Food isn't scary in bite-size portions

I love food festivals because they help me conquer my food fears. I'm an adventurous eater when it comes to bite-size portions, but I'm afraid to order things like ceviche, pork belly and oxtail off a restaurant's menu. I mean what if I order something that I don't like? I'm stuck with an entire plate of it and a serious case of diner's remorse.

At last night's Toast of the Town, a food and wine festival, I tasted several small items that I wouldn't ordinarily have tried.

Here were my favorites:

Duck confit with pickled ginger and sweet plum sauce (Green Island Country Club)

Florida hoppers (shrimp) with jumbo asparagus, wild watercress and lemon vinaigrette (Hot and Hot Fish Club)

Lobster-scallop ceviche with lime, garlic and jicama (C'Sons)

Red pepper champagne bisque with basil chiffonade (C'Sons)

Oxtail ravioli with contemporary succotash (RiverMill Event Centre)

Deviled quail eggs with lobster, Georgia caviar and blood-orange vinaigrette. (The Basil Leaf)

Unfortunately, I was too busy racing around tasting food and sipping wine to take any photos, but the presentation of some of these dishes was photo-worthy. A curried crawfish was scooped in a tiny ice cream cone and duck confit was served in a small partially hallowed-out breadstick. The ceviche was set in a tiny martini glass. They were almost too cute to eat. Almost.

I'm back... with deli

It's been so long since my last blog post. I'm sorry faithful readers. You've probably been wondering what sort of daze Dawn has been in. Well, I've been working, eating, sleeping, working, attempting to workout, overeating, feeling guilty about overeating, promising to workout more often, working, drinking wine, wondering if I'm drinking too much wine, working. Let's just say I've been in a work-sleep-eat-wine daze.

Anyway, I'm going to be better. About blogging, that is. Not about drinking less or working out more.

Anyway, today was Deli Day in Columbus. Every year before Easter/Passover the Jewish Ladies Aid Society holds a fundraiser. It's a delicious fundraiser because sack lunches with corned beef sandwiches, chips, cole slaw, pickles and sweet tea are sold. Everyone sits outside on folding chairs and eats his/her lunch on what is always a beautiful summer-is-coming type day. Then we eat some of the best desserts imaginable. Cheesecakes, brownies, lemon mousse, chocolate cake, red velvet cake and my favorite, coconut cake. Now I really need to workout!

Here are some photos:


Lily, me and Sonya


Me and Jeff


My co-worker friends Tim, Lily and Sonya.

Uniforms vs. outfits

I have, on occasion, made comments about my like or dislike of certain football team's "outfits." Jeff has always quickly corrected me. Athletes wear uniforms. Models wear outfits.

Tonight while watching men's skating in the 2010 Winter Olympics, Jeff didn't correct me a single time when I referred to the skaters' attire as outfits. In fact, when he saw the Belgium skater's skeleton-like bodysuit, Jeff decided "costume" was the right descriptive term.

However, when snowboarders were shown on TV, Jeff referred to their jean-like pants and jackets as uniforms.

So what does Jeff think a piece of clothing needs to become a uniform? A number.

It takes a calf to cheer up a Colts' fan

Is it silly to be depressed that your team lost the Super Bowl? Yes. But I still am. I can't believe the Colts lost yesterday. It's just too sad.

I'm not sure when I became the type of football fan who has a bad day when her team loses, but it's happened.

It didn't help that I had to take all kinds of crap from my co-workers and so-called friends today. Arg. "Just wait until next year," I'd say, but my heart wasn't in it.

The only thing that's made me feel better today is to watch my favorite Super Bowl commercial. It's the sappy Budweiser ad that starts with the calf and colt (ironic, huh?) running along a fence together. Here it is:

This year, I love Oscar

The Oscar nominations were announced today. Find a list here. This year 10 films were nominated for Best Picture instead of the usual five. I'm happy to say (or write) that I've actually seen three of the 10 films: "Avatar," "Up in the Air" and "Inglourious Basterds." If The Academy hadn't expanded the list of nominees, I very well may not have seen any of the nominated films. This would have caused me to feel like a pop culture moron. While this may be accurate, I'm glad I can pretend it isn't.

Cosmetic question

Why does lipstick rub off my lips in five minutes but stay on my water glasses through a cycle in the dishwasher?

My living room becomes a tennis court

I bought Jeff a Wii for Christmas. I was worried it would do little more than collect dust. I worried for nothing. After playing Wii tennis in our casual TV room for a few weeks, Jeff moved the Wii to the more formal living room.

At first I thought maybe the living room offered a better Wimbledon vibe. There's no grass, of course, but the furniture is green. Then I thought maybe Jeff just wanted to irritate me by turning my living room into an arcade.

But no, it seems Jeff simply needed more space to play. In the small TV room, he tripped over furniture and hit walls. In the larger living room, he rearranged the furniture (moved it all to one side of the room) to maximize his playing space.

Now he swings his racket, er remote, with no fear of hitting walls. He chases imaginary tennis balls and trips only occasionally over a dog who runs on the court, er carpet. The change in venue must have worked because Jeff now plays at the professional level.

I guess as long as he doesn't draw white lines on the floor, I shouldn't worry. We can always move the furniture back. After all, why am I complaining? I'm married to a tennis pro.