Everyone already knows I was a weird kid who watched way too much television. (or maybe just the right amount?) It’s only fitting that I relate everything to the pop culture of my youth. For example, when trying to point out Nathan Lane in a movie, I said “oh it’s the guy from Mouse Trap!” My boyfriend immediately burst out laughing. It’s not wrong…. but everyone would argue that there are much better films/accomplishments to describe Nathan Lane. I am the weird one for only associating him with that movie because I watched it so much when I was young. In a similar fashion, I usually describe food with similar childhood memories. The longer you know me, the easier it will be to understand me.
Food memories are so powerful because they utilize all the senses. When you eat, you remember how something looks, smells, tastes, feels, and sounds. These memories are all tied to certain emotions as well. You’ll feel happy eating your favorite candy as a child because you remember it bringing you joy growing up. There are countless times I have taken a bite of something new and had waves of nostalgia from one ingredient being familiar to me. It is often faint and I won’t be able to point out the specific ingredient, but suddenly I’ll have a feeling of being in my dad’s living room in the morning eating breakfast while listening to “94.7 The Wave.”
One of my favorite things to do is describe food to people in my own words. How someone describes food can tell you so much about a person’s character and their food history. The cooks in the kitchen used to find my commentary very interesting. I would always tell them, “I know it’s weird, but tell me you don’t understand what I mean.” They would laugh at me, but they almost always understood what I meant.
Unconventional descriptions. “Taste associations for commoners,” I used to call them. I used the word “commoner,” because one, it is fun to say in a British accent. But really, I felt like a commoner next to these other chefs since I related food to such simple memories instead of using more sophisticated adjectives. Like I said, I do not think I have a sophisticated palette. One summer, I worked with a fairly rich 20 year old girl at a sandwich shop. I have such a clear memory of her trying a new menu item saying “ooh it tastes just like steak tartare.” I was like what is that supposed to mean? To this day I have not had steak tartare.
Continuing with my “Taste Associations for Commoners,” there was a time I started to catalogue the foods I tried in the kitchen. Unfortunately I did not keep it up, but I wanted to share a couple of my favorites.
Asparagus with Vinegar Gogurt
Our chef was so proud of this creation. Honestly, he was just happy to use the whipping siphon. [I’m sure you can imagine how excited he was when he found out we also had a Pacojet!] This was aerated hollandaise on grilled asparagus garnished with the holy trinity of parmesan, breadcrumbs, and chives. I told him it tasted very vinegar forward with the aftertaste of finishing a Gogurt after school. I wasn’t trying to be mean, I swear, but that is all I could think of when he asked. The texture was just like a fluffy Gogurt but with a lot of vinegar. Our chef was not pleased. It still sold out though as the special appetizer of the night.
The Easter Yellow Creme Brûlée
This was a saffron creme brûlée. It was one of our few creme brulee flavor switch ups. My favorite one they made was basil and it was so beautifully green. This one though, was yellow. Yellow like those “Yellow Rice” packets. Yellow like Easter. Do you know what I mean? It tasted like that taste left in your mouth after eating the artificially colored Easter candy. I mean it was great texture and it was alright, but it was very yellow.
You know that scene in Ratatouille when Remy tastes the strawberry with the cheese and a symphony of color and music fill the screen. Just imagine all of that is yellow and you’ll have this creme brûlée.
To put it briefly, please let me try your food so I can describe it to you. I volunteer to taste all the experiments.
Weekly Round Up
Music
Before I get to the song, I just want to give a shoutout to Last Holiday with Queen Latifah and LL Cool J. I watched that movie again recently and it is such an underrated cooking movie. There is so much love for food and it makes me happy.
This week is for sisters! I am an only child but my mom and my aunt love to sing this song when we watch White Christmas every year. Usually we watch after Christmas dinner, but my aunt was so excited that we watched it on Thankgiving, haha.
Cooking
This weekend, I took a trip down memory lane to visit the street I grew up on and make peanut brittle with my childhood next door neighbor. Every year, all the neighbors would exchange little treats for Christmas. One guy would always gift wine, but the other neighbors would bake their own cookies. This was how I became such a grandma who delivers cookies to my apartment neighbors. One of the neighbors would make the best peanut brittle and before she moved away, she gave my friend the recipe. After quite some time, we finally had the chance to make it together!
We burned it, lol.
Just a little though! But, now we know what “golden palomino” looks like. Still tastes good!
Shopping
It’s full Christmas season and I am starting to panic buy gifts like Cindy Lou Who’s parents.
I hope you are not suffering the same fate. But if you are, I found a couple holiday markets this weekend to check out.
Tiny Deer Studio is having a Parking Lot Pop-Up this Saturday, 12/17, with quite a few other small businesses! Who knows what will catch your eye and inspire you. They are located on York Boulevard in Eagle Rock area.
South Pasadena Flea Market is also this Saturday, 12/17! Walk down Mission St. to check out all the little shops.