"YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT" MEME

A week ago, the extremely sweet Hélène of "Dans L'Assiette De Mademoiselle Charlotte Et Cie" tagged me with the "You Are What You Eat" meme...

So, here it is! I hope that it'll help you build up a better picture me, the person behind this blog.

If you were stuck on an island and could only eat one cuisine (e.g., French, Italian, etc.) for the rest of your life, what would it be? Why?
Well, that's a very tricky question! The kind I prefer not to get asked, because I must say that choosing between things I love equally, is near to impossible...

I guess that if I were stuck on an island, I would eat what I find. Let's say that it would be exotic and Asian inspired (Thai, Vietnamese, Malaysian, etc...). But I prefer to cheat a little by saying that I'd choose the American cuisine since it's full of contrasts due to the fact that this country is populated by people/immigrants of many different origins, nations and cultures. It is a synthesis of the cuisine from around the world. The food that can be found there ranges from comforting, traditional, simple to extremely exotic and elaborate!

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What is the most unusual food you've eaten?
I would say the "Goat's Head Soup" (no not that Rolling Stone song!) I ate in Greece (Thebes)! It wasn't bad at all, but there wasn't really much meat to eat...

Otherwise, one strange thing I got to eat was fish eyes. Yes, fish eyes!!! My ex-boyfriend who was Thai used to eat the whole fish head and considered the eyes to be "gourmet". So, I used to eat my fish like a real Thai person, without making a fuss, in order to please him and be polite. I don't keep a very interesting memory of that culinary experiment. The eyes had a very strange texture, a kind of bitter taste and the worst thing about them was that the crystalline stuck to your teeth like carame, blehl!!!....

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What is the most unusual food you've eaten and liked?
Stir-fried lungs. In fact it was a quick dry Thai curry made with this animal part. It wasn't bad and considering the fact that I love liver, it was somehow similar.

I also like the cassava root and all the products that derive from it (see my "Farofa" post). I especially love desserts made with tapioca starch.

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What foods will you avoid eating (either because of a dietary choice or allergies or just plain don't like)?
Thankfully, I am not allergic to any kind of food and I'm not on a diet!

I'm not very complicated when it comes to food and it is very rare for me to not like something. Yet, I am not very keen on mussels and papaya (it depends how it's prepared). Both don't repulse me, it's just that if I don't have to eat them, then I'm a happy girl...

What I refuse to eat is industrial or convenience food as I don't consider them to be anything close to food! I prefer the real stuff.

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Do you cook (and by that, I mean prepare a meal that you'd serve to friends)?
What do you think?!? Of course, I cook and I love being in the kitchen for hours!

All the meals I eat are always entirely prepared by myself. I refuse to buy any kind of convenience food as I believe that it is not healthy, not very tasty and too expensive...

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If yes, what is your favorite dish to prepare to impress someone?
I don't really cook or bake to impress anybody (apart from myself, maybe), although I really appreciate to make others profit from my "skills". Of course, I'm happy if I get a positive response from those for whom I prepare a meal, but that's not what motivates me. It's not an end in itself...

If I had to impress someone, then I'd surely cook or bake something that is to be found on my blog!

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When you go to a restaurant, what's your ordering strategy/preference?
If I go out to eat, then I'm surely going to order something that I don't know and that I'd like to discover. I'm always interested in what's new...

Of course, I also like to eat what I already know, especially if I like that dish. Sometimes I can be very boring as I tend to always order the same thing!

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Have you ever returned a dish or wine to the kitchen at a restaurant? Why?
No, not until now. But I would if the food would not be as it should or the wine would have a cork taste, then I'd consider that option. I am quite shy, so it would need a lot of guts to actually shout. So, I would keep it all inside!

It is very rare, but it can happen to anybody. I hate to return dishes or wine, because it makes me feel uncomfortable...

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How many cookbooks do you own?
Definitely not enough!!! I own a few cookery books, many magazines and have files chock-a-block full with printed recipes in plastic sleeves. I love to have everything in order.

Unfortunately, I don't have the means to constantly buy cookery books, although I wouldn't mind doing so. I would of course love to have a few hundred of them at home. I find cookbooks so captivating that I can spend hours reading them and admiring their beautiful pictures...

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What is one food that you wouldn't want to live without?
I would die without bread, meat, fish, cheese, flour, vegetables, fruits, etc... In fact, I don't want to have to make choices, but I guess that I would say salt and spices since they are at the origin of taste and gives that extra zing to a dish.

Without salt or spices, food would be very bland, a bit like living a life without colors, flavors or smells.

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I wish to tag the following people:

• Burekaboy at "Is That My Buréka?"
• Camille at "Cakes In The City"
• Lady Amalthea at "Noshes, Thoughts & Reves"
• Obachan at "Obachan's Kitchen & Balcony Garden"

(Thai Food -Pic by www.pbase.com)
(Fish Eyes -Pic by www.andydavies.info)
(Cassava -Pic by www.food-info.net)
(Mussels -Pic by www.tallulasf.com)
(Housewife -Pic by www.projectjanna.com)
(Face In The Mirror -Pic by www.unison.ie)
(Corks pic by www.wineanorak.com)
(Cookbooks -Pic by www.urbanfare.com)
(Spices -Pic by www.theage.com.au)