foodie | the view from over here

Category: foodie
- 8 Unique Recipes in a Chili Cook-off – One wins, but they’re all still Chili
  
  Posted at 10:33 am by derekmaul, on October 22, 2018
  - Holy Hay Day photo (above) courtesy of 124 Project
  Won’t you help to sing these songs of freedom? ‘Cause all I ever have are Redemption Songs – Bob Marley
  
  A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post about “Redemption Song.” Well, this weekend I covered it in church. If you want to hear what a 62-year-old formerly English guy does with a classic Bob Marley tune you can pick it up at around the 37-minute mark on this Facebook Live feed – right after Rebekah’s wonderful sermon (13-36 mins).
  
  After church there was “Holy Hay Day” in the most spectacular 55-degrees and sunny fall weather. This is our church fall festival, and for me it was all about the Chili Cook-Off. Friendly competition between I think it was eight different ministry areas. I honestly feel that every last one of them was a winner, But I had to vote for one and what’s funny is I don’t typically go for spicy but the flavor was so good it was the one serving I absolutely had to go back for more.
  
  Chili Cook-Off:
  
  Here’s what’s interesting. They were all different, all unique, all leaning more in one direction than another – but all chili.
  
  Chili built around chicken. Chili with ground beef. Chili with steak. Vegetable Chili. Red sauce. White sauce. Chili served with cornbread. Chili with biscuits. One served with sour cream, another with cream cheese.
  
  Lots of flavors. All completely different. All one hundred percent chili.
  
  Earlier in the day, when I wasn’t even thinking about chili, we talked about The Church (universal) as part of my class on Christian Doctrine. We may be a group of Presbyterian Christians, and we may be learning about doctrine through a Reformed Faith lens, but we are seeking to develop an ecumenical understanding of how being a follower of Jesus makes a difference in our day-to-day lives as God’s children in a broken world.
  
  Lots of flavors. All completely different. All one hundred percent Christian.
  
  “If I’m right then you must be wrong”
  
  But we live in a culture right now where if something is right then that means everything else is wrong. It’s a culture that would not stop at choosing one of the eight offerings as “the best” – but would go on to say that the other seven are not chili.
  
  I happen to think that denominations are a good thing. After all, if you’re a vegetarian it doesn’t matter how wonderful the chicken chili is. But we have to understand that there is a lot about my church, and yours, and everyone else’s, that is flawed and confused and in need of reformation. We are human, we are prone to error, and we are equipped with limited capacity – we interact with the scriptures, with Jesus, with the Spirit, and with one another on that basis.
  
  I may disagree with you on some of the details, but I have noted one thing about my faith as it matures over time: If I am going to make a mistake (which I do), if I am going to be in error (which I will), and if I am going to be wrong (yet again)… then I am going to fall in the direction of grace rather than judgment, and I am going to invite more people into my tent rather than show them the door.
  
  author Derek Maul
  
  It’s about Jesus. It’s about loving God with everything I can muster and loving my neighbor in much the same way. It is about love, kindness, grace, mercy, light, generosity, encouragement – and the invitation, the open invitation to promise and to come home.
  
  In love, and because of love – DEREK
  
  Continue reading →
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  Posted in commentary, culture, faith, foodie, opinion, The Church | 3 Comments | Tagged chili cook-off, denominations, facebook live, featured, grace, I'm right you're wrong, judgmenet, Sunday morning
- Jesus replied: “YOU feed them!”
  
  Posted at 11:48 am by derekmaul, on October 20, 2018
  When the day was almost over, the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so that they can go to the nearby villages and countryside and find lodging and food, because we are in a deserted place.”
  
  He replied, “You give them something to eat.” Luke 9:12-13
  
  Rebekah welcoming the crowd to WFPC
  
  Ask Your Church this Question:
  
  There is a question all churches need to ask themselves once in a while. It has a lot to do with the focus of ministry, the lighthouse versus fortress mentality, and it goes something like this: “If our congregation suddenly ceased to exist, what difference would it make to this community?” Or, “If this church disappeared would anyone in this town even notice?”
  
  Consequently, I’m always excited when I see our Christian Life Center full to bursting with over 400 people and probably 350 of them aren’t Presbyterians. Not only that but a lot of them don’t even go to church at all.
  
  What everyone does have in common is a love for Wake Forest and a commitment to work together to fight food insecurity – hunger – in our part of Wake County.
  
  Stop Hunger Feed Hope:
  
  Katherine Peiper wins a door prize!
  
  The occasion was the annual “Stop Hunger Feed Hope” fundraising dinner for Tri-Area Ministries. The reason we host the event isn’t just because we have the best facility, it’s because WFPC members are leaders in the community, leaders in the fight to end hunger, and leaders when it comes to following our faith up with community action.
  
  People who are part of the WFPC faith community are well-known around town as carriers of gospel light, and our campus is a kind of epicenter for the kind of purposeful activity that flows directly from worship and discipleship into love in action.
  
  People who are part of the WFPC faith community are well-known around town as carriers of gospel light…
  
  Between ticket sales, auction items, and flat-out donations, Friday night’s crowd of people raised upwards of $30,000 (my estimate, based on some hard data), helping to add fresh produce to the food packages TAM distributes. Add to that the literally thousands of pounds of sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and green beans that have come directly from our community garden this year and you can see why people look to WFPC for leadership in light and encouragement and love and hope.
  
  Here are a few photos from the event. When I returned Saturday morning for Bible study I could still feel the reverberations of love and joy.
  
  Peace, and the promise of the gospel of light – DEREK
  
  Rebekah prays
  
  Katherine Peiper wins a door prize!
  
  Franklin Academy Chamber Chorus
  
  auctioneer
  
  Rebekah welcoming the crowd to WFPC
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  Posted in commentary, Current News, faith, foodie, The Church | 0 Comments | Tagged featured, feed hope, food insecurity, presbyterian church, stop hunger, Tri area Ministries, you feed them!
- something easy and delicious from my kitchen
  
  Posted at 9:24 pm by derekmaul, on October 1, 2018
  Author Derek Maul lives, writes, and cooks in Wake Forest, NC
  
  Okay, folks, here we go. This is essentially a PSA (Public Service Announcement). This recipe is too good and too simple not to share.
  
  Typically I’m a “get the recipe from the cookbook” kind of a guy. But this time I take full credit. So without further ado, here goes:
  
  First I put a bed of fresh uncooked baby spinach on each plate. Then I added some tomatoes and chopped celery. Meanwhile, I grilled a thick, succulent, amazing tenderloin steak (medium rare) as well as some gourmet mushrooms – salt before cooking (Baby Bella, Shiitake, and Oyster). Cut the hot steak into thin strips and place on the salad. Add the hot mushrooms too. Sprinkle almonds and feta cheese (freshly crumbled) over the salad. I recommend a Basil and Romano Northern Italian dressing.
  
  I served this with fresh, steaming buttermilk biscuits.
  
  Simple. Delicious. Satisfying. – DEREK
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  Posted in foodie, gourmet life, Our home | 0 Comments | Tagged delicious, Derek's kitchen, foodie-post, Gourmet life, recipe share, tenderloin salad
- Celebrating “Good Taste Friday”
  
  Posted at 9:12 am by derekmaul, on September 7, 2018
  Look at how good and pleasing it is
      when the family of humankind lives together as one!
  ²It is like expensive oil poured over the head,
      running down onto the beard—
          Aaron’s beard!—
      which extended over the collar of his robes. – Psalm 133:1-2
  
  This week’s “Five Photo Friday” post is going to be food. Really, who doesn’t enjoy pictures of beautifully prepared food? Especially when the world is so full of mean-spirited political squabbling and angry social discord that leaves nothing but a bad taste.
  
  So let’s make today “Good Taste Friday,” celebrate the flavor of life, and affirm all that is beautiful.
  
  Last weekend Rebekah and I attended a wedding. It was one of those occasions where we only knew a few of the people there. But by the time we left the reception we remarked to each other that we could easily become friends with everyone we met. Because they were so obviously all good people – which is the truth of it when we scratch the surface of pretty much anyone at any time in any place.
  
  So why do we play these sad, unseemly games of hostility and rancor and tribalism?
  
  It is all so unnecessary in this amazing land of opportunity and plenty. Let’s sit down together and share a good meal. And let’s live as grateful people and celebrate all the goodness we are surrounded with.
  
  Peace – in every way – DEREK
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  Posted in foodie, gourmet life, kingdom of God, life, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged community, featured, good food, good taste, Gourmet life, life together
- Thoughts and Photos from an Eventful Weekend
  
  Posted at 12:18 pm by derekmaul, on August 20, 2018
  As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” – John 9:1-5
  
  I have already written about our thirty-ninth anniversary – it was a joyful celebration of a rich, challenging, and rewarding journey – and Sunday’s post pointed to the importance of doing life in the context of an authentic faith community.
  
  But the weekend was too busy to settle in and concentrate on just one aspect of what makes this life such a great adventure. Sometimes we just have to let the experiences wash over us; then, later, it is time to reflect.
  - I have done something different with the images today. There are three short slideshows, each representing a different aspect of the post…
  Maine Lobster:
  
  This slideshow requires JavaScript.
  
  Saturday evening Rebekah and I headed into downtown Raleigh to support our friends’ (Deb and Greg Keller) latest entrepreneurial venture with Cousins Maine Lobster. Apparently it’s not enough to run two full-time food trucks, now they have a permanent restaurant in the super-cool venue that is the Morgan Street Food Hall.
  
  Our friends may be busy, but they always add not only vision but grace to anything they are involved with. Two thumbs up from us for this latest idea!
  
  The food hall – a renovated warehouse space – comprises 22,000-square feet of culinary joy. It houses 22 vendors, two bars, and an expansive outdoor patio area.
  
  Saturday evening it seemed like half of all Raleigh was crowded into the space. But it was fun to be at an opening, and good to see the enthusiasm generated by great food in the heart of downtown Raleigh. Raleigh is fast becoming a food destination city, and I couldn’t be happier!
  
  Morning Worship:
  
  This slideshow requires JavaScript.
  
  Sunday at WFPC Rebekah preached about the question “Why?” Life is full with the difficult, the tragic, the heartbreaking, and the unfair. She talked about how important it is that we are honest with God and that we actively engage the Creator rather than fall for trite explanations on the one hand or wallow in negativity on the other.
  
  In the scripture reading, people asked Jesus, “Who sinned to make this man blind (from birth)? Was it his own sin or the sin of his parents?”
  
  The Great Teacher, as he often does, pointed out that they were “Asking the wrong questions?” Today Jesus still has the same response. We ask the wrong questions. Stuff happens that is difficult, and we can usually come up with rational explanations. What we really need to be thinking about, and praying about, is how we are going to respond, and how we will allow God to work in us and through us to bring light and love into this broken world.
  
  As the service ended Rebekah asked the congregation to raise their hands and join her in the blessing/benediction. The pictures represent what it looks like to be a community asking the right questions.
  
  The pictures represent what it looks like to be a community asking the right questions.
  
  Afternoon Ceremony:
  
  This slideshow requires JavaScript.
  
  Sunday afternoon we drove over to Cary where Rebekah had been invited to preach at the installation service for Jordan Davis, the new associate pastor at The Kirk of Kildaire.
  
  That’s two Sundays in succession, celebrating with faith communities as they welcome new pastors to participate in God’s work through the Presbyterian Church. I’ve got to tell you, there is life and passion and love and Spirit in our church and I feel good about the direction and the leadership of these faith communities – good people faithful to the gospel as they grapple with what it means to be the presence of Christ, to be The Church, in 21st Century America.
  
  So much going on, and so much to be grateful for. Yes, we are tired, and feeling maybe older than we were a few decades ago. But we are also energized by Love, and that is a good place to be.
  
  Peace and more peace – DEREK
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  Posted in Current News, faith, foodie, leadership, The Church | 0 Comments | Tagged 39th anniversary, all this and more, Cousins Maine Lobster, Food Hall, foodie, Kirk of Kildaire, Maine Lobster, Morgan Street Food Hall, Sunday worship
- An evening at the Chef & the Farmer with Vivian Howard
  
  Posted at 3:49 pm by derekmaul, on August 4, 2018
  Friday Rebekah and I planned an excursion into Eastern North Carolina with our friends Leslie and Scott. We were scheduled to meet some potentially cool people, tour their interesting antebellum home, eat at an iconic restaurant, and then drive home.
  
  Check, check, and check – but then so much more. The day turned out to be epic to the extent that I can’t simply share a handful of images and move on. This needs to be two posts minimum. I’ll start with the restaurant and later – when I’ve had time to process the amazing photographs – I’ll write something about the house.
  
  Chef & the Farmer:
  
  Grilled Yardbird
  
  Rebekah and I have always appreciated good food. Additionally, we enjoy cuisine that’s representative of a region. In fact, one of our great joys in traveling is to “eat local.” Not only that, but the farm-to-table movement aligns with our vision, our priorities, and our values environmentally, economically, and theologically.
  
  Put all that together, and celebrity chef Vivian Howard‘s “Chef & the Farmer” restaurant in Kinston checks all the boxes and then some. Add good friends, new friends, inimitable ambiance, and food that is inventive, regionally authentic, delicious, and creatively presented, and I have to say that – like the best restaurants in Europe – the food is the story and dining together was the best and only entertainment necessary to make the evening an unqualified success.
  
  I won’t try to describe all the creative appetizers, entrées, and desserts. Suffice it to say that the cuisine was quintessentially Southern yet iconically “Howard” – rich, nuanced, fresh, flavorful, imaginative. I’ve thrown in a few sample photos to communicate the gist of the idea.
  
  amazing cheesecake
  
  With the right local connections our party was able to enjoy a quiet anteroom off the main dining area. Then, icing on the cake (cream on the cheesecake… sauce on the seafood… gravy on the chops…) Vivian Howard herself stopped by our table for a welcome and a chat.
  
  She graciously indulged us – even the starstruck – for a photograph and was most generous with her time.
  
  Enjoy these few photos, but make sure to check back soon for my feature on the amazing house where we spent the afternoon.
  
  Bon appétit – always – DEREK
  
  Terry, Derek, Rebekah, Vivian Howard, Leslie, Scott, Brad
  
  wet ride east
  
  with Leslie and Scott
  
  pork chop
  
  grilled yardbord
  
  seafood
  
  amazing cheesecake
  
  peaches and cream with blueberries
  
  Vivian Howard
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  Posted in foodie, gourmet life, life, photography, Travel, travel photography | 2 Comments | Tagged Chef and the Farmer, featured, fine dining, gourmet food, Vivian Howard
- rhapsodizing on Southern (all-American) food: the BLT… and peaches… and ribs
  
  Posted at 1:58 pm by derekmaul, on July 19, 2018
  I’ve already shared that I believe summer tastes like peaches. This year so far the selection at our favorite roadside stand has been just about the best ever. I love to slice one up and drop it in with my favorite Trader Joe’s cereal. That plus a tall cup of coffee and I am a happy man.
  
  Then yesterday I was reminded that summer also tastes like North Carolina tomatoes. Best served, of course on a fat BLT. That was Rebekah’s request for her birthday lunch yesterdayith, presented with fresh North Carolina corn, shucked just before going into the pot because it was still growing most of the morning.
  
  The Moment:
  
  True story; I knew nothing of BLT’s when I was a child growing up in England. Then in 1975, mid-September, I traveled to the USA for my first visit. I was in Sarasota, happily jumping in and out of a swimming pool, when our host said, “Lunch! Derek, do you like BLT’s?”
  
  “What,” I asked, “is a BLT?”
  
  The sandwich was described, I took my first mouthful, and it was love at first bite. It’s a simple equation, but you don’t mess around with such a culinary masterpiece. The bread must be excellent, the bacon first quality, the lettuce crisp, and the tomatoes local with the flavor of North Carolina summer. Then – and this is not to be understated, the mayo has to be Dukes.
  
  That moment in Florida marks the begining of my love affair with American cuisinne. Make no mistake, the simple must not be confused with the run-of-the-mill. Bread, meat, produce, dressing; we’re talking about the fundamentals.
  
  Yesterday, being Rebekah’s birthday, finished out with one more most excellent tasty delight. Yes, she managed to consume an entire slab of ribs.
  
  I was going to post some comments about my men’s small group study, but that will have to wait because the conversation – about mental health – was so deep and meaningful that it shouldn’t be paired with a BLT and a slab of ribs.
  
  So come back for that one. It will be serious, but most definitely worth your attention.
  
  Always a pleasure to chat with my readers. Ciao – Derek
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  Posted in culture, foodie, gourmet life | 0 Comments | Tagged all-American, birthday food, BLT, featured, foodie, Southern cuisine
- pushing our comfort zone as a spiritual discipline
  
  Posted at 10:13 am by derekmaul, on May 23, 2018
  The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
  his mercies never come to an end;
  they are new every morning;
  great is your faithfulness. – Lamentations 3:22-23
  
  Tokyo Beef
  
  After Monday’s joyous Pentecost post – “Called to be Filled” – today I’m referencing another kind of filling up, great food!
  
  I’ve mentioned before that one benefit of a service such as “Blue Apron” is being exposed to new food ideas, preparations, combinations, and flavors. Sometimes we really like what I cook, sometimes it’s not exactly our cup-of-tea, but the point is I’m getting pushed out of my kitchen comfort zone and I’m learning a lot.
  
  In consequence, over the past few days Rebekah and I have enjoyed:
  1. “Sweet and Smoky Seared Tilapia with Kale Salad & Roasted Sweet Potatoes,”
  2. “Roast Half Chicken & Yoghurt Sauce with Potatoes, Zucchini, & Olive Tapenade,”
  3. “Tokyo Beef & Rice Bowls with Soft-Boiled Eggs & Roasted Broccoli.”
  As always, there was new stuff:
  - Kale as a salad (the marinade was good but Kake is too chewy when uncooked)
  - Sushi Rice
  - Soft-boiled eggs on an entre
  - “Furikake” (seaweed and sesame seeds)
  - Thin-sliced roasted sweet potato
  - Sliced avocado as a seafood garnish
  - The “yogurt red wine vinegar” dipping sauce
  - Nicoise tapenade
  Additionally, there were a lot of flavors I’m already familiar with that were paired in unique ways.
  
  Defaulting to the familiar:
  
  Seared Tilapia
  
  My point here is that I – we – tend to default to the familiar in all aspects of our lives. There’s nothing intrinsically wrong with that, of course, we often need the comfort and rest and assurance in familiar patterns and routines. But we also have to allow room for more, for pushing the envelope, for embracing life in all of its possibilities, for getting out of our depth, for vulnerability, for moving beyond our comfort zone and engaging with new life!
  
  In the area of faith – and faith is the prism through which I try to view all of my life – God is constantly probing, pushing, encouraging, even provoking. God’s point in all of this is that I was created (you were created, we are all created) with so much more potential than we tend to realize.
  
  Yet we are content so often to merely get by. And so many people are nowhere near satisfied, and nowhere close to being fulfilled – yet they are not even vaguely aware of the potential we all have to know God, to increase our capacity, and to live joyfully in response to what is possible!
  
  So, yes, I cooked a couple of cool dishes. Just a reminder that I still have so much to learn and to experience and to engage. Good thing I’m still so young!!
  
  – DEREK
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  Posted in culture, faith, foodie, gourmet life, kingdom of God, Live Like You Mean It | 0 Comments | Tagged Blue Apron, featured, foodie-post, Gourmet life, Lamentations, new every morning, spiritual discipline
- How do you Gumbo? “An Invitation to Live”
  
  Posted at 11:43 am by derekmaul, on January 2, 2018
  “So go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything that I have told you to do. You can be sure that I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of time.” – Jesus, Matthew 28:19-20
  
  The moon early Tuesday morning – 12-degrees
  
  I know it sounds like a cliche but, “Baby it really is cold outside.” I can just hear our Florida friends laughing in our direction as they make their way to the golf course, wearing the light sweater they will likely discard after three or four holes. But – 12-degrees notwithstanding – I still like the climate in North Carolina about a hundred times more than Florida’s relentless humidity and heat.
  
  So here we are, January 2 with all the joy of endless possibility stretched out before us. I have already talked about looking at the coming twelve months through the lens of “Invitation,” and I’ve been wondering about how to parse the idea without completely dropping “Tales from the Great Adventure.“
  
  Here’s what I’ve come up with – “An Invitation to Live: Tales from the Great Adventure.” I’ll work out a new header design, then post it on my front page. The address won’t change – I’ll still be writing at derekmaul.blog – but (like the title of a book) the new name should begin to inform the direction of my content.
  
  The Gumbo Thing:
  
  me, Rachel, Rebekah, Tom
  
  Meanwhile, back in the Maul-Hall kitchen, yesterday afternoon I made my traditional “New Year’s Gumbo.” Rachel and Tom McMahan joined us (Rebekah’s sister and her husband), and we enjoyed a good evening of sitting around the table sharing stories, and then sitting around the fire sharing stories. It partially made up for missing the traditional “Alexander siblings” gathering down in Florida.
  
  My gumbo recipe is a hybrid rooted in the instruction I received from Rebekah’s mama many years ago. “Whatever else you put in your gumbo,” she told me, “always start with a turkey carcass for your broth and build from there.”
  
  Being the week after Christmas I had turkey bones and dark meat on hand, so once the broth was made all I had to do was add everything else. So, as the afternoon wore on, my large pot subtly shifted the aromas generated in response to: one large Vidalia onion, two hearts of celery, two cloves of garlic, diced tomatoes, ham, sweet corn, and okra (seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika, bay leaves, and Worcestershire sauce). Then, later, just a few minutes before serving, I threw in a pound of shrimp, a pound of lump crabmeat, and a dozen oysters.
  
  I served the gumbo over jasmine rice, adding a garden salad and hot biscuits on the side.
  
  Other than being a great recipe, I’m talking about gumbo because it’s a useful metaphor for this Great Adventure we’re invited to live.
  
  You see the best gumbo is a mixture of standard elements you simply have to have (the base broth, okra, tomato, seafood)…, and then whatever happens to be on hand. “Okay, we know the general direction we’re headed, now what else from the refrigerator can we throw in here…?”
  
  Sometimes it’s sausage, not ham – or maybe neither. Chicken can make good broth too. Whitefish may be all the seafood you have – crab and oysters are wonderful, but not absolutely necessary. Great gumbo emerges from a combination of proper intention, availability, opportunity, and good judgment.
  
  Life as Gumbo!
  
  Life is so like that! If we want 2018 to absolutely rock and hit all the best gumbo notes, then we must begin with a good base and a solid sense of direction – that’s my commitment to follow Jesus and to live according to God’s purposes. Then the gumbo kicks in. How do I claim the opportunities as they come along? What will improve the flavor?
  
  Is it going to be the same for all of us? No. Will it be an exact copy of my journey with Jesus last year? Not by a mile. Is it appropriate for me to tell others they have to follow the same recipe I’m using? No, that would be wrong.
  
  So what are the key ingredients to a 2018 that’s rich and flavorful? Jesus is the foundational essence. Following Jesus must be our plan. Then it’s a matter of building from there, always rooted in Christ, always committed to growing, and learning, and loving, and serving in his name.
  
  That’s the other element I should have mentioned from the get-go. You cook gumbo to share – it’s part of what makes it so good. Faith is the same way; we are called not just to love and enjoy Jesus, but we are called to extend that invitation to others.
  
  “So go and live like you mean it – because God certainly meant something when you were created. Make followers of all people, add their flavor to this amazing mix. Teach everyone how to live authenticly and to follow me in the ways of Love. I am (I Am) always going to be with you, and I will be your guide until the Age of Time is replaced by Eternity” (author paraphrase).
  
  Jesus is the deep, rich, satisfying, warming, comforting, nourishing essence.
  
  – DEREK
  
  The moon early Tuesday morning – 12-degrees
  
  me, Rachel, Rebekah, Tom
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  Posted in Current News, Family, foodie, kingdom of God, life, Live Like You Mean It, Our home | 0 Comments | Tagged featured, follow Jesus, Great Commision, gumbo, Matthew 28, time and eternity
- it’s been a stellar week in my kitchen! #foodie
  
  Posted at 10:57 am by derekmaul, on November 16, 2017
  So eat your meals heartily, not worrying about what others say about you—you’re eating to God’s glory, after all, not to please them. As a matter of fact, do everything that way, heartily and freely to God’s glory – 1 Corinthians 10:31 (The Message)
  
  Today’s focus will be a little lighter… but at the same time heavier (when it comes to calories!). It’s time for another “foodie” post. You all know I love to share my passion for great food – it goes along with grabbing hold of life, and living like we mean it – and this week around the dining table at Maul-Hall has been most excellent.
  
  What I appreciate the most about the Blue Apron meals I prepare (I’ll order a set of three every five or six weeks) is the challenge of new ideas and techniques. The recipes have exposed me to ideas, and flavors, and grains, and combinations, and seasonings it’s highly unlikely I would have tried in another context.
  
  The devotional tie-in is simple. I am convinced that were created to engage life with more zest, more applied creativity, and more unrestrained joy than we typically allow ourselves to experience. Sometimes we need more than our manageable version of salvation – what we need is transformation…
  
  First, the salmon:
  
  What worked about this dish (photo above) was the introduction of saffron and lemon zest to the light sauce. The carrots were cooked with honey, garlic, and cumin for a glaze, and the potatoes also called for a little saffron in the preparation. The dash of green on the photo is mint – fresh leaves torn and added as garnish at plating.
  
  The Chicken:
  
  This flavorful chicken dish is served over a bed of white beans, carrots, and kale, then garnished with thyme breadcrumbs. The key flavors in here are influenced by shallots, dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and garlic.
  
  As you can tell, this entrée presents beautifully (even better had I browned the chicken!). The background savory hint of thyme is especially inviting.
  
  Cheeseburger extraordinaire:
  
  Finally, we enjoyed the surprisingly appetizing combination of a melted provolone topped garlic cheeseburger, served on a potato bun with pickled beet and roasted potato wedges. I already mentioned this recipe in a post a few days ago, but I’m bringing it back for an encore with today’s feature.
  
  For pairing, I recommend a smooth Cabernet with the salmon, a crisp red zinfandel with the chicken, and a craft IPA with the cheeseburger.
  
  So, salute, cheers, and bon appétit – DEREK
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  Posted in foodie, gourmet life, life | 1 Comment | Tagged featured, fine dinning, food photography, foodie-post, Gourmet life
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Category: foodie

Posted at 10:33 am by derekmaul, on October 22, 2018

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Posted at 10:57 am by derekmaul, on November 16, 2017

First, the salmon:

The Chicken:

Cheeseburger extraordinaire:

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