"C" Is For: _______

For many years, people have teased me about being a walking advertisement.  I hear about a new restaurant on the radio and I will repeat the ad verbatim and go try it.  I read about a chef doing something totally unique and cool and I will go check out their place.  Along the same lines, I am very receptive to what I see on Travel Channel, Food Network, and Discovery Channel.

This past summer, while job hunting furiously, I took to watching Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" every afternoon.  Since then, my appreciation for this Jersey boy, turned New York City Chef, turned writer, turned travel television foodie (and probably turned many other things as well) has continued growing exponentially.  Besides having what I deem to be a super cool job, an amazing repertoire of culinary experiences (some of which I, admittedly, would not touch with a 10-foot pole), and a group of *extremely* talented chef friends, Tony has the privilege of influencing what I do with my weekends.

Okay, so maybe that is not one of the top bullet points on his resume, but it is, nonetheless, the back story for the story I am about to share with you.

Several years ago, Tony did a show about his hometown state: New Jersey (Collection 1 of "No Reservations").  Beyond the amusing cliches surrounding the Jersey Shore, the mafia, and Italian bakeries, this episode really caught my attention when Tony headed for "middle of no where New Jersey" to Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse.

Accordingly, so did I this past weekend.

I've Got Gas

I have snow too, actually, as well as a few "throw together" recipes for those unplanned moments in the kitchen.

Only two days after the freezing, forgetfulness-filled--albeit fantastic--fricasseed frenzy, tragedy struck again.

Picture it.  It's mid-week, and I finish up at work several hours later than usual.  On my way home--a nippy twenty minute walk across town--I had dream up a dinner I could throw together in no time: grilled bleu cheese with onions and tomatoes, dunked into a piping hot bowl of roasted red pepper and tomato soup garnished with fresh basil, freshly ground black pepper, and a few chunks of bleu cheese.  All I could think was, "Yum.  Walk faster."

After what felt like an eternity of walking (15'F weather has that effect...), I made it home, psyched about preparing what would be a perfectly simple, yet incredibly satisfying and delicious, dinner.

Plan: proceed with normal evening routine.
1) Turn on heat
2) Take shower to mellow out before dinner
3) Prepare dinner
4) Enjoy dinner

Despite the seeming simplicity of my normal evening routine, I didn't even make it past step #1 "normally". 

Five Little "F" Words

After two weeks away on holiday, arriving home late Sunday evening to an empty refrigerator was cause for distress come my hunger Monday morning, but it was also an opportunity to dream up an amazing grocery list!

Here is the epic tale of Five Little "F" Words.