My Year in Food, 2009 Edition

So here we are, 6 months since my last post. This long gap is not a reflection on my dining experiences so much, but rather my laziness, pure and simple. I've had no other excuse, really, especially having been laid off from work in June. Huh, there's a coincidence in there somewhere....

In any event, the Year 2009, for all of its challenges, still managed to be a pretty great year in food for me. Borrowing an idea from my previous blog, "Fork & Spoon," here, then, is a Top 15 recap of my gustatory life, 2009 edition. In no particular order:

15. My pilgrimage to Alice Waters' Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California, where I enjoyed a symphony of summer's bounty: heirloom tomato salad with basil and shallots; sweet corn souffle' on a bed of sauteed spinach, mushrooms, and corn; and plum galette with a scoop of ice cream, flavored with a mysterious spice the name of which I can't recall, but was told to have been derived from the pit of a certain stone fruit

14. Learning from my foodie cousin, Toni, the art of jamming the fruits of Michigan summer--plump blueberries from Kalamazoo and juicy peaches from Bay City

13. Countless trips to Detroit's historic Eastern Market, alone and with friends, to load up on the treasures of summer and fall in Michigan--"Peaches and Cream" sweet corn was a particular favorite

12. A seemingly neverending bounty of tomatoes from Todd's garden (unfortunately, too few heirloom tomatoes made an appearance, but were nonetheless lovingly welcomed)

11. Sharing a spectacularly pork-centric meal with foodie friends at The Publican in Chicago (see previous post)

10. Devouring in only a few days, A Homemade Life, the memoir of Orangette blogger and Bon Appetit contributor, Molly Wizenberg--her recipe for Meatballs with Cilantro, Pine Nuts, and Golden Raisins will remain forever in my repetoire

9. Successfully pulling off my first Pancit Palabok (a terribly laborious Filipino noodle dish of rice noodles with chicken, pork, shrimp, and vegetables in an annato-seasoned shellfish sauce), to the full satisfaction of my family--mom even asked for my recipe!

8. Eating my way through San Francisco, from the Salumi Cone at Boccalone in the Ferry Building to Mexican street food in the Mission to hipster doughnuts at Dynamo

7. Tackling Cooks' Illustrated's scratch recipe for a retro-style Tunnel of Fudge cake--a dense, chocolaty Bundt with, literally, a tunnel of gooey fudge running through, and drizzled with ganache

6. A celebratory wine and food weekend with Todd's family in Michigan's Leelanau Peninsula, highlighted by a wonderfully Michigan dinner at The Cook's House in nearby Traverse City

5. Making a concerted effort to buy locally, organically, and seasonally from Michigan farmers and producers as much as possible, made especially easy with almost weekly trips to the farmers' market (see #13)

4. The Cassoulet and Deconstructed Banana Split at Central Michel Richard in Washington, DC

3. Stops for crispy and slightly spicy Buttermilk-Fried Free Range Chicken at Zingerman's Roadhouse in Ann Arbor

2. The occasional deli lunch at Mudgie's in Corktown, served by a particularly adorable staff, and capped off with a decadently delicious Fudgie Mudgie

1. Being vehicle-free all summer and fall, forcing me to channel my inner Frenchwoman and walk almost daily to our neighborhood grocer, Western Market, to buy ingredients for that evening's dinner