GA on my mind

Part of my finding my footing here in SoCal has been finding the local food community. I moved here to be with a friend, and I love her to pieces, but she and her family are meat-and-potato-eating lawyers. I've been having to push to get them to try anything new and fun. So figuring out where farmer's markets and the like was really challenging for the first two months. Thankfully, I stumbled on the farmer's market one morning, which helped, and then I got my current job working with the catering company. The chef has been a godsend, he really has- he's not only taught me a lot, but more importantly, he filled me in on where to get the freshest seafood in the city. It's gotten me so excited! I can actually play with food I want to eat again. I haven't been able to do that since I lived in Atlanta. Even better, here in California,  I am literally making more money with two scantily part-time jobs than I did having 3 simultaneous jobs on the East Coast.  I can afford to go to specialty stores and blow $20 on a 12oz bottle of olive oil (my mom nearly had a heart attack when she heard I did that!). Even better, I am able to afford to take a trip back to Atlanta and spend most of my trip at my favorite hotel, the Georgian Terrace. California is a wonderful, wonderful place.
But, as much as I love this coast, I think I'm going to go back east in a couple years. See, while California has really helped me focus on my life and what I want, I've realized that what I want is still in the Southeast.  I'm staying here long enough to sort my life out and become a proper adult, but afterwards I fully intend to go back and fight for the life I want. California is paradise, but the South? The South is home.

Birthday!

Hooray! I'm old!

Haha, not really. I mean, in industry standards, I'm getting there, but it hasn't scared me yet. And this year, I have a lot to celebrate!

First of all, though, I owe the entire catering industry's cooks a huuuuuge apology. I have spent years working on hot lines, making snarky commentary about how line cooks were clearly superior to caterers because we handled intense pressure and heat. However, I  recently began working with a specialty provisions catering company that provides locally sourced and organic meals for outdoors people visiting the local national parks. And frankly?

I LOVE it!!!!!

It is much easier to learn in a catering environment then it ever was on a hot line. The chef I'm working with is just as much of a food science nerd as I am, so I managed to learn more in my first shift than I have in the past 5 years, at least. And knowing I have time to make something correctly? Best feeling in the world. So, caterers, I am so sorry I haven't given you the respect you actually deserve. I'm totally eating well-seasoned crow right now.

Metaphorically, of course. In reality, I've spent my birthday in my favorite state- food coma! I bought a beautiful dry-aged, bone-in rib eye steak from my lovely neighborhood butcher, the Ventura Meat Co, specifically for today as well as a bottle of my favorite scotch. I had toyed with the idea of going to a steakhouse, but based on the recommendation of a friend, I hit the butcher instead. Soooo glad I did. Oh my god. A quick sear and rest and that steak just melted in my mouth like butter. I ate the whole pound of meat. Then gnawed on the bone (my dog was supremely envious). I have literally just spent the rest of my day in a partially-concious state, and that is with only one glass of scotch. I love it. Love it love it love it. And soon, my best gal in Ventura is taking me out for tequila and tacos on the beach. This is the best birthday I've had in years. I'm feeling a tradition coming on!!!

Celebrate pleasure, eat happy!

Study Hard!

Clarity is one of the greatest gifts a person can be given. It's such a fluid notion, that when you can actually get a handle on it, it feels magical. It took me years, but within the past few years I knew I wanted a career in the restaurant industry. It definitely wasn't my life goal as a child, but a passion I grew into. And even more recently, I managed to narrow it down even further. That is big for me- after 25 years of putzing around, I finally have a direction to truly pursue. While I have been saying I want to own a brewpub, I always assumed it would be in a chef/owner role. Something recently occurred to me.

I am a solid cook. I'm not the best chef, nor do I have any desire to be a top chef. The time and sheer energy required behind the line is not something I honestly want to pursue. I love reading my cookbooks, learning about foods and technique, but at the end the day? I am way more interested in creating and running a successful establishment. I won't be Top Chef, but I can damn sure be a Top Restauranteur!

To accomplish that, I'm devoting my next few months earning certifications to improve my job chances in the restaurant field. I'm going for my Cicerone (for beer), WSET (for wine and spirits), and CSW (for wine exclusively). Hopefully I can parlay that into a bar position, and if not, I'll go to school for business management classes. It'll be strange, decreasing my hours working, and spending time studying. I haven't done that since... Hell, I didn't even actually study in high school.

Beyond the pursuit of knowledge, I will admit I am seriously motivated by a hefty dose of spite. It's not healthy, but I'm definitely still harboring a lot of anger over what happened on my trip out here last year. But is it really so bad, when I'm finally finding a healthy way to focus that anger? I just want to be more successful than I originally thought I could be. And if that means hella nerding out for a year or two? I'll do it. I'm pretty certain I can get my level one CSW months sooner than I anticipated originally. I've already got a much better understanding of the Bordeaux and Burgundy regions of France than I thought.

Spite. God it makes me happy.