I Dream of Rapini

A Rabe is a Raab is a Rapini.... What's in a name? That which we call a Rabe by any other name would taste as bitter.... and THAT is the only time you will see me reference Shakespeare in this blog! (and I only did it to stun my husband) However, future references to Gertrude Stein are not impossible!

Broccoli Rabe / Raab / Rapini is a vegetable with a Bad Raabutation. (I'm sorry) I've seen it mentioned in recipes for years, and the copy always frightened me off. It also said something to the effect of "Broccoli Rabe is an extremely bitter green that will knock your ever-loving socks off with it's nastiness! If you still have a taste bud left on your tongue, it would behoove you to replace the Rapini in the Recipe with something palatable, like Chard." So, I never dared to try it! I don't like bitter greens... and even more so, my husband has a tough time with bitter greens. This created a decade during which every time I read "broccoli rabe" I instantly translated that into meaning "chard." However, this project is all about challenging my own perceptions on food, so I decided to finally Give Raab A Chance.

It looks so harmless!

I made a batch of Sauteed Sausage and Grapes with Broccoli Rabe. And it made me wonder, what had I been so afraid of? Perhaps the sweetness of the grapes managed to trick me, but the Rapini didn't seem to be more bitter than something like Collard Greens. It was totally fine and there was no reason I should have spent 10 years Dodging the Raab!

Along with my dinner, since I'm a Beer Drinking Broad these days, I had a glass of Trader Jose's Dark Lager. And this helped to cement the fact that I really am now ok with many varieties of dark beers. The light beers still pose a huge problem for me, but I've come around to the dark ones. Which is major progress!

In closing, I want to tell you that I almost called this entry Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Rapini, but as much as I liked that, it makes no sense. And it reminded me of those idiotic PETA women who go around in those Lettuce Bikinis. So, I would like to take a moment to point out, in case any of you are confused, I don't know ANY vegans, or even other people who otherwise support animal rights, who are fans of PETA and their tactics. PETA clearly has nothing but lunatics as members, because no sensible people support them. I just wanted to make sure that no one reading this could possibly think, "Oh, she's a vegan, so she must go around wearing a Lettuce Bikini and holding up PETA signs in her spare time." I'm still too much of an Old School Feminist to embrace their nonsense!

Crazy lunatics giving vegans a bad name.

PS. I still haven't worked up the courage to eat another of those seaweed snacks....