Stealing a Bite -- My Top 10 Tastes of 2006

Sometimes, the inspiration for blog fodder comes in the form of, well... stealing. In this case, I'm stealing from Jen, who did this brilliant post about the 10 best things to pass her lips this year. I thought that recollecting all the delicious things I've eaten would be a nice way to close out what has been a pretty crappy year.

So, without further ado, I present my Top Ten Tastes of 2006, in (mostly) chronological order:   

1. Like Jen, I have to put the Buttermilk-soaked Fried Quail with Lemon Confit at Rubicon on the list. It was sublime enough that I have been back specifically to eat that one thing.   
2. Bacon-Wrapped Chorizo-Stuffed Dates at 4580 in Boulder. Before this meal, I would have sworn that I hate dates. Not only were these incredibly delicious in their own right, they actually opened my mind to an ingredient I previously shunned.
   

   

    
3. Chanterelle Tagliatelle at Babbo was positively exquisite -- the first time I understood how pasta was supposed to taste and "bite". Phenomenally good, and one of my loveliest meals with C, ever.   
4. Then there's Alinea, which was definitely the meal of the year. For the rest of my days, I will never forget the perfectness of Pear: Curry Infused Cocoa Butter Orb with Pear Juice.   
   

   

5. On the dessert end of the table is the Smoked Yogurt that accompanied the bittersweet chocolate cake at Coi. I've heard it's no longer offered because it was too odd for most people, which is a shame and makes me fear losing Daniel Patterson to New York. That stuff was revelatory.   
6. If I ever taste O-toro like the pieces we were served at Pod, I will consider myself ready to... ready to... oh, come on, who am I kidding? I wouldn't stop eating sushi. But, I would be a damned lucky girl.   
7. My first (and second... and third) La Spada's Hoagie. 'Nuf said.
   

   

    
8. Eating heavenly Festival Bread in Jamaica with hotter-than-sin jerk chicken and washing it all down with ice cold Red Stripe.   
9. You know how sometimes you listen to people go on and on about how great something is, and then when you finally try it, it's sort of a let-down because you've hyped it so much in your own head? Yea, that's not how it is with Pretzel Croissants from City Bakery.
   

   

10. And finally, to take us back a full year, the Croquembouche I ordered from Citizen Cake for last year's New Year's Eve party. While it was delicious in its own right, what made it a top-10 contender is the friends I got to share it with.

Now, you may have noticed that there are no wines or spirits on this list; that's because they could make up a whole post on their own. But a couple quick memories include:   

• My first sip of Oban, high above San Francisco on the top floor of the Hilton   
  
• A taste of Water's Crest Nightwatch, a luscious eiswein-style offering from Long Island
• The first sniff of Qi (the Lapsang Souchong/Orange/Vanilla liqueur from Lance Winters, Brian Backus & John Scharffenberger) that nearly knocked me backwards with its potency
• A Hangar One Wasabi Vodka Bloody Mary -- perfection with a pickled green bean
• Brewing a pot of Vanilla Rooibos tea, and sharing with my mom
• A dinner with good friends, seeing their reaction to their first taste of a nicely aged Masi Amarone. ..the wonderment that wine could taste like this.

It has been a year of delicious food, and delicious drink. A year of merry-making, friend-making, sadness-making.

Yes, it has definitely been a year to remember.

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of you, with hopes and wishes for a phenomenal year ahead with joy, prosperity and many beautiful and delicious things.

Tags: Food, Food & Drink, 2006, 2007, New Years, New Years Eve, Best Of, San Francisco, Chicago, Jamaica, Oakland, New York

Comments

[Lenn]

F,

Happy New Year to you as well. I hope we can get together when you're in Manhattan in a couple weeks.

And Jim will be THRILLED that his Night Watch made this list...no small feat.

Lenn

[Amanda B.]

Great post! But, aren't you Persian? You're not allowed to hate dates. Great seeing you at the party the other night--I hope to see much more of you in the New Year.

[Gluten-Free By The Bay]

Oh, how your entry makes me wish I had the money to eat out at good restaurants! Love the list. THanks for sharing it.

[Brett]

When I saw Jen's post, I too was tempted to poach the idea (there's still a few more days left in the year, so maybe...?). My list would also have to include the City Bakery pretzel croissant, which N and I finally tasted this summer. It has been a rocky year, hasn't it? But, after looking over your list, I have to say I may be experiencing some tummy envy. Or maybe it's just hunger pangs?

[Katie]

well, food-wise, it seems you've had an amazing year!

hope 2007 goes better for you!

p.s. you have one of my favorite blogs!

[Carter]

Great list. Gives me a few items to add to my food adventure to-do list.

BTW, I added a link to this post on my weekly food blog roundup:
www.foodnotebook.com/blog/2006/12/new_media_roundup_123006.html

Best of luck in the new year.

[Tea]

What a great list! It makes me think of the flavor high points of my own year...

And I love that you don't like dates (or didn't).

[shuna fish lydon]

I'm so glad you "stole" this. I love reading the list... and my own mind is too mushy from working around the clock to muster the memory needed.

glad the croquembouch was more than satisfactory... I love making and looking at them, that's for sure.

happy new year Fatemeh xo

[sam]

hey sweetie - have a great party tonight, I am sorry I can't be there to see the new year in with you, but my thoughts will be with you all.
Onwards and up in 2007.

xxsamxxx

[Namita]

I would add the "Fatemeh" to the best spirits list. I think it was vodka, O.J., raspberry Aqua Perfecta,and a splash of lime sparkling water! Definitely makes for a Happy New Year's Eve! I think we rang in an auspicious, sensational, wonderful 2007 to be!
xo,
Namita

[plume]

Happy new year to you!

Now I'm hungry...

[Ruth Lieu]

OMG, the quail sounds amazing. I have to go there right away!