by PHOODIE
My least favourite question in the world: “So really, what’s your favourite food?”
Come ooooooon. FAR OUT. You’ve GOT to be kidding!?
That question is honestly up there with “who’s your favourite child?!” Ok, not really, but it’s definitely one that I struggle immensely to answer. First up, are we talking sweet or savoury? Hot or cold? Natural or artificial? Summer or winter? Individual food or group of foods put together i.e. a specific dish? Drunk or sober? Entree, main or dessert?? The list goes on and on and on and on!
Realistically, if I had to, I think I could name about 30 foods that are my favourites. However, if we’re talking, gun to the head, have to choose, pick one or die, then I think I could do it properly. Well, almost properly. I could never get down to one. I’d have to be allowed to have two.
The first would be known as Desert Island Food A (DIFA) and the second would be Desert Island Food B (DIFB). Desert Island Food A would be the *real* desert island food. The one, assuming there were no health ramifications, that you really, genuinely, could eat every single day, every meal for your entire life. Typically this would be something with a ‘neutral’ or perhaps even boring flavour and texture. You would have to actually imagine yourself eating this EVERY. SINGLE. DAY for the rest of your life. Breaking it down like that, I’d have to say my DIFA would be rice. I love rice. It’s comfort food at it’s best for me. Cooked in butter with some salt and pepper or made into a fancy risotto, I really could easily eat it forever.
And DIFB? This one is the food you absolutely could not live without. It’s probably something that, in reality, you couldn’t stomach 24/7/365/forever, however, it’s your number one “go-to” food for when times are tough. (Or even when they’re not but you just bloody feel like it!) Anyone who knows me well, or perhaps even if they’ve met me just once, would know that without doubt, my DIFB would have to be chocolate chip biscuits. From the local supermarket variety to a batch fresh out of a Parisian oven I’d rarely, read: never, turn one down. I also happen to have the BEST RECIPE KNOWN TO MAN for these, and it is below (with pictures!) for you to test out.
The BEST [Dark Choc chip, White Choc chip and Honeyed Macadamia] Cookies EVER!
Ingredients:
250 grams unsalted butter
1 cup caster sugar
1 egg – large, whisked
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups flour, sifted
150g dark chocolate chips
150g white chocolate chips
150g honey macadamias – chopped very roughly (I buy these from my local farmers market. You can get them at the grocery store, supermarket or you can make them!!!)
Method:
PREHEAT OVEN TO 180 degrees celsius.
1) In your mixer, beat together butter and sugar until there are no lumps ‘n’ bumps.
2) Whisk your egg in a small bowl and then add it to the above mix, also add in the baking soda and mix, by hand, well.
3) SLOWLY, add in sifted flour and stir by hand until pretty well combined.
4) Add in nuts and chocolate and stir to evenly distribute and completely combine.
5) Divide into golf-sized balls, do this roughly at first….
6) Then round the balls off making sure they are the same size. Place on baking paper on a tray, about 5cm apart and into oven for about 15 mins, keep an eye on them so they don’t burn!
7) Out of the oven and onto a rack to cool.
Now over to you! Tell me MM’ers, what are your DIFA’s and DIFB’s!? And on the flip-side, what are the foods that you just absolutely cannot stomach!? Mine’s sultana’s! Blerghhhhhhh!
After graduating from high school, Phoodie studied Interior Architecture at UNSW. She worked for several years as a designer before having the courage to throw caution to the wind and run, very, very fast to the Le Cordon Bleu cookery school in London. She is a cookbook, restaurant, and all round food obsessed blogger and Mum of 2. She can be found posting recipes here, tweeting here, or on Facebook here.
You can also read last week’s Foodie Friday here (hint – it contains recipes for three different varieties of rocky road. Three!). And for even more food and recipe inspiration head over here.




Comments
88 Comments so far
I doubted whether the story is true.So far
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This post is the best. You have a new fan! I can’t wait for the next update, favorite!
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Easy.
DIFA: Betty Crocker Chocolate Frosting
DIFB: beer battered chunky chips with aoli
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DIFA: vegetables and fish
DIFB: fruit
I went with uber healthy because let’s face it, you’ll be naked half the time on a desert island- best be looking good!
In my real life? Coffee. Cake. Noodles. Looking bad naked.
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DIFA: vegetables and fish
DIFB: fruit
I went with uber healthy because let’s face it, you’ll be naked half the time on a desert island- best be looking good!
In my real life? Coffee. Cake. Noodles. Looking bad naked.
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A: Beef Rendang
B: Combination Seafood Laksa.
Not happening: Mango (and pretty much all tropical fruit).
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Mango?! Really!?
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure it seems!
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Tough question phoodie – Almost all food gets me excited.
DIFA = pasta – could easily eat it everyday of the week.
DIFB = cake – if i had to choose one cake – carrot cake with cream cheese icing.
However I am already getting food jealousy about everyone else’s choices – so hard to decide.
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I’m actually on the hunt for a very good carrot cake recipe….. I have 3 that I like so I should probably fiddle around, try combining all the best parts and see how I go!
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Please please please post if you get one!!
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PROMISE I will MO2CHM’s
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DIFA = pasta
DIFB = icecream
Can’t stand = tomatoes
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DIFA1 …Coffee and Cinnamon Roll (Guess thats 2 things..heheh)
DIFA2 Rice rice and more rice…. and cooked any way you like.
Great post, Phoodie.
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A is definitely poached eggs. mashed up on a piece of crunchy toast with sea salt and black pepper… yum! i would never get tired of it.
B is my mum’s trifle… i am getting a craving just thinking about it!
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Food A: spaghetti with tuna, leek, capers and a truckload of Parmesan. Spaghetti is awesome.
Food B: lindt dark chocolate with sea salt, or a jar of good lemon curd with an appropriately sized spoon!
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Hmmm…. I’m thinking along the lines of a large salad server sized spoon….
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For that you’d need a really big, wide jar… Good thinking!
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DIFA- Grilled salmon & salad
DIFB- Tiramisu & tea
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So terrific to see you here again Phoodie. Yay!!!
DIFA = Vegemite Toast or Avocado on Toast – when I was in the early stages of my pregnancy I had to have my vegemite toast mid morning everyday or I would be sick…(this was after cereal and yoghurt for breakfast mind you). When I was finally able to announce the pregnancy at work the girls all yelled – FINALLY!! they had sussed it out b/c of the vege toast every day…
DIFB = Fresh seafood platter and Chocolate (I couldn’t decide between the two)
Thanks for a great post and have a terrific weekend. Jx
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Hey Guys – just fixing link to my blog from the box above – if you’re wanting to know what it is, it’s http://www.phoodie.wordpress.com
Have a great weekend!!
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Thanks phoodie. Another great post
I really like the timing of the post for Fridsys as I’m always looking to whip something special up over the weekend when I have the time!!!
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Welcome!
I’m actually off for my Phriday night Phun to Coles to grab all the ingredients for the 2 blog posts that I’m cooking and snapping this weekend! Saturdays and Sundays always leave me much more cooking time than weekdays too!
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Number one BANANAS can’t live without have one everyday ..
Number two would be PEANUT BUTTER..crunchy or smooth just NOT the unsalted one ..!
food I cannot stomach OYSTERS !
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Spring rolls.
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Loving the Phoodie posts!
DIFA – Toast. Any variation – from avocado on sourdough to butter on a crumpet. I could never do a no carbs diet – I love bread too much.
DIFB – Seafood – A hot and cold seafood platter – a mix of the fresh stuff and the deep fried. yummmmmmmm
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Thanks Gyps!
I’m with you on the avo on sourdough…..yummmmm!
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Pho. I have decided it woul be pho (Vietnamese rice noodle soup).
It is soul food! I had a bowl of mightily good chicken & beef pho at lunch today at Pho 102 Saigon in the Hub Arcade off Little Collins Street in Melbourne. Honestly is the best pho in the city area…. slurp me happy!
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Everyday food I cant live without – bread, cheese, fresh fruit and yoghurt and I need a meat dish at least once a week, tuna, tomatoes & potatoes.
DIFB – would be sushi, chocolate, cheese & promite sandwich (my comfort food) and phoodies’s cookies!
Can’t stomach oysters. Euwww.
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I love how both your lists each have 1000 items on them….. if I was HONEST HONEST mine would definitely have the same number!
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Sushi, chocolate and cheese & promite are my favourites too! Ive never known anyone who loves promite and cheese like me!
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DIFA would be mashed potato. Delicious. With extra butter please. Even some cream. Yum
DIFB – Maybe cheesecake? So hard to choose. Perhaps applie pie… or lemon tart … or like a creme caramel …
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DIFA – Up & Go’s, chocolate.
DIFB – Chicken. Indian chicken, grilled chicken etc. I LOVE CHICKEN.
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girly, I’ll take your Up & Go and raise you a Sustagen in Dutch Chocolate !
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DIFA – Weetbix with a bit of sugar and some strawberries on top… and not too much milk. I could eat them for breakfast lunch and dinner. Otherwise it would be toast.
DIFB – Chocolate chocolate chocolate!!!!!!!!!!!
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Mine would be Choc Chip cookies as well, but the healthy version. Yep, it is possible! And, not to blow my own trumpet too much, but these are literally the best I’ve ever tasted (compliments of The Healthy Chef)
http://www.thehealthychef.com/2011/01/the-worlds-healthiest-chocolate-chip-cookie/
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Pumpkin as long as I have a machete!
Cheese, cheese and more cheese.
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DIFA would be weetbix. They are one of the few things I really miss when on holiday, despite the fact that most of the time I actually eat muesli.
DIFB is harder. A toss up between chocolate, brie and raspberries. Give me all three and a crusty loaf of bread and my dessert island is sounding good!
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I wrote weetbix too vivacious! I thought people would think I was a little weird but it is good to know there are other weetbix lovers out there too. I have been eating them since I was about 5, I am now 23 and I am still not bored of them. Yummmy!
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My husband has to start the day with weetbix and hot milk. He’s had the same breakfast for years and years.
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My DIFA would be salmon. I love salmon and I would eat it every day if I could.
For DIFB I can’t decide. It would either be the Maggie Beer burnt fig, honeycomb and caramel ice cream or lemon tart/lemon meringue pie. I wouldn’t be able to tell you how many lemon tarts I’ve ate. If it’s on the menu I’m ordering it.
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Maggie Beer Ice Cream, in particular the BF, H + C you speak of is LITERALLY the best in the world, IMO! My sister got me onto it – CURSE YOU NATALIE – and since then, I’ve been addicted i.e. tub per week, every week, to myself!
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Mmmm yummo recipe. Ok DIFA would have to be pizza, could eat it all day every day and DIFB would be chocolate of any kind (so long as no fruit!). A food I cannot stomach AT ALL is coriander! Not so much a food as a herb but horrible to me all the same!
Thanks for another great recipe, just in time for the weekend!
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Welcome!
Have a good weekend!
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Same taste buds! I was going to go pizza but I’ve changed my mind to a home-made hamburger c/w carrot, beetroot and an enormous side of hot chips. And chocolate is a definite but I love fresh sponge cake so I’ve decided to go for that with fresh cream and strawberry jam and the put chocolate icing in it.
Phoodie, if I can find a desert island will you come and cook this for me, please?
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As long as I can bring both my DIF’s too!!
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I’m the same, I can’t stand coriander. I read something recently that suggests that an aversion to coriander is genetic. You either like it, or you don’t. And you won’t ever grow to like it.
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Potatoes. Totally versatile. It’s a rare day when I’m not eating potato of some description!!
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Phoodie! Perfect timing… I was going to look for you in open post.
I have been gifted with a generous supply of lemons, limes and grapefruit and am now in desperate need of a great lemon (lime)?) slice recipe.
Something with a nice biscuit base, a tart lemon flavour (with a hint of sweetness) and perhaps some coconut.
Additionally….I am completely lost about what to do with these grapefruits. the last time I tried a grapefruit I was still in primary school. I recall putting about a cup of sugar on top of it because it was so sour
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I use my lemons to make lemon truffle balls, delish and very easy.
Juice and zest of a lemon
100g butter
1/2-3/4 tin skim condensed milk
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
packet of plain biscuits (like arrowroot), crushed
Melt butter in saucepan with the condensed milk
Place everything in a mixing bowl, mix together well
Wet hands and form into balls (I use a tablespoon of mixture for each)
Roll in extra dessicated coconut then refridgerate.
They keep for a long time in a sealed container, and they are delish. Someone told me you can freeze them, haven’t tried that but it would be perfect to have if someone dropped around for a coffee.
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These lemon bars are gods gift to the world of lemon. OMG so good and you don’t have to go for any long process of making lemon curd: http://www.eatliverun.com/big-sur-lemon-bars/ They definitely meet your requirement of a nice biscuit base and tart yet sweet lemon flavour.
Grapefruit in salad is lovely, or squeeze them, add some gin and lemonade and drink away!
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Ok!
When I think ‘lime’ the first (and certainly most DELICIOUS to the moon and back) thing that comes into my mind is KEY LIME PIE!
My husband has loads of family in Miami and whenever we visit we stuff ourselves crazy with this fantastic dessert!
I have made this recipe 3 times in the last few months, using normal limes, and everyone in my fam ABSOLUTELY loves it! It’s def better w Key Limes but I’m not sure you can get them here?! and they’d probably cost $1 bill. if you could. DEF give it a go!
http://www.marthastewart.com/356005/key-lime-pie
I’m def. not going to be of as good use to you re: the grapefruit unfortunately. I really don’t like it at all! However, if I found myself with an abundance of it in my hands, I would definitely be thinking along the marmalade lines…… lots of sugar….cute jars…. hand it out for Christmas!? or if you don’t do Christmas, for birthday’s, housewarmings, any gift at all – it lasts yonks!
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to truly appreciate this, i’ve been 4 months in a country without real cheese, savoury bread, or non-sweet butter. I miss vegemite toast that doesnt taste sweet. I miss savoury croissants, i miss sandwiches without potato salad, i miss western food that isnt drowned in mustard sauce, i miss fresh orange juice and cheap fruit. I miss juicy steak. If i narrowed it down, i’d want fruit, steak and vegemite toast.
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I’ve been to America four times and lived there briefly with a boyfriend and I hate the sweet bread and fake cheese too! Why do they have to add sugar to EVERYTHING!
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You’ve reminded me of my worst ever breakfast – my self-catered Philly cream cheese on toast. In Hawaii. Until I read your post I assumed that I’d accidentally bought the ‘sweet bread’.
And have you tried their sorry excuse for Philly cheese? As well as possibly containing sugar and having a grainy texture, it had been dyed a similar yellow to the fake cheese you get in Maccas burgers, and contained a compound probably called “fakeness flavor enhancer”. Just in case it didn’t already seem fake enough to it’s consumers.
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DIFA would be a toss-up between pasta or really great bread.
DIFB would definately be chocolate – although it could probably be DIFA too!
Mind you, the chicken and camembert pie I just ate could be up there for both – amazing!
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Gosh, that pie sounds AMAZING! Gimme!
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Phoodie, is that SR flour or plain? And is that an extra lot of butter at the end or a typo? Will be making these over the school holidays with the kids! Yummy!
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Yes! A typo!! REMOVE REMOVE – that butter at the end is just a double up from the top line – will fix immediately!!!
Yup – plain flour! Good luck!
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Hey Phoodie!
My DIFA would have to be Eggs Benedict – soo good but soo high in fat (but on this island there is no calories, right?!)
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No calories at all – abs a-crackn-lutely!
Important note: there are also no calories… at airports, on your birthday, at any birthday party, at your wedding, at a friends wedding, on an aeroplane, when you feel sad, when you’re tired….. ummmm…..the list goes on…..
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And broken biscuits have no calories either!
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Can i just add Period week, late night drunken kebab and hangover food also have zero calories!!
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Agreed, agreed, agreed!
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Can my DIFA be Vegemite toast? So would need bread, butter, Vegemite and a toaster; oh, and a knife and electricity!
DIFB chocolate (any type except those involving dried fruits).
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Can definitely be vege. toast!
Oh….and I’m with you on the chocolate with dried fruits…..(the exception being my phlorentines…. they are to die for!)
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I’m with you – vegemite on toast would have to be the greatest food ever invented!
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DIFA would be pasta. Any sort. With just about any sauce. (and yes even lasagne lol).
DIFB would be chocolate mousse, or cheesecake. Oh heavenly cheesecake. I made a white chocolate one the other week that would stop you in it’s tracks (probably literally given the sugar and fat content) or a stickydate cheesecake that is surprisingly heavenly.
I can’t do seafood. I have tried, I just can’t make myself eat fish. I will eat oysters kilpatrick (but only because of the bacon and worsteshire (?sp) sauce I think. I have tried a nice tuna, or salmon, and if I am at someones house I will try to eat it, but just the mere smell of it makes me queasy.
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The white chocolate cheesecake sounds HAY-MAYZING! Would definitely stop me in my tracks as White Chocolate is possibly my DIFC!!
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Phoodie, am totally with you on the rice thing. Love love love. I spend roughly 65 hours per week cooking food (phood?) that most people swoon over, but I subsist almost totally on rice and ham and cheese toasties. Having said that,if I was stuck on a desert island, my things would be duck fat and butter. Salt also, but I’d be able to source my own from the sea around my desert island.
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How could I have forgotten Duck Fat?! Maybe Duck Pancakes is a better “food” to take to the island….as opposed to just the fat!
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But then you would need a bloody crepe pan. And I’m still trying to construct my dwelling out of the palm leaves! (mmm palm sugar, but I digress)
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I am with you on the rice. Could easily eat it every single day with sambal oelek or some soy sauce. To. Die. For.
Second one would be eggs I think. They are so versatile and go well with the rice! Kylie Kwong has an awesome recipe for a mushroom, tomato and oyster sauce omelette that goes so well with rice. Yum, yum, yum!
Food I hate – sauerkraut.
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Will be looking that one up – HEART Kylie Kwong so so much. She’s amazing. Have all her books.
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Passionfruit. Straight passionfruit cut open scooping out the pulp. I really feel I could eat it every day!
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DIFA = DIFB = bread.
Not just any bread: specific types – rye, sourdough, rye, rye, Glick’s bagels, sourdough, rye, etc.
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My DIFA is potatoes. Which isn’t good as my body hates carbs.
My DIFB is nachos. Om nom nom nom.
And what can I not stomach? Ham off the bone. I can’t even be in the same room as a leg of ham, so Christmas time at work is torture. Ugh.
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I think we may possibly be the exact same person!
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Oh Cupcakes I’m with you – I get the shivers when I see a ham on the bone. ugh!
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I go for weeks and weeks having only gnocchi bolognaise for dinner. I. F*CKING. LOVE. IT. I buy the gnocchi from the deli and make the bolognaise sauce myself, exactly the way I like it.
On the flip side, I can’t stand bananas. They make me want to vomit. In fact, I would happily eat vomit rather than a banana. When I worked as a nanny I had to have arrangements with the parents whereby they understood that under my care, their children would never receive bananas, they had to give them to their children while I wasn’t there. On the odd occasion when I’ve had to deal with bananas, I wanted to be in a full Hazardous Materials suit that has an independent oxygen supply. No child of mine will be aware of the existence of bananas until they leave the nest. *shudder*
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Yes! I HATE bananas as well. The smell is just…. ughhhh!
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The below statement just made me LOL, zepgirl, and as a result coffee came flying out my nose!!!
“They make me want to vomit. In fact, I would happily eat vomit rather than a banana.”
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” I would happily eat vomit rather than a banana.” Bahahah this is me too!!
A: rice. By itself plain, boiled, fried, risotto’d…. I don’t care
B: cheese. Brie or camenbert. Aaaauuuuggghhh (Homer Simpson drool noise)
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Ha ha bananas! You made me recall a funny story from years ago.
A girlfriend of mine also hates bananas. Her husband loves them. One time he ate a banana, outside of course, but bought the skin inside and put it in the hood of the hoodie she was wearing. She kept complaining she could smell bananas while he tried to keep a straight face. Eventually she found it. It was many years later before she could see the funny side of it.
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I can’t remember what my desert island food used to be, but it’s now your gozleme, Phoodie. It may even fulfil the requirements of DIFA and DIFB all on one heavenly plate (and manages to impress my friends in minutes!!).
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Oh. My. Gozleme! I LOVE it. Especially spinach and fetta – nom nom nom
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Ah! You’re the best Amanda…. actually yes, it’s also one of my DIF’s for sure…. just ran into a friend who asked me what to do with a bag of spinach her daughter’s teacher gave her from the vege garden at school “Gozleme” was my answer!! Phoodie’s Gozleme of course!
http://phoodie.wordpress.com/2012/07/12/spinach-and-feta-gozleme/
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Phoodie, I forgot to show you. Look what I made last week!!! Took it to Jamila’s house for desert one night. YUM.
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Lucy!! That looks divine! I’m feeling very proud… hehehe…. like you are a student!
X P
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