In San Antonio it was all the little Tex-Mex places that I went to the most. I tried a little menudo (cow stomach soup) , a little pisole (pork stew), and of course, fajitas. Who doesn't like a red-hot plate of sizzling steak, chicken, and peppers?
When we moved to Lompoc, California we got to enjoy "Santa Maria" style barbeque. A nice sirloin covered in garlic, salt, pepper, parsley, and other secret spices I think, slow-cooked over a red oak fire. Pile on some salad, piquinto beans, and garlic bread and you have a meal you could pick up on most street corners on any given weekend.
Belgium was another story, I tried moules et frites (mussels and french fries), the national dish and it wasn't bad. I only say that because I am not a big fan of shellfish. Everything else there was wonderful; the sugar waffles, the frites (with more sauce flavors than your average Baskin Robbins store has for ice cream), the pastries, and the beer.
Now I find myself in the south, Montgomery Alabama. Here I get to try things I only heard about growing up in Michigan. Things like grits, greens, fried okra, and incredible pulled pork barbeque. All very good dishes, in my humble opinion. I am just a fan of food.
Today, while driving to a doctor's appointment, I saw the sign at Hardee's advertising a new breakfast sandwich. The first thing that came to mind was the scene from "Sweet Home Alabama" when the groom's mother is meeting the bride's parents for the first time and her dad say something to his wife about getting the bologna ring out of the freezer. Now I'm not one to turn my nose at trying something new, but this one I may have to think about a little longer before I dive in and give the local "cuisine" a try.
