I took a hobby Gourmet cooking class many many years ago. One of the
women in the class mentioned that her husbands favourite 'gourmet'
meal was to heat up a can of beans and top it with a fried egg. I for
one don't like the dish.
But what does gourmet mean to you?
Here's a definition I found on the internet: 'A connoisseur of fine
food and drink.' Well that cancels out the bean/fried egg eater I
presume. It also puts me at a fairly far distance from being a
gourmet, as I tend to like simple food, and simple wine. I've never
spent in my life over $20.00 on a liter of wine. And spending around
$20 is very rare. And that's only if some people come over who need
to see an up scale label.(for them I guess a $20 wine is up scale.)
The closest I've come to restaurant bliss is to eat a dry aged T-Bone
grilled over charcoal. But then, I can do the same thing at home.
I am also very happy with getting a good chunk of very old cheddar,
some different salamis, some good French bread with butter.
The way I make pig tails just freaks me out. I finish them over lump
charcoal after braising them in fruit juice.
I love stews, beef, chicken and pork. Chili doesn't rank high on my
list, but I like it. Especially served over little dumplings.
I'm not into lamb. The only way I like lamb is to marinate a lamb
chop in white wine, rosemary, and seasonings. Then slap the chop on a
very hot grill, and cook it rare.
So those to me are gourmet foods. I'd probably change my mind if I
would eat at a Michelin starred restaurant, but I don't see that as
happening picture any time soon. Maybe if I could figure out those
damn horses...