Friday, February 26, 2010

Malstrom (however you spell it)

OK, you know that scene from Pirates where Calipso essentially flushed the ocean.

Yeah. That's where I'm at right now. Not as dramatic but essentially the same.

We just got back from a trip to LA to attend a casting call for Master Chef. At a serious disadvantage because I was making homemade potato gnocchi and seared salmon with lemon/dill cream sauce in my motel room over a hot plate. I wish I could have impressed on the interviewers what my somewhat insanely driven personality is that is pushing me to drive 1100 miles to a 'job interview' and cooking over a hot plate in my room.

At least Hell's Kitchen was only an 800 mile trip to Las Vegas.

Bottom line, I'm gonna MAKE it one way or another.

The casting call:

It was held in a place near and dear to my heart and one of the focal points of my being a foodie - FARMER'S MARKET in LA. My grandmother would take me there almost once a week. Literally 50 years ago I was enamored with all of the food booths, my first experience with 'black bottomed pie'. The market reminds me of the mercados in Guatemala. Only in Guate they're more like a flea market. And a lot cleaner.

But it's all CHANGED. I remember the heart of the market being much bigger. Everything around it is now gone. I think they keep the basic hub for a token purpose. How sad.

I remember the booths with the blackbottom pie...hell anything food. Yum.
Dupars was a weekly ritual. I loved the avocado bacon burger on an english muffin.

As usual I was freaking last moment. My daughter (who is also an excellent cook but doesn't want to pursue it) helped me pull it off. Pretty much getting fed up and slapping me upside the head. YOU"RE FUCKING GOOD SO GET OVER IT!!!

Traffic really wasn't so bad, which was a complete shock, but parking was.

I had literally pulled a pretty great pan seared salmon with HOMEMADE potato gnocchi and dill lemon cream out of my ...ahem in my MOTEL ROOM over an electric burner.

Of course how could I explain that over the din?

The almost last second (yet again) presentation obviously didn't make the cut. I'm sure there were plenty of people who were decent but I know I have that edge that I have to find out how to present.

Well...next time.

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