It’s the small details, those things that you take for granted, that seem so commonplace place, that you never think about where is comes from, but yet you put inside your body, use everyday in every meal, everywhere, so ubiquitous that you don’t even consider the source. Today’s eye opener is about garlic- where it comes from and why the self life is so long- why all the garlic cloves look exactly the same, why all the pockets of hidden garlic cloves are the same color and same shape and same size. These manufactured monsters seem more like robots than food. I have never consider the fact that all the garlic I eat and all the garlic I handle comes from China, from the other side of the globe, with a shelf life that is so long that the bulbs do not have to be date. Yet here we are, in the middle of cold America, trying to call ourselves as local as we can be, but we cannot even manage to keep an easy crop like garlic on hand. It looks like the garden is going to get a new addition this year.
Category: culture
Shadows of the Lampshade
There is no place like home, and no person like yourself. It is so relaxing just taking care of that one person- who you don’t need to guess what they are thinking or their motivations, hidden desires, because they are your own. Do what ever you want, even if that is being in a semi light room, basking in the slow glow of the tungsten lamp, surrounded by all the quietness that the city world can offer.
Uncertainly Sure of Something
Searching until the quest has been fulfilled, searching for that perfect tune to fit the day, like the waves rolling ashore, we seek the beat, the tap to our feet, the rhythm of the riddle, the rock that is the metronome of the roll. Tock, tick, tap, and type.
Hands Off Magic
“There is something cathartic about making bread. I think it has to do with the process of creating a dough and then leaving it alone to do its thing. Even though you may have brought it to life, what it does most of the important thing on its own.” –Ideas In Food
Yeast is magical and delicious, and the best part is that the magic of bread making happens on its own, the synergy and the interaction of ingredients that happen in between the baker’s input. There are just a few steps, simple yet very precise, and then the dough takes on a life of its own, and does the caterpillar thing to transform to a whole new creation. Yeast, protein structure, fermentation, air, salt, with a high dose of heat all together form a completely new and totally phenomenal monster.
Not Impressed
I just realized that I stopped my own self promotion of desserts on that social bulletin board called Facebook. No more posts, no more rhymes about my new creations, no more high class photos of textured desserts. Why? Why have I stopped trying to impress the world at larger with what I am doing? Why are the two new dessert not documented on either Facebook, Marigold, or even that loathed Instagram?
Once you get complacent, once you stop trying with your entire energy, that is when you can not longer contest to be the best.
I have gotten press about my strange creations because of my dedication to making them great, in taking the time to make sure they are impressionable, in taking photos that look just down right scrumptious, in quality control every day, in communication with all of the staff to make sure that the point is well received.
If I cannot impress myself, my closest friends, my internet audience, then who else is important to worry about making a splash? It’s time to tighten up like Mr. Bells and the Drells. Or else Marigold might loose interested in her other self, her true self.
Avoiding Love At All Costs
I don’t want to fall in love because of how scary it is to fall out of it. I build up walls to keep people out, but every once in a while someone climbs over the fortress and gains access to the inner space. I don’t want to get let down, I don’t want that pain of heartache to ever come back. Its a risk and it is one that I do not like to take. My only companion is Marigold, for I know that she will never cause my stomach to turn, she will never cause my heart to clench, she will never pinch behind my eyeballs making my vision dull, my imagination stagnant. I am too afraid for love.
Does this keep me isolated? Am I blocking off an important part of living? Isn’t love the greatest source for inspiration? I don’t want to be in love because I am afraid. But what happens when you find it? Its not about finding solace in solitude, its about choosing to be alone. The thing is, though, you cannot choose when you find love or when it finds you. I am trying to avoid it, trying to turn the other way and shrug it off, trying to play it cool, trying to stay lonely. The thing is, as much as I try, it is not working. I have become vulnerable again, I have an intruder and unfortunately for my scared heart, I am not mad about it.
The Chef’s Diary of an Optimist
Today’s notes, part one:
The aerated custard turned out better than I thought it was going to. On paper, it was seemingly a little boring, but the mouth feel was quite extraordinary, on the road to what I am trying to achieve to represent as “air”.
The custard is very simple thus far, the hitch being that it is made with evaporated milk in place of milk ( the former having such a nice smooth toasted flavor) and set with duck eggs an alternative spin. Thinking about calling it a flan, not sure. If it is to be flan, it needs to be served with an unfortified caramel sauce- don’t have a fun spin on this yet.
The custard in aerated with an whipping cream canister that uses No2 to force air into liquid. I want this lighter than anything you have ever tasted, and served with carbonated fruit and a dehydrated foam that melts in your mouth, to make the whole dish a sensation, an experience, leave the eater wanting more, curious about what just happened.
The overall mouth feel then, is that of fleeting, a disappearing act, a wait wait wait I want any other bit- this is playing to our hyperactive, oversaturated, permanent documentation type lifestyle. But also it fizzes, you can feel the flavors just sizzle away on your tongue.
So then I thought, it would be cool to present this is a large goblet- an oversized seamless wine glass so that you can see all the beautiful air bubbles. What if this super light custard sat on top of a thin wafer, a round disk that was fitted just little above the bottom of the glass, creating an empty space below the dessert.
Dutch Oven
Every cuisine the world over has had its turn in the culinary spotlight, each nation has its turn in the sway of the trends influential swing. Most recently is has been Nordic and Swedish, with Mexican always being a soft favor, French and Italian been the old stand by. Sushi has had its fame, Cajun, Irish, German, Indian are all over the food industry scene. One trend, however, that we have not seen in the tasty timeline, is Dutch cuisine.
Exploring this flavor profile and culinary tradition, making it modern, relevant, delicious, and inspiring will be my lasting impression in the over saturated culinary world. I will be a trend setter, I will open a successful restaurant, write a cookbook, and have as website where I can inspire that avid home cook to try new things. I am going to name the restaurant Dutch Oven, and soon, I will be famous.
Unprepared
Power is in the hands (not yours) of the conductors of electricity. Do not take this for granted, it is the mean to your ends. Today ends quickly, the theme for the whole year thus far, due in this particular case to not having the power to continue to communicate to the google gods.
Hiding Out the Storm
A stay at home vacation day, where you avoid the world, all your responsibilities, that day to please only yourself. Tomorrow I will care again, but not today. No thanks. Tomorrow is a new day, where the world starts to turn again, but for now, we hide. We hide underneath dark covers, gigantic soft robes, in a room with closed doors. The world at large can wait for a day, until the storm begins anew tomorrow.
marigolds forever 