best bites of 2009: other notables

And then we came to the end! Last post of 2009.

Lots of delicious bites I had this year weren't exactly restaurant food, nor were they exactly homemade, so I wanted to include them in some other way. And here they are! Included.

 

1. Red chili Capogiro gelato -- it's almost TOO hot, but that's perfect, because it's also creamy and rich, and you would think it cools itself but it doesn't. Worth trying at least once! 
2. Nduja from Boccalone-- Yes, it's spicy meat paste. Sausage, really, but softer and spreadable. Good for nubbing into a sauce for pasta or just spreading on bread.
3. Apples with goat cheese and honey-- My friend Sara made these for her birthday party and they are really, really delicious. Totally nicking them for my next shindig.
4. Duck wonton with Gary Farrell Pinot Noir -- At the Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, there were about 60 restaurants and over a hundred wineries, so we couldn't get around to them all, but I sure was glad we got to this. I can't remember what table offered the duck wonton (A La Carte catering, maybe?) but it was right next to the Gary Farrell table, and the food with the wine was just a tremendous little burst of awesome. Went back for seconds. And then some.
5. Ricotta, pistachio, and basil crostini at Tria's Fermentation School. Three great tastes I would not have pegged as tasting great together, but... they totally do.
6. Sarcone's Special.
7. The goat cheese sandwich at 'wichcraft. If I had to choose between this one and the Sarcone's Special for the rest of my life, it'd be a really, really tough call. Luckily, I don't have to pick!
8. Mozzarepas. At my first two or three NYC street fairs I made sure to eat these, because I didn't know when I'd see them again. Luckily for my hips, I realized quickly they appear at EVERY SINGLE street fair in the city. Therefore, there'll always be another chance.
9. Russian Teacakes made by my mom for Christmas. In case you wonder where I get the Overdo gene, she made more than a dozen types of cookies for Christmas this year. The fact that I still gravitate toward the Russian Teacakes even though they cannot be discreetly sneaked (powdered sugar! everywhere! and I wear a lot of black) speaks to their irresistibility.

And that's it for 2009. Let's see what wonderful tastes and smells and flavors 2010 brings, shall we?