So here I am, once again a bad blogger. We sit here at December fifth...remembering this year for whatever it was to each one of us. All our blessings, and all of our faults, are laid out behind us to reflect upon and remember with a bit of love and grimacing no matter what we've been through. This time last year, if you told me I'd be living in Florida I probably would have laughed in your face. But here I sit, this random Sunday night (slash Monday morning) at the beginning of December reflecting on the year that has past and looking forward to the year to come.
If I had to pick one significant thing to talk about from this year past, it would naturally be my move to Orlando. I've never done anything like this in my life and, if you want to delve into the depths of my brain, really never thought I'd do anything like this....ever. But here I sit, thousands of miles away from all that is familiar, still up to my old games. Staying up way too late, for no apparent reason, spending my nights playing video games and reading books and trying every day to be as splendidly happy as possible.
I can check the first few things off my list, for sure. I have a super comfortable bed (thanks to Renee and Robert, no thanks to Vista Way), plenty of food, and enough extra money that I can't decide if I want to spend my extra cash this pay check on Christmas gifts or a massage for myself (I'm very much a one-for-them, one-for-me kind of Christmas shopper). I have more than enough to be thankful for, but it's hard to remember why I'm here some days when all I want in this world is to be in Val and Jeff's living room watching Elf and laughing with my best friend about all the years we've gone Christmas shopping together and make jerks of ourselves.
There I go again, pulling a Lauren and getting choked up. Awell, I suppose it's bound to happen my first year away from home. But I digress....
I'm doing very well at work, you might be happy to discover. My Chef and Sous Chefs seem to have a lot of faith in me and that means a lot. Saying it means a lot might not even do it justice when in reality I am grateful (and a little surprised) more than I can even put into words. It's nice to know that a major life change at 30 has paid off (or is starting to, if you want to get technical). I'm very happy and feel more blessed than you can ever know. It really helps that I have amazing co-workers (who are some of my closest friends) that make every day worth going to work for.
Long story short (Fluffy and Renee might get a kick out of that), life is good. I am constantly thinking of different ways to make myself better all while trying to enjoy Florida and my new life to the fullest.
It's hard. I'm sad a lot more days than I'd like to admit. I miss my mom and Willow and my Dad and sister and all my friends more than I can ever, ever say. I know in my heart I'm doing the right thing by staying here...and I am happy. I really am...but especially knowing that Christmas is coming and feeling what it felt like to miss Thanksgiving at Granny and Popa's...I'd be lying if I told you that it didn't bother me. In the end, it will get easier. I will be a better person and a better Chef because of all of this, and for that I am eternally grateful. I am fully aware of how lucky I am to be where I'm at...I just wish I were made of stone sometimes so I didn't have these hard days.
Of course, if I were made of stone...I probably wouldn't be who I am to begin with. That being said, I wouldn't trade my life for all the lives in all the world. I am the luckiest Texan transplanted to Florida that ever lived.
And for that, I am truly grateful.
Happy eating,
Lauren
"Food is our common ground, a universal experience." - James Beard
Monday, December 5, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Hello again, hello...
Okay, so I've been a very bad blogger the last few weeks. I blame two things. The first is that work was insane for a bit as we started the free dining program. The second reason is because I've gotten back into playing WoW and it is one of my favorite ways to spend free time. I know, I know....people hear that I play World of Warcraft and immediately think 'NEEEEEEEEERD!' in their head. It's okay, I figure everyone that really knows me and loves me already is well aware that I'm a super nerd...so I embrace it. But! That's not why we're here. We are here because I have some updates and I want to share them.
The first new thing in my life is Dijon, Alyssa and I have a plan to start eating healthy. We've all lost a little bit of weight since coming to Florida just from being so active at work (something none of us former desk jockeys are used to) but then the late night meals started. When you get off work at eleven at night, it's easy to come home and sit around eating Taco Bell with your roommates. With two months left in our regular externship program, I think we'd all like to take advantage of the good influence we have on each other.
We went to our new favorite little grocery store and bought a ton of produce and chicken and ground turkey and started making plans to have better meals. When one of us is off, we'll cook for the others anyway so now we just have healthier options in the house so maybe that will encourage us to make good meals. And there is something pretty great about getting enough food to last all three of us a week (at the very least) and splitting the cost so in the end we each only spent about $26. Our last hurrah was stopping on the way there for breakfast at Einstein's for lox bagels and sugary coffee drinks.
So that's pretty exciting. I love eating a bunch of junk, but I really love eating great. You just feel better about yourself and your whole day. We've commandeered the bottom shelf in our fridge and are already planning meals.
Another new development in my life is that I've talked with my head Chef at Artist Point and am currently waiting to hear back from casting about extending my college program. This doesn't mean I'll be out here permanently, but it does mean that I'll be here for another three months. I'm not 100 percent sure it will be approved yet, but lets say I'm 99.99999 percent sure.
I love my job and I really like Florida. I miss my family and my friends and my Willow very much, but I really want to see where this road takes me and I don't think that can be discovered in only four months. If I extend my college program, that means that I'll be able to stay in college housing, which is really cheap, and see if it's just a fleeing 'OMG I LOVE IT HERE' kind of feeling or if this is where I really want to be. A couple of weeks ago, Chef Marco told me that they want me to extend at Artist Point, which was really the biggest reason I decided to stay for a little longer. It's such an ideal place to learn and I feel so very blessed to have ended up there for this part of my journey.
I'll keep you all posted.
The most exciting thing that has happened lately is that they've started cross training me. After two months on pantry, they put me on the fish station to shadow for like an hour a couple of weeks ago. Then, a few days later, they had me work fish station halfway through service until we closed. Last night when I showed up, Chef Matt (not to be confused with Chef Matthew) told me I'd be over there solo all night. He called it trial by fire. Surprisingly, I wasn't very nervous. Only four dishes come off that station and Melissa was next to me on the line and I adore her. She is one of those people that is so helpful and I know she likes me and really wants me to succeed.
To make a long story short, I had a great night. I had no idea what to do for prep, but got help and advice from people and the station was, luckily, in pretty good shape from the night before. We were slow, so it was a perfect night to start over there and I did very well. I didn't have any recooks or missed tickets and we got out of work on time (for like, the second time since I've been there). It's great to feel like they have a bit of faith in me even though I don't have any experience in this field. I know I still have so much room to grow, but I'm holding my own so far and that is worth every sore muscle and swollen joint and cut and injury I've gotten so far.
I really felt like calling in yesterday because I was so tired and I'm glad I didn't because I might have missed a chance to prove myself even further. I just hope they keep putting me over there now and then so I can get better and faster and learn even more. I watch middle a lot when I'm there and I'm learning how to make those dishes too so hopefully if they put me there eventually, it wont' be such a stark learning curve.
So things are great here. I am not looking forward to the beginning of November when my girls might all be leaving and I might be staying here alone. It'll be another test to see if I really do love it here or if I just love the whole experience of having Dijon and Alyssa and Chelsey to share it with. But at the end of the day, I'm having the time of my life and I'm happier than I can even put into words.
Oh! And mom and Aunt Pat are coming to visit me at the end of this month!!!! I'm so thrilled, I can't wait to see them. It will be fun to get to show off my restaurant to my family and get to hug my momma's neck. I can't wait.
And even if I do stay out here until February or so, I'll be home for my graduation from Le Cordon Bleu in January, so I'll be planning a night out. I'll keep you all posted, I would love to see everyone.
I'll end it there. I will post a recipe the next time I write, I had too much to update so I don't want to keep blabbering on now. I love you and I'll talk to you soon!
"I always cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food."- W.C. Fields
Happy eating!
Lauren
The first new thing in my life is Dijon, Alyssa and I have a plan to start eating healthy. We've all lost a little bit of weight since coming to Florida just from being so active at work (something none of us former desk jockeys are used to) but then the late night meals started. When you get off work at eleven at night, it's easy to come home and sit around eating Taco Bell with your roommates. With two months left in our regular externship program, I think we'd all like to take advantage of the good influence we have on each other.
We went to our new favorite little grocery store and bought a ton of produce and chicken and ground turkey and started making plans to have better meals. When one of us is off, we'll cook for the others anyway so now we just have healthier options in the house so maybe that will encourage us to make good meals. And there is something pretty great about getting enough food to last all three of us a week (at the very least) and splitting the cost so in the end we each only spent about $26. Our last hurrah was stopping on the way there for breakfast at Einstein's for lox bagels and sugary coffee drinks.
So that's pretty exciting. I love eating a bunch of junk, but I really love eating great. You just feel better about yourself and your whole day. We've commandeered the bottom shelf in our fridge and are already planning meals.
Another new development in my life is that I've talked with my head Chef at Artist Point and am currently waiting to hear back from casting about extending my college program. This doesn't mean I'll be out here permanently, but it does mean that I'll be here for another three months. I'm not 100 percent sure it will be approved yet, but lets say I'm 99.99999 percent sure.
I love my job and I really like Florida. I miss my family and my friends and my Willow very much, but I really want to see where this road takes me and I don't think that can be discovered in only four months. If I extend my college program, that means that I'll be able to stay in college housing, which is really cheap, and see if it's just a fleeing 'OMG I LOVE IT HERE' kind of feeling or if this is where I really want to be. A couple of weeks ago, Chef Marco told me that they want me to extend at Artist Point, which was really the biggest reason I decided to stay for a little longer. It's such an ideal place to learn and I feel so very blessed to have ended up there for this part of my journey.
I'll keep you all posted.
The most exciting thing that has happened lately is that they've started cross training me. After two months on pantry, they put me on the fish station to shadow for like an hour a couple of weeks ago. Then, a few days later, they had me work fish station halfway through service until we closed. Last night when I showed up, Chef Matt (not to be confused with Chef Matthew) told me I'd be over there solo all night. He called it trial by fire. Surprisingly, I wasn't very nervous. Only four dishes come off that station and Melissa was next to me on the line and I adore her. She is one of those people that is so helpful and I know she likes me and really wants me to succeed.
To make a long story short, I had a great night. I had no idea what to do for prep, but got help and advice from people and the station was, luckily, in pretty good shape from the night before. We were slow, so it was a perfect night to start over there and I did very well. I didn't have any recooks or missed tickets and we got out of work on time (for like, the second time since I've been there). It's great to feel like they have a bit of faith in me even though I don't have any experience in this field. I know I still have so much room to grow, but I'm holding my own so far and that is worth every sore muscle and swollen joint and cut and injury I've gotten so far.
I really felt like calling in yesterday because I was so tired and I'm glad I didn't because I might have missed a chance to prove myself even further. I just hope they keep putting me over there now and then so I can get better and faster and learn even more. I watch middle a lot when I'm there and I'm learning how to make those dishes too so hopefully if they put me there eventually, it wont' be such a stark learning curve.
So things are great here. I am not looking forward to the beginning of November when my girls might all be leaving and I might be staying here alone. It'll be another test to see if I really do love it here or if I just love the whole experience of having Dijon and Alyssa and Chelsey to share it with. But at the end of the day, I'm having the time of my life and I'm happier than I can even put into words.
Oh! And mom and Aunt Pat are coming to visit me at the end of this month!!!! I'm so thrilled, I can't wait to see them. It will be fun to get to show off my restaurant to my family and get to hug my momma's neck. I can't wait.
And even if I do stay out here until February or so, I'll be home for my graduation from Le Cordon Bleu in January, so I'll be planning a night out. I'll keep you all posted, I would love to see everyone.
I'll end it there. I will post a recipe the next time I write, I had too much to update so I don't want to keep blabbering on now. I love you and I'll talk to you soon!
"I always cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food."- W.C. Fields
Happy eating!
Lauren
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Easy like every morning..
Good Saturday everyone!
My mornings are definitely my sanctuary and my quiet time. All of us night time girls usually sit around and talk, have breakfast and take naps before work. Sometimes it's just me and Dijon, but I really like the mornings that Alyssa and Chelsey are here too. It's different time spent together than the after work hours where we're all kind of wound up and still going a hundred miles an hour from dinner service.
I meant to write this week when I had days off, but we kept ourselves kind of busy so I never got around to it. We went to the parks for the first time (well, the first time for me since I've been here) and had a blast. It was so fun to go with people that had never experienced it before, I felt like a parent and kept pulling out the map planning where we should go next. It was amazingly fun.
The last couple weeks at work have been wonderful. It still surprises me that I enjoy going to work every day. I'm still on pantry, but I still feel like I learn a little every day and I still really love my job. It's a pretty surreal feeling sometimes, but one that I'm very happy to get used to. My co-workers make me smile daily and getting to know them has been one of the most rewarding parts of my job.
Last night after service, one of my Sous Chefs pulled me aside and told me I'm on the A-list with the front of the house because four different people talked with him about me and how good I'm doing last night. There are nights when you just need to hear things like that and even though I've been having great nights, I've been super sore and it was a really nice encouragement. It's great to get confirmation almost every day that I've chosen the right thing to do with my life.
Oh! Two nights ago he wanted me to make an amuse bouche (it's like a tiny course of a meal that is literally one or two bites and are usually given out as a compliment of the Chef) for a table that was a miniature version of our tomato salad. He told me to 'own it' and I was kind of scared. I mean, I make the tomato salad every day but he wanted me to make it different and make it my own and give him four identical plates. He liked it so much that he took a photo of it and said he is going to put it on our slideshow that runs on a TV in our kitchen. I took a picture with my phone, but it's not the best picture ever....but here you go.
So, as proud moments go, that was a good one.
All in all things have been wonderful. I'm extra sore from my nine hours of walking around the parks on Wednesday, but I'm looking forward to two days off again coming on Monday and Tuesday.
Oh! Wonderful news! My friend Greg is coming to visit me at the end of the month and I couldn't be more thrilled. I can't wait to see him and take him around Florida a little bit.
Anywho, I'll post a recipe this week on my days off. I can't decide if I want to tell you how to make homemade tomato sauce or maybe something else Italian. We'll just see how I feel on Monday. I hope you all enjoy your weekend and I will see you in a couple days!
Fish, to taste right, must swim three times – in water, in butter and in wine. —Polish proverb
Happy eating,
Lauren
My mornings are definitely my sanctuary and my quiet time. All of us night time girls usually sit around and talk, have breakfast and take naps before work. Sometimes it's just me and Dijon, but I really like the mornings that Alyssa and Chelsey are here too. It's different time spent together than the after work hours where we're all kind of wound up and still going a hundred miles an hour from dinner service.
I meant to write this week when I had days off, but we kept ourselves kind of busy so I never got around to it. We went to the parks for the first time (well, the first time for me since I've been here) and had a blast. It was so fun to go with people that had never experienced it before, I felt like a parent and kept pulling out the map planning where we should go next. It was amazingly fun.
The last couple weeks at work have been wonderful. It still surprises me that I enjoy going to work every day. I'm still on pantry, but I still feel like I learn a little every day and I still really love my job. It's a pretty surreal feeling sometimes, but one that I'm very happy to get used to. My co-workers make me smile daily and getting to know them has been one of the most rewarding parts of my job.
Last night after service, one of my Sous Chefs pulled me aside and told me I'm on the A-list with the front of the house because four different people talked with him about me and how good I'm doing last night. There are nights when you just need to hear things like that and even though I've been having great nights, I've been super sore and it was a really nice encouragement. It's great to get confirmation almost every day that I've chosen the right thing to do with my life.
Oh! Two nights ago he wanted me to make an amuse bouche (it's like a tiny course of a meal that is literally one or two bites and are usually given out as a compliment of the Chef) for a table that was a miniature version of our tomato salad. He told me to 'own it' and I was kind of scared. I mean, I make the tomato salad every day but he wanted me to make it different and make it my own and give him four identical plates. He liked it so much that he took a photo of it and said he is going to put it on our slideshow that runs on a TV in our kitchen. I took a picture with my phone, but it's not the best picture ever....but here you go.
So, as proud moments go, that was a good one.
All in all things have been wonderful. I'm extra sore from my nine hours of walking around the parks on Wednesday, but I'm looking forward to two days off again coming on Monday and Tuesday.
Oh! Wonderful news! My friend Greg is coming to visit me at the end of the month and I couldn't be more thrilled. I can't wait to see him and take him around Florida a little bit.
Anywho, I'll post a recipe this week on my days off. I can't decide if I want to tell you how to make homemade tomato sauce or maybe something else Italian. We'll just see how I feel on Monday. I hope you all enjoy your weekend and I will see you in a couple days!
Fish, to taste right, must swim three times – in water, in butter and in wine. —Polish proverb
Happy eating,
Lauren
Monday, August 1, 2011
The Lion, the Witch and some breakfast.
Happy Monday everyone!
I enjoyed my day off yesterday, even though I spent most of it sleeping. I couldn't figure out why I was having trouble falling asleep at night and then realized that a food runner at work has been making me these wonderful coffee drinks the last few nights and I think there are two or three shots of espresso in each one. Duh, Lauren. No wonder I've been up until six a.m. with no problem.
The sad part of that is, I still really want the drinks. They are so delicious! I suppose I'll just have to ask him to tone down the amount of espresso that is in them.
As you know, Christina and I went to that wonderful grocery store last week. I do have to say, all this fresh fruit is really a blessing. This morning I made fruit salad with blueberries, strawberries, grapes and some local honey. I made enough so I could have some for a snack later and ended up eating it all...so there goes that idea. I suppose there are worse things I could have had for breakfast, and I still have plenty so I can make some to go with lunch as well.
For now, I'm sitting on the couch while Christina and I enjoy the second installment of the Chronicles of Narnia on our projector. Nothing like being able to watch movies on a seven foot screen on our wall.
Last night I couldn't decide what I wanted to make, but I had a bunch of tomatoes that needed to be cooked before they went bad. So, in the spirit of sharing, I'd like to tell you about the wonderful tomato soup that I made. Some might call it a tomato bisque, but just to clue you in on a little secret. If you ever see something that isn't made with shellfish called a bisque, they're lying to you. The definition of a bisque is something that was made with shellfish shells. So...there's no way that you could have a tomato bisque.
Little fun food fact from my brain to your eyes.
Anywho, if you like tomato soup, making it at home is always fun because you can put whatever you want in there. Here's how I make mine.
What you'll need:
-3 cans diced tomatoes (I used fresh and if you'd like to know how to concasse tomatoes, I'd be happy to tell you. For the spirit of making this easy on you, just used canned. They're still delicious.)
-4 cloves fresh garlic
-1 yellow onion, diced
-1/2 red bell pepper (You can roast this in the oven with a little olive oil if you'd like, but sometimes I like to just cook it with the onion instead, which is what we're doing with this recipe.)
-2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (Give or take a little. It's really just about consistency.)
-1/2 cup heavy cream or milk
-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (This is optional, but I like just a little kick in my soup.)
-1/2 teaspoon crushed rosemary
-1/2 teaspoon thyme
-3/4 teaspoon dill
-1 Tbsp fresh chopped basil
-1 tsp garlic powder
-salt and pepper to taste
Take some liberties with your seasoning. I added some cumin to this as well, really just put whatever you like it in. I think you have a nice base with these flavors. If you're not super familiar with seasonings, stick with what I've said the first time you make this and then if you want to go back and change it later...you have a better idea of how you want it to taste. I love tomato soup with dill in it though, so I really suggest trying that if nothing else.
Once you have your onion, garlic and red pepper chopped, get that cooking in a large sauce pot with a small amount of oil. Cook for about ten minutes until the vegetables start to get tender, then add your tomatoes, juice and all. Once it starts really cooking, the tomatoes will basically start to disintegrate. This is a good thing. Let this keep cooking for about ten to fifteen minutes and then add in your stock and seasonings. Stir it well and cover, letting it simmer for a little bit. You can keep checking it to see the consistency and if it's too thick, add some more stock. You can even taste it now and see where you're at.
With any soup, you want it to cook for a little bit once you add the seasoning to really let the flavors develop. All these are fairly simple, so I say let it cook for five to ten minutes longer. Your veggies should all be nice and tender and the flavors nice and married. They'll be going on their honeymoon in a minute, so put on your dancing shoes.
Pour in your heavy cream and stir it up. The soup will take on a lovely color and the heavy cream will start swirling around, making out with all the other wonderfulness you've got going on in the pot. This is when it gets fun. If you have an immersion blender....you're a weirdo. But if you do, now is the time to use it. If you don't, get your blender out. Spoon the soup into the blender a little at a time and puree all the delicious steamy goodness so it thickens and is smooth. Pour it back into the pot and taste it again to make sure your seasoning is spot on. Adjust as you see fit and turn the burner down.
Then make a grilled bacon and cheese sandwich. That's what I like best with my tomato soup. Pour yourself a steaming bowl and if you've got any of that chopped basil left, sprinkle a little on top. Then dip your bacon sandwich into the tomato-y pool and take a giant bite. Melt into the chair and sing yourself a little song and even do a little happy dance.
But don't stop there. Share your tomato heaven with friends and family. Or hoard it and become a crazy tomato soup hoarding weirdo.
My favorite thing to do with this soup is add strange things to it. If you're a fan on fennel, I love nothing more than tomato soup with fennel and dill. I make it as often as possible, and you really don't need much fennel. If you're not familiar, let me know and I'll tell you how to cut it and cook it and get the most out of your delightful fennel bulbs and fronds. If you want to add an odd twist to your tomato soup, throw in some orange zest. It goes together beautifully and will change a very old, familiar dish in a surprising way.
I'm a soup girl. Always have been, always will be. You should be one too. Unless you're a boy....then don't be a soup girl.
I have some fresh black beans from Miami that I need to figure something out to do with today. I have chicken breasts and cheese and some veggies I might steal from Christina....we'll see how creative I can get.
I hope you all enjoy your week!! Keep me posted on any good food buys you have or if there is anything you want a recipe for...I'd love to take some requests!
"There is no love sincerer than the love of food."-George Bernard Shaw
Happy eating,
Lauren
I enjoyed my day off yesterday, even though I spent most of it sleeping. I couldn't figure out why I was having trouble falling asleep at night and then realized that a food runner at work has been making me these wonderful coffee drinks the last few nights and I think there are two or three shots of espresso in each one. Duh, Lauren. No wonder I've been up until six a.m. with no problem.
The sad part of that is, I still really want the drinks. They are so delicious! I suppose I'll just have to ask him to tone down the amount of espresso that is in them.
As you know, Christina and I went to that wonderful grocery store last week. I do have to say, all this fresh fruit is really a blessing. This morning I made fruit salad with blueberries, strawberries, grapes and some local honey. I made enough so I could have some for a snack later and ended up eating it all...so there goes that idea. I suppose there are worse things I could have had for breakfast, and I still have plenty so I can make some to go with lunch as well.
For now, I'm sitting on the couch while Christina and I enjoy the second installment of the Chronicles of Narnia on our projector. Nothing like being able to watch movies on a seven foot screen on our wall.
Last night I couldn't decide what I wanted to make, but I had a bunch of tomatoes that needed to be cooked before they went bad. So, in the spirit of sharing, I'd like to tell you about the wonderful tomato soup that I made. Some might call it a tomato bisque, but just to clue you in on a little secret. If you ever see something that isn't made with shellfish called a bisque, they're lying to you. The definition of a bisque is something that was made with shellfish shells. So...there's no way that you could have a tomato bisque.
Little fun food fact from my brain to your eyes.
Anywho, if you like tomato soup, making it at home is always fun because you can put whatever you want in there. Here's how I make mine.
What you'll need:
-3 cans diced tomatoes (I used fresh and if you'd like to know how to concasse tomatoes, I'd be happy to tell you. For the spirit of making this easy on you, just used canned. They're still delicious.)
-4 cloves fresh garlic
-1 yellow onion, diced
-1/2 red bell pepper (You can roast this in the oven with a little olive oil if you'd like, but sometimes I like to just cook it with the onion instead, which is what we're doing with this recipe.)
-2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (Give or take a little. It's really just about consistency.)
-1/2 cup heavy cream or milk
-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (This is optional, but I like just a little kick in my soup.)
-1/2 teaspoon crushed rosemary
-1/2 teaspoon thyme
-3/4 teaspoon dill
-1 Tbsp fresh chopped basil
-1 tsp garlic powder
-salt and pepper to taste
Take some liberties with your seasoning. I added some cumin to this as well, really just put whatever you like it in. I think you have a nice base with these flavors. If you're not super familiar with seasonings, stick with what I've said the first time you make this and then if you want to go back and change it later...you have a better idea of how you want it to taste. I love tomato soup with dill in it though, so I really suggest trying that if nothing else.
Once you have your onion, garlic and red pepper chopped, get that cooking in a large sauce pot with a small amount of oil. Cook for about ten minutes until the vegetables start to get tender, then add your tomatoes, juice and all. Once it starts really cooking, the tomatoes will basically start to disintegrate. This is a good thing. Let this keep cooking for about ten to fifteen minutes and then add in your stock and seasonings. Stir it well and cover, letting it simmer for a little bit. You can keep checking it to see the consistency and if it's too thick, add some more stock. You can even taste it now and see where you're at.
With any soup, you want it to cook for a little bit once you add the seasoning to really let the flavors develop. All these are fairly simple, so I say let it cook for five to ten minutes longer. Your veggies should all be nice and tender and the flavors nice and married. They'll be going on their honeymoon in a minute, so put on your dancing shoes.
Pour in your heavy cream and stir it up. The soup will take on a lovely color and the heavy cream will start swirling around, making out with all the other wonderfulness you've got going on in the pot. This is when it gets fun. If you have an immersion blender....you're a weirdo. But if you do, now is the time to use it. If you don't, get your blender out. Spoon the soup into the blender a little at a time and puree all the delicious steamy goodness so it thickens and is smooth. Pour it back into the pot and taste it again to make sure your seasoning is spot on. Adjust as you see fit and turn the burner down.
Then make a grilled bacon and cheese sandwich. That's what I like best with my tomato soup. Pour yourself a steaming bowl and if you've got any of that chopped basil left, sprinkle a little on top. Then dip your bacon sandwich into the tomato-y pool and take a giant bite. Melt into the chair and sing yourself a little song and even do a little happy dance.
But don't stop there. Share your tomato heaven with friends and family. Or hoard it and become a crazy tomato soup hoarding weirdo.
My favorite thing to do with this soup is add strange things to it. If you're a fan on fennel, I love nothing more than tomato soup with fennel and dill. I make it as often as possible, and you really don't need much fennel. If you're not familiar, let me know and I'll tell you how to cut it and cook it and get the most out of your delightful fennel bulbs and fronds. If you want to add an odd twist to your tomato soup, throw in some orange zest. It goes together beautifully and will change a very old, familiar dish in a surprising way.
I'm a soup girl. Always have been, always will be. You should be one too. Unless you're a boy....then don't be a soup girl.
I have some fresh black beans from Miami that I need to figure something out to do with today. I have chicken breasts and cheese and some veggies I might steal from Christina....we'll see how creative I can get.
I hope you all enjoy your week!! Keep me posted on any good food buys you have or if there is anything you want a recipe for...I'd love to take some requests!
"There is no love sincerer than the love of food."-George Bernard Shaw
Happy eating,
Lauren
Thursday, July 28, 2011
I'm a genius. Just sayin.
Okay, so maybe calling myself a genius is going a little far...but I am pretty smart. The only thing that this apartment is missing to make it a real home is a television. I think we all came down here with the hope that one of our roommates would bring one and therefore, none of us brought one. We've been okay without and have really bonded a lot and spent many nights sitting up talking or crowding around a laptop to watch a movie. We've talked about pitching in and buying one, but they're just expensive and it would be a pain in the butt when it was all said and done to get it out of here.
Then came my stroke of genius.
Long story short, we ordered a projector a few days ago. It should be here tomorrow so we're all staring at the front door in anticipation of the UPS delivery guy. I know it sounds like a silly thing to be so excited about but when you live without a way to watch TV like a normal person (even if it is just going to be mostly DVD's) for almost a month...it's odd how you miss it. I'm not even a big TV person, but it will be nice to have the option.
I really don't have much else going on right now. I got up and went and ran a few errands this morning and Alyssa went with me, so that was nice. Now I'm just waiting as long as possible before I have to get ready for work.
Don't get me wrong, I love my job. But work is still work and I would much rather spend the day with my roommates laying around the house.
Oh! I found a fresh meat and produce place in Orlando that looks amazing. I wanted to go there this morning, but it's about half an hour away so I'm going to wait and either go on my day off or wake up earlier and go before work one day. If I had gone today, I would have been in a rush and nobody likes grocery shopping in a hurry.
Well, I'm sure some people do...but the grocery store is my happy place.
So when I do go, I'll take some photos and let you all know of the wonderful things I discover. I'm very excited. Fresh and local produce, here I come!
"Shipping is a terrible thing to do to vegetables. They probably get jet-lagged, just like people." -Elizabeth Berry
Happy eating,
Lauren
Then came my stroke of genius.
Long story short, we ordered a projector a few days ago. It should be here tomorrow so we're all staring at the front door in anticipation of the UPS delivery guy. I know it sounds like a silly thing to be so excited about but when you live without a way to watch TV like a normal person (even if it is just going to be mostly DVD's) for almost a month...it's odd how you miss it. I'm not even a big TV person, but it will be nice to have the option.
I really don't have much else going on right now. I got up and went and ran a few errands this morning and Alyssa went with me, so that was nice. Now I'm just waiting as long as possible before I have to get ready for work.
Don't get me wrong, I love my job. But work is still work and I would much rather spend the day with my roommates laying around the house.
Oh! I found a fresh meat and produce place in Orlando that looks amazing. I wanted to go there this morning, but it's about half an hour away so I'm going to wait and either go on my day off or wake up earlier and go before work one day. If I had gone today, I would have been in a rush and nobody likes grocery shopping in a hurry.
Well, I'm sure some people do...but the grocery store is my happy place.
So when I do go, I'll take some photos and let you all know of the wonderful things I discover. I'm very excited. Fresh and local produce, here I come!
"Shipping is a terrible thing to do to vegetables. They probably get jet-lagged, just like people." -Elizabeth Berry
Happy eating,
Lauren
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Food stuffs follow up.
This is, in a way, a continuation from yesterday. One thing I wanted to talk about, but didn't, is a documentary that I watched over the weekend. After talking and then posting the recipe though, I felt like I had already taken enough of your time for the day so this one might be short, but I feel like it is important.
If you haven't educated yourself on the dangers of processed food and what exactly goes into our meat and produce, you really should. There are a lot of ways to do this and while some documentaries are meant to just crucify the object of their investigations, there are also some really good and informative ones out there as well. I watched Food, Inc. on Sunday and it was wonderful.
When I say wonderful, I mean it in a totally-eye-opening-yet-heart-wrenching-and-sometimes-gross kind of wonderful.
I'm reminded of a documentary my Val and I saw last year (if you don't know who Valerie is, then you really should find out. She's only the funniest, smartest, most wonderful person that I know) called The Cove. It was such an important movie and I really tried to get other people to watch it, but the minute I would tell them what it was about they'd be all 'no way, that sounds horrible'. And it was, but so good and, as I said, very important.
This was kind of the same way, without the murder of hundreds of thousands of precious dolphins. This movie will make you rethink the way you buy food. Did you know that in about 70 percent of all ground beef there is a 'meat filler' that has been treated with ammonia to help kill e-coli bacteria? They couldn't even call it meat and kept referring to it as 'our product'.
This documentary covers some pretty upsetting facts and there were times I had to look away and just listen, but again, as a consumer it is information that you must educate yourself on. You wouldn't drive a car without knowing that it would protect you and your family. Why would you put something into your body that you know nothing about where it came from?
I suppose in all this, I have been re-inspired to search out local retailers. To buy fruits and vegetables that are in season. I want to visit my local farmer's market and support those that are in the area and who are treating their plants and animals with the respect that they should be shown. If the farmer doesn't respect the product they are putting out and the animal that it is coming from, the bottom line is they don't respect you. They don't care what happens to you after they get your money, and that is so important.
There are so many growers that do care and they are everywhere. If we demand better products, the market will respond and deliver. As they said in the documentary, you get to vote.
Three times a day.
My cousin has recommended a handful of documentaries I need to check out, so I'm going to get on that this week. I'm sure it will just further push me to do what I'm setting out to do. I'm just happy I live with girls that will enjoy getting up with me to head to the farmer's market this coming weekend. It will no doubt be an adventure.
"At home I serve the kind of food I know the story behind."-Michael Pollan
Happy eating,
Lauren
If you haven't educated yourself on the dangers of processed food and what exactly goes into our meat and produce, you really should. There are a lot of ways to do this and while some documentaries are meant to just crucify the object of their investigations, there are also some really good and informative ones out there as well. I watched Food, Inc. on Sunday and it was wonderful.
When I say wonderful, I mean it in a totally-eye-opening-yet-heart-wrenching-and-sometimes-gross kind of wonderful.
I'm reminded of a documentary my Val and I saw last year (if you don't know who Valerie is, then you really should find out. She's only the funniest, smartest, most wonderful person that I know) called The Cove. It was such an important movie and I really tried to get other people to watch it, but the minute I would tell them what it was about they'd be all 'no way, that sounds horrible'. And it was, but so good and, as I said, very important.
This was kind of the same way, without the murder of hundreds of thousands of precious dolphins. This movie will make you rethink the way you buy food. Did you know that in about 70 percent of all ground beef there is a 'meat filler' that has been treated with ammonia to help kill e-coli bacteria? They couldn't even call it meat and kept referring to it as 'our product'.
This documentary covers some pretty upsetting facts and there were times I had to look away and just listen, but again, as a consumer it is information that you must educate yourself on. You wouldn't drive a car without knowing that it would protect you and your family. Why would you put something into your body that you know nothing about where it came from?
I suppose in all this, I have been re-inspired to search out local retailers. To buy fruits and vegetables that are in season. I want to visit my local farmer's market and support those that are in the area and who are treating their plants and animals with the respect that they should be shown. If the farmer doesn't respect the product they are putting out and the animal that it is coming from, the bottom line is they don't respect you. They don't care what happens to you after they get your money, and that is so important.
There are so many growers that do care and they are everywhere. If we demand better products, the market will respond and deliver. As they said in the documentary, you get to vote.
Three times a day.
My cousin has recommended a handful of documentaries I need to check out, so I'm going to get on that this week. I'm sure it will just further push me to do what I'm setting out to do. I'm just happy I live with girls that will enjoy getting up with me to head to the farmer's market this coming weekend. It will no doubt be an adventure.
"At home I serve the kind of food I know the story behind."-Michael Pollan
Happy eating,
Lauren
Monday, July 25, 2011
Lazy Monday.
I should actually say lazy weekend because that's exactly what I've had. Three days off in a row is nice, but at the same time, when you're a little financially strapped, it can eventually turn into a mind numbing mash of watching movies on Netflix and unnecessary naps. I've been making the most of it though and catching up on some sleep while letting my muscles repair themselves from the work I did over the week. I'm definitely looking forward to a full week of work though.
This morning Christina and I had the pleasure of introducing our Minnesotian (is that even a word?) roommate to Waffle House. I suppose I never realized that place was a Southern thing...and even more so, a Texas thing. It's nice to see things still titled 'Texas style' in Florida. It reminds me of the days when we'd go sit at the Waffle House in Lancaster and drink coffee and feel like grown ups. No matter how seedy one of these joints can be, I will always love it and feel at home there in a weird way.
I had a really nice week at work last week. It was hard, we were busier a couple of days than we've been since I got here and I was left alone the majority of the week on pantry. That took a lot out of me, but because I never had to get help (except during shut down)...it was a bit of an ego boost. One of my Sous Chefs and I were talking on Thursday and I made a comment about how this was my first back of house job (if you ever see me say BoH, that's what it means) and he looked at me all crazy. I just laughed and told him that I thought he knew that and he said he had no idea. He then went on to say that I fooled him because he had would have never guessed that I had never worked in a kitchen before and that he was impressed with how well I was doing. Talk about an ego boost...it really feels better than you can imagine to finally feel like I'm doing what I am meant to do.
Alyssa, Dijon and I were talking about it last night because we've all had a night or two where we just felt like we got beat up all shift. But even though every day we walk in and we know we're going to get our butts handed to us, we are still excited to go to work. This is the first time in a very long time that I actually look forward to work. I know full well that I'm going to be exhausted and sore and sweaty and gross at the end of every shift, but I still smile when I walk in the kitchen. I love it. I love that I'm good at it. I look forward to where this is all taking me.
Now if only I could get some shoes that don't make me want to chop my feet off at the ankles.
Since we went and had breakfast this morning, I thought I'd give you one of my favorite breakfast recipes. I've been debating if I should tell you my trick to making the fluffiest omelets you've ever seen or my mysterious bacon and pecan pancakes...I've decided on the pancakes as the omelet trick is simple enough to tell you in two sentences.
First, separate the yolks from the whites. Then, beat the egg whites with a whisk (a wire whip if you want to get technical) until they start to form soft peaks and fold the yolks back in. Tada! When you do this, the whites hold some of the air you've beaten into them and they make the omelet so fluffy and light you'll barely be able to stand the pillowy goodness. Pour the beaten white and yolk mixture into a buttered skillet and distribute whatever omelet filling deliciousness over the top. Flip after a few minutes, cover the cooked side with cheese and fold in half. Yum yum!
Now for pancakes that will make you melt and cry and swear to never have protein-free pancakes ever again. I made these up (not the batter, but the fillings) a couple years ago and then mom and I went to a famous breakfast place in Dallas a month ago or so and they had bacon pancakes. We got them just to check out the competition and I have to say....mine are better.
Just sayin.
Anywho, what you'll need:
-half a cup or so of toasted, chopped pecans. (Any nut will do really, but I prefer pecans. Maybe it's because I'm from Texas or maybe it's fun when people pronounce it pee-cans.)
-half a pound of crispy bacon (I cook my bacon in the oven for this recipe. Lay the slices flat on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 or so. When the bacon is almost finished, I turn on the broiler for a few minutes, just to make sure it's extra crispy. You want to be able to crumble it and have it maintain it's crunchy porky awesomeness once you put it in the batter.)
-3/4 cup of milk
-2 Tbsp white vinegar
-1 cup AP flour (I'm sure you can use whole wheat flour or something healthier if you want...but when you're making bacon pancakes, who is really worried about the type of flour you use?)
-2 Tbsp white sugar
-1 tsp baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 egg
-2 Tbsp butter, melted
Now, the first thing you want to do after you've crumbled your crispy bacon (and had a few bites to sample, of course) and toasted your pecans (in the oven on a cookie sheet just until they start to release a stronger aroma. You don't want them burnt.), is pour the vinegar into the milk and set it aside for about five minutes. This will 'sour' the milk, and I know it sounds weird....but trust me. Next, you want to combine your dry ingredients, then whisk the melted butter and egg into your milk mixture. Once combined, pour the dry ingredients into the milk and whisk until the batter is smooth. You can use an electric mixer, but why not get a little work out before you gorge yourself on pancakes?
Now, here's the key. Do not add in the bacon and pecans. Why? Because letting them sit in the batter will just make them chewy and soggy and you'll loose half the battle right there. Spray a skillet with cooking spray and drop quarter cup fulls of batter into the hot pan. As soon as you start to see bubbles forming on the top, sprinkle each pancake with bacon and pecans. As much as your little heart desires. Then, flip the pancake and continue cooking until the second side is brown.
Move the cooked pancakes to a plate and continue with the rest of the batter. If you're feeding a lot of people, double or triple this recipe because this will only make about eight pancakes.
And there you go! Serve with your favorite syrup and go to town. The salty, sweet, fluffy, crunchy, delightful pancakes will amaze everyone at your table. In fact....I kind of want to make these for dinner now. After my morning breakfast debacle of chopped steak and eggs....I've succeeded in making myself crave breakfast again.
I hope you enjoy making these. They really are my favorite pancakes I've ever made. And the best part is, even if you don't want to add the bacon and pecans, the batter is good enough to stand alone, or mix in some blueberries. Add some chocolate chips and serve it with whipped cream (which you should always make yourself. It's too easy and too delicious to buy that premade crapola).
Have a wonderful Monday. I am going to get some more photos at work of my improved desserts so I can share them. I'm actually not bad at cranking out some pantry items.
"We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are."-Adelle Davis
Happy eating,
Lauren
This morning Christina and I had the pleasure of introducing our Minnesotian (is that even a word?) roommate to Waffle House. I suppose I never realized that place was a Southern thing...and even more so, a Texas thing. It's nice to see things still titled 'Texas style' in Florida. It reminds me of the days when we'd go sit at the Waffle House in Lancaster and drink coffee and feel like grown ups. No matter how seedy one of these joints can be, I will always love it and feel at home there in a weird way.
I had a really nice week at work last week. It was hard, we were busier a couple of days than we've been since I got here and I was left alone the majority of the week on pantry. That took a lot out of me, but because I never had to get help (except during shut down)...it was a bit of an ego boost. One of my Sous Chefs and I were talking on Thursday and I made a comment about how this was my first back of house job (if you ever see me say BoH, that's what it means) and he looked at me all crazy. I just laughed and told him that I thought he knew that and he said he had no idea. He then went on to say that I fooled him because he had would have never guessed that I had never worked in a kitchen before and that he was impressed with how well I was doing. Talk about an ego boost...it really feels better than you can imagine to finally feel like I'm doing what I am meant to do.
Alyssa, Dijon and I were talking about it last night because we've all had a night or two where we just felt like we got beat up all shift. But even though every day we walk in and we know we're going to get our butts handed to us, we are still excited to go to work. This is the first time in a very long time that I actually look forward to work. I know full well that I'm going to be exhausted and sore and sweaty and gross at the end of every shift, but I still smile when I walk in the kitchen. I love it. I love that I'm good at it. I look forward to where this is all taking me.
Now if only I could get some shoes that don't make me want to chop my feet off at the ankles.
Since we went and had breakfast this morning, I thought I'd give you one of my favorite breakfast recipes. I've been debating if I should tell you my trick to making the fluffiest omelets you've ever seen or my mysterious bacon and pecan pancakes...I've decided on the pancakes as the omelet trick is simple enough to tell you in two sentences.
First, separate the yolks from the whites. Then, beat the egg whites with a whisk (a wire whip if you want to get technical) until they start to form soft peaks and fold the yolks back in. Tada! When you do this, the whites hold some of the air you've beaten into them and they make the omelet so fluffy and light you'll barely be able to stand the pillowy goodness. Pour the beaten white and yolk mixture into a buttered skillet and distribute whatever omelet filling deliciousness over the top. Flip after a few minutes, cover the cooked side with cheese and fold in half. Yum yum!
Now for pancakes that will make you melt and cry and swear to never have protein-free pancakes ever again. I made these up (not the batter, but the fillings) a couple years ago and then mom and I went to a famous breakfast place in Dallas a month ago or so and they had bacon pancakes. We got them just to check out the competition and I have to say....mine are better.
Just sayin.
Anywho, what you'll need:
-half a cup or so of toasted, chopped pecans. (Any nut will do really, but I prefer pecans. Maybe it's because I'm from Texas or maybe it's fun when people pronounce it pee-cans.)
-half a pound of crispy bacon (I cook my bacon in the oven for this recipe. Lay the slices flat on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 or so. When the bacon is almost finished, I turn on the broiler for a few minutes, just to make sure it's extra crispy. You want to be able to crumble it and have it maintain it's crunchy porky awesomeness once you put it in the batter.)
-3/4 cup of milk
-2 Tbsp white vinegar
-1 cup AP flour (I'm sure you can use whole wheat flour or something healthier if you want...but when you're making bacon pancakes, who is really worried about the type of flour you use?)
-2 Tbsp white sugar
-1 tsp baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 egg
-2 Tbsp butter, melted
Now, the first thing you want to do after you've crumbled your crispy bacon (and had a few bites to sample, of course) and toasted your pecans (in the oven on a cookie sheet just until they start to release a stronger aroma. You don't want them burnt.), is pour the vinegar into the milk and set it aside for about five minutes. This will 'sour' the milk, and I know it sounds weird....but trust me. Next, you want to combine your dry ingredients, then whisk the melted butter and egg into your milk mixture. Once combined, pour the dry ingredients into the milk and whisk until the batter is smooth. You can use an electric mixer, but why not get a little work out before you gorge yourself on pancakes?
Now, here's the key. Do not add in the bacon and pecans. Why? Because letting them sit in the batter will just make them chewy and soggy and you'll loose half the battle right there. Spray a skillet with cooking spray and drop quarter cup fulls of batter into the hot pan. As soon as you start to see bubbles forming on the top, sprinkle each pancake with bacon and pecans. As much as your little heart desires. Then, flip the pancake and continue cooking until the second side is brown.
Move the cooked pancakes to a plate and continue with the rest of the batter. If you're feeding a lot of people, double or triple this recipe because this will only make about eight pancakes.
And there you go! Serve with your favorite syrup and go to town. The salty, sweet, fluffy, crunchy, delightful pancakes will amaze everyone at your table. In fact....I kind of want to make these for dinner now. After my morning breakfast debacle of chopped steak and eggs....I've succeeded in making myself crave breakfast again.
I hope you enjoy making these. They really are my favorite pancakes I've ever made. And the best part is, even if you don't want to add the bacon and pecans, the batter is good enough to stand alone, or mix in some blueberries. Add some chocolate chips and serve it with whipped cream (which you should always make yourself. It's too easy and too delicious to buy that premade crapola).
Have a wonderful Monday. I am going to get some more photos at work of my improved desserts so I can share them. I'm actually not bad at cranking out some pantry items.
"We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are."-Adelle Davis
Happy eating,
Lauren
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Practice makes perfect.
Happy Tuesday!
Oh to live in a land where Tuesdays feel like Mondays and Monday is your Sunday and you're the only person you know that has days off when you do. Magic? Alas, no, it is apparently the life of a culinarian.
At least after two days of lounging on the couch, doing minimal cleaning and a little cooking, my muscles don't scream at me every time I move or try to stand up. It's just long enough to feel back at 100 percent and go back to work to get sore all over again. I have the feeling I'll be on pantry for a little while, which is totally fine with me. I would like to get to the point where I don't have any more questions there. At least not a handful of questions every day. When ever I think I might have learned mostly everything, I have to go and get something in some random cooler or make something that hasn't been done since I started and it's question-City all over again.
I'm always excited to learn and I'm glad that everyone at my job has been so great, I just have to keep reminding myself that I'm not going to learn everything there in a matter of days. While that would be nice, I can't expect it of myself and I know that they don't expect it of me.
I made burgers for the girls the other night and they are still one of my favorite things to cook. I have a recipe that I've been using for years, and even though Hidden Valley advertises it as a way to make burgers now, I'd still like to share it with you. It's one of the easiest, and most delicious, burger recipes I know and it's kind of my go-to when I'm looking for something fast and easy to make at home.
This time, I caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms for the top and melted Swiss cheese on each patty. It was delightful. Nothing like a good, gooey burger with fresh ingredients to make a Texas girl happy. I'll tell you how to make it with one pound of meat, but just double up if you add more.
What you need:
-1 pound ground beef (I like to use an 80/20% ratio for burgers. Fat is good in some cases, it gives you more flavor and makes the patties juicier.)
-1 packet dry ranch dressing mix
-1 egg
-1/4 cup of panko bread crumbs (If you don't have panko, crunch up four or five saltine crackers and use those instead.)
-1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Don't over mix, or your meat will be tough and kind of chewy. All meat and eggs are different, so if the mix seems kind of wet add more breadcrumbs. Just really use your best judgement. I usually let my meat sit out on the counter for about fifteen minutes. Putting ice cold meat on a really hot grill or in a hot saute pan just makes the meat seize up and nobody like that. When you form your burger patties, stick your thumb in the center to make a little indention. This way when the patty cooks, it will still be even on both sides (meat plumps when it cooks).
And I know what you're thinking, 'I don't have a grill, Lauren.' Yeah...I don't have one either. There is no shame in cooking burgers in a skillet on the stove. You don't get the smokey flavor that you'd get from the grill, but you would be surprised at how many Chefs recommend you cook burgers on a flat top. You get such a nice char on the outside...it really adds a wonderful texture to the burger.
If your patties are about an inch thick, you'll want to cook them for four to five minutes on each side. That will give you a nice medium well burger. I like mine a little less done, so mine are just three or four minutes on each side. About thirty seconds before they're done I toss a piece of cheese on top so it gets all wonderful and melty.
It's not the best picture....but yum! This was my dinner two nights ago...and last night. I can't resist leftovers.
Oh to live in a land where Tuesdays feel like Mondays and Monday is your Sunday and you're the only person you know that has days off when you do. Magic? Alas, no, it is apparently the life of a culinarian.
At least after two days of lounging on the couch, doing minimal cleaning and a little cooking, my muscles don't scream at me every time I move or try to stand up. It's just long enough to feel back at 100 percent and go back to work to get sore all over again. I have the feeling I'll be on pantry for a little while, which is totally fine with me. I would like to get to the point where I don't have any more questions there. At least not a handful of questions every day. When ever I think I might have learned mostly everything, I have to go and get something in some random cooler or make something that hasn't been done since I started and it's question-City all over again.
I'm always excited to learn and I'm glad that everyone at my job has been so great, I just have to keep reminding myself that I'm not going to learn everything there in a matter of days. While that would be nice, I can't expect it of myself and I know that they don't expect it of me.
I made burgers for the girls the other night and they are still one of my favorite things to cook. I have a recipe that I've been using for years, and even though Hidden Valley advertises it as a way to make burgers now, I'd still like to share it with you. It's one of the easiest, and most delicious, burger recipes I know and it's kind of my go-to when I'm looking for something fast and easy to make at home.
This time, I caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms for the top and melted Swiss cheese on each patty. It was delightful. Nothing like a good, gooey burger with fresh ingredients to make a Texas girl happy. I'll tell you how to make it with one pound of meat, but just double up if you add more.
What you need:
-1 pound ground beef (I like to use an 80/20% ratio for burgers. Fat is good in some cases, it gives you more flavor and makes the patties juicier.)
-1 packet dry ranch dressing mix
-1 egg
-1/4 cup of panko bread crumbs (If you don't have panko, crunch up four or five saltine crackers and use those instead.)
-1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Don't over mix, or your meat will be tough and kind of chewy. All meat and eggs are different, so if the mix seems kind of wet add more breadcrumbs. Just really use your best judgement. I usually let my meat sit out on the counter for about fifteen minutes. Putting ice cold meat on a really hot grill or in a hot saute pan just makes the meat seize up and nobody like that. When you form your burger patties, stick your thumb in the center to make a little indention. This way when the patty cooks, it will still be even on both sides (meat plumps when it cooks).
And I know what you're thinking, 'I don't have a grill, Lauren.' Yeah...I don't have one either. There is no shame in cooking burgers in a skillet on the stove. You don't get the smokey flavor that you'd get from the grill, but you would be surprised at how many Chefs recommend you cook burgers on a flat top. You get such a nice char on the outside...it really adds a wonderful texture to the burger.
If your patties are about an inch thick, you'll want to cook them for four to five minutes on each side. That will give you a nice medium well burger. I like mine a little less done, so mine are just three or four minutes on each side. About thirty seconds before they're done I toss a piece of cheese on top so it gets all wonderful and melty.
It's not the best picture....but yum! This was my dinner two nights ago...and last night. I can't resist leftovers.
So there's my super-secret burger recipe. It seems to be a big hit, I know that I sure love them.
I'm starting to feel a little homesick, but it's more missing my bed, my mom, my Willow and my friends. I don't know what I would do here if it weren't for Dijon and Alyssa and the girls. I definitely commend people that come here alone without knowing anyone. Having people from home makes it feel more like home, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to mom coming to visit.
I hope you all enjoy your day! I'll be getting ready for work in a little bit. Hopefully it's a busy day and goes by quickly and I get some more wonderful practice in.
"A Bearnaise sauce is simply an egg yolk, a shallot, a little tarragon vinegar, and butter, but it takes years of practice for the result to be perfect."-Fernand Point
Happy eating,
Lauren
I'm starting to feel a little homesick, but it's more missing my bed, my mom, my Willow and my friends. I don't know what I would do here if it weren't for Dijon and Alyssa and the girls. I definitely commend people that come here alone without knowing anyone. Having people from home makes it feel more like home, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to mom coming to visit.
I hope you all enjoy your day! I'll be getting ready for work in a little bit. Hopefully it's a busy day and goes by quickly and I get some more wonderful practice in.
"A Bearnaise sauce is simply an egg yolk, a shallot, a little tarragon vinegar, and butter, but it takes years of practice for the result to be perfect."-Fernand Point
Happy eating,
Lauren
Friday, July 15, 2011
Blisters and cobblers and Chefs....oh my!
Happy Friday everyone!
Christina (who will be referred to as Dijon from this point forward) and I were talking this morning about how everyone keeps saying TGIF...and how that phrase has very little meaning anymore. When I decided to move into this field, I knew that my weekends would now entail odd days of the week but to actually realize that I'll be working when everyone else is going to happy hour and looking forward to a couple days of relaxation...it's a little strange. I haven't had a strange schedule like this in years, so I'm sure it will take a little getting used to. Dijon doesn't even know what day it is about 90 percent of the time. It's fairly amusing to confuse her intentionally.
Alyssa, one of my other roommates and a girl who was in our class the last six weeks of school, starts her first real day today of OJT (that's on the job training) today so we are rooting for her and hope that when she gets home tonight she'll have some fun stories for us. So far, most all of us have had great first days so I'll be sending her Pink and Blue thoughts all day.
Last night was the first time that I realized what a pain it can be to have different people training you every day. I think I was told different ways to do at least five different things, which is okay in most cases. My biggest problem lies within people that are too scared to tell you what to do. A word of advice. If you are training someone, don't be afraid to be kind of assertive. There is a definite line between assertive and bossy and you have to be able to find that line or things will just fall apart for you and the person you are training will start to just go off and do whatever they think they should do and ask other people for help, even if they aren't in your department.
Case and point...what I had to do last night.
The guy was perfectly nice, but it was like pulling teeth to get him to really tell me anything because he, and I quote, 'doesn't like bossing people around'. Not to sound haughty...but welcome to being a line cook for the rest of your life. I hope you enjoyed that culinary degree.
Anywho, I don't want to come off as negative and I sure don't want anyone to think that I didn't have a blast regardless. I got to meet a lot of new people that work in my kitchen and they were all just as wonderful and welcoming as the first bunch. I especially enjoyed the server that was a food runner last night who stood there and chatted with me once things slowed down and offered to take me around to some local places so I can get more familiar with the things around my apartment.
I'm amazed that cast members at Disney are just as nice to fellow cast members as they are to guests. One of the Chef trainers last night made a comment about one of our basics and how it talks about being courteous to all guests, but since we're back of the house...we are each others' guests. It really holds true and as a new person, it makes the transition into this new career that much easier and enjoyable. I don't think I would have gotten this anywhere else.
Okay, enough rambling about my job...I want to tell you about a recipe. I thought about doing something a little more involved, but this is something we made for a practical in school one time and I've made it a lot since. It's become one of my favorite ways to make fish, so I hope that you enjoy it too. I won't tell you what side dishes to make with it, but my favorites to go with it are roasted red potatoes (with garlic and olive oil) and sauteed asparagus. I haven't had lunch yet and that just made my stomach growl...it's so delicious. Especially if you serve the fish on top of the asparagus and the sauce kind of runs over the veggies. Yum!!!
No really...yum yum yum.
Moving on, here is what you'll need:
-white fish (I like to use trout or talapia, but any non-fatty fish would work.)
-flour (enough just to coat the fish, however many you use. Make sure you season your flour. I use salt, pepper and cayenne for a tiny kick.)
-kosher salt
-ground pepper (I like to use white pepper, but black pepper will work too)
-fresh lemon (do not...I repeat. Do not use the bottled lemon juice. The fish gods will come after you.)
-a stick of unsalted butter (unless you're making a lot of fish, you won't use it all but it's good to be prepared.)
-chopped fresh parsley (enough to sprinkle some liberally on each piece of fish you're making.)
-olive oil (just enough to coat the pan, again, you will need more if you're doing more pieces of fish then can fit in your pan at one time because it will absorb a little.)
The rest is very simple. Heat your pan with the oil in it until the oil is hot, but not smoking. Season both sides of your fish with the salt and pepper, then dredge it in the flour. Make sure both sides are lightly coated with flour. Drop the fish into the pan and hear the delightful sizzle of fish on hot oil. If it is a thinner piece of fish, it won't take but a couple minutes to cook (total) so don't go anywhere. Flip the fish once it is golden brown on the bottom and make both sides nice and golden. Take the fish off and place it on a paper towel for just a moment to get off excess grease then put it on the serving plate. Place a few slabs of butter in the still hot pan (this is why you don't want a lot of oil, if you have too much after you cook your fish, pour it off but don't wipe the delicious bits from the pan). While your butter is browning, sprinkle parsley liberally on each piece of fish (already on the plate) and then squeeze a lemon half on top of the fish (cup under the lemon with your free hand to catch any seeds and pulp). Once your butter is slightly brown (you'll notice that it foams slightly and has the smell of buttered popcorn. YUM!) pour it directly over the lightly fried-parsley'd-lemoned fish. It should sizzle a bit when it hits the parsley.
Then, voila! You have a very yummy and pretty healthy fish and veggie dish to serve to the people that love you. I bet they'll love you even more after they bust into this deliciousness. If they don't, I'll give you a dollar. And if they don't like fish....shame on them.
On that note, I am going to make myself some lunch. It will probably not be quite a scrumptious, but I've succeeded in making my stomach growl for the last ten minutes while I typed. Dijon thinks I'm writing a paper. I bid you all good day and hope that you enjoy your TGIF. I imagine with Sunday off...tomorrow I'll be screaming TGIS!
“Cookery is not chemistry. It is an art. It requires instinct and taste rather than exact measurements.”- Marcel Boulestin
Happy eating,
Lauren
Christina (who will be referred to as Dijon from this point forward) and I were talking this morning about how everyone keeps saying TGIF...and how that phrase has very little meaning anymore. When I decided to move into this field, I knew that my weekends would now entail odd days of the week but to actually realize that I'll be working when everyone else is going to happy hour and looking forward to a couple days of relaxation...it's a little strange. I haven't had a strange schedule like this in years, so I'm sure it will take a little getting used to. Dijon doesn't even know what day it is about 90 percent of the time. It's fairly amusing to confuse her intentionally.
Alyssa, one of my other roommates and a girl who was in our class the last six weeks of school, starts her first real day today of OJT (that's on the job training) today so we are rooting for her and hope that when she gets home tonight she'll have some fun stories for us. So far, most all of us have had great first days so I'll be sending her Pink and Blue thoughts all day.
Last night was the first time that I realized what a pain it can be to have different people training you every day. I think I was told different ways to do at least five different things, which is okay in most cases. My biggest problem lies within people that are too scared to tell you what to do. A word of advice. If you are training someone, don't be afraid to be kind of assertive. There is a definite line between assertive and bossy and you have to be able to find that line or things will just fall apart for you and the person you are training will start to just go off and do whatever they think they should do and ask other people for help, even if they aren't in your department.
Case and point...what I had to do last night.
The guy was perfectly nice, but it was like pulling teeth to get him to really tell me anything because he, and I quote, 'doesn't like bossing people around'. Not to sound haughty...but welcome to being a line cook for the rest of your life. I hope you enjoyed that culinary degree.
Anywho, I don't want to come off as negative and I sure don't want anyone to think that I didn't have a blast regardless. I got to meet a lot of new people that work in my kitchen and they were all just as wonderful and welcoming as the first bunch. I especially enjoyed the server that was a food runner last night who stood there and chatted with me once things slowed down and offered to take me around to some local places so I can get more familiar with the things around my apartment.
I'm amazed that cast members at Disney are just as nice to fellow cast members as they are to guests. One of the Chef trainers last night made a comment about one of our basics and how it talks about being courteous to all guests, but since we're back of the house...we are each others' guests. It really holds true and as a new person, it makes the transition into this new career that much easier and enjoyable. I don't think I would have gotten this anywhere else.
Okay, enough rambling about my job...I want to tell you about a recipe. I thought about doing something a little more involved, but this is something we made for a practical in school one time and I've made it a lot since. It's become one of my favorite ways to make fish, so I hope that you enjoy it too. I won't tell you what side dishes to make with it, but my favorites to go with it are roasted red potatoes (with garlic and olive oil) and sauteed asparagus. I haven't had lunch yet and that just made my stomach growl...it's so delicious. Especially if you serve the fish on top of the asparagus and the sauce kind of runs over the veggies. Yum!!!
No really...yum yum yum.
Moving on, here is what you'll need:
-white fish (I like to use trout or talapia, but any non-fatty fish would work.)
-flour (enough just to coat the fish, however many you use. Make sure you season your flour. I use salt, pepper and cayenne for a tiny kick.)
-kosher salt
-ground pepper (I like to use white pepper, but black pepper will work too)
-fresh lemon (do not...I repeat. Do not use the bottled lemon juice. The fish gods will come after you.)
-a stick of unsalted butter (unless you're making a lot of fish, you won't use it all but it's good to be prepared.)
-chopped fresh parsley (enough to sprinkle some liberally on each piece of fish you're making.)
-olive oil (just enough to coat the pan, again, you will need more if you're doing more pieces of fish then can fit in your pan at one time because it will absorb a little.)
The rest is very simple. Heat your pan with the oil in it until the oil is hot, but not smoking. Season both sides of your fish with the salt and pepper, then dredge it in the flour. Make sure both sides are lightly coated with flour. Drop the fish into the pan and hear the delightful sizzle of fish on hot oil. If it is a thinner piece of fish, it won't take but a couple minutes to cook (total) so don't go anywhere. Flip the fish once it is golden brown on the bottom and make both sides nice and golden. Take the fish off and place it on a paper towel for just a moment to get off excess grease then put it on the serving plate. Place a few slabs of butter in the still hot pan (this is why you don't want a lot of oil, if you have too much after you cook your fish, pour it off but don't wipe the delicious bits from the pan). While your butter is browning, sprinkle parsley liberally on each piece of fish (already on the plate) and then squeeze a lemon half on top of the fish (cup under the lemon with your free hand to catch any seeds and pulp). Once your butter is slightly brown (you'll notice that it foams slightly and has the smell of buttered popcorn. YUM!) pour it directly over the lightly fried-parsley'd-lemoned fish. It should sizzle a bit when it hits the parsley.
Then, voila! You have a very yummy and pretty healthy fish and veggie dish to serve to the people that love you. I bet they'll love you even more after they bust into this deliciousness. If they don't, I'll give you a dollar. And if they don't like fish....shame on them.
On that note, I am going to make myself some lunch. It will probably not be quite a scrumptious, but I've succeeded in making my stomach growl for the last ten minutes while I typed. Dijon thinks I'm writing a paper. I bid you all good day and hope that you enjoy your TGIF. I imagine with Sunday off...tomorrow I'll be screaming TGIS!
“Cookery is not chemistry. It is an art. It requires instinct and taste rather than exact measurements.”- Marcel Boulestin
Happy eating,
Lauren
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Firsts of all kinds.
Good morning!
I had the best intentions to come home last night and write a bit before bed, but after an hour long conversation with Christina about my first day...another of our roommates was on Skype in the living room so I didn't want to just plop down next to her and start typing. I suppose part of having five roommates means getting used to that, but from someone who lived alone for so long it is just taking a little time.
I started at my restaurant last night. I was really nervous going into it, more because I wasn't sure what I'd be doing or where they'd put me. Everyone here so far has had such different experiences, it's hard to have any real idea of what is going to happen when you haven't done it yet. I still had a little bit of e-learning to do, but they left me in there a lot longer than I needed so I spent the first half hour or so emailing with my better half (you know it's true, Val). Afterward, my trainer walked me upstairs and gave me a tour of the kitchens. Yes, I said kitchens. This place is huge and there are four kitchens that basically all link together. Once she'd shown me where the exits were and all that safety jazz, she released me to my Chef.
I've never been more nervous and excited all at once before. Everyone in the kitchen that I met was so nice and welcoming and they all greeted me by name (wearing a nametag comes in real handy). One of the women in the kitchen kind of took me under her wing and showed me around a lot, so I'm really excited to be working with her. After I helped Chef Matt and Suzie peel some tiny heirloom tomatoes he handed me off to my trainer for the night and told me I'd be on pantry. For those that don't know, pantry is generally cold appetizers and salads but here it also includes dessert.
One of my favorite things about the restaurant that I'm in is that they change the menu so frequently, they print it every day for the cast. We do a lot of seasonal items and right now, it's heirloom tomatoes. If you've never had an heirloom tomato, I suggest you go and buy one, slice it up drizzle with some olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and just dig in. Oh. My. Tomato. It's one of the most delicious things you'll ever taste. In school, there was one day that I think Christina, David and I polished off two or three just while we were cooking.
And if you want to learn about heirloom tomatoes, that's great too. There are so many varieties, and they're just gorgeous when you cut into them. And juicy...and fresh....and tender...okay, sorry. I got carried away and now my mouth is watering. Moving forward...
So, heirloom tomatoes and then these peaches. They are specially picked by this man who has a peach orchard in California. He will only allow his family to pick them so every year during harvest season he flies them out to his farm and they hand pick these peaches. My Chef described it to me like this...imagine the best peach you've ever had. One where you bite into it and the juice is running down your chin and it's tender and sweet and perfect....this is better than that.
Did I mention that I want to eat one of these peaches? Ohhhh my. Just the smell of them got me drooling on myself.
I suppose the fastest way to explain the next seven hours of my day is this....I learned how to work the pantry station. My trainer showed me how to make everything and I took a lot of notes and pictures and after about half an hour, he started letting me make things myself. About an hour later, he would just randomly leave me alone at the station while he went to do other things. It wasn't a terribly busy night, but it was a wonderful way to get my feet wet. I had an absolute blast and my feet hurt at the end of the night and I was so tired I basically came home and went to bed after sharing my day with Christina.
I was given the opportunity to stay for a little extra time so I could help everyone clean up and shut down the kitchen, so of course I took it and I'm actually excited about going back and learning more tonight. Despite my crappy shoes and the fact that I woke up this morning to a note from our complex explaining that they are replacing the carpet in our bedrooms so we had to move everything out (there's a surefire way to get me to finish unpacking).
Here are just a few of the things we offer at my place, if you make it to the Orlando area you should come and say hello and eat some delicious food.
This is one of our signature desserts, it is a blueberry cobbler with fresh berries and raspberry ice cream that is made in house.
This is a no sugar added dessert. It's a raspberry mousse, fresh fruit and no sugar ice cream.
The heirloom tomato salad with thinly sliced sweet onion, seventeen year balsamic, olive oil and buffalo mozzarella foam. Ohhhhhhhhh my sweet baby tomato. So delicious.
I had the best intentions to come home last night and write a bit before bed, but after an hour long conversation with Christina about my first day...another of our roommates was on Skype in the living room so I didn't want to just plop down next to her and start typing. I suppose part of having five roommates means getting used to that, but from someone who lived alone for so long it is just taking a little time.
I started at my restaurant last night. I was really nervous going into it, more because I wasn't sure what I'd be doing or where they'd put me. Everyone here so far has had such different experiences, it's hard to have any real idea of what is going to happen when you haven't done it yet. I still had a little bit of e-learning to do, but they left me in there a lot longer than I needed so I spent the first half hour or so emailing with my better half (you know it's true, Val). Afterward, my trainer walked me upstairs and gave me a tour of the kitchens. Yes, I said kitchens. This place is huge and there are four kitchens that basically all link together. Once she'd shown me where the exits were and all that safety jazz, she released me to my Chef.
I've never been more nervous and excited all at once before. Everyone in the kitchen that I met was so nice and welcoming and they all greeted me by name (wearing a nametag comes in real handy). One of the women in the kitchen kind of took me under her wing and showed me around a lot, so I'm really excited to be working with her. After I helped Chef Matt and Suzie peel some tiny heirloom tomatoes he handed me off to my trainer for the night and told me I'd be on pantry. For those that don't know, pantry is generally cold appetizers and salads but here it also includes dessert.
One of my favorite things about the restaurant that I'm in is that they change the menu so frequently, they print it every day for the cast. We do a lot of seasonal items and right now, it's heirloom tomatoes. If you've never had an heirloom tomato, I suggest you go and buy one, slice it up drizzle with some olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and just dig in. Oh. My. Tomato. It's one of the most delicious things you'll ever taste. In school, there was one day that I think Christina, David and I polished off two or three just while we were cooking.
And if you want to learn about heirloom tomatoes, that's great too. There are so many varieties, and they're just gorgeous when you cut into them. And juicy...and fresh....and tender...okay, sorry. I got carried away and now my mouth is watering. Moving forward...
So, heirloom tomatoes and then these peaches. They are specially picked by this man who has a peach orchard in California. He will only allow his family to pick them so every year during harvest season he flies them out to his farm and they hand pick these peaches. My Chef described it to me like this...imagine the best peach you've ever had. One where you bite into it and the juice is running down your chin and it's tender and sweet and perfect....this is better than that.
Did I mention that I want to eat one of these peaches? Ohhhh my. Just the smell of them got me drooling on myself.
I suppose the fastest way to explain the next seven hours of my day is this....I learned how to work the pantry station. My trainer showed me how to make everything and I took a lot of notes and pictures and after about half an hour, he started letting me make things myself. About an hour later, he would just randomly leave me alone at the station while he went to do other things. It wasn't a terribly busy night, but it was a wonderful way to get my feet wet. I had an absolute blast and my feet hurt at the end of the night and I was so tired I basically came home and went to bed after sharing my day with Christina.
I was given the opportunity to stay for a little extra time so I could help everyone clean up and shut down the kitchen, so of course I took it and I'm actually excited about going back and learning more tonight. Despite my crappy shoes and the fact that I woke up this morning to a note from our complex explaining that they are replacing the carpet in our bedrooms so we had to move everything out (there's a surefire way to get me to finish unpacking).
Here are just a few of the things we offer at my place, if you make it to the Orlando area you should come and say hello and eat some delicious food.
This is one of our signature desserts, it is a blueberry cobbler with fresh berries and raspberry ice cream that is made in house.
This is a no sugar added dessert. It's a raspberry mousse, fresh fruit and no sugar ice cream.
The heirloom tomato salad with thinly sliced sweet onion, seventeen year balsamic, olive oil and buffalo mozzarella foam. Ohhhhhhhhh my sweet baby tomato. So delicious.So, at the end of the day, I'm a happy girl. I work with really wonderful people, I live with even better, and I'm getting to expand and explore into a world that I've only dreamed about being a part of. I was going to indulge you all with a recipe today, but I think I've rambled on enough and will give you one tomorrow. My mind is already wandering to Vietnam and some of the best caramelized chicken I've ever had (or made, for that matter). I hope you have fish sauce.
"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."-J.R.R. Tolkien
Happy eating,
Lauren
"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."-J.R.R. Tolkien
Happy eating,
Lauren
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
The happiest place on earth...
So here we are, a year and a half after I started culinary school. I had the best intentions with this blog, but some things just get the best of me. I'm sitting in my three bedroom apartment in Orlando with four of my five roommates milling around the living room and kitchen on our one week anniversary of being here.
Maybe calling Disney World the happiest place on earth is an exaggeration, but after being here and going to all the orientations I can handle and being schooled on everything Disney....I'm not sure that it is. I think I can speak for most of the women in my house when I say that we are so thrilled to be here. There is a reason families and people of all ages have been coming here for 40 years to escape and jump feet first into a world of fantasy. Even behind the scenes, it truly is magical. There's just something about this place that makes your heart skip a beat and your stomach do flips. The fact that I'm actually going to be a part of making that magic happen for other people almost brings me to tears at times.
Culinary school was an experience like no other. It wasn't always good, or pretty, or easy....but I learned a lot about myself, I became a much better cook and I met some of the most amazing people that I've ever known in my life. Ten years ago, I wouldn't have been able to finish this. I wouldn't have had the drive or the desire to do something so well. I am proud of myself, but almost more so because I realize that this is just the beginning. Even though my 'school' journey is just about finished, the rest of this little trip is just starting.
When Christina and I first arrived in Orlando, we decided to explore some local places that we don't have back home. Within three days we had some of the best English (fish & chips and Cornish Pasties), Thai (mmm, Pad Thai and Red Curry Chicken) and Greek (Gyros) that I've ever had. I'm talking mouth watering, smack your momma (though I would never smack mine), fall on the floor and cry good food. I know we can't go out to eat every night, but holy wow there are some amazing little hole in the wall joints down here in Florida. I can't wait to go back to Stage Door on a Sunday and have the English Sunday dinner. And the Vietnamese coffee we had at Viet Thai....I could have finished off a whole pot. There's definitely nothing like living in a house of culinary people who don't mind going into a place that looks a little seedy.
I am going to pick back up here. I think I'll start with posting a recipe tomorrow and pouring myself back into writing. Not having a TV in the apartment will leave me with little excuses.
I think I can thank my friend Jamie for this sudden desire to do all the things I've been wanting to do for so long. I met her when I was twenty-one, she was just half a year older than me. Over the last few years, we haven't been as close, but she was always my J-money and we had a very close bond. I found out after I got out of work today that she committed suicide last night. It breaks my heart in a way that words can't describe, but as I've gotten older I've really realized that you can't internalize things like this. Other people's behavior doesn't always make sense and it's pretty sure that most of us will never understand why people take their own lives. I love her and will miss her terribly, but losing her will only push me forward and remind me every day that this life is too short to take for granted and if I don't reach out and take everything that I want and work for it...I may never get it at all.
So here I am, starting a brand new career at thirty. I am surrounded by friends and family (and roommates) who love me and support me at every turn and I really couldn't be more grateful. Losing someone only makes me realize that more and makes me want to strive to be the very best I could possibly be.
The most wonderful part about all of this, to me, is a conversation Dina and I had when we were vacationing at Disney in 2007. We schemed and plotted and giggled about how we were going to quit our jobs and move to Florida so we could work at Disney World and never leave. What I thought was a silly pipe dream is here, and even if it only turns out to be four months....I can already imagine they will be four of the best months that I have ever had.
"Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity." -Volta
Eat happy,
Lauren
Maybe calling Disney World the happiest place on earth is an exaggeration, but after being here and going to all the orientations I can handle and being schooled on everything Disney....I'm not sure that it is. I think I can speak for most of the women in my house when I say that we are so thrilled to be here. There is a reason families and people of all ages have been coming here for 40 years to escape and jump feet first into a world of fantasy. Even behind the scenes, it truly is magical. There's just something about this place that makes your heart skip a beat and your stomach do flips. The fact that I'm actually going to be a part of making that magic happen for other people almost brings me to tears at times.
Culinary school was an experience like no other. It wasn't always good, or pretty, or easy....but I learned a lot about myself, I became a much better cook and I met some of the most amazing people that I've ever known in my life. Ten years ago, I wouldn't have been able to finish this. I wouldn't have had the drive or the desire to do something so well. I am proud of myself, but almost more so because I realize that this is just the beginning. Even though my 'school' journey is just about finished, the rest of this little trip is just starting.
When Christina and I first arrived in Orlando, we decided to explore some local places that we don't have back home. Within three days we had some of the best English (fish & chips and Cornish Pasties), Thai (mmm, Pad Thai and Red Curry Chicken) and Greek (Gyros) that I've ever had. I'm talking mouth watering, smack your momma (though I would never smack mine), fall on the floor and cry good food. I know we can't go out to eat every night, but holy wow there are some amazing little hole in the wall joints down here in Florida. I can't wait to go back to Stage Door on a Sunday and have the English Sunday dinner. And the Vietnamese coffee we had at Viet Thai....I could have finished off a whole pot. There's definitely nothing like living in a house of culinary people who don't mind going into a place that looks a little seedy.
I am going to pick back up here. I think I'll start with posting a recipe tomorrow and pouring myself back into writing. Not having a TV in the apartment will leave me with little excuses.
I think I can thank my friend Jamie for this sudden desire to do all the things I've been wanting to do for so long. I met her when I was twenty-one, she was just half a year older than me. Over the last few years, we haven't been as close, but she was always my J-money and we had a very close bond. I found out after I got out of work today that she committed suicide last night. It breaks my heart in a way that words can't describe, but as I've gotten older I've really realized that you can't internalize things like this. Other people's behavior doesn't always make sense and it's pretty sure that most of us will never understand why people take their own lives. I love her and will miss her terribly, but losing her will only push me forward and remind me every day that this life is too short to take for granted and if I don't reach out and take everything that I want and work for it...I may never get it at all.
So here I am, starting a brand new career at thirty. I am surrounded by friends and family (and roommates) who love me and support me at every turn and I really couldn't be more grateful. Losing someone only makes me realize that more and makes me want to strive to be the very best I could possibly be.
The most wonderful part about all of this, to me, is a conversation Dina and I had when we were vacationing at Disney in 2007. We schemed and plotted and giggled about how we were going to quit our jobs and move to Florida so we could work at Disney World and never leave. What I thought was a silly pipe dream is here, and even if it only turns out to be four months....I can already imagine they will be four of the best months that I have ever had.
"Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity." -Volta
Eat happy,
Lauren
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