A bit of an Asian/Cajun fusion for salmon.

     I made this a few weeks ago. First, I boiled rice. While it boiled, I mixed some oil, paprika, and oregano with some teriyaki, a pinch of cayenne, and some ginger; I created a thick medium to fry with. I brought the medium to a sizzle and put in a nice salmon steak, then later added the rice. It was fantastic! I highly recommend this (especially if you like spicy food). I'd like to experiment more with salmon in the future.

Hibachi Super Buffet

     Raw fish, rice, a vegetable, wrapped in seaweed wafers. It's glorious. It's divine. It's just what the doctor ordered for a heartbroken soul such as myself. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love sushi. And now, I don't have to travel to Evansville for a decent assortment. The place at the north end has been slacking on their variety and cuts. Actually, if I could, I'd have a sushi burrito, like I saw on Facebook.

     So, anyway, the new Hibachi Super Buffet had their grand opening in Vincennes today. I was treated to an awesome sushi bar and noodle/meat grill. I first had a plate and a bowl of hot and sour soup. After that, I went for a second plate of sushi. The chef saw that I liked it and gave me a couple of columns of freshly-made California rolls. I told him he's right; it's one of my favorite foods. So, I had a moment of heaven amidst the craziness of my life: eating one of my favorite foods while checking out "the scenery." ;-)
     There's something strange about wasabi. If you have too little, you can't taste it; just enough, it livens up your sushi; too much, and you feel like ants are drilling into the center of your brain. I mostly kept the wasabi at that happy medium.

     The noodles were good, also. I had lo mein with beef and onion. I had spicy, teriyaki, and garlic. I love that combination, even though they didn't have ginger. At home, I like to boil spaghetti noodles and then fry them with Asian spices. I might make that for my new roommate after I move. Maybe like a "Thanks for Taking Me In" dinner.

Burger of choice

     The Vincennes Steak & Shake has been open for a while now, and now they're 24 hours. I've gone in a few times after work. O.K., enough times where the waitress will automatically ask if I want a Dr. Pepper with chocolate flavoring (I recommend it!).
     But this past week, after a few shots of habanero vodka, Brittany took me to S&S for a snack and I fell in love with an amazing burger: triple pepperjack cheese. Maybe it was the booze, but I mouth-gasmed at every bite.
     I want to tweak this thing! I think the next time I'm going to add onions and some type of pepper in place of pickles.

Habanero vodka? I think yes!

     I found out about this Saturday night. I was out with my friend, Brittany, and she pointed it out to me. I was just so happy that this existed. She treated me to a bottle. I indulged in it after work the next day, and it's amazing.
     To start, it's compatible with whatever chaser you usually use for vodka. It has a bite, as anything habanero-flavored would. For moments after the chaser is swallowed, your mouth retains the habanero bite. When I get some extra money, I would be more than happy to grab another bottle of this. I'd also like to get a list of drink mixes that could go with this.
     Cheers!

My favorite chicken tenders!

     People outside of "urban" areas are confounded by the idea of chicken and waffles. Oh... how they underestimate the exquisite beauty of such a combination! Those restaurants are onto something!
     I have been craving chicken tenders made this way I love making them. You get a good bag of chunky chicken tenders, not those puny strips! Next, coat the bottom of a tupperware dish, then put the tenders in there. Close the lid and shake that son-of-a-bitch up. Get the tenders dusted, like they were dragged through the Martian desert! Cook them, as normal. When you're ready to eat them, dip them in syrup!

Earl Grey - Not just for the captain

     Any Star Trek fan will tell you what Captain Picard's favorite drink is: "Tea, Earl Grey, hot".
     I got curious one day when I was having lunch in downtown Port Huron, Michigan. I was sitting in the now-closed Diana's Sweet Shop and saw it on the menu. They brought me a bag and I immediately loved the smell right when i opened it.

     Flash-forward years later, and Earl Grey is still one of my favorite teas. Here's how I fix it, especially when I'm about to sit down and write:
     Let two bags steep in a soup-mug. Not for too long, though, since the lavender oil makes a weird film on the surface.
     Add a dash of milk or creamer. When it comes to adding creamer, I use my bi-racial skin color as a guide. For this, I add enough creamer so it matches the outside of my forearm.
     Add 3 teaspoons of sweetener. It's a good treat.

Dream chili

     I've been feeling irritated at the utter shortage of habanero peppers in Vincennes. The more I notice their lack, the more I want to make chili. And the more I want to make chili, the more idealized this dream chili becomes.
     First is the meat to be used. I'd go with a combination of a few chicken thighs and a pork loin roast. I'd stick those into the crock pot. When they become buttery soft, I'll remove the bones. Then I'd put the resulting meat into a container for later.
     Next comes a combination of red and black beans. I let those soften and cook in the pot.
     Once the beans are softened, I'd put frozen corn and a can of diced tomatoes in there. Then enough tomato juice to make it stirable but not soupy; you don't want to go fishing for every morsel.
     Next are the spices: 3 tablespoons of chili powder; Tbsp each of salt, pepper, and cumin; 1 C of brown sugar; and enough peppers to bitch-slap your tongue. I use a handful of habaneros, ground in the processor, same for onion.
     I let that cook for a bit, then throw the meat back in there. Before dishing out each serving, I put a layer of rice into a bowl, then pile the chili on top. But I don't mix them because I want each spoonful to be a nice cross-section of chili and rice.
     That's what I want... Right there.

The Food Blog Has Landed

     I'm a foodie. I guess you don't get to be my size without enjoying food. I think I'm addicted to my own cooking, actually. Of The 7 so-called sins, I would say that gluttony is often the first I turn to for gratification.
     With that, I've decided to start a food blog. In addition to talking about food preferences and recipes, I will also talk about drinks.
     The reason I call it The Saccharine Inferno is because I love the combination of sweet and spicy tastes. As of right now, I'm lamenting the local shortage of habanero peppers. I don't use actual sugar, but Splenda, as I am diabetic.
     However, not everything will be about sugar and spice. I'll also post about my culinary explorations, too.