Charcuterie... More Than Just A Cool Word

 

I had a really nice Birthday "Me Day", I just went to a fav Antique Mall that an Industry Friend Owns and "Studio 108 Collective" that some other of my Industry Friends own.  I didn't Buy anything, but enjoyed taking Pixs to promote their Businesses and visiting with them.   I went to Brunch at "Snooze", it was very nice.  I noticed a lot of Shops in the Outdoor Mall it's in, which is an Older one and a favorite of mine, have gone out of business since my last visit, very Sad.  Even the Tea House is gone now.  But, they have built a new Two-Story "Barnes & Noble" Bookstore, which is fabulous, I bought a Decor Book, I have a Platinum Membership Discount.  I probably have more Decor Books than they even do, and that's not hyperbole, it's a Fact.  *LOL*

I also went to "Whole Foods", since it's in that Mall too.  The Shelves were fully stocked now and they'd rebuilt their Patisserie, which I was glad to see they had.  But, some of the Juice Bars were now gone.  I got some Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes, I Love their Produce there.  I've got some Fresh Seasoned Mozzarella Marinated Belgioioso Balls and Fresh Basil to make Caprese Salad with them.  I went to a couple of "Goodwills" to peruse their Halloween Sections, which are vast.  I got a medium sized Vintage "Anna Lee" Jack O'Lantern Scarecrow Head for $2.49.  I got a Halloween Starbucks Tumbler with great Graphics for $1.49.   And a Ceramic Starbucks Tumbler with raised Graphics for $1.49.  I got Two Hard Cover Cookbooks for $2.49 and $3.49.  And a Trio of Fancy Tiaras in a Bagged Lot for $4.49.  The Pricers at that location seemed to have a Thing for Forty-Nine Cents.  *LOL*  I stopped by a Fav Family Owned Pet Food Warehouse to buy more Wild Bird Seed, they had Baby Chicks, Adorbs, Buy 2 get 1 Free.  Nope, I didn't.  *Whew and LOL, so, No out of control Chicken Empire on the Horizon!*

The Daughter's Childhood Friend Amber made me Tamales for my Birthday and Delivered them so I could have them for my Birthday Dinner Tonight, Bless her.  She makes the best Tamales too and knows how I like mine.  Princess T was already Home by the time I got Home. Like I said, I knew she wasn't staying as long as everyone else, she and Timmy bounced early and she said it had been a good time. Matthew knows them well enuf he knew they wouldn't stay the entire time with such a large Gathering, they're gonna miss him while he's gone tho', but he is coming back, they just aren't sure when?   That Trio of her, Timmy and Matthew are thick as Thieves and have been since Junior High School.   She and Timmy have a Pact that if neither of them is Married by Age 40, they're Marrying each other, him being Gay a Non-Issue.  *LOL*

Anyway, the Kids want to make me a Birthday Dinner too so I'll save my Tamales for later.  Mando and Marina are both over here for it.  Marina used to do Professional Photography so she's as much of a Pathological Picture Taker as Yours Truly.   So, she doesn't mind that I always have a Camera and taking Pixs, she understands the Obsessive Urge to in our pathology.  *Smiles*   And speaking of Photos, algorithms Online really have us Down Pat don't they?  I Photographed some Mediterranean Mezze Charcuterie Board Platter Foods I am Obsessed with, and had locally.   And suddenly all these glorious images showed up of various Mediterranean Mezze Charcuterie Board Platters and I Cribbed them for Inspiration and Ideas.  I just LOVE Charcuterie Board Platters of all kinds, but Mediterranean Foods being one of my very favorites to eat that way.

Honestly, I do Wish more Restaurants offered them on the Menu and I should make more of them at Home.  I could eat off a Charcuterie Board Platter all day every day.   They are so Visually Stunning and Editorial for Food Porn Blog Fodder, and I'm a very Visual person, I eat with my Eyes first and primarily.  The Senses to me, when it comes to Foods especially, are vitally important and why I do not like most Fast Foods and Junk Foods.  No real Sensory Pleasure associated with the Sight, Aroma or Taste of the Junk/Fast Food Industry.   It's lacking in Flavor Profiles, doesn't Look Good and has little, if any, pleasant Aromas.  And I'd rather spend more and have the Full Sensory Pleasures and Healthfulness of a Quality Meal with Fresh Ingredients prepared by a Culinary Master Jedi at it.   Growing up with a Master Chef Dad definitely shaped that discernment with Foods.   And, eating Quality Fresh Foods all my Life, meant everyone in our Family was Naturally Thinner than most of our Peers.

Dad and my Brother stayed Thinner/Leaner, Mom and I only didn't after we had Hysterectomies later in Life which caused Hormonal Weight Gain.  All our Kiddos of both Generations that were Raised by us stayed Thinner/Leaner than most of their Peers due to our eating habits.  The Man was actually very Thin/Lean until he was over 55 and got very ill and more Disabled.  I also always told my Family "Eat 'til Full, then Stop", we never were Food Pushers and we exposed them to a variety of Cuisines from all over the Globe from a very early Age too.  The Man didn't grow up that way, experiencing many different Cultural Cuisines, 'til he joined the Military and went to various Countries.   Tho' his Family did Hunt and Grow, then Can, a lot of their own Foods, so he grew up pretty Healthy as well.   And he and I have always been lighter eaters, a single Meal that most folks can polish off easily, is 2-3 Meals for us.

Now that I'm on Ozempic I have noticed a bigger Shift than with Trulicity.  To where I do not feel much Hunger at all and have to remember to Eat... even if I'm not Hungry... or I just wouldn't be Eating hardly at all.   I don't mind not having the sensation of Hunger and of feeling Full even when I have barely eaten anything, so I do think it will be Helpful to lose excess Weight.  But, once I'm at a Goal Weight I'd be concerned about having to continue to use it for the Type II Diabetes and risk becoming too frail and Thin???   I'm one of those people that tho' Weight Loss can be difficult at first, once I consistently start to lose Weight, I almost can't STOP losing Weight, even without trying, so it's a delicate balance.   I think Weight Control can be as you get Older, it's just one of those things where when you see Older People, they either need to lose Weight and are fighting Obesity, or they're too damned unhealthy looking Skinny.   And you rarely see Morbidly Obese Seniors, they Die Off before Old Age mostly.  So there is incentive to be a Healthy Weight.

 

I know if I picked at some of these Mediterranean Charcuterie Boards I'd feel quite satiated quickly without having eaten Too Much, but a nice variety of Good Foods that are Healthier and so Tasty.   My Mouth is watering just looking at them!!!  *Smiles*   And Charcuterie... is more than just a Cool Word.  But, I do like the Word.   Modern Usage has expanded upon the original French Word's meaning of Meats/Cooked Flesh.  *Bwahahaha*   So now it often includes Cheeses, Vegetables, Dips and other accompaniments.   There is allegedly a 3-3-3, and sometimes an Extra 3, Rule to making a Charcuterie Board:  3 Meats, 3 Cheese, 3 Starches and sometimes 3 Accompaniments like Fruits, Nuts, Olives, Pickled items, etcetera... along with Spreads and Dips.  It really is rather an Art Form, isn't it, to prepare one?   They always look so Stunning they make me feel Hungry, whereas just looking at most Foods, does not necessarily stimulate Hunger for me.

I should Buy myself some of these Boards to use for making them at Home.   I see some all the time at Chazzas and many look like they've never been used to put Foods on, or used at all actually, just Decorative Wood Platters of Lovely Exotic looking Woods.   I kind of like the Round ones best.  "Hearth and Hand" has some Lovely looking ones that aren't really that expensive Retail and then you'd know it was never used.  Of coarse the one I liked best that was Selling Online, was $80, Natch... bwahahahaha.    But, E-Bay had some Gorgeous looking ones too.  I've Cribbed some Imagery of my Favs to add to this Post's Visual Blog Fodder, coz I went deep diving into the World of Charcuterie, as I'm prone to doing when I suddenly Fixate on any Subject matter I'm becoming newly Obsessed with.  *Winks*  My OCD is definitely showing...

And now I'm on a Mission to find me a good Charcuterie Board, but, the RIGHT one of coarse, and I can get really Obsessed about what Woods should look like... so, this could be a long Process before I discover The One.   But informal Survey here in The Land of Blog as to which may Appeal to each Dear Reader, here's some of the Samplings my brief deep dive into Charcuterie Board Land had landed me:

The $80 Board, ridiculous Price Point, but I really dig it... but wouldn't spend that much on one.  But then, again, would I?  *LOL*

An E-Bay Bargain Board way less than $20, but quite 'busy'... so, not for me...

A lovely "Hearth & Hand" Mid-Priced Board around $25, I'd lean towards this one Visually and for the Price.  But like the outer Rim of the more Expensive Board.

So then Wal-Mart had one for only $18 with a nice Rim and nice Wood... so, I may pick one up take a gander, next time I'm there.  No Handle, but, do I really NEED one?   But, it looks rather smallish in their Pixs with Food Displayed on it, so I may look for a similar larger version of the same thing somewhere else.  Plus, then I saw these pictured Below and now I'm being Charcuterie Board Bougee as fuck... LOL:

Becoz then the deeper dive down the Rabbit Hole of Charcuterie revealed these Wood and Resin Boards that I think I'm in Charcuterie Board Lust with now... *LOL*  However, most of these Lovelies are Imports, probably with high Tariffs... from places like Turkey.  *Le Sigh*

And I think I now NEED this one... Yep, THIS ONE!!!   But, of coarse it's $100... Le Sigh.  Fuuuuuck... will just have to keep looking then...    *LOL Winks*  The Home Goods Stores and Specialty Kitchen Stores would be a great place to Start... and any of those Below would do...

Oh and an Issues of Life Footnote:  My Younger Brother called to Wish me a Happy Birthday, he turned 65 in February of this Year and when he went to Sign up for his Social Security they told him now he has to wait until he's 67 to draw it early and 70 to get full benefits!!!   He's been diagnosed with a Terminal Incurable Disease and is already way past the Expiration Date he was given, so he said the possibility he'll ever Collect what he Paid In for all the Years he worked in Hollywood is slim or next to none now!!!   He's quite Sure that when he turns 67 they will have Raised the Age Requirement even higher??!

 

*******

Fixated at the moment... smiles... Dawn... The Bohemian