I have gotten word through the grapevine that some folks were wanting a new blog post. I hadn't really doing much aside from working, but when Eddie Lahti says jump, I say I'd better write a post about jumping.
The new job is nothing special. Fairly simple menu, all turn and burn items with a couple of sauces made a la minute. But - BENEFITS - 'nuff said. Get some medical and dental issues taken care of, maybe pick up a prep cook job in the morning once I get closer to the city center.
On that note, I am getting settled in and Austin is beginning to feel like home rather than an extended vacation. I am starting to find my groove and enjoying all the wonders this town has to offer.
Thanksgiving was great! I made duck for the first time. For days, I cooked everything in duck fat which was, to say the least, decadent. I got Link aboard the duck train and now we are thinking we need to have at least one in the freezer at any given point. It also seems as though I'll be lucky enough to get a whole, fresh, wild boar to do my bidding with. An experiment I am truly ecstatic for.
12.07.2010
10.23.2010
One Month(ish) Later...
So, Thirty plus days have passed since I last updated and plenty of things to report.
The Job: Three Legged Willie's is going well. I like it alright and I get the hours are good. The plan and simple truth is that I am happy to be back in a kitchen. I'm paying my dues to establish myself as a worthwhile person to have around the place. The crew is fun and lively and I like to think I fit in fairly well. Still, if everything falls into place, I may end up leaving to take a paid internship at a local farm. I have a few things I need to accomplish before that dream comes into fruition.
The Food: I have to say, even only after a few meals, Austin has some simply amazing and innovative restaurants. I finally had a chance to get some sushi. A little place on the north side called Maru (not the major chain, more of that later) that offered up a very satisfying dinner in a cozy, vacant setting. The kind of place I could see myself chatting up the chef from from a stool at the bar.
I briefly talked about my visit to Fino, an upscale Mediterranean joint, but let me elaborate a bit further. We started the meal some anchovy wrapped, panko covered olives and Za'atar potato chips with lemon chive yogurt for dipping. This paired well with our pitcher of sangria rosa. For our main entrées, we split an order of paella ($45 for a 2 person portion amongst 3 people). Julie also ordered a salad though the paella has taken over any memory of it. We finished with Churros y Chocolate, sweet dough deep fried, covered in cinnamon sugar served with a chili and chocolate sauce. I was not ashamed to use my finger to eat the remaining sauce before a server came over and offered me a spoon. True story.
I got to heart of Texas BBQ when visiting The Salt Lick. A place where you order open- pit meat by the pound, sides by the pints or quarts and bring your own beer. As you walk in, you are struck directly in the eyes by a large, one-of-a-kind, barely legal barbeque pit covered with ribs, briskets, whole chickens and sausages. The food, 1/2 lb of brisket and potato salad, was decent, though next time I'll remember to diversify a little more.
There so many places I've yet to visit. Austin has a very strong mind to keep things on a local level. On more that one occasion fighting corporate giants on behalf Ma and Pa shops. It's incredibly easy to avoid eating at large, national chain restaurants, a plus for any locavore. The food is so good, most shops don't even have to offer seated dining to sell their fair. Food trucks riddle the entire city, offering scrumptious and transportable haute cuisine on compost safe plates. The people ask for it and Austin happily provides.
Social Integration: I've visited a few bars and I have had a few drinks. I am mostly socializing through mutual friends and through online meetup groups. One evening, there was a 50 person meeting of Apples to Apples players. A2A was only the beginning. People started to break out Taboo and Balderdash and soon all hell broke loose and we resorted to dominoes and cards.
Social bike rides happen nearly everyday here. I hope to make my way to one soon.
Haven't to been to any big shows but the bars offer live music of all varieties. Just walking down 6th Street you're bombarded with so much aural stimuli it's ridiculous.
That's my review after one month and one paycheck. Good things are on the horizon. Some of my favorite people will be visiting me soon, hopefully more will do the same in the future.
The Job: Three Legged Willie's is going well. I like it alright and I get the hours are good. The plan and simple truth is that I am happy to be back in a kitchen. I'm paying my dues to establish myself as a worthwhile person to have around the place. The crew is fun and lively and I like to think I fit in fairly well. Still, if everything falls into place, I may end up leaving to take a paid internship at a local farm. I have a few things I need to accomplish before that dream comes into fruition.
The Food: I have to say, even only after a few meals, Austin has some simply amazing and innovative restaurants. I finally had a chance to get some sushi. A little place on the north side called Maru (not the major chain, more of that later) that offered up a very satisfying dinner in a cozy, vacant setting. The kind of place I could see myself chatting up the chef from from a stool at the bar.
I briefly talked about my visit to Fino, an upscale Mediterranean joint, but let me elaborate a bit further. We started the meal some anchovy wrapped, panko covered olives and Za'atar potato chips with lemon chive yogurt for dipping. This paired well with our pitcher of sangria rosa. For our main entrées, we split an order of paella ($45 for a 2 person portion amongst 3 people). Julie also ordered a salad though the paella has taken over any memory of it. We finished with Churros y Chocolate, sweet dough deep fried, covered in cinnamon sugar served with a chili and chocolate sauce. I was not ashamed to use my finger to eat the remaining sauce before a server came over and offered me a spoon. True story.
I got to heart of Texas BBQ when visiting The Salt Lick. A place where you order open- pit meat by the pound, sides by the pints or quarts and bring your own beer. As you walk in, you are struck directly in the eyes by a large, one-of-a-kind, barely legal barbeque pit covered with ribs, briskets, whole chickens and sausages. The food, 1/2 lb of brisket and potato salad, was decent, though next time I'll remember to diversify a little more.
There so many places I've yet to visit. Austin has a very strong mind to keep things on a local level. On more that one occasion fighting corporate giants on behalf Ma and Pa shops. It's incredibly easy to avoid eating at large, national chain restaurants, a plus for any locavore. The food is so good, most shops don't even have to offer seated dining to sell their fair. Food trucks riddle the entire city, offering scrumptious and transportable haute cuisine on compost safe plates. The people ask for it and Austin happily provides.
Social Integration: I've visited a few bars and I have had a few drinks. I am mostly socializing through mutual friends and through online meetup groups. One evening, there was a 50 person meeting of Apples to Apples players. A2A was only the beginning. People started to break out Taboo and Balderdash and soon all hell broke loose and we resorted to dominoes and cards.
Social bike rides happen nearly everyday here. I hope to make my way to one soon.
Haven't to been to any big shows but the bars offer live music of all varieties. Just walking down 6th Street you're bombarded with so much aural stimuli it's ridiculous.
That's my review after one month and one paycheck. Good things are on the horizon. Some of my favorite people will be visiting me soon, hopefully more will do the same in the future.
9.15.2010
I May Have Just Made A Huge Mistake...
8.19.2010
Cartharsis
When I heard the news Saturday night, it didn't really sink in. It wasn't until the next morning while sitting alone in front of the computer that I finally broke. I couldn't help crying, feeling so incredibly far away from my family with only the kind words of Facebook and a bluegrass soundtrack to console me. I left Lansing as soon as I could arrange a ride with my sister, Kristi, and pack a bag.
8.15.2010
Everything Happens For A Reason
I awoke in a frenzy at 11:45PM last night, frantically searching for my phone. I knew something was wrong. I had fallen asleep early in order to get a good night's sleep before departing for my trip. I had known for a while that this may happen, and tonight, it did.
Just around 10PM, my great-grandma, Audra Myrle Armstead, passed away at the age of 90.
I am by no means happy about this, though I am glad that I wasn't already on the road at this point. That would have added a whole other set of complications. Silver lining, I guess.
I will update again once I return from West Virginia.
Just around 10PM, my great-grandma, Audra Myrle Armstead, passed away at the age of 90.
I am by no means happy about this, though I am glad that I wasn't already on the road at this point. That would have added a whole other set of complications. Silver lining, I guess.
I will update again once I return from West Virginia.
8.12.2010
Bike & Gear
Just a couple of pics I have at this point of my bike and gear. Let me know if there is something specific you want a picture of!
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| DIY Pannier |
8.10.2010
The New Plan
So, a lot of changes have occurred since I last updated. Trips planned, cancelled, re-planned and subsequently cancelled again. For a while, I became disheartened. I wasted my nest egg and gave in to despair. I resigned myself to internet fantasies of someday travels. Then, an epiphany. Why feel confined within national boundaries when there were boundless opportunities for me to explore from within?
There are a lot of places I've yet to see on this side of the globe, let alone on the other. Michigan excluded, I have immersed myself in 4 of 48, 2 of which involved permanent addresses. I decided to discover America's food potential stateside rather judge it from abroad. It began as a trip to Portland, OR for a friend's wedding and mutated into something completely different at an incredible rate.
I assume by this point, you are asking just what this monster of a trip entails. Bear with me, as this about to get a bit ugly.
There are a lot of places I've yet to see on this side of the globe, let alone on the other. Michigan excluded, I have immersed myself in 4 of 48, 2 of which involved permanent addresses. I decided to discover America's food potential stateside rather judge it from abroad. It began as a trip to Portland, OR for a friend's wedding and mutated into something completely different at an incredible rate.
I assume by this point, you are asking just what this monster of a trip entails. Bear with me, as this about to get a bit ugly.
4.08.2010
Think Globally - Eat Locally
This is a paper I wrote for my Organization and Management of Food Systems class. For those of you familiar with my status updates, this is the class that make me want to hurt myself. I had to write an analysis of the movie Food Inc. I got a 100% on it so I figured I'd post that here.
Think Globally – Eat Locally
“A culture that just uses a pig as a pile of protoplasmic inanimate structure, to be manipulated by whatever creative design the human can foist on that critter, will probably view individuals within its community, and other cultures in the community of nations, with the same type of disdain and disrespect and controlling type mentalities.”
-Joel Salatin, Food Inc.
That quote solidifies and strengthens the ideology I believed even before viewing this film. I had always had a passion for food. I have spent a majority of my time in the workforce in food-service industry with only a few exceptions. When that was coupled with an overactive metabolic rate, it became clear this was to the recipe for inspiration for the rest of my life.
Think Globally – Eat Locally
“A culture that just uses a pig as a pile of protoplasmic inanimate structure, to be manipulated by whatever creative design the human can foist on that critter, will probably view individuals within its community, and other cultures in the community of nations, with the same type of disdain and disrespect and controlling type mentalities.”
-Joel Salatin, Food Inc.
That quote solidifies and strengthens the ideology I believed even before viewing this film. I had always had a passion for food. I have spent a majority of my time in the workforce in food-service industry with only a few exceptions. When that was coupled with an overactive metabolic rate, it became clear this was to the recipe for inspiration for the rest of my life.
4.07.2010
The Graduation Situation
I had mentioned before that I am in trouble of not graduating before I leave for Europe. In all honesty, it's almost a certainty that I won't. While I have yet to actually fail a class, I do have an Incomplete in one class and I am in jeopardy of having one in a second class.
The class I currently have an incomplete in is layout & Design. I can still pass it but I have lost all motivation to finish my final project, which is to design a restaurant that I have no interest in ever building. Don't get me wrong, I was enthusiastic about an Indian restaurant at the time, but I just can't seem to muster up the gumption to finish the costing schedule (where I have to price out every major piece of equipment I need to open).
As for the class I may be getting an incomplete in, I am putting a full effort into making the remainder of the semester count. I have missed a lot of class either because of the early class time or due to lack of inspiration.
Culinary School has been helpful, that's no lie. I learned a lot - my first year. My second year? Not so much. I feel as though I have paid for the same classes twice. The only difference is in the production. Last year we just served the food, now we actually make the food. I guess I could've learned something about making food if I hadn't, you know, practiced the theories I learned the first time through. It's like they don't expect us to cook outside of the classroom.
The other thing that bothers me about the program is that I know that there are students with higher grades than me though they lack the fundamental knowledge of the basic kitchen principles. Like the ratios for mire poix, a basic vinaigrette or a simple roux. They still have to ask how to make a bechamel or an espagnole. They don't know where the sirloin is at on a cow. I have the tests from the previous class. I passed them all. Why is it that I am being tested on these same principles? Different class, different material? Apparently not at WCC.
Don't get me wrong, there are some professors of mine who have helped inspire me even when I am in the duldrums. Their passion shined through and comes out in every dish we serve or in every lecture they give. They are the reason I keep coming to class. They have told me not to waste my talent by abandoning my degree. It's tough to think I have invested some much time and money into learning about food, only to have it leave a bad taste in my mouth.
Pun intended.
The class I currently have an incomplete in is layout & Design. I can still pass it but I have lost all motivation to finish my final project, which is to design a restaurant that I have no interest in ever building. Don't get me wrong, I was enthusiastic about an Indian restaurant at the time, but I just can't seem to muster up the gumption to finish the costing schedule (where I have to price out every major piece of equipment I need to open).
As for the class I may be getting an incomplete in, I am putting a full effort into making the remainder of the semester count. I have missed a lot of class either because of the early class time or due to lack of inspiration.
Culinary School has been helpful, that's no lie. I learned a lot - my first year. My second year? Not so much. I feel as though I have paid for the same classes twice. The only difference is in the production. Last year we just served the food, now we actually make the food. I guess I could've learned something about making food if I hadn't, you know, practiced the theories I learned the first time through. It's like they don't expect us to cook outside of the classroom.
The other thing that bothers me about the program is that I know that there are students with higher grades than me though they lack the fundamental knowledge of the basic kitchen principles. Like the ratios for mire poix, a basic vinaigrette or a simple roux. They still have to ask how to make a bechamel or an espagnole. They don't know where the sirloin is at on a cow. I have the tests from the previous class. I passed them all. Why is it that I am being tested on these same principles? Different class, different material? Apparently not at WCC.
Don't get me wrong, there are some professors of mine who have helped inspire me even when I am in the duldrums. Their passion shined through and comes out in every dish we serve or in every lecture they give. They are the reason I keep coming to class. They have told me not to waste my talent by abandoning my degree. It's tough to think I have invested some much time and money into learning about food, only to have it leave a bad taste in my mouth.
Pun intended.
4.04.2010
Preparations
I understand that what I've volunteered to do over the next few months is going to be tough. I mean really tough - physically and mentally. Between farming, biking, working, planning and school, my time is going to be stretched pretty thin. I am in jeopardy of not graduating on time as I have missed a number of days in my early class.
I know that I have lacked the motivation to perform for the classes mentioned. I am disgruntled that I am paying for classes, that for the last six months, I have learned nothing new in. I have learned more out of my classes than I have in them. I'll save this rant for a later date.
Regardless if I have an Associate's, a Certification or nothing, I will still be Wwoofing.
That's the mentally troubling things. As if that wasn't stressful enough, I have recently quit smoking - cold turkey. I realized after biking that last few days that I could barely finish 6 miles without feeling like puking. I can say now after 3 days of not smoking, that I am quitting as I am technically not chemically addicted to them. The rest is up to my willpower. Green Lantern guide me! I found that when I want a cigarette I simply have a glass of water. It's working surprisingly well for me and I am hydrating better than ever.
I've been scoping out camcorders and have my eye on one . If anyone has any advice or suggestions for good cameras, let me know!
I know that I have lacked the motivation to perform for the classes mentioned. I am disgruntled that I am paying for classes, that for the last six months, I have learned nothing new in. I have learned more out of my classes than I have in them. I'll save this rant for a later date.
Regardless if I have an Associate's, a Certification or nothing, I will still be Wwoofing.
That's the mentally troubling things. As if that wasn't stressful enough, I have recently quit smoking - cold turkey. I realized after biking that last few days that I could barely finish 6 miles without feeling like puking. I can say now after 3 days of not smoking, that I am quitting as I am technically not chemically addicted to them. The rest is up to my willpower. Green Lantern guide me! I found that when I want a cigarette I simply have a glass of water. It's working surprisingly well for me and I am hydrating better than ever.
I've been scoping out camcorders and have my eye on one . If anyone has any advice or suggestions for good cameras, let me know!
3.30.2010
An Introduction
So, here's the story so far: I have signed up for WWOOF (World Wide Organization of Organic Farms)in three countries; Italy, France and Spain. I have already secured a month long stay at Valli Unite Cooperative in Turin, Italy and have applications at farms in the other countries. I have a checklist of things I need to procure before I embark on my trek. These things include:
-Renewing my Passport
-Plane Tickets
-Train Ticket
-Backpack
-Health Insurance for France and Spain
-Hand Held Video Camera
I will also gearing up to help the Michigan State Student Organic Farm before I depart in August. I'll post more details on that as I figure them out.
-Renewing my Passport
-Plane Tickets
-Train Ticket
-Backpack
-Health Insurance for France and Spain
-Hand Held Video Camera
I will also gearing up to help the Michigan State Student Organic Farm before I depart in August. I'll post more details on that as I figure them out.
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