Metabolism

My birthday is coming up next friday and it really has me thinking.... How many more years can I eat whatever I want and as much as I want without gaining any weight? It's so great being young and healthy... And I can't say I'm looking forward to having to watch what I eat. I am aware that I am fortunate though, and not all young people have a metabolism like my own. I'm interested in learning what else effects metabolism besides age. And if there are any foods that can speed or slow metabolism.

Red flag

This week was productive, but not so much as far as book development. I cooked numerous meals this week but none of them really fit my image of the cookbook. All of the food was easy to make and there werent really any noteworthy cooking techniques used. I made various sandwiches, mac and cheese with grilled chicken and an asian themed salad. I had another very insightful meeting with my mentor this week. He encouraged me to start thinking about the layout of my book, something that I definitely can't do last minute. Every week he has given me really top-notch advice and although he doesn't give me direct cooking instruction, he couldn't be doing a better job keeping me on track and aware of what steps and tasks I will need to complete each week. I have already started doing more blogging on the research aspect of my project, but this coming week I want to really look in depth into food science and food culture.

Spicy foods

How hot is too hot? Today at work I ate some of the chicken that one of the chefs specially made for my fellow coworker. My coworker insisted that it be as hot as possible, and so I figured I might as well eat some to prove that I'm just as manly as the buss boy. After a few seconds I thought the chicken was going to burn a hole through my cheek and fall onto the floor. Do some people actually like that feeling?!? I will be making a spicy dish very soon to test this theory on my family. It's probably really common knowledge, but I do know that drinking or eating any dairy is the only way to defuse the forest fire happening on your tongue. It is because the spiciness comes from the acidity of whatever you are eating, and you need a base to neutralize it. I imagine a creamsicle is the ultimate spice-killer.

What i've learned from the television

Believe it or not, you can actually learn something from watching TV. Crazy idea right? Somewhere in the mix of american idols, jersey shore guidos and high school musicals there is some quality programming that you can learn from. For many people's wise project, the television is probably nothing more then a distraction from actual work. However, since my project is all about cooking, the tv is one of the most essential sources in my arsenal. There are two channels on my tv specifically dedicated to food and the art of cooking. This weekend I watched a special on dim sum... Which is basically all the bite-sized entrees that are made in traditional asian cooking. Watching this show opened my eyes to the cultural significance of food. This week, I'm going to look even deeper into the cultural significance of certain foods such as pork and beef .

Buff chicken sandwhich

Last night at work I got to do quite a bit of cooking. However, i'm going to write about the buffalo chicken sandwhich I made because Its the one thing I actually got to eat. This recipe won't be making an appearance in my cookbook because it's pretty simple, but I figured it would be a nice addition to my blog. I also decided not to include this in my cookbook because you need a deepfryer and that is pretty impractical. I deep fried the chicken tenders until they floated in the 400 degree oil, and then I transferred them into a steel bowl. Then, you add the buffalo glaze into the bowl. The glaze is 40% butter and 60% franks red hot sauce. I tossed the chicken in the bowl until it was finely coated and then I started to assemble the sandwich. I used 6 inches of italian bread because it is heavy enough to handle the buffalo sauce without getting soggy. You can make these sandwiches any way you please, but I made mine with spinach, banana peppers, diced black olives, sauteed red pepper, and sliced dill pickle. It may not be the fanciest meal in the world, but you cant beat the convenience and wonderful simplicity of a sandwich.

Enchiladas

This past week I made mexican style enchiladas for my family. This is a simple recipe that I believe my parents have just about perfected. There are many ways to make an enchilada type of dish. I'm sure there is some extravagant and complicated version out there that is damn near perfect, but I think my family has the right idea about keeping things simple. You start by cooking ground beef in a large saute pan with onions and jalapenos, with a generous sprinkle of your favorite taco seasonings (it's really up to the chefs preference. It can be near volcanic heat or it can be as mild as you want). Next (while the beef is cooking), you spread refried beans on all your tortillas. When the meat is done, you put a scoop of it onto each tortilla. Sprinkle a bunch of cheese over each tortilla and drizzle some hotsauce on top if you desire to do so. Then, you roll the tortillas up. You dont need these things to be tight like a cigar, just make sure it isn't falling apart. Arrange the enchiladas closely together in a pyrex cooking dish, preferably in a row tight enough so all of them are touching their neighbors. Next, you pour the enchilada sauce over top. The sauce I used came from a can which you can buy in any grocery store or supermarket. Then, you sprinkle a bunch of cheese over top (I usually go a bit crazy and pretty much cover everything). The dish goes in the 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes. Personally, I think the enchiladas are even better the next day after they have been refrigerated and reheated. I love this meal and it will definitely be one of the most important in my cookbook

My project process

My project process has been successful yet inconsistent. I've noticed that I am letting my parents play a bigger role in this experience then what I initially expected. Hearing Brian Grazer talk about his hunger to stray away from his comfort zone was really interesting to me. It makes me think: if I had the money and power to live a life of pure luxury, would I ever actually challenge myself? Or is Brian naive to think that he wouldn't face challenges as a rich retiree. Maybe the level of stress associated with money wouldn't be there, but there are always going to be problems in life that you really have no choice but to overcome. The money wouldn't do much if Brian became depressed, and I doubt the money would mean anything if he lost an important friend or family member. In case this blog hasn't made things clear, I guess what i've learned about myself is that i'm a heavy thinker and I like to analyze every situation that crosses my path. I have yet to truly feel challenged, but perhaps that is because my perception of challenge is different then others. I am proud at how well I have cooked each and every one of my meals, and it has opened my mind about how fortunate I am to have practiced Italian traditions growing up. My learning process has not been so much about overcoming an obstacle so much as it has been about learning how fortunate I am and how much I care about keeping my family traditions alive. If I ever have a family or kids, we are going to eat dinner together every night.