Food, glorious food

[delphipsmith]

In Philadelphia on a business trip. Went to Talula's Garden for dinner.

In the words of George Takei: "Oh, my."

Among other things they are famous for their cheese plates*, so I had the World Traveler:

Cana de Cabra (Goat, Spain)
Handmade Sheep’s Milk Feta (Sheep, Greece)
Clyde Weaver Vintage Quebec Cheddar (Cow, Canada)
Vintage Gouda (Cow, Holland)
Chimay (Cow, Belgium)
Délice de Bourgogne (Cow, France)
Scharfe Maxx (Cow, Switzerland)
Neal’s Yard Daily Aged Stilton (Cow, England)**

::dies of cheesy ecstasy::

Then there was potato-broccoli soup and baked bluefish with gnocchi. Plus it's one of those places where every so often they bring you little surprise presents from the kitchen -- amuse bouches I believe they're called -- so I'm slurping my soup, trying to stifle my moans of culinary ecstasy in case I disturb the people at the other table, and suddenly at my elbow appears a plate with two little tiny warm doughnut/cream-puff things with pumpkin-cinnamon butter. NOMZ!!!

I am as full as a tick...

* but I have to say, the word "cheesemonger" totally makes me larf
** No, there was no Venezuelan beaver cheese. I checked.

Comments

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

I want to go to Philadelphia. Now.

If I had to choose just one food to eat for the rest of my life, it would be cheese. Those plates sound fabulous, as does the brunch menu. I'm a sucker for all those pumpkin things.

No wonder you're full.

[mimimanderly.livejournal.com]

Ah! Hello! *Waves to you from right next door in Delaware* I've yet to visit Talula's, but now we're definitely going to have to go there soon. Sounds lovely!

[mundungus42.livejournal.com]

Oh cheeeeeese! And amuse bouche! Sounds like an absolutely amazing meal!!!

[shiv5468.livejournal.com]

Neal's yard cheese shop smells of cheese do much it's like a punch in the face when you go in there. You're brave to take on that Stilton

[errandofmercy.livejournal.com]

XD what a similie... eew....

Glad you enjoyed yourself there, cheesemonger.

[ennyousai.livejournal.com]

Go to the Mutter for me!

(And that all sounds delicious. I have food envy.)

[diabolica.livejournal.com]

ZOMG SOOOOOOO JEALOUS!!!!

[arcanetrivia]

** No, there was no Venezuelan beaver cheese. I checked.

O.o I had no idea that was a Monty Python thing. (It's been a while since I was around people who had the Cheese Shop memorized.) There's a puzzle in the 7th Leisure Suit Larry game where you have to make Venezuelan beaver cheese (which then winds up in a quiche). I thought they were just being bizarre. It would seem they had this sketch in mind.

[delphipsmith]

I am cheese fiend as well. The restaurant, and the cheese plate specifically, was the recommendation of the concierge at the hotel. He knocked it out of the park, I have to say :)

[delphipsmith]

Do! And then post about it!

[delphipsmith]

It was, truly. With every bite I was thinking "This is the BEST BITE EVER.

[delphipsmith]

I love Stilton. I like a cheese that fights back :)

[delphipsmith]

It was a truly delectable experience. Thank god I chose to walk back to the hotel, I think that's the only thing that kept me from popping.

[delphipsmith]

I wish I'd had another night there, but I only had one (MARAC workshop, sound familiar?). Maybe next time!

[delphipsmith]

Mwahahahaaaa! It was truly a delectable experience -- the cheese board came with little heaps of pear butter, candied walnuts, and a sprinkling of roasted pepitas. Amazing...

[delphipsmith]

I am happy to have been able to enlighten you on that point :) I had no idea it got a mention in LSL, though; someone must have been a fan. One of my favorite hobbies is spotting Python references - they turn up in the most amazing places...

[shiv5468.livejournal.com]

Have you tried stinking bishop?

[ennyousai.livejournal.com]

Oh, archivists' meetings! I miss seeing you at them, but I'm a librarian now. ;-; (Do you ever go to RBMS, though?)

[delphipsmith]

Ha! No, but now I want to. Is it really a thing??

[delphipsmith]

Not as of yet -- since I don't fly I'm limited in what I can reasonably do. Anything west of the Mississippi or more than one state south of the Mason-Dixon is generally out :P

[shiv5468.livejournal.com]

Oh it is so a thing. You can smell it across a crowded restaurant. It's amazing stuff.

Tastes nice too.

I'd suggest you try Reblochon too but you can't get that in the US which is a crying shame. It's even stinkier but has a delicate, mild taste. It's an experience.


I quite like a nice mild white stilton.

[delphipsmith]

Reblochon looks yummy -- curse you, FDA!!

Regarding stinking bishop, Wikipedia sez: "The cheese was brought to international attention by a brief but important role in the Oscar-winning 2005 animated film Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, in which it was used to revive Wallace from the dead. Demand for the cheese subsequently rose by 500%."

*snort*