I recently won a Major Award--although it wasn't fre-gee-lay. Nope, this prize was meant to be taken apart, sliced and diced, soaked in water and subjected to high temperatures.
You can see that it was a good prize.
You have to love a box that comes with this note on the outside.
Inside--look at the treasures!
What are all those goodies? So colorful! So varied! So many of them!
Let's take a closer look.
Dried mushrooms. Specifically: samples of maitake, porcini, chantarelle, shiitake, oyster, black trumpet, lobster, and matsutake mushrooms.
But that's not all.
Aren't they pretty?? What we have--or rather, what *I* have, too bad for you--is samples of puya, pasila negro, habanero, chipotle, ancho, aji panca, japones, new mexico, ghost, smoked serrano, and aji cereza peppers.
And that's still not all.
Salts: Hawaiian black, gray sea, smoked sea, habanero, Hawaiian red sea, espresso, szechuan pepper, and lime. Oh: and vanilla sugar, granulated honey, and demerara sugar.
Wow. What riches. Thank you so much, Katie!
I'm still contemplating all my choices. What do you guys think? Any suggestions? Some of the items I'm familiar with (chipotle, ancho), others not so much (espresso salt?). What should I do with these things? How shall I cook with them? What would taste good?
Wow! That's awesome!
Posted by: Heather | November 21, 2009 at 11:27 AM
Oh yum, I am looking forward to the new recipes. Espresso salt on cocoa? Hmmm. Google might have an idea or two.
Posted by: Carrie K | November 19, 2009 at 05:19 PM
What a fun gift...and I love your Christmas Story allusion.
Posted by: Caroline | November 16, 2009 at 09:24 PM
Sounds like things that Rick Bayless would know all about. Do you ever watch his cooking show or read his books?????
Posted by: kathy b | November 13, 2009 at 09:16 PM
I'm not that well travelled to give a suggestion--but yum!!!
Posted by: bezzie | November 13, 2009 at 06:07 PM
Awesome. Can't wait to see what you do with that bounty.
Posted by: kmkat | November 13, 2009 at 11:09 AM
Brownies, with the habanero or lime salts or vanilla sugar.
Or truffles! These sound so BT McElrath-y!
Posted by: Girl Detective | November 13, 2009 at 10:15 AM
Wow! Like going on the spice trade route!!
I have little advice for most of those wonders .... but look forward to seeing what you do with them.
Posted by: kate | November 13, 2009 at 09:43 AM
I love mushrooms - had a sandwich in Grand Marais at a restaurant called The Wild Onion (which is in the Harbor Inn - I bet you know exactly where I'm talking) - Anyway the sandwich was a french dip - vegetarian...all mushrooms instead of beef & it was the best sandwich I may have ever eaten. EVER. I'm still talking about it 2+ years later. THAT GOOD. THE End.
Posted by: cursingmama | November 13, 2009 at 08:08 AM
What a wonderful box of goodies!
Posted by: Carole | November 13, 2009 at 08:03 AM
No clue, but it'll be fun to see what you come up with. :)
Posted by: Chris | November 13, 2009 at 07:59 AM
I can plainly see you have a lot of cooking to do. What an awesome array of delectable treats!
I think you should make a cup of cocoa, sprinkle with that espresso salt (and maybe a little caramel), and sit back and admire it all. Perhaps a few ways to use these treats will come to mind. If you need a muse, turn on some Red Hot Chili Peppers and listen while sipping that cocoa.
Posted by: rudee | November 13, 2009 at 07:58 AM