This week’s challenge is about a universal favorite: FOOD! I grew up in a family that was highly educated about and highly appreciative of food. My family was started in Massachusetts, moved to Chicago and then to California. Regional ethnic influences were explored and absorbed with gusto. Last night, as Steve & I enjoyed dinner at our local sushi bar, we got to talking about our personal culinary histories. Steve adamantly refused to eat anything but hot dogs, potatoes and asparagus until he was 16. Then, on a trip to New England, he actually tried fresh fish and realized that he was missing a world of wonderful taste. You can get lost in a food wasteland, if you’re not adventurous, in the Midwest. But there are plenty of opportunities to branch out.
Last year, on St. Patrick’s Day, we ventured into the city to see what kind of shenanigans we could witness. We had lunch at one of Steve’s favorite places: Beans & Barley. I love it immediately for its California vibe. Here’s a picture of my portabello and gorgonzola and roasted red pepper sandwich with curried potato salad:
And the beer? New Glarus Spotted Cow. The best in Wisconsin micro brews, IMHO. And you can’t buy it in Illinois. Oh, but that’s not all! DESSERT!
scillagrace 
Please tell Steve’s sister that should she fancy a trip to England she can sleep on our couch…..
All she needs to bring is an apron…
I will definitely do that! She may take you up on it…
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I will pop out straight away for a tin of corned beef…..just in case.
In a tin? Really? Not boil it yourself, fresh, purchased sealed in plastic?
Hand on heart I don’t think I’ve ever eaten corned beef…..
Or bought a tin of it…….
BUT, finnegan style sounds too good to miss…
Maybe she’d better make the corned beef when she gets here…She can stay an extra night..
Maybe I can send my mother, too, if she brings her recipe for green tomato chutney? She went through my neighborhood one October picking all the still green tomatoes & mixed up a huge batch to share with the neighbors. My house smelled like brown sugar, vinegar and garam masala for a month. 😀
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Yes..she can come as well but they’ll have to share the couch…
😀
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wOW… That little pub was cool. I’ll be not as good food as the homemade corned beef, .. and, my mouth is still watering from just reading about the Chai spiced rice pudding.
Thanks for a great visit to Wisconsin.
You’re welcome! Thanks for popping by for lunch!
mmmmm Happy St. Pat’s!
Thank ye!
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Oh my goodness. These are the things I miss about North America. I live in China and while I do like Chinese food very much, the best of the West can’t beat the best of China. Thanks for the mouth-watering reminders of home 🙂
You’re welcome! Thanks for sharing my lunch!
The Artomat made me smile.. I’m not sure if that was because I thought it was a great idea or because I thought it was as corny as anything ( just wanted to get the word corny in there 😉
It is kind of Boho-kitsch, isn’t it? It made me smile, too!
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That sandwich and salad looks incredible!
They tasted even better! Thanks for visiting!
a want a piece of cake!
I know, it looks delicious, doesn’t it?! Thanks for visiting!
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Nice captures–really like the Art O’Mat’s typology.
Thank you…cool, isn’t it?
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The chocolate cake looks very yummy! That art vending machine is so cool!
That cake finished the meal quite nicely, I gotta say. And the vending machine was definitely boho cool!
Wonderful post, Scilla!
Too bad I can’t WordPress scratch ‘n’ sniff or lickable wallpaper!
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