Chef Deb Needs a LoJack!

I've been MIA for 5 whole days. Wow! Time sure flies. I'll have to blame it on the weather. San Francisco has seen some of the most beautiful days lately that are hard to ignore. The mornings are simple poetic. The sun shines on all green things and the skies are so clear and blue it begs all birds to fly, then there's the air which has a mix of a bay marine dried aroma that sends your salt buds flushing. The morning is so still and yet so alive with the birds singing in au masse dotted along the roadways. I like to think that the birds have actual "talk and visit trees" where they gather together and begin their morning just like we do at our coffee houses and cafes.

I got lost in all this natural glory and then indulged myself over the weekend at the Families Home visiting and mingling. Papa John (I love that name, reminds me of someone famous) wanted to take us out to dinner Saturday night for pasta and maybe some Linguini and Clams and I suddenly blanched and said that I couldn't possible enjoy someone else's dissmal plate of same and enjoy it knowing that I can cook that dish To Die For! Oddly, I got my way and cooked up a mouth watering, garlicky, butterey dish of fine pasta and clams (I'll make that pasta myself when I get a pasta machine of my own!)

It was served up with a Ceasar Salad, fresh french bread and butter, and a Killer bottle of Raymond Burr Cabernet Savignon vintage 2000. It was PERFECTLY aged, the tannins were smoothe and the flavor of currants, coffee, a dash of tobacco and dried cherries was memorable. Thanks to Papa John for that excellent addition to the dinner! I woke the next morning immediately recalling that wine. Now THAT'S what a good wine is supposed to do to you!

We started a new class today: The Foods of the Americas. Today we cooked Argentinian foods. Very tasty but its too hot out for stews. I was so warm in class that I took off my neckerchief and ran it under cold water and reapplied it. Wow. That was the right thing to do. I was tempered for the rest of the class. Afterall, we had the grill going, the stovetops, the ovens, and the music. Even with the fans running the room was toasty. I heard some of the YOUNGER gals saying they thought they were getting Hot Flashes early! Yeah, right. Just you wait chickees, you'll toast like no tomorrow in a decade or two.

We were assigned our Projects for the end of class today and I somehow lucked out with the Yucatan Peninsula!!! YES. I think the cooking gods were assigning absolution for the Southern Germany botchup. I've been to Cancun and to Costa Maya in the Yucatan. They have great Tequila! (isn't the worm a food? Appetizer?) I can't quite recall the other stuff. The view was nice and the weather was, well, like today. The tequila was good though....

Have a good evening! See you around the haciendas!