So I've been taking a break from the blog thing. I found the method I was using to be too time-consuming.
1) Pick a technique.
2) Study that technique.
3) Find a recipe using said technique.
4) Find all the ingredients on Saint Croix during the week.
5) Make the recipe on the weekend.
6) Write a summary and critique of the whole experience on Monday or Tuesday.
7) Repeat.
Step 4 got to be the most frustrating of the whole method and the main reason I stopped. Who goes to 4 different grocery stores and still can't find fresh dill? or veal shanks? or tumeric? Saint Croix, or any Caribbean island, is not the place to cultivate motivation for the culinary arts. Selection is sparse and of questionable quality yet you pay top dollar.
Since I stopped, I've pondered on what it all meant. The blog was originally a test for my dedication to break into the culinary world. It was suppose to tell me if I should go to the CIA or the Art Institute of California. Shame on me for forcing a big decision on anything else but myself. A blog isn't a crystal ball.
One thing I realized for sure is that my method required too much time from a young engineer working 10-12 hour days. There's a reason Morimoto isn't working a desk job by day and only moonlighting as a world renowned chef. It would be impossible.
Another thing I realized is that it made cooking feel like a burden. When I found myself in the kitchen at 10PM on a weeknight trying to rush through the steamed dumpling recipe just so I could write about it, that's when it hit me. No fun for anyone. Cooking for me was always a way to unwind from it all. The kitchen would make me forget about the work day and transport me to my Happy Place. That night actually reminded me of the part in the movie Julie and Julia where Amy Adams has a melt down. Looking back at it now, it's kinda funny.
And the last thing I realized, cooking will always be a great hobby of mine whether culinary school happens or not. I love to entertain and fill empty stomachs. Since October, I've cooked dozens of meals for myself, for Rose and for groups of people. Maybe they weren't as extravagant as the recipes I tried, and maybe they were just thrown together with whatever was in the fridge. The most important part was eating good food and having some laughs with genuine people.
"Good company is the seasoning that makes a good meal, a great meal." - Michael Ocbo
October 4, 2010: Filet Mignon and Hoisin Glazed Scallops over Mashed Potatoes (by Rose) and a vegetable medley
April 15, 2011: Seared Spice Encrusted Tuna with Roasted Potatoes and a Green Bean Tomato salad dressed with a Balsamic Reduction
May 1, 2011: First time ever making homemade General's Tso's Chicken. Amazing!
May 4, 2011: Casual weeknight dining. Breaded Mahi Mahi with fried rice and steamed broccoli.
May 21, 2010: Roasted a Pork Shoulder to make Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Coleslaw.
July 4, 2011: Had a casual gathering of friends to celebrate Amuurica's Birthday. Geoff and Michelle brought Ribs (Chinese style). I grilled some New York Strips and chicken thighs lathered in homemade BBQ sauce. For sides, we grilled some onions and mushrooms for the steaks, macaroni salad, coleslaw, mixed green salad, and some roasted red pepper bruschetta.
July 9, 2011: Made one of my huge omelets for Rose's favorite meal of the day!
At this point, I'm still indecisive about culinary school, but it really doesn't feel like "back to square one" for me. I've learned a lot from the two month stint of food blogging and the extra 10 months of pondering over it. I want to save up more money and really concentrate on my relationship with Rose. That's my focus right now.
Is the blog dead then, you ask? No. I'm going to continue writing about my food exploits, but moving forward I'm going to keep it simple. This time around I'm not going to hold myself to a method or give myself deadlines. As inspiration strikes, I will try new things, and as lazy weeknight dinner sessions produce photo-worthy dishes, I'll blog about them too. My food blogging will take after my usual way of thinking - go with the flow. And who knows, maybe when I find myself in or out of a groove later in life, this big leap of faith won't seem so big, and I'll drop my corporate-world shell and book an extended trip to my Happy Place.
"It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting." - Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
1 comments:
wow! i love it. you brought back so many great memories with this blog. And now i'm hungry as well :) you are amazing in the kitchen and i hope you never stop with your experimentation.
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