One of the Best Things I’ve Eaten This Year July 17, 2014
Posted by nrhatch in Food & Drink, Vegetarian Recipes.trackback
On our 30th Anniversary, we went out for lunch and ordered one of the best things I’ve eaten all year:
Tempura Battered Asparagus with shaved Parmigiana Reggiano
On my umpteenth Birthday, we went out for Happy Hour and ordered another winner of an indulgence:
Caramel Macademia Nut Cheesecake
Here’s the Birthday Girl before sharing 2 appetizers and a decadent dessert:
And here’s the Birthday Girl after:
Yup. Still smiling. Without a trace of guilt.
Aah . . . that’s better!
What’s the best thing you’ve eaten this year?
Spirit Lights The Way 
Looks good Nancy. Congratulations on the anniversary and I hope the birthday was a good one, with lots more to come 🙂
Thanks, Rainee. Low key birthday this year . . . with a few high notes to make it special.
All that pretty food is making me hungry! Hope your birthday was fabulous!
Yours too! Overall, the birthday celebration was subdued this year . . . but the birthday (cheese)cake was sublime. 😎
Happy Birthday and Happy 30th Anniversary. I visited my brother in Colorado earlier this year and he made the most amazing fish tacos I’ve ever had. That might just be the best thing I’ve had this year….so far. That asparagus looks To Die For!!!!
Thanks, Barbara. I love plain asparagus ~> steamed or roasted with a touch of salt, but that tempura asparagus was amazing.
I have never tried a fish taco ~> I have had Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos at Bonefish Grill. Spicy hot and yummy. Maybe a fish taco will be my next culinary adventure. Several local restaurants feature fish tacos.
That asparagus looks amazing! Happy birthday and anniversary!
Thanks, Maggie. The past 3 weeks have been peppered with mini celebrations. It’s been fun.
Asparagus is great grilled or roasted with a touch of olive oil, salt, and pepper. But that appetizer knocked our socks off.
You’re looking good Nancy. That decadent food has done nothing to you. 🙂
Thanks! We don’t go out to eat often ~ less than once a month, on average. When we do, my motto is: “Just Eat Anything.”
At home, I’m a bit more careful about the fat grams in my food. 😎
Happy anniversary.
Thanks! It’s great when we catch a “keeper” the first time!
Happy birthday and anniversary! I’ve had so much good food this year I can’t pick one!
Pizza has been another FAVE for us . . . but that goes without saying, eh? 😎
oh yeah….
I might have to do a feature on Oma’s Pizza soon ~> including shots of waiting on the beach for the pie to emerge from the oven.
The forced perspective on that cake makes it look the size of a football.
Unless it was the size of a football!
Close to the size of a football ~ couldn’t eat that often without the scales groaning in protest or throwing a flag down on the play!
You look great in both pics, Nancy, but I think you look a little more satisfied in the second one. Decadent food seems to agree with you. (The asparagus dish made my mouth water!)
Thanks, Sandra! Food is a principal passion of my life . . . I try to temper my enthusiasm by not going hog wild all day every day. 😎
Happy Birthday / Anniversary NH! it looks like you had a tasty one!
I have enjoyed so many wonderful and memorable meals this year I couldn’t pick just one, but the most recent was a warm octopus appetizer that made me squeal with delight! 🙂
Food is such a wonderful adjunct ~ something to look forward to, day in and day out. Especially if we counter-balance our squeals of delight with rocking and rolling to stay in shape.
Mangia!
Amen to that.
We had a great time splashing in the pool this morning . . . while dodging rain drops.
No thunder or lightning, so we kept on truckin’. 😎
“Winner of an indulgence.” I like that term. And the asparagus looks/sounds wonderful. Nice ‘after’ shot of you. 🙂 Happy Anniversary, Nancy.
Thanks, Eric. When we eat at home (95% of the time), we eat light. When we venture out to eat, we are guided more by taste and less by waist. 😎
I hope you keep on keeping on with those happy, guiltless celebrations… May your life be one continuous celebration,as you enjoy all the pleasures that yours and BFF’s hearts desire…!
Thanks, Joanne! Here’s to happy guiltless celebrations!!! Hope you’re doing well and staying happy.
Today I am on a 3 day cleanse of fruit and veggie smoothies so my mouth was watering looking at the pictures. It looks yummy! 🙂 Congratulations on your 30th anniversary and Happy Birthday!
Thanks, Marie. You are very brave to read this post while doing a 3-day cleanse. Hope that you have a TERRIFIC meal at the end of your smoothie fast.
Oh…I love asparagus and that looks delicious! Recently I had the most yummy Country Wedge Salad I’ve ever had…the homemade blue cheese dressing was awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Happy Birthday and Anniversary, Nancy!
Yum! I stick with vinaigrettes most of the time . . . but homemade blue cheese dressing is hard to pass up!
Thanks for the good wishes, Jill.
Blue cheese is a special treat and boy was this a good one! 🙂 The restaurant who made the best blue cheese ever was featured on Diners Drive-Ins and Dives on the Food Channel. The restaurant used to be an old gas station. It’s a cool place.
Guy scouts out some amazing Diners Drive-Ins & Dives! He’s featured Jose’s Cuban on Cortez Road (a couple miles from us):
http://josesrealcubanfood.com/
Happy Birthday and Anniversary Nancy! That tempura battered asparagus looks mouth-watering, might try making it myself.
It was amazing, Barb. And very FUN to eat. Thanks for the good wishes ~ here’s to amazing asparagus dishes.
Happy birthday & anniversary! That’s so wonderful!
Oh man, this all looks amazing! I would love to try the asparagus, that’s a genius way to put it together. But yeah, the cake just made me instadrool!
The best thing I’ve eaten all year was a pho that came from a creepy, back alley in Ho Chi Minh City. I’m not a big fan of Korean food, so it’s extremely easy for me to remember what the best thing was. 😀
~ Andrea ❤
I’m on the same page when it comes to Korean food ~ except when it comes from a creepy back alley in Ho Chi Minh City. 😎
The asparagus would not be hard to do ~ even as little chunks with a fondue.
Looks like some yummy celebrations! I was just thinking about your birthday – I thought it was a few days ago. Happy bday 🙂
Thanks, Janna. Yup, last weekend I moved into the next “time zone.” Too bad we can’t set our clocks back each fall. That would be cool.
Congratulations and thank you for sharing your celebrations with us, Nancy ~ the food looks yummy and the photos of ‘happy you’ made me smile! 🙂
Thanks, Jacqueline! Seeing people smile and, especially, hearing them laugh is always a mood boost for me.
Happy Anniversary AND Happy Birthday! I like your style. They were celebrations and it’s time to enjoy whatever you want. I must say that both looked wonderful to me and this was an excellent post! You smiling and reminding us to celebrate and ENJOY our lives. To your question, I made homemade ice cream the other night just because. No real reason, and that doesn’t sound like much, but since we are so careful with our diet most of the time, it was just a treat we wanted and enjoyed. That was my opportunity to smile. 🙂
Thanks, Debra. Celebrations for “no reason” are GREAT! And homemade ice cream is a winner of an indulgence.
I remember summer days in the back yard with the hand-cranked ice cream machine . . . and the fight over who got to lick the paddles.
Congratulations! I love that you were spoilt! Your before and after show that you had a great day 🙂
Thanks, Timi. Both celebrations were “low key” this year ~ but low key doesn’t have to mean “no fun.”
I joked with my sister that we went on a Windjammer Cruise in Maine for our 20th, bought a villa in Florida for our 25th, and celebrated with a pizza (and tempura asparagus) for our 30th.
Ooh 30!! Tempura is wicked yum and I can only imagine with asparagus.
This was a GREAT treat, Tammy. We don’t eat much fried food and the batter was light and crispy and not greasy and yummy.
Happy Birthday! The cheesecake!!!! Best thing I have eaten this year.. too many to pick one.. 😀 The fried grouper sandwich at Turtles! The Brother-in-laws pork steaks.. I could go on and on!!!
We’ve been to Turtles! Food is one of the great pleasures of life. Here’s to having something delectable to eat . . . Every Day.
Boy, does that look good! So do you Nancy 🙂
Have a great birthday month!
Val
Thanks, Val. Hope that you are having a super time on your trip.
Happy 30th!
Thanks, Greg! Here’s to Happy Eats!
“Umpteenth birthday” – haha, excellent. Belated wishes, Nancy 🍰🍧🎁
Thanks, BB! The “umpteenth” is not really a “secret” but I figure it doesn’t need to be circulating in cyber space.
Congratulations on your anniversary and birthday!
I love tempura, but I have not tried asparagus tempura yet.
That cheesecake looks yummy as well 😉
Every time I see this post . . . I want another plate of that asparagus.
Wow, this looks delish!
Here’s my go-to party recipe: http://sweetseatstreats.wordpress.com/2014/06/14/jalapeno-cheeseball/
Your Jalapeno Cheeseball sounds and looks yummy!
Thanks so much!
[…] year, we planned a low key celebration ~ Happy Hour at the Chart House one day, pizza from Oma’s the […]