Now Back

If there was anyone out there wondering where I was, have no fear because I have returned. During my absence my entire life has done an about face. I've given up the editing job and taken a job as VP-Operations for a small restaurant group, where I can use my mind and still do my catering thing on the side. It seems to be working out well.

My real plan was never to go back into the restaurant thing full time again, but the only way I could pay my bills editing was to cater every other day of the week. I was working seven days a week way too much. Pretty much made life miserable. My home has always been the kitchen and beyond that the restaurant industry. Now I put to work what I know and pay the bills at the same time.

Hot Sauce With a Taste For Barbecue

I love Barbecue. I mean the Slow-Smoked, Pulled-Apart, Tender Pork Variety that doesn't have more than a whiff of sauce on it until they meet together on the bun kind. And I want a decent bun too. I'm not for the whole dripping and falling apart cheap ones that turn into goo and leave sauce running down your shirt. The bun is a part of the experience. In all cooking, I feel that Superior Ingredients create a Superior Product.

What I do find is that I want my Barbecue Sauce to have a zing to it rather than having to add Tabasco to the mix for a little spice up. Here's a recipe that does the trick for me.

In a Saucepan Combine:

12 Fresh Cayenne Peppers, Chopped
2T Canola Oil
1/2 Cup Tomato Juice
2T Unsulphered Molasses
1T Lemon Juice
1 Vidalia Onion, Diced & Caramelized
1 Sweet Red Pepper, Diced
1/2 Cup White Wine Vinegar
4 Cubes Sugar
1/2T Ground Black Pepper
1T Prepared Horseradish
10 Cloves Fresh Garlic, Chopped
Salt to Taste

Bring to a boil, then cut back the heat and let it all simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and puree in a food processor or blender. Run it all through a strainer or just use as is.

Another Post About Tomatoes

I can't help but put up another post about fresh tomatoes. They are the food of summer as far as I'm concerned. Recently, I started joining Maksim on snacking tours of the garden. They usually involve a little nibble of Rosemary, Oregano, Basil & dill, but the primary focus is the end of the garden sprawling with various Tomatoes. I have to admit that I have no clue what varieties they are with the exception of the Romas. Everything else is a mystery and overall I'm not sure that one is more favored than another.

And that brings me a point I have been tossing around in my head for a while... What really makes a difference in produce is that the vegetables are allowed to ripen on the vine and are picked and consumed in rapid succession. The great produce I buy comes from the local farmers markets and not the grocery store. I know that seems like a basic assumption, but many people think that making the effort to get up on a Saturday and go buy a big basket full of local produce is too much of a hassle when the Food Lion up the road has it out 24/7/365. Take the time. Do it right. Support your local Farmers.

Summer Tomato Salad

This is heaven for the summertime and continues with my trend of putting up recipes involving both Tomatoes & Basil. What can I say? I guess I'm an addict. This isn't a really technical recipe and measuring really is pointless here. This salad is a get back to basics exercise that takes virtually no time and leaves you thanking yourself for the effort.

First up grab a couple of nice, fresh garden tomatoes and cut them into wedges. Place them in a mixing bowl and toss in a handful of Chopped Basil, a Few Leaves of Fresh Oregano. Two or Three Tablespoons of Minced Vidalia Onion and a Dab of Minced Garlic. Gently spritz the whole thing with Champagne Vinegar & a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Mix it all together with a loving touch. Adjust Salt & Pepper to taste.

Now serve it over some Crisp, Fresh Greens. Get Crazy and Toss in a Little Fresh Mozzarella. Life is good. Summer is tasty!

Tartar Sauce

I know this isn't exciting, but I also cannot tell you how many times I have been faced with a tartar sauce made by someone who didn't care and just went ahead and slapped some mayonnaise and pickles together and sent it out. You know who you are, you lazy fools. Here's the way I do it:

2 Hard Boiled Eggs
1 Cup Mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons Finely Minced White Onion
1 Clove Fresh Garlic - Minced
1 Tablespoon Capers - Minced
1/2 Teaspoon Curry Powder
1 Lemon - Juiced
Salt & Pepper to Taste

This one is easy. Peel the Eggs and Toss the Yolks only into your mixing bowl. Crush them with a Fork and add a small bit of the mayonnaise. Work the two together until any clumps of yolk are broken up. Finely dice the egg whites and toss them in with everything else. Mix and refrigerate. Serve with Crab Cakes, and any kind of fish you can think of. Delight in the joy of real Tartar.

Oven Roasted Tomato, Basil & Mozzarella

For some reason my recipes seem to keep coming back to tomato and basil. Could that be because it is the height of summer and my garden is just pumping both out by the ton? Could be.

Here's an easy one asked for by a friend & slightly modified from the last time he had it. Oven-Roasted Tomato, Basil & Mozzarella Bread

2 Ripe Tomatoes
1 Loaf French Bread
3 Cloves Garlic
1 Handful of Fresh Basil
A Couple of Spigs Fresh Oregano
4 Tablespoons Butter
2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella
1/2 Cup Parmesan
S&P to taste


First up:

Turn the oven on to about 300. Slice the Tomatoes 1/2" thick and Place the slices on a sheet tray. Lightly salt and pepper them. Toss in the over for about 1/2 hour. After the Tomatoes are out of the oven raise the temperature to 400.

Next:

In a mixing bowl or food processor toss the butter, Parmesan, Basil (if you are doing this by hand, chop up the basil and oregano) Oregano, Garlic (minced), and mix it all together.

Slice your French Bread in half lengthwise and spread the Butter & Cheese mix evenly over the bread. Top the Bread with the slices of Tomato and the remaining Mozzarella on top of that. Pop it all back in the oven until the Cheese is Melted and the Bread is Crisp.

Absensce

Sorry about my abscence. A new restaurant consulting gig has come my way and demands my attention most of my time these days. The opening date is less than a month away and the owners are still spinning their wheels. Now I'm there to bear some weight and help push them forward in a manner that makes sense from a culinary standpoint as well being responsible economically. Wish me luck.

Catering Tonight

Unfortunately, I do not have much time to update today. A catering client of mine asked me to do a dinner tonight at about 3:30 p.m. yesterday, and I had to say yes. I love last minute seat of my pants cooking. Here is the menu:

Hor's D

A Selection of Cheeses (St. Andre, XXXtra Sharp NY Cheddar, Smoked Gouda),

Nuts (Cashews, Pecans) & Fruits (Plums, Peaches, Champagne Grapes)

Salad

Summer Tomato Salad Over Baby Greens

Accompanied By

Fresh Mozzarella, Cucumbers & Oregano

Moscato Vinaigrette

Entree

Roasted Pork Loin in a Fresh Cherry & Burgundy Sauce

Rosemary Yukon Gold Potato Tatin

Slow Simmered Local Green Beans with Caramelized Vidalia Onions & Garlic

Dessert

White Chocolate Shortcake Touched by a Melange of Berries & Whipped Cream

All Made by Me. All Organic. Nice.

Kitchen Creativity

Last night I sat down with a potential catering client to discuss the possibility of handling the catering at her house and I have to say that I'm really excited. It's an opportunity for me to do a variety of different jobs, themes, and styles. Basically it seems like a creative outlet that can round out my life behind the editor's desk.

I spent the night and the morning thinking up ideas. Here are some:

Slow Roasted Moullard Duck Breast in a Fresh Cherry & Burgundy Sauce Accompanied by a Roasted Garlic Mousse & Crispy Rosemary Potatoes

Sweet Potato Pancakes w/ Roasted Red Pepper Creme Fraiche & Chives

Whole Grain Flatbread w/ Oven Roasted Hannover Tomatoes, Geneovese Basil & Buffalo Mozzarella

Local Trout in a Brown Butter, Scallion, Pine Nut & Lemon Sauce

Goat Cheesecake Drizzled In Raspberry & Port Syrup

Rockfish in Mango Barbecue Glaze Over A Spicy Black Bean Sauce

Chilled Grilled Shrimp w/ a Tomato Ginger Jam

Grilled Crab Manicotti

Salt & Pepper Caribbean Lobster Tail

Cornmeal Crusted Oysters w/ Curried Tartar

Wild Mushroom Wontons

Now of course my brain is seizing up and I can't think of any more at the moment. I suppose that is the way it always is. I still need to brainstorm more and then move into developing recipes that work from both a cooking and serving standpoint.

Family Cooking In a Cabin On Lake Norman

This past weekend, I took the family down to Lake Norman, outside of Charlotte, North Carolina and spent some quality time with my brother and cousin plus all of their kids and significant others. In the process, I got to cook dinner for everybody. This is the kind of cooking I really enjoy, because I'm doing it for people I know and care about. Plus, you get a gush of immediate responses. The kids are the best because their responses are not censored and they don't really feel the need to protect and massage other's egos. They just let it rip and that is fantastic. I appreciate honesty far more than obligatory praise.

This story really starts the second night we were down there, because we arrived too late for dinner on Friday. The whole day was perfect for jet skiing and hanging out with everyone in and around the water. After taking a quick nap with the boy, I started hearing whispers about my cooking for everyone. As I said before, I like cooking for everyone, but doing the freestyle cooking thing in an ill-equipped lake house with no chance to go to the store. Sorry, I didn't mention that the closest store was a healthy trek away and I woke from our nap far past the time dinner should have been started. So there I was pulling everything out of the fridge and creating as I went. I ended up with something that went a little like this:

(Cream of Refridgerator Chicken)

12 Boneless-Skinless Chicken Breasts
6 Green Peppers
4 Yellow Squash
5 Carrots
6 Toasted Slices of Whole Wheat Hippy Bread - Finely Diced
8 Slices of Honey Ham
1 Chunk of Swiss Cheese
8 Fresh Peaches
1 Smirnoff Ice malt beverage
2C Orange Juice
4T Cheap Yellow Mustard
3C Ginger Ale

Now, If you've made it through the ingredients and are still with me out of some sick curiousity, let's see how I put it all together. First up, I julienned the Green Peppers, Yellow Squash, & Carrots. No Garlic or Onions, not because I couldn't have used them, but these are not typical ingredients utilized by my relatives apparently. Next, I sauteed up the vegetables along with the ham. Once it was all softened up in went the Swiss Cheese and Bread.

In a separate pot, Skin and chunk up the peaches, Pour in the Ginger Ale & Orange Juice and start to reduce, while making sure to mash up the fruit as you go. Randomly grab a bottle of Cheap Yellow Mustard and Squeeze some of that in there too for a distinctly Jamaican Feel. Once you notice that it needs a little bit of tartness, go for the bottle of Smirnoff Ice. Pour that right in also. Just don't drink it. Really a bad idea. I know, because I did.

Once the stuffing has cooled, cut a nice pocket into the chicken breast and cram full of the mysterious pepper, squash, ham compound. Spread a little Country Crock fake butter stuff over the top and pop in a 400 degree oven. Occasionally baste the chicken with the Peach Sauce while it cooks until there is a nice crust over the chicken. Pull and slice on the bias to show off the beauty of the stuffing. Drizzle with remaining sauce. Quickly open and heat a can of Baked Beans. Call everyone to dinner, then sit back and enjoy the compliments as they pour in.

Feed Your Kids Right

The ultimate solution to kids eating better is to actively involve them in the process. Every kid I know is interested in cooking. The only thing that seems to hold them back are parents that cannot be bothered with it. But by now all of you know that taking the time and preparing a nice healthy home-cooked family meal is the only way to go, so it's time to let in the kids and let the real fun begin. One great way is to focus on the colors of different foods. Bell peppers his much of the rainbow. Use color to entice your kids. Make food about fun and not drudgery. Look for recipes that allow for a lot of prep away from the burners and knives. If you are chopping, simply put what you are doing into another bowl and let your child dump that into the pan. It's more fun than you think as long as you emphasize the fact that you are a team and building something together. Before long you will also realize that cooking together is a real chance to spent time with your kids as well as taking care of their nutritional needs.

And maybe the most important part of the whole family meal thing is to remember that your dinner is not about you. My wife will try to push her veggies off to the side of her plate or even make faces at certain things. At least she did until I kind of lost my mind and strongly exhorted her to remember that her responses are mimicked by our son. She got the point and even seems to use the "it's not about you" line as a mantra. Whatever works I suppose.

I'm not saying that I am the greatest tender of my child or that we don't dine on the occasional pizza or french fry, but those nights really are in the minority and I think the decision to engage Maksim's eating habits rather than avoid them will serve him and my future grandchildren well in the long run.

Solutions for children's Poor Eating Habits - Part 1

Yes, I realize the post from yesterday is pretty much a rant and sometimes rants are a necessary way to express yourself. I have been extremely frustrated by my son taking on some of the attributes of our little visitor from last week, because he saw her get away with it and now he's trying to push the envelope too. You can't blame him or any kid for wanting to eat their favorite foods and only their favorite foods. They are kids, it's their job. Our jobs as parents is to nurture our children and raise them to have strong and healthy bodies and minds.

So, I offer up a few suggestions to healthier homemade eating. First up, I do not think it is ridiculous to expect your children to eat like you do, unless you are just shoving your pie hole full of processed trash. Then it is your job to make sure that your kid eats better than you do. I have never made a special meal for my son because I'm worried he won't like what we are having. It's my opinion that if you treat your child's meal as special from your own, they will always expect special. Why set your child apart from you? I find that kids want to be included and enjoy being an equal part of your world. When I make dinner it is for all of us, not just the adults. If he doesn't like it, then he has the choice of going hungry or eating anyway. When he decides to not eat and then wants a snack later in the evening, I simply reheat his dinner for his snack. Sometimes he goes for it and sometimes he doesn't. In general, he has just accepted that what's for dinner is on his plate and other things aren't an option. Of course he goes through phases where he wants one thing over and over, so I accommodate him by working his choice into the week's menu. Currently it is Shrimp and Pasta. See Recipe Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Simple, Fresh Pasta .

Speaking of menus... Try to rough out the weeks meals ahead of time, so you have an idea of what you are going to do. Having a plan in the kitchen really makes it easier when you get down to doing the cooking, because you do not have to pull ideas out of the ether. Instead you know what you are going to do, which makes pulling off the final product easier. It's a realizing expectations thing. Not so tough really. Tonight I know that I'm doing Pork Chops with Roast Sweet Potatoes and Succotash. Tomorrow Roast Chicken with Wild Rice and Green Beans. Maybe it's a little bit boring to plan out dinner, but once the planning and buying is done I don't have to worry about it. My neighbor is a lousy cook, but she lines up her recipes for the week in a notebook every Sunday before grocery shopping and then buys the ingredients from there. That way she has a plan as well as knows nothing will be missing when it comes to executing the dinner.

These are just a couple of things I thought of in working against the cycle of people not being engaged in the feeding of their families. I hope any of this helps someone out there.

Red Sauce or White Sauce

Now don't start thinking that this will be any sort of post about buerre blanc and buerre rouge, because it's just not going to be it. I'd be happy to do one if anyone would like, but this post is one that has been kicking around in my head for a while and now I'm just going to start putting it out there and see what I come up with. The real inspiration for this post was a visit from one of my best friends, Matthew, over the July 4th holiday. We have been tight ever since our days at the University of Virginia, but our wives and kids had only spent a minimal amount of time together. The one thing I can say is that his daughter, 3, and my son, 4, got along great. Of course they battled it out here and there, but for the most parts they were playing together most of the time.

But what do I write about here? Inter-family bliss? No, I write about food and eating and so we need to get to what has been going on for me since their visit and my thoughts on kids and food. First the basics, his daughter is what you would call a picky eater. In fact virtually everything that goes into her mouth is accompanied by a generous amount of red sauce or white sauce. Now, in this case, the red sauce is ketchup (or catsup if you are old school with your spelling) and the white is Ranch Dressing. Seeing this really kind of freaked me out, and made me think back to my little brother who has definitely had to deal with a healthy dose of eating issues himself. For him it was more of a choice between honey and ranch dressing, but either way it was about covering his food in goop before he ate it. He ate the simplest and worst foods imaginable for a little kid and in the process he grew fat and unhealthy. I'm happy to report that he now looks great and seems to eat a more balance array of foods.

The question I find myself coming to is why kids fall into this spot where they eat a limited number of foods, refuse to try new things, and bury what they do consume in copious amounts of sauce. The answer I think is both simple and very difficult. First off, people just need to get off their lazy butts and put some time in the kitchen. Buying a bunch of premade processed foods and feeding your family with it every day is completely bankrupt in the humanity department. You owe it to yourself and your loved ones to put some effort into what is coursing through your veins. I know people that think more about what grade and kind of gasoline they put in their cars than they do about what they fuel themselves with. It's just wrong. You are not to busy to cook a real meal for your family. The TV or computer or whatever it is can wait until after the meal is made.

The excuse that really gets to me is the whole, "I can't" or "I don't" cook excuse, as if making that decision and labelling yourself in that way excuses you from ever having to put a pan on the stove. If you are a parent and raising children, it's not about you and what you can't or won't do. It's about your children and if you really and truly want the best for them, simply learn. Not everyone can get in the kitchen and whip up something fantastic, but the reality is that everyone can learn the basics and retain enough knowledge to keep the table filled with good things. The next time you reach in the freezer to pop dinner in the microwave just take a second to read the nutritional information on the side of your Stouffer's box. There's nothing good in there, I promise you that much. Go out and take a class, buy a book, surf for recipes online. Do whatever it takes, but don't just shove a chicken nugget and a french fry in your kids mouth because it makes them happy and shuts them up for a few minutes, because you are not really helping yourself. You're actually hurting them.

Unfortunately, I now have to end this post for the day because my lunch hour is nearly over, but I promise that tomorrow I will offer what I see as reasonable paths to better diets for our kids and not just a rant.

Grilled Lemon Chicken With Rosemary & Basil

This is my absolute favorite way to do chicken on the grill, because all of the flavors just come together for something that really defines the summer grilling season. It's simple & not prep intensive so you can set it up and get on with your life. Try it out, and I bet you will find yourself making it over and over.

The Necessities:

1 Head Garlic - Peeled & Diced
4 Lemons - Halved & Sliced Thin
1 Whole Chicken - Boned & Cut 8-ways
2T Champagne Vinegar
1/4C Fresh Basil - Chopped
2T Fresh Rosemary - Chopped
1/2T Cracked Black Pepper
1T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt Before Grilling

Toss All of the Ingredients into a Mixing Bowl Until it is Sufficiently Jumbled About Then Cover With plastic Wrap and Weight the Top With a Plate. You Want Enough Pressure to Keep the Chicken Fully Covered in the Marinade.

preferably the next day, Fire up your grill and toss on the Chicken Skin side down. Watch for flare ups because as the flames lick the Chicken they like to leave an off flavor of burning oil. I usually have a spray bottle of water to keep them in check. Grill the Chicken until the outside is thoroughly Grilled but not burnt. In order to minimize burning, I usually grill the chicken and then pop it in the oven on 400 degrees for about twenty minutes to make sure it is cooked evenly and to the proper temp.

Finally, Pull it out and dig in.

Mac N Cheese Please

What I use:

1# Tricolor Rotini
Bag Shredded Cheddar or other Cheese
1/2 Cup Whole Milk
2T Unsalted Butter
1/2# Roast Turkey Breast (leftovers or the handy kind ready done at the grocery store)
1 can Green Peas
4 Cloves Fresh Garlic
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Start off by cooking the Rotini & draining off the water. Toss in the butter, milk, garlic, peas & turkey and let that all warm up until the garlic softens. Then add back in the pasta. Toss it all around and slowly add the cheese until it thickens up into creamy goodness. Adjust seasonings.

So much better than the box and not really any more time. Also try tossing in some Sundried Tomatoes for a little zing. And maybe even a little fresh basil.

Revamp

I think the time has come for me to start adding pictures to these recipes so you can see that I actually make the things I write about. I can't really promise to do it every time, but I'm up for giving it a whirl and seeing what happens.

One Horrible Taste

I have to tell you that there isn't much that scares me as far as food goes. I'll eat anything on land or sea just to see what it's all about. OK maybe not anything, but here is a list of some of the tasty treats I have happily snacked on starting with buffalo testicles and moving on from there. To name a few: Cod Liver, Various Snakes, Gator, Every Kind of Conceivable Sushi, Kudu, Impala, Springbok, Water Buffalo, Wild Boar, Moose, Bear, Dove, Partridge, Snails, Grasshoppers, Live Eels, Pigeon, Squirrel, Lots of Glands, Brains, Kidneys, Organs Galore and plenty more I'd love to tell you about and am having a hard time pulling out of the ether right now. But hands down the absolute funky miserable taste is... Hold on, let me tell you how this all began.

We were out doing a little quick fix shopping earlier since the boy is spending the night with his grandparents. In the process, the wife lets me know that she would like to join some co-workers for a night on the town. I heartily encouraged her and made preparations for a manly alone night with a low-effort-not-so-healthy dinner and a few cocktails while vegetating to the television. I was basically psyched. It has been a long week. I set my sights on some hot italian sausage burgers, Pringles & to top it off something. I don't know what, so in a fit of absolute stupidity I see Blue Diamond Almonds in the BOLD Maui Onion & Garlic Flavor and I think to myself that, "Hey, I like almonds. I'm BOLD, and I like flavor. Maui seems like a nice place, I bet they grow some fine tasting onions. And Garlic is a man's best friend, especially when paired with the salt on an almond." Or so one would think.

So far I have gargled with mouthwash, brushed my teeth twice and now, began to attempt to drown the taste with a drink or two. Nothing works. My mouth is consumed by the worst taste known to man and it will not leave. There is nothing to compare it to unless you are capable of licking yourself like a dog. That, I'm strictly guessing here might come close to the misery my taste buds are currently suffering. I may never recover.

Take my advice, "DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES PUT A BLUE DIAMOND ALMONDS BOLD MAUI ONION & GARLIC NUT IN YOUR MOUTH! YOU WILL REGRET IT FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER!" I'm starting to wonder if pulling my own trigger and vomiting might make the agony subside, but I think it will only make it worse. Damn you Blue Diamond Almonds!

Simple, Fresh Pasta

This is one of my son's favorite things to eat. It's quick, easy, and a flavor explosion.

What you need:

1 Medium - Large Tomato - Diced into 1/4" pieces
1/2 Diced Yellow Onion
3 Cloves Fresh Garlic - Minced
1 Red Pepper - Diced
1/4 Cup White Wine
2T Butter
1t Grated Lemon Rind
Fresh Chopped Basil to Taste
Salt & Pepper as Desired
4C Cooked Rotini

Toss Onions, Garlic, & Red Pepper in a Saute pan over medium heat with a smidge of olive oil. Saute until the onions become transluscent and toss in the Tomato & Lemon Rind. Let it all cook until the Tomato visibly softens up. Now toss in the Wine followed by the Butter & Basil. Let all of that work together for a minute or two, then drop in your pasta and toss continuously. Add Salt & Pepper as you wish and serve. Also works well with shrimp or chicken. Try with freshly shredded Pecorino Romano. Also works well with a nice Sangiovese or Pinot Grigio.

Happy Eating!

The One & Only Sloppy Joe Casserole

I came up with this one the other day while bottom surfing through our nearly empty fridge and let me tell you it was a winner on the first night and great for lunches at the office.

You will need:

1.5 - 2# Ground Beef
1 Diced Yellow Onion
1 Diced Green Pepper
3tsp Dark Chili Powder
2tsp Granulated Onion
2tsp Granulated Garlic
Salt & Pepper to Taste

1 Can Tomato Sauce 8 oz
4T Worchestershire Sauce
2T Molasses
1T Cheap Yellow Mustard
1T Brown Sugar

1/2# Pasta (You Pick the Shape)
8oz Shredded Cheddar Cheese

And This is How You Do It:

Saute the Beef, Onions, & Peppers until the vegetables are soft and the beef is cooked through. Toss in the seasonings and bring the heat down a little bit. Stir repeatedly until the seasonings are dispersed throughout the meat and veg. At the same time go ahead and get the pasta cooked off. I don't think this needs a lot of explanation other than: think as salty as seawater.

Add in the Wet Ingredients (Tomato Sauce, Worchestershire, Mustard & Molasses) plus the Brown Sugar and Stir thoroughly. Then reduce the heat a little more until everything thickens up a bit. Be sure to stir occasionally to make sure nothing sticks and burns.

Fill an oven safe pan 1/2 up with cooked pasta. I use an 8-inch round. Cover Pasta with the Sloppy Joe Mix & cover with the Shredded Cheddar. Pop into a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until there is a nice golden sheen on the cheese.

Dig in and Enjoy!

No Clue

Don't know why, but I haven't been able to log in to Blogger for the past many days. If I hadn't gotten in this time, I worry that I would have just moved on to something else and let this blog die on the vine. After all, that seems to be hov most of these things end up. Luckily for me I'm right in this time.

This weekend we're doing the service side of a wedding. That involves us providing the service personnel in the way of bartenders, servers and kitchen monkeys, but the food is already there and ready to go. Not so bad. There's no shopping or prep lists to do. The downside is that the money doesn't hold a candle to what we normally would make.

Also, in my time away I have had the chance to compile some solid family friendly recipes, so check back tomorrow for the sublime secret of Sloppy Joe Casserole.

WoW! Catering

So I haven't put up a new post here in a while. For some reason I have had a hard time logging in to Blogger from my desk at work. In general I do my cooking posts during lunch, but haven't been able to for some reason. Most likely it has to do with the computer system we have there. It is really piss poor for a huge corporation. I mean, I use the internet all day to check out various information about the companies I am reporting on and the system screws the pooch over and over again.

Lucky for me there is no catering to be done this weekend. The wedding on Saturday pretty much put me out of it for the past three days. My fingers have been locking up just like my last days in the kitchen. I don't know the exact reason, but I can't grip/hold on to things like I should. It just straight up hurts. I love cooking so much, but I just cannot do it physically anymore. I suppose it is because of my commitment to cooking and how I would work as many hours in a day that it would take to get the job done. I would pull 14 hour days when I was in my early teens and eventually you have to pay the piper. To tell the truth it really makes me sad. I miss the kitchen. In a kitchen there is something new everyday. You learn something and continually adapt. You become better or you become lazy. I'm sure I have done both. While I was burning out, my work was probably pretty bad compared to a few and still better than most, but there were many years in there where I pushed myself as hard as I could to evolve as a chef. So now, I'm evolved and physically useless. Hoorah for me.

Stuffed Baked Brie

Baked Brie is just such a nice thing to do for a party or a small wheel for the family on a Sunday afternoon. This recipe is for a nice Blueberry & Almond Stuffed Brie that I have been making for years and am doing for this gig on Saturday. It's easy and excellent, so give it a whirl and let me know what you think.

First:

1/2 Pint Blueberries (you can use frozen, but I never recommend anything but fresh)
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1/4 Cup of Red Wine or Use Port and Skip the Sugar

Toss all of this in a pan and heat until the Blueberries start to break down and the Wine is simmering. Dissolve 1 Tablespoon of Cornstarch in an equal amount of water and add to the mixture. Bring it back to a boil stirring constantly. After it has thickened, cool down over ice or in the fridge & add the remaining 1/2 pint of blueberries.

Second:

Toast 1/2 Cup Sliced Almonds in a 350 Degree oven just long enough to activate the oils and begin browning.

Third:

Pull the sheet of Puff Pastry from the freezer and set on the counter to thaw.

Slice the Brie in Half so that you have two equal circles. If you cut the Brie into Half Moons, put your knife down and go stand in a corner for 20 minutes then eat the brie cold and put the blueberries on top of pancakes.

Lay the Brie rind side down and spread the Blueberry mixture evenly over the circle leaving about 1/3 inch around the outside so the cheese can reseal to a certain extent. Press the cheese back together and set aside.

Once the Puff Pastry is soft enough to work with, use a rolling pin to stretch the dough enough to accomidate the entire brie wheel. Then, lay the Almonds around the center of the Pastry and set the Brie directly on top. The bottom in this situation is going to become the top if you haven't guessed. Carefully wrap the pastry around the cheese and nuts making sure not to punch holes in the dough. Pinch the dough together in order to seal the project and trim off excessive amounts of dough. Feel free to then use the excess dough to make designs on the top of the now perfectly wrapped Brie.

Once the Stuffed Brie is together and flipped to the proper side up, brush the entire thing with egg wash. That's a whole egg mixed with a little water just in case you didn't know.

Finally:

Pop this baby in the oven until the Pastry takes on a crisp golden hue. For best consistancy, let the brie cool briefly before cutting in. Otherwise, the cheese will simply ooze out everywhere. Now that it's cooled off a little dig in and enjoy on your favorite cracker, pretzel or finger, maybe even a strawberry. Whatever you like. Afterall, it is your snack.

Benchmark Catering Comes To Life

So, here I am about to really start pushing into a new cooking related business. I know I have said repeatedly that I'm out of the foodservice game, but catering is something I can really enjoy. It's not a day-to-day grind thing. Since this will be an entirely part-time venture, Iget the fun and excitement of cooking without the miserable hours of the restaurant. Plus, doing special events for people is a way of becoming part of a celebration and making it that much better.

Yesterday, we booked a 50 person party for some high school kids graduation. We're just doing a bunch of apps and the whole event is rather low-key. The woman hosting the event has an absolutely stunning house tucked back away from civilization just enough to enjoy the solitude without massive inconvenience. Her kitchen is gorgeous and roomy with lots of wonderful natural light, so it will be a pleasure putting out the event.

Here's the menu:

Beef Satay w/ a Cilantro-Peanut Sauce
Mini Potato Pancakes w/ a Chive Creme Fraiche
Shrimp Cocktail
French Bread Crusted w/ Oven Roasted Roma Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella & Geneovese Basil
Crudite w/ Boursin Dip
Fruit w/ Orange-Ginger Yogurt Sauce
Baked Brie Stuffed w/ Blueberries & Almonds
Chicken Wings w/ Honey BBQ Sauce
An Assortment of Sweets as yet to be determined

I'm not crazy about doing the chicken wings again, but her son had them at the last party we did and wanted them for his and I'm all about giving the customer what they want. I think she went with a nice menu, but I would have rather done something other than the whole Shrimp Cocktail thing. She said that Crabcakes were boring and opted for the Shrimp. As always the recipes will be following in my next posts. And now a word from my new sponsor:
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Chicken Parm - Fun For the Whole Family

My wife absolutely loves Chicken Parm. It's really kind of an addiction for her, and even though I'm personally not the biggest fan of it myself, the preparation has become something quite enjoyable around the Schroeder household. I think it is really important to involve my son in the cooking process. It's important for him to understand that food just does not appear on his plate and I never want him to accept processed prefab food to be a legitimate option. So this is what we do:

4 Chicken Breasts or Boneless-Skinless Thighs

Take the Breast or Thigh and Lay it on a wooden cutting board and then cover it with a multi-layered piece of film. We really don't want raw chicken all over, especially not a small child. Then, give your child the meat hammer and guide them through pounding the meat out. Maksim and I like to make songs up while we bludgeon the dinner or go for doing patterns. If the kid is getting too carried away just guide their motions until they get in the groove. Toss in a fresh piece as needed and set aside when ready.

Next pour these ingredients into a large Ziploc bag:

1 Cup of Flour
1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Granulated Garlic
1 Teaspoon Granulated Onion
1 Teaspoon Basil
1 Teaspoon Oregano

Let your child do the dumping after you measure out the spices. We're talking big fun in a little world. Then add in the chicken breasts and shake, shake, shake it all up. This too lends itself to singing. The sillier the better.

In a small bowl add & mix:

3 Whole Eggs
1/3 Cup Milk

In another bowl pour:

2 Cups Unseasoned Bread Crumbs
1/2 Cup Shredded Parm

Heat a Saute Pan half-full of oil on Medium High - Not for Children
Once the oil is hot Dip the breasts one at a time in the egg wash and then drudge it thoroughly in the bread crumbs. Watch for holes in the crust and try to make sure it is completely covered. Then carefully place the breast in the hot oil and watch it sizzle. I usually send Maksim to set the table or clean up while this goes on.

After the chicken is all fried, place them in a baking dish and scoop a healthy spoon of Marinara over each Breast. Cover the sauce with Shredded Parm & Mozarella and pop the pan in an oven at 350 degrees for about a half hour. I'm guessing on the time and thinking in terms of an action packed game of indoor basketball.

Serve with pasta and red sauce. Everybody's happy. Everybody had fun.

Artichoke & Pecorino Romano Stuffed Mushrooms

This is an enduring recipe, because it's easy to make and is always a hit at cocktail parties. The stuffing can also be spread on bread and toasted up or used as a dip. It goes a little something like this:

1 Can Artichoke Hearts - Diced (Do This Yourself, Don't Buy Them This Way)
4 Cloves of Fresh Garlic
1/2 Diced Yellow or White Onion - Try My Favorite Vidalia
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 Teaspoon White Wine Vinegar

Saute a these together in a pan until the onions become translucent, then Pour in about

1/2 Cup Cheap White Wine - Nothing Sweet
1 Cup Cream Cheese

Lower heat so that the wine is evaporating but the mix is not sticking or burning. Stir on a regular basis. Once mix starts pulling together reduce heat a little more and grate in a healthy dose of Pecorino Romano Cheese. I don't put an amount here because it is about personal taste. The cheese should supply all of the salt you will need, but add white pepper to taste. Stir steadily until you feel the stuffing really thicken up, then pull it off of the heat and scrape into another pan and cool down. You want the stuffing to stand up and not be runny, so you may want to check how it pulls together by taking out a spoonfull and setting it in the fridge for five minutes.

After the mix cools completely, refridgerating over night really works best, it's time to set to work on the mushrooms. You want to use mid-sized domestic mushrooms. Remember, people need to heat these in one bite. Pull out the stem without breaking the mushroom and brush any dirt and debris off of the cap. Take a paring knife and cust accross the top of the cap so you have a nice flat spot for the open cap to rest on, otherwise; you will find them all rolling over and the stuffing stuck to the bottom of your pan.

Use a spoon to scoop the stuffing into the caps. They should be nice and heaping full, but like everything else, this too is all about moderation. Once they are stuffed line your shrooms up like little soldiers on a sheet tray and pop them in a 400 degree oven until the stuffing is nicely browned. Don't be suprised when the mushrooms drop a bunch of water and it evaporates into a wall of steam, but also beware that an unbalanced sheet tray means shrooms on the low end can be flooded and ruined. If the water is really excessive, pull the tray out and dump it off. No one will miss it.

Finally, tray with a pretty garnish and a little more Pecorino Romano and you are there. I think I may have made this sound a little more complicated than it needs to, but give it a shot and let me know how it turned out.

Catering

Last night we pulled off another fine catering event. It was a high school graduation party and the kid had total control of the menu. It went something like this:

Roasted Beef Tenderloin w/ Horseradish Sauce & Rolls
Asian Chicken Wings
Hickory Smoked BBQ Pork Ribs
Foccaccia w/ Chevre, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, & Roasted Garlic - Peppercorn Sauce
Mushroom Caps Stuffed w/ Artichoke Hearts & Pecorino Romano Cheese
Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes w/ a Lemon-Chive Aioli
Shrimp Cocktail
Crudite w/ Boursin Dip
Fruit Plate w/ an Orange-Ginger Yogurt Sauce
Bruschetta

I think that was it and I have to say that it all worked out well. The people, about 40, seemed more than happy and hit us up for business cards and recipes all night. Of course we are not really an official catering operation at this point, so taking more business is a tricky situation. I really do not want to get too deep into another business at this point, but when done right catering is a very profitable enterprise. We will probably rent a space soon and take the leap, but I'm definitely keeping my day job. Recipes for all of this to follow.

A Fine One Pot Family Dinner

This is just something I put together last night with some chunks of pork and a melange of what was in the fridge. I wasn't expecting much, but when it finished up I have to say I was more than pleasantly suprised. It goes a little something like this:

1.5# Pork loin chunked into 1/2 inch cubes
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Medium Yellow Onions - diced
1 Head of Fresh Garlic - minced
1 Sweet Pepper - diced
2 Carrots - diced
2 Stalks Celery - diced
3 Strips of Bacon - chopped finely
2 Cups Chicken Stock
1 Teaspoon Crushed Rosemary
1 Pinch of Dried Tyme
1 Splash of Red Wine Vinegar
1 Small Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper
1 Cup of Large Lima Beans
Salt & Pepper to taste

Throw the Pork,Vegetables & Bacon into the pot with the olive oil and saute it all up until the pork is more than 1/2 way cooked through. Add your Stock & Lima Beans (cooked, if you have to use canned ones). Let that work itself together and then toss in your spices and the vinegar and let it simmer for a few minutes with the top on. I can't really tell you how long. I can accurately say that it is long enough to: rearrange some furniture, knock a plant off of the table and onto the floor, get yelled at by my wife, & build a small wall with Legos. However long that is, is exactly the right amount. Serve in Bowls & and finish with a small scoop of sour cream if you are feeling it. Voila, Dinner is served.

Philosophy as a Chef

I have been thinking over time what creates the difference between a cook and a chef. Then, I extrapolated it out to the difference between a chef and a chef, because I think most of the 'chefs' I have known really just regurgitate everything they learned in cooking school, books, and from other chefs they have worked with. When you try to open up a dialogue about food, I have found many focus on the use of the most expensive ingredients or the best this and that, but tend to shy away from any real philosophical stance.

This is just something I do not understand. Even from my first days in the kitchen I can remember marveling at how things work together or repel each other. Over time I created a palette of flavors and textures that work together and in general, when making a menu, I would pull menu items together by pulling related culinary threads into a dish. Most of the time I never even did a test run to make sure the item would work, because I knew it would. Does this mean I'm exceptionally talented? No, it means I paid attention to what I was taught and experimented with the food I was given to prepare. My god, I have eaten some horrible food to which I was the guinea pig, but I learned. Many times very slowly, with the distinct exception to the speed in which I discovered that soy sauce and fresh tomatoes simply do not get along.

Now I start wondering if my own conception of flavors/food/ingredients is also limited to what I know and that I need to keep pushing it further in order to grow the possibilities. And I guess I have to say from a purely philosophical view that would have to be the case. The best thing about the kitchen is that you never stop learning as long as you are paying attention. You also never stop failing. I screw things up all the time and apply my best fix, but in my head I know I blew it. There's another point. Learning how to recover from your mistakes is also another path to creation. It's also a tipping point. I think about how many times I have wasted a day trying to fix something that wasn't right and of the times I made the wiser decision to toss something and move on to the next attempt.

I think I need to flesh these ideas out a little bit more before this makes sense to any of us.

A Tasty Twist on an Old Favorite

Today I was getting ready to put together a quick margarita and relax for a few minutes when I decided to mix up the usual recipe and change the flavor spectrum just a little bit. Instead of 1 oz. of Triple Sec, I went for a jigger of Malibu. Now I know that Malibu is crap, but the wife enjoys it sometimes when she chooses to have a cocktail. So my whole recipe goes a little something like this:

2 oz. Tequila (I use Cuervo Gold in mine. There's no sense burning up the really good stuff in a Margarita. Save that for sipping or shots!)

1 oz. Malibu Rum

6 Ice Cubes

2 oz. Margaritaville Mix

Splash of Orange-Pineapple Juice

Fill with Limeade (I use Simply Limeade, for what that recommendation is worth.)

Shake the Hell Out of All of It and Enjoy Repeatedly. Makes for a lovely evening on the deck enjoying the warm spring weather.

Give it a shot. Tell me what you think.

One Fine Gift for One Fine Son

Every now and then, I think it is important to pat yourself on the back as a parent; afterall, it takes a lot of work just to get through the day and to do it while raising a great kid takes a lot of effort. Let's face it, some people just sort of shove their kids in front of the TV and expect it to be a baby sitter. Being a parent is about engaging your child and expanding their world. God knows, I don't always succeed, but I think I do a pretty good job.

On way I really believe I have helped my son out was to gently nudge him into believing his favorite color is green. Why green you ask? Well trees, grass, life... But mostly, I did it for the sake of his diet. I wanted him to be taught to enjoy his vegetables rather than look upon them as a chore, so I pushed the color green and he bought right in. Was I manipulating him? Yes, but not in any sort of devious manner. It doesn't really matter what his favorite color is, at least I can't see any reason why it would. My neighbor responds that I wouldn't want it to be pink and giggles, like thinking pink is cool will pre-determine my son for an effeminate future. That's why I call him my neighbor and not my friend. You can't always choose your neighbors.

And now, years after I helped him to appreciate all things green, my little three, almost four, year-old will sit down to generous helpings of broccoli, spinach, green peppers, cabbage, celery, zucchini, lettuce, green beans, snow peas and every other good for you green vegetable and start eating it up as happy as other kids I know with fries or pizza. As a parent, it's a beautiful thing. I only learned to enjoy vegetables after I lived on my own and learned what a wonderful part of your diet they represent. With him, he will always have the known them and the phenomenal power of the Green.

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Something to Think About

I have been doing more and more writing lately and I realize how it helps me in the interpretation of my daily life and how it helps me to regulate a positive self image. And for me self image is a tough thing. No one is as hard on themselves as I am on me. Ok, of course there is someone harder on themself, unfortunately I'm guessing most of those end up as suicides. I'm talking about living and maintaining, minus happy drugs.

I just can't do the happy drug thing. They seem to screw my head up more than they help me and I just can't abide my that. Mostly what I wanted to say is three cheers for writing more. Now if I just find more people into reading more of what I write maybe I'll be getting somewhere.

The Best

So, maybe this right now is the best I can do. Writing little bits and pieces around the web. At least at this point I'm putting it out there, which is far better than I have ever managed to do before. I know I'm not publishing books, writing for magazines, or knocking out scripts, but at the same time I have build a nice cache of work and have finished my first real, solid one act play. That's something right?

Now I just wish people would read what I am writing here. They do over at writingup.com. Check it out if you'd like. Just click here: http://www.writingup.com?referer=3080 I hope that works, it's the first time I've tried to do the whole hyper-link thing. Now I suppose I should publish this so I can try it out. Unfortunately blogger doesn't seem to be working at this moment. Now I'll just have to keep blithering on while I'm waiting for it to start working again. Lucky You.

Fat Bastard

I pull on my gut and think about what it is to be fat and wonder why I have slid into this abyss. First I think it is because I hurt my back and couldn't really do anything for a while. That doesn't cut it because I wasn't really doing anything before it happened. Than I find myself laying my lard on the depression I have fallen into after selling the restaurant and the failure of the DC restaurant gig to work out, and I suppose that one does work in some ways. I do have a big streak of snacking like crazy when I'm feeling down, but I usually pull myself out in time. After those two, I usually walk the wild side with my secret plot to use my loss of girth as a catalyst for writing a book on losing it and in that I always think that I should be at my closest point to popping before starting the project. Or maybe I'm just made to be the portly king.

What it really comes down to and that I have never admitted to anyone is that I have a real live and true eating disorder. I gorge on snacks for no reason. Maybe I'm thinking that it will ease the pain of having to listen to the dogs barking in my head, but it doesn't. All it leads to is more self-loathing and more eating. I used to pull my own trigger in order to get the food out, but I don't even do that anymore. It hurt my throat too much and just seemed like a really bad idea. Now I just take it in and consume, consume, consume... More later if I can stomach this topic any more.

The Wonderful World of Cabbage

As I sit here in the office chomping on my mid-day meal, I cannot help but marvel at the wonder that is cabbage. Be it red, green, napa or bok choy, I love it. It has texture and body and keeps some oomph even as you leave it in the microwave for a minute or so too long. Not that I condone the use of microwaves, but sometimes it is inevitable; especially when you are faced with a cold pork & chicken burrito. The cheese needs to melt, the rice has to warm up a little bit and the pork needs to change from the texture of a hockey puck. And there in the thick of it all, my red cabbage. It's almost sweet, yet earthy as all get out. I tend to add cabbage to all of my roasts, curries and miscellaneous sautees. Ropa Vieja with green cabbage and pineapples, now you are talking about a scrumptious meal.

Let us not forget that little wonder of a minature cabbage, the brussel sprout. Stop grimmacing and try this: Cut your sprouts in half. Pull off any drooping leaves. Trim the stem. Now sautee in enough H2O to cover half of the sprout & enough butter to cover with a thin layer. Add salt & pepper & maybe a little garlic after about 3 minutes on medium high heat. After all H2O evaporates deglaze the pan with a splash or two of balsamic vinegar. Yum

Random Thought

There is something daunting about leaving behind a safe secure life and heading out into the unknown.  I grew up in a kitchen learning and loving the culinary arts.  Knives, pans and fire were my primary tools.  A shrinking world’s bounty became the palette from which dishes were created.  As the years passed, critical acclaim came and elevated my status as a minor star in the local culinary universe.  Through it all, I remained true to the vision of food that had developed into my personal take on the dining experience.  Nights and days were spent pushing the medium further until I broke free of constraining owners and opened a place of my own.  It was only then that I learned the ugliness of the business and felt the undertow of daily operations draining away the energy that had once exclusively served the food.

Lunch Time

So I'm sitting here at work, spending my lunch hour inside, because it is cold and windy outside. Not my happiest place, but far better than many others I have found myself in through the years.

Built scones this morning and tried sweetening them up a little more. I used this recipe:

3 cups Flour
1 cup Sugar
1 T Baking Power
1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
Pinch Kosher Salt
1/3 cup Heavy Cream
5 T Unsalted Butter
1/2 cup Julienne Dried Apricots
1 Egg
1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract

Now, Maybe they were a little too sweet, but the crowd here at S&P seemed to dig them. In some ways I have to say that by adding more sugar the scones are finally right for the crazed sweet tooth of the American consumer. Next up I'm going savory scone style with cornmeal, cheddar & bacon. I think it will work, but it might take a little finesse along with a mighty splash of trial and error. What the hell I'm up for anything about now.

It's funny, because now that I don't work in a kitchen I find myself wanting to bake rather than prepare ridiculous meals and I don't know why. I've never enjoyed working as a pastry chef, but now I seem to have the patience for it. It's calming for me in many ways. Maybe I'm just getting old.

Person Chef Whatever

So I would really be happy to write about food and help people out in what they are doing. As is, wedding/graduation season is fast approaching and the people are coming out of the woodwork for the Kman to do some work for them. Now I can really be picky about what I take on and what I avoid. I really don't have to take whatever pops up because I am holding down the 9-to-5 for the real deal. My goal is to pull in 15-20k doing the catering thing on the weekends and what not. We'll see what happens.

My desire is to only take on the adventurous souls who want an experience while trusting me to pull it off with flair. I don't want the mighty whitey bull shit anymore. I don't mind catering for rich people, but just not the hyper anal ones that have to bug you constantly about every little detail. I guess I don't feel much like writing tonight.

so maybe this hasn't worked out

I suppose this hasn't exactly worked out the way I had hoped it would. Like usual I have fallen off after making some kind of dramatic plan to get out there and really do it this time. Maybe I was trying to pull off some sort of New Year's resolution. Mostly I think I'm just trying to make writing in my own voice a real routine again.

Since graduating from UVA last May, my writing has been nothing if not spotty and irratic. I'm not generating ideas like I used to simply because I'm not using the part of my little monkey brain that does that kind of work.

Part of it I know is just the whole coming to grips with the identity shift that has accompanied my change from high profile restaurant owner guy to mind mannered editor. I'm currently back to square one. My income is ridiculously low and my job is somewhat menial. That being said, I really am enjoying what I do and at the end of the day it stays in the office. There is no work to take home and nothing hanging on my head. To say it simply, It's what I was looking for.

Another part is that I am currently realizing that my relationship with food is not a very healthy one and I'm not only talking about the fact that I currently find myself more than a little overweight. That lies heavily on the black dog coming around for an extended stay. Need a definition of the black dog? Look into a little Winston Churchill. Why doesn't anyone talk about the fact that WC was 1/2 American? Not that it is that big of deal, but I find it interesting and wonder how it colored his life. I suppose I only wonder because I'm an American and often I find my mind drifting to thoughts about what is it to be american and what happened to the American Dream. I'm pretty sure the American Dream still exists, but only for people in far off lands. Those of us born and bred here can feel that we have missed its hayday and only made it around for the after funeral reality.

Whatever... Oh yeah, my relationship with food has been occupying a chunk of my mind for the last while, because I have finally started to pull it together and look at my obsession with cooking and what drove me to amass as much knowledge and experience with it as I possibly could. In many ways, I feel as though the kitchen has cost me so much in the way of experience, but it has also given me a very different pallate to colour my world by. Yes, I like the "our" in colour it just looks better that way.

Now I have done it written something else. Yee Haw!

Maksim Bread

Sorry About My Absence

Not that I really think anyone is reading this at this point, but there has been a rather large gap between my last post and now. Largely because after putting up the last post, I had to head up to Utica, New York for my aunt's funeral. It was sad for me and everyone else, just like a funeral should be. It also put me off of my axis for about a week while I fell back into my routine. So, now I'm dedicating myself to catching all of you would be readers with my culinary life up until this point. Unfortunately, I won't be able to continue this second.

This was My Dinner (for 2 adults, 1 three year-old & plenty of leftovers for office lunches tomorrow),

1 lb. Ground Pork
1.5 Diced Yellow Onions
6 Cloves Garlic
Can Sweet Corn
2C. Black Beans (I usually have some cooked beans around)
Can Crushed Tomatoes
4T Chili Powder
2 T Kosher Salt
1 T Coriander
1/2 T White Pepper
1tsp. Ground Oregano
1tsp. Fine Grind Mustard Powder
1 T Cumin
Pinch Sugar

Throw all in a pot and Play with your kid until it's done. Serve with shredded cheddar and a glop of Sour Cream. Estimated Time: 20 minutes. Can't beat that in a pinch. Try it rolled in warm Flour Tortillas for extra fun. Not my greatest recipe, but I thought I would just toss it in there just for the heck of it.

Step Into My Kitchen - Part II

So, throughout my ill fated year-and-a-half stint in Ohio... (Bowling Green State University to be exact. A place that is completely flat with the exception of the artificial hills built up for the interstate ramps and overpasses and so cold that eventually you really start believing that a 35 degree day is so warm you shout take your coat off and hop about like a giddy little bunny. ) I returned to work at the resort in Virginia during every single break in academic action. Spring Break was and exercise in culinary techniques. The same went for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and of course the entire Summer. I was there knee deep in the five restaurants of the place as well as the Banquet kitchen, which in some ways was a pleasant respite from the head strong ego associated with the sous chef of the various restaurant, but it is from them that I was dipped into their different flavors. There was: a very healthy sort of spa guy that was way au naturel, an Americana pot head who could pull the standards, but had no finesse, a massive German bastard who threw fits and was so fat he would invariably crash into anything and everything around him, the just coming out of the closet, I can really cook but mostly I'm worried about my new sexuality chef guy who was turned loose on the lesser outposts of cuisine, the stoic banquet queen chef who was tough as nails with a voice to match, and the cerebral executive chef who understood what food was all about, but could not align himself with the business side of the whole equation. In short, I was in heaven. This was a creative pot that I loved to be stewed in. The personalities and the joie de vive that accompanies the pressure of high volume, high quality cuisine. I was pushed through mountains of vegetables and yelled at when they were not of consistent shape and size. I was shat upon at every possible turn, but at the end of the day my love of the job and commitment to the mission of getting everything done left me grinning like the Mad Hatter and accepted by the big boys and girls running the show.

Thinking back through all of that, I want to leave whatever this is that I do right now and head back to that place where creativity and production so firmly meshed. But alas, all good things must come to an end. By the time I was dropping out of school in Ohio and heading back to the Commonwealth, the team was split up and a new executive chef was at the helm. Luckily for me, the former executive chef had opened up his own place in the rundown town in which my parents live and he was game for taking me under his wing and making a chef out of me. His name is Peter Dixon and I owe him more than he will ever know. I'm sure I was a pain in the ass employee, largely because I was 19 & 20 during my time there and completely out of my mind, but he showed me the ins and outs of menu design, ordering, food costs and the art of the kitchen. He taught me more about wine than anyone I have still yet to meet. Not because it would help his business out in any way, but because it was a part of my education. Eventually, it was time to go. I had to move out of my parents house and jump into the next stage of my culinary education and eventual awakening.

Step Into My Kitchen - Part I

I suppose the best way to start this out is to introduce myself and what I hope to accomplish on these pages and what better way to do that but to get down and give you a quick run through of my cooking experience.

When I was five years-old, my fate was sealed. After working in the kitchen with my mother, dinner was ruined simply because my mother failed to follow the directions in the cook book. What the cook book was and what we were cooking are lost to the ravages of time, but the story will survive to my dying day. Having wasted all of that work, I promptly told Mother to leave the kitchen and that from now on I would be doing the cooking. I even went so far as giving her the mantra, "Follow Directions and you won't need Corrections!" Of course my stamina as the primary cook of the house did not last as long as my necessity to rides bikes and play baseball, so my family was forced to suffer under the weight of my mother's cooking for another decade and then some.

At fourteen, I decided to make the jump from home cook to restaurant and started doing every position possible in my neighbors Italian restaurant. The old men in their guinnea-Ts thought I was crazy for wanting to work in the restaurant with them, but after months of hazing me with the worst duties possible, I was taken under their wing and taught the ways of the Italian Kitchen. This place was nothing special, just a small local restaurant staffed by a family of immigrants and their underage neighbor kid, but I loved it. It sounds ridiculous to me now, but that world was so exotic to a normal middle-class white kid. The fact that they made their own bread was enough to keep me gabbing for weeks.

At sixteen, I read about a new restaurant opening up at a local ski, golf, and tennis resort. There I was drawn in to what I had always dreamed of: the food of the rich. For some reason I was always drawn to what the rich whiteys were eating and I thought that to cook that kind of food was sophisticated and special. After eating veal patties and salisbury steak forever the idea of smoked scallops and black bean cakes just blew my little head away. Everyday was an adventure in learning. The chef was a volatile prima donna, and I quickly learned what I would never become. Nonetheless, I pumped that place for all of the information it could give me and in the meantime I got to cook for the governor, Supreme Court Justices, celebrities of varying degree and a whole lot of aging moneyed white people. The reason I bring race up so much in this portion is because I link the type of food produced at high end resorts to be aimed at their largest clientele and that clientele is the wonderbread whiteys. Not that there is anything wrong with that. I'm white afterall, but with a very blue collar. Maybe the kitchen was also my way of trying to be a social climber. Who knows? Maybe we'll find out as this thing goes on.

Finally in 1988, I graduated from high school and was forced to go to college by my father who was not hearing any more of this, "I just want to be a chef," stuff and packed me off to nowhere Ohio for a brief stint as an avid alcoholic and occasional student. I can't even tell you why I went, but it was for all of the wrong reasons.

My heart and head were already stolen by the white jackets and houndstooth pants that rested unused in my closet at home. There is something to be said for the uniform of the chef. Many people giggle about it and brag that they can cook without it and isn't it great because what do those guys in the funny suits really know anyway. Let me tell you, I have done it both ways and the uniform is one of both form and function. It's nice and traditional and ties you into something bigger than just one little restaurant. It's part of a history. Not to mention wearing the jacket at the very least protects you from splatters and burns better than any t-shirt I have ever seen. Not to mention a uniform is a uniform. It's meant to take the wear and tear. Regular clothes just stain and stink, then you can never wear them again for anything else, so why not save them and continually destroy your chef's jacket until the stains will no longer come out and the whole thing has gone a hazy gray from the continuous bleaching it has taken.