~Romance~ and Reality

For the first Valentine's day in 12 years, I am not working. For the umpteenth Valentine's day, I am dateless. One would expect me to be bitter, like so many of my cynical friends. But I am an eternal optimist, and a romantic. Or sucker, whatever you want to call it.

As a general rule of thumb, restaurant industry folks don't celebrate Valentine's day on the 14th. If they have a significant other in the first place. For the ones that do, they go out a week earlier or later, or do something sweet like cook dinner or whatever else is vomit-inducingly adorable. For the single ones, we generally go get blackout drunk after the shift and wind up in bed with a stranger, a coworker, or strange coworker.

Coming from an industry standpoint, relationships are HARD. It's so easy to get caught up in the "hit it and quit it" transient mentality, thanks to the weird hours and staff turnover, that actually connecting with someone is difficult to maintain. I thoroughly enjoyed the hookup culture, and the one quasi-serious relationship I had with a chef was one of the most emotionally fulfilling I had ever had. Being single is infinitely easier in the long run. And right now, it's what I need.

I'm trying to finally focus my career, solidify myself as an adult, the whole nine yards. My application to James Beard Foundation Women in Culinary Leadership grant has actually managed to get to the interview stage. If I get it, it would be a massive step for me career-wise. I am so excited for that. I'm really ready to focus. And, if all goes well, maybe next year I'll be in a stable place where I can focus on making a relationship work. Or, you know, kicking ass again solo.

In the meantime, this year, my best gal pal and I are going chill with a $3 bottle of wine and chill with some good ol' crockpot cooking.

Food nerd

Since getting to California, I've been making a habit of hitting thrift stores to collect culinary books. Cookbooks, wine books, memoirs- the whole nine yards. Originally, I was searching for recent publications that my cheap butt could nab for 80% less than in bookstores, but then I came across a copy of Food & Wine Best of 1989. I had to get it, '89 was the year I was born and I was curious to see what people were eating back then. Since then, I was hooked on more, shall we say, "vintage" books.

I never went to any sort of culinary higher education beyond a vocational class in high school, and then we were using recipe books published in the 80's (in suburban Maine, that's where many palates were rooted in the early 2000s anyway). And nowadays, there are a plethora of amazing cookbooks on the market that are full of bright, innovative, clean dishes- nothing like what I grew up with. Reading through the old books versus the new, it awed me just how different people ate even just 20 years ago. So, from an EXTREMELY nerdy anthropological perspective, it fascinated me.

From another educational side of it, because of my lack of "official" education, having old books makes me feel like I can "catch up" on the formal schooling- when I would have gone to culinary school, I probably still would have been referring to older books. The chef memoirs I admire the most, they all mention classic cookbooks from the 60s and 70s- if they can create fun dishes from old recipe inspiration, surely I can figure something like that out.

Cooking is something that anyone can do. However, creating? Innovating? That takes talent, but more than that, it takes knowledge. How can you riff on classics if you don't understand them? My collection has grown exponentially. And I couldn't be more excited. I love learning about food, and look forward to sharing it with everyone- hopefully making it fun in the process. Second blog will hopefully be coming soon!!!

Write Stuff

I've got writer's block. Like, BAD. Not for this blog, but I've decided to start a second, more food-focused blog, and I'm struggling with starting it. I want it to be like a combination of a review site and educational- kind of like a cross between 'No Reservations' and Alton Brown's 'Good Eats'. I want to make food as fascinating to other people as I find it. And I have plenty of material! I wind up ranting about food all day. It's just that I don't know how to introduce the topic to everyone. It's frustrating. Hopefully I can knock something out in the next week. In the meantime, if you have any food issues you're curious about, leave a comment below!

Sand and Tacos

"Variety is the spice of life".

One of the oldest clichés in the book. it's strange to think about, I've been in Southern California now for about... 3 weeks? I'm more comfortable now, however I'm still adjusting. I'm now working for my best friend's mom on a very temporary basis. However I feel like she wants me to work more full time. Well, both of them. I'm still not sure I want to make that commitment. I just got confirmation that my grant application was being considered, and part of me really wants to pursue that. However, I did tell V that I would be here as long as she needed me. It's just odd trying to strike a balance between what I think she needs and what I know I need.
I had something resembling a life up in Northern California. Now I have something resembling a life in Southern California. Both have their high points, I love the spaciousness and the quiet of Northern California. After 6 years in Atlanta, it was a refreshing, revitalizing break. Being back down in Ventura, after a less-than-admirable first visit, I really am loving this entire downtown beachy area. I love the laid-back atmosphere. And seeing as I'm only working a few days a week, I'm finding that I have a lot of time to myself. I'm not used to that.

It would be far easier to pursue culinary aspects up north. However it almost feels as though the South needs it more. Is that odd to say? After all, Los Angeles is one of the biggest food cities in the country. However when the surrounding "suburbs" are full of trash food like Taco Bell and Jack in the Box, what am I supposed to think? At least around Northern California, their better restaurants are still surrounded by really good produce and locally-conscious farmers.

I wish the right options were obvious. I'm really hoping they become so in the next few weeks. In the meantime... Beach tacos.

BEACH TACOS

Flour taco shells

Filling:
Fish fillets
1tsp cumin
Lime juice
Red pepper flakes
1tsp honey
Salt & Pepper
Torn cilantro
Coconut oil

Topping:
Shaved cabbage
Julienned zucchini
Julienned mango
Olive oil
Apple cider vinegar

Directions:
Filling:
Heat a small amount of coconut oil in a sautee pan. Sprinkle the seasonings over the fish filets, then sear them in the pan.
Topping:
Toss the cabbage, zucchini, and mango with splashes of olive oil and vinegar.
Assembly:
Really? It's a fucking taco. Figure it out and put it in your face-hole.

A Tale of Two Civilizations

I've had an exciting almost two months! December and the holidays flew by with minimal fanfare,  and once January hit, I  shook things up a bit more.

I have a good friend, V. I have known this girl my entire life, she is one of a small handful of girls I really truly trust. In the beginning of January,  she got in touch- she was engaged to a guy who has enlisted in the Marines. He is currently in boot camp, and she was having a rough time adjusting. Now, she and I are both Marine Corps brats- we grew up in the military lifestyle. So, if she's having a hard time, I'm going to be there. She asked me to visit her in Southern California, so I quit my job and moved down for a bit. (I take this "friends" business seriously. )

I did not realize just how much of a hippie NorCal had made me. I had gotten so used to readily available fresh, local produce, friendly neighbors and proprietors,  and fresh air. Down here, I am far more aware of judgemental suburban stares, botox everywhere, and grocery stores grating on meine nerven. I don't mind it, I know it's only temporary, but it did have me feeling lost for a while. My saving grace was finding Underwood Hills Farmer's Market. And their PYGMY GOATS. OH MY GOD THE PYGMY GOATS. Cutest furry twats on the planet. I am in love with those suckers.

I can't even pretend I know what I want to do when I grow up. However, this latest adventure back into civilization has given me major insight into what makes me happy. So, I applied to the James Beard Foundation Women in Culinary Leadership grant in order to hopefully educate myself to hopefully educate others on how not to depend on Del Taco five nights a week. And if I can one day own a small parcel of land and raise pygmy goats? Being around that much adorable will make me the happiest woman on goddamn Earth.

I won't hear back about the grant for a few weeks or so. But until then, I've been cooking more. This is a fun lamb recipe I concocted while I've been going stir crazy!

Herbed Roast Lamb Leg

Chopped Tarragon
Chopped Rosemary
Chopped Shallots
Salt and Pepper
Boneless lamb leg, tied or netted into an even roast shape
Merlot

Set your oven for 350 degrees farenheit. Lay the lamb in a roasting pan, fatty side up. Chop enough herbs and shallots to completely cover the outside of the lamb, and rub them in with the salt and pepper. Douse that sucker in about 2 cups of merlot. Roast for about an hour and fifteen minutes, adding 2 more cups of merlot about a half hour into the process. The lamb is done when its internal temp is 140. Let it rest, covered, for 10 minutes prior to carving. Use any leftover liquid in the pan as a sauce.

This shit is delicious with a pomegranate-arugula salad and cous cous.