(come on, there’s only one question!)
Which of the following answers correctly completes this question:
(a) humans have a predisposition for enjoying food that is “hard-wired” into our genes.
(b) pleasure stimulates an array of physiological processes directly affecting
neuroendocrine, inflammatory, immunological and cardiovascular systems.
(c) pleasure is an important predictor of health and longevity.
(d) the greater the pleasure, the greater the absorption of key nutrients, such as iron.
(e) the easier a recipe is to make, the greater the pleasure, and therefore, albeit marginally, the greater the nutritional value for the persons indulging; notwithstanding, the ultimate nutritional pleasure which would be a “dinner out”, since minimal effort is required, excepting, perhaps the consumption of a quintessentially satiating meal comprised of the aforementioned “key ingredients”, which ultimately would deliver the “greatest physiological process stimulation”.
(f) all of the above
Ahhh, don’t you miss school?
Did you pick the longest answer?
(I made that one up.. shhhhh)
Or did you jump straight away to ”(f) all of the above”?
That’s correct… you win!!
You’re so clever, you get to move to the head of the class!
To celebrate, why not crack open…
Make sure you enjoy every bite… now that you know it’s good for those “physiological processes”!
And now a silly little limerick, as befits such an occasion:
There once was a wee lass oh, so smitten,
For tartlets and cakes in her kitchen,
That she whipped up a batch,
Sent them straight down the hatch,
And now her waist is no longer a Smidgen.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow!!
♣
This one really is my new favorite.. even my son loved it and that’s saying a lot since he’s not too wild about asparagus…
Ingredients
1 package puff pastry (two sheets)
defrosted
1 bunch asparagus, rinsed and dried
olive oil
coarse sea salt
cracked black pepper
1 lemon, zested
1 pkg garlic and fine herbs Boursin
1 cup Gruyère cheese, grated
1 egg
handful of fresh basil leaves
Directions
Preheat oven to 400° F.
Holding each asparagus lightly, snap in two and discard the woody ends.
Toss asparagus in a splash of olive oil and sprinkle with lemon zest. Mix to coat.
Roll out and pat each sheet of puff pastry directly on a silpat pan liner or a piece of parchment paper until it is about an 11” x 14” rectangle. Take a fork and poke holes all over the pastry, leaving a one-inch border all around.
Within that border, sprinkle half of the Boursin cheese on each puff pastry sheet. Then sprinkle each with 1/2 cup Gruyère cheese.
Take out the asparagus and lay them vertically on top of the bed of cheese.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until the puff pastry has risen and lightly browned.
Cool slightly and sprinkle basil leaves on top.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Fresh lemon juice may be lightly squeezed over the tart.
{Printable Copy} Roasted Asparagus Tart
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by Barbara Bamber | justasmidgen
Great post… I actually got the answer right… Oh and thanks for the brew and food…yummy it was… To look at
Have a great day!
all of this is fabulous and i think i might drink the guinness while I am cooking. Our asparagus is not up yet but it will be soon, In fact i had better hurry up and get to work in that patch! YUM!! gorgeous page.. c
I am so excited for asparagus season approaching! Did I tell you we have two patches in our backyard?!! Wa hooo!!
I really wish I drank….
What a charming post, Smidge! And this looks so delicious. Happy St. Pat’s to you too — may it be a pleasurable one.
If the kids love it you know it’s a special recipe. I love it already…even though I’m plenty-nine!
I did ‘f’! Unfortuntely i can only drink Guinness if its mixed with champagne. Unusual sounding but not bad.
Your asparagus tart looks so moreish!
Mandy
Not sure if that’s the proper pouring technique. I will go practice and come back. Ha. The tart looks amazing.
“Multiple guess questions”? You better me another Guinness beer. I loved your wee little poem and your tart recipe looks so simple and lovely. My boys are not fond of asparagus either, maybe its something to do with the whole texture thing? what do you think? However, if you smother cheese all over bread and hide in a few vegetables they might not even notice. Take care and Happy Patty’s day to you. BAM
You had me at “pleasure-inducing Irish brew”. The tart looks amazing and will be a perfect use of the young tender spring asparagus shoots just starting to pop up now.
That roasted asparagus tart is so beautiful and elegant. I would probably eat the entire thing myself while my husband wasn’t home LOL.
“That she whipped up a batch/Sent them straight down the hatch.” That fourth line is genius — best line I’ve heard in a limerick in a long while. Pretty tart, too, although I don’t touch that green stuff (I could make it with spinach or arugula though).
I love asparagus season!! I know I’d just love this Smidge. Thank you for sharing it! I’m happy to hear your son liked it too. That gives me hope for Hubby, who also doesn’t appreciate asparagus the way he should
Your limerick is wonderful! It made me smile. See—>
I bow to your many talents my friend…Have a wonderful weekend Smidge! xoxo
Loved the limerick, made me smile too…
and the asparagus tart is sublime! I never used roasted asparagus for this type of recipe, what was I thinking? It is the best route to take!
hope you will have a great weekend, whatever is on your menu…
Ohmegosh, this looks so good and delicious!!!! (and it’s almost lunch time here)
Why do I always come across most delicious stuff when my stomack is growling?!
Very Pretty.
Wonderful post, Smidge… food certainly pleasures me a great deal – or some less odd sounding version of the same sentence… I shall dutifully have a Guinness tomorrow, after my concert, not before. That’s a seriously delicious tart by the way – seriously good.
I love how you began this post
Though let me clarify – test does not equal pleasure unless given by food blogger
And your roasted asparagus tart is so tasty! I love it!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Wonderful tart!
You are making me so thirsty and hungry right now:) Have A Great Weekend – Happy St Paddys Day!
Your asparagus tart is making me drool! How yummy!
My answer was wrong too…
But the recipe excellent… I haven’t heard this one before seems so beautiful and delicious too. Thank you dear Barbara, have a nice weekend and Happy St.Patrick Day, with my love, nia
Love the quiz, love the limerick, love the tarte! Happy early St. Patty’s to you!
Lovely as usual! I will not go into one of my asparagus rants again but I do love it (soooooo much!) and this this tart!
This tart looks oh, so very good, Smidge! Simple enough to make, too. I toured the Guinness brewery in Dublin. At the end, as with most brewery tours — or so I’ve heard … ahem — they offer you a pint. Each pint is served with a shamrock outlined in the foam. At the time, I was tending bar here in Chicago and I watched that man serve pint after pint. I never did learn how to do it. And I spilled a whole lot of Guinness trying.
Love, love, love the Limerick – clever you. And a very Happy St Patrick’s Day to you too. xo
OMG – I despise cooking but you may just have me tucked in for this one cuz! ymmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!! xoxoxoxoxo
and yes I answered all of the above…of course I KNEW that was a tricky answer (the one you made up) but based on deductive reasoning I would say it holds true anyways!!!
duh…tricky ANSWER I mean…hehehehe…maybe I need to make that yummy dish and eat to feed my poor tired brain…grin
I’m a huge fan of asparagus and that looks very delicious and the colour is of course appropriate for St Patrick’s Day. Inasmuch as I have eaten plenty of asparagus, I have never had a guiness. Today would be a good day for my first. Love the limerick! xx
You know I don’t miss school! Now as for that tart, that is a beautiful thing. It definitely feels like spring when you start to cook with asparagus.I could see myself making it soon.
Ha! I book marked an asparagus tart just like that the other day to make, now seeing yours I really HAVE to make one
yum!
Beautiful post and love the tart!
Happy Pat’s Day!
Well that got the brain kick started and yes I went for (f)!!!! Do you really like Guinness? I couldn’t help but notice the familiar can from your photo. Being Irish it’s a logo that’s imprinted on my brain with an indelible marker!! There’s nothing nicer than having a glass of Guinness beside an open fire, warm and cosy. Drink aside this recipe looks amazing and one I definitely want to try!! Thanks for such a great post. Rhoda x
Stunning shots of the Guinness and more of my favourite asparagus! Top of the Mornin´(well, afternoon now) to you
I win, I win!!! OK, I’ll have a Guinness if you insist! Happy St. Paddy’s Day to you too. I love that asparagus tart. Is asparagus in season in Calgary? It is not quite yet in Toronto, but with the upcoming week, with temperatures soaring into the high teens and early twenties, it may soon be!
I guessed right! =D
The Roasted Asparagus Tart… wow, I am impressed, I am disturbed and want it now!
Your pictures look amazing! =P Great fit with the irish brew, by the way, happy st.patricks day!
Positively glorious Smidge! This gets pinned! Love it! xoxo
hi, i love your post it’s absolutly amazing, i have not been blogging for a while but i will soon be back
I just stumbled upon your page today, what a beautiful blog. I can’t wait until the asparagus season! This tart looks delicious!
Now this looks like my kind of way to eat asparagus! Yum!!! Hope you had a great St. Patty’s Day Smidge.
Oh, boy, *that’s* pretty. And you, my dearest, you are so gorgeous inside and out that I can’t think of any reason why *more* of you would be anything but a fabulous thing!
Hi, cuz!! How sweet:) of you to come by here and leave a comment <3 I knew you would get it right.. you were always smarter than me:) Love you xoxoxo and have a wonderful week!!
This look so good! I can’t wait for my asparagus to start popping up out of the ground so I can make it.
Me too.. only I don’t have a garden
I just love reading your posts – it always seems to be when I need a break from work and the beginning of each post really does transport me to a different world. And to end them on food – well, there really is no better ending, is there ??
I love this asparagus tart. The idea that the pastry will puff up and pillow each stalk of asparagus really appeals to me.
Wow, every time I check your Blog – I get hungry. Nice foods again today, and I liked your beginning test! You do cooking well! I will have to stick to my garden blog. That is where I do my creativity like you do with food. If you want to look, check out http://www.gardensatwaterseast.blogspot.com Some nice photos that will wet your appetite in other ways. Jack
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