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.