Those hours at Soba are paying off. Today I bought a 5.5qt Cuisinart mirrored stainless sautoise. I've had my eye on it for awhile, and it is quite possibly the sexiest piece of cookware I have ever been able to lay upon my own stove.


This, and another pepper that hasn't yet ripened are all I really got out of my plants. Nevertheless I've got to cook this guy soon and it doesn't take a lot of habanero to make something great.

Today the apartment has begun to take form. With the aid of my new desk (Ikea, used, 5$ and a cumbersome walk down my street, via craigslist.com) I can now sit at the computer without hunching over a cardboard box, and today I acquired many essentials including coffee mugs (still have no glasses or silverware, I'll be back tomorrow for that probably), ice trays, and a toilet brush. Tonight a friend and I will conquer some pizza from scratch and likely sit and eat on the floor.

"yeah, just turned 21 as a matter of fact. I'll have a Straub?"

Need to acquire some batteries for the camera. Haven't been able to put up a lot of photos lately.

Here's to waking up hungover something ridiculous, 30 minutes before I'm scheduled to work, doing a busy Saturday night on the line, and then going out to party again afterwards. Looking forward to work today again too.

Hooray, beer!

whole nutmeg <3

Today was a very good day. Quite possibly the most challenging so far in my short career, in fact--party of 25, party of 15, full house all in a very short period of time. On Mondays we don't operate with a very big crew, which left the GM expediting, the only chef we had with us helping out the wok station, and me juggling six filets, five halibuts, three duck breasts, in addition to normal service.

I've been on grill before, helping out a little with big nights like this. I've done the simple cooking, grill-marks and cooking sets on the range. But tonight was the first night the whole thing was entrusted to me, no help outside. I felt powerful, determining temps for my steaks, putting massive quantities of food into the oven at once, doing sautè work in big sautoise to fit all the vegetables in. It felt awesome, actually.

So, aside from all the ridiculous business lately (Singapore Food Festival last week is a whole different story), things are going rather well. I've been running a lot lately, as this climate is a bit more forgiving than what I'm used to in July. It feels good to stay in shape, helps a lot with staying focused. I'd recommend to anyone weightlifting, running, anything that pushes you to a limit, as well as meditation. Not because it awakens any kind of spiritual bullshit deep inside you, but because everyone should take some time to clear your mind, get your thoughts in line. Also, don't smoke marijuana. No one believes me when I say this but I never have, and never will.

As far as the financial situation goes, I am no longer living on angel hair pasta and olive oil. While still definitely squeezing my pennies and so forth, I was able to buy a good amount of food, stuff to put my posters up, hang my kitchen utensils on the wall, etc. The apartment, or the Death Star as I like to call it (that was a direct plagiarism from Dane Cook), now looks a lot more like home. It would be lovely, however, to have a desk, maybe a couch and a dining room table and chairs. Life is a work in progress.

1986 Honda Shadow 500cc. Shaft-driven. Only 7500 miles. Damn me for being short 1500 dollars.

So, my life continues to be rather minimalist. Still with no valid photo ID or ATM card, I do in fact have money, but no means to get it out of the bank. The problem is thus: I asked for a new card to be mailed to me when I changed my address at the branch downtown, but the banker I talked to mentioned he'd have to first change my address, wait a day, and then order the card so it wouldn't be shipped to my old address. Obviously the bastard forgot to do that, because I called the bank yesterday and the order was never placed.

All is set right now. I'm going to get a new ID soon, I got some cash so I could eat and not die, and I yelled at my bank. Enough about bills: I'm going to talk about cooking now.

Sautè is exhilarating. And clean. No tempura batter, deep-fryer, sticky rice. I sear fish in an almost scientifically precise way--the oil in the pan must be a certain quantity, an exact temperature, the fish must hit the pan the perfect way, and be turned over flawlessly, or it will stick/fall apart and look like hell. It's all a matter of being in tune with the laws that govern the products you work with. Blanch your rissolè potatoes too long, and when you sautè them they'll stick to the pan and be a pain in the ass. Add your garlic too early, and it will absorb the residual heat of the pan and burn, even without a flame. Sear duck breasts too hot and you won't render any fat out, etc. It's true that you get a feel for it, that there's a subjective intimacy with your equipment and food that you acquire. But it's all just the mastery of a craft, a science, using facts and technique to put out some good shit.

I've also got to say that it's a bit more dangerous, unexpectedly, than working the fryer. My first week I was nervously searing and flipping halibut fillets, and had an unsavory habit of rinsing the flesh off my forearms with hot oil. Also, attached to the range is a shelf that we keep all the pans on--it's the grill cook's job to take the clean ones out of the window and put them away. During a big party when I had six all-clad sautès on the range, all with fish in them, my buddy reached over with some still-wet pans and dripped cold water onto all six of my burners, creating a five-foot inferno before my eyes. Luckily I saw it coming and ducked by the steam table behind me, but considering all the junk I was working on at the time, it unnecessarily made me more on edge than I already was. In any case, with some experience under my belt now, the number and intensity of the burns on my hands and arms have lessened a bit.

centred avenue

I know I'm a professional now and all that, but it's still not a blog without these.

1. What bill do you hate paying the most? The loan payment. Gas is good, electric is good, paying rent even makes me feel accomplished. It's just not something I can even imagine an end to.
2. What's the best place to eat a romantic dinner? My apartment. Trust me.
3. Last time you Puked from Drinking? Several, several months ago. Embarrassingly, tequila is not a good drunk for me.
4. When was the last time you got drunk and danced on a bar? It's on my to-do list.
5. Name of your First Grade Teacher? Mrs. Smith.
6. What do you really want to be doing right now? Lifting weights. I miss my gym.
7. What did you want to be when you were growing up? Not a cook. Through childhood, it was comedian, I think. That changed into computer programmer, writer, and then cook.
8.How many colleges did you attend before you settled? Settled? Not in my vocabulary.
9. Why did you wear the shirt that you have on right now? Well, when it wasn't four in the morning, I was wearing a favorite shirt of mine. Mostly because it went with the black slacks I wore to work today, because I am out of clothing and have been waiting until my day off to do laundry.
10. Gas Prices! First Thought? Could be, and will be way worse.
11. If you could move anywhere and take someone with you where would you go and who? I'd go to New York with someone I haven't met yet.
12. First Thought When the alarm went off this morning? I have been asleep since daylight.
13. Last thought before Falling asleep last night? The sun is rising.
14. Favorite style of Underwear? Boxers. And my favorite pair is pink, from American Eagle, because I'm a man's man..
15. Favorite style of Underwear for the opposite sex? Not one to be picky.
16. What Errand/Chore do you despise? Washing the dishes when I bake. Cooking is deglazing and rinsing off, baking involves flour and doughy junk.
17. If you didn't have to work what would you do? Have a social life.
18. Get up early or sleep in? I love the morning, but my schedule prevents me from enjoying it.
19. Your Favorite Cartoon Character? Rocko from Rocko's Modern Life.
20. Favorite NON sexual thing to do at night with a girl/guy? Look at the city from a hill, at 3 AM, in January.
21. A secret that you wouldn't mind everyone knowing? I failed the meats practical. I had the easiest dish in the recipe book and my chicken came out raw.
22. What was your First Car? They'll be obsolete by the time I can afford one.
23. Your Best Your Mamma Joke? Ugh, no.
24. Your Favorite Lunch Meat? Haven't lived in Pittsburgh quite long enough to answer that.
25. What do you get every time you go into a WAWA? I don't understand the question and I refuse to answer it. (Arrested Development)
26. Beach Or Lake? River.
27. Do you think Marriage is an outdated ritual that was invented by people who died at 20? I wouldn't go that far, but I don't quite believe in it. It's a tax break, a religious thing, and a license to keep loving someone. People who're really in love stay together without taking vows to.
28. Who do you Stalk on myspace? Honestly? There's a waitress at work that I have a serious thing for.
29. Favorite Guilty Pleasure? Battlestar Galactica. I am a geek and I love sci-fi, and admit that I may have to buy digital cable when the third season starts in October.
30. Favorite Movie you wouldn't want anyone to find out about? Guys tend to think I'm gay when I say I loved Amelie.
31. What's your drink? Rum, bourbon, whiskey, vodka, gin. On the rocks. I don't often mix perfectly good liquor with things, unless it's another kind of liquor.
32. Cowboys or Indians? Cowboys.
33. Cops or Robbers? Robbers.
34. Do you cheer for the bad guy? Some people think I am the bad guy.
35. What Hollywood star do you think resembles you best? Even if I followed pop culture I couldn't imagine who I resemble.
36. If you had to pick one which cast member of Lost would you be? Whoever rocks the most.
37. What do you want when you are sick? I don't get sick.
38. Who from High School would you like to run into? Emily, Sterling, Kathy, Rob, Todd, Julia.
39. What radio station is your car radio tuned to right now? Listening to an ambient group from Pittsburgh at the moment.
41. Stiffler or Oz? Guh? Oh no, pop culture again.
42. Norm or Cliff? ...
43. The Cosby Show or the Simpsons? Simpsons.
44. Worst Relationship Mistake that you wish you could take back? Not pursuing something that I should've.
45. Do you Like the Person who sits directly across from you at work? I think I've actually sat down in Soba three times. Even still, neither of the two women in the kitchen are my type.
46. If you could get away with it who would you kill? I sat here for a full minute trying to think of something less clichè than the president. The vocalist from Creed, maybe.
47. What Famous person would you like to have dinner with? Paul McCartney.
48. What famous Person would you like to sleep with? I've only ever slept with famous people. Duh.
49. Have you ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purpose? Nope. That's what the Ansul system is for.
50. Last book you read for real? "The Fuck-Up" by Arthur Nersesian.
51. Do you have a teddy bear? I used to have several. Now I am alone in the night!
52. Strangest Place you have ever brushed your teeth? I often do it in the kitchen.
53. Somewhere in California you've never been and would like to go? Napa Valley.
54. Number of texts in a day? I do not use my telephone to type messages to people. If I'm going to get out my phone, write out full sentences with ten little buttons on a 1x1 screen, and pay money to send them to my friends, I think I can be considerate enough to just give my friends a Goddamn phone call.
55. At this point in your life would you rather start a new career or relationship? At this point in my life, my career is my relationship.
56. Do you go to church? Let's just say church never went to me.
57. Pen or pencil? Pencil--Mirado Black Warrior.
58. Describe your favorite Day? Strip district with twenty bucks. Nothing is more moving to a cook than observing the things that food can do for people. This may happen tomorrow.
59. How many jobs have you had? Legally, two.
60. What would be your "dream job"? Doing what I'm doing now in a French place, in a bigger city, and for more money.
61. What do you want to achieve in life? Nothing in particular. Achievement isn't a big deal to me so much as experience.

saucièr

Well, the move (some boxes and luggage) is complete. I live in a studio apartment with a very well-equipped kitchen, and a bed. And a chair. Things have only gotten better since the move-in--Sunday night, I acquired a twin mattress from a co-worker, which I carried over my head down Centre Avenue to my apartment building. Monday, my electricity was turned on and I was able to withdraw enough money from my bank account to buy some stuff to eat. Having no valid ID, however, I must wait until my new ATM card gets here late this week or early next week to access my money budgeted for living expenses.

Otherwise, stuff rocks. I've been bumped up to sautè at work, which was where I wanted to be working.