Guest Post by Sir Walter

My first thought when I saw the brussel sprouts in their container was "wait- that's totally not what I thought they were". My second thought was "Wow! They're little cabbages!" I enjoy minature food, as most americans do. Mini burgers, mini pizzas, mini muffins, and broccoli (mini trees) to name only a few. I think it makes me feel bigger then I actually am, like some sort of hungry giant. Side note: Why are mini burgers frequently called "sliders"? It sounds like a colon crisis. Was "mini burgers" not satisfactory? I digress.

Anyway I really enjoyed the brussel sprouts even though Casie and Joe gave them only a "meh". However, my positive response may have had a lot to do with the accompanying nuts and craisins. Anyways, I would eat them again, preferably as part of a mini feast featuring as many mini foods as possible- followed by destroying a pre-arranged lego village. Also all the lego villagers would have their heads replaced with marshmallows and milk duds that I would eat while laughing with a deep voice. And I've gone too far with that. Good night.

-Walt

VegExperiment '09

I grew up eating carrots, celery, corn, and peas. That pretty much sums up my childhood vegetable exposure.

As I have grown up and my palette has matured slightly I have begun venturing into farther reaches of the vegetable spectrum. At restaurants, I will order dishes with more outlandish vegetable mixes, and at home I have become slightly more adventurous, adding spinach, edamame, broccoli, asparagus, and zucchini as recurring characters in my cooking life. I have not however, by any means become a veggie expert. And this is what I intend to do. Thus begins the VegExperiment of 2009.

Each week when Joe and I do the shopping I am going to pick a vegetable from the produce section that I have never cooked with and fix something with it. I decided that produce products I had previously eaten but never cooked would still qualify although I think I am going to start with those that I have never even tasted.

This all started last week when Joe and I did our weekly grocery shopping at 1:30 in the morning and the produce section was looking pretty picked over. So, I bought some kale since it looked the freshest. Then I had to figure out what to do with it.

Many patients who I told the kale purchasing story to tryed to scare me away from the leafy green, but I stood my ground and Joe and I ended up having a very delightful pasta dish made with kale, chickpeas, and pinenuts, which we both agreed we would eat again. Was pretty tasty, the kale wasn't difficult to use, and I was inspired. So this week I am trying beets. We'll see how that goes.