Not enough Time

This evdeavor has taken a back seat to my studies.You will see what I mean. Marketing class= 1 project. Catering Management= 1 HUMONGOUS project (our only grade) Quantity foods= 8 hours a day x 2 days a week, and costing every recipe, and the expectationn we students will volunteer at at least one f&b event a month, and then trying to run my own evil empire as well. Yes, I love it! I love the time comsuming beast known as school. Yes, I had a hard start this semester, 2 deaths in the family and the stigma of sitting out after my car accident and not knowing my new classmates. But I will only put out a small rant.
Why aren't my chefs aware that all students are there to learn? I am in upper level classes. The weeding out has aready occured. The herd of students has been thinned. With Dean's List grades every semester, I obviously take my education seriously and work hard to prove I deserve to be treated seriously. But because I am a 36 year old woman, I have a hell of a time finding other serious students to pair with. I have been relegated to the dishroom more than I have cooked! Oh..and the partner I got stuck with is the one who shows up late, never gets or writes down the full instructions and spends part of lecture and daily breifing asleep! I spoke to my chef suggesting to him that maybe he could assign partners so we could be exposed to others in our class. I explained that I felt hindered by my partner and wanted to get the most out of this experience. Anything change? You betcha. The next meeting, it got worse. Of 12 students, guess who was doing the dishes? Me, my partner, and the only other woman in our class. Did I mention 2 of us are black, and we are all over 25 years old? Guess who was doing the cooking... all young males just like our instructor.Physical disparity? Perhaps... I hate the caste system employed by this instructor. I am a good student cook, I am serious, I am paying for this out of my shallow pocket, and I recreate every dish we make at home. I always am in uniform ready to roll, and I take the time to make a mise list and read and copy my recipes (even putting one on a card for my pocket and one in a plastic sheet cover for later placement in my binder) On my last cooking final, I scored a 98, and was the first student done, and first with a clean work space. I believe in myself and my abilities, and ask only relevant questions. I volunteer for everything I can take on but every damn time a boy gets chosen over me. I want to work hard, and learn. I am not training for a job in a dish room, I want to be a chef, dammit! Do I feel like part of a minority? Absolutely!!! Why are the older women singled out as weak and unworthy? I think I could go head to head with any guy in my class but if I never get the chance, how will I ever now? Please Chef instructors of the world, BE FAIR!!! If you have nontraditional students, treat them the same as the more traditional students! We are spending our own money, not Dad's, and are probably more focused than some of our classmates. (My opinon... I remember my first degree and the 6 years it took to earn and balance my very busy social life. Brought to you by the letters I for immaturity and U for unfocused) I want an education not a free pass to good grades via the you-can't-screw up-your grade-in-the-dishroom Express. I want to screw up, get yelled at and fight for a B. I want to accidentally burn myself. I want what the others get! I can stand the heat, put me in the kitchen!
How would you deal with this? I can understand the 22 year old boy who was quite vocal that he did not want to be my partner, youth. (yes, the little bastard hurt my feelings, but I actually appreciate his POV, I wasn't born old!!) I understand that the older students are more likely to exhibit professional behavior and may come across as uptight. (get to know me, then decide....we may have similar hobbies and tastes LOL) I get it. I am different than you. But, isn't the chef there to give all students the same education and opportunity to learn? If a student asks for a challenge, give it to them, if they fail, they fail. That's the thing about learning! If I fail, I will die trying to succeed. I went to school with the goal of being the best I can be, that's all. I didn't realize my Chef thought my goal was to be the best dishdawg I could be. I will not go so far as to use the word discrimination but it kinda smells that way......

School's in!

Yesterday was the official start of school. I don't have to be on campus until Wed, but my online classes opened yesterday. I have a real love/hate relationship with the first few days of the semester. I love getting the new school supplies and getting organized but I hate the cluster fuck that comes with setting priorities, and getting a feel for what can be last minute and what can't wait. Some classes are very casual and require only common sense, while others demand attention ASAP. I actually have already turned in 4 assignments, primarily start up stuff. I am as ready as possible for tomorrow on campus, having packed my knives, and cleaned my uniforms after 6 months of non use. I had to drop all in person classes last Jan after a car accident.I will be taking Quantity this semester which basically translates to working in the school's restaurant until December. I am excited about the pace, and the menu, according to the syllabus, looks great. We will be briefed this week on Fall's menu selections, and I will share it with you as soon as I can. I will also be keeping everyone up to date on what we learn in my classes and post recipes with technique notes and observations as they are discussed at school. Now I feel like I am getting closer to the mission of my blog...an outlet for school and life from an older student's perspective. Beware! Until I catch my groove and less serious students are weeded out due to natural selection, there will likely be lots of ranting. However as a crumb, I offer this... Public speaking online. Yeah, I found it humorous and sort of an oxymoron, too. That is until I signed up for my in person presentation. Now it makes a little more sense.
Okay, y'all..... it's go time!

Mission completed!!!

As promised, I am reporting on the catering gig. The result was flawless, with a call from my step mother last night giving me a glowing review, and promising more business. Getting there was a whole other story. As I said the other day, I had done a dry run and deemed the results good. Well, Tuesday morning was chaos. I woke up early to pad my production time, and thank God for that. The first two dozen biscuits were sad, pathetic, place adjective here. It seems that in my nervousness, I rolled the hell out of the dough and produced what appeared more like biscuit cookies. I cried as I took them out and examined them. I was frustrated, and sans coffee. Luckily, I was able to correct my mistake, and continue on to make 101 appropriately thick biscuits. Success. Next came assembly. As I cut and opened the biscuits, assembling them ten at a time, I used a basting brush to "paint" melted butter onto each side. Of course, in addition to taste, this provided much needed moisture since the goods would not be consumed until the following morning. Two large pieces of thick sliced ham, were then placed on to 98 of the biscuits. Wait...98? Didn't you promise 101 ham biscuits? Yes and yes. Sigh..... luckily, when I had the ham sliced at the deli, greedy little me requested a dozen sandwich thickness slices as well. So, I stacked those slices together and cut them to create the illusion of being the same. After all, the same meat was used for the others, and approximately the same thickness was achieved. As I packaged my wares in fancy little boxes (with cute name tags with the name of my operation on them) I began to think about delivery. They were due at 2:00. Of course my car broke down on Saturday, and the mechanic was coming to give last rites later Tues afternoon. (which in itself is another rant for another time) So at 12:30, I began trying to reach my best friend and "delivery guy" He has a no phone policy at the beach, and left me sweating until his 1:20 arrival. Personally I think he enjoyed it, as he loves picking on me like the sister he never had. At 1:50, Tuesday afternoon, the dropoff was complete. The lady who was actually in charge of coordinating the breakfast opened the boxes, and was pleased. Those are scratch! She proclaimed. She really thought I was going to use store bought biscuits and just pass the dish off as homemade. She also marveled at the size of the ham portion, smiling with anticipation.I was delighted that I had clearly exceeded her expectations. As I collected my check, I visited my stepmother's office. She has a great picture of my late father from back when he was still in good health. I clutched that check in my hand, hopefully the first of many, and silently thanked my Daddy for all he'd done and taught me. With tears in my eyes, we left and the first official job by my new venture was over.
Later that night, I was able to unwind by meeting my family, in from Atlanta, at the beach for some crabbing and fishing. Yup, despite the cookie biscuit fiasco earlier, Tuesday has to be honestly one of the best days of my life. I learned that I can do what I set my mind to, and fairly well at that. I just have to calm down a bit. I also learned to shirk my cheap ass ways and have ALL the ham for the next project cut uniformly and revel in the delight of a thick ham sammy should there be leftovers, or just not tempt fate and plan on eating turkey.
Last night, we had a celebratory dinner complete with steak, baked potatoes, and corn. I was so stirred up Tuesday, I had no time to immortalize the very first paid product I'd ever done, but I did take pics of dinner last night because it was so good, and really a celebration of my first solo success.It is featured in the margin. I know the potato does not look like a baker, but I am a skin girl married to Captain Starch so we split the potato for practicality and so he can hog all the chives.

Be right back....

lots going on... but there was ham biscuit success.....more to come! I will try to put down details tonight.

Dry Run or The 5 Ps

Prior preparation prevents poor performance.
Yup, I don't know if you care to call me anal or just a dork, but I did a dry run on the extremely cost effective biscuit recipe tonight. It went well. So well in fact, we had bacon biscuits for dinner. The ham is being saved for tomorrow. I did make one ham biscuit tonght just to have the hub test for quality of portion size. I got a 2 thumbs up. All systems go!

First solo gig

I am very excited today. Tomorrow I have my first solo gig. I have always been focused on being a caterer, for that is why I chose to go to school. I am only halfway through my formal culinary education so I made the choice a long time ago to NOT tell people I am going into catering so I could learn the business through experience and classroom time. Of course those close to me, my cheerleaders, have all known my ultimate goal and subsequently requested a favorite dish from me from time to time. That has been a great practice ground, and I have honed techniques and strategies during these "dry runs." Now I have entered a new dimension. I got a call last week from my stepmother asking if I would like to try my hand at the "real thing" that is, cooking for people I don't know, and attaching my name to said efforts. Assured that this would be easy and really nothing I haven't done before, she made a simple request and I said yes. So now, I am really looking forward to making a favorite southern treat. The ubiquitous ham biscuit. Actually I am looking forward to making a hundred of those bad boys. Easy? Yes. Probably a little boring and redundant? Yes. But I cannot wait! They are due tomorrow for consumption on Wed. morning. I will be making them tomorrow so they will be ultra fresh when I deliver them. I am excited for the opportunity to make a little money for myself doing something I love. It's like my own Olympics. I have been training and dreaming about the day I finally started making money for myself not someone else. Cocky? No. Nervous? Yes. But I am sure the staff will enjoy my offerings, and hopefully call me for more. I still am not looking to go full fledged yet, as catering management is actually a class I start next week. I do hope though that I will field a random call here and there for an order. I feel like I can do this if it is only word of mouth, as the big caterers will always be a first option for most of these folks. Plan B is exactly what I want to be right now. I accept that really this should be my current station in life. I am not yet ready to run with the "big dogs" I know this. A hundred ham biscuits is not exactly a foray into the wide world of catering but a good start. I will finally get feedback from strangers, not afraid of hurting my feelings. I am thrilled! I have made my shopping list, and found cute boxes at the paper store, and am ready for the challenge. I have printed an invoice as required by stepmother's employers. (yeah, I felt like I was "playing office" when I designed and printed it, just like a little girl!) and competitively priced my product. I will take pictures and post them tomorrow. If the oven craps out, we'll have a rant, otherwise this happy chef in training will be back tomorrow.

Thanks for making me who I am.....

I lost my father back in May. It was very difficult and I swore off funerals for at least a year. This week I had 2 more I had to go to. I just want to thank Gram and Gary for helping me become the person I am today. Y'all both had the list right, God, Family and Country. Thank you for loving me and teaching me........

Not such a pleasure

Again, one of my top 5 fave blogs has gone to hell. It seems there is a troll who has effectively turned me off. This nutjob managed to post under several different names, with each one having a different unsavory point of view. I am saddened that this psycho chose to turn a healthy discussion area into something where normal people like me are afraid to comment due to the rediculous replies. Nevermind the fact that I witnessed personal attacks on folks I respect who come off as balanced, opinionated (in a healthy way), and far from malicious. This jerk went so far as to dig up private info and threaten to exploit a person who in my opinion really has nothing to hide. This is disgusting. I am seriously considering issuing a warning not about this site but the fringe element of freaks the blogger's (well deserved) fame is bringing. I refuse to name names.Why won't I do it? Simple. I respect the owner and am capable of discerning blogger from commenter. It would not be fair to the blogger. This person is busy doing what attacted me in the first place (writing very well) and does not deserve anything but praise. Still this leaves a bad taste in my mouth. There is no effective way to eliminate the bad without alienating the good. I am frustrated by the lack of courtesy the troll extends to his host the blogger and the otherwise amiable audience and participants. I am uncomfortable by the threats and personal attacks. If you have aggression you need to turn loose, join a fight club or take martial arts or ride your bike as hard and fast as you can (call Ed for safety lessons, he is what is rght with cycling...a proactive educator) Do something, anything. Just please get out of the belltower with your laptop. When used by fairly sane people, the comment section of any blog can be enlightening and fun. I have learned plenty of great things and had many lol moments. When used irresponsibly, it can turn an otherwise good experience into one that leaves people on the fence about further particpation. That is where my seat is these days.
So..... what can be done? Obviously the blogger can delete comments at any time. I got rid of an advertisement on here the other day because all 5 of us that know this corner exists don't need to deal with that. But what about the highly successful blogs run by folks who may not be able to monitor comments daily (or monthly as is all I need) How should that work? As exhibited on the blog in question, replies from the other commenters only added fuel to the 7 named snake's fire. (yup something like 7 screen names!) Ignoring this kook only spawned other screen names and opinions, and the frequency of seeing his/her names on the screen actually shot up. The need for attention was amazing. Now after being called out in an equally scary way (I choose not to elaborate but let's leave it at fire with fire) the troll has gone back under the bridge. But not before doing exactly what he set out to do....scare off particpants. I am done with commenting as this is the second freak I've encountered in 4 months. While I doubt any of these sociopaths could ever actually track me down, I am sick of being afraid of comments and threats. I am sick of negativity on other's sites. I have my forum for ranting, and it affects nobody's readership but mine. It's like being at a pool party versus giving one. You can play Ratt's greatest hits at your house and that is fine. I'd opt for a mix of beach music. You can do whatever the hell you want at your house but it does not have to be okay at mine.The same is true for my cyber living room. If it is not appropriate or in the spirit of the blog you are visiting, go and put your fingers of fury to work at your own site.
Still she digresses. Has anyone got any creative solutions for dealing with lunatics on a blog? Or to tie this into food somehow, what do you do when your favorite restaurant is not as appealing because of a few bad patrons that are always there when you are? How do you breach this without being "that complaining dude"?
Lastly a crumb for thought..... does Ratt even have enough songs to warrant a "greatest hits" or does that just falsely imply they had more than one hit?

Sausage!

It is approximately 5 million degrees here, and we are hungry. I really do not feel like "cooking" but we have to eat, right? Ahhhh, one trip to Earth Fare later and we are stoked about dinner. The easy way. Hans All Natural sausages are our favorite solution for the dinner conundrum. Delicious and easy to prepare, these amazing treats come in several varieties, my fave being Spinach and Feta. The Roasted Red Pepper and Garlic always makes it into the basket as it's the hub's fave. They come in so many flavors, surely anyone can find a favorite. For those seeking heat, I find the basil and sundried tomato recipe will do you right.They all go well with nearly anything, but usually, I whip up a pasta salad or some other easy side. Tonight it was a quick fettucine alfredo. Of course, the sausages can also be used in most recipes where sausage is an ingredient.We like to mix and match, and these sausages are priced right for even the most frugal among us to pick up a couple types. I am not sure about other places, but Hans also can be gotten from the butcher at Whole Foods and Earth Fare. This is great for the noncommittal among us as you can literally get one of everything so you can do some sampling and find your "flavor fit" The fresh (arriving frozen as one butcher let me know) sausages are slightly larger than those that are prepackaged, so an adjustment will have to be made for portioning. All in all, these sausages save me from spending time in the kitchen on hot days, and are great for a busy winter day as well. I highly recommend this easy delicious food to all, they are wonderful. Priced right, they are great for any budget and perfect for large or small groups of diners.


What has this got to do with the chef in training? I have garde manger in the spring, and this food makes me look forward to the charcuterie portion of the class so much more. The rant? I'm not sure my husband will like my links as much as he adores Hans.

the end is near!

It is official, August is here. The end of a long summer. School starts on the 20th of this month. I can go purchase my books soon, and decide which elements of my uniform need to be replaced. I plan on picking up binders next time I am at Target, and the printer has new ink to print all my sylabi. I have a stable of white shirts to wear nder my coats, and the Danskos will most likely make it to December. I personally love the Dansko brand, having worn them for years now. I hate getting new ones because they take so long to break in. I try to purchase new ones during the winter so I can wear them alot in a short amount of time to break them in. (during the summer, I HATE shoes!) I have been working on my knife skills, and terms so it will not be as obvious that I haven't been in a kitchen lab in 8 months. I plan on practicing cutting a chicken, and my husband fishes under the guise of helping me practice cleaning fish. I guess the biggest challenge is going to be packing the knife kit. I washed my knife kits this summer, I had two one for pastry and one for everything else. I now have to wade through a ton of knives and figure out which ones are necessary.
Yes, the party is over, and I cannot ait for school.

Got my tickets!

I have secured tickets for the 11:10 am showing Friday morning!



Only 2 days left!!!





Trivia: Name the SUV endorsed by Krusty.

Yesterday's answer: Bleeding Gums Murphy

Too Many Pots on the Stove

It is always a pleasure to see your neighborhood favorite open a second unit. Assuming you are somewhat of a regular, you probably know the menu, staff, and possibly owner. You are proud of this "undiscovered gem" and really hope success is on the horizon. So, the owner opens another, then another, then another. People continue to visit these satellite locations and spur the owner on to open more. You, being the nice patron you are, feel pride as you cheer on the small business owner. After all in this industry, greater than 60% of all new restaurant endeavors fail within the first year. You really want your friend to succeed. If they succeed, then you can continue to eat the products you fell in love with in the first place. Sadly for you the operation is a huge success.

The owners' success is not always good for the patron. How many times have you seen him in the last few visits? Where is the usual manager on duty? Who is in the kitchen?

These are issues I have faced recently. I am a victim of someone else's success. There is a wildly successful restauranteur here in town that has opened 9 restaurants in a dozen years, 4 of them in 4 years. I loved his first try. Still do. Obviously, I was/am not alone. He has great food, uberfair prices and excellent staff. That formula has worked great. It is real, and what people want. I have eaten at his other venues and found the formula applied at those places too, much to my pleasure. These days, though, it is like the formula got lost, probably while opening another place.

I had been going to one of these restaurants for the porkchops for years. The same manager always greeted us, and checked in on us during meals. I always got the same thing, always. I fall victim to "restaurant rut" and when I find something I like that I hate to cook, I order it every time.I know this dish. I know it well. We went to eat there the other night about a month after restauranter had opened his latest effort. It was different. The menu was the same, the tea the same, and dining room the same. Even the vibe was there. Sadly, the manager we love was not there. She has not been present for the last few visits, but it is summer (and we hope she is well!) We were seated immediately, and as I glanced into the open kitchen, I saw a woman leading the crew. Being a female culinary student, I was filled with pride for her, as she has obviously worked her way up to a great position given to those who earn it. I even pointed it out to my husband. We ordered my usual and one of his 5 favorites and settled in for what we knew to be a good meal. It was fun to have a date on a random night, and I was really looking forward to that chop! Then it all went to hell. Dinner appeared. While hub's dish was spot on, mine as far from it, not even looking like what I have ordered approximately 50 times. I tried it anyway, and it was just not right. When our server checked on us, I pointed this out to her, and being a veteran on the staff (over a year's service!) she knew my dish and agreed. She agreed that it was covered in spices not used for this dish, and didn't even look like my favorite. Surely there as a mistake. I totally understood, and as she took it to the kitchen I looked forward to the mistake being corrected and oh! how yummy that chop was going to be. We visit this place enough to know these are people who want to make it right. Wrong! As I watched her take the food to the kitchen, I saw the chef approach her and begin talking. The chef then argued with the server about the dish. She argued with not only the server but also the manager on duty. We could see the whole thing as it happened. Needless to say, after her poor reaction to people who KNOW this dish, I had Taco Bell for dinner. There was no way I was going to let someone angry with me make me more food. Her unprofessional actions led me to believe that if I had ordered something else, I may have gotten extras not found in a normal sanitary dinner. Yes, her tantrum and reaction turned me off.

I am saddened by this turn of events but I wonder if it was not in the cards. This family of restaurants is so big, the checks and balances of a hands on management experience have been lost. I am happy for the success of the owner, he has worked hard. But only for himself. He forgot about me. I have paid countless dollars to eat this food and expand his empire. I am thanked for contributing to his success by having an angry cook bawl out not one but two staff members who were representing me. In front of me at that! I was the idiot who didn't know a porkchop from a ....., and the staffers were stupid for trying to make it right. If it had been my first visit, my first taste, I would not have known she had made it differently than the recipe used for at least 4 years. It would not have mattered. I still would not have liked it, but that is part of ordering something for the first time. That was not the case. I knew this dish well, and I am not crazy. It was not right.

This incident, I believe, is part of something larger. Mr Restauranteur is busy. Very busy. What with an empire to run and all, he has no time for what got him his empire in the first place. The patrons have made this guy a name in a very competitive scene. Now as we enter his eateries, we are reminded of a corporate culture where nameless, faceless stupid customers get what chef says they get. The people who fell in love with good food at a good price suffer. The patrons who come enough to know your menu and care enough to speak up are now the enemy. And from the looks of things, the kitchen is ready for battle.

Will I eat there again? Sadly, not likely. The incident in this outlet is not isolated. I visited an outpost not so long ago only to have to an extremely inattentive staff make sure that (a.)my mother died of thirst, and (b) I needed to beg for my check only after getting less eye contact than a dissheveled fat drunk girl at closing time. Yes, what a stellar experience. Please Mr Restauranteur get rid of the distractions of an empire. Get rid of the outposts you cannot visit daily. Keep up with your staff. Do quality checks. Hell, hire "secret shoppers" Do whatever it takes to get your mojo back. You are dealing with the public. We have short memories. If we hear "it's like it used to be!" we will return. Remember who's dollars earned the interest necessary to open all these new places. Slow down, sir. If you cook it like it used to be, we will come. Pay attention to your successes, remember why they were successful in the first place. Remember me, I used to eat porkchops about twice a month. Remember when you had time for your loved ones.

Too many pots on the stove means someone is gonna get burned. I have already been burned but I will be okay. If you get burned, well, ....it's probably your own fault.

The best episode ever!

In the all things Simpsons theme this week, I want to tell you about my favorite episode. During the tenth season, the Simpsons rescued a diving horse. Upon realizing the incredible expense just to feed "Duncan" they must find a way to generate cash. They find Duncan a gig racing but his killer instinct is missing. So, they do a makeover. Duncan becomes "Furious D" a racehorse with a bad ass attitude. Think Dennis Rodman, they brand him, dye his mane, and give him a nose ring (actually, Lisa's bracelet) He becomes the bad boy of racing, and starts to win. This does not settle well with the other jockeys, and in grand Groening style, a musical errupts as Homer visits jockeyland (in a tree) and finds out the jockeys are all little freaks who hate outsiders. In the end, Furious D of course wins the big race and gets his pick of phillies.One really cool thing about this episode..... The first showing ever has music during one race that implies Cake's hit The Distance, All airings after that use the actual song.


only 3 days left!!!!

trivia:
Name the Jazzman Lisa mourned.



Yesterday's answer: Homer

The Count is on!

This week, I will celebrate my favorite tv show, The Simpsons. For fun, check how you would look if you were a resident of Springfield, USA at
http://www.simpsonsizeme.com/


movie count....only 4 days left!

Trivia for today..... Which main charecter is left handed?

How do you do ribs?

Barbeque is a very personal thing that raises passions in the most passive people. Everyone will tell you their kind of barbeque is The Best. Texans prefer beef barbeque with a sort of tomato based sauce, while southerners revere the pig. This is about all we can agree on, the vehicle of sauce delivery. Born and raised in South Carolina, I believe in my heart of hearts that mustard based sauce is the best way to go. North Carolinians are fans of the vinegar based stuff. In a house divided, the cook wins. Since my husband is not allowed to cook, I win. Not that he doesn't always have a choice, seeing as how we brought back 3 bottles of sauce the last time we visited the mountains. Luckily, he doesn't make me fix him his, but I would.
My method for fixing ribs is fairly straightforward. I cheat by boiling them through the danger zone in water with pickling spices. Next I soak them in sauce briefly then grill them for about 7 minutes on each side painting them with sauce after flipping. I then use some reserved sauce and give them one last onceover at service.
We usually take advantage of the warm grill, often cooking corn or other veggies on the grill as sides. Of course, the grill is often a valuable tool for preparing a most excellent bananna split for desert. Just remember to leave the peel on while cooking, it makes handling that much easier. Grilled pineapples are also great garnish for pina coladas or homemade ice cream.

Save me from myself

I was just checking out Bob DelGrosso's Hunger Artist blog (check it out under my links) and he has posted something that has set me off. No, I am not mad at Bob in the least. His news is unsettling to me. Hasbro has recalled Easy Bake ovens due to the fact that they could burn someone. Duh? Doesn't the word oven imply heat? Doesn't the word bake imply the use of heat? Good God! What is next? No pool because of the risk if drowning? If "they" (whoever 'they' are) ruled my world, according to "them" I should be dead.


In today's world, so many things are hazardous we really need to stay inside and watch tv and eat well done food stuffs.Seriously. Let's take a look at the risky behaviors I have risked my life with just recently. Big Brother forgive me, for I have sinned. I used the oven. I now know I can be burned so next time, I will eat the cookie dough raw. Oh, I can't do that either. Noone has ever eaten raw cookie dough and lived to tell about it. Hmmm, maybe I will eat a healthy spinach salad and oh wait, some cow crap made people sick and now folks not affected by the scare are not trusted to purchase and wash the greens and consume. I will just drink some water and ponder this. Damn! the water is from a tap and I live in an old city. Lead abounds. The fact I grew up visiting my grandmother's 1820's era home and drank water, tea whatever means I should have never seen 5th grade. Maybe I should just go on a bike ride. Shoot! I don't have a helmet and after surviving all these years without one, I must wear one because it sets a good example for children. I'd hate to be the poor example that utimately caused little Timmy a scraped chin because he copied me. screw the bike. How bout a jaunt to the beach? Maybe I'll go to my regular place. Oh yeah, it is overrun by tourists who really believe my tax dollars need to pay for lifeguards on every block so they get out of actually being responsible for their own kids. Isn't that why I pay for county parks manned by lifeguards? I guess I will just read on my couch. Damn! I can't concentrate because I am so upset over the number of trees sacrificed to publish this tome. I guess I could watch the news. Oh! which news to watch? Every group has named a different channel "the man" and I don't want to offend anyone or spend money on causes I would never entertain. I begin to think about dinner. (At least that's easy, but if I lived somewhere with more socially active residents, my choices would be limited because harassing people is okay as long as you don't eat foie gras and I hate confrontation.) Wait, not so easy. I visit my favorite hamburger joint (joint, not chain!) and am informed that due to a state law, my meat must be overcooked. (even though the law was actually repealed, the cooks don't want to learn how to cook a variety of temps even if I am the only table) On the way home I remember I need to feed the cat. The declawed cat. Oh yes! My true ticket to hell, even though I have no idea who had this done, and adopted him from my sister who had rescued him from the SPCA. Not our fault but I suppose it would have been easier to have him put to sleep than take him in, love him like only a childless mother could, and put up with the judgements attached to something my sister and I had nothing to do with. Yes, America, I should be on the most wanted list.

Writing this rant, I am trying to figure out when "they" took over. Why isn't it a world where the philosophy of Wings rings true. Live and Let Die. Quit telling me all the reasons what I do is killing me. Mind your own damn business. "They" have never had raw cookie dough, ridden a bike with no helmet, or known the sweet sweet pleasure of a juicy burger! "They" know so much better than me, what's good for me. Wait, actually, "they" don't. Have you ever seen a list of "Do's?" Me, neither. Everytime they look out for me, the edict starts with "Do Not" Maybe it is that the public is more likely to react to negative commands. Hmmm, are we really that stupid that well into adulthood, we need someone to tell us all the don'ts? I think not.

I am the anti"them" I say eat raw cookie dough before putting it into your preheated oven. Drink tap water, hell get crazy and drink it from the spigot outside. Ride without a helmet, and laugh when you fall! Eat whatever you like because it tastes good. Spend your family vacation with your kids, not pawning them off on lifeguards.Rescue an animal from an allergic kid's mom without knowing his history. And spend more time loving him than debating the choice of his previous master. I challenge you to do what you like to do. Sure, be responsible, but quit listening to them. In fact, I should tell you don't listen to me, either. Listen to yourself. Do what YOU like to do. Eat what you like to eat. In the end, are the foie fascists going to attend your funeral after you fall off your bike on the way to the place that makes the best medium burgers in town? If so, will they throw paint on the fur coat your grandmother bought in 1945? Will they drink the iced tea made with tap water at the home that has been in your family for generations? Will they understand the cat has not always been yours? Probably not. And that's the way I want it.

Something to look forward to

Now that my financial aid has been approved, I can get excited about my fall classes. I registered a couple weeks ago, but until the deal is sealed, I try not to get too excited. I cannot wait for school to start. This semester is different. I have a new profound appreciation for the physical act of attending classes. Last semester I could not physically attend school. I was involved in an extremely bad car wreck in January, about 3 weeks into Spring semester. It was a very stupid crash, and I won't bore you with the details, but after coming home from a week's hospital stay and titanium in my face as a souvenir, I had to make choices about school. Percocet does not make me decisive but I still knew what I had to do. Obviously facial inuries have lots of fallout... including drooling which is highly frowned upon at school. I had to drop my 2 lab classes from the giddy up. I had already missed several deadlines (by this time) but after speaking to my extremely understanding profs, I stayed in my online courses. I was able to tweak my nutrition class and do all work online as well. Oddly enough, we had a presentation to do in that class but I was one of the last to get the signup sheet so I was forced (luckily) to do mine during the last class before the wreck. Lucky me! Last semester my entire learning experience was hands on keyboard, not hands on ingredients, which is what I like. I'll stop here and say that I try to balance my schedule with some lab, and some textbook classes so I can do a little of everything. I also have the luxury of classes passed in my previous college experience; these classes also allow for more play in my schedule. Getting back on track, I am very satisfied with Fall semester's lineup.

I will have 2 long lab days for 5 credit hour Quantity class that will sandwich a 3 hour management class. Then I will take the required psych, interpersonal communications, and hos marketing online. I wish I could take marketing in person, but the timing was off. I also was unable to line up another lab class this semester. Alot of my scheduling has to do with a certain chef instructor I had and really identified with. This person's style of teaching really jibed with my learning style, and I wanted to have that repoire if convenient. I don't even think I will be his student past this semester as he doesn't seem to teach many other topics. Anyhow I got him for my 2 on campus classes, and feel fortunate to already know the general expectations. The guy is no pushover, I found/find him very intimidating yet very fair. The fact thet he encourages his students based on their level of dediaction, interest, and participation thrills me. I hate being in classes where the slow/inept/disinterested get the most attention. I am there to work, I want to spend every second learning or trying something. If I am waiting for chef, I often eavesdrop incase he tells you something I don't know. But if you are asking him how to zero out the scales on the 10th class meeting, I will avoid partnering up with you like the plague. I had a partner last fall who was afraid of cleaning fish, and on the day we had to simply 6 way a chicken, she gave her chicken a name and made several sympathetic comments to the extremely dead "henry" the chicken. Needless to say it would seem like a problem. No, my chef began assigning my the more technical aspects of the preparation and addressing me on the progress of our assisnments. He was able to keep me engaged and challenged while occupying the girl who was required to take the class. That is fair. I also think we both walked away from that class with an equal trade for what we put into it. In other words, it was not all lost on her, but I probably learned more because I wanted to. This will bode well for me. The other plus of course is the familiarity factor since I probably will not know anyone else in the room. The people I started with most likely passed these classes during the spring and have moved on.
Being twice some students age can be intimidating, I know I am not very "cool." I have the same insecurities we all do when joining a new group of people, will they like me? what if they are all a million times better than me? what if ? what if? Yeah it is all childish, but we all do it to some extent. It's how you deal with it. I usually just try to get along with everybody, and do my best work without complaint. It seems to work, and I count "henry the chicken" girl, and a few other 20 year olds as new friends. It is really only when chef asks pop culture questions that I seem to show much age. For example, once he asked for names of famous or influential chefs. The mainly 20something student body replied by pretty much naming the food network's lineup. When he pointed to me, I replied with Trotter, Child, and Pepin. Hmmm, lots of ground covered between Paula and Pepin. Yes my answers came from the heart, not from what the tv told me to say. But really other than that, the real business of school is learning and that's what most of the people are there to do. And I can't wait to get started learning again!

Date night dinner

Saturday, I visited a great butcher shop, Ted's. I just love steak, and being my father's only child to actually live with him after the divorce, I love my grill. We made big plans to celebrate a friend's birthday yesterday, but he backed out and we were tired. So tonight is sorta date night. Normally filet is not on the menu on some random Monday. However due to the beauty of the meat I simply cannot will not freeze them for another day. I am not a big fan of thawed meat anyways, and to be honest the freezer is an abyss where some things never see the light of day again once they've gone in. That is until the offending frozen object falls out onto my foot. Then it is banished for good. So back to the steak, we frequent a restaurant that serves boursin on their filets. It is a delicous alternative to the tried and true Bernaise. I did a little checking and after finding it at local grocery stores for about $7.00 for 8 ounces, decided to experiment. A former employer and I were chatting and after comparing her recipe with other ones I'd come across I found a formula that works for our tastes. Since I really have no rant today, I thought I'd share with you how I do it for way less than grocery store prices. Like all things culinary, this is just what we like. The formula is basic, and of course you can tweak the herbs you use and make it your own....

Boursin
4 oz cream cheese
4 oz butter
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp tarragon
1 tsp shallot minced
squirt lemon juice
Mix together and use salt and pepper to taste
It is imperitive you use butter not margarine, as the margarine seems to coat the tongue, inhibiting the herb taste.
Sometimes, I use a mix of oregano, basil, dill, rosemary, and garlic for a more "traditional" boursin.
This is a great toy.... play with the flavors to find a combination you like.

Same roads, same rights, not the same rules

The mantra of bicyclists who ride in busy areas seems to be same roads, same rules, same rights. I personally loved riding my bicycle to work for the three years it was truly amenable. I am talking about daily. Depending on the time of year, I rode in the early morning cold winter darkness or even during a couple tropical storms. It was the best way to go, I would have had to wake up and leave home earlier had I chosen to drive. (also it didn't hurt the pocketbook. Once my car was broken in to and I didn't know for 3 days because I literally never needed to drive.)I won't lie. It was dicey at times, and some motorists really scared me. I think it is great that bike enthusiasts have banded together to make the public more aware of safety, and the need for safe places for folks to enjoy. But....
I am sick of bicyclists who want their cake and plan on eating it too. For goodness sake! Same rules. That what YOU keep telling me. The hardcore bicycle brigade around here wants me to ignore a third of THEIR message. I am sick of watching near misses as the rule about stopping at a red light is ignored. One way streets? Those rules do not seem to apply, either. You freak out and gesture using one finger when people drive close to you because they have to. Maybe that whole same rules thing would come in handy in this situation. Hmmm, running a red light and turning extra wide, and it is my fault you broke the law resulting in me nearly veering in to oncoming traffic while I have the light. Horns honk and you Mr Trek think people are disrespecting you. No they are honking at me for avoiding you and nearly getting all of us killed. Why the discrepancy? Yes, I realize there are as many assholes on four wheels as there are on two. No arguement there. Obviously you value your life, you are out doing something healthy. I get the whole low environmental impact thing too. I just fail to understand why you fight so hard for these basic rights only to shoot yourselves in the toes. I can liken it to one of my vices. I hate seeing smokers litter the land with discarded butts. Hate it. As a smoker, it infuriates me. All it does is give the nonsmoking public more ammunition.Same thing with bikes. If you want to further your cause, live the whole entire complete mantra. I think same rules means same rules. Get it? With every near miss you make me angrier that my tax dollars are funding enhancing an activity for those above the law. (ie bike paths and the such)Like smokers, some leadership by example is necessary. C'mon y'all. If part of your platform is same rules, start abiding that. I know there are responsible cyclists out there, there just has to be. Will you guys please get out there and show the rest how it is done? Nobody takes a cause seriously when those involved in the cause are exemplifying poor behavior. I, for one, take cyclists safety seriously. The last thing I need is another hood ornament. I already have one. I just don't see many cyclists doing the same. Running a stop sign to turn the wrong way onto a one way street is not how your cause will be helped.
I know this may infuriate any cyclist who actually reads this. I'd be furious too. Not at the messenger, though. I'd get pissed at the guy or gal who is going to benefit from your hard work and model behavior. It is not fair. The appropriate cyclist will ultimately pay the price for the irresposible cyclist. How many more times will it be the motorists fault before the police start paying closer attention to the behavior of riders, and begin taking away rights?As more and more people open up to this form of transit, more and more jackasses will buy bikes. The ensuing mayhem can be avoided if a few brave cyclists change the culture by educating others. C'mon y'all, teach these yahoos same roads, same rules, same rights. Put some emphasis on rules. Or just add another R. Same responsibility. I just want what you all want.Make cyclists live by their mantra.

Leave your money and get out

Ahhh summer. Americans love summer. I think it goes back to when we were kids... the freedom of no school, no alarm clock, and no worries. There is something about this time of year that makes people travel. Not just those with children, but also regular folks who can leave it all behind at any time. In my corner of the world, tourism is a leading industry. People love to come and invade my city and drop insane amounts of money. I appreciate that, I really do. Without tourists, I believe our restaurant and cultural scenes would not be as stellar. I get it. The tourist dollars do lots of good things to our economy, and more than a few of my friends directly benefit from tourism. I am not knocking tourists but they are starting to make me a bit batty. They forget to pack common sense when preparing for vacay. I have come up with a few guidelines that will make you much more welcome when your grace our fair city.

• Remember not everyone is on vacation time. It seems simple but people forget that they are in a living city with actual residents with real lives. I have had to step off of sidewalks more than once into traffic to get around families who really believe a narrow sidewalk is the ideal place to debate their next must-see. Get the hell out the way, or a least give me room to walk. I am not a "large" person, but I can't get through!
• Driving. If you cannot afford a guided tour, do not come. I am glad you like looking at historic houses, but driving all of 5 MPH with 10 cars behind you that are incapable of passing you really sets off tempers. If you need to spend time taking in sights, pay a professional. They will shuttle you around town with minimal impact to locals, and tell you about why what you are seeing is worth seeing. Also if for some reason you do not understand "one way" "do not enter" or "turn lane only" don't drive. Hint: if all the parked cars are facing you with their headlights, it is probably a one way street. This means don't turn there. I have had more near misses with people going the wrong way than I can count. It scares the hell out of me.One way is determined by local city planners not you.I don't care about the traffic laws in your town, you are here. And as stated before, there are real people with real lives who live here and need to get around.
• Complaining. Unless you are from somewhere quite unique, it probably rains where you live, too.My state is under drought warnings. We need the rain for our agrarian brethren.When you bitch about the rain, I laugh. I lived in MT for several years, near Yellowstone, and I had a man read a pal the riot act when she refused to let his 10 year old son buy a lighter as fires raged all around and the threat of evacuation was looming, even affecting some members of the community forced to leave their homes. For shit's sake, you are somewhere with real people with real lives.(mantra) If the area you visit has conditions you don't understand, don't go. Do your homework! If you visit my town in the summer, it will be hot, and we will have showers. Just like where you live. Duh!
• I don't care how you do it at home. You are here now. If you don't like how we do it, stay home or go somewhere that jibes better with you expectations.
• This one is HUGE! Please for the love of sweet baby Jesus, keep your children in check! Nasty children with sticky fingers spinning in the middle of a store, sidewalk or near the front door of where I want to eat really pisses me off. Yes, I do want you to have great memories but this is not a vacation from humanity. Keep an eye on those rugrats and remember people don't dig unruly children. And when your kid runs in to traffic because you are not watching them, it is not the driver's fault. Funny, another one of those just like at home things.....
• Tipping. No Rachel Ray, exactly 15% is cheap! Just like the tours, if you cannot afford to tip your server, tour guide, concierge, bartender, or housekeeper DO NOT come. You will have a better time if you treat the locals right. We do these jobs to pay the bills, and rent ain't cheap.... Also you might get insider info not for the cheap that could make your stay even better.Hmmmm.... you wouldn't stiff your server at the Appleees you take the famdamily to every Friday at 6 on the dot. Oh wait, you probably do.
• Get your facts straight. How many people believe the market downtown sold slaves? It didn't. It is not the "Slave Market" It is the Market, dumbass. Chicken, shrimp, veggies, now tourist crap...no slaves.Again, shell out the bucks to get the facts straight or keep your uninformed mouth shut.
• Lastly, dress appropriately. A 50 year old pale overweight male Ohioan has no business wearing a speedo. Look around, if an in shape 23 year old local won't sport it, neither should you. When in Rome..... wear a speedo. I hear Europeans dig them, we, however, do not.

This rant really could go on for a few more hours. I just needed to target some of the common sense things people don't realize. I will close by saying that we do want you to come. We just expect you to act like you have some sense. Remember the mantra. A real city with real residents with real lives.

Menu for a mid July gathering

As promised, this is lowdown on what I will serve this weekend.

Hors d'ouvres:
Grits dip with blue tortilla chips
This is another signature dish that unbelievably was on the frequently requested list during my tenure out west. Recipe to follow

Salad:
Lime and blue cheese slaw

Protein:
Lime chicken grilled
Easiest marinade in the world! Recipe to follow.

Veggies:
Grilled summer squash and carrots or silver queen corn (nothing but nothing beats fresh silver queen corn, brother!)

Starch:
I'm thinking some roasted tarragon lime potatoes (credit Ruhlman's discussion about herbs for that one)

Dessert:
Grilled bananas with vanilla ice cream and a strawberry sauce

There is alot of grilled stuff on the menu, but considering I am a charcoal girl (take that Hank Hill) I really like to get maximum use. I also love my little porch, and would rather entertain out there weather permitting than spend time inside over a stove.

Grits Appetizer
1 cup grits
2 cups milk
3/4 cup sundried tomato pesto
1- 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese

Prepare grits using milk in lieu of water. End result should be creamy but not wet. Stir in pesto and 1 cup cheese. Transfer to oven safe serving dish, cover mixture with remaining cheese, and brown. I usually serve it with blue tortilla chips for the color contrast.

Chicken Marinade
1 can of limeaide
tbsp minced garlic
tbsp oregano
I hate to use a Rachel Ray word, but I am not a pastry chef concerned with exact numbers. Eyeball it. I usually marinate my bird for at least a couple hours. Tenders work good for skewers for a barbeque party when you want something besides burgers and dogs.

What's for dinner?

Today, I thought I would not rant so much. I have had an easy morning. As per my usual routine, I generally get up, shower, and hit the coffee shop for some motivation. After I have caffeinated goodness coursing through my veins, I think about what to buy for dinner. I go to the grocery daily on the week days, and only purchase what I need. This is just how it goes. I hate buying too far in advance, and usually whatever I do get in advance gets lost in the bowels of an overly full fridge.

So what is dinner like at Casa de Ranter?

During school, I usually recreate whatever we have prepared in lab, while method and taste are still fresh on my mind. Before practicals, we usually eat whatever I plan on preparing for a grade. I am hyper-organized when it comes to school, and enjoy the confidence that comes with being ready for an exam. For my finals, I have been known to print my recipes and method on one side of paper and print my mise en place list on the back, along with a schedule for timing. All this prior preparation prevents poor performance since I am actually able to relax and simply cook instead of do alot of thinking.

Off months, like summer break and winter break, I go for easy. This summer's menu has seen lots of fresh fish and pasta or salad. I adore simple dishes when it is hot and don't want to spend alot of time in my kitchen. Tonight is simply fresh tuna, and roasted red potatoes. Last night was chicken sausage and tortelloni with pesto. You get the idea. I may experiment with a sauce but I generally try to keep my time in the kitchen to a minimum. The winter is a whole other thing. If I am not cooking whatever I made in lab that day, I torture my husband with endless experimentation with sauces. We have some rediculous sauce nightly. Some work, some do not. I enjoy the "mad scientist" role I assume and love playing with flavors. The manipulation of food is amazing to me. I love using combinations of spices and herbs that are unusual and enjoy the element of surprise when my husband deems the dish "worthy" of a slot in the regular rotation. He, by the way, is a very adventurous eater raised by a meat and potatoes kinda family. Not that that is bad. I love mil's flank steak. All this bodes well for me, as I can fix a simple meatloaf and mashers or go for some insane creation I have been pondering for a while. He is easy to please and enthusiastic about new things. Yeah, that's why I married him.
So, what is in the grocery cart? I seem to buy shallot, butter, and garlic cloves regularly. If I don't grow them myself, I purchase fresh herbs from the farmers market. I get mushrooms at least once a week, and red potatoes or fingerlings make an appearance in various ways frequently. We seem to do lots of chicken and pork, but if it is a good grill day, red meat with char marks is lovely. Another perk of my climate is shrimp. Wild SC shrimp is outrageous! We know several baiters and during that season we score enough fresh shrimp that we can stash some for use in my signature shrimp gravy during cooler months.
I hope this has given you an idea of what I do casually. If it is a "dinner thing" then I will step up the game, usually a Wellington with duxelles in lieu of foie gras (not a political statement, easier and cheaper to feed the masses) some fresh veg, like asparagus, a starch like risotto, a salad with homemade vinegrette, and some f'ing dessert I did not really feel like making. (another aside... HK did not influence this menu, it has been in place since our first dinner party after we got married last year) We got into "menu rut" after a couple we entertain regularly requested the same dishes with every invite. The beef is his fave, and she's like me and won't cook it for just 2 people even though we both are very aware you can do individual wellingtons. Oh yeah, the duxelles thing.... we have an amazing basil plant, and love mushrooms so I do incorporate it regularly. I do mushrooms stuffed with duxelles on the grill almost every time the flame hits the charcoal just because it is so damn good.
Now the disclosure.... I have had my eating and cooking habits on my mind today. We are having company for dinner this weekend, no not the Wellingtons. I am busy with marketing events for my side business tomorrow and the next day, so I am considering my menu now. I just did a recon mission at the market, and got some ideas. I will post my menu separately so you don't have to sludge through it if you don't want to.
I hope I have given some insight into how food and cooking is done around these parts. Our friend the pharmacist looks in people's medicine cabinets to be nosy. If you want to find out more about a cook, follow them through the grocery or farmer's market.

Houseguests and Fish....

There is an old saying about houseguests and fish. They both stink after three days. I would have to disagree. My expiration comes much more quickly. About three hours is my limit. Okay that's not true for all houseguests, but....

I had a visitor this weekend. My friend, X, and I have been friends since our freshman year of college back in the eighties. Brought together in the dorm through our love of alt rock, we have been pals for a long while. Too long. It is not that I don't love my friend or really appreciate all she does for me. She was totally on top of things at my wedding, and when my father died she was on the first call list. It's just that lately, we really don't have anything in common.Yeah, we both still love the same music, and shop at the same places, but we genuinely have very little to discuss. I know we have both changed as we have aged but she has not changed as much as I have. This is a problem. I grew up. I started a business, returned to school, got married, and well, just grew up. She on the other hand, is Peter Pan. With most excellent funding from Daddy, she has never had to do alot of the things that teach you about life. As a result, she is still like a 21 year old. She goes out to see bands nightly, but is not a big drinker. She is there for the boys. She does this wierd idol worship thing and takes pictures of the band, and talks about members of local and national acts as though she personally knows all of them. For example, the Chili Peppers were playing at Live Earth this weekend. She was all "Anthony" this, "Chad" that like they were gonna meet us for cocktails later on. She was doing this with every act! She spoke like Duran Duran were her neighbors and Crowded House were going to text her when they finished their set.Yeah, in my younger days, I sat in the "phil zone" and felt like Jerry was playing Franklin's Tower just for me but the reality was that outside of my Dead circle, they were collectively the Grateful Dead. I just don't get it and frankly she got on my last nerve and did a tapdance.
It used to be fun. In our late teens, music was our voice. It identified us as deadheads, alt rockers, country fans, or metal rockers. It was a vital part of our identities, and told the world our attitudes and opinions by turning it up! Yeah. Fast forward 20 years, and I don't need music to define me to the world.I have enough living under my belt that I know who I am, and believe in my grandfather's Army credo...deeds not words. I don't have to run with the cool crowd to let the world think better of me. I am not even sure what the cool crowd is!The names I can drop are because of actual contact and relationship, but I feel like namedropping is cheesy. I am simply me, and I am probably a nerd. I don't care. It's all I have. Yeah, in my twenties, I did go to the cool places, and knew all the musicans and bartenders. Guess what? In our late thirties most of the cool crowd have day jobs, mortgages, ex spouses, insurance, and voter registration cards. The ride is long over. Most of the cool crowd have grown up and those who haven't have pretty much sealed the deal for entry into the lame-o hall of fame. It is downright sad to feel like you have to entertain someone you find kind of pathetic. This girl wanted to go and see bands in a college town with college kids. Her enthusiasm is admirable but her lifestyle freaks me out. I have no desire to be the cool old lady in the crowd and down Jager Bombs like a baby needs milk. We used to make fun of those women and lament how sad it is when people don't know when to quit. Sadly our houseguest IS that woman now. When she came in the fall, we had to get to the bar early to sit near the band. When we got to the bar, the band looked terrified when they saw her. She goes to gigs and takes pictures of the bands and freaks them out. I know of one incident where she got in a fistfight with a girl over an obsession. Jeez! Admit you are old and move on.....
So. What to do? I am hoping that with the lameness of last weekend (we only went out to eat, no bars) she will understand that this is how folks our age operate. Hubby and I went about our dull little lives with the only differences being the whole eating out all weekend thing, and a bigger discresionary fund than other weekends. How we rolled last weekend is really how we roll. Maybe leading by example is our best hope. I doubt she found us very fun, but we are not fun peopple. We pay our bills, upgrade when a replacement is needed (not before), don't call in "hungover", and above all we act our age! Yeah I tried to sell hubby's kidney on ebay to bankroll a trip to catch The Police, and we do offer jello shooters to parents we know taking their kids around on Halloweeen, but we also know our place. Have you seen that older drunk couple in the corner? She's wearing a Ramones t-shirt with an obviously dire need for a bra. He's got on a baseball cap trucker style ala 2002. They are buying shots for the table of college kids adjacent to them. They believe they have new cool friends. They, in reality, have given these kids material for weeks to come. That is so not us. Not even when company is in town.

Why me and food?

This is not a rant, as much of a reflection. I was posed with the question "why me and food?" the other day. It was interesting to read what other people had to say, and then reflect on the question myself. I think Southerners have an odd relationship with eating and food. It is an event. For us, Sunday always meant Sunday Dinner with my grandparents at around 1 or 2. It was the midday spread with fresh veggies, a delicious meat, and a leisurely pace. We had close to a Christmas meal 52 weeks a year. It was just what we did. I believe it was not unusual as I recall other kids eating dinner at their grandparents' homes too. It's funny. Oblivious me, I didn't realize we were using china and silver and crystal until my mother started giving me sets of china for every occasion (5 full sets and growing!) I never saw it as pageantry or anything, it was normal. It wasn't like today.We use our china daily and people think we are nuts. The everyday china my mother gave me is just that. My little (and only)sister has never used any of her china for food. Sure she has some of it displayed, depending on the season, but no plate has ever needed to be washed. She couldn't have people for dinner if she tried. It just didn't hit her the way it hit me. Yeah, we have to eat but let's make it good. I love cooking a great meal for friends, and serving it attractively. It is fun! Supper each night for us is a chance to unwind and discuss the day. I fully love cooking and enjoy talking to my husband so I actually look forward to suppertime. I think I was influenced by the women in my family who enjoyed it the was I do. My Mama loves cooking dinner on Sundays. My grandmother loved food so much she would savor each bite, often taking twice as long to finish half as much as everyone else. They saw it as a pleasure. I see it as a pleasure. I think I got it.
On the other side of the family, my father was raised in a mill village with 4 siblings. Simple country folk, these grandparents stretched every dollar and despite socio-economic differences from my mother's clan, they ate like kings. Disposed royalty, but royalty nonetheless. According to family lore, the children and my grandfather would all come home for lunch. Every day! Not only did my grandmother cook supper but apparently they enjoyed a large lunch daily as well. Don't get me started on this grandmother. I never met her but fourty years after her death, her cakes apparently are still the stuff of legend. Even though they raised 5 kids in a mill village, they came up with college tuition for all. My father left the mill village to become a lawyer and politican. He left the comforts of simple country cooking for flashier pastures. With his career, he travelled around the world. He got exposed to things his parents would never have even read about. Living in DC, he acquired new tastes, and had to learn how to cook for himself when my mother and I had to move home permenantly for me to attend school. Once we moved, Saturday night became steak night and usually my parents would teach me about wine allowing me a small goblet. When my parents got divorced a few years later, my father retired from the public eye to practice law. He also had to start cooking for himself. My Dad died earlier this year but he lives on in my kitchen. My best memories of him are surrounded by food. His travel spawned a love for food, and he always said his do-over would be to open a small restaurant that he and I could do together. In a way, he sort of did. He entertained regularly. He and I would shop for and prepare foods for friends every single weekend. We had similar ideas, and as his health declined, he had to trust me to fix whatever he requested to his specs. I took over alot of cooking the last year of his life, and still feed my noncooking stepmother once a week. His tastes ran from champagne to Pabst and my repertoire reflects that influence. I am equally at ease making a dish with hollandaise as I am with pan gravy. You know how they say a deceased person lives onn the heart? Sometimes I believe my Dad lives on in my kitchen.
Okay. We have covered the family influence. Where does that leave me and independant thought? I love food. The act of selecting materials, manipulating tastes, and serving it to someone is near religion to me. I left teaching with something missing in my soul. I found it my first day of school. Not only is culinary school challenging, but it is also a labor of love. It is creating. Unless you are a policy and curriculum director, you don't get alot of creative lattitude in schools.I see parallels between the two professions but a happy tummy is infinitely more rewarding than teaching a child manners in spite of their obnoxious mom. Besides, I have a business involving baked goods safe for allergic individuals, so I still get to do "kid stuff." I think I found a voice in the kitchen and an avenue for my creative thoughts. Realisically, it will be a long time before I have complete creative control (damn those dues!) but with every recipe I learn at work or school, I bring it home, make it my own and then write down what I did. I feel as though I am chipping away on my future with every success and failure. Not once did teaching make me feel like I could "go places" Once, a chef instructor asked us what we wanted to do with our education. I answered "I want to be the best I can be" He smiled. In teaching there is no superlative. In certain circles you may hear how well little insert pretentious family name here did in so and so's class last year, that is not for me. I have been amply praised for my work with kids. I would rater have someone say I make the best insert name of something I can fix well here. I want a reputation for excellence in something other than the fine art of ass kissing. I want people I have never met to call me and request something I make because it is that good. Period. I have no desire to ever be on tv, and if I write a cookbook it will be because someone I know and love wants some formulas. I just want to be the best at something I know I can do unfettered. Something I love to do. I will not profess to be an expert ever. I pledge to evolve as my interests and the public's tastes change. I will also pledge that in the foreseeable future I will leave molecular gastronomy alone. I will remember that passion involves learning and learning involves humility.
Food and I go along way back. In retrospect, I should have taken this whole cooking for cash thing more seriously earlier in life. Second career people are sometimes treated as second class citizens, always late to the party and without a hostess gift. I have met this prejudice before, even though I had spent more time in a kitchen than my accuser. I know I may be a little late to the cooking as a career thing, but I also know who I am and my strengths, weaknesses, and ambitions. I love food and cooking. That is the answer to why me and food. We have all heard to pick something you love to do and work will never feel like work. If that is true, I am setting myself up for permenant vacation.

Fourth of July

Today is the Fourth of July. I love this holiday.There is something about a day to celebrate in the middle of the summer... I enjoy the pageantry and tradition and weather. Not unlike other families here, we have a routine that rarely has changed from year to year. Unless there is a death or illness, we all head out to the same beach house that had been in my family for generations. The place is just magical. Memories of years gone by come rushing back and we sit around swapping stories of holidays gone by and family members no longer with us. We all talk about Tom's boiled peanuts, and the neighbor's fried bacon wrapped crackers.We talk about the cousin's dog who bit every child in our family at some point, and the year my cousins talked (dared) me into dressing up like the Statue of Liberty and waving at traffic.We talk about WWII when my mother and grandmother went to live on an uncle's dairy farm until my grandfather returned rather than live alone.We talk football and politics. To be honest, football is a much more heated debate than politics....some of the men played football at one school while others attended the in-state rival. All's fair.My family is All American and damn proud of it!
So, what is my rant?
My inlaws are a little different than us.Do not mistake me. My father-in-law actually enlisted voluntarily in the Navy during Vietnam. He is patriotic as hell. So is his wife. Either second or third generation Americans, they can trace their roots back to Germany easily, and quickly. Truly stories of the American Dream, I have heard all about South Dakota, raising cattle, and fighting the elements to be self sufficient. They come from amazing immigrants who worked hard and really carved out a positive, productive life in the states. This is where the rant starts.The other day, my mil (mother in law) and niece were at Kmache checking out. Apparently the girl (age6) asked mil if the people in front of them were Mexican. Mil answered yes and niece replied "why don't they go back to their country?" Mil could have crawled under the nearest table but really did nothing to discourage her.She simply told her to be quiet. Then she called us and told us the family needs to watch what they say around her. WHAT? I was disgusted! My mother would have yanked my sorry ass out of that store so fast the other shoppers would not have been able to ID us in a lineup. I told mil a prejudiced child is gross. I then suggested to her to point out that niece's family had all come from some other country first.To that she said no, we are from here. I said, "y'all are not native americans, your forefathers came from Europe." For goodness sake! Why does this bother me? We never see that child. I see her about 4 times a year, and certainly don't discuss immigration with her. Mil and fil take care of her more than anyone else. Good people who love America but refuse to watch what they say, and then want to share the blame with people that child rarely sees. Arrgh! I love America for all her colors, ethnicities, and differences. Always have. I was raised with all sorts of types, and people were just people. I always knew that my family came from Wales, England, Germany, and the Cherokee Tribe. Genealogy is fascinating to me, and I celebrate my differences the same way I devour mole fresh from my buddy Mimi's kitchen every time I visit her and her extremely Mexican family. I love my how my Eastern European friends try to kill me with carraway goulash. I think it is neat to go to Nancy's and have Cuban inspired dishes. Never mind Hannukah with our native Israeli friends....even a Catholic Priest would love the spread! I love this melting pot! All this said, I choose not to debate legals vs illegals here. I have my opinions but that platform is for another day. I think we should celebrate America today. All of it. We should invite someone of a different origin to celebrate. We should learn our neighbors stories. We should respect others. We need to remember where we all came from, and celebrate tha we are all here in the good ol USA. We need to teach children about baseball and hotdogs, open up a dialogue about diversity and how we are lucky to be citizens of the US. Lets focus on how to keep a 6 year old acting like a kid, not a political pundit. Let's talk positively about immigrants, we all had to come from somewhere. Let's learn the story before making the call. And let's teach children to do the same. Unless you ask, how do you know the story? I honestly hope the folks in line in front of mil and niece will forgive a child for parroting a warped view. I hope they have a great Independence Day, they probably respect it more than that child does, in fact I'm not sure she knows the meaning.
I had to get this off my chest. Prejudice is wrong. A prejudiced child is plain wrong.While I am disgusted and embarassed by this "innocent" remark, I will not share the blame for a behavior learned from others but rather suggest other ways to explain diversity. After all, diversity is what makes us great. I respect other cultures and love their foods. I do not respect shrugging off piss poor attitudes and behaviors, nor do I find it cute or funny. That child should have been at least talked to about her heritage, and maybe she would understand why what she said was wrong and hurtful. Please teach children understanding, we can choose to celebrate diversity or down it, the choice is ours, and we can teach kids how to work within the structures of polite society or be ignorant assholes. We can move forward or backwards. It is up to us!
Happy Fourth of July!!

On getting run off

Today I am broken-hearted. I had to quit my job this weekend. It is quite a story but I'll share. First a little background. I was working at a catering company. I loved it! The hours, tasks, and pay were not a problem at all. I walked into this field knowing about monotonous tasks, 16 hour days, and small paychecks. I had done it all before, and none of that bothered me. I really dig cooking and the satisfaction of a job well done. I work well under deadlines, and can get along with most anybody. That is under most circumstances. Last week, I had to work on an event with the regular cast of charecters. No problem, right? The menu had baby carrots on it. I noticed a coworker was panning up a tray of said carrots, when I noticed they were filthy. Like out of the garden filthy. My personal philosophy is to act like every dish will be eaten by you and your loved ones. If you wouldn't give it to your Mom, don't give it to a customer. I discretely said to her, "hey those look a little dirty, want me to rinse them for you?" She rolled her eyes and put a drizzle of water over them, and called it good. I let it be at that, figuring I had done all I could and the exec would see them and correct accordingly. More about that later. I didn't realize that being discrete, and not tattling would still press her buttons. I moved on not realizing the fatal mistake I had made. This apparently was wrong. And now, I had hell to pay. Timeline-wise that is when it all changed. I believe she thought I was being bossy or something, when in reality I probably should have told the exec. After this very quiet and simple exchange, I became a dead woman walking. I had no idea! This lady then took every chance she could get to be in my way, and boss me around. Arrgh! Dirty looks and interruptions became part of her MO. I had had enough. After watching her sit and watch me do a task we were all assigned, I decided one more time and I was gonna have to do something. I didn't want to involve the exec who already knew I was tiring of X's behavior, but rather act like an adult, and take care of it myself. It took no time for it to happen. X and I returned from a break (2hour) to finish prep and do the event. There were things that had to be done post haste. I had completed one task and had my sights set on another. I was at the walk in furiously searching for an ingredient when she stuck her arm in front of me, forcing me to move, so she could grab some lunch meat for her own personal consumption! After a 2 hour break! Not even an "excuse me" or anything.Here I am doing a work related task when X feels the need to serve herself instead of helping with what everyone else is busting their asses to finish. I finally had to call her on it. I could take no more. So I did. I spoke as calmly as possible, using specifics, and appropriate language. I really hate confrontation so I was shaking like a leaf. her reaction was to throw her hands in the air and walk away. Now before we go much further, Yes, I do know it is a kitchen, not cotillion. Still. If X had reached in front of a stranger at the grocery, she would have said "excuse me"....right? I use coarse language at times, no problem. My coworkers show up hung over and dragging, that is okay by me. There are times manners and civility get pushed aside in a rush and I do understand. Consistently being rude is what is not okay. When someone makes it obvious that there is no room for any sort of respect for others, that's when I have a problem. Respect is universal. I understand that respect is not always given, that is fine. It does have to be earned but I am talking about just normal decency! If you have to move someone out the way to get something for work, do it. Try to say excuse me but if you don't you don't. If you have the time to saunter to the fridge and feed your face, you can either wait for the person to move or just say pardon, or excuse me. I realize I just entered the grey area of situational, but I feel like I am not far off the mark. Sometimes we all forget to say excuse me and that is not what I am ranting about. It is a consistent disrespect that is why I am jobless. Upon her throwing her arms in the air, I could stomach no more. So I hastily took off my apron and said "later" In retrospect, it was not the right thing to do but I was shaking like someone with a seizure disorder and felt like breath was not coming fast enough. (Did I mention I hate confrontation?) I walked outside to "cool down" and then asked to speak to the exec. She came out and I immediately told her I was wrong for what was basically quitting and lamented about how I said that in haste and really regretted it. I went on to explain to her that I had had all I could take and had not wanted to trouble her with going to battle for me. I reiterated that I did love my job but could not handle a rude person sidetracking me constantly. I still did not "rat X out" or take any other low road. I felt that I had shown my dedication by being on time and on task. I even came in at 6:45 one morning when the exec had overslept with a breakfast due at 7:30. I was not scheduled until 9 that morning but did not mind the jump start to my day. We had even discussed my future with the company and shared similar visions. I could not believe what transpired. The wedding coordinator, who really knew nothing about what was happening or the back story, told exec to send me home. Still I understood. I had screwed up after all, and her actions made sense to me. This is the OMG factor. I was told as I left that I would talk to exec on Monday. She would get in touch with me, she said. At 5pm Mon I had heard nothing,so I called. Of course I had to leave a message but I put on my professional attitude and said I would still love to talk to her and discuss other things not appropriate for a voice mail, thank you, and blah blah blah. Did I get a call back? Hell no! All I wanted was common respect in the workplace and a healthy dialogue about that. It became crystal clear that a hard working dedicated employee was not what they were looking for, and that poor behavior gets rewarded. That lady still has her job and will continue to run off good hard working employees because they will continue to let her. Again, I was not totally right in how I reacted but I certainly never saw this coming. If they chose to part ways with me, fine. I will be okay. The part that stinks is that nobody even had the courtesy to call as promised and tell me to go to hell or whatever. That would have been fine. So, what is the lesson here? I need to not speak in haste. I have learned that. I have always been told to work out problems with whomever I have the problem with. The exec is not a referee. I get it. I will now have to evaluate better when to just involve the chef and trust the right thing will be done. I hate tattling but I like what I do. I realize not everyone is going to get along. That is okay, too. I don't have to be friends with everybody. I just don't need dirty looks or your hand in my face or your instructions on what I need to do after I finish whatever task I have at hand while you sit and watch me work. Ask anyone, I am always asking what is next?Obviously based on the chain of events, respect is not prized at that particular environment. The coordinator's disinterest in the whole story, both sides, led to her keeping a problem employee, and basically rewarding her behavior. Too bad for them. One day, I will be the competition and they will be serving dirty carrots.

I really don't care

I visit a blog I love on a daily basis. I am a fan of the blogger, and really enjoy the intelligent, and spirited comments that follow. Lately there has been alot of abuse on what is otherwise a pleasant spot. People really believe other readers enjoy their abuse of the comment button. I mean that's the conclusion I have come to. I have recently learned a new term, "clog the blog" and on my favorite, there seems to be a need for a little draino. I am sick of hearing about fellow student you feel are inept and then feel the need to defend your position.if you are inarticluate then maybe the written word is not your best forum.No need to experiment or waste my time.Waffling sucks! State your position and stick to it. I don't care about who you have supposedly met on match.com, and I am sick of off topic posts for your personal pleasure. Yes, I like when you give us appropriate background that helps define where you are coming from, it gives perspective necessary to appreciate your posts. I do not care about your cat unless it can read and discuss what ever is relevant. I hate people who endlessly add comments one after another. Yeah, there are times when we all hit post only to realize further articulation is necessary. but come on! Gather your thoughts and don't keep coming back with one more thing...EVERY TIME you post. Also I have learned, if no one answers your comment, move on. It is not personal, just not on the forefront of other's minds. I have also heard about name changing. If you feel the need to change your name, consider why. Is a snappy new nom de plume gonna change the ass you are? Not so likely. to be honest, not many folks are fans of that tactic, and will catch on to an old jackass in a new dress. Also, if this is not clear, try to stick to the topic at hand. I do not need your resume unless you need a job from me. Then, if I can see crazy in your eyes when you come to drop it off, I probably won't need it then either! The bullying! UGGGGGH! I watched a very nasty incident last week where a legend in his own mind chose to basically harass a regular, appropriate contributor. he would not let her go. Jeez dude. If this guy really was as important to everyone alse as he believes he is, he should have been on part of his month long vacation, counting his dollars to ascertain that he had in fact hit 6 figures instead of putting down a smart confident relevant contributor. Humility gets people to the strata he described, not the assininity (a word my mama made up to describe another family member) he displayed.
If you need to say more than is appropriate on another person's blog, then get your own damn blog. I have a tendency to tangent, and that is why this very blog exists! It is my world, and I can go for miles without bugging anyone else. I am not trying to turn off any readers who stumble upon this blog, just being truthful.
This my friends is why I have my own corner of the internet. I am not gonna be the one they all hate due to my commandeering of someone else's blog. I can do that here and not come off as an ass. And you, gentle reader can tell me I am off base or dead on. But that's just it! This is my blog and you are here, listening to what has already been defined as rantings which by their very definition are not always reasonable.
Thanks for reading if you actually made it this far. I needed to purge myself of some thoughts that had been swimming in my head. I feel better, and hope you will add to this suggestion list. I know what bothers me, and seems to annoy others. How do you feel? What is your take on other posters behavior? What makes you need to rant?
Rant on y'all !!!!!

Pubic enemy number one...Tony The Tiger

Work is going very well. I actually love my job. No rants 'bout that.I am not in school this summer, so until I try to get in the classes I need , no rant there either.

• I do have something to talk about. I am sickened to hear that Kellogg's will quit marketing to children. What? Because they advertise their wares to the Sat. morning cartoon crowd, they are the devil. Hmmm When did a cartoon charecter peddling cereal become such a big deal? Is it the litigous society we live in that makes them fear lawsuit from 200 lbs Sally, the fourth grader and her parents? Or is it even more vile than that? Poeple are being freaks these days, please save me from myself! Why the hell can't a kid have cereal once in a while? Moms of the 70's were all over us fixing our own breakfast when we woke up at dark thirty on Saturdays. Standard procedure was Be Quiet, Fix cereal (usually out with an appropriately sized bowl so we didn't have to climb on the counters), Be Quiet, Go to Den and Quietly watch cartoons. We also had parents who let us eat cookie dough, and drink from the hose and curfew was "dark." I digress. People who blame marketing for obese kids are missing the point. Last I heard, parents were still responsible for teaching their children. I failed to get the memo when that changed. I mean, what are parents held accountable for these days?

I think it is rediculous that people honestly think that businesses are to blame for the lack of judgement used by so called reasonable adults. When did the kids become the bosses? If you cannot serve a balanced diet for your child at least 5 days a week, then maybe you need help. Seriously. like a nutritionist or dietician, or maybe that pediatrician you visit for every cold? I do not hold the utopian idea that this is easy, but that's why we have professionals. Also, ever heard of walking the kid to school or even biking to school? Another way to have a healthy kid. My Mama made my lazy ass walk or bike to school every clear day.She also provided us with healthy snacks and a great example to follow (other than smoking in of all places the grocery store, man times have changed, and Mama quit 20 years ago, now)

Nah these suggestions are silly. Why shouldn't we let a clown, chiahuahua, and a blinged out royal set our tables every night? We can kill an entire generation's interest in good, decent food and then 20 years from now there will be no chefs, just idiots on Food tv interested in make up and wardrobe rather than mise en place.. (another rant another post another day) All those yummy dishes the parents eat once a year on their anniversary will be as extinct as foie gras at Trotter's. Another save me from myself, that whole foie gras thing. Drunk driving kills innocent people daily, but let's crack down on a foodstuff that has no real side effect to the driving ability of one who may consume it. Let the frat boys pickle their livers at underage parties but I can't eat the liver of multi purpose animal.

I will conclude by saying something is wrong with a world where Tony, Snap, Crackle and Pop and all our other non threating cartoon friends are worse than the Taliban and actually killing American children?

Stop the craziness. Take responsiblity for what you purchase and present to your kids. Don't get crazy and make them the wierd kid who never has had a Happy Meal. Let them be kids, but remember let yourself be the parent.

Ahh great to get that out. Thanks for joining me.

Hi There

I realized how rude I am...Thanks for reading....

Entry level

I started my new job last week. I am cooking at a catering company.I worked on 5 projects in as many days. Lots of repetive drivel.I scooped out red potatoes, played with phyllo, and resisted all urges to make any of the dishes "my own" I worked Sat night outside in the hot, humid Carolina air. I smelled like goat and was sweaty and filthy with crab - garbage juice . I had no energy for anything after the function ended. I f'ing loved it!!! It was the first time in a while I felt like I actually was doing something productive. I think alot of new grads would have hated it. I made close to 4 digits an hour (both sides of decimal point) I was required to contribute to a team led by someone with less education and about the same amt of experience as me. I had to perform boring, repetitive tasks any monkey could do. I had to keep up with what I put in the oven. I had to focus and was going to be very nicely held accountable for my actions. I already told you this is not a get rich quick sheme, right? I expected worse.
My rant is ready to be served.
It seems that recently I am hearing more and more about new grads who are extremely disillusioned about where a chef's career really begins. For some reason entry level is not where they are supposed to enter. Why? I am not sure. When I returned to school, I was there to get an education, not a damn thing made me believe I was ever going to start in any better a role most great chef start in...that of dish dawg. (insert affection here...love you guys!) A diploma does not ensure a track record...got it? Are you loyal to your employer? Do you show up on time ready to roll in any weather? Cool start, now can you peel vegetables? Great and no complaint so now let's move on. Here is another responsibility for you and another test and on and on. See how easy that was. Yeah, another aspect of your new career, it actually takes work. At the end of the night no rank is excused from helping clean up. Every place I have orked, chef and dish washer had whatever equipment was at hand actually using it for a common goal...going home. Yeah..that thing about teamwork. You will be working with folks who did not have the benefit of an education like yours. Guess what, after 8 years, Mr/Miss Less-educated is the sous chef. She is reliable, humble, eager to learn, has an endless supply of elbow grease, volunteers to stay late, and can kick your ass in a skills contest anyday. Sous C. is who you should emulate. This person has worked their way up and can show you how they did it. Calm down...Of course one day you want to be Exec, correct. But for God's sake, you don't honestly believe your diploma gives you the right to even circle one of help wanted ads looking for an executive chef? Oh, I see! You are here cooking until your agent gets the final offer from Food tv.You don't need to invest any part of yourself in your job because its just a job until soething better comes along. Yeah, I didn't go to culinary school to be famous, I actually went there to learn how to cook. I guess Julia Child and Jacques Pepin just trotted in and got to show our moms how to cook in their own homes. Yeah, neither really had experience, or much practical knowledge just degrees.
Fools! Please quit your endless whine fest. I am disappointed that you are disappointed. What other 2 or 4 year course of study guarantees a top post? None that I have heard of. Think of your time doing the work you think is beneath you as a sort of grad school. You are honing your skills. You are finding out the best way to work with all sorts of people kind of like a masters in human resources. You suggest a way to cut costs to your chef. Sounds a little like accounting. Your constant repetition of cuts has you that much closer to surgical precision. You get the idea. Everyone has to start somewhere. You just don't start at the top!!! Please quit crying about doing what people have always done. Work your way up! Earned successes are the reality. This is not an industry where you can fake it. Take time to listen and learn. I love my job. When I leave I will know that place inside and out. Why? Because that's what I am there to do. Work. It is a job. Go out there and prove yourself. Earn accolades, don't demand them. No role in the kitchen is below the greats that inspire us. They all did it too. What makes you so damn special?

Just my rant on the starry eyed work-phobic babies that went to school for all the wrong reasons and then bawl that the brochure lied.The only lying going on here is between you and yourself. Do your homework before you sign the check. Entry level is where you end up with your fancy diploma. If you can't stomach that, I don't trust your fish.