The culinary delights did not stop here.  Recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease, in addition to a dairy allergy, my expectations for discovering new and unique foods are minimal to none.  This seemed like an especially hard task to accomplish in a country with no similarities to the English language and only a cryptic ‘google’ translated food allergy card as my bridge.  Ordering out often involved pointing to photos of delicious dishes and hoping that they would be both safe and palatable. When I took a bite into a skewer of bacon wrapped mochi at a yakitori grill, there was an explosion of flavor, texture and satisfaction that words alone cannot describe.  I can guarantee you that one of my upcoming evenings will involve a stop at the Asian Seafood Market in Boulder, followed by an attempt to recreate this in my test kitchen at home.

While in Asia, the language barrier encouraged me to stick to basic foods in their purest form.  Attempting to sink my teeth into any packaged goods, without knowing the ingredients, wasn’t worth the risk of being confined to stay home sick for the day, while everyone else was out to play.  This was a great reminder to me of how clean-powered your body feels after eating simple whole foods.  Some of my favorites included Japanese eggplant, pumpkin and Kobe beef.

The best of it all was getting back to the foundation of mealtime.  This involved taking the tine to appreciate both the food and the company around you.  A pleasant surprise was learning that each meal in Asia is intended to be enjoyed in comfort, not while multitasking on a call in the office or while walking to an appointment.  It was refreshing to find not even one trash can on the streets of Tokyo, for there is no need to dispose of a togo coffee cup, when you’ve taken the time to enjoy that cup of joe in the corner café (grabbing a quick bite from our slopeside car was our only exception to this rule during our travels).

I found so much to appreciate culturally in Japan.  Since returning to the states, I’ve had trouble using anything but chopsticks at night with dinner.  What better way to practice this discipline of slowing down the pace than with the dexterity of picking up individual grains of rice with two thin bamboo sticks. Arrigato!

Featuring Ranch Gordo Heirloom Beans, Taza Guajillo Chile Chocolate and MM local High Dessert Peppers.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 (28 ounce) cans crushed Tomatoes (or MMlocal rosemary tomatoes)
• 3 lbs. buffalo (or buffalo stew meat)
• 2 cups beef stock
• 2 chopped onions
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 bay leaves
• a dash of hot sauce
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. oregano
• 2 cups dried black beans like Rancho Gordo heirloom beans
• 1/4 cup masa harina
• 2.7 ounces Taza Guajillo Chile Chocolate
• juice of 1 lime (garnish)
• cilantro (garnish)
• sour cream (garnish)
• cheddar cheese (garnish)

Cook the dried beans beforehand until tender.

Heat a little olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Brown the buffalo meat. Transfer cooked meat to a bowl and set aside.

Add onions, garlic, chili powder, and cumin to the pot and saute until the onions are gold and soft. Put the buffalo meat back in and add tomatoes, salt, hot sauce, cinnamon, bay leaves, oregano and 2 cups beef stock. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. You can add a little water if necessary.

Stir in already cooked Rancho Gordo heirloom beans and cook for another 30 minutes. Add masa harina and chocolate and cook for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Mix squeeze of lime, sour cream and chopped cilantro.
Garnish with sour cream mixture, cheese and MMlocal high dessert hot peppers.

Brian and Toby fueling up for Tender Foot

This morning, we packed up some boxed lunches and headed up to our favorite neighborhood ski hill, Eldora Mountain Resort. Our 4 year old son, Toby, is just learning his way around the mountain or at the very least, around the magic carpet.  We love Eldora for it’s close proximity and local vibe. It was a bluebird day, perfect for popping open the tailgate of the Eurovan and enjoying a snack to fuel our gnarly day of turns, which consisted of three rides up the carpet and down the Tender Foot trail. Pfew. We returned an hour and a half later, all smiles, to finish off our cool IZZE, sandwiches, and yummy m&m cookies. All in all, a great day, no tears, plenty of sunshine and happy bellies.

Today’s Sandwich Choices:

Brian: East End

Stacey: Chicken Salad

Toby: The Toby (salami on buttered pumpernickel)

The "Toby Special" and an m&m cookie