I started the year obsessed with butter, bacon, and beer.

During 2010 I added some new obsessions.

Pecorino for breakfast: I look for around 120-days aged, pair it with lightly floral honey, crusty bread, and fruit. Fully balanced and delicious!

Vinegars: I started using fig vinegar for salads and flavoring. There are probably others, but this is the one that opened my eyes, Blue Ribbon Orchard Choice Fig Balsamic Vinegar.
It is heavy, but all hail the fig! It infuses the vinegar with figgyness, without overwhelming you. Plus, inexpensive enough that I can go wild on reductions. In August I discovered Citadelle Maple Syrup Vinegar in a goody bag provided by Montreal .
Another miracle of nature…sweet, tart, and that hint of woodiness that’s made by deep, long snowy nights. The only problem is that I can’t find it anywhere. Fortunately, I’ll be in Montreal this summer.

Peas: How ridiculous that I have eaten them all my life, and just this year realized that they are the most grateful garden veggie of all. I eat them while standing in the spring garden, slice them in salads tossed with feta, boil them in their pods, shell them when they’re fat, and freeze them for a taste of summer on a winter night.

The beautiful and storied centerfolds of 2010: Battenkill Brebis, Tome de Bordeaux, Dinah, and Hillis Peak.

Pickles: Homemade, or try the sweet/sour and a hint of hot Happy Girl’s Spicy Bread and Butters.

You? Any new favorites?