1/5th of #11 is in the can

4(ish) down 36 to go.

9.30.11: Jaxx Steakhouse. Blackened chicken salad with crab-stuffed mushrooms

(see that wee guy in the front? he's the first one I ate)

The first bite was ok. 

For the sake of the experiment (aka: "The List"), I didn't swallow it down all quick-like (like when I was a kid trying to clean my plate before Dad tied me to the chair. But that's another story.) I chewed slowly, allowing my tongue and taste buds to experience (and possible savor?) this new taste in my mouth. 

As I said, the first bite was ok; non-whelming at best. So I immediately speared a second 'shroom. It, too, was ok. And, I must say, I was feeling mighty cocky. Halfway through the third bite, however, the novelty suddenly wore off, and knew if I didn't fully ingest soon, the entire restaurant would be seeing bites 1-3 again. In living color. (Or in shades of mushroomy gray, in this case.)

All of which leads me to determine--once and for all...

I don't like mushrooms.

Now, I can see how some people might consider this first attempt a FAIL. But the exercise wasn't to necessarily prove that--because of my finicky ways--I've been missing out on this major deliciousness my whole life. The exercise was to try something new. And be brave about it. 

Therefore: Huge success. HUGE. 

So I'll say it again....

I don't like mushrooms!!

The End.

10.1.11: Braums. banana split 

(see those little yellow devils poking out the end?)

Those of you who know me, know that--although I LOVE bananas with a grand passion--I have an even grander passion about how I eat them. Or rather how I WILL NOT eat them. 

The wills: peel the banana myself and eat immediately.

The will nots: basically every other way. No banana bread, no bananas foster, no banana pudding, no banana cream pie, no fried peanut butter & banana sandwich, no bananarama... 

You get the point.

But this is war.

Braums dessert is my krytonite, so I figured it was a safe place to conduct tonight's experiment. And if there were any potential mishaps, like yesterday's mushroom near-debacle, I would at least have three scoops of ice cream to cheer me up. 

Allow me to set the scene:

The night was warm, the hour was late. My partner-in-crime and I were sitting outside in her Chevy Malibu--because the inside of beloved Braums is always too cold and smells like rotten bacon. Said banana split was balancing on my knees. I started at the vanilla side, bravely loading up my white plastic fork with a little something from every layer.

I was a bit worried about the slime-factor/mushiness, of the banana but--perhaps because of its near-frozen state--the texture was rather......perfect. 

I loved it. 

And, although I didn't finish the entire thing (it was huge, mind you, and I'd just eaten a plate of fish n' chips from a neighborhood Irish Pub we just found), I pretty much kicked the crap out of that sundae. 

Another success.