More food. Last night I roasted a very tarragon-heavy chicken - I stuffed it with a large bunch of fresh tarragon and made a sauce/gravy using dried and fresh tarragon, plus mushrooms, with a little dash of cream at the end so it did not curdle. Food has become very important to me over the last 18 months, but I seldom write about it, let alone take photos of it and put them up on Instagram.
Halfway through the eating, I said to H.I. that I believed that tarragon was my favourite herb. She said, what about coriander, both leaf, seed and stalk? And what about basil? I would like to have said that tarragon is the best with chicken, but depending on where you are in the world, coriander is also wonderful with chicken. Maybe I should have just qualified it by saying that tarragon was my favourite herb - tonight.
I once asked an eight year-old guest if she liked strawberry crème fraîche (I found the special characters) and she said it was her favourite. Well, favourite today maybe, I snarled, but give it another couple of weeks and you will have probably discovered something you like better. I didn't really say that. I didn't even think it.
How many times have you been asked the impossible question, 'what is your favourite colour'? The only people who can give a straight answer to that are the sort of people who dress head to toe in purple, every day of the week.
If you have ever been on a colour theory course, you will never profess to having a favourite colour again.
I used to jokingly ask my mother who was her favourite out of me, my brother and my two sisters, and she would always tell the same lie about not having a favourite.
"All right then. Who is your least favourite?" was the other trick question to which I knew the answer. She would not be drawn.
I am a bit nervous about posting up a block of pure purple here. When I was at college, I asked someone to help me paint a wall purple. He painted a two foot square patch in front of himself, then immediately had an epileptic fit. Moral: Never trust anyone who wears purple, even if they are a Roman Emperor.
ReplyDelete...or especially if they are a Roman Emperor...
DeleteThey { whoever 'they' are ? } say that you shouldn't paint a room purple ..... it's supposed to make you depressed and suicidal. As much as I love food and will try pretty much everything, I'm not a great lover of too many herbs. I have that coriander thing that a lot of people have where it tastes soapy. I do love basil though and mint and thyme ..... I just don't like them to overpower everything. Please feel free to ask me round for dinner though ..... I don't dislike them that much. XXXX
ReplyDeleteThe worst colour to paint a hospital waiting room is purple. The second worst is orange. Do you like jasmine tea? To me that really tastes like cosmetics, but not hernbs.
DeleteOr herbs.
DeleteI hate perfumes which smell edible too.
DeleteJasmine tea wouldn’t be top of my list …. I don’t want to drink perfume ! XXXX
DeleteJasmine tea wouldn’t be top of my list …. I don’t want to drink perfume ! XXXX
DeleteI have no idea why y comment was published three times !!!! XXXX
DeleteNor me. I heard you the first time.
DeleteI don't know what tarragon tastes like. I looked it up and it seemed like it might be a bit over-powering with so much in and on one chicken. I have no strong views either way really because I know how I like my chicken and my gravy and it is yummy and doesn't have lots of herbs.
ReplyDeleteWell you won't know until you try.
DeleteI once woke myself up from a deep sleep vigorously discussing (with myself) which way a Roman toga was worn over the arm, flipped to the front or flipped to the back. My dreamed debate was so heated that it continued whilst I was awake. I had to take myself downstairs, make a brew before the raging calmed down....
ReplyDeleteSounds like a domestic rite to honour the god Onan to me.
DeleteGood one, Tom.
DeleteI like savory flavors. Tarragon chicken sounds pretty good as long as it was not over powering. I like thyme, butter, salt and pepper on squash. Lemon chicken is good. Creamy garlic chicken is also a favorite.
ReplyDeleteTarragon with chicken is a classic combination and delicious. I make a traybake with chicken thighs, leek and new potatoes that has fresh tarragon in it regularly. Yum... mind you, chicken with all those other things are also favourites !!
DeleteJean, your tarragon chicken sounds delicious. Chicken thighs, tarragon, leeks and new potatoes...what's not to like!
DeleteSusan, it’s a winner! See here:
Deletehttps://www.lovefood.com/recipes/60388/rachel-allens-chicken-openpot-roast
Jean, I printed the recipe. It sounds excellent and very savory. Thank you very much, Susan
DeleteAt least you and H.I. know the correct answer!
ReplyDeleteOr know that we don't know.
DeleteI don't understand arguing pointlessly. You cooked a wonderful supper, and that was to be savored, instead of getting into a debate about whether tarragon was truly your favorite herb or not. It sounds pretty ungracious. Forgive me for saying it.
ReplyDeleteDon't take me too seriously Debby.
DeleteI´m not sure I´ve ever used tarragon, I´ve just googled it and it looks interesting. I´ll have to see if it is available here so I can try it.
ReplyDeleteYes, give it a go.
DeleteApparently purple is back in vogue again in the clothes department, so you are running with the fashionistas today. Dinner sounded delicious, too. I think it was a Trivial Pursuit question that gave me the answer to the most commonly used herb in the world, presumably also meaning favourite, and it's coriander.
ReplyDeleteIf purple is in vogue, that's indicative of something not right to me.
Delete