Foodventure Sins of 2007 Series: Me

Ok, I figure I might as well start the confessional series with my own list of foodie sins, so here goes:

1) Honey Walnut Shrimp (and variants thereof) available at Panda Inn, PF Changs & other Americanized Chinese restaurants - I am not even sure why I am so addicted to this dish. It sounds yucky (battered fried shrimp tossed in a honey-laced, mayo-laden sauce with a few candied walnuts for garnish) but it's such a nirvana-like (though guilt-ridden) pleasure every time I pop one of these sweet, heavy, crispy suckers into my mouth.

2) The Tamale Cakes at Cheesecake Factory - probably because it's a "savory" dish that appeals to my sweet tooth and my fat cravings; the masa patties are super-sweet and it's topped with obscene amounts of avocado, salsa verde, sour cream and a chipotle-ranch-like sauce. On the up note, I can eat this "appetizer" alone and be full, though I'm sure it's packed enough calories for all three meals.

3) Frozen Pot Pies from ConAgra Marie Callender's - nevermind what hormones & antibiotics those animals were possibly injected with, they are the perfect instant comfort food swimming with vegetables in a gravy like sauce and covered in an artery-clogging crust. And unlike some pot pies which try to deceive you with only a top crust, I can be assured that the gravy-sogged side & bottom crusts are there for me in these individual sized fellas (the box may say 2 servings per pie -- but who really shares these anyways?)

4) Pudding Milk Teas from various "boba" places - having worked at a Tapioca joint for almost two years in college, I am utterly sick of those damned pearls. But I still can't get enough of the custardy pudding that you can slurp up through the thick straws. If it's any less sinful sounding, I do prefer to get my teas from joints that fresh-brew them to order (and not let them sit in a vat for half a day), such as Monrovia's Aloha Boba.

5) "Rolly Sushi" - Yes, there are occasions when by "let's eat sushi" I mean the grossness that's dripping with teriyaki sauce and mayo and stuffed with avocados, shrimp tempura & imitation crab. More the reason for me not to post a photo up . . . which will likely wound up on a "Wanted" poster at real sushi bars all over the city. Also a word of caution to future dining companions, double check with me on what I really mean when I go "let's eat sushi".

Alright, I've spilled my beans of shame -- now it's your turn :)

Need Your Help for My End-of-Year List Series!

The end of the year is around the corner, and we all know what that means in the world of media: lists, lists and more lists. There's even a list to endorse lists! So I'm going to put one up before '07 rolls out, with your help!

As Sarah from "The Delicious Life" pointed out, we foodbloggers and foodblog followers don't always eat out at the hottest, trendiest & tastiest restaurants, nor do we whip up fancy meals fitting for saliva-inducing photos every single time. I'm going to take her point one step further: hell, there are times when we love eating stuff that we hate to tell to our acolytes.

"You, my epicurean muse? Like that?!" Yes; here's a tissue.

You may try to hide it, but the clues are there... orange chicken sauce stain on the shirt, the cheets caught under fingernails, or that rapid-fire order for a strawberry daiquiri. How 'bout the "Cheesecake Factory" receipt (for a party of one) that fell out of the billfold? Oh the horror!

But think of the cathartic release you'll get by confessing your favorite anti-foodie edibles & potables to me for my series of "Foodventure Sins of 2007"! (If you've read this far into my entry, consider yourself tagged to reply) Simply comment to this post or send me an e-mail with your list of Americanized, chain-y, mass-produced, adulterated, corporate and/or semi-homemade stuff that you just can't resist but also can't fully bring yourself to admit loving. A few words about what keeps drawing you back is appreciated too!

I'll be posting the series till the end of the year (because, of course, next year we'll all repent and learn from the errors of our ways and just cold turkey all that junk off . . . or so we would say.)

And I will be putting up my foodventures sins list shortly, so stay tuned . . .

If you feel like restoring the balance by also proclaiming your love of swanky & respectable joints - send it to Dana from the "The Knife" for the Kindest Cuts series (including one submitted by yours truly).

Did I mention you're already tagged if you got this far? ;)