Panko-Fried, Tempura Battered Chicken Strips with Tempura Brussels Sprouts, Pan-Fried Brussels Sprouts, an Onion & Potato Bake, and a Smoky Honey Mustard Sauce (Best Meal I’ve Made Yet) This meal is what it’s all about. Practice technique. Experiment with flavors. Crush. Wash Dishes. Repeat. I don’t know what it was about this meal that set it so apart from the rest. I know I didn’t leave the kitchen the whole time, I know Tanner was great help with prepping, I know everything we cooked was fresh and prepared correctly. Other than that, I’m not sure why this was so good. There wasn’t anything I could point out and say should have been cooked longer/slower/differently. The tempura came out perfectly on the Brussels sprouts and the chicken, the breading was spicy enough (I add my cayenne, white pepper, powders, salts, and seasonings to the breading before and sprinkle it on again after frying), the onion and potato dish was just the right amount of buttery, and the sauce on top was worthy of jarring. The feel of the meal was heavy soul food. You could tell you were eating something along the lines of a guilty pleasure but there wasn’t a strong presence of breading or butter and it didn’t feel like my pores were going to ooze oil by the end of the meal. All I would add next time would be a light salad and a little Romano on the pan-fried sprouts. Buon appetito! Beer Pairing: Allagash - Hugh Malone (Allagash is known for some remarkably distinct ales and Hugh Malone, a malty Belgian Chinook IPA, doesn’t disappoint) Music Pairing: Action Bronson - Blue Chips 2 (listen here)