Rice is nice

I have traveled through many Asian countries. I have eaten many cuisines, each one of them more exotic then the last. The only thing that links the wonderfully spicy Dahl in India to the delicate fish of Japan is… rice. This is not to say that all rice is created equally. There is a myriad of rice varieties all over the world Black rice in Bali, Red rice in Thailand, Jasmine rice in Japan, and good old brown rice, here in hippie America. Now what connects all this rice from all over the world? The rice cooker. Now I normally wouldn’t make grand generalizations (that’s a lie I do it all the time, but for the sake of sounding sensitive I will down play this fact) but it seems like everyone in Asia has a rice cooker, and what can I say that over 2 billion people can’t be wrong. In Asia with the exception of the very hard up, I have never seen anyone cook rice in a pot on a stove.

I bought my rice cooker years ago and the damn thing won’t die. I left it on top of my toaster oven and melted the legs off and it still works great, am I a little concerned the house may burn down, but hey you have to live dangerously and it’s not the rice cooker’s fault. I have a small rice cooker which can feed 3-4 hungry people max. For bigger parties I have a 30 cup rice cooker and that thing will feed an army. But for just me and my wife the small one works great.

What I love about it is the ease with which it works. I mean you put in rice and water (different rices need different amounts of water) push a button and walk away. When you come back you have perfectly cooked rice, no stirring or tricks or guessing and no burnt bottom. Sorry that got a little infomercial there for a second, but I really can’t stress enough how great the cooker is. I have to be honest I don’t even really know how to make rice without a cooker. I have tried a ton of different ways but not one has produced the same effect every time as rice cooker does.

I have started to branch out with my rice cooker. I now make steel cut oatmeal in the morning, I set it up with I cup of oats and double water and a little butter hit the button then take a shower. When I get out breakfast is ready. I also made a great cheating risotto in it. I added rice and a little less chicken stock than the recipe called for, I also added some fresh herbs and a little parmasean cheese. When the button popped everything came out great. I then buttered the bottom of a pan add some garlic and let that brown for thirty seconds, then I added the risotto and began adding chicken stock and white wine until the rice was just cooked through then I added a little more fresh herbs and parmesan cheese, seasoned with salt and pepper and done. It didn’t really cut down on time but it sure did cut down on the ease of the recipe.

I have also cooked a paella gumbo sort of thing in the rice cooker. But that recipe will have to wait till next time.

I have no idea how the rice cooker knows but it knows a whole hell of a lot of more about cooking rice than I do. It has a non-stick surface which makes cleaning easy but even better than that it has never screwed up a pot of rice. Unlike me who has screwed up more than my fare share of rice so I figure why not let this thing do it every time.

Grill top paella/gumbo sort of thing

It was labor day last Monday, and what better way to celebrate working than having a BBQ and cooking all day. Even though this is still work I think I can let it slide. I also don't BBQ like everyone else. First, let me say that i don't own a BBQ, I do however own one hell of a smoker, I also own my own grill grate, don't ask. Second, Just like every other man, I think I am one hell of a BBQ/griller. But not like every other man, I actually know how to grill. I have read books and burned my fare share of stuff. I understand the fire, I know how to build one, I know how to maintain one and I know how to cook over one. Building a fire in a group can be one of the most frustrating experiences a person can ever have. Fire techniques are like Ass holes, everyone has one. An let me tell you everyone likes to share there technique weather or not asked for.

So on this day my friend Bill built and maintained the fire,and he did a fine job. He did get his fair share of abuse but the fire stayed hot and everything did get cooked. On this day I undertook something a little brave for the grill. I undertook a Paella/Gumbo sort of thing. It all started in a snobby super market on the way to Hog Island Oysters(where we had the BBQ). I wanted to cook something that stayed with the seafood theme of oysters, but would feed a lot of people. So i grabbed some shell-on-shrimp next I made my way down and got some Calibres sausage(I don't know if this is a real sausage or just a name the store came up with). I picked some up some pre-made Spanish rice from the Deli counter. Next I wanted canned tomatoes and clam juice but they where both way to pricey for me to buy in this boutique super market. So I settled on a large can of Manhattan clam chowder. i figured the tomato-fish base would have to substitute. A friend grabbed a large red pepper and some beer and that was that or so I thought. As I continued the 1.5 hour drive up to Hog Island I had a hunch that no one brought charcoal so we made one more quick stop in Point Reyes station. I ran into the small store and gave it a once over and to my surprise they a few extra things I needed... and It was cheap! I got three chicken legs and thighs for just over $2.00 an onion and a box of Zateran's crab boil all this and a bag of charcoal for under 8 dollars.

Skip ahead two hours and the Grill is on and ready to go. I diced up the onion and read pepper and put it in a disposable chaffing dish and that dish went on the grill. I also but the sausages on the grill to Firm up a little so I could slice them later. I let that cook for a while until the onions just began to brown then I threw the sausages and a little Pacifico beer in the pan and covered it. Meanwhile I put the chicken legs and thighs on the grill, skin side down, and let them cook for a while. After flipping them a couple of times I pulled them off and along with the Grab boil spice and the Manhattan clam chowder added the chicken to the chaffing dish. I let that come to a boil then added the sausage , a pound of shrimp and then covered the whole thing with the rice a few slices of lemon and some sprigs of parsley I let the whole thing cook until the shrimp was just done. I pulled the dish off and shredded the chicken into the dish.

I have to say I thought I was going home with pounds of this stuff. Everyone was full and the weather was getting bad, but much to my surprise the entire thing got eaten. It was such a mish-mash of stuff thrown into a pot I was actually surprised it turned out well. But hey i guess you can't go to wrong with grilling on a bay, in the sun, on labor day.

BLUE better than CHOW

BLUE better than CHOW

I ate Blue last night and was pleasantly surprised. See, i live around the corner from it's Market st. location and walk by all the time. The monochromatic blue decor never enticed me in. It wasn't until a co-worker of my wife recommended it did i decide to eat there. It was late and we where hungry and wanted something easy. We got to the restaurant around 8:45 and to our surprise it was packed. The restaurant was warm but even packed with people the restaurant's cold feel didn't beat off the wind and fog. The waiters are friendly but to a point of annoyance. At first glance the menu is simple and at second glance it remains so, As long as you are in the mood for comfort food you are in the right place. A citrus salad with fennel and Orange caught our eye to start. Then the waiter walked buy with a bubbling hot crusty over sized ramekin filled with mack n' cheese. At this point I new this was not going to be a low calorie night. So i went for the gold and ordered meatloaf with gravy and two Amstel lights. The conversation was good but the tables where a little close together so both our neighbors conversations where also enthralling. As the food began to arrive we realized that we made the right choices. The salad was dressed nicely but it could have used a boast in the fennel department. The mac n' cheese came out and was everything i hoped it would be (but it needed salt). I am a purist when it comes to mac n' cheese and this one is strait out of the book. It was tangy, cheesy and velvety smooth, It really hit the spot. But I think my heart would've stopped if i ate the whole bowl, but hey, I haven't heard of the mac' n cheese diet yet. The meatloaf was equally classical but I think they use a lot of pork in there meat blend. which makes for a lighter loaf but doesn't produce that beefy(yea beefy) flavor that you want from meat loaf. The sides of mashed potatoes and garlic carrots where also done well. it is nice to see that they didn't go lame on the sides the portions where big and the flavor was good... not great but really good. I went there with no real expectation and was pleasantly surprised to find a restaurant that does comfort food well and at a good price. Chow was my go to place for that but I feel like the quality of chow's ingredients has become a little mas produced for my taste. I look forward to Blue for an upcoming breakfast i have a feeling there Monte Cristo could be enough to stop my heart for good.

The Tragedy of Restaurant Rot

The Tragedy of Restaurant Rot

How do you explain the demise of a favorite eatery? I’m not talking about when the cook gets busted on 3 counts of possession, (1 count for cocaine and 2 counts un-pasteurized, smuggled goat cheeses), or when things finally come to a head between the Salvadoran dish man and the Guatemalan grill cook (Oh I tell ya, more kitchen fires get started over futbol scores and papusa fillings than you might guess). I’m not even talking about when entrance is shuddered and the last breath escapes from the swinging door of your local diner.

I’m not talking about restaurant death at all, that would be easy to explain. Most restaurants don’t make it, it’s the thing that keeps us all in day jobs. I’m talking cancer here, that slow ugly rendering of a formerly great restaurant into a suddenly sub-par placeholder on the block.

This is the seriously malevolent shit because you can’t spot it coming. You don’t eat there for a couple or six months and next thing you know the tuna melt has sweet pickles in it. A lot of the time, there’s nothing to indicate the change at all. The menu stays the same, the look doesn’t change, there’s no overt indication of a change in ownership and the cook is still that crazy bastard with the ponytail. But still, you can tell that the joint now sucks. It has succumbed to restaurant tragedy, it’s going down and it’s the worst when you’re the first to notice it.

This happened to me last night. I went into an old favorite cheap Indian joint, actually a relatively new offshoot of an old favorite, but still a place I have frequented, thrilled by three things:

1. I love cheap, dirty San Francisco Pakistani/Indian food (Naan and Chutney, Naan and Curry, Naan and Sense, etc.) and this was one of my favorites, though I hadn’t been in 3 months.

2. I have to make an effort to get to this place for several reasons. It’s kind of far from my house but this time I was lucky enough to be in the area for work, and in the evening, no less! I usually have to settle for lunch even though the dinners are much better since they are not serving the 5-dollar buffet lunch crowd. I have a waifish girlfriend with a New England palette, in other words she often negs it when we do have the opportunity to go for dinner: too dirty, too spicy, too much gee, and not worth the trip across town. Can you believe that shit? It’s not as if we didn’t drive 2 hours to eat at the French Laundry (that’s right, I’ve been, bow down) or fly to Paris for the weekend to celebrate my birthday at Robuchon (curtsy please)!

3. The most important thing is that I was alone. You never get to eat Indian food alone because it makes no sense to do so. You need a variety of dishes to satisfy an Indian craving but any one dish will fill a plate so you have to eat in groups. But I had cash in my pocket and gluttony on my mind. There would be no witnesses when I ordered three dishes all for myself and you have to take my word with no proof that I didn’t order 5. The best part was, I hadn’t eaten all day, so I was ready.

So I ordered chicken tikka masala, that most American of Indian foods, palak panneer and keema naan with a side of onion biryani. I’m not going to bother with describing the pathetic flavors or my reaction, you probably saw the aftermath of the fire on your local news and that image of me spitting spinach at the restaurant’s owner, as the cops hauled me in, was not at all flattering.

But it really made me realize something. This is the fate of almost all restaurants. It is, really. All you can do is hope the quality lasts long enough for the food to become dated. What the hell happens to a place when it mysteriously goes sucktastic? Now I’ve had my share of restaurant jobs in the front and back of the house, and maybe I was working when this phenomenon occurred, but I don’t know what causes it.

So today, when I get back from lunch, I’m going to call my buddy Rob Guarino in New York and ask him. He owns and manages several restaurants and has been in the business for 10 years. But the best thing about G is that he’s a food phreak too. When the New York Times reviewed one of his places, they called him “movie star good looking Robert Guarino.” And he is, but he’s a New York Italian guy who married a Chicago Jew so you know he’s gonna eat well and get fat. Bless karmic justice. I’m thinking he’s got some answers, not because he’s worked at restaurants that have failed (it’s okay, it happens to everyone sometimes, Rob) but because he currently has one that’s been great for a long time through several chefs and changes in style and menu. It’s called Marseille and it’s fantastic. It’s on 9th avenue at 44th street, go there and be happy and be sure to tell them I sent you so that I can feel like a part of the place even though I live across the country. Anyway, when I get back from lunch I’m calling him.

I’m going to lunch now, Boars Head sandwiches from the DeLano market around the corner, more on that later). Bye, wait for me to get back (see next sentence). Okay I’m back. I’ll call Rob now…

For the first time ever, I can’t get through to Rob at the restaurant. Maybe he doesn’t want to risk cursing the restaurant by discussing the inevitable future. That leaves me with a terrible alternative. I have to ask my idiot brother Vadan. He has theories about everything. Hold on, I’ll ask.

Here’s what that guy thinks and I hate to say it, but he’s defeated the question of this entire entry by making the answer seem so obvious that now I’m the idiot. Hooray, I just wasted a whole hour to report that the phenomena that I’m resenting is nothing more than the failure of inspiration and the loss of passion that results when good work becomes a job. I hate to think of chefs having jobs, but it does make sense. In the end, food is art that we consume in a moment after its birth. It has to have more passion behind it than any creative expression besides whistling. They are both only good when you really mean it.

“Ring, ring!” That’s my text imitation of my cell phone playing the voice of Julia Child saying, “First you take the chicken…”

“Ring, ring!”

It’s Rob. Please let him contradict my brother. Let there be mystery once more in this question of restaurant rot.

I just got off the phone with Rob and here’s what that guy says.

There are 5 big causes for a show dog getting the mange…What the hell was that? Crazy escapee from someone’s George Bush blog. What I meant to say was there are 5 major reasons that good restaurant to falls apart. I’ll call ‘em Robert’s Rules


1. People leave. Rob saying that made me realize, you never really know who’s anchoring a city kitchen. The staffs are large and the departure of a sous chef, while unannounced, may actually be a greater tragedy than a change in ownership or the death of the coke-snorting, cheese smuggling chef.

2. Things slow down. Restaurants have a rhythm and people need activity to keep their skills sharp. If things are slow and business is inconsistent, the edge can go and very frequently coincide with better talent that was drawn to the excitement of the “new hot gig in town” leaving for the newer hotter gig in town. Jesus, does that make restaurants the new club scene? We’ll discuss that another time.

3. Profit doesn’t happen. A restaurant can be open a long time on the anticipation of profit. Tired owners may try to make do with less cooks or tighter control of kitchen inventories, simpler recipes resulting again in a duller kitchen.

4. Profit happens. This one pisses me off. Things get good and the bosses start taking more vacations. They spend less time in the kitchen and on the floor and they don’t replace those roles well and things become unfocused. Booooooo! C’mon, with great power comes responsibility. My dollars, over the years, have paid for your damn vacations! Make sure my needs are met before you go off snorting coke in the Riviera and forget to smuggle my damn un-pasteurized cheese!

5. But of course the one that counts is none of these. The one that counts is the ridiculously obvious one that Vadan already told me about and the one that Rob actually mentioned fist: Passion. To quote Rob, “so much of it is love that if you get a little tired of it it’s kinda hard keep the fires burning.” And yes it is just like a marriage; maybe that’s why so many good eateries close after seven years. The spark goes. But still, how the hell do you stop loving chicken tikka masala, you cold-hearted bastards?! Fortunately the same passion does not die in the art of eating.

Oh well, eat well and when the place you love gets restaurant rot, euthanize that sucker.

Eat the World! -sirr a.k.a. Mr. Eat

westfield food coart

westfield food coart

I went to the movies the other night(I saw Harry Potter, If you liked the other movies you will like this one)and I popped in to the Westfield food. I am not talking about the Crappy old one near Nordstrom that is full of the mall food atrocities like Panda express and Sabaro, I mean the international smorgasbord that is below Bloomingdales on the other side. Even though people in this town prefer boutique shops and avoid malls at all cost the food court in the mall attracts all kid of people and is one of the smartest things I have ever seen a mall do. First I have to say that eating around union square usually sucks. I can't think of one casual restaurant that I like down there. Sure there is Farralon(which i don't like), Kuleto's, and Postrio(I only had dessert there, it was just OK) but I don't always want to spend a fortune, sometimes I just want a good casual dinner that won't break the bank. Evidently I am not alone in this feeling as the food court at the Westfield is Packed. Now don't get me wrong the food at most of the stalls is not great(b minus at best) but for the price you can't beat it, You can walk away from the counter usually for under 10 bucks. Everyone has there place that they like to eat but me i like Coriander Thai food. The curries are good and the peppercorn pork is better than average. The eye catching range of fried chicken and fish all has a very similar look and taste to them. I would skip them, not worth the calories. I am not alone in the praise of Coriander as there is usually a line. I have also eaten Eaten at Sorabol Korean BBQ as i guess the tradition in Korean food goes the condiments where much better than the actual food. The spicy chicken was good but the noodles where lack luster. In terms of the other restaurants in the good food court here is a quick run down;


Andale Mexican Restaurant - I will never eat here as there is spectacular Mexican food in this town and this isn't even close

Asqew Grill - We all have eaten at the other ones- this is place is boring at best

Beard Papa Sweets Cafe - On looks alone this place has intrigued me for months I finally ate there. Let's just say it's like an attractive woman with a bad laugh the dream is better than the reality. The cream puffs where soft and the chocolate not dark enough for me.

Bistro Burger - never ate there

Buckhorn Grill - when i eat there I feel like a person who thinks Applebees is a great Friday night restaurant

Cocola Bakery-never ate there

Jamba Juice- does this place need a review

Melt Gelato & Crepe Cafe- Gelato looks good, can you go wrong. I hate crepes!

Mr Hana- this place has large rice bowls with fresh fish on top worth a try

Out The Door (Slanted door outpost)- I am not a huge fan of the Slanted door I think it puts atmosphere before food and i think this place does the same thing. It also is really pricey for eating in a mall food court

Pasta Moto- It's pasta with can sauce

Rubio's Baja Grill-Never ate there

San Francisco Soup Company- soup looks like it cam from Safeway

Steak Escape-never ate there


I think the Westfield food court is a great place for dinner and a movie on Tuesday night. It is fast and not everyone has to eat the same kind of food. There are certain places to skip but all in all there is not much better food for block around. I would also like to push some of the hi-end restaurants inside the mall it's self. I have heard very good things about The Lark creek steak house.

Here is a link to the list of food in the mall

http://westfield.com/sanfrancisco/dining/index.html

camping

Camping

Heading up to the Yuba river. This is one of my favorite places on earth. We head up to a spot about half an hour outside of Nevada City. When I say camping I mean we pull up a car and pull out a ton of food and hang out around a fire pit. The real reason we go up there is the river.But that you just have to see for yourself. Ok the real reason we go up there is to drink and hang out, which I guess we can do any where but for some reason this place just makes things taste better.

Some people say i am a little bit of a control freak. It seems that it manifests it's self mostly when dealing with food and large groups of people. Well this weekend it is only a group of ten but non the less i ended shopping any way. In the past i have gone a little over board with food. (but in my defence some people didn't show up) I also wanted every body to be happy and have plenty of choices. So this time I made a real effort to not go crazy. I just have to throw this out there, I am a COSTCO lover. So I was in COSTCO and saw the Adel's sausage counter, I gave them a taste for the first time. I have to be honest they weren't that good. They needed a lot more salt and they weren't over flowing with flavor. I then tried Sausage by Amy. I tried the chicken with Gouda cheese. These things were awesome. They where full of flavor sweet and savory and could be eaten on there own or with all kinds of condiments. Any way that takes care of the first night. The second night is going to be steaks. i picked up 6 organic New York strip steaks. These things look great. Any way I did them in a marinade of;
Citrus olive oil
Thai red chili past
Giridelli coco powder
and a little teriyaki sauce.

I think they will grill up real nice. I kinda wish i put in some ground coriander though.
I hope people like the grub. If not we are miles from the nearest store so... screw'em.

Haven't been shopping in weeks

Haven't been shopping in weeks

Well it's summer time and my schedule has been crazy. My parents where here for a 4th of July family reunion, my wife's birthday was in the middle of the month and all in all i have not had time to go shopping. On an up note i have come up with some great things to "cook".

I'm not proud of this dish but it is great back up for when your fresh ingredients run thin.

Tuna and Rice

My brother taught me this one. It may have manifested it's self in his collage days. I was skeptical at first but now I crave it all the time. This is a great adaptable recipe. My version is definitely skewed toward the Japanese flavors, it is like a big bowl of spicy tuna role. The other great thing is you can't screw it up, the whole thing is based on personal taste.

1 can of chunk tuna( i like it in water)
1 cup rice(I like jasmine rice)
2 table spoons mayonnaise(there is only one mayo, Hellman's)
2 to 3 teaspoons rice vinegar
half table spoon Dashi(dry Benito flakes. I get the ones that come in small pellets, it looks like mustard seed)
2 teaspoons Sriracha hot sauce
a full sheet of dried seaweed toasted and crumbled into small pieces.
1 table spoon black sesame seeds
pepper to taste

Bonuses:
1 small tomato diced
a quarter cucumber diced
half an avocado diced

cook rice how ever you do it.
i do it in a rice cooker with a ratio of 1 cup rice to 1.5 cups water(this is for Japanese rice)

remove rice and add all ingredients except tuna and mix thoroughly. I find that i usually have to add extra vinegar at the end to get the right tang.at the end add the tuna and mix in.

This recipe is not rocket science or gourmet but you will see once you get it the way you like it you will eat it once a week. I sometimes serve with a bunch of salad on top. when your alone just try it i bet you'll like it.

SOMA shopping triangle

SOMA shopping triangle

As most San Franciscan's I am annoyed with my shopping options. My local gig is the Safeway at Church and Market. If you have ever been there it is one of the most depressing places i have ever shopped. Besides the lackluster grocery section and the non-existent butcher counter the worst part are the crazies that you have to wait for to count out 45 cents in change for there pack of Little Debbie's. I don't need to rail on Safeway in this blog, anyone who shops there or has ever set foot in one knows the downfall of Safeway. I am here to shine some light on the SOMA shopping triangle, well it is more of a diagonal line. Recently I have been using three stores to fill all my shopping needs. I start at Rainbow Grocery, the place just makes me feel healthy. I pick up a lot organic fruits and vegetables along with supplements, bulk maple syrup and peanut butter. I then move on to Traders Joe's for bottle drinks sauces, snack foods and juice, oh and pre-made pizza dough. I finish of the shopping spree at Whole Foods. You just can't beat there meat(hehehe beat there meat) and fish counter. If you go and buy what ever is on sale you won't break the bank. They often have very good deals on whole chickens and lamb.

I can't keep up this schedule every week but I try to make this trip once a month. I actually really like doing it alone and just wondering through the isles and see what is out there. But I may be a weirdo who really likes to go food shopping(when I am not rushed).

There are plenty of other great places out there to shop. I really like Falleties, it is really an enjoyable place to shop. I also love going through china town for odd items and an adventure. But I still haven't found the one place that houses good food, with a good selection at a good price. I hate the east bay but Berkeley bowl is tempting.(this is my favorite place to shop in the bay area.

SHE ATE F**KING DESERT!

SHE ATE F**KING DESERT!

I've been around vegetarians all my life, what can I say, I have hippie parents. Me I'm a meat eater. It's not the only thing i eat and I definitely don't need it every day but some good animal flesh really keeps me going. Now, i have no problems with vegetarians, in this day and age everyone knows one and most restaurants can accommodate them. The people i do have a problem with are vegans. First off, let me just say that I have only met one vegan who didn't make a big deal about it. This person brought food everywhere they went and never tried to make everyone else feel guilty for eating meat.This person is also the only true vegan I have ever met, only grains and fruit before noon with vegetables and protein added in the afternoon. I mean this person wouldn't even eat honey. They have also been on this diet for more than 15 years, Bravo!
Now let's deal with the rest of you so called vegans. My most recent interaction with vegans has come in the form of boy friends and girlfriends of friends of mine. Which means that if i want to eat with my friends we have to accommodate a vegan. This wouldn't bother me so much if they didn't make such a big f**king deal about it all the f**king time. It was always about them. And man don't ever try to eat spontaneously with a vegan. All quick food has had some sort of animal product near it or on it or in it. Eating with a vegan is a lesson in the hypocritical. I mean do you really think that the Boca Burger you ordered "Zeitgeist" really had no contact with the 40 burgers or 20 grilled cheeses on the stove. I mean as a meat eater I don't even think the cook washes his hands after he touches raw meat. I mean let's be realistic is the essence of cow really going to destroy the moral frame work of society, no!
The only thing I hate worse than vegans, is fake vegans! My friend dated this girl(lets call her M) she claimed to be a vegan. M would not eat any animal products. She would impose her will when ever she wanted to eat and was generally angry at everyone who did eat animal products. There was just one huge problem with M's vegan-ism; SHE ATE F**KING DESERT! lemon meringue pie, ice cream, brownies,chocolate cake, if it had sager in it she would eat it. She declared herself a desert-atarian. Well you know what, you can't have your cake and eat it to. This is the problem with most vegans. For what ever reason they choose to pass on some of the best things life has to offer like hot dogs, great cheese, and yes foie gras, but then they always have this one rule "if i pass In-n-Out burger on a Tuesday I'm aloud to eat it." Well sure your aloud to eat it and when I'm out with my friend and we want some dinner I'm aloud to say were going to "Tommy's Joint".

I guess all I am saying is, if you self impose all these rules on yourself then be happy about it. Vegans always seem so angry at everyone else for not taking them seriously, well you know what if you had some conviction people would be impressed, otherwise your just an angry person who has a sweet tooth.

Why now.

Why now.

I am a traveler. My father loved cooking and ever since I can remember I have been eating. I used to be proud that i could eat two medium pizzas by myself. Now I'm proud when i don't order desert. I began noticing cooking when i was in high school and would come home starving(because my father loved to cook we had no snack food)I would open the fridge and yell "we never have anything to eat". Little by little i began to use the items we had around our kitchen. I remember trying to cook chicken and kept adding fresh lemon juice trying to make a sauce, not realizing that a sauce had other components other than lemon I just kept adding lemon after lemon(4 in total). It was terrible. I made the basic culinary mistakes early in life, now i take culinary chances (my wife would still call them mistakes, But without me she would eat scrambled eggs for dinner every night, she makes great eggs).

I Love fine dining and a good valued meal. I still have an appetite of a growing 12 year old boy, so I hate to leave a meal hungry. I also hate being over charged for something I can get someplace else cheaper and better i.e. expensive Mexican food. I will always order foie gras when it's on a menu and am on a never ending quest to find great buffalo wings on the West Coast.

I realized a few years back that my hobby is food. This is the reason I started this blog, I realized that most of my conversations where about food, where to eat it, how to cook it, or how I love it. I think there is no reason to be subtle with food if it's bad it can be fixed but if no one ever says it's anything than no one will ever fix it.

My wife tells me "opinions can't be wrong", well I have read a lot of opinions online and I normally wouldn't disagree with my wife but hey not all of us can live on eggs alone.