When I think back to my days in college I realize that I and those of my age were incredibly fortunate to have had the shared cultural experiences that were evolutionary at the time: MTV, answering machines, the first consumer cell phones, . . . . and Michael Jackson. Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad were his albums of our time; we knew every word of every song, watched his videos incessantly and wore out every cassette of his we had - only to be replaced within hours; God forbid we had moments without Michael. As life went on, I kept Micheal in my life through iTunes downloads, the frenzy replaced with respectable doses of nostalgia: remembering moments from a past filled with carefree gaiety, parties, and important milestones that dot a college career.
In spite of the odd twists and turns of his life, I still had enormous respect for his talent and my admiration for him did not diminish for a second. I did though, find pity in my heart for a man whose every move was dissected and criticized, whose heights of fame and money brought heartache and accusations, accusations that led to humiliating court battles and lawsuits that could never be proven. Beaten and dejected, he withdrew, and with what would have been the final straw for most, he showed the world he was not all they said he was: he was strong, he was resilient, a survivor, he was a Phoenix.
"This Is It" was going to be a 50-city tour; an ambitious undertaking considering the stakes; it was to be a resurrection of sorts. Back in the public eye and grueling rehearsals had Micheal the target of the media again: he was frail, he was too thin, he didn't look well, he had sleep issues, he had drug problems, etc. etc. Then the unthinkable happened: Micheal died. And he didn't just die - he died it seemed, from all the things they said about him. My sadness was tempered by disbelief and feelings of defeat. That all those things might have been true was a sad statement of his return; perhaps he really was too weak, the sad little boy in a man's body.
Still not quite registering his death, I went to "This Is It" yesterday at the IMAX Theatre. It was one of the most beautiful film's I have ever experienced: a testament to the intuitive genius talent of Micheal Jackson. A film about a man, not a sad little boy but a man, whose spirit, energy, and talent drove those around him to be better because of him. A man who was in full mental capacity, demanding of his intuition to the nth degree while gentle and generous with his crew, a man who showed strength, vigor and health through the demands of rehearsals. The realization of who Michael was just before his death was bittersweet: those things they said about him were not true, at least to the degree it has been portrayed making his passing more tragic.
The realization and full impact of his death hit me at the end of the film; I cried. I cried for him and his family, the vindication the film provides, and I cried for me, the sadness of knowing that someone who brought so much happiness, light, and memories into my life is gone, that the promise of what was to come will never be. I miss him.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Chia seeds
Always looking for new natural products to enhance my health, I was wildly curious when a friend I had not seen for a few months stopped by the house looking 10 years younger. Seriously. We started bantering about our lives and like all 40 somethings, the talk soon turned to the changes occurring with our bodies and minds. She shared some info on a hormone thing she was doing and with a twinkle in her eye, said she had come across something that seemed to be changing her life, 'I should check it out.'
"Chia seeds" she said. I looked at her incredulous, "are you talking about those Chia Pets they sell on TV? That Chia??? After assuring me that she was serious, she told me how she has benefited from it: energy, controlled apetite, enhanced concentration, skin hydration, and myriad other side effects. She also said it tastes good. So, like all things with me, I Googled it and have spent a fair amount of time investigating Chia seeds.
Apparently, this was the stuff of legend for the Aztecs; they would carry pouches of it on long journeys and during wars and sometimes subsist entirely on Chia seeds. The high levels of protein and EFA's would sustain them and as mentioned above, all the other health benefits caused them to revere this seed and also use it in their rituals. When the Spaniards invaded, they took away the Chia seeds because they believed it evil since it was used by the Aztecs for their rituals; the Chia seed eventually all but disappeared.
It is back and gaining traction; the web is full of articles and recipes. I have decided to give it a go and will report back on my results. So far I have been eating it for breakfast every day for the past week and truly enjoy it. My recipe is fairly simple, (which is really important for me in regards to breakfast) and like most things natural, the measurements have play in them depending on preferences. My recipe turns out a consistency and taste very similar to tapioca:
1/4 Cup Chia Seeds
1 1/2 Cups of Almond Milk
1/4 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 - 1 Teaspoon Agave Nectar
Shake it all together for 15-20 seconds then let it sit for 30 minutes. Pronto, it is ready! This amount is usually good for about 3 servings. Store in refrigerator. For more info, click on the story heading above.
"Chia seeds" she said. I looked at her incredulous, "are you talking about those Chia Pets they sell on TV? That Chia??? After assuring me that she was serious, she told me how she has benefited from it: energy, controlled apetite, enhanced concentration, skin hydration, and myriad other side effects. She also said it tastes good. So, like all things with me, I Googled it and have spent a fair amount of time investigating Chia seeds.
Apparently, this was the stuff of legend for the Aztecs; they would carry pouches of it on long journeys and during wars and sometimes subsist entirely on Chia seeds. The high levels of protein and EFA's would sustain them and as mentioned above, all the other health benefits caused them to revere this seed and also use it in their rituals. When the Spaniards invaded, they took away the Chia seeds because they believed it evil since it was used by the Aztecs for their rituals; the Chia seed eventually all but disappeared.
It is back and gaining traction; the web is full of articles and recipes. I have decided to give it a go and will report back on my results. So far I have been eating it for breakfast every day for the past week and truly enjoy it. My recipe is fairly simple, (which is really important for me in regards to breakfast) and like most things natural, the measurements have play in them depending on preferences. My recipe turns out a consistency and taste very similar to tapioca:
1/4 Cup Chia Seeds
1 1/2 Cups of Almond Milk
1/4 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 - 1 Teaspoon Agave Nectar
Shake it all together for 15-20 seconds then let it sit for 30 minutes. Pronto, it is ready! This amount is usually good for about 3 servings. Store in refrigerator. For more info, click on the story heading above.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Serious sauce
A few years ago I was eating at my favorite Thai restaurant and wanted a sauce with more kick than what was being provided. I asked my server to ask Chef if she had anything other than what was customarily put on each table. A few minutes later Chef personally delivered an odd looking sauce to me and said, "This is what you want." It was an epiphany; it had "kick" like nothing I've had before: a heat so intense, yet only lasting a second then seamlessly melding into the biting citrus and salt creating a layering of flavors that settled into a balanced finish that enhanced everything I was eating. I obviously asked for the recipe and have since used it on literally everything: Asian food, barbeque, English-style fried fish, steak, duck, and judicious servings into soups or salad dressings.
So it was with great interest that I happened upon a Bobby Flay show where he was making a similar sauce; I watched with rapt attention, perhaps an upgrade to my sauce? Well, there wasn't much to watch, the whole production to this sauce involves heating vinegar, making slits in a few Serrano chiles, throwing them whole into the heated vinegar, than letting it sit for 8 hours. I knew it couldn't stand up to my sauce but I also knew I had to experiment before stating so.
Suffice to say, my thoughts were confirmed. I'm sure if one does not have the occasion to compare, one would be very happy with Bobby's version. I however, have been blessed to have been given this incredible recipe which I will share with you below. My findings are that Viogner, Southern France white blends, Riesling and Gewurtztraminer (with hints of residual sugar), and domestic Pinot Gris do best with this sauce. For steak or duck? A nice vodka tonic or soda with lots of lime. As this is a rural peasant sauce, there aren't any hard-fast measurements; it is very easy and fast but you will just have to play with it. I'll do the best I can to describe what I do:
Add ingredients to bowl as you complete each step; order of each step not important.
1. Use a small bowl, cover the bottom with cayenne pepper.
2. Mince 1 garlic head. Mince until almost paste.
3. 2 -3 Serrano peppers sliced horizontally forming tiny discs, slice as thin as possible.
4. 2-3 limes or more, squeezed.
5. Fish sauce equal to about 2/3 the amount of lime juice.
6. Optional: a few sprigs of cilantro very finely chopped.
A little goes a long way; taste, adjust, enjoy!!
So it was with great interest that I happened upon a Bobby Flay show where he was making a similar sauce; I watched with rapt attention, perhaps an upgrade to my sauce? Well, there wasn't much to watch, the whole production to this sauce involves heating vinegar, making slits in a few Serrano chiles, throwing them whole into the heated vinegar, than letting it sit for 8 hours. I knew it couldn't stand up to my sauce but I also knew I had to experiment before stating so.
Suffice to say, my thoughts were confirmed. I'm sure if one does not have the occasion to compare, one would be very happy with Bobby's version. I however, have been blessed to have been given this incredible recipe which I will share with you below. My findings are that Viogner, Southern France white blends, Riesling and Gewurtztraminer (with hints of residual sugar), and domestic Pinot Gris do best with this sauce. For steak or duck? A nice vodka tonic or soda with lots of lime. As this is a rural peasant sauce, there aren't any hard-fast measurements; it is very easy and fast but you will just have to play with it. I'll do the best I can to describe what I do:
Add ingredients to bowl as you complete each step; order of each step not important.
1. Use a small bowl, cover the bottom with cayenne pepper.
2. Mince 1 garlic head. Mince until almost paste.
3. 2 -3 Serrano peppers sliced horizontally forming tiny discs, slice as thin as possible.
4. 2-3 limes or more, squeezed.
5. Fish sauce equal to about 2/3 the amount of lime juice.
6. Optional: a few sprigs of cilantro very finely chopped.
A little goes a long way; taste, adjust, enjoy!!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Kickin' it Friday
The barbeque is heating up, (charcoal!), preparing salad and potatoes to accompany the steaks and sipping a great refreshing white or what I choose to call "sipping while deciding what to drink." While I usually don't think Merlot with steak, I had a bottle of Murphy Goode Merlot and it had been quite a while since I last had it. I knew the quality of Murphy Goode wines was good but I was not prepared for what I tasted; it had me doing the "To All the Ladies" Beyonce Knowles dance! Truly! It was a hallmark Merlot with all the Christmas cake, plummy, lush flavors with some earth and leather notes and lots of layers, completely balanced. After my dance, we started kickin' it!
2006 Murphy Goode Merlot, Alexander Valley: I'm thinking I need more.
2006 Murphy Goode Merlot, Alexander Valley: I'm thinking I need more.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Musings from a meal in Umbria
I consider myself an adventurous eater – I’ll eat just about anything; but not bunny, bunny is one of the few things on my verboten list. Afterall, Peter Rabbit, the Easter Bunny, and Bug’s (a childhood friend, right?), this all weighs heavily on my conscious. Not to mention the multitudes that live in my yard that I guard ambitiously from my dog shelter mutt Hershey while pedigreed Labrador Kai sits with me on the patio as we telepathically discuss the barbaric deeds of Hershey, indeed.
Unfortunately for me, as a Sommelier, people expect me to eat or try anything. I really aim to please but we all draw the line somewhere, which is where I am going. I was recently traveling in Italy, Umbria to be specific, a magical region known for medieval walled-hill towns, visiting winery friends and staying in a converted farmhouse. As it is with Italians, meals are marathons of food, drink, and boisterous conversations, (it’s true what you see in the movies). Things were going along hoppingly(!) until sometime between the 3rd and 4th course when I hear the word “coniglio,” translation: RABBIT!! Okay, time for stealth action, do I : a) revert to Childhood Food Issues 101 whereby one pretends to eat the food while secretly discarding the food in the napkin, or b) feign a food allergy with a horrifying accompanying story, or . . .before I am able to fully formulate my game plan, my traveling companion Ray blurts out, “Oh how funny! What are the chances they would serve Bunny! SHE DOESN’T EAT BUNNY!!”. Foiled! I’ve been foiled and must now figure out a gracious way out while devising a way to kill Ray. Kill Bill? Forget about it! Kill Ray!! I’m horrified, my hosts are horrified, yet amid the chaos this creates, I am able to somehow worm my way out of it without offending anyone. Who I really want to offend is Ray, as he giggles and rolls his eyes in ecstasy over the carefully prepared bunny delicacy. The anticipation of revenge helps me to rejoin the merriment.
Unfortunately for me, as a Sommelier, people expect me to eat or try anything. I really aim to please but we all draw the line somewhere, which is where I am going. I was recently traveling in Italy, Umbria to be specific, a magical region known for medieval walled-hill towns, visiting winery friends and staying in a converted farmhouse. As it is with Italians, meals are marathons of food, drink, and boisterous conversations, (it’s true what you see in the movies). Things were going along hoppingly(!) until sometime between the 3rd and 4th course when I hear the word “coniglio,” translation: RABBIT!! Okay, time for stealth action, do I : a) revert to Childhood Food Issues 101 whereby one pretends to eat the food while secretly discarding the food in the napkin, or b) feign a food allergy with a horrifying accompanying story, or . . .before I am able to fully formulate my game plan, my traveling companion Ray blurts out, “Oh how funny! What are the chances they would serve Bunny! SHE DOESN’T EAT BUNNY!!”. Foiled! I’ve been foiled and must now figure out a gracious way out while devising a way to kill Ray. Kill Bill? Forget about it! Kill Ray!! I’m horrified, my hosts are horrified, yet amid the chaos this creates, I am able to somehow worm my way out of it without offending anyone. Who I really want to offend is Ray, as he giggles and rolls his eyes in ecstasy over the carefully prepared bunny delicacy. The anticipation of revenge helps me to rejoin the merriment.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
