. For the main course there was Duck Confit, braised short rib, and scallops... There ended up being so much I can't remember it all but oh, it was sooo GOOD! We ended up becoming friendly with the waitstaff and the GM and by the end of the night had finished off 4 bottles of Champagne . Needless to say it was a great night all around. Thinking about it, I could totally make my own Cauliflower Puree with White Truffle oil with the new blender if I won.... hmmmmm
  75. The first time I went to Charlie Trotter's in Chicago whilst on business. Amazing, Grand Menu that seemed to go on for hours. Both the food and the service were pure perfection. Afterwards, I was taken to the kitchen for a tour, and met Chef Trotter, who personally walked me through their wine cellars and yet-to-be-opened Studio Kitchen. He showed me samples of his upcoming product line and asked for feedback on their offering and packaging. I left with a signed cookbook, a wonderful crusty boule, and heavy heart knowing that I was returning to Boston the next day. Two days later I found myself still starry-eyed about the whole experience, made a few phone calls, and hopped on a plane for a return dinner with 5 friends who were still in town. The staff recognized me from the previous Saturday night, remember my dining preferences, and adjusted the Grand Menu offerings to ensure I didn't have a repeat of any of the courses from the previous visit (with the exception of my insistence on having the magnificent morel course again). Being with a larger group and not the last to leave the second time around, my experience was that of a "usual" dining guest, which was nothing short of stellar. Brilliant.
  77. hrmmm, on the top of my head, the best meal i've had was the prix fixe at gramercy tavern. three courses that really turned into 6 or 7 with the amuse bouches and post-dessert snack they sent us home with. my first real fancy ny meal experience, and i hope to have many more!
  79. The most memorable meal would have to be the Moroccan feast I had with my friend Paul at The Imperial Fez in Atlanta, Georgia. Shoes are removed upon entry to the restaurant. The restaurant looks like the inside of a tent, with cushions, and rugs, and low tables. A waitress approached with a traditional urn and we washed our hands. The meal consisted upon course after course after course of some of the most incredible traditional Moroccan dishes. There was fantastic Moroccan music and we even enjoyed some belly dancers. I shall never forget it!
  80. This is definitely the opposite end of the culinary spectrum from other entries, but the most memorable thing I've eaten has to be scrapple at a diner in Allentown, PA. Scrapple, if you are unaware, is basically pork mush mixed with cornmeal and fried. It's the stuff that couldn't make it into sausage, basically.
  82. The one sticking out in my mind right now is when, for my eighteenth birthday, my friend made me mac and cheese, and then another friend came over and brought Coldstone ice cream. My brother ate snails once and I watched. Does that count?
  84. My most memorable meal was dinner at Ruth's Chris in KY w/ my bf. I have to say that the food was PHENOMENAL and being there w/ the love of my life made it even better, which was damn near impossible. The steaks were perfect, the salad and sides were awesome, the dessert was to die for!
  85. 3 kilos of beef and pork served on a box of hot coals at a restaurant in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. The more memorable part, however, would have to be running across town to go on a tour of the cathedral! I thought my stomach was going to explode!
  86. My Grammy's fresh from the oven (made from scratch)biscuits with homemade fig preserves are the best thing I have ever eaten. We made fig preserves every year from the fig tree on my grandparents' small Texas farm and my Grammy made biscuits every morning for over 70+ years!
  87. I would have to say, back in 2001, my first ever brussel sprout dish, up in one of the Philippines' mountain towns. Back then, I thought they were just little cabbages! They were simply sauteed with garlic, onions, tomatoes and flavored with a meat that I don't recall. It was love at first taste! I hope to make it myself someday, now that I'm in a land where these little orbs aren't as rare as kids would want them to be.
  89. A rack of lamb at the Fernie Castle restaurant located in Fife, Scotland. This came from an estate grown lambie. A very complex sauce accompanied the lamb composed of mushrooms picked at the Castle site. Haunting bag pipe music played outside during dinner. My mouth is watering.
  91. In 1998 I got a promotion with the company I worked for, one that would take me to New Orleans at least once a month for the next year. During my training, my new boss took me to Middendorf's (http://www.middendorfsrestaurant.com/) in Manchac, LA. I had the fried catfish - the special fried thin catfish. It was amazing. I was away from the southeast for a few years, and have since moved west. On my move west, though, I detoured through Louisiana so I could make a stop there. It's just as good now as it was then. The taste reminds me of being so excited about that promotion and the move I was making in 1998, and how much I was looking forward to then - and reminds me of how much I can still look forward to.
  92. The most memorable thing I've eaten are my grandmother's Christmas meringue cookies. I love them and she always sets aside a tin just for me! I would like to carry on the tradition when she passes, but right now, she's the one who makes them the best!
  93. That would be my grandmothers Easter Bread when it came out of the oven slathered with butter. It was an egg bread, so sweet, you could eat it like candy..it was fantastic :) Its been over 40 years now since I had that RIP grandma great memory
  94. Growing up I couldn't wait to eat at a local Italian restaurant in St. Louis - shirley temples, toasted ravioli, veal parmesan or chicken marsala and noodles with butter and garlic. I can taste it now!
  95. The most memorable thing I ate would have to be recent--I'm always trying new things. This past summer, I helped my mom make a gluten-free Vegan lasagna. We made it with Brown Rice Pasta, organic tomato paste, basil and tofu as well as soy cheese. It was so nice enjoying a baked entree that I'd never eaten as a gluten-free Vegan :) And by the end of the night, we'd converted some other members of our family-instead of smiling and nodding at our "odd" food choices, they were interested, grabbed portions and wanted seconds!
  96. The most memorable...there were a few great ones, but a memorable one was at a restaurnat in Florence (and I can't even remember its name, but I can find it, if I ever go back) - We stopped for lunch and had tagliatele with rabbit ragu. Absolutely wonderful
  97. The most memorable thing I've ever eaten was in Napa California. My boyfriend and I took a day trip from San Francisco to go to some wine tastings and spent the whole day tdrinking and enjoying the warm sunshine. We had an early dinner at Cindy's Backstreet Grill....I had the braised lamb shanks with polenta. It was delicious. We brought a bottle that we had purchased at a vineyard that same day....after a beautiful day drinking wine and enjoying the countryside...well, I didn't think it could get any better...then I took a bite! One of the best meals I've ever eaten, and one of the best days of my life.
  98. there are lots of *delicious* things i've eaten that are memorable in that sense, but two of the more, uh, 'interesting' come to mind instead ;) 1. years ago, a friend of mine came up with the fluffernutterdilla, heh. just what it sounds like, and what quesadilla makers are made for when you've had a few too many :p 2. for my birthday a few weeks back, some lovely lady friends took me out for thai. we went to sweet chili in davis square since it's right down the street. on the menu for the appetizer special was 'seasoned baby octopus.' we all love calamari, especially even with the tentacles, so we figured it would be similar. what came to our tble was seven WHOLE miniature octopi. COLD. marinated in something i suppose, but no sauce, nothing. you had to bite their heads off to eat them and it was the strangest thing i've had in my mouth thus far for sure. (sexual innuendo jokes aside!) here's a crappy cameraphone picture! http://www.flickr.com/photos/93164985@N00/4186743868/
  99. Oddly enough I remember eating/drinking this even though we had many... Raw oyster, in small glass, with: a smidgen of Horseradish a bit of cocktail sauce and a couple shots of Absolut Pepper. Drink it as a shot. A few of us were at brunch one Sunday morning, and ended the 3 hr brunch with about 4 of these shots per person. it was glorious. =)
  102. The most memorable thing I've ever eaten was an entire (if smallish, 12 oz or so) jar of green, pimento-stuffed olives. Before that - I ate things I liked, or I ate things I didn't like. After that - a gift from my parents at Christmas, which I ate at one sitting, and they said nothing about the wisdom of doing so, a glorious thing of itself although I cannot remember ever having been so thirsty before then - I was excited about food. I still like to eat an excessive number of green, pimento-stuffed olives, but generally I douse them with Bombay Sapphire gin, eat them, drink as much of the overbrined gin as I can stand, and then drink a half-gallon of water.
  103. This one's tough. My most memorable meal is where ever I can get a really nice filet mignon grilled to perfection. I love it when the steak just melts in your mouth and is so tender that it can be cut with a butter knife. ps - I really need a new blender; mine's broken and beyond repair!
  104. One of the most memorable meal I've had was the first time I went to a new (my now favorite) restaurant for the first time. We'd heard about the "Red Devil Roll" -- a sushi roll with tempura on the inside, with a layer of crab and the most delicious spicy red sauce ever. The town was a buzz about this dish. So... we tried it. And it was heaven on a plate. Seriously. In the past 2 1/2 years, this has been an almost weekly treat. It's absolutely amazing. And every time is as good as the first. I love sushi... but this is seriously one of the best things I have EVER eaten. YUM!
  107. Ohh... I have a toss-up... I went to Cairo and fell in love with Koshari (though I've yet to find a recipe that tastes as good as the Koshari from FilFilla restaurant) My other option would be Mushroom Tarts... It's sauteed onions, mushrooms, spices, and sour cream wrapped in a cream-cheese tart mix. It's orgasmic for the taste buds.
  108. The most memorable meal would have to be the first time I really watched my Aunt Steph cook dinnerr one night. It was a throw together meal of catfish baked in a cream of mushroom and rotel tomato "gravy" over white rice with cold green bean salad, sliced white bread and butter, and a big glass of red Kool-Aid. Not a culinary feat by most standards, but I was so impressed and amazed how she was able to transform these few basic ingredients into something absolutely delicious. She is one of the main reasons that I have made a living in the culinary world.
  111. My most memorable will be stewed rabbit with rice and peas while living with my dad in the Caribbean island of St. Vincent & the Grenadines.....it was very delish
  112. The most memorable food I've ever eaten was in a Chinese restaurant in Dublin. But I don't mean a western 'Chinese' restaurant. It was a family run place in th back part of some internet cafe and only known to Asians. No English menu even. Among other things we had fish and the eyes were dealt out as a 'prize' afterwards. I won. Most bizarre and yet memorable food I've had.
  113. Sea Urchins at my wife's then favorite sushi place while we were dating. Let's just say that was memorable for both of us. Thankfully, we laugh about it all the time, but neither of us ever, ever think about ordering them again!!!
  114. my most memorable meals were sauerbraten with homemade egg noodles made by my grandmother. she would marinate the roast for several days and make the noodles the day before. while the roast slowly cooked in the oven, the noodles would be boiled on the stove top, then fried to a crisp golden brown. red cabbage was the usual vegetable, cooked sweet & sour and a wilted lettuce salad completed the meal. she made a rich brown gravy from the drippings and marinade which was great for the beef, but I preferred to eat the browned noodles just the way they were in all their buttery goodness.
  115. Hmmm. Walking with my sister down Ben Yehuda street in Israel eating hot falafel in the crisp November air. Doesn't get much better than that. :-)
  116. The most memorable thing for me is probably the first time I had real smoked pulled pork at my first family reunion when I was about 6 years old. It lead to my life long love of bbq/smoking and slow cooking in general.
  117. The most memorable thing I ever ate was my mother's chicken and rice cassarole bake. It was my all time favorite...until I tried recreating it for my kids....and realized some things are just better off left to memory! I should have realized anything that calls for cream of mushroom soup is not my idea of a culinary delight anymore!
  119. My most memorable food memory was eating a Bistecca alla Fiorentina al fresco at a beautiful restaurant in Florence near San Lorenzo with great friends I made studying abroad during college
  120. I was so sick after flying for 36 hours. My husband made me a very simple udon soup with whatever we had in the fridge. that was the best meal I have ever had!
  122. Most memorable meal I had was a breakfast a winery/resort out in california. I remember ordering something that sounded like pancake/french toast but what was eventually served was SOOO good i drool thinking about it. It could have easily been passed as dessert...the plate infront of me had pancake that looked like flan..floating in a sauce that looked like pudding/condensed milk..it hid layers of thinly sliced strawberries and bananas...it was soooo good. considering that we were there on our honeymoon, and had been eating at their restaurant for every single meal, they figured out i had a major sweet tooth. i wouldnt be surprised what i ordered was actually a dessert :-) instead of breakfast!
  123. Unfortunately, the most memorable thing I ever ate has a negative connotation (at least the way I'm thinking right now...) I had durian at my mother's 50th birthday party. The reason it was so memorable was that myself and each of my siblings attempted to eat it and three out of the five wimped out. That left my brother and I. We both ate it. He threw up under a tree and I was the only one who managed to keep it down. Yikes! No more durians at birthday parties! Awesome giveaway. I had to do a triple take when I saw you were giving away a VitaMix. I have wanted one of these badly for years!
  124. The most memorable thing that I have eaten is Haggis. I was on vacation in Scotland and participated in a traditional Scottish meal. Knowing that this dish is made of stomach lining filled with a variety of meats and vegetables. Normally I wouldn't have eaten this dish but because I was at this traditional meal with all of the ritual dances, bagpipe music and poetry, I decided I had to try a bite. When they brought my plate it was filled with mashed potatoes and parsnips and a slice of the Haggis. I tried a bite with the potatoes and it was absolutely delicious. Then I ate the Haggis without the potatoes and it was superb. I would love to find the dish here in the U.S. so I could eat it again.
  128. That's a tough question, there have been quite a few.......I would have to say the very first time I had corn on the cob cooked an hour after it was picked. We picked it ourselves at a farm stand, came home and begged our parents to cook it for an early sweet corn supper(we had sweet corn suppers all summer long but it usually sat in the fridge a day or two.) OMGosh, I can remember the sweetness of the corn, the butter and juices running down my chin, sitting outside at the picnic table. I ate at least 5 or 6 myself, ahhhhh memories. Thanks for the yummy giveaway!
  131. When I was a child growing up in Canada (Ontario) my Father would introduce us to new foods all the time. One shivery cold evening Daddy took us to this restaurant called "Ali Babas" This my friends is where I had my first mouthwatering piece of the most exquisite Baklava. The flakey layers of phyllo pastry, creamy butter, sweet honey and pistachio nuts... *drool* ...sorry, didn't mean to dribble on your page... :D YES, this would have to be one of my most memorable foods. Thanks for the giveaway - truly awesome :)
  133. The most memorable food I have ever eaten is the open faced broiled cheese sandwiches my Dad would make for a late evening snack. No fancy ingredients - in fact they were made with processed American cheese and plain white or whole wheat store made bread. But he made it into an art with perfectly crisped bread, and then adding one slice at a time so the inside was deliciously gooey and the top slice was crisp and rose up like a bubble. Waiting through his meticulous steps and anticipating the result was part of the enjoyment but I think it is memorable just because he made them seem so special and it is a strong childhood memory.
  135. The most memorable would have to be fried plantains with red onions on it from a Cuban restaurant. So delicious I always recreate it or at least try.
  136. The most memorable thing I ever ate was Queso Flameado with freshly made tortillas. It was absolute heaven. Monterey jack cheese and chorizo (Mexican kind) served to you flaming! You then put it on freshly made tortillas and its so good!
  138. My wedding cake. We were married on Antigua and had a traditional black cake - sort of a cross between a rum cake, carrot cake and a fruit cake. I'd love to find a recipe!
  139. When I lived in France, I lived next door to a patisserie (dangerous), they had the most amazing sausage rolls I have ever tasted in my life. I'll always remember them, they were a staple of my diet.
  141. Sushi. Growing up with a mother who was allergic to shellfish and did not like fish due to choking on a bone as a girl, I had never had anything like it. Love it!
  143. Lets see.. I love to eat but the most memorable I must say is Lobster Bisque at Red Lobster, believe it or not. It was about 10 years ago. I continue to go back but they have never duplicated the experience.
  146. Everything my wife makes is memorable but last week she made some type of dish using what we had left in our refrigerator. Not sure what you call it but it was one of the best dishes I've had.
  147. The most memorable thing I have ever eaten is Mushroom Stuffed Roasted Mallard at the Trim Castle Hotel in Limerick, Ireland. The mallard was shot 3 hours before being prepared. I was advised by the waiter to be careful chewing for there may still be some buck shot in the meat. The cook even prepared a very special pate’ with the mallard’s liver on a little Melba toast. It was the most expensive and lavish meal I’ve ever had, and I will never forget it.
  150. The most memorable thing I ever ate was the meal my husband and I shared when he proposed in San Francisco. We had the most delicious lobster served with a savory corn fritter and mashed avocado. We sipped champagne and laughed all night. I hope to make many more memories with a new VitaMix! Thanks, Hungry Mouse!
  151. I don't just have a sweet tooth...I have a mouth full of sweet teeth! So my most memorable food was Red Velvet Cake. It was from a catered event and apparently, it was done right...because I have never been able to buy or bake it quite that good since!
  152. Soft scrambled eggs over home made brioche- made with contraband truffles smuggled home from France. The eggs and truffes spent a week co-mingeling on the kitchen counter in a sealed glass container, prior to the scramble. Pure heaven. Amazing how all the pungent rich stinkiness trasfers into the creamy rich eggs. Oh my.
  153. When Iu first moved to Texas my now husband took me to a bbq restraunt and I had my first taste of genuine Texas brisket. It was sliced so thin, a nice pink smoke ring enveloped it.Bbq sauce served on the side made this the most perfect food I have ever tasted. It melted in my mouth like butta!!
  154. The most memorable thing i ever ate would be my great grandmothers seven layer cookie bars from when I was a kid. She hasnt been well enough to make them in ages, but they were such a special treat around christmas time.
  156. So many things to choose from. I will say - when I was young, we went to Vancouver (well, New Westminster), Canada, to visit my great-grandmother. She lived in a house that was up on stilts, the place was tiny, no more than 600 sq ft. But she had a garden, which I loved. When I was asked one morning what I wanted for breakfast - I responded "carrots and bananas." She went out into the garden and picked a few carrots, washed them off, and I ate them that morning with a banana. It was likely the sweetest, most flavorful carrot I'd ever eaten.
  157. One of the most memorable things I ever ate was a fettucini with fresh black truffles, oddly enough in Berlin. They mixed the fettucini with the sauce in a hollowed out wheel of parmigiano reggiano. Showy and silly of course, but tasted amazing... and I later saw Mario Batali do that gimmick on tv, much to my surprise.
  158. The most memorable? Hmm..... Le Taillevent in Paris is the most extravagant dining experience I've ever had. Black truffles, foie gras, 5 or 6 courses, and as many wines. At the end of our meal the roof opened and dozens of white doves flew into the sky. It was decadent and very '80's. We were guests of a NYTimes food writer and her husband. I often think if I had known then what I know now I might have appreciated the evening more.... The funniest food memory was when I was 15 years old on a foreign exchange program to a tiny town in France. I didn't speak a word of French at the time. The second night of our trip our group was in a restaurant and I ordered cerveau, having no idea what to expect. When the 'brains' came prepared, but presented in the head of it's original owner I clearly lost my appetite. I had new incentive to not only to learn French, but to really learn to read a menu in French. Perhaps that started my fascinating with food!
  159. The most memorable thing I ever ate was at a very high end french restaurant. It was a 5 course meal. Yes, buttered snails were gobbled up. Near the end of our dinner the waitress brought out a platter with berries and pastries and in the middle was a ring box. After getting engaged we were driving to my parents to show them the ring. I started getting sick. We then had to pull over and I barfed that super expensive once in a life time meal. P.s Hope i win the vitamix!!!!
  160. The most memorable thing I ever ate sounds cliched but it's entirely true, I assure you. I was meeting my former boss for lunch on a Saturday at the Chew Chew Cafe in Riverside, Illinois (happens to be 15 feet from the train track). We ate and ate wonderful luscious foods but then we got...DESSERT. I ordered their half-baked chocolate cake and was sent into a chocolate oblivion I kid you not. I was amazingly chocolately without bitterness and without being too sweet. Just amazing. The cake was cake-like on the outside but the middle spilled out in a pool of lava-like liquid chocolate that was warm and gooey! OMG I was in heaven! After slowly savoring this amazing chocolate high for 20 minutes or so, we topped it all off with several rounds of the best cosmos a girl could ask for. Unfortunately, The Chew Chew Cafe went out of business a couple years ago so I think this wonderful dessert is now lost.
  161. Most memorable thing I ever ate--wow, that's a tough one! So I'll pick a few. ;) LOVED the meal I had a Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill in NYC Nov. 2008. LOVE Levain Bakeries chocolate chip walnut cookies. And a really yummy molten chocolate cake at a chain steakhouse, Longhorn, here in Kansas. It was only on their menu for a limited time and my husband and I LOVED it. We've never had a better one before or since!
  162. Most memorable - My grandmother's strawberry pound cake. It was always freshly baked and waiting for me every single time I visited her.
  163. Paris. France, that is. 1998. Duck liver pate with aspic. Cognac aspic. Eiffel tower to my right. La Vie En Rose playing in my ear. Perfection.
  164. It was a hot summer afternoon snack by the bay: just dug turnips, dusted off, sliced and served with a simple Russian dressing (ketchup and mayo) dip, accompanied by freezer-thick vodka with a squeeze of lemon.The perfect balance of flavors and textures -- cool and sharp, earthy and aromatic, and very sexy indeed.
  165. Lyon, France, 1996. I was on vacation and strolling around the beautiful historic part of town and spotted a sign outside a cafe for a prix fixe menu. The meal was simple and beautiful with a salad nicoise and roast chicken, but the dessert has lived in my memory forever. It was a marquis au chocolat, with creme anglais and a raspberry sauce. The chocolate was deep and rich and tasted utterly delectable with the sauces. The memory of that dessert will live in my mind forever.
  168. Going to have to go with live ama-ebi. For the incredible freshness, sure, but more for the looks of horror/fascination on fellow diners as my dinner attempted to crawl away across the table.
  171. The food that stand out the most at this moment was an egg dish I had at Manresa in Los Gatos last May. This was a soft egg served in it's own shell, with a maple and balsamic foamy sauce. The details are fuzzy, but the reaction and the the fabulous taste are still present in memory.
  173. Most memorable is swirled with fond emotion... for my birthday one year, my sweet hubs spent an entire day fussing in the kitchen on a cake for me. Firstly you must understand he can burn cereal! So the amount of effort exercised here was amazing. It was no ordinary cake - oh no... This was a flourless chocolate cake, 3 layers of moist melt-in-your-mouth chocolate heaven. Each layer was separated by a thick layer of chocolate mousse. Oh dream with me.... c'mon *sigh* And the whole thing was topped off with a dark chocolate ganache! The sun came up and the sun went down and still that man toiled in that kitchen. He washed the mixer bowl time and again. And when I saw it - let me tell ya I thought he had gone to the bakery it looked so sinful! And it tasted even MORE sinful! I think right then and there I agreed to have a baby - right then and there! And who knew... we got two! Twins! It was some cake... let me know if you want the recipes ;)
  174. The most memorable thing that I ever ate was a spectactular "Galette des Rois" for Epiphany in France. There are many recipes and traditions for the Galette (known stateside as King Cake). This recipe was a almond paste between layers of puff pastry. Oh, but it was good! 25 years later, I've attempted doing it myself. It's not quite as good, but I keep trying!
  175. Kentucky Derby Pie. Now you said, \We like stories\; so here's the story: When I was growing up the family had a summer home on Dale Hollow Lake in Tennessee. We would travel for about 8 hours to get there, but that was okay considering how idyllic the lake was. (Its totally gone commercial now, though. Sad.) Anyway, friends of ours lived in Kentucky Horse Country and also would go down there. The mother made this dessert that she called Kentucky Derby Pie. It's a pecan-chocolate-bourbon pie. Well... forward to about seven months after going home from the summer at the lake. It was my tenth birthday, and my mother wanted to know what kind of cake I wanted. I didn't want cake, I wanted Kentucky Derby Pie. So mom called Mrs. Kern and got the recipe. Since then the Kern's have copyrighted/trademarked their recipe, and \officially\ state that its only known to one employee and several members of the Kern family. But God-Love-Her, Mummy has the recipe and passed it onto me!
  176. There have been a lot of "most memorables" in my life... thank goodness! One that sticks out in recent memory was an amazing meal on a tiny island in the Mexican Caribbean. There is a Belgian ex-pat there who will do private dinners for up to 16 guests in her home. She is an incredible cook/baker. As it turned out, my husband and I were the only two there that night, so it was like having our own private chef make us a 4-course meal. We ate in her candle-lit courtyard on our last night in Mexico, at a table decorated with Bougainvilla blossoms. From the roasted eggplant amuse-bouche to the three part dessert, everything was delicious. Great food, great memory!
  177. As a child, I looked forward to Saturday lunches with my pop-pop because I could count on his grilled cheese: gummy white bread, white american cheese, and Jersey tomato slathered with lots of butter. Lunch was complete with a pear from his tree outside the kitchen window. This may inspire some grown-up grilled cheese such as ciabatta bread, brie, and sliced pear...yum :)
  178. Mine has to be a chocolate peanut butter trifle thing I had at a friend's home. I thought about that dessert often. I had it once again after but it wasn't as divine as the first time. But still pretty tasty!
  179. The most memorable food I ever ate was my grandfather's Geese braised with Sour Plum Sauce this past summer in Guangzhou, China. My family and I moved to the US when I was little while my grandfather stayed in China. He's the only living grandparent I ever really knew and the last time I visited him was 10 years ago, so it was a real treat being able to eat his cooking. Wish I could enjoy it more often.
  180. my most memorable "eats" is my grandmothers almond cookies. she made them each time (and chochlate chip and sugar cookies) i came to visit. whenever i eat anything sweet with almond extract, i think of her.
  183. The most memorable thing I ever ate, my brother made fresh caught trout for breakfast for me once. It was so delicious, he braised it in butter with a little lemon & salt and it was just the most surprisingly tasty breakfast. I would never have guessed fish would taste so good that early in the morning!
  184. My most memorable food would have to be the stuffed grape leaves from the Acropolis. The Acropolis was my favorite Greek restaurant in Tennessee.
  185. The Most Memorable Thing I Ever Ate -- Oh, my goodness! How do I choose. I have gotten to eat so many wonderful, unusual and special things in my life. If I have to choose just one, (this is SO HARD) I guess it will have to be . . never mind, I'm going to write about three things. I am sure I won't be eligible now, for not following the rules, but I can't help myself. 1. Vichyssoise. The first time I ever had this it was literally in the kitchen of a very upscale French restaurant in San Francisco. I was about 13 years old, and my mother was working there as the bookkeeper. The restaurant has long since closed, but my memory of that day still lives on. The chefs were so kind to me, a budding foodie, and they served this to me in the traditional French soup holder, packed into crushed ice, with a silver bowl to hold the ice, and a silver ring that the soup cup set down into. It was iced cold, but so creamy and full of flavor. I can still close my eyes and be trasnported to that kitchen, filled with wonderful food smells and nice people who would feed me things I had never had before. 2. Scrambled eggs with Beluga caviar, served in an antique silver egg coddler. I had this at a restaurant in Canada, on Vancouver Island, right at the coast. The silver egg coddler is so unique among silver serving pieces that even may people who deal in antique silver do now know it. It is in the shape of a giant egg, and has little holders that allow an egg to sit in a bath of hot water. There is a small holder underneath the egg that can hold a bit of cotton batting soaked in denatured alcohol, and set aflame to keep the whole contraption hot. I was so entranced with this entire dish, that I set out on a quest to buy a similar silver piece for my home. Since then I have found a total of six of these, mostly in New Orleans at a shop in the French Quarter that specializes in antique silver dining pieces. From time to time I pull them all out and invite some very close friends to partake of this sublime dish with me. Yummy and so special! 3. "Packages" put together specially for me at a birthday dinner in a Japanese restaurant in Alaska, a surprise to me set up by my wonderful husband, Walter. The packages were meant to represent presents, and were the tiny tiniest of bites. They were made from little bitty squares of avocado and silken tofu, wrapped up in a ribbon/bow affair made out of nori. When I exclaimed over them, the sushi chef, who was making this wonderful multi-course dinner, made me some more. I would have eaten them all night, but as I watched him make them, I realized just how labor-intensive and special there were. Okay, that's it, but there really are more. . . Juli
  186. I've had many memorable occasions with food, good and bad. I'll go with good today. After arriving in Seattle late in the night we could find no where to eat and were utterly starving. Finally we found a neighboring hotel still had a restaurant open. At this point we would have devoured grilled gator with gusto but fortunately we ordered New England Clam Chowder while we waited for entrees to arrive. We opined it would probably be something awful from a can since we were about as far from New England as you could get. Not so. I have never had and doubt I ever will have such a wonderful bowl of clam chowder. It was heaven in a bowl. Rich, thick, swimming with clams and soft, mealy potatoes. We ordered second bowls and neglected our entrees. Honestly this chowder was worth a trip back to Seattle.
  187. I have two... the black bass with syrah sauce at Daniel in NYC. So good, better than anything I've ever tasted, I totally choked up in teh restaurant. And an unbelievable bite of tuna belly that my fishmonger graciously gave me.
  188. The most memorable thing I've ever eaten... Hmm... I think it might have been the pot d'creme dessert at Thomas Keller's restaurant in the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. Hubs & I took my mom to Vegas for her 80th birthday, and that dessert was better than any birthday cake!
  190. Deciding on THE most memorable thing I've ever eaten is a challenge. Several meals come to mind including scorpions in Santa Monica, goat brains in Chennai, India, escargot in London, and sweetbreads in New York City. In order to pick THE most memorable thing I have ever eaten, I need to go back to Paris. The most memorable thing I have ever eaten is a banana and nutella crepe from a street vendor in the shadows of Cathedrale Notre Dame de Paris. The crepe pancake was perfectly sweet and tender, and the extra ripe banana and chocolatey nutella complemented each other wonderfully. This indeed, in all its Paris Street Food Glory, was the most memorable thing I have ever eaten. Happy Holidays!
  192. Most memorable thing I ever ate is more of a two fold answer. From a meal perspective I have to say it was Blue Hill Stone Barns. The combination of the scenery, proximity to the ingredients and then simple, finished product on the plate was astounding. Each dish was delicious, highlighting the best of the produce and livestock on the farm. In terms of a single dish, I'd have to say it wasn't a restaurant dish, but rather my families roasted/braised brisket. Ever year we have it and I could make it from scratch in a heart beat. Passed down from generation to generation there have been some tweaks, but overall it remains the same: tender, packed with flavor and absolutely delicious.
  193. Hmmmm - most memorable thing I've ever ate - had to be the Red Wine Braised Short Ribs at the Bourbon Blue in Philly. That began a love affair with short ribs that carries on to this day. I've tried to replicate the recipe but I have to say the way they prepare it is stellar!
  194. The most memorable thing I ever ate was also the first time I ever remember *really* noticing food. I mean, I noticed the hell out of cucumbers, their subsequent relative, the pickle, and raw onions, but that was because I was a picky teenager and those three items fell into the "Do Not Want" category. The first time I felt completely transported by food was when my parents splurged on a super fancypants dinner at Le Francais in Wheeling, IL. It was my 15th birthday and before I even saw the menu, I was blown away by the fact that we each had our own--our very own!--server who would attend to every detail, from pulling out my chair to syncing his service with the other three servers to simultaneously reveal each course to each diner at the table. It felt unreal. I have to think that was the first time I ever had pate or duck, both of which I totally loved, but it was the salad course that blew my mind. Yup, salad. It was an artful mix of field greens with a nicely balanced dressing, but it was the warm goat cheese croute on top that did it for me. The moment I tasted a bite of that warm disc of pungent, earthy goodness, I was transformed. No, seriously. I can honestly say that salad and the French Laundry Cookbook are the two defining food moments in my life, the two entry points into another world where I discovered food can be more than mere sustenance. It can truly be art. That bit of warm goat cheese was like the tiniest hint of the journey that would color the rest of my life. Over-dramatic? Maybe, but I still feel that way. I read others' accounts of favorite food moments, and my eyes get dreamy when I read about grandparents' special recipes or, especially, simple, rustic fare served to those who were lucky enough to grow up on a farm, and although it would be cool to have memories of my mom skimming the pink foam from cooked strawberries during the canning season, I am just as happy with my memory of that shockingly tart, yet comfortingly warm bit of cheese. mmmmm. Thanks for letting me share :) -emily Chicago Dining Examiner
  195. The thing that I remember the most is the year we discovered you can make pumpkin pie and cheesecake in the same pie. I love both and of course can't finish off two pies before they go bad. So sad. So when we discovered this a couple of years ago we tried it and needless to say we haven't wasted a pie since.
  196. This is so difficult; as I have lots of delicious food memories. I would have to say, one of my most memorable things I ate was when I was traveling through Europe right after college. My friend and I were back in London for our last night. Exhausted, sun-burnt and broke, we found a Vietnamese noodle house - and ordered huge bowls of pho. After weeks of traveling, this fresh yet comforting soup was literally balm to our souls.
  198. I think the most memorable thing I've ever eaten was Boerewors. For those not in the know it is made from coarsely minced beef (sometimes combined with minced pork, lamb, or both) and spices (usually coriander seed, black pepper, nutmeg, cloves and allspice). Bloody delicious is and was the end result.
  199. The most memorable thing I've eaten was my one and only baking experiment thus far. No way could I forget my first baking experience! It was a mocha rum cake from Joy the Baker's recipe. I made it last week, and it took me a whole evening. Huge, huge deal for a gal who never cooks, much less bakes cakes. I suppose the most memorable part of eating the cake came after I'd put the batter in the oven and set about licking the bowl. The taste of rum was strong and the sweetness of the batter had a nice depth to it. I felt the promise of the cake and fear of the raw eggs in the batter and horror whenever I thought of how much butter and sugar and chocolate had gone into the thing. The cake itself turned out quite nicely too, if I do say so myself. There was nothing left at the end of my company's potluck for me to take home, which was the goal. But it's the rummy-chocolaty-espresso-y taste of the batter that I crave now. I had a few moments of magic, licking up globs of suspense.
  200. The most memorable thing I've ever eaten probably was a roasted oyster and apple dish I had in France. The combination just facinated me.
  201. wow this challenge really sent the head and tastebuds spinning. so many memorable food memories. fabulous arapas from a food cart in manhattan. the tasting menu at emerils in new orleans. a great crawfish boil in my own backyard. but without a doubt the best was breakfast in bed prepared by my 10 year old son. hands down my favorite food memory.
  202. Thanks to all who entered! What wonderful stories! (Thank you, thank you for sharing!) Hold on to your pants, we'll do the drawing and announce the winner tonight. Stay tuned for more giveaways early next year. This was entirely too much fun and we need to do it again soon! Happy holidays! +Jessie

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