What I would give for some technology, some picture capabilities, some connection of the multi-media artistry....yeah right. But I suck in that respect. I have a camera I don't know how to work and a phone that won't extract pictures. I have some pictures that are worth seeing but they live in the collective space of the far off zone of imagination. For that, all's well that end's well I guess.
I am constantly, well, with internal pressure, pushed to find inspiration from all corners. And I'm weird, really weird so it comes and goes in ways even I would never expect. A long awaited leg of prosciutto to hug and dream up ways to use every last scrap. Not kidding. After I finally broke down and snuck a leg of di parma to use with my $75 Walmart slicer, under the radar of the owners, I swept it into the walkin and cried a little. I vowed to use every bit. It was inspirational. 3 weeks of prosciutto dishes made me smile along with every day that passes when my eyes scan past the remnants of that leg, now bathed in bacon fat until the next inspiration.
Then there was a pot of oooey gooey boiling salty mess that stole my heart and saved some broken part of my soul. I don't so much read cookbooks. I scan them. I scan menus, the internet, magazines, whatever is positioned in key parts of my house when my subconscious deems I will have a few quiet moments to meditate. On a couple of these occasions I fell upon mentions of pasta water. Now I have read Babo and another of Batali's books, and the Silver Spoon, and Heat cover to cover and I guess never processed the sheer will cooked pasta water had over sauces and it's cohesive majesty. Two articles in Saveur jumped out in particular. True carbonara and true alfredo. The authors spoke my language. Strident abominations of cream laden crap is what I took from their explanations of Americanized versions of these dishes versus the world of the real. I made a real carbonara for our Dollar General challenge which I may have mentioned previously. Later on I made a true alfredo when my sister and dad came into town. Both needed work and future attempts but I had fallen in love. The starchy pasta water so beautifully described by Bill Buford author of Heat, taught me volumes about italian cooking. The way it adds elasticity, richness, body, and above all complexity both texturally and in flavor profile has changed the way I see pasta.
So....bored reader. Sorry that was for me. And my new love. But seriously, try a true carbonara recipe. Make your own pasta. Throw out any and all frozen peas. In fact, place a small tactical nuclear warhead in any layer of the frozen vegetable isle at your local grocery store....or avoid homeland security and simply bypass that isle for I don't know, the rest of eternity. I was personally demonized by frozen vegetables, particularly spinach. Sorry mom and dad but ya scarred me for a while.
Oh, and cubed ham? Try pancetta for the 1st time and or get off your wallet for awesomeness. It does not cook like bacon. It renders slower and needs a little added fat to coax the goods out.
That's all I have to say about that.
I am constantly, well, with internal pressure, pushed to find inspiration from all corners. And I'm weird, really weird so it comes and goes in ways even I would never expect. A long awaited leg of prosciutto to hug and dream up ways to use every last scrap. Not kidding. After I finally broke down and snuck a leg of di parma to use with my $75 Walmart slicer, under the radar of the owners, I swept it into the walkin and cried a little. I vowed to use every bit. It was inspirational. 3 weeks of prosciutto dishes made me smile along with every day that passes when my eyes scan past the remnants of that leg, now bathed in bacon fat until the next inspiration.
Then there was a pot of oooey gooey boiling salty mess that stole my heart and saved some broken part of my soul. I don't so much read cookbooks. I scan them. I scan menus, the internet, magazines, whatever is positioned in key parts of my house when my subconscious deems I will have a few quiet moments to meditate. On a couple of these occasions I fell upon mentions of pasta water. Now I have read Babo and another of Batali's books, and the Silver Spoon, and Heat cover to cover and I guess never processed the sheer will cooked pasta water had over sauces and it's cohesive majesty. Two articles in Saveur jumped out in particular. True carbonara and true alfredo. The authors spoke my language. Strident abominations of cream laden crap is what I took from their explanations of Americanized versions of these dishes versus the world of the real. I made a real carbonara for our Dollar General challenge which I may have mentioned previously. Later on I made a true alfredo when my sister and dad came into town. Both needed work and future attempts but I had fallen in love. The starchy pasta water so beautifully described by Bill Buford author of Heat, taught me volumes about italian cooking. The way it adds elasticity, richness, body, and above all complexity both texturally and in flavor profile has changed the way I see pasta.
So....bored reader. Sorry that was for me. And my new love. But seriously, try a true carbonara recipe. Make your own pasta. Throw out any and all frozen peas. In fact, place a small tactical nuclear warhead in any layer of the frozen vegetable isle at your local grocery store....or avoid homeland security and simply bypass that isle for I don't know, the rest of eternity. I was personally demonized by frozen vegetables, particularly spinach. Sorry mom and dad but ya scarred me for a while.
Oh, and cubed ham? Try pancetta for the 1st time and or get off your wallet for awesomeness. It does not cook like bacon. It renders slower and needs a little added fat to coax the goods out.
That's all I have to say about that.
I was supposed to remember lots more to post. I had a great conversation with my boy Pyk about posts. Now that I'm here Pyk, I don't remember what was post-worthy. I catered a wedding recently, partly the reason why I have been absent for a spell. I will elaborate when I get some pics to put up. I also created a legitimate side project blog which will hopefully showcase the dawn of my catering/private dining/cooking class venture. I just want to sell tacos and and food that makes sense from a mobile kitchen....simple and full of heart. I learned a few days ago, after a few bumps in the road, and where I need focus, that my heart has lots to share and many bellies to feed. One day I will get there.
Until next time....
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