So, ok.. I'm not the most patient and I can live with that! I have learned to have a lot of patience though!!! I am rounding out the cuisine part of my culinary training, and will soon become a wine expert... well, maybe not soon but definitely within the next 5 years .. or 3! or 2! Is 1 possible?
Looking into Condo living with a gourmet kitchen. I like having lots of people around me and being close to shopping and all that! But, here in Houston things are so spread out. That's why I love the Heights area, close to downtown with a small town feel! People are nice there, act like their Christianly even if they're not. Big plus, most of Houston acts like they are spawns from hell!
A gourmet kitchen, if it doesn't come in the condo then it's going to be my project. I am excited, good things are going to happen for a lot of people. Just keep your faith, and never give up trying!
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Friday, October 24, 2014
A Taste of New York in Houston TX.
My friend, son and I decided on pizza for tonight's dinner. Hey, it's a Friday, we've all been working hard in school and well, we normally don't even care to come up with a reason to enjoy time together so aforementioned aside, we went to NY Pizza Co. in Willowbrook. It's over by Buffalo Wild Wings, AMC Theatres and World Market, you know they're all in that area and close by.
As we approached the establishment I noticed one of the signals I receive from previous misadventures when it comes to eating out. You know, there's no one here, and why does it look sooo empty plus there were sooo many cars around there. The place is full of restaurants. We joked around a little and once we reached the door I was certain this one going to be another one of those not-so-good ideas.
Inside, there was an Italian-looking gentleman carrying some food to a table. It looked like maybe they were family. The table was the only occupied one. The place is small and so are the tables. I thought it was both sweet and aggressive. A family-run restaurant in a young, fast-paced area with bunches of franchises everywhere. And here they are, NY Pizzaco. We were greeted by a nice young lady behind the counter as we were deciding upon which one of their many types of pizza to order, I mean they even have pizza for those who are 'heart-healthy'; I thought that was a nice niche but it really echoed they're ambition to cater to the clientele in the area. I glanced over at the soda machine. On it, hand-written on a piece of paper... "No refills if you share a drink". And just in case you thought it was a prank or the management is unawares, they placed another sign saying the same thing on the soda fountain. Hmmmm... Seeing as how the large sodas which really aren't that large, are over-priced at $2.75 I believe it was, ummm I pay for my drink. When I get to my table, I believe it's my right to share with whomever I please. But, being as thou it may a, what I believe to be, family-run restaurant I grumbled a little at the signs that made me think of the old days when my auntie would write a reminder sorta, telling me and siblings to pick up our clothes, wash the dishes, and you know stuff you know you didn't want your friends to see when they came over. "If you share a drink, No refills!!!", come on NY Pizzaco., we're grown here!!!!
Needless to say, the pizza we ordered was fab, hold the black olives. Next time we'll tell them to hold the tomatoes too, my friend is allergic to them. His fault for not telling them. Oh, and hold the jalapenos next time as well, a bit to spicy for my son. Who's fault is that for not telling them?
All-in-all we had a good time, it had a small tv mounted near the ceiling where we watched sesame street count pumpkins and Dora the Explorer count to 5. The pizza was delicious, did I mention that already?! Thin crust, almost cracker. Use the plastic knives to finish cutting the slices or else you'll pull the crust and leave all of the toppings on the tray, a word to the wise! The drinks were good, not watered down. I drank a root beer and it had that nice sting at the back of my throat.
The only other disappointment was the Cheese Steak sandwich we ordered. On the menu it said it had steak, mozzarella, onions. There was more bread that meat and I didn't or taste see any onions. The meat was unseasoned. The bread however was buttery, hot, soft and very tasty. The outside was crusty and the inside was as soft as fluffy cloud. It was good, just it couldn't make up for what the sandwich lacked as a whole.
So, I would recommend this place if you are ordering out or are on a date or on your way to the AMC Theatres. The price point is not bad also, for a 28" party pizza that has 16 slices, it's only $27.99.
As we approached the establishment I noticed one of the signals I receive from previous misadventures when it comes to eating out. You know, there's no one here, and why does it look sooo empty plus there were sooo many cars around there. The place is full of restaurants. We joked around a little and once we reached the door I was certain this one going to be another one of those not-so-good ideas.
Inside, there was an Italian-looking gentleman carrying some food to a table. It looked like maybe they were family. The table was the only occupied one. The place is small and so are the tables. I thought it was both sweet and aggressive. A family-run restaurant in a young, fast-paced area with bunches of franchises everywhere. And here they are, NY Pizzaco. We were greeted by a nice young lady behind the counter as we were deciding upon which one of their many types of pizza to order, I mean they even have pizza for those who are 'heart-healthy'; I thought that was a nice niche but it really echoed they're ambition to cater to the clientele in the area. I glanced over at the soda machine. On it, hand-written on a piece of paper... "No refills if you share a drink". And just in case you thought it was a prank or the management is unawares, they placed another sign saying the same thing on the soda fountain. Hmmmm... Seeing as how the large sodas which really aren't that large, are over-priced at $2.75 I believe it was, ummm I pay for my drink. When I get to my table, I believe it's my right to share with whomever I please. But, being as thou it may a, what I believe to be, family-run restaurant I grumbled a little at the signs that made me think of the old days when my auntie would write a reminder sorta, telling me and siblings to pick up our clothes, wash the dishes, and you know stuff you know you didn't want your friends to see when they came over. "If you share a drink, No refills!!!", come on NY Pizzaco., we're grown here!!!!
Needless to say, the pizza we ordered was fab, hold the black olives. Next time we'll tell them to hold the tomatoes too, my friend is allergic to them. His fault for not telling them. Oh, and hold the jalapenos next time as well, a bit to spicy for my son. Who's fault is that for not telling them?
All-in-all we had a good time, it had a small tv mounted near the ceiling where we watched sesame street count pumpkins and Dora the Explorer count to 5. The pizza was delicious, did I mention that already?! Thin crust, almost cracker. Use the plastic knives to finish cutting the slices or else you'll pull the crust and leave all of the toppings on the tray, a word to the wise! The drinks were good, not watered down. I drank a root beer and it had that nice sting at the back of my throat.
The only other disappointment was the Cheese Steak sandwich we ordered. On the menu it said it had steak, mozzarella, onions. There was more bread that meat and I didn't or taste see any onions. The meat was unseasoned. The bread however was buttery, hot, soft and very tasty. The outside was crusty and the inside was as soft as fluffy cloud. It was good, just it couldn't make up for what the sandwich lacked as a whole.
So, I would recommend this place if you are ordering out or are on a date or on your way to the AMC Theatres. The price point is not bad also, for a 28" party pizza that has 16 slices, it's only $27.99.
Friday, September 19, 2014
One and a Half
Well, it's so unbelievable that I with the rest of my classmates are reaching the end of level 1 in cuisine. I have definitely had my downs, grown tremendously from them. Actually, I'm being really unfair with myself, I shouldn't call them downs but instead; maybe, points where I felt like I had to crawl. I am now feeling as though I am at the point of almost standing, probably slunched over a bit. But, once I fix my posture then there is no doubt in my mind that I will be a celebrated chef. Is Master Chef-dom in my future. That takes years of experience in the kitchen. Actually, not for everybody. At least not so painstakingly that it seems to rival Christ, at least that's the way people make it out to be. But no, in my Career Explorations class I've come upon some great, who I call Master Chefs, who have definitely been in the culinary field since childhood but their steps to stardom so-to-speak was rather natural. It just came with the territory as they went about their daily lives. Like breathing, their love of cooking was natural and inspired and they just ended up in this wonderful place in their lives. So you've got Master Chefs who have worked their hands raw to the bone to get to where they are, no sleep, no social life, all sacrifice mingling with Master Chefs who went from an Easy Bake Oven to just having fun cooking anywhere, wherever the Universe sent them and maybe a few sacrifices along the way but it was all their choice, in their control and sometimes not even a necessity or not thought of to be. In other words, their goal was not to be a Master Chef, it was just to cook, to showcase something that was sentimental to them, to pass-the-time, to just simply entertain. Failure wasn't an option because a huge success wasn't their goal. So while the same caliber of Chefs had to walk on hot coals to achieve success, sign their name on the dotted line in their own blood at tribal rituals called over-worked, under-paid and under-appreciated, others went a very different route.
And, I'm not saying that people should go the easy route. There is no easy way into this field, and laziness will get you nowhere no matter which route you take. I am just talking about the mind-set going forward, and how you can become a Master Chef with great effort, very hard and often thankless work and how you can also achieve it by purely loving to cook, entertain. My goal in culinary school is to become a great food writer, I want to put; and please excuse my verbage here, sex on a plate in words and in pictures. But as I draw near to the end of Level 1.5, I find that maybe, possibly, as I'm achieving my goal I could be one of those Master Chefs that happened upon the status of Master Chef inadvertently. I can hear the interview now with Food & Wine magazine;
FW: So, did you always know you would become one of the world's most celebrated Master Chefs?
Me: No, I just knew that I loved to write, I love to take pictures, and I love science, eating and cooking. I really had never cooked for a large crowd. I went to culinary school, that's where I learned technique, skill, mastery, patience. I already had dedication, heck I had that before I entered the military, oh-ummm in '97 so over 16 years ago. I stayed in for 8 years, but my love, understanding of food started as a young child and never left. So, after culinary school I began writing more, cooking & entertaining my friends and family more. I got some cool catering gigs and then decided to go bigger. Just to see what would happen. I just wanted to test my own limits in that way, and this is where it brought me. I have been blessed to be surrounded by my family who all love to entertain and eat, I love entertaining and I come from a family of chefs, and foodies. So, it was definitely a natural, and totally enjoyable progression for me. But, I wouldn't be here, doing this if it wasn't fun. It's not my career, it's just what I love to do!
FW: What is your greatest dish that you have cooked?
ME: Potage Saint-Germain. It's a puree'd green pea soup. I received accolades from the most discriminating of palates (French Chefs who are palate experts and culinary students who are palate experts in their own way). I received an 'Excellent' from Mr. LeNotre who owns the school I went to. He is a great, celebrated French Chef as was his father. My instructor, who is also a great French chef, was quite pleased as well! Of all the 3 or 4 dishes from my class, many from International Cuisine, and Baking & Pastry of which I am certain were all delicious. My Potage Saint-Germain was the first to go! Everyone loved it. It was my first time cooking it. We'd never even heard of it before. So, I'd say the girl who started off the one most likely to Not have fried chicken on her menu because it takes too blanked long to fry it, is a lot better at this thing called cooking than I ever even thought. And, the one thing the Potage required of me, mostly because of my perfectionism, er-ummm discriminating palate is .... patience! Yes, the girl who had none, is the girl who has a lot now. I never had patience, then enlisting in the military full-time was a perfect fit for that because I used that and my determination, perfectionism, passion to have fun, and get me through it. Then after I got out, my mindset was still there, I didn't know how to 'relax' and enjoy my roses. Just a little later on in my life I met my friends, who'd tell me to relax, sounded like some unidentified foreign language to me. I didn't realize how frantic my day was, for no reason. Or; even, how uncomfortable I was even at rest. Now, I am delicately approaching each day, each moment and enjoying it every second of every day. My culinary education at the school I attended has taught me something much more than cooking, or even technique. My education, the chefs that was handed the Holy Grail of teaching and doing it expertly well, my classmates of whom we've learned so much from each other has all taught me to Become which is a beautiful set of skills. The Potage Saint-Germain that I cooked has taught me that now, in my skillset, I have patience. Something I could never get my hands on because it just always seemed so elusive.. like trying to hold smoke in my hands.
So, this post isn't about the steps different people take to become a Master Chef or about the Potage Saint-Germain, it's about reaching the end of Level 1.5 in cuisine at the culinary school I attend. It seems like we just started! I had more fun, more accomplishments in Level 1.5 than I did in Level 1. It's not an uphill battle, I don't see roadblocks to painfully stub my big or pinkie toes on, and I don't see ever-increasing battle scars developing either. In fact, it's getting better! Better than better! A natural progression in something I love that may take me to Master Chef level or maybe being a Master Chef in my own backyard with my family and friends. Either way is highly desirable to me because it's not about the title but the joy of cooking.
Culinary Institute LeNotre is a school where you are full hands-on in a chef instructor hands-off environment. The foods, ingredients we cook with and eat are all on the fine dining caliber. The Potage I cooked would cost you more in a restaurant than you'd probably be willing to pay for a meal.. that's the level I am learning at. I also love that when we present what we cooked, everyone sits down to eat, yes even guests to the school, we can take meals home. But here's the cool part, we pay only $5 for however much we can fit into the take-out container provided, which is a very generous size. This money goes to help fund the school scholarship that helps struggling students to fulfill their dreams whether they are enrolling or are already enrolled but need a little help. My school does fundraisers and all sorts of things and it offers lifetime career placement which is awesome because it meets the caliber of what we've become accustomed to at this school. So, whichever direction I take after this level I know I have lots of support in getting there and getting through to the next.
And, I'm not saying that people should go the easy route. There is no easy way into this field, and laziness will get you nowhere no matter which route you take. I am just talking about the mind-set going forward, and how you can become a Master Chef with great effort, very hard and often thankless work and how you can also achieve it by purely loving to cook, entertain. My goal in culinary school is to become a great food writer, I want to put; and please excuse my verbage here, sex on a plate in words and in pictures. But as I draw near to the end of Level 1.5, I find that maybe, possibly, as I'm achieving my goal I could be one of those Master Chefs that happened upon the status of Master Chef inadvertently. I can hear the interview now with Food & Wine magazine;
FW: So, did you always know you would become one of the world's most celebrated Master Chefs?
Me: No, I just knew that I loved to write, I love to take pictures, and I love science, eating and cooking. I really had never cooked for a large crowd. I went to culinary school, that's where I learned technique, skill, mastery, patience. I already had dedication, heck I had that before I entered the military, oh-ummm in '97 so over 16 years ago. I stayed in for 8 years, but my love, understanding of food started as a young child and never left. So, after culinary school I began writing more, cooking & entertaining my friends and family more. I got some cool catering gigs and then decided to go bigger. Just to see what would happen. I just wanted to test my own limits in that way, and this is where it brought me. I have been blessed to be surrounded by my family who all love to entertain and eat, I love entertaining and I come from a family of chefs, and foodies. So, it was definitely a natural, and totally enjoyable progression for me. But, I wouldn't be here, doing this if it wasn't fun. It's not my career, it's just what I love to do!
FW: What is your greatest dish that you have cooked?
ME: Potage Saint-Germain. It's a puree'd green pea soup. I received accolades from the most discriminating of palates (French Chefs who are palate experts and culinary students who are palate experts in their own way). I received an 'Excellent' from Mr. LeNotre who owns the school I went to. He is a great, celebrated French Chef as was his father. My instructor, who is also a great French chef, was quite pleased as well! Of all the 3 or 4 dishes from my class, many from International Cuisine, and Baking & Pastry of which I am certain were all delicious. My Potage Saint-Germain was the first to go! Everyone loved it. It was my first time cooking it. We'd never even heard of it before. So, I'd say the girl who started off the one most likely to Not have fried chicken on her menu because it takes too blanked long to fry it, is a lot better at this thing called cooking than I ever even thought. And, the one thing the Potage required of me, mostly because of my perfectionism, er-ummm discriminating palate is .... patience! Yes, the girl who had none, is the girl who has a lot now. I never had patience, then enlisting in the military full-time was a perfect fit for that because I used that and my determination, perfectionism, passion to have fun, and get me through it. Then after I got out, my mindset was still there, I didn't know how to 'relax' and enjoy my roses. Just a little later on in my life I met my friends, who'd tell me to relax, sounded like some unidentified foreign language to me. I didn't realize how frantic my day was, for no reason. Or; even, how uncomfortable I was even at rest. Now, I am delicately approaching each day, each moment and enjoying it every second of every day. My culinary education at the school I attended has taught me something much more than cooking, or even technique. My education, the chefs that was handed the Holy Grail of teaching and doing it expertly well, my classmates of whom we've learned so much from each other has all taught me to Become which is a beautiful set of skills. The Potage Saint-Germain that I cooked has taught me that now, in my skillset, I have patience. Something I could never get my hands on because it just always seemed so elusive.. like trying to hold smoke in my hands.
So, this post isn't about the steps different people take to become a Master Chef or about the Potage Saint-Germain, it's about reaching the end of Level 1.5 in cuisine at the culinary school I attend. It seems like we just started! I had more fun, more accomplishments in Level 1.5 than I did in Level 1. It's not an uphill battle, I don't see roadblocks to painfully stub my big or pinkie toes on, and I don't see ever-increasing battle scars developing either. In fact, it's getting better! Better than better! A natural progression in something I love that may take me to Master Chef level or maybe being a Master Chef in my own backyard with my family and friends. Either way is highly desirable to me because it's not about the title but the joy of cooking.
Culinary Institute LeNotre is a school where you are full hands-on in a chef instructor hands-off environment. The foods, ingredients we cook with and eat are all on the fine dining caliber. The Potage I cooked would cost you more in a restaurant than you'd probably be willing to pay for a meal.. that's the level I am learning at. I also love that when we present what we cooked, everyone sits down to eat, yes even guests to the school, we can take meals home. But here's the cool part, we pay only $5 for however much we can fit into the take-out container provided, which is a very generous size. This money goes to help fund the school scholarship that helps struggling students to fulfill their dreams whether they are enrolling or are already enrolled but need a little help. My school does fundraisers and all sorts of things and it offers lifetime career placement which is awesome because it meets the caliber of what we've become accustomed to at this school. So, whichever direction I take after this level I know I have lots of support in getting there and getting through to the next.
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Yummy Burritos-I mean absolutely yummy!
We went to eat at a place we haven't been in a while, it's a Food Truck here in Houston's northwest side. Right on West Rd., over by an auto color store, and a gas station. I ordered the chicken burrito, my son had one and my baby had a beef quesadilla and a beef taco. Let me tell you, this must be the best Mexican food truck on this side. The last time we went there a gentleman was grilling pork tacos on mini round corn tortillas. Now, today... There is a huge generous hunk of meat on a spit, upright, that they shaved off as it cooked thoroughly and then grilled it. We didn't get the meat from the spit but I must say, the meat today tasted more juicy, and more flavorful than the already flavorful flavors we enjoyed the time before.
They even have a big screen tv to watch, but that's always been there. I need to tell you that in my burrito was cheese - queso fresco and plenty of it! Plenty! Plenty of meat, it passed my 5-finger test with juice running down my arm. My grilled onions were juicy, enough of the juice pooled in the foil that enclosed the onions. They were tender, but not too tender. Perfect! The parking is a little tight but well worth it, they do cash only as many if not all of them do. But if you need cash, then the gas station in the parking lot has an A.T.M.
from May 15, 2014
They even have a big screen tv to watch, but that's always been there. I need to tell you that in my burrito was cheese - queso fresco and plenty of it! Plenty! Plenty of meat, it passed my 5-finger test with juice running down my arm. My grilled onions were juicy, enough of the juice pooled in the foil that enclosed the onions. They were tender, but not too tender. Perfect! The parking is a little tight but well worth it, they do cash only as many if not all of them do. But if you need cash, then the gas station in the parking lot has an A.T.M.
from May 15, 2014
Beaumont Bound!
I really enjoyed my day yesterday. Myself, my friend Richard and my son Mica went to Nederland, TX, which is about 1.5 hours north of Houston where we live, to see my Nephew, Niece and my Great-niece who live there. Marques is a Youth Minister @ Golden Triangle Church on the Rock. I am so very blessed to be so close to family. My sister, Niece and Great-niece came down to Beaumont from Dallas and so we got to see everybody. Then later that night we saw my other sister and Richard's brother when we got back into Houston. We've been trying to make that happen for so long!
Maybe next time, hopefully soon, we can all get together. Before I felt like I was walking on air when I saw my family, now I feel like I'm soaring!
We went to get some lunch, (we had just ate like 2 hours before we got there), my sister wanted fish... like homemade in someone's kitchen. Nederland is a small town in southeast Texas, near the Gulf. We didn't realize how close we were to the Gulf until we returned to Marques' house. We tried to find a fish a/or seafood market and Richard was going to fry it for her. Well my nieces, and my Great-niece Arianne went to the Chicken house to get some chicken, since my sister couldn't get a hold of me (my phone was on vibrate lol!), she went ahead, told them to get her some fish from there. This is how I am, I don't like to get fish from the same place that serves chicken. Every now & then you get chicken that tastes like fish from being introduced to the same oil the fish was fried in and vice versa. But I *seem* to be the only person who feels that way about restaurants like that. So, me and Rich get to Sartin's which is a seafood restaurant. The food portions, at least mines were small, and Richards was a nice size. I ordered stuffed Jalapeños which were stuffed with ooey gooey cheese, and breaded, then deep-fried. I also had grilled shrimp, grilled chicken and tad bit of rice.i had like 5 pitiful looking shrimps and even more pitiful looking chicken strips of which there were three. I also had the cole slaw, that was absolutely divine!! I loved it, but I wouldn't pay $23 for it to have it again. Richard had a nice side salad, with thickly sliced cucumbers, tomatoes and of course lots of lettuce. I forget what else he had, oh.. he had 3-4 nice size pieces of catfish (fillets), fried. I think he had fried shrimp, something else. I really wouldn't say the prices are expensive because I see the same thing in Galveston, TX which is an island right outside of town, Clear Lake, Houston, Pearland, etc.
Maybe, if I can get my family down here we can go to NASA, to Kemah Boardwalk. If we go to Kemah, Richard can fry Lisa some catfish right on the beach! That'll be a real nice way to help encourage her new vegetarian diet. She's 2 weeks strong so far. I'm so proud of her. I'm going to teach her to make the Russian salad we made at school last week.
Maybe next time, hopefully soon, we can all get together. Before I felt like I was walking on air when I saw my family, now I feel like I'm soaring!
We went to get some lunch, (we had just ate like 2 hours before we got there), my sister wanted fish... like homemade in someone's kitchen. Nederland is a small town in southeast Texas, near the Gulf. We didn't realize how close we were to the Gulf until we returned to Marques' house. We tried to find a fish a/or seafood market and Richard was going to fry it for her. Well my nieces, and my Great-niece Arianne went to the Chicken house to get some chicken, since my sister couldn't get a hold of me (my phone was on vibrate lol!), she went ahead, told them to get her some fish from there. This is how I am, I don't like to get fish from the same place that serves chicken. Every now & then you get chicken that tastes like fish from being introduced to the same oil the fish was fried in and vice versa. But I *seem* to be the only person who feels that way about restaurants like that. So, me and Rich get to Sartin's which is a seafood restaurant. The food portions, at least mines were small, and Richards was a nice size. I ordered stuffed Jalapeños which were stuffed with ooey gooey cheese, and breaded, then deep-fried. I also had grilled shrimp, grilled chicken and tad bit of rice.i had like 5 pitiful looking shrimps and even more pitiful looking chicken strips of which there were three. I also had the cole slaw, that was absolutely divine!! I loved it, but I wouldn't pay $23 for it to have it again. Richard had a nice side salad, with thickly sliced cucumbers, tomatoes and of course lots of lettuce. I forget what else he had, oh.. he had 3-4 nice size pieces of catfish (fillets), fried. I think he had fried shrimp, something else. I really wouldn't say the prices are expensive because I see the same thing in Galveston, TX which is an island right outside of town, Clear Lake, Houston, Pearland, etc.
Maybe, if I can get my family down here we can go to NASA, to Kemah Boardwalk. If we go to Kemah, Richard can fry Lisa some catfish right on the beach! That'll be a real nice way to help encourage her new vegetarian diet. She's 2 weeks strong so far. I'm so proud of her. I'm going to teach her to make the Russian salad we made at school last week.
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Jack aint Jack!
Two Jack-In-The-Box restaurant's, both on N. Shepherd, one down by Jo-Vee's and the other one is close to Pinemont. Of course there's more than 2 in Houston but these two really bear mentioning, and not for good reasons. The one down by Jo-Vee's had a particularly unfortunate night, so maybe it's not fair to include them on this but I don't want the one on Pinemont to feel singled out. Their unfortunate night was that they had to fill drinks from soda bottles. You gotta do what you gotta do right? Hmmm from a food safety/sanitation stand point that just invites too much trouble especially since they left the caps off the bottles. Not to quickly fill several cups at once, there were no caps on any of the bottles. Oh, and need I mention no ice either. So that's it for that one! Now for the one on Pinemont. This is a recurring issue, like everyday. They get your order wrong, then tell you its right until you prove that it isn't. And just how do you hand someone a cheeseburger with no top bun, no cheese, and no vegetables. Nothing. It was an open-faced dry-ass concoction. Richard is not a mean person, he was very understandable and I don't think the fact that they "seemed" to have trouble understanding/speaking English had anything to do with it as I told him. He was trying to make the better of the situation, but how can you do that in this one. Really? He took the burger back up there, and she asked him if that is how it was handed to him? That was more recent, let's step back a few weeks, I go there to get Richard some lunch. How about, 3 or 4 people are all frantically working the drive-thru... and about 8 or 9 people, including me were abandoned as we awaited someone to help us. Oh they knew we were there, they made eye-contact with us several times. We were never acknowledged us or told they'd be with us in a moment. People started walking out. They saw them leave, and ignored the fact without even batting an eyelash. No sense in asking for the manager as she was just a part of the debacle. There weren.t that many cars in the danged drive-thru and if you've been by this store before then you'd know that not many cars can even fit in the drive-thru, let alone the parking lot. Just not many people were there that day. The space is a little cramped. Each time we go there, it's something. As I told Richard, it's not because they speak Spanish and cannot understand English. A burger is a burger is a burger.. is a burger! This is Jack-in-the-Box. Come on Now!
On My First Day In A French Kitchen!
Yesterday was my very first day in a French kitchen, I don't know why I'm referring to it as a French kitchen. Maybe, because it is. It's in a, might I say, legendary French culinary institute. But it was my first day in any commercial-type kitchen. When Melinda, she is an awesome lady that works at the LeNotre Culinary Institute and truly there aren't enough word to express the magnitude of gifted staff there or their passion, approachability, and friendliness who really does want you to succeed.. Really! I mean that and am not pitching them or the school, sorry if it sounds like I am but that's just me. I tell you how I feel! I write what I feel! Getting back on track here, when she took me on the tour of the Institute I could see, sense, smell of the sweet, seductive confections wafting from baking kitchen, the savory scents of the cuisines that smelled so good I nearly passed out!
I had my first day in a large kitchen, my instructor is Chef Jean and yes he is French, with a heavy French accent. And let me tell you, I am so happy I am in his class. I don't know how many Level I instructors there are or if he is the only one and I am certain I'd be in good hands with any one of their Chefs but he is an older, well seasoned Chef. From the old school. To me, those are the best when you are first starting out. But like I said, that's me. I like the old world viniculture practices. I prefer to learn the way things were meant to be.. from the beginning because that gives you the best base to work from. It's why our grandmothers foods were so good, legendary throughout our families. Your grandmothers probably taught your mothers whose cooking could win Michelin Awards. I am an avid researcher, so as Chef Jean teaches me these most essential skills, techniques, basics, mother sauces, etc. I am going to add my own twist from my heritage. That's how you learn to cook. You glean what you need and you make it your own.
With all the above being said, my first day was a huge success. It's where all my past struggles in my life since January of this year has carried me to. I know that wasn't a long time ago, just a few months. But this school carries you fast. That's why you have to show up, for everything in life. So that shouldn't be too hard huh! You also have to be present. Don't show up and not be present, you cannot absorb anything with an inattentive mind! Then as we learned, Practice Practice Practice. Taste Taste Taste. You have to apply what you've learned. Apply it everywhere, at school, home, someone else's home, work. Everywhere. It helps to know a little French. It's all really simple. You know it's said that for things to be retained by the mind it needs to be said 3 times. Some people, it takes only once. I'm like that sometimes. But here, the recipes, the techniques are introduced to you in written form at least 3 times. I noticed this as I was perusing through my class materials last night. Chef Jean told us he does not want us to write down the recipes, he wants us to remember them in our hearts, and in our minds. Which is all gravy, and I love gravy! But I'm a writer, I learn by writing. Maybe that's why I appreciate how the coursework is presented. I'm not dumb, or weak-willed, I'm a writer. My mind's light is always turn on! Literature is it's beacon! In my coursework, I can make all kinds of notes, and adjustments, and become inspired when I see the same recipe, with the same instructions written differently. In one book it may just be all words, in another it may.have colorful pictures and illustrations, etc. I can research on how to put my own cultural spin on it, even keeping it French at times. All of this is giving me goosebumps. Yes, writing to me is as close to sex as anything can get! Writing is sexy. It's an aphrodisiac. I think, like in exercise it releases endorphins! Have you ever eaten a lamb dish or anything that was so good it made your mind do somersaults? Did y'all see my post about the Lamb dish I ordered at Kris Bistro? Uuuugh! So danged yummy! Absolutely no gaminess!! And I can't wait until Friday, but I must. Because it's the last day of the $20 deal and the only day me & Rich can go there together. I think I'm going to get me a locker today, so I can go to class on Friday right from the Bistro and change my chef suit just before.
I didn't mean to keep you all so long. But by now, y'all should probably know (if you're regular readers) that I get excited often! Lol!
Today, I have class and am very nervous. I don't like to be put under the radar, but I have to be. It's my 2nd kitchen debut. My "knife skills" test. The test I didn't put in parenthesis because that's not what I'm worried about. It doesn't need stressing. I'm real good at taking tests. It's the knife skills part that's nearly got me breaking out in hives! I have no knife skills. I know to curl your fingers when your slicing, dicing, chopping. But seriously that takes too long. And these knives are friggin' sharp! Soooo as everyone is moving along like well oiled machines, I will be by the first aid station like every 5 minutes while trying to coordinate proper finger placement and chopping technique. I'll tell y'all how it all actually turns out, and I do hope and will definitely pray to my Almighty Father in Heaven that it turns out much better than I envision. I think I need a new vision. A vision of success and not failure. I'm 4.0 in academics and hopefully 4.0 in the kitchen. Richard gets home from dialysis just before I leave to go to school. I might be able to see him for 30 minutes. I wish I could stuff him in my pocket and take him with me. Oh listen to me! I sound like a whimp! I got this! And if I don't perform so well, next time I'm certain I'll be much much better! I'm gonna be Suma Cum Laude remember!
Tomorrow at school we will be prepping for presentation, critique in the dining room on Friday.
You know what, you guys are awesome listeners! Lol! Thank You for that and for tolerating my little panic attack. Do you know what a panic adjustment is? I just thought of that term, don't know yet if the term is even real or not. But it would be when you adjust your panicking from one thing to another. I'm going to do everything in my power to avoid that today! Lol!
I had my first day in a large kitchen, my instructor is Chef Jean and yes he is French, with a heavy French accent. And let me tell you, I am so happy I am in his class. I don't know how many Level I instructors there are or if he is the only one and I am certain I'd be in good hands with any one of their Chefs but he is an older, well seasoned Chef. From the old school. To me, those are the best when you are first starting out. But like I said, that's me. I like the old world viniculture practices. I prefer to learn the way things were meant to be.. from the beginning because that gives you the best base to work from. It's why our grandmothers foods were so good, legendary throughout our families. Your grandmothers probably taught your mothers whose cooking could win Michelin Awards. I am an avid researcher, so as Chef Jean teaches me these most essential skills, techniques, basics, mother sauces, etc. I am going to add my own twist from my heritage. That's how you learn to cook. You glean what you need and you make it your own.
With all the above being said, my first day was a huge success. It's where all my past struggles in my life since January of this year has carried me to. I know that wasn't a long time ago, just a few months. But this school carries you fast. That's why you have to show up, for everything in life. So that shouldn't be too hard huh! You also have to be present. Don't show up and not be present, you cannot absorb anything with an inattentive mind! Then as we learned, Practice Practice Practice. Taste Taste Taste. You have to apply what you've learned. Apply it everywhere, at school, home, someone else's home, work. Everywhere. It helps to know a little French. It's all really simple. You know it's said that for things to be retained by the mind it needs to be said 3 times. Some people, it takes only once. I'm like that sometimes. But here, the recipes, the techniques are introduced to you in written form at least 3 times. I noticed this as I was perusing through my class materials last night. Chef Jean told us he does not want us to write down the recipes, he wants us to remember them in our hearts, and in our minds. Which is all gravy, and I love gravy! But I'm a writer, I learn by writing. Maybe that's why I appreciate how the coursework is presented. I'm not dumb, or weak-willed, I'm a writer. My mind's light is always turn on! Literature is it's beacon! In my coursework, I can make all kinds of notes, and adjustments, and become inspired when I see the same recipe, with the same instructions written differently. In one book it may just be all words, in another it may.have colorful pictures and illustrations, etc. I can research on how to put my own cultural spin on it, even keeping it French at times. All of this is giving me goosebumps. Yes, writing to me is as close to sex as anything can get! Writing is sexy. It's an aphrodisiac. I think, like in exercise it releases endorphins! Have you ever eaten a lamb dish or anything that was so good it made your mind do somersaults? Did y'all see my post about the Lamb dish I ordered at Kris Bistro? Uuuugh! So danged yummy! Absolutely no gaminess!! And I can't wait until Friday, but I must. Because it's the last day of the $20 deal and the only day me & Rich can go there together. I think I'm going to get me a locker today, so I can go to class on Friday right from the Bistro and change my chef suit just before.
I didn't mean to keep you all so long. But by now, y'all should probably know (if you're regular readers) that I get excited often! Lol!
Today, I have class and am very nervous. I don't like to be put under the radar, but I have to be. It's my 2nd kitchen debut. My "knife skills" test. The test I didn't put in parenthesis because that's not what I'm worried about. It doesn't need stressing. I'm real good at taking tests. It's the knife skills part that's nearly got me breaking out in hives! I have no knife skills. I know to curl your fingers when your slicing, dicing, chopping. But seriously that takes too long. And these knives are friggin' sharp! Soooo as everyone is moving along like well oiled machines, I will be by the first aid station like every 5 minutes while trying to coordinate proper finger placement and chopping technique. I'll tell y'all how it all actually turns out, and I do hope and will definitely pray to my Almighty Father in Heaven that it turns out much better than I envision. I think I need a new vision. A vision of success and not failure. I'm 4.0 in academics and hopefully 4.0 in the kitchen. Richard gets home from dialysis just before I leave to go to school. I might be able to see him for 30 minutes. I wish I could stuff him in my pocket and take him with me. Oh listen to me! I sound like a whimp! I got this! And if I don't perform so well, next time I'm certain I'll be much much better! I'm gonna be Suma Cum Laude remember!
Tomorrow at school we will be prepping for presentation, critique in the dining room on Friday.
You know what, you guys are awesome listeners! Lol! Thank You for that and for tolerating my little panic attack. Do you know what a panic adjustment is? I just thought of that term, don't know yet if the term is even real or not. But it would be when you adjust your panicking from one thing to another. I'm going to do everything in my power to avoid that today! Lol!
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Who Put The Lamb In French Cooking!!!!
Kris Bistro did!!!!
I ate an absolutely wonderful lamb dish Friday 5/16/2014. The olives and couscous served on the side could have been so that it wasn't hiding underneath the little cast iron pot thingy the lamb was served in. I had to fish around it to maneauver the side dish so I could access it easily enough to eat it. But that would be my one and only complaint about my lunch there that day. Everything was so easy-going, peaceful, elegant. I felt like high-society eating lunch in such a place when I'm used to the hustle and bustle of more gastronomic mayhems. Cold and unrelentingly simple they are but not at Kris Bistro. What a Treat! Especially when I hear one of the newcombers exclaim to the waiter, "Oh, I loved it! I'll come back here again, again, again!!!". That's nice to know, especially since I will be cooking in that same kitchen that made her meal that day. Yes, I am already a student at LeNotre culinary Institute which houses Kris Bistro and the chefs that teach, taught, those who are advanced students there. But, this review isn't about me, it's about the food. The food and the ambience, the place are all on the same level of high quality, high class, with a low price point. Yes, your ears and eyes aren't failing you! My huge lunch only costs $20. Well $4.00 extra for the lamb. But I would have paid more.
To start off, the $20 included a Soup du Jour which included a salad. The soup was a delicious creamy tomato soup with a side of spring greens, fresh, and tomatoes, also fresh. And a drizzle or two of a light dressing.
Then, came my meal as explained already except that the lamb, and Oh the Lamb! You know lamb can have a strong flavor to it. Not this lamb. If I hadn't known that I'd ordered it then I'd swear up-and-down that it was roast beef. It was served as a stew. It tasted like beef stew. I detected no strong lamb-y flavor which I strongly appreciate! I really just wanted to see how the French could possibly make the dish rather appetizing. They did a splendid job.
The service was impeccable. I didn't have to wait any excessive length of time. As soon as I finished my Soup du Jour, my entree was right there. You have to admit that's pretty damn good, especially for a daypart service where the patrons are normally pressed for time. I really felt cared for, and about. Lastly, my dessert.. I had a choice of Sherbert of the day or a Noisette, chocolote, decadent, served with LeNotre Ice Cream (I imagine that means it's made in-house), OMG! Shut the front door! Beautiful display, the food stylist deserves credit as well. The taste was just to die for! A complexity of decadence and flavors and ooey gooey-ness with the rich chocolate and the oh-so-perfect caramel. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm so divine!
The menu featured 2 other entree choices to choose from, a salmon meal and a chicken meal.. these were meals not just single solitary dishes. The lamb was a meal. Meal is not including the Soup du Jour nor the dessert or the crispy French breadsticks, and butter they give you when you first sit down at your table. Oh and with the chocolate Noisette, the server asked me if I'd like coffee to accompany it. I told him no, because I already had my iced tea that I hadn't finished yet. Boy, as I was devouring, engulfing the dessert all I could dream of was that coffee would set this dish through the stars, and straight to Heaven! Next time, I'm ordering coffee with my Noisette!!
And I must mention that this is my 3rd visit to Kris Bistro, 2nd outside of school, and I just absolutely love the adorable tiny square sugar cubes they give you on a little white tray with a little silver spoon, a little white bowl on that tray of sugar packets. It's sooo cute! It gives me the feel of an English tea party.
I ate an absolutely wonderful lamb dish Friday 5/16/2014. The olives and couscous served on the side could have been so that it wasn't hiding underneath the little cast iron pot thingy the lamb was served in. I had to fish around it to maneauver the side dish so I could access it easily enough to eat it. But that would be my one and only complaint about my lunch there that day. Everything was so easy-going, peaceful, elegant. I felt like high-society eating lunch in such a place when I'm used to the hustle and bustle of more gastronomic mayhems. Cold and unrelentingly simple they are but not at Kris Bistro. What a Treat! Especially when I hear one of the newcombers exclaim to the waiter, "Oh, I loved it! I'll come back here again, again, again!!!". That's nice to know, especially since I will be cooking in that same kitchen that made her meal that day. Yes, I am already a student at LeNotre culinary Institute which houses Kris Bistro and the chefs that teach, taught, those who are advanced students there. But, this review isn't about me, it's about the food. The food and the ambience, the place are all on the same level of high quality, high class, with a low price point. Yes, your ears and eyes aren't failing you! My huge lunch only costs $20. Well $4.00 extra for the lamb. But I would have paid more.
To start off, the $20 included a Soup du Jour which included a salad. The soup was a delicious creamy tomato soup with a side of spring greens, fresh, and tomatoes, also fresh. And a drizzle or two of a light dressing.
Then, came my meal as explained already except that the lamb, and Oh the Lamb! You know lamb can have a strong flavor to it. Not this lamb. If I hadn't known that I'd ordered it then I'd swear up-and-down that it was roast beef. It was served as a stew. It tasted like beef stew. I detected no strong lamb-y flavor which I strongly appreciate! I really just wanted to see how the French could possibly make the dish rather appetizing. They did a splendid job.
The service was impeccable. I didn't have to wait any excessive length of time. As soon as I finished my Soup du Jour, my entree was right there. You have to admit that's pretty damn good, especially for a daypart service where the patrons are normally pressed for time. I really felt cared for, and about. Lastly, my dessert.. I had a choice of Sherbert of the day or a Noisette, chocolote, decadent, served with LeNotre Ice Cream (I imagine that means it's made in-house), OMG! Shut the front door! Beautiful display, the food stylist deserves credit as well. The taste was just to die for! A complexity of decadence and flavors and ooey gooey-ness with the rich chocolate and the oh-so-perfect caramel. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm so divine!
The menu featured 2 other entree choices to choose from, a salmon meal and a chicken meal.. these were meals not just single solitary dishes. The lamb was a meal. Meal is not including the Soup du Jour nor the dessert or the crispy French breadsticks, and butter they give you when you first sit down at your table. Oh and with the chocolate Noisette, the server asked me if I'd like coffee to accompany it. I told him no, because I already had my iced tea that I hadn't finished yet. Boy, as I was devouring, engulfing the dessert all I could dream of was that coffee would set this dish through the stars, and straight to Heaven! Next time, I'm ordering coffee with my Noisette!!
And I must mention that this is my 3rd visit to Kris Bistro, 2nd outside of school, and I just absolutely love the adorable tiny square sugar cubes they give you on a little white tray with a little silver spoon, a little white bowl on that tray of sugar packets. It's sooo cute! It gives me the feel of an English tea party.
Thursday, April 24, 2014
There'll Be No Wine Before It's Time!
Wine 1001 Fundamentals is going great! I am so looking forward to the sommelier course at my school. I just took my mid-term and got a 100, I think that I am only one of the few out of maybe 80-100 or so people that did so well. This course is a beast! It is so in-depth, involved, intense. I never knew that there was literally so much to learn about wine!
My instructor Alexander (Alex) Fox is so patient with us, we struggle to grasp concepts and abstracts about the old world and the new world. Regions in France, Germany, Austria and other areas like Sonoma, Napa and New Zealand. Bottle shapes, grapes, how wines get their color, texture, scent. We learn about terroir and what a Cru means, entails when you see it on a wine label. We learn the dynamics of wine and barrel making (a barrel maker is called a cooper (Cuper?), white and red wines. Wine glass, bottles and why they are shaped they way they are. That definitely does not exhaust what our brains have had to inhale within these short 5-6 weeks so far. Now we only have a few weeks left before finals and then it's off to more academics and Sommelier classes for me and others who are interested in it too. You don't need a vineyard to grow wine. I can do it in my back yard. If my terroir is not up to par then maybe it won't be good wine, but it'll be wine nonetheless. But, I learned early in this class that I do favor the old world way of wine making and so to me, soil is of utmost importance. So terroir would be a focus for me in producing good quality wines. I'm just not ready for that yet, I need to get my toes wet a little more. Twinkle them in more wine classes, then maybe I'll be ready.
My instructor Alexander (Alex) Fox is so patient with us, we struggle to grasp concepts and abstracts about the old world and the new world. Regions in France, Germany, Austria and other areas like Sonoma, Napa and New Zealand. Bottle shapes, grapes, how wines get their color, texture, scent. We learn about terroir and what a Cru means, entails when you see it on a wine label. We learn the dynamics of wine and barrel making (a barrel maker is called a cooper (Cuper?), white and red wines. Wine glass, bottles and why they are shaped they way they are. That definitely does not exhaust what our brains have had to inhale within these short 5-6 weeks so far. Now we only have a few weeks left before finals and then it's off to more academics and Sommelier classes for me and others who are interested in it too. You don't need a vineyard to grow wine. I can do it in my back yard. If my terroir is not up to par then maybe it won't be good wine, but it'll be wine nonetheless. But, I learned early in this class that I do favor the old world way of wine making and so to me, soil is of utmost importance. So terroir would be a focus for me in producing good quality wines. I'm just not ready for that yet, I need to get my toes wet a little more. Twinkle them in more wine classes, then maybe I'll be ready.
The Big Taste of Houston
So I volunteered for The Big Taste of Houston which was on April 13, about a couple weeks ago. One of the instructors at my school informed us of the opportunity, there may be some extra credit involved for volunteering (5pts.), and I must say that I had a blast! The volunteer opportunity was with Cold Stone Creamery... Um the manager of it who was actually working the booth for Cloud 10 Creamery. He said he would be working one other booth, that's the one I chose. I love Ice Cream but there was just something fantastic about Museum Park Cafe's smoked steelhead trout on a Panzanella salad with spring greens that I couldn't resist. The owner, whom at this time is still working out of, as he describes, the small kitchen in his condo is the chef, mastermind behind the dish. It was so much fun! He had everything so organized, he bought extras of everything in lots of little containers and fish on trays to ensure we didn't run out to soon which we almost did because his salad was so intensely popular. They had brought in a deep freezers to keep the ice cream and fish chilled. The whole event took place inside of The Corinthian in downtown Houston, TX. and the charity event was to benefit Big Brothers & Big Sisters organization by taking a child off the waiting list, placing them with a mentor with every $500 that they raised that day. There were silent auctions, wine pulls, and free food and drinks from high end restauranteurs and there were many caterers. I tasted the food too and it was all so very delicious! There was also a live band. Once we started, it's like it never stopped! People kept coming by and I as his Sous Chef worked myself into a sweat trying to keep up with the demand. First time I ever did anything like that. But the Chef was a good manager, didn't mind pitching in when it looked like I was falling behind, he was very gracious and appreciative. It really didn't take long for me to feel comfortable assembling the salads, mixing them correctly, making the dishes pretty and answering a few questions all at the same time. We had a very interesting lady that stopped by a couple times, she came right up behind our set-up and was involving herself in the process out of curiosity. She appeared to be deaf, so as she pointed and motioned what her inquiries were I obliged. First time, I answered her questions and fell so far behind that the Chef had to come and corral my focus back so we could feed the anxious masses that had formed a long line at our booth. The second time she came around I answered her but kept my focus. I wasn't sure if she was one of the judges in the cooking competition (which there was one, featured Star Chefs including Christine Ha, a MasterChef winner which is a cooking competition hosted by 3 legendary Chefs including Gordon Ramsay of Hell's Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmare's), coming by to agitate things a little or if she was actually a consumer there and was just curious. Either way the whole experience was fun!
As a foodie I feel confident in telling you that the Steelhead Trout on Panzanella salad from Museum Park Cafe that I just told you about is to die for! If you are not a salad type of person then I believe with a minimal amount of doubt that you will love this one! Now, you can't get it yet of course because the restaurant hasn't actually opened. It's still in his condo. But you know what to expect when it does, and it will. He has already got an investor the same as Cloud 10 which was great as well. Despite my name, I just don't do crumbly well and it had some crumbly stuff at the bottom. Lots of interesting gourmet ingredients in the ice cream. It was good, just without the crumbs. But many other people liked it so it's just a personal preference sort of thing. I liked it, I just didn't love it!
As a foodie I feel confident in telling you that the Steelhead Trout on Panzanella salad from Museum Park Cafe that I just told you about is to die for! If you are not a salad type of person then I believe with a minimal amount of doubt that you will love this one! Now, you can't get it yet of course because the restaurant hasn't actually opened. It's still in his condo. But you know what to expect when it does, and it will. He has already got an investor the same as Cloud 10 which was great as well. Despite my name, I just don't do crumbly well and it had some crumbly stuff at the bottom. Lots of interesting gourmet ingredients in the ice cream. It was good, just without the crumbs. But many other people liked it so it's just a personal preference sort of thing. I liked it, I just didn't love it!
Monday, March 31, 2014
Up Early .. Wayyy Too Early!
I have this crazy instinct that bugs me and never leaves me alone! It's why I'm such an over-achiever, and a risk-taker. I never do anything easy, always taking the road less traveled. Well, this morning is no different, I find myself sitting in front of this computer preparing for my test this morning (in a couple hours) and typing up this blog when I'd just rather be lying in bed. I completed and sent out my survey for menu class last night which needed to be done before 4/16 which it's not even April yet. I am ready to print out the notification as proof that I did complete it just in-case my teacher is wondering who is keeping up. This class is all auto-pilot, no hand-holding, and she expects us to be what/who we are as adults and do our work and practice effective time management on our own with little or no guidance from her. To be honest with you, I kinda like it this way. It let's me test my mettle, to see what I'm made of. The other classes I took last term weren't elementary at all but this term is a bit tougher! Hey, I earned that A and I'm going to earn it again this term! 4.0 - again!!
Oh, last night my fiance made the most amazing pepper steak using Steak-Ums, it was soooooo good! I ate every bite and angrily looked at the streaks of gravy left in my plate because there was no more. Not enough for seconds, ugh! rolling my eyes! Lol!
Oh, last night my fiance made the most amazing pepper steak using Steak-Ums, it was soooooo good! I ate every bite and angrily looked at the streaks of gravy left in my plate because there was no more. Not enough for seconds, ugh! rolling my eyes! Lol!
Friday, March 28, 2014
Post from Saturday, January 18th, 2014
Well ever since I started culinary school my eyes have been wide open. My family and I decided on the spur of the moment on a mini vacay to San Antonio over the weekend. It was event filled, a total blast! We took the riverboat cruise down the San Antonio River at the Riverwalk, stayed at the Drury Inn Hotel and Suites where we had discount coupons from the free hotel coupon.com magazine at One of the Denny's in Houston, toured the Alamo, went on a real-live ghost haunt in downtown San Antonio where 800+ people fighting at the Alamo lost their lives in just about 90 seconds. There were plenty of other tragic things that happened there. Lo' and behold I did catch a lot of it on my iPad Air. Although I don't believe you need one just to catch a ghost on camera, I have a special attachment to mine.
Let me tell you about the Drury Inn, it was very very comfortable though one of the outlets didn't work which is why the lamp on my side of the bed wasn't working. The hotel had an impressive room service menu with impressive prices, in a good way! They served free breakfast which had many tasty choices and offered foods for the health conscious. They also offered what they call a 5:30 Kickback. It was dinner, it wasn't something you'd get at Applebee's which was adjacent to the hotel, or anything offering a full family menu. If you didn't like chili dogs or beans then you were pretty much out of luck save for small baked potatoes and a salad. Seriously though, they could have saved them small drawed up things and made small French fries, they probably would have been better received. But beggars can't be choosers or can they?i mean the meal was free, and on top of that they served a free bar. I ordered a tequila sunrise, let me tell you I tasted no sunrise in my tequila sunrise. They was so much alcohol the room began to spin on my first couple of sips. I left nearly a whole glass un-consumed. Yeah, I could have asked them to water it down for me some or fix me another with much less tequila and much more sunrise but I was at the end of my dinner and we were headed upstairs to take a nap before we became legitimate ghost haunts in a couple hours.
So on our last day there we went to the Snake Farm And Wild Animal Zoo. I had always seen this place of the side of the road whe. I lived in San Antonio a few years back. I never checked it out, just scared. Much like my approach to the Culinary School I attend. My first impression was much better than that of the ginormous San Antonio Zoo, you had look for the tired animals who hid ore than showed themselves. Here, you are first greeted by anacondas, pythons and all kinds of snakes, and other reptiles. They sell you a small bag of feed for a small price to feed the animals if you want (no not the snakes!), once you get outside where theist of the animals don't slither you are greeted by happy turkeys, peacocks, roosters just casually walking around. They walk up to you. Give these happy creatures a little bit of feed and you've got. Friend for the rest of your life or however long your stay there is, whatever comes first. We couldn't find the camels at the SN Antonio Zoo but here she was there, beautiful and interacted with us. All of the animals did. They even have real live animal demonstrations done by the animal handlers or guest ones who come there to inform, educate and entertain. The demonstration was the white lion cubs. Solo cute, they were 9 months old. They were interactive too and the guests were able to interact back by petting them and taking up-close photo shots on their various electronic cellular devices. Or you can feed the billy goats and the camels. I got to see my favorite, up-close. I have only ever been able to see my favorite animal via photos, on television, in magazines, etc. I saw the wolves! I love wolves, they are so hauntingly beautiful. They as I say are not of this world, it just seems like they have been here before. Like they we motivated by spiritual forces. We saw eagles, monkeys, etc. this snake farm is not just a snake farm, nope! It is so much more! Including a Perty neat gift, souveineir shop. I know I totally mutilated that word.
Our next and last stop was ZDTs in somewhere. Lol! Nah it's in Seguin, TX. OMG! This big attraction in the little town of Seguin was so much fun. A 2-story Go Cart Track, amusement park rides one of which I went on and ended my day. My stomach was feeling some kinda way and headed back to Houston. But they had old water or chemical vats that they turned into climbing walls, 2 arcades. Some games featured old Atari faves like Donkey Kong and Centipede, there were some racing games and then if that isn't enough for you the. You bounce on probably the biggest rubber band in the world that's made for both kids and adults.
One restaurant we visited that I'd like to name was suggested by my finances son, 'Dick's Last Resort', he had warned us that the purpose was to give us bad service, intentionally. I forgot that when we walked through the door. How does a waitress, waiters walk right past us, seeing us come in, and hold casual conversations about the weather and river walk tourists. I was like, "didn't they see us standing here!" Finally some saw us instead of looking through us like we were made of glass. We were taken to our seats, our silverware thrown down on the table, our napkins floating aimlessly in the air after being tossed at us. Our waitress asked us if we knew anything about the restaurant, I told her the we heard some things. She was like alright, let me explain this to you! Then the fun began! People actually come here for bad service. I mean this has to be the dream job for rude people, seriously, I'm. to rude but when a bad attitude is not only expected but encouraged is so much fun! I mean they are not like Beeyatch! There is a tad bit of decorum here. The. They don these ridiculous towering paper hats on your head upon which they've written something not so kind on them. It's all part of the Mbience, so this is NOT the place to go if you have no sense of humor. If you can't take a joke then I advise you go to the British bar a couple steps up the sidewalk. The bathroom was very clean, the faucet handles were in my opinion a little unsanitary functionally. I mean, I went to turn the handle, nothing. I had to turn the loose handle like five turns as it swiveled freely around to ge some water to wash my hands. I though it was funny, but can make a real germiphobe real uncomfortable.
I cNt end this without telling you about the food, their cheeseburgers are huge, juicy, delectable and don't order the double like I did (ginormous) and then go on an amusement ride 2 or 3 hours later at ZDTs like I did. They have Shri so in a bucket, really it wouldn't order this. If I had ordered this like some other people did I would have been like, "ok, really? Jokes over, no more playing!" The bucket is true but the shrimp is pitiful. They place a cloth dinner napkin across the opening of the bucket and place 4 pitiful looking shrimp on top of it. Literally! That's the dish, if he hadn't ordered the chili cheese fries he would have been out of luck, even that was small. My double cheeseburger could have ate everyone else's dish for a snake except for maybe my son who had a single cheeseburger.
Well that was our weekend!
Let me tell you about the Drury Inn, it was very very comfortable though one of the outlets didn't work which is why the lamp on my side of the bed wasn't working. The hotel had an impressive room service menu with impressive prices, in a good way! They served free breakfast which had many tasty choices and offered foods for the health conscious. They also offered what they call a 5:30 Kickback. It was dinner, it wasn't something you'd get at Applebee's which was adjacent to the hotel, or anything offering a full family menu. If you didn't like chili dogs or beans then you were pretty much out of luck save for small baked potatoes and a salad. Seriously though, they could have saved them small drawed up things and made small French fries, they probably would have been better received. But beggars can't be choosers or can they?i mean the meal was free, and on top of that they served a free bar. I ordered a tequila sunrise, let me tell you I tasted no sunrise in my tequila sunrise. They was so much alcohol the room began to spin on my first couple of sips. I left nearly a whole glass un-consumed. Yeah, I could have asked them to water it down for me some or fix me another with much less tequila and much more sunrise but I was at the end of my dinner and we were headed upstairs to take a nap before we became legitimate ghost haunts in a couple hours.
So on our last day there we went to the Snake Farm And Wild Animal Zoo. I had always seen this place of the side of the road whe. I lived in San Antonio a few years back. I never checked it out, just scared. Much like my approach to the Culinary School I attend. My first impression was much better than that of the ginormous San Antonio Zoo, you had look for the tired animals who hid ore than showed themselves. Here, you are first greeted by anacondas, pythons and all kinds of snakes, and other reptiles. They sell you a small bag of feed for a small price to feed the animals if you want (no not the snakes!), once you get outside where theist of the animals don't slither you are greeted by happy turkeys, peacocks, roosters just casually walking around. They walk up to you. Give these happy creatures a little bit of feed and you've got. Friend for the rest of your life or however long your stay there is, whatever comes first. We couldn't find the camels at the SN Antonio Zoo but here she was there, beautiful and interacted with us. All of the animals did. They even have real live animal demonstrations done by the animal handlers or guest ones who come there to inform, educate and entertain. The demonstration was the white lion cubs. Solo cute, they were 9 months old. They were interactive too and the guests were able to interact back by petting them and taking up-close photo shots on their various electronic cellular devices. Or you can feed the billy goats and the camels. I got to see my favorite, up-close. I have only ever been able to see my favorite animal via photos, on television, in magazines, etc. I saw the wolves! I love wolves, they are so hauntingly beautiful. They as I say are not of this world, it just seems like they have been here before. Like they we motivated by spiritual forces. We saw eagles, monkeys, etc. this snake farm is not just a snake farm, nope! It is so much more! Including a Perty neat gift, souveineir shop. I know I totally mutilated that word.
Our next and last stop was ZDTs in somewhere. Lol! Nah it's in Seguin, TX. OMG! This big attraction in the little town of Seguin was so much fun. A 2-story Go Cart Track, amusement park rides one of which I went on and ended my day. My stomach was feeling some kinda way and headed back to Houston. But they had old water or chemical vats that they turned into climbing walls, 2 arcades. Some games featured old Atari faves like Donkey Kong and Centipede, there were some racing games and then if that isn't enough for you the. You bounce on probably the biggest rubber band in the world that's made for both kids and adults.
One restaurant we visited that I'd like to name was suggested by my finances son, 'Dick's Last Resort', he had warned us that the purpose was to give us bad service, intentionally. I forgot that when we walked through the door. How does a waitress, waiters walk right past us, seeing us come in, and hold casual conversations about the weather and river walk tourists. I was like, "didn't they see us standing here!" Finally some saw us instead of looking through us like we were made of glass. We were taken to our seats, our silverware thrown down on the table, our napkins floating aimlessly in the air after being tossed at us. Our waitress asked us if we knew anything about the restaurant, I told her the we heard some things. She was like alright, let me explain this to you! Then the fun began! People actually come here for bad service. I mean this has to be the dream job for rude people, seriously, I'm. to rude but when a bad attitude is not only expected but encouraged is so much fun! I mean they are not like Beeyatch! There is a tad bit of decorum here. The. They don these ridiculous towering paper hats on your head upon which they've written something not so kind on them. It's all part of the Mbience, so this is NOT the place to go if you have no sense of humor. If you can't take a joke then I advise you go to the British bar a couple steps up the sidewalk. The bathroom was very clean, the faucet handles were in my opinion a little unsanitary functionally. I mean, I went to turn the handle, nothing. I had to turn the loose handle like five turns as it swiveled freely around to ge some water to wash my hands. I though it was funny, but can make a real germiphobe real uncomfortable.
I cNt end this without telling you about the food, their cheeseburgers are huge, juicy, delectable and don't order the double like I did (ginormous) and then go on an amusement ride 2 or 3 hours later at ZDTs like I did. They have Shri so in a bucket, really it wouldn't order this. If I had ordered this like some other people did I would have been like, "ok, really? Jokes over, no more playing!" The bucket is true but the shrimp is pitiful. They place a cloth dinner napkin across the opening of the bucket and place 4 pitiful looking shrimp on top of it. Literally! That's the dish, if he hadn't ordered the chili cheese fries he would have been out of luck, even that was small. My double cheeseburger could have ate everyone else's dish for a snake except for maybe my son who had a single cheeseburger.
Well that was our weekend!
A Hell Raising Good Day!
This was an especially good day for me and a few of my classmates. I cannot even imagine being in this place in my life right now. Yesterday me and Richard attended my award ceremony at my school, you remember, The Culinary Institute LeNotre in Houston, TX., it was phenomenal. It's a very prestigious private school, but don't let that scare you, the curriculum is tough which is one reason why I appreciate it so much! This school welcomed a star who happens to be a former alumni to come and talk to us. Who was it, you may be asking, well it was none other than Chef Gabriel from this seasons Hell's Kitchen. He talked to us about motivation, motivation, motivation and going for what you want and how to get yourself going in the right direction and how it works. He also talked to us about his being on Hell's Kitchen and that the opportunity to be on the show actually came from our school. Our school does so many awesome things, you never know what star chef is going to stop by whether invited or not. That's a thing that makes coming to this school so exciting! This is like the Harvard's of Culinary Institutes, and Hollywood altogether because you can get discovered here and become a star chef, you can go to France for your practicum and work in one of the restaurants the school has arranged, and you can do so many other things. Star chefs, Executive Chefs, etc. come to this school to recruit Sous Chefs, etc. and I didn't even realize we even had a billionaire right here in TX. I am really very happy to have met and have the opportunity to listen to him speak. I'm not going to say it changed my life, God and the school did that. But I will say that he set me on a clear path as to where I want to go with this.
God, you are so good to me!
God, you are so good to me!
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Early A.M. Bedtime
OMG! I'm going to need a Monster energy drink tomorrow! It's 1:16 in the morning and my type A, military perfectionism has me still working on powerpoints, excel spreadsheet calculations - well not anymore since I've finally remembered how with a little help from my old faithful, menu organization and reading, still reading trying to stay at least one-step ahead! I can't let myself get behind, as my teachers explained, because it'll be too hard to catch back up with all the things we still have left to do and this term has only just begun!! Thankfully, Thank you dear Lord Jesus, Glory Glory I took a nap today so it's not as crazy as it could be! *Wink to you Jesus!
Review.. Receipt.. Review
Now that I'm back, and have my head back on straight... and screwed in tight, I have been reading, reading, designing powerpoints and doing mathematical computations and trying to get Excel to do what I want it to do. Well, all I had to do was go to old faithful and log onto YouTube. I mean seriously, we could be so much smarter about life, business and just about every odd and end if we just log on. That's how I found the formula for costing. The video is boring but it serves the purpose so I put it in my favorites and likes.
Still bouncing between just food writer and being a restauranteur a/or research chef. I really like the idea of research chef but I want to really get going with things and don't feel I have time to spend on extra schooling. I truly love writing, and eating and quick, delicious cooking. More restaurants are in my future and although I do not have any posted here like I probably should, I will be placing my reviews on the places I patronize right here in my blog. So, stay tuned because things are about to get rockin'!
I am figuring now, I can write reviews and go to school. Don't know how that works with restauranting though. April is upon us and, it marks my Grandparents who never fell out of love with each other big day, an explosion of wedding events, and the start of my reviews. April showers brings flowers, and not just those in May!
Still bouncing between just food writer and being a restauranteur a/or research chef. I really like the idea of research chef but I want to really get going with things and don't feel I have time to spend on extra schooling. I truly love writing, and eating and quick, delicious cooking. More restaurants are in my future and although I do not have any posted here like I probably should, I will be placing my reviews on the places I patronize right here in my blog. So, stay tuned because things are about to get rockin'!
I am figuring now, I can write reviews and go to school. Don't know how that works with restauranting though. April is upon us and, it marks my Grandparents who never fell out of love with each other big day, an explosion of wedding events, and the start of my reviews. April showers brings flowers, and not just those in May!
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Whatta Sprout! And a vent!
So as I said, I'm posting a blog on my experience and the impression Sprouts (R) grocery store had on me. I went to the one in Katy, not too far of an excursion outside of Houston, though all the construction made the trip a little tedious. It was hugely raved about by my classmates so I just had to try it. It's supposed to be just like Whole Foods (R) except more affordable. My first impression was that it had that vibe, so that was pleasant. Soon enough though, I see that the 'afterbite' so to speak, is a little off! The place was definitely a lot smaller than Whole Foods, the vibe was just really short-lived. There are no big juicy apples or fruits like their competitor, I just felt at a loss. Like the store was lacking substance, produce, groceries! There was barely a meat department, just nothing to purchase. It had a good variety in the holistic/natural foods section of the store that took up less than 1/4 of the store. When I arrived there were plenty of cars in the parking lot so obviously this is the store of choice for some, just not for me.
Will I visit another Sprout's grocery store, probably not. But I can tell you there is a marked difference between the locals in Houston and those in Katy. I'd rather live in Katy if it weren't so far from school. The people there are very kind and not intentionally rude, they demonstrate intelligence and sense that should be common to everyone, like where I come from, and there were no vagrants! Houston could learn a lot from those in Katy, seriously!! I was in Katy for a while, and not just at Sprouts, if it weren't for my family being here I would have become a commuter that day! Another place where we experienced extraordinary kindness is Corpus Christie, Wichita Falls, Frisco all in TX. I'm pretty sure there are a few decent Houstonians (those from here), that have decency and decorum but to hear even the locals say it, is fewer and further between than ever! Houston is salvageable though, mainly in the suburbs and areas like the Woodlands, the Heights, um maybe River Oaks. So it's good here I guess, in certain areas. Is it like that in all places? Probably. The story as it's told to me is like how the U.S. changed after WWI. That's how Houston changed after Hurricane Katrina. I remember in Colorado, apartment communities refused to open their doors to those displaced by the storm, and after seeing quality of the prospective clientele I understood why. I remember that Houston refused at first. I think they still feel opposed though the event has long passed. But isn't that how our country was first built? Peoples were expelled from their countries or removed themselves to come find out what the New World was about, the Land of Dreams, Opportunity! They bought their traditions, foods to this country and enriched our life like a complex quilt made up of diversity, luck, and love. So when those From Louisiana became Houstonians, etc they brought with them spicy foods, gumbo's and a way of life that either was or wasn't accepted. Nobody accepted the Irish in this country for a long time but I have a grandmother who is half Irish and half Cherokee and that has enriched our family. We just have to accept that given the circumstances change is necessary. Not all change is good, but God has given us a silver lining to go with every cloud, and a rainbow to go with every rainy day. We just have to be good stewards of his blessings, respect each other, follow the rules and leave Sodom & Gomorrah in the Old Testament. In 2005 it seemed as everyone, even those in Louisiana said the area that was most affected by the hurricane was not worth salvaging! The way I see it, God sent them a message, and gave them a second chance all at the same time. Did they choose to change what made them what seemed to be America's eyesore? I think the only ones who actually were eyesores back then, still are today. And there are lots of decent Houstonians, it's just the bad ones makes it difficult to see the good.
Will I visit another Sprout's grocery store, probably not. But I can tell you there is a marked difference between the locals in Houston and those in Katy. I'd rather live in Katy if it weren't so far from school. The people there are very kind and not intentionally rude, they demonstrate intelligence and sense that should be common to everyone, like where I come from, and there were no vagrants! Houston could learn a lot from those in Katy, seriously!! I was in Katy for a while, and not just at Sprouts, if it weren't for my family being here I would have become a commuter that day! Another place where we experienced extraordinary kindness is Corpus Christie, Wichita Falls, Frisco all in TX. I'm pretty sure there are a few decent Houstonians (those from here), that have decency and decorum but to hear even the locals say it, is fewer and further between than ever! Houston is salvageable though, mainly in the suburbs and areas like the Woodlands, the Heights, um maybe River Oaks. So it's good here I guess, in certain areas. Is it like that in all places? Probably. The story as it's told to me is like how the U.S. changed after WWI. That's how Houston changed after Hurricane Katrina. I remember in Colorado, apartment communities refused to open their doors to those displaced by the storm, and after seeing quality of the prospective clientele I understood why. I remember that Houston refused at first. I think they still feel opposed though the event has long passed. But isn't that how our country was first built? Peoples were expelled from their countries or removed themselves to come find out what the New World was about, the Land of Dreams, Opportunity! They bought their traditions, foods to this country and enriched our life like a complex quilt made up of diversity, luck, and love. So when those From Louisiana became Houstonians, etc they brought with them spicy foods, gumbo's and a way of life that either was or wasn't accepted. Nobody accepted the Irish in this country for a long time but I have a grandmother who is half Irish and half Cherokee and that has enriched our family. We just have to accept that given the circumstances change is necessary. Not all change is good, but God has given us a silver lining to go with every cloud, and a rainbow to go with every rainy day. We just have to be good stewards of his blessings, respect each other, follow the rules and leave Sodom & Gomorrah in the Old Testament. In 2005 it seemed as everyone, even those in Louisiana said the area that was most affected by the hurricane was not worth salvaging! The way I see it, God sent them a message, and gave them a second chance all at the same time. Did they choose to change what made them what seemed to be America's eyesore? I think the only ones who actually were eyesores back then, still are today. And there are lots of decent Houstonians, it's just the bad ones makes it difficult to see the good.
A Case For Philadelphia
You know how every home chef has their quintessential must-have specific ingredient or tool in their kitchen whether related to a dish or just because, well I have mines when it to Crab Rangoon and Bacon-wrapped Stuffed Jalapeño Peppers. We only had Asian night on occasion until recently which marks my second term in culinary school, and not just any culinary school I might add! So, my friend, i'mma stop calling him friend and give him an actual name, his real name is Richard though some call him Ricky, Richardo, Big Rich, Daddy and Baby (that's my pet name for him). For sake of my blog I will use my Baby interchangeably to reference Richard and my son Mica. So, I made egg rolls for my Composition Class, 3.10.2014, where I had to write a recipe and optioned to cook, bring it in for some extra credit and opinion on taste outside of my family. So after school, my baby asked me to teach him to make Crab Puffs. I said, "oh, you mean crab Rangoon!", and so I ran to the store, excitedly, and got my ingredients for that and more egg rolls. My key ingredient was the cream cheese. I have been making this dish for so many years my fingers and toes would have to have fingers and toes for me to count them all, I always always always use Philadelphia Cream Cheese (R) and Nasoya (R) brand won ton wrappers, egg roll wrappers. Philadelphia Cream Cheese is the best cream cheese ever to add to your recipe no matter what your concoction is. I let mines come to room temperature and it's just magic!
After we ran out of won ton wrappers and egg roll wrappers, I stored the left over Crab Rangoon mixture overnight in our refrigerator thinking that I'll just make more the next day to use it up or just toss it out. So, the next day comes and I have my friends’ son with me for the day, he was out of school that week for spring break. He and Mica are in two different school districts, Mica's break came the week after. We were in Katy at Sprouts, a grocery store like Whole Foods but cheaper. Everyone in my Nutrition class at school raved about it, and said that's the only place they go. I'll do a blog on Sprouts next. Anyway, it had the Whole Foods vibe going on (Whole Foods was right up the street) and I was able to find good sized jalapeños and bought the whole lot of what was left from people picking through. No Philadelphia Cream Cheese though. We ventured to the surrounding stores and explored the area a little until we lost track of time and headed home to pick Mica up from school, still stop by Kroger's for snow crab legs, and Philadelphia Cream Cheese. My baby gets home from Dialysis and starts mixing up the ingredients. All of a sudden, I have an epiphany! I asked him, "what do you think if I use the mixture for crab Rangoon in the stuffed jalapeño peppers?" I said that, my mouth watering as I can practically taste it already. He said sure, why not let's try it! So I did, and it came out so damn good!! OMG! I have had lots of stuffed jalapeños but none of them good like this.
Well, I have met another stuffed jalapeño lover and she is in two of my classes this term. She has a picture on her Facebook of her dishes and one of them was of jalapeños she made. I commented and told her of my Crab Rangoon Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeños and she said she will try it. Now, this is someone I'd say is a very good cook. I haven't tasted anything she has made so my judgement could be a bit premature but from what I saw on her pages and from listening to her talk I believe I can trust her ability to make a mean meal. I have found myself surrounded by wonderful culinarians, now that I can breathe, I can relax just a little bit more since my first term is over and my 4.0 GPA has been achieved. I see what I just knew before. I do hope that others can learn something from me, from my being in class with them and I definitely hope to learn something from them as well. It's been said that success is being a blessing to someone in the room just because you're in it. I feel blessed! Wine tasting tomorrow!
After we ran out of won ton wrappers and egg roll wrappers, I stored the left over Crab Rangoon mixture overnight in our refrigerator thinking that I'll just make more the next day to use it up or just toss it out. So, the next day comes and I have my friends’ son with me for the day, he was out of school that week for spring break. He and Mica are in two different school districts, Mica's break came the week after. We were in Katy at Sprouts, a grocery store like Whole Foods but cheaper. Everyone in my Nutrition class at school raved about it, and said that's the only place they go. I'll do a blog on Sprouts next. Anyway, it had the Whole Foods vibe going on (Whole Foods was right up the street) and I was able to find good sized jalapeños and bought the whole lot of what was left from people picking through. No Philadelphia Cream Cheese though. We ventured to the surrounding stores and explored the area a little until we lost track of time and headed home to pick Mica up from school, still stop by Kroger's for snow crab legs, and Philadelphia Cream Cheese. My baby gets home from Dialysis and starts mixing up the ingredients. All of a sudden, I have an epiphany! I asked him, "what do you think if I use the mixture for crab Rangoon in the stuffed jalapeño peppers?" I said that, my mouth watering as I can practically taste it already. He said sure, why not let's try it! So I did, and it came out so damn good!! OMG! I have had lots of stuffed jalapeños but none of them good like this.
Well, I have met another stuffed jalapeño lover and she is in two of my classes this term. She has a picture on her Facebook of her dishes and one of them was of jalapeños she made. I commented and told her of my Crab Rangoon Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeños and she said she will try it. Now, this is someone I'd say is a very good cook. I haven't tasted anything she has made so my judgement could be a bit premature but from what I saw on her pages and from listening to her talk I believe I can trust her ability to make a mean meal. I have found myself surrounded by wonderful culinarians, now that I can breathe, I can relax just a little bit more since my first term is over and my 4.0 GPA has been achieved. I see what I just knew before. I do hope that others can learn something from me, from my being in class with them and I definitely hope to learn something from them as well. It's been said that success is being a blessing to someone in the room just because you're in it. I feel blessed! Wine tasting tomorrow!
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Eggs
The wonderful world of Eggs. Can you come up with dishes that primarily use eggs? The well-known dishes are soufflé, omelets, seafood pancake, deviled eggs, eggs benedict, hard and soft boiled eggs, scotch eggs, tea eggs, over-easy eggs, sunny-side-up and scrambled eggs, do Easter Eggs count?, egg salads, egg casseroles, kimchi eggs, egg and biscuit sandwiches.
Eggs are used as binders, emulsifiers, glazers and fillers, for décor and probably a whole range of other uses. As binders, think about using eggs in a meatloaf or salmon croquette or pudding. As emulsifiers they work well in smoothies. As glazers, think about brushing a turkey, bread or pie crust with this incredible ingredient to produce a glaze that makes it shine with a beautiful golden brown coating. And as fillers they work especially well in sandwiches, salads.
I am really not allergic to any food except eggs. ikr (I know right)! I love eggs, they just don't love me back. I have to over-compensate with lots of onions, peppers, and other veggies and sometimes a protein like sausage or bacon when eating scrambled eggs and omelettes. Never ever runny eggs, and those are my favorites. Sunnyside up eggs, eggs over-easy, anything with a runny or creamy yolk is sure to send me running to pray to the porcelain god and violently. Like, my body tries to so frantically get rid of the substance that it tries to get rid of everything in me, the common-sense to stop regurgitating when the substance has been totally and completely heaved up doesn't happen. That connection between my body and my brain is completely off. But, I can eat boiled eggs with no problem at all. I can eat eggs cooked in a recipe like a cake or something. French toast just gives me minor irritation. I absolutely love Easter eggs, I think it may be the dye because to me they taste better than regular boiled eggs. I think other people feel the same because at church it can become a real handful keeping adults from stealing the eggs from the kids and each other. It could be worse, I could be allergic to shellfish/seafood. Now THAT is where I draw the line! Lol!!
Eggs are used as binders, emulsifiers, glazers and fillers, for décor and probably a whole range of other uses. As binders, think about using eggs in a meatloaf or salmon croquette or pudding. As emulsifiers they work well in smoothies. As glazers, think about brushing a turkey, bread or pie crust with this incredible ingredient to produce a glaze that makes it shine with a beautiful golden brown coating. And as fillers they work especially well in sandwiches, salads.
I am really not allergic to any food except eggs. ikr (I know right)! I love eggs, they just don't love me back. I have to over-compensate with lots of onions, peppers, and other veggies and sometimes a protein like sausage or bacon when eating scrambled eggs and omelettes. Never ever runny eggs, and those are my favorites. Sunnyside up eggs, eggs over-easy, anything with a runny or creamy yolk is sure to send me running to pray to the porcelain god and violently. Like, my body tries to so frantically get rid of the substance that it tries to get rid of everything in me, the common-sense to stop regurgitating when the substance has been totally and completely heaved up doesn't happen. That connection between my body and my brain is completely off. But, I can eat boiled eggs with no problem at all. I can eat eggs cooked in a recipe like a cake or something. French toast just gives me minor irritation. I absolutely love Easter eggs, I think it may be the dye because to me they taste better than regular boiled eggs. I think other people feel the same because at church it can become a real handful keeping adults from stealing the eggs from the kids and each other. It could be worse, I could be allergic to shellfish/seafood. Now THAT is where I draw the line! Lol!!
99.5% won't do!
Okay so can I commit to a daily, or weekly blog post! Since I started school my school-life balance has been teetering on pathetic! I am a perfectionist, intense and driven and so my school activities tend to pull 110% from me! family 110%! Thankfully I have my fiancé to help me with this, and me .. 55%, thankfully I have my fiancé to help me with this too! The me part includes my blog because writing is my love. It truly relaxes me, but I haven't been putting in the time on me that I feel I deserve. Yes, my school, and family are both a part of me but on the part that's slacking; it could really use a little brushing up. I believe I can do 90% and work up from there. Yes there is a such-a-thing as 330%. In reality, the way I see it is that 100 is the easiest number to represent a whole. It's easiest to subtract from, divide into, show percentage from 100. 100 is easier than 1,000 or 100,000 and 50 is too small because it breaks down too fast into tedious fractions and such. So exceeding 100% doesn't mean you are doing too much, it's just that in measurable terms it exceeds the norm. Math is not a subject I excel in but this explanation works for me, and with no equations.
Now that I've cleared that up, a daily or weekly blog is more me. I catch inspiration very randomly, very often and a moment might pass and lose its wonderment if I wait too long. Plenty of that has already happened. My promise to myself, and to my readers is to never miss submitting a blog post for more than a week unless there are major unforeseen reasons to. And please don't get me wrong; I am truly enjoying school and am fascinated everyday at my giftedness and the intellectual affluence of my instructors, other staff there.
I am A+ certified, currently carry a 4.0 GPA at the Culinary Institute LeNotre, am ServeSafe certified, and on the right track to Suma Cum Laude upon graduation September 1, 2015. I have 3 children who are all gifted. Yes, I just found out about my 4.0 and am utilizing my right to brag. I am proud of me, no more running away from my ability; it's my reward, and it's me taking care of me! A perfect start!
Now that I've cleared that up, a daily or weekly blog is more me. I catch inspiration very randomly, very often and a moment might pass and lose its wonderment if I wait too long. Plenty of that has already happened. My promise to myself, and to my readers is to never miss submitting a blog post for more than a week unless there are major unforeseen reasons to. And please don't get me wrong; I am truly enjoying school and am fascinated everyday at my giftedness and the intellectual affluence of my instructors, other staff there.
I am A+ certified, currently carry a 4.0 GPA at the Culinary Institute LeNotre, am ServeSafe certified, and on the right track to Suma Cum Laude upon graduation September 1, 2015. I have 3 children who are all gifted. Yes, I just found out about my 4.0 and am utilizing my right to brag. I am proud of me, no more running away from my ability; it's my reward, and it's me taking care of me! A perfect start!
Saturday, March 1, 2014
It's been so long, I've been gone!
Hello, I feel like a stranger. It's been so long since I've blogged. I know that I owe you some interesting explanations and that is what I intend to give you. I've just been so busy, not interesting I know but just hold on a sec, I've been so busy with school and everything requires a report; written, typed, double-spaced, formatted or a journal entry. Packs of mid-term study guides all essay style. I've written so much that I actually got a little burnt out. I say that while biting my lower lip. Me, burnt out on writing! Doesn't even sound like the words go together. But yet here I am, a long span of time since my last blog. Feeling fully creative but barely able to write, I still have 4 more journal entries I have to finish today and final study guides that are yet to come. So I'm going to keep this real short and real sweet.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Tokyo Japan Sushi & Grill Buffet
Willow brook
Elegant
Bright
Sushi
Welcoming
Friendly
Will visit again
This was my friends’ first time patronizing a Japanese restaurant. The wait staff was very kind, attentive and approachable. One of the first things I noticed about this place was that all the staff, even the guests were of Japanese decent. I could hear it in their accent and was not put off at all at engaging in conversation about who they were, their lives. We shared information about ourselves. My friend was very enthused by our waiter and found that they both have a love of fish. He showed us pics of the fish he sells at his fish shop in China Town. He volunteered to show Mica how to eat with chopsticks, showed him and inadvertently me how to eat wasabi without the heat. A little bit if this and that, see below for the recipe. The food was very tasty, ethnic and what you would expect from a Japanese restaurant in Japan. I would definitely come back, thank you Willowbrook, you never cease to amaze!
Wasabi No Heat
By Waiter at Tokyo Japan Sushi & Grill
A big hunk of wasabi in a small bowl
Squeeze a lime wedge on top
Pour 1 packet of sweet n low or table sugar
Fill bowl with soy sauce
Mix it all up to make a sauce
Now you can dip your sushi, tempura shrimp and veggies, etc.
Willow brook
Elegant
Bright
Sushi
Welcoming
Friendly
Will visit again
This was my friends’ first time patronizing a Japanese restaurant. The wait staff was very kind, attentive and approachable. One of the first things I noticed about this place was that all the staff, even the guests were of Japanese decent. I could hear it in their accent and was not put off at all at engaging in conversation about who they were, their lives. We shared information about ourselves. My friend was very enthused by our waiter and found that they both have a love of fish. He showed us pics of the fish he sells at his fish shop in China Town. He volunteered to show Mica how to eat with chopsticks, showed him and inadvertently me how to eat wasabi without the heat. A little bit if this and that, see below for the recipe. The food was very tasty, ethnic and what you would expect from a Japanese restaurant in Japan. I would definitely come back, thank you Willowbrook, you never cease to amaze!
Wasabi No Heat
By Waiter at Tokyo Japan Sushi & Grill
A big hunk of wasabi in a small bowl
Squeeze a lime wedge on top
Pour 1 packet of sweet n low or table sugar
Fill bowl with soy sauce
Mix it all up to make a sauce
Now you can dip your sushi, tempura shrimp and veggies, etc.
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