Ahhh...the bird is done, the dishes are put away and family has left for their own homes leaving behind delicious leftovers and a hangover of emotions.
As much as we love our families, do we need stress at 6AM fretting over the turkey that you chose for it's size, planned out (3 times) the exact number of minutes it needs to roast, the exact method that was settled on between turkey "experts" of all ages and written in broken notes the night before?
Should we worry that our pies are dry, the cranberries are too tart, and will anyone really like parsnips and spinach together? And what about breakfast, and snacks, and drinks, and post dinner sandwiches, and do I have enough plastic containers to send home a goody bag with everyone? What will the kids eat, no please do not take your juice box into the living room, no I don't have Eggos, or chicken nuggets - we are having turkey.
Why do we do this to ourselves every year? Because we love to cook. We love not having to drive in holiday traffic. And because deep down, we really do love our families...the joy of traditions over the dinner table. The expected spats, and spills. The worrying, fretting, good nature and community spirit it takes to do dinner for 8 or 10 or especially 30. So whatever you table on your table, and those who came to share the feast - I hope you remember just one thing - Christmas is less than a month away - and we get to do another big meal with our beloved families all over again. Pass the eggnog!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Dining out disappointments
Is it just me or has the quality of dining out gone terribly wrong? Restaurants that used to be good are now at best mediocre. I often feel it is the same old choices, prepared in haste, without a speck of consideration for the person who will be eating the meal.
Granted, I have not been fortunate enough to dine at the very high end, well respected establishments of late, but I am not a regular at McD’s either. Have we as a nation settled for the fast food mentality? Is it too much to ask for a well steamed vegetable, or a meal that is hot, rather than dried out? Does anyone know how to use spices? Or has bland become the new taste to match the enthusiasm we must feel for the future.
As a personal chef, I know how easy it is to make something that tastes good. A little thought, a touch of this and paying attention to your food while cooking it can be the difference between ok and yummy! I am not saying everything has to be fancy. In fact a simple piece of salmon, drizzled with olive oil, a little salt and pepper was broiled beautifully in my own oven. The portabella sandwich I had the other day at a new place in Foxboro was well…missing the meaty taste of the mushroom. The spinach was tasty, but where’s the “beef”? Portabellas are nice thick mushrooms, which should have easily been recognizable under a spoonful of spinach. I guess the chef just didn’t care enough to pick the thick one for me.
In my business, it is all about making my customers happy. I want to feed them food they love, prepared the way they love it and reduce their stress after a long hard day of dealing with the world. Let me know if you feel the same way about today’s choices for dining out.
And be sure to contact me if you are ready to have dinner done your way, for about the same cost as dining out. www.HomePlateAdv.com is my website – check it out for better dining options.
Granted, I have not been fortunate enough to dine at the very high end, well respected establishments of late, but I am not a regular at McD’s either. Have we as a nation settled for the fast food mentality? Is it too much to ask for a well steamed vegetable, or a meal that is hot, rather than dried out? Does anyone know how to use spices? Or has bland become the new taste to match the enthusiasm we must feel for the future.
As a personal chef, I know how easy it is to make something that tastes good. A little thought, a touch of this and paying attention to your food while cooking it can be the difference between ok and yummy! I am not saying everything has to be fancy. In fact a simple piece of salmon, drizzled with olive oil, a little salt and pepper was broiled beautifully in my own oven. The portabella sandwich I had the other day at a new place in Foxboro was well…missing the meaty taste of the mushroom. The spinach was tasty, but where’s the “beef”? Portabellas are nice thick mushrooms, which should have easily been recognizable under a spoonful of spinach. I guess the chef just didn’t care enough to pick the thick one for me.
In my business, it is all about making my customers happy. I want to feed them food they love, prepared the way they love it and reduce their stress after a long hard day of dealing with the world. Let me know if you feel the same way about today’s choices for dining out.
And be sure to contact me if you are ready to have dinner done your way, for about the same cost as dining out. www.HomePlateAdv.com is my website – check it out for better dining options.
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