Top food-related experiences of 2009

Reading through Kenny's list, I realized I couldn't really participate: not that I didn't have a number of excellent restaurant dishes that I suppose could be ranked, but for better or for worse, my "best of" list had a much wider scope. Most of my experiences have to do with something I learned about cooking or eating, but some were just experiences in and of themselves. For instance:

1. Genoa Pioneer Days (and the pies there) and all the fruit picking we did this year, along with the resultant raspberry jam, raspberry curd, applesauce and apple butter we're still enjoying.
2. Chinatown with another foodie.
3. Easter Eggs
4. Grams Cooke's spoonbread
5. The LTHForum picnic
6. Fragrant pears
7. Homemade frozen yogurt (actually, this is also the year I discovered all the uses for Greek yogurt in general, now it's a staple.)
8. A new take on turkey.
9. Teaming up with Sparky at the sMACdown.
10. Homemade bagels.

I guess I'm a top 10 junkie. But as I said in a previous post, I much prefer the expanded format to include all experience food-related.
I have this list posted on my blog.
However, it is quite long winded, so if you don't get a chance to stop over there, here it is in shorthand:

1. Kimchi (making)
2. Maitake Mushrooms (harvesting, cooking, medicinal)
3. Jordan's Cafe in Watts, LA (soul food)
4. Polish Deli's
5. Head to Tail Eating (Mado, Tank, at home)
6. Pork Belly (Daikokuya Ramen, LA, Big Star, Kurabota from Joong Boo)
7. Tank Noodle's Raw Beef Salad
8. Whole Hog Roasting
9. That's a Burger
10. Late Night Chicken Wings at Super Sub

That's quite a list, Jefe - and I have been following your shrooming activities this year with real green-eyed jealousy.

Easily my top food experience of 2009 (and maybe of my life) was dinner at El Bulli in June. Nothing else even comes close. But beyond that...

The rest of my trip to Madrid, Barcelona and Roses - with highlights of lunch at La Boqueria and dinner at Rafa's
Green City Market BBQ - always fun and delicious times
Sushi Yasuda in NYC - nothing in Chicago even comes close
Don Emiliano in San Jose del Cabo - not many "can't miss" restaurants in Cabo, but this is one
Pastrami and smoked salmon courtesy of ronnie_suburban - always a highlight
Wandering Goat dinner at Art Smith's house - yeah, definitely sort of a "fan boy" event, but still fun and Stephanie served up some very tasty food

1) LTH picnic
2) Family Orlando Trip (ate damn well)
3) Marseilles in May
4) Toon's Crawfish Boil
5) GNR Awards Dinner @ Maries
6) LaSalle County Fried Chicken Crawl

Not sure how the rank order goes, but some highlights from 2009:

Fall River & New Bedford, MA – Portuguese & quirky regional delights


Regional Brazilian cooking in Sao Paulo


Birria Tatemada @ Zaragoza


Barbacoa de Borrego @ Aqui es Texcoco – Chula Vista, CA


Big honking steaks in Buenos Aires


Vendimia Wine Harvest Festival in Mendoza


New England summers

Italy!

Mercato Centrale - Firenze, Toscana


Mercato Centrale - Firenze, Toscana


Alimentari - Lucignano D'Asso, Toscana


Alimentari - Lucignano D'Asso, Toscana

The single most enjoyable time was at Bel Canto in Paris. Besides a phenomenal meal featuring quite possibly the best chicken dish I've ever had (featuring Bresse chicken) they feature opera singers from the Paris Opera singing arias from yards away instead of auditoriums. Wonderful food and setting. Brilliant evening. It didn't hurt that it was Valentine's Day. My girlfriend and I floated out of there.

http://www.lebelcanto.com/Paris.php