She Says: The New Blogger Secret Ingredient.
I have some running news. Awhile back I asked for what I should do to make running more exciting and some motivating readers encouraged me to sign up for a 5k. I’ve never been big into outdoor running, so even though I can easily run a 5k on the treadmill, I was nervous. Well, I found a small local race and signed up yesterday. The 5k is on September 28th! I am very excited and nervous. I hope I love it so much and start running more races.
There is also some food news to report. Christie “tagged” me to be the next blogger to pick a Blogger Secret Ingredient. I am very excited about this and I will follow Christie’s format with a couple additional things. Here’s how it works:
(1) I pick an ingredient for all the blog world to use once this week.
(2) Any interested blogger uses and posts a recipe incorporating the ingredient this week. Something New: Please link back to this site when you post your secret ingredient recipe so I can be sure to see when the ingredient is used and can compile and post a complete list of all the recipes used during the week.
(3) Include any relevant information you have about the ingredient: nutritional info, family history of recipe, anecdote or otherwise.
(4) I pick a new blogger to select the next secret ingredient and the fun lives on.
(5) Something New: I want to add is to open it up to the non-blogger community. So, if you’re a non-blogging reader, feel free to post your recipe as a comment or email it to me and I will post it for you.
Not that I think I have many non-blogging readers, but there is my mom, and Mark’s mom and Sarah from N.J.
So, ready for the Secret Ingredient?
Tomatoes! Any color, size or shape.
Finally, I know this is not timely in any way, but I was watching a Top Chef marathon today because I have a thing for cuddly bald men. Anyway, I guess I am impressed with Richard’s ability to use nitrogen to prepare a substance that provides caloric energy, but it’s just so far away from what I am familiar with. Not sure I dig it. Has anyone ever eaten food via molecular gastronomy? Thoughts?
Tags: Christopher Robin, running, tomatoes
September 7th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
CONGRATULATIONS ON SIGNING UP FOR THE 5K!!! How exciting!!!
Hooray for choosing tomatoes as the ingredient of the week!! Love them.
I’m obsessed with Top Chef
Personally, I’m not a fan of molecular gastronomy, since I prefer to just consume foods in their most natural, wholesome form possible.
September 7th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Congrats on signing up for the 5k!
Hooray for tomatoes being the secret ingredient!
September 7th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
OK great job on adding to the secret ingredient, but how to I link back to your post?
September 7th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
I don’t get the whole molecular gastronomy thing, but I am obsessed with Top Chef. Richard = genius. But my fave man on last season was Spike…easily!
Maybe I’ll use a sun-dried one and participate that way. As the officiator, what are your thoughts?
I love a Greek man with attitude!
I don’t like raw tomatoes.
Congratulations on the race! You won’t have a TV in front of you to stay distracted…I guess you’ll have to enjoy nature! What a hassle.
-Erin
September 7th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
yay 5K! good luck!
tomatoes SUCK in Seattle right now: they are white mealy; which is horrible because tomatoes are my favorite.
http://www.groundedfitness.com
September 7th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Update: I’ve decided that a tomato of any shape or size would include sun-dried. Yeah!
September 7th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Sun dried tomatoes definitely count!
September 7th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
ooh, yum, i still have one road-side tomato left
i always liked those molecular gastronomy-inspired dishes but i’ve not yet had one!
September 7th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
[...] toppings inspired by Rose, who makes one fresh pizza! I included the blogger secret ingredient that Heather announced today: [...]
September 7th, 2008 at 11:49 pm
Yay 5K!! You are gonna rock it
Ooh tomatoes! I think I can handle that one – I wonder what it will be though…decisions, decisions!
I’d never even heard of molecular gastronomy, but I find the following somewhat disturbing:
“Try this experiment for yourselves. Try tasting some ice cream – it should taste good, like ice cream. Now take the same ice cream and while putting a spoonful in your mouth close your eyes and fondle a piece of velvet cloth. It will taste creamier than before!”
What does it mean to fondle a piece of velvet cloth? Am I super inappropo or what?
September 8th, 2008 at 5:21 am
yay for the 5K! sounds like fun.
i thought the pictured tomato was a persimmon. i was like WOAH, exotic.
September 8th, 2008 at 6:26 am
Erin: Any kind of tomato, including sun dried counts! Woo hoo.
GroundedFitness: That’s sad.
Jenn: Certainly got my Monday started with a bang.
Sarah: That would be interesting if my mom grew that in her garden.
September 8th, 2008 at 9:19 am
no molecular gastronomy but my tuesday class is titled “Gastronomy” and our current book due next week is Gastronomical Me… MFK Fisher
September 8th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
good choice! i love this idea. and good luck with the running
September 8th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
[...] chickpea stir-fry, served with a ramekin of baby plum tomatoes (i wonder if this counts for the tomato challenge? no i’m not a [...]
September 8th, 2008 at 6:05 pm
Great ingredient. Hopefully I’ll get around to this (busy week/going away over weekend).
September 8th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
[...] Heather did the honors this week, and nominated tomatoes as the secret ingredient. I was going to do a dish using fresh tomatoes, but my wheat berry meal had tons of Del Monte Diced Tomatoes that added great flavor. I use Del Monte because they have a good No Salt Added line of canned tomato products and I almost always have some in the pantry. I use tomatoes a lot, so you may see another tomato recipe from me this week. [...]
September 9th, 2008 at 6:23 am
I love this idea of the secret ingredient…. and will definitely play around for a recipe
And… YEY for signing up for the 5K!!! You have nothing at all to worry about – you are a really solid runner. I ran for so long only on a TM and was likewise worried about going outside for the first time. Its different, but in honesty, your fitness is your fitness, and you can run on whatever surface I’ve found. The only thing might be the mental shift if you listen to music or watch telly on the TM – can’t do that outside! And most races I’ve found don’t allow headphones for safety reasons… but being outside, especially with all those other people, more than makes up for it. I’m so excited for you and can’t wait to hear how its going!
September 9th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
[...] chose tomatoes as the Blogger Secret Ingredient this week for several reasons. First, as the summer winds down, my mother’s garden full of [...]
September 10th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
I am a bit of a geek so I love Molecular Gastronomy. Although I think I have a more general definition of it because for me it’s more about the science of cooking and how different variables affect the outcome. A friend bought me Molecular Gastronomy by Herve This a couple of Christmases ago and I absolutely love it.
September 11th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
[...] also serves as a reminder about the Blogger Secret Ingredient: Tomatoes. The tomatoes can be in any form and they do not have to be the main ingredient of the dish. If you [...]
September 12th, 2008 at 6:09 am
[...] vegetable ravioli’s from Whole Food and topped them with marinara sauce made with this weeks secret ingredient. Now, my way of using the secret ingredient was by opening a jar of whole foods brand marinara [...]