Wednesday, March 27, 2013

What a couple of weeks it has been! I was offered and accepted a part time job as a nurse. Until the economy improves, it seems a safe bet to add my nursing income to my chef income. Lots of hours, being oriented to different aspects of the job I didn't do before because I was per diem.

Last weekend was also busy! Friday evening I went to a Tuaca "shindig" called Drinks & Ink, held at Rise Nightclub. I was invited last year as a "press member", (sorry, but I just can't see myself as real "press") and was also invited this year. Not only as "press" but was also asked to act as a judge in a contest set up for local bartenders. The bartenders had to come up with a new cocktail using Tuaca (a vanilla citrus liqoure from Italy). Lots of entries. The judges were myself, Corey Miller (the famous tattoo artist from LA Ink, now the new American "face" of Tuaca) and Conor, a DJ from a local radio station. It was tough (and no, you don't drink each cocktail glass dry-ya gatta pace yourself!) but we managed to pick one (and it was quite yummy!). TDJ Ramidrums (a "famous DJ" who plays percussion while playing his music lineup) was the guest artist. Last year it was Corey Miller's band. It was an adventure!

Saturday, Jordan and I drove down to San Francisco. I signed up for a cheese making class at the Cheese School of San Francisco. What fun!! The instructor was a woman named Sacha, who taught as well as working at a small artisan cheese company. She was born in Australia, raised in New Zealand, then moved to France where she learned cheese making. I've been toying with making cheese for quite some time. I love cheese! While on my school culinary trip, we visited a parmesano reggiano farm and cheese making facility. The Italians are quite rigid in how they make their parmesan cheese. Getting cheese out of milk (whether is it cow, sheep or goat) is a bit magical. You heat your milk, add an acidifier, a coagulant, then watch the milk curdle into what is the beginning of all cheeses. Amazing!! I learned to make feta, creme fraiche and fromage blanc. Hand-crafted cheese is SO different from your everyday cheese. I think I am officially hooked on making cheese!

Sunday and Monday, I spent cooking for a personal chef client. Lots and lots of cooking!

I made Broiled Lamb Skewers with Baby Arugula and Lemon Vinaigrette, Israeli Couscou with Roasted Eggplant and Cinnamon-Cumin Dressing, Turkish Chicken Thighs, Couscous with Apricots and Toasted Cumin,

Rice-Encrusted Chicken Breast with Creamy Mustard Sauce, Far East Shrimp & Vegetable Stir-fry, Stacked Sweet Corn, Bean and Beef Casserole, BLY Steak Salad, Chinese Chicken Salad, Glam Mac & Cheese (made with gorgonzola cheese!), Balsamic Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Grilled Grapes, Mashed Roots with Buttermilk and Chives, Asparagus with Zesty Citrus Dressing and Tiramisu.

Whew!
Well, time to make dinner. I think leftovers are in order after this long work day!

Saturday, March 16, 2013

What a lovely day it is today! And you might very well ask what I am doing inside if it is such a nice day, lol. Well, I was outside doing some yardwork-very much needed cleaning of the flower beds and some rose bush pruning. After all that hard work, I made a cup of my new favorite tea (matcha tea from Japan at www.hibiki-an.com/. It comes as a green powder, which you then mixed with boiling water and whisk until foamy. I actually make a matcha latte using steaming hot rice milk (although you could any type of milk you wanted to). I guess the Japanese are right when they talk about how calming it is to make and drink tea, an act that should not be rushed.

I have errands to run also, but have decided to write a little while I have the time. I was offered (and accepted) a part time nursing job at the same company I have been working per diem for. It is a great opportunity and relieves some of the financial worries I have had over the past year. With the present economy (which does not seem to be improving very quickly despite what they tell us), it is wise to have a back-up plan.

Jordan and I also got together yesterday with our business partners, Jan and Jim to discuss this year's Farm To Table event. We all feel we get better and better each year, but I have decided to "step things up" by offering not only appetizers (and we already have ideas for our signature cocktail!), an entree and dessert. We will offer appetizers, a salad course (or soup, undecided right now), main course, a cheese and fruit course and this year, a single dessert. Although I put up four dessert recipes, Jan has already decided she wants the Mascarpone Cheesecake with a cashew crust and Passion Fruit Caramel Sauce. I must admit, the cheesecake is an excellent choice! We will be trying all the recipes before we come up with a final menu, but that's the great part of "research", lol, getting to taste the results!

Tomorrow is St Patrick's Day or the wearing of the green. I think we will be going out for corned beef, cabbage and boiled potatoes. It's a meal I can eat about once a year, but am not sure I want lots of leftovers, especially when making food for only two people. Also, friend of mine (Melanie) is singing with her band tomorrow at a restaurant called Rapscallian's. I can't wait to see her perform. Melanie is a jazz singer so this should be good!

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

The weather has turned beautiful in northern Nevada. Sunny and in the 70's, :-)). Yeah!

More and more I have wanted make some of my own snacks, yogurt and granola. This comes from taking a nutrition class through Coursera.org. Even though nurses learn some nutrition, I have learned that much of what we eat and put into our bodies affects not only our health, but can also help us fight certain disease processes. So much of what we eat also contains preservatives and high fructose corn syrup.

After returning home from Maui, I started making my own granola using olive oil. Quite tasty, I must say! It has oatmeal, olive oil, honey, sesame seeds, a variety of nuts and some dried fruits.

Then two weeks ago, Jordan and I took a walk and happened on a shop called Big Horn Olive Oil Company. This place is amazing! They have plain olive oil as well as infused olive oil, at least 20 different balsamic vinegars (including some white balsamic vinegars), some of which are also infused with fruit flavors. I bought some Blood Orange infused olive oil and made a new batch of granola. The orange olive oil gives another fruity layer to the granola and makes the granola taste even better! I dropped off samples of the granola made with plain olive oil and some of the blood orange olive oil and guess what?! Big Horn Olive Oil Company now sells April's granola!! I am very excited about this. Last week I also made some appetizers using Big Horn products (promoting my abilities, lol). I trimmed white corn tortillas to fit into a mini-muffin pan, then painted the tortillas with Chipotle infused olive oil. I marinated chicken breasts over night in Persian Lime infused olive oil, tequilla, orange juice, salt, pepper and chipotle powder, then roasted them in the oven. Mercedes, the owner of the store gave me some of their black bean and corn salsa to use on these appetizers. So picture little tortilla cups (I know, I need to take more pictures!), filled with shredded chicken, then topped with black bean and corn salsa, a little sprinkle of cheddar cheese and a small dollop of sour cream. Everyone loved them!


Big Horn Olive Oil Company sits next door to Whispering Vines, a wine store that puts on a wine flight night every Thursday evening. Since Big Horn also sells cheese, crackers, maple syrup among other things. I am hoping Big Horn will contract with me to make some appetizers they can use in tandom with the cheese platters they sell to Whispering Vine patrons on Thursday evening. Only time will tell...

Tomorrow, I plan on dropping off some savory palmier samples to see how they go over. It would be nice to work with Mercedes and her crew. They are all very nice people.

I am also hoping to bring my Farm to Table partners over to Big Horn to sample some of everything. Mercedes and her husband came up with a variety of "sodas" that can be made using the white balsamics and Perrier water. They are amazing! And pretty much low calorie. I would like to feature these drinks at our next Farm to Table in September. Lots happening.....(did I say I was excited about all this? Lol)