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the bleu brick road: 4…3…2…1.
4. More. Days. Well, really 3 more since today is done & over with. Incredible eh? Three measly days of school left. Hallefuckinglujah. Classroom hours are finally coming to an end and the start of externships are just around the corner. At long last I will be free of uniforms, quizzes, practical exams, paper writing, lectures and of course (maybe best of all actually)- no more commuting! Back to the bicycle. Fuck traffic and the anxiety of navigating highways. Ugh. Good goddamn riddance.This last week is dedicated to, surprise surprise, finals. Today we did our written exam and worked again with a mystery ingredient. I drew “dried chilies” because apparently, Im a lucky bastard. Walked outside, picked kale from the school garden and sauteed it in olive oil with a generous bit of ginger & dried red chili pepper. While that was cooking I put some water on & fiddled with other ingredients. My final dish to be presented at the pass for grading was a perfectly poached egg and crispy sweet sun dried tomatoes a top a tight cake of spicy greens. The idea of course being to hit the egg with ones fork so the yolk may ooze into the greens. I liked it…so did Chef. It was pretty too- believe me, the picture doesn’t do it justice but I wanted a shot that would illustrate how the dish was to be eaten.
Oh, and the other photo is a plate we put together last week that I really enjoyed and meant to share here but never did. Its a Cherry Tomato & Tofu Salad. The dish is beautiful and super tasty…I love how the circles of tofu resemble fresh mozzarella- clever clever. The recipe can be found in Chef David Changs Momofuku cookbook as well as in Alice Water’s latest In the Green Kitchen.The next two days are filled with sauce drills and chicken fabrication. Thursday will be devoted to cleaning up/saying our goodbyes. Thats it folks…my journey along the bleu brick road is quickly winding down- this leg is anyway. Of course, externship is bound to be another adventure altogether.
Posted on August 9, 2010 ()
Seattle is home.
Im a yoga teacher.
My time is spent... horseback riding, writing and reading too much.
Some of my favorite books- Welcome to the Machine (Derrick Jensen), I Know This Much Is True (Wally Lamb), East of the Mountains (David Guterson), Whores and Other Feminists (Jill Nagle), Cunt (Inga Muscio).
I am drawn to...
The Southwestern portion of the US- cacti and desolate dry sprawling earth.
Photography- pictures of people mainly, black and white.
Music- Mostly country. And anything that I can dance to.
Foods that I never tire of- blueberries, figs, squash, tempeh, radicchio, avocado, red grapes, heirloom tomatoes, tahini, olives, walnuts, asparagus, eggplant, cherries, kale, apple butter, pears, mango, mushrooms, melon, brussels sprouts, collard greens, peaches...
I abhor factory farming. To know my food is of utmost importance-where its been, how it was raised...I respect the earth and myself too much to plead ignorance. The family farm is collapsing under the weight of big business. I want to take responsibility for my food and I feel our current system fails to do that. I fully applaud those folks that are still living off the land and providing for their families. Having worked on small farms in the past and seen firsthand what sustainable farming (animal & vegetable) looks like- its apparent that our current conditions are far removed from the original respectable idea. It shows in our tasteless food, our declining health, our damaged environment.
I'm a fan of spicy foods- Indian and Thai cuisine.
My drinks- red wine, dark beer and a good gin neat.
Dessert- nice dark chocolate in small amounts, a fresh piece of fruit. I don't have much of a sweet tooth.
Coffee- good ol' fashioned drip, an espresso or an americano...always black.
Cooking, eating, interviews, road trips and photographs- I share my adventures here. I feel fortunate as hell and immensely grateful for the opportunity to visit farms, sample restaurants and meet the truly lovely folks behind it all.
Questions/comments? Email me at: cherie@cheriepicked.com
