24th ANNIVERSARY

Yesterday was the date denoting that The Old Girl and I have been together for 24 years. To celebrate this, when we arrived in Whangarei last night instead of heading for the Fish and Chip shop we went to the best restaurant in the area. We had a great meal with Champagne and Martinborogh Pinot Noir - two of our favourite wine styles.
I was thinking this morning how well we get on. We have different interests but share enough to make for a loving and harmonious relationship.
Last night we both selected the same dish a beautifully prepared and presented dish of fresh Terakahi pan fried and served on a salmon potato rosti with a buerre blanc done with chardonnay. Delicious. Often though we disagree on foods. I have set opinions on when food should be eaten and how it should be done. I have to admit though that she is a better cook than I.

Here are some of the things we differ on:

Avocado. Tolerable in guacamole and dips but please don't put this squishy slimy thing in salads or in my sandwiches.

Butter. OK in cooking cakes and souffles, greasing baking dishes or re-enacting favourite scenes from Last tango in Paris but not to be spread on toast. That's margarine's job.

Carrot. Must be cooked and an essential ingredient in mince.

Dunking. A hard biscuit has to be dunked in coffee or tea. So what if at least half the time it falls in and becomes a sludge at the bottom of the cup.

Eggs A poached egg or indeed any kind of cooked egg is a breakfast meal. It is not for dinner or any time of day after noon.

Fried bread. This is not an unnecessary indulgence. Some of the finest chefs in motorway cafes have spent a lifetime (albeit a short one) perfecting this.

Gluten free pasta. Or gluten free anything. Why not just chew some sawdust it would be tastier.

Haggis. Sometimes your Scottish heritage has charm. Not when this monstrosity is introduced.

Ice cream. That ice-cream you find in the fridge (flavoured ones, not vanilla) I bought for you. Honest.

Jam. Jam can be used on toast, in sandwiches, as a pie filler and to disguise the taste of medicine. It has fruit in it so must be healthy.

Kidneys. With or without steak this stuff should never be released (see 'O')

Lentils. They sound disgusting. You like to cook things with them I always say "Yuck" but I end up eating them and liking them.

Marmalade. Marmalade is for toast only. Only seriously weird people would consider using it in a sandwich.

Noodles. You have to be off yours to think I'd like these better than mashed potato or pasta.

Offal. Should stay in the offal-pit down on the farm. Enough said.

Porridge. Instant is fine. Creamed oats also provided that sugar and cream is added is fine. Using coarse rolled oats and adding salt (no sugar) is just plain ascetic.

Quiche. Admittedly you make a bloody nice one but don't tell anyone that I eat it.

Rice pudding. You love this sludge. Did you go to a boarding school? Give me a real pudding any day.

Sugar. Raw sugar only may be used on Weetbix.  Brown sugar on the other hand is the only type for porridge. White sugar may be used in baking.

Tuna. In a toasted sandwich with banana. Delicious and stop looking at me that way.

Uncooked fish or meat. If God intended us to eat raw food She wouldn't have given us fire. No, I won't go to a Sushi restaurant with you.

Vanilla. Vanilla Ice-cream is not a flavour.

White Pudding. Or its cousin Black Pudding. What cannibal thought this mess up to be edible?

Xmas cake. Look, I know that yours is a healthier alternative but Christmas cake without the almond icing is just another fruit cake. OK?

Yams. Kumara is tolerable but those tasteless watery yams are an insult to my taste buds. Give me a good old potato any day.

Zabiglione. Hey, its Italian. It must be good for me.