“A recipe is a story that ends with a good meal.” - Pat Conroy

Food has always been an expression of love for me.

((I know I may not be the best at words in person sometimes when it comes to matters of the heart (although sometimes I’m not too bad - it’s always forecasted to have a sprinkle of messy though…like rainbow jimmies), but we try our best in the end. ) Yes, I just parenthesis-ed inside parenthesis to make a paranthe-ception)).

Why food?

It’s the one thing I know we all have in common. It is something we all share. And I think it is incredibly special when people - friends, strangers, family, lovers- can get together and share a meal. Anywhere. There is a level of trust and connection when you sit or walk with someone and share something so trivial in common. Even more so when you can cook with them or do the most mundane things like de-stringing string beans or shaving chocolate (oddly therapeutic)- that is an intimate level of comfort. It’s an act of vulnerability for me. I remember I use to create dishes and desserts all the time revolving around not only what was in season, but an experience. A memory. A moment. A silly. A relationship. A story. From a place or time I have been or a relationship I have had seen or experienced. Recipes may have been rocky most of the time, but once in a while, you get a good one - and over time, it just gets better (at least I hope). I look back at previous things I have made till now, and I have seen a change in simplicity, complexity, and refinement as I have grown as a person. The ideas may not have been so clear as they use to be. I use to get so many ideas and crazy foodie twists on the whim, but now I take more time to curate my ingredients and am more intentional with design from appearances, textures, tastes and feelings. And I smile more. It’s my way of saying , “Thank you” or “ I appreciate you.” I want to take you on a culinary journey and tell you a story if you can catch it. It’s almost like when Remy from Ratatouille was trying to explain flavor profiles to Emile outside the restaurant after closing. Close your eyes, take your time, and get ready for a tiny adventure. Everything is an adventure to me. Life is meant to be fun even if it’s hard sometimes.

Anyways, this day was a day of slowing down, sharing with lovely people and reflecting on the lesson of time.

It starts with a memory. A Sunrise. When I wake up a little too late to catch the sunrise or sunset- it’s like chasing the sun. Then prepping the meat to sit in a slow cooker for 8 hours. And then off to the farmer’s market (no pictures because…I was in the moment..so here are some sunrise photos I took instead that carry a similar bliss).

I was able to take my time in the kitchen - no rush. Easy on the mind and body - which is what my body could honestly probably handle. This is great for a person who has developed an unhealthy obsession with time. What I ended up with was a re-make of a dish I created once upon a time Coffee-infused Barbacoa on a bright risotto topped with a chimichurri sauce. A blend of cultures and experiences that I was able to refine. Dessert was a Bourbon Peach and Blueberry cobbler to celebrate summer and is a favorite of the hosts (No pictures of the finished product because it was late and it was cold out!) . And a fun little cheese board to end the night. All of these were remake dishes that were refined but also made on the whim - an inside of how messy my mind works sometimes. Haha. But it works out somehow - I guess there is method to the madness. ;)