Portabello mushrooms did not light my fire like I thought they might. This disappoints me because I was seriously ready to embrace portabello as the new sirloin. I found a recipe in a cookbook given to me by my brother's girlfriend, Laura, for "Portobello Parmigiano Sandwiches with Roasted Pepper Salsa" and I have to say that if I was a portobello fan, these would have been phenomenal. As it was, they did not rise above a good idea. Let me describe them to you briefly: an Italian seasoned breading coats the mushroom caps (which look ALOT like a burger patty), which are then baked in an oven for 15 minutes before melting smoked mozzarella over them. Separately, equal parts roasted red peppers and pizza sauce are pureed together to make a delicious sauce. The cheese covered breaded mushroom caps are placed on a whole wheat bun and topped with the saucy spread before serving. Can you picture them? Don't they look delicious?
If looks and smells were all it took to make me a fan of these sandwiches, you would be free to call me a fan. The problem is that my teeth could not be fooled after that first bite. They have that slippery "mushroom" texture that I find so unappealing. I really tried to like them by engaging in conversation so stimulating that it was sure to distract me from the fact that I was eating a big mushroom. But this tactic failed the moment my teeth penetrated the stem. That was it for me. On a positive note, I quickly learned that my dog IS an actual fan of the portobello parmigiano sandwiches.
I shared this story with my friend Michelle today during our run. As a side note, Michelle has abandoned her "vegan for a month" pledge. Curiously, it was not milk, eggs, or cheese that were her undoing, it was (unofficially) salmon and (officially) fried chicken. And she is already a mostly-vegetarian. I'm not sure I understand Michelle's logic there, but hey. She doesn't have to justify her dietary choices to me. ANYHOW, Michelle told me she "grew to love" portobello mushrooms after she bit into a portobello burger at Terry's Turf Club on Eastern Avenue and found it to be absolutely delicious. Ok, I will give portobello mushrooms one more chance because I have heard great things about Terry's Turf Club and if they can make a believer out of Michelle, maybe there is hope for me yet.
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