The Black Pearl.....Enter Enlightenment

“Hello Clarice.......”

OK, not trying to be creepy, but I am sure the farther we get into this post, the more you will understand that little “pun”.

Riddle me this, sports fans: what do you get when you mix black pudding (Bavarian Blood Sausage), homemade Ciabatta, sauteed onions and mushrooms, black truffle salt, and a little passion for eating.......wait for it......The Black Pearl........and no sissy pirates in eye liner.

As you may well know, this post comes substantially overdue from my last postings. Truthfully, I am surprised my site wasn’t deleted. Anyway, thought I would pour a little out for my hommies in “Foodie-land” and give them something to chew on.

Inspiration takes on many forms. Some paint, some write, some choose to be walking fashion malls in the clothing styles they choose. My self, inspiration strikes with food. Anyone and everyone knows I love to eat despite being on what some may say as the “lean” side (never trust a skinny chef). Trust me, I KNOW food, I LOVE food.

OK, sorry for the departure. Inspiration hit me today when I realized that my darling wife was probably not going to make home for dinner since she was tied up with her best friend, Kayla, working on Kayla's wedding stuff. Ta-Da, the moment I have waited for to diving into the Bavarian blood sausage ring I have had in the freezer for a while that would never see the light of day with Julie around (I have to sneak the occasion frog legs into my pasta).

Yesterday I concluded the making of a loaf of homemade Ciabatta bread (no-knead version, thanks to Chef John). Check it out here for the video (Chef John's no-knead-ciabatta-bread-you-can-believe-in). This is an absolute must make bread for beginners. You stir the ingredients together, let it ferment for 18 hours, and bada-bing! You have chewy, tender, party-in-ya-mouth Cibatta!

Let's keep things simple here. I've got the bread, I’ve got the black pudding (by the way, the name “Black Pearl” comes from the fusion of Black Pudding with Earl, as in Earl of Sandwhich (legend of where the sandwich came from. And that my friends is how we do it!)), and I've got the other fixings. Let's look at the construction:

-Take your dead-sexy homemade Ciabatta

-Slice your black pudding in half so you have two half links to go across the bun and pan sear.

-Slice up some sweet heirloom tomatoes

-Toss a few sliced onions and some sliced mushrooms in a pan with a little olive oil (I used Organic Tuscan Herb Olive Oil from Drizzle in Bellingham (Drizzle Tasting Room)(A must visit shop in Fairhaven))

-When all the goods are cooked to your preference, start constructing on the bun.

Now, I recommend holding off on the cheese since this is already a pretty rich sandwich, but if you must, perhaps a little brie! Ooey, gooey, melty, rich brie........

When you have all that goodness tossed on the bun, sprinkle a little black truffle salt (TO DIE FOR, I WILL NEVER EAT REGULAR SALT AGAIN) on the toppings, and throw that bad boy on your Griddler. Ya, let that bun toast up nicely.

Here is the easiest and best part. Sit down, breath in the aromas of your labor, swirl a little wine in your glass (killing off the last of a bottle of Cupcake Vineyards 2010 Malbec as we speak), and dig in. But please, don't wolf it down. Sit there and think about it. Enjoy it. Take 10-20 minutes to yourself and enjoy it. If you are fortunate enough to be able to find a little black pudding and black truffle salt, enjoy it and happy eating to you, Comrade. If you are not really into the thought of black pudding, hey, you only live once. People have been eating this stuff for hundreds of years and it is now becoming not only fashionable, but swanky. Soon the rich man's lobster will be the poor man's meal, and the poor man's organ meats will be the rich man's dining preference. So enjoy, and keep watching, I promise I will be better on my updates.