Cogs and Chocolate

Ketchikan, Alaska

2009-07-25T17:07:00.001-07:00

It's sunny, a bit windy, but oh so nice to be outside. Today we're docked next to another big ship, and so the port's full of people, walking, shopping, and snacking by the water. Fortunately, i've managed to score a hefty two hour break, so I've got a few minutes to take a walk, have a cappuccino at a nice cafe, and chill for a bit as I update the blog. Two days ago, I put in my vacation flight request and boy do I have some good news for you....

On September 10th i'm signing off. The ship'll be in Otaru, Japan (on the coast, next to Sapporo), and so that's where they'll be dropping me off. Also, I was JUST given the official word that they're happy to book my return flight from Osaka a cool two weeks later. TWO WEEKS!!! I'm gunna spend two weeks in Japan! Yeah, that's fun to say. (hah!) Then, to cap it off, my return flight just happens to be going through San Francisco, so with any luck, i'll extend my layover there as well, and spend a few days chillin with the boys again in one of my favorite cities. SOOOOO, if you just happen to be at home at the moment, and've got the travel bug, come meet me in Japan! I've got no plans as of yet, but i'm dying to hike Mt Fuji, see every inch of Tokyo & Kyoto, and eat all the cool random japanese food I can!

...Should be fun! =P

Holy Frijoles!

2009-07-22T00:12:00.000-07:00

Ok, so in the process of loading yet another round of pictures from my camera to my desktop I realized that I currently have two months of unsorted photos sitting in a folder that i've yet to organize. SO, on that note, it's my new goal to hash it all out, and have a chronologically correct, (and more importantly) complete record of my time here.

As soon as i'm done, i'll sort out a handfull of the best and post em. Can't wait for you to see which ones I choose!

Oh, and in case you're curious, we've been cruisin up and down the Fjords on the West Coast of canada (very near Alaska) for the past few days. (almost a week) Honestly, the scenery is pretty damn gorgeous. I've snapped lots of pics, but there really is nothing like seeing it for yourself.

Can't wait to see what Alaska looks like!

Ciao Ciao!

<==== Check THAT out!

2009-07-11T23:31:00.000-07:00

Oh internet, how useful you can be....

So yesterday, for the first time, I found out we (the ship) have a webpage that constantly updates with information on our current itinerary. Cool eh!?? Well, wouldn't that be sweet if you could see that webpage too?

If you answered yes, today's your lucky day! I found the link and added it on the left side of the page so that any time you're curious, you too can know my current position.

Sweet!

Also, as a random sidenote, today one of our residents held a huge catered function at his own house ashore. The galley pumped out tons of food, sent it to shore on one of our tenders (big passenger boats), and set it all up. The ridiculous twist is that this guy's house is monstrous and one of only three on an entire island.... HIS island. Yeah, I said it. The guy owns the ENTIRE island!... And the three houses: His, his son's, and the guest house. SOOOO badass. =)

7-11.... well, not the convinent store, but still catchy =)

2009-07-10T00:30:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can't believe i look back at the last post date and it says May 31st! That's pathetic!

Well, i'm back now, and determined to keep the updates coming as often as I can. Now, most of you have NO idea what i'm reffering to in the title of this blog entry, so i'll simply say 7-11 has become the new catch phrase of the pastry department. Essentially it refers to two things, 1) The Pastry Department in every restaurant / hotel / eatery seems to always be the snack station where all the kitchen employees cruise by for a quick nibble. At first this can be fun, providing goodies to everyone, and ensuring at least a few good feelings as all your work is gobbled up in front of your face. However, most of the time, it gets a bit out of control and situations like coming into work to find all your Ice Creams eaten become increasingly more common. Anywho, the second, and more accurate reference is the fact that our hours have unofficially become 7am - 11pm.

Yep, you read that right.... Today I started with a Galley (ship word for "kitchen") Inspection at 7 am, and ended my day entering the order list at 11:30pm. Whew, what a long one...

Well, i should say, there's a good reason for all of this. Since July 4th, my boss has been on vacation and so yours truly has been acting as the ship's Pastry Chef. I'll hold this position until his vacation is over (and I sign off) in mid-September. Until then, as the Exec Chef has assured me, the pastry department is my new baby.

Honestly, it's a pretty cool concept. I'm the Pastry Chef of the World. Yeah, it's got a pretty bad-ass ring to it, but it comes with a hell of a price. The work load's definitely intense, and the buck now falls on me. In related news, we got a "new" guy in the Pastry Team to beef up the numbers back to a whopping 3 of us. Fortunately, he's been in the Pastry Department before (about a year ago) and really knows his stuff. He's an incredibly fast worker, a bit unrefined, but i'll tell you what, the guy can get things done! Now that he's on board, i'm a little less stressed and VERY happy to have him back on the team.

Since taking over, my social life's been on pause, so hopefully soon I can get out again and have a glass of wine with the other 20-somethings on the boat soon. Since I have essentially no living costs (free housing, free food.... etc) I decided to buy a $100 sushi boat for a few friends and I to enjoy after work tomorrow night. My closest friend on the ship is a bartender upstairs so hopefully he'll hook us up with another $80 bottle of Sake to pair with it. mmmmm, sushi. Can't wait!

Oh, and in related news, I've been cranking out a bunch of new menus that look pretty cool. I even made my first sugar showpeice since culinary school a few days ago! It stood about 18" tall on top of one of our buffets. Kinda cool eh? I'll post pics of food / the showpeice soon. It's no "World Pastry Championship," but considering how long it's been since i've attempted something like that i'd say it's pretty good! =)

... and finally, one last thing, since most of you have no idea where I am / where we're headed I'll try and post a little one liner every day or so to keep you up on the itinerary. Right now we're off the west coast of canada heading to Victoria. Tomorrow we'll be entirely at sea, but we should dock early the day after.

Ciao for now! .

-me

Menus, Menus, Menus

2009-05-31T01:15:00.000-07:00

On board a ship of this nature, the word "no" is rarely uttered. "It is our utmost duty to provide a 5 star experience for all our guests".... or so you can just imagine me saying, chest upthrust and proud.

HAH! ::shakes his head:: Man, that's cheesy....

Unfortunately, never saying "no" pretty much guarantees a logistical aneurism for the crew. To focus on my particular area, we (the three members of the Pastry Team) have the task of meeting the demands of 6 set menus, and the ever-changing catering/function menus. Here's the breakdown:

4 Restaurant Menus
In Room Dining (IRD) Menu
Kids Menu
+ Functions / Catering Custom Menus
=============================
Josh in Therapy

Yep, it's simple math. Regardless, the work gets done. We all go home eventually to rest, rise, and fight the fires of tomorrow. Diving into the restaurants, each has its own theme:

East - Sushi Bar, and food from all across the continent of Asia (located on Deck 11, Poolside)
Tides - Mediterranean Cuisine with an Italian flair (Located on Deck 11, at the aft, or tail end of the ship)
Marina - American Cuisine (Deck 5, Aft, featuring a small indoor pool, and direct access to the gigantic sea-level fold out deck)
Portraits - Upscale Cuisine, typically featuring more daring/challenging dishes (Deck 5)

and the remaining responsibilites:

In Room Dining - All residents and guests have the opportunity to enjoy the full restaurant experience right in their own homes. As such, the Galley prepares the food while the waitstaff readies the recipient's cabin with tablecloths, settings, glassware, and any other special serving dishes the order should require. The food is then delivered, and, upon completion, the area is bussed and cleaned to its original state.

Functions / Catering - As a resident (or guest) on the ship, opportunities to be social with the other members of the resident community are few and far between. (Basically, this is a home, not a summer camp) As such, hosting personal events with small clusters of residents becomes a welcome change, and a regular affair. Unfortunately, each and every resident taking advantage of this service wants something unique, and (lets face it) a hell of a lot nicer than the last one they saw at ol' whats-her-face's place. Demands range from favorites they've had onboard, to obscure treats found in their respective towns and cities. Menus can be as simple as a buffet spread, or as complicated as a nouveau 8 course degustation menu. Now, we even go so far as to offer catering for larger functions such as weddings, shore parties, and other 100+ people events. This week for example, we're currently producing a wedding cake, dessert buffet, AND plated desserts for a 145 person wedding... oy

and last but not least, the sometimes utilized Kids Menu - Entertaining kids onboard is a rare occasion. Items for this menu are the stereotypical kiddy desserts (read: "fudge brownie," Banana Split.. etc). They don't require much thought, but do force us to maintain a supply of items we ONLY use for this menu.... stupid eh?

Together, it's well... a lot. I've been here a full month now, and I can say that the full picture is finally coming into focus. It's not quite there yet, but I'm starting to compile a list of improvements I'd like to make in July when, oh yeah, did i mention, I'm supposed to take over. Yeah, funny how that works. Apparently my boss is starting his two month vacation in July and is now making me the head Pastry Chef onboard. I'm a little stressed about it, but I suppose that's a good thing. After-all, it's a hell of a motivator.

Anywho, as always, i'm chuggin along but thinkin' about you guys. I may be a little bogged down in the next few days, but i promise i'll keep the updates flowing.

Current Postion: Ensenada Mexico
On Route to: San Diego, CA

I promised pics, so here's a few of the plates we've been doing:

ENJOY!!!

Rollin, Rollin, Rollin, We ain't slept in weeks

2009-05-21T14:08:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard it yet, Kid Cudi's track Rollin (feat. Jakie Chain) is fantastic. It samples a Robert Miles track called "Children" that I used to listen to ALL the time in college. It's been on my playlist a few times recently, and i have to say, has become my unofficial theme song for the ship. I've been here almost a month now, and typically I get between 4 and 6 hours of sleep every night. Come to think of it, I haven't really talked much about my schedule yet so i'll tell you what, here goes:

07:30 - Wake up & Get Dressed
08:00 - Go to the Crew Mess (Dining Hall) for Breakfast & my morning Coffee
08:30 - Start Work - Get the morning's supplies (Flour, Sugar, Butter... whatever we order) from the Requisition office
12:00 - Break for Lunch
12:30 - Return to work
14:30 - Afternoon Break (this is typically adjusted to 15:00 or later if the day's especially full)
17:00 - Return to work
19:00 - Break for Dinner
23:00 - Finish Cleaning, change & shower in my cabin
23:30 - Head to the "Internet Cafe" or the Officer's Bar to be social/ get out of the cabin for a bit
01:00 - Back to the Crew Mess for the 1 AM snack [always get at least one chicken finger =) ]
01:30 - If no one's suckered me into going up to the helipad on the bow, staying up later in the common room, or hanging out in someone's cabin, Go to bed

Repeat as necessary.

hah, what a day eh? For instance, it's currently 11:47 PM (23:47) and I've decided to blow off the bar tonight. I really want to post an update so I've had to forgo seeing anyone. Now, just to clarify, going to the bar doesn't mean drinking your face off every night. It's the social, after-hours place for the crew to go, so naturally, if you want to see / be seen, you're there. Also, as a side note, the drinks are priced between $.50 and $1.50 so the ship kinda encourages it, and it's pretty easy to buy drinks for a ton of friends for next to nothing! .... As I was saying.... Fortunately though, this means i'll actually have a decent shot at a good night's rest, so missing it for a night is a price i'm willing to pay.

As of now, we're cruising around the Sea of Cortes. We spent a day in Cabo San Lucas, and La Paz on route to our current position. In La Paz, my roommate, a few of the girls on the ship, another guy, and myself ventured into town and found a great club where we could unwind. I bought a few rounds, and the girls bought a bottle, so as you could imagine, we had a good time. =)

Now that we're anchored at sea (off the coast of Isla San Jose), the passengers have the opportunity to join a wildlife expedition organized by the ship. As a result, daily dessert sales have gotten a bit slow. To balance the scale though, Functions & Catering has gotten CRAZY. It seems like every day we've gotta crank out specialized desserts for some 25 person event in a resident's cabin, or a last-minute barbeque on the beach for 60 residents. It's been really odd having to piece together so many different-themed events for so many different personalities upstairs. It seems that everyone has the way THEY like their food, and simply won't stand for anything less.

On a personal note, I can't believe it's been about a month since i've gotten here. It's been a tough experience so far (adjusting to ship life, working INSANELY long hours, and having your entire life in one small bubble). I think the jury's still out on my feelings so far. I'm giving it some time to really see how it plays out. June's looking like a complete shit-storm for the kitchen (TONS and TONS of functions) so I'm pretty sure it'll make or break my desire to pursue the ship life past this contract.

To my fam, Miss you guys, and to the rest, I can't wait 'til we can all chill again. I've tried to contact a few of you, but even that's been difficult so let me know what you're all up to.

Take care & ttys.

CIAO!

Touch and Go

2009-05-15T00:36:00.000-07:00

Consistency is something i've definitely taken for granted. On land you wake up, you go to work, and you come home, all to the same places. Food orders are (reasonably) timely, the products are ones you know and appreciate, and every thing's to be expected. On the water, things are a bit different; each day's a roll-of-the-dice.

Some days we're moving, some days we're docked. Some days the produce is beautiful, and some days (like last week for example) you receive 12 kilos of strawberries and are able to use about 2 kilos of them.... what a weird life we live.

Since Guatemala, the ship's course has changed repeatedly. The Swine Flu, (now known as the H1N1 Virus) got a lot of residences freaked out about vising Mexico, so the Captain decided to reroute us to non-Mexican waters for a bit. Six days at sea put us in San Diego for fuel and food provisions. Things started to calm a bit regarding the Flu Epidemic, so the residents decided to revisit a few of the northernmost ports in our original itinerary. As of now we're making our way to Cabo San Lucas. We stopped for two beautiful days in the Catalina Islands, where I finally got to try taking one of the Tenders to shore. Now, for those who have no idea what i'm talking about, when a ship is anchored at sea, we lower one of our specialized lifeboats and use it as a shuttle to the nearest port. That shuttled then becomes what's known as a Tender. (Typically they're used when the water is too shallow for the ship to approach the destination so it's somewhat of a necessity) Anywho, our Tender is designed to fit our luxurious clientele, so for a small shuttle boat, it's pretty damn nice. =) Back to Catalina.... I took a ton of pics, but I have to apologize, holding the camera means I'm not in many of em. Shortly after, we set sail back to San Diego for one last refueling so head south into Mexican waters. Tomorrow we'll be in Cabo, and with any luck, i'll have a few minutes to escape the kitchen and touch land for a bit.

Now, I realize that I've started getting accustomed to the organization of the ship, but you guys are totally in the dark. It's a bit much to start gettin into now, but i'll type somethin up to explain how our 4 Restaurants, In Room Dining, and Special Function Catering all work together. Considering right now it's just a Pastry Chef, me (the Sous Chef), and one Pastry Cook, it's a huge work load.... and believe me, the majority of my day.

As always, keepin' you guys in mind.

Oh, and just to clarify, i'm startin to figure out how to balance the ridiculous work schedule out with a little play. It's not as much as I'd like to be doin yet, but hey, a toe in the pool's a hell of a lot better than nothing. =)

Until next time,

CIAO!!

Wanderin 'round The World

2009-05-02T22:34:00.000-07:00

(On shore in Guatemala)

Part of joining any seafaring vessel is an INCREDIBLE amount of Safety Training. From my week long course in Florida, to the numerous classes, tests, & safety drills, I'd say i'm gettin pretty knowledgeable when it comes to sea survival. Anywho, as part of today's class, we did a walk through for the majority of the ship, capping it off with a tour of the bridge. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera (and probably wouldn't have been allowed to anyway) so I wasn't able to snap any pics of the bridge specifically but take it from me, it was AMAZING!!!! Windows swept the entire viewable radius of the front of the ship, showering light across a slick, high-tech navigation & propulsion system, all controlled from two futuristic (and fully automatic) commander's chairs. The room was nearly silent, but an occasional sporatic beep and equipment click kept my eyes darting around the room in awe of its level of sophistication (and yet simplicity!). The ship felt nimble, but rock solid. Basically, it was like being inside a gigantic Mercedes sedan, dampened, but clearly backed with power and some serious refinment.

Anywho, I could gush nerdy details about the tour all day long, but the Cliff's Notes version is as follows:

Tour was awesome. Lots o' cool stuff. Holy crap they spent a lot of money on this place!

I'll be adding tons and tons more pics as the time goes, but here's a few to start you off:

Standing on the Bow, looking out

Standing on the Bow, looking in

.... what a gorgeous ship!

The day has come

2009-04-30T15:08:00.000-07:00

SO, this is it... the big "how am i adjusting" post. Well, to say it shorly....

Ummm....

Ok, so it looks like I can't. I'll tell ya, living on a ship is an odd experience. Essentially you wake up everyday in a floating bubble. You spend all day working your ass off, scrounging for that oh-so-elusive mid-day 2 hour break. At the end of the shift, you stumble into the shower to recoup, refresh, and energize. A couple minutes in your cabin later you're relaxed and in fresh clothes. Off to the Crew (or more likely Officer's) Bar to catch a drink with some of the more social people on the ship. Of course you happen to run into your boss and ALL your co-workers so it's slightly obligating to then say hello, and maybe even offer to get them a drink. Good thing they're good people... 'Round 1:00 or 1:30AM it's off to bed. Repeat for 4 months. (omitting the bar as necessary)

Kinda crazy eh? (And that's about as short as I can possibly describe it) As far as my job specifically has gone, the first few days had me ALL over the place. Trying to find my way around the ship was somewhat tough, but after a few hours things started to make sense. On my first day of work, my boss had me follow one of the current Pastry Cooks through his shift. I saw a tiny bit of production, and a few plates from one of our restaurants. All in all, a pretty light day. The next day however, my boss decided it would be a good idea to see where my "Skill Level" is, so he concocted an all-day baking exam. Here's the rundown: (all items after the hyphen are what I produced)

1 sorbet - Green Apple Celery Sorbet
1 ice cream - Cinnamon Toast Ice Cream
1 product using Pate A Choux - Eclair's, filled w/ Chocolate Buttercream & glazed
1 chocolate cake - Chocolate Chiffon Sponge w/ Chocolate Buttercream & glazed, then garnished with shaved chocolate
1 classic dessert - Almond & Apricot Tart w/ Greek Yogurt and a brulee Apricot
1 modern dessert - Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, the Cinnamon Toast I.C., Calvados Caramel Apples, and Cinnamon Toast
10 cookies (1 type, just 10 good ones) - Oatmeal Raisin
1 Confection - Grand Mariner Marshmallows
and if time, a small show piece. - didn't do

At 8:15PM I presented all the items to my boss, to which he added "Oh, we should get the Exec Chef, the head of Food & Beverage, and the rest of the executive F&B team to see them." I'm fairly certain my blood pressure jumped 10 points. Not only did I produce items to show a basic level of skill, I kept them fairly simple and conservative to start. I wasn't out to impress as much as I was getting my bearings, and demonstrating a good grasp of the essential skills to produce the HUGE range of products our job requires. Oh man, was I wrong. It was put up or shut up, and that's what I had to offer. Not gunna lie, I really wanted to jazz things up a bit...

Still though, I got a basic critique of everything i produced and (after having ran UP AND DOWN that kitchen) I finally had a decent understanding on where to find everything. I'd say I put a decent foot forward, and i'm sure i'm FAR harder on myself than any of them could possibly be.... I just can't wait to show them where I go once I've been here for a bit.

The next day it was work as "normal" (meaning, as it SHOULD be... production, learning, and assisting my boss with all his new dessert ideas). He and I have definitely broken the ice, and I think now we're kinda hitting our stride.

Anywho, remember that break I was telling you about before? Well, I just started mine so i'm gunna go try and get some fresh air.

I'll let you guys know more about the Swine Flu Craziness (being that we're supposed to be in Mexico all month), crazy lifeboat drills, my trip to the Spa, & all the randomness that comes with living on a ship next time....

Stay tuned...

CIAO!

(Also, I promise i'll try and take more pics & post them... things have been so crazy it's totally slipped my mind!)

Safe & Sound

2009-04-25T20:02:00.002-07:00

To all who were asking for the "all clear" i'm FINALLY on the boat safe & sound. I'm currently using a $20 internet card I just purchased. Sorry I haven't called anyone yet, it was kind of an ordeal to get here, and my cell phone wasn't able to pick up a network at all on the way. Anywho, all's well now. I (and all my baggage) made it on board just fine. For those of you who don't know, I flew from Miami, Florida (where my maritime training took place) to Managua, Nicaragua, then drove to Corinto to meet the boat. The plane took two hrs and the car ride (from the airport to the boat) took FOUR! Once I got on board I got face time with about 100 people, 2 of which I actually remember. =P The facility looks pretty amazing, and I can't believe it's finally coming to a head. I got to spend some time with the Exec Chef & the Exec Pastry Chef, and tomorrow I start work. I've been assigned a cabin, and i hate to say it, but for the first time ever I think I may have a smelly roommate (read: ahhh!!!!!). He's been living in a double by himself for a bit so perhaps it's simply a comfort issue. (I hope!!!) Regardless, I've always heard of friends having to deal with it, but never me.... yeeesh.

8:30 AM tomorrow I've got a meeting with the ship's doctor, and shortly after it's a meeting with the Exec Chef again / off to work. It's gunna be a busy four months, THAT i'm sure! =)

I'll let ya know how things go as they progress. The internet's INSANELY expensive (as I understand) but, of course, I'll be doing everything I can to take some of the financial shrapnel out of that grenade.

Miss all you guys!!

Ciao!

p.s. I added a link to "Subscribe" on the top left, so it's a heck of a lot easier to see when new posts pop up, as opposed to having to check the link every day... oh techology, SO convinient =)

Basic Training... no, not THAT kind, the civilian one!

2009-04-23T16:52:00.000-07:00

Oh internet, why can you be so hard to find sometimes....

Sorry 'bout the time-delay but I've finally hunted down a spot where I can sit, read my blogs, and update myself with my usual internet shenanegans.

This week I began my Basic Safety Training Course at the S.T.A.R. Center outside of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. There are 14 people in my class, from all walks of life. As one would imagine, I completely assumed it was going to be a HUGELY male dominated field (read: my parents and I already started calling the ship the S.S. Jimmy Dean, a.k.a. the Floating Sausage-fest). However, about 5 minutes before the course was to begin, in walked 5 attractive twenty-something girls all training to be the entertainment on a British cruise line. Not bad eh!? Well, suffice it to say, after the most honest double take I've ever had in my entire life, I was pretty sure the week would go smoothly.

Day 1: Honestly, one of the coolest experiences of my life. [note: picture to the left may be an artistic rendering of me... unfortunately no one there was that good of a photographer =P ]

The day began with a morning full of dry, relevant, but (lets be honest) boring information regarding Fire Safety. We were taught the classifications of all the various fire types (Ex: Class A = Anything that leaves an ash once it's burned, Class B = Flammable Liquids...etc), and the basic logic of what to use to extinguish each type. We broke for lunch 'round 11:30, and were told to meet at the front of the building at 1:00pm for a field trip. We had little information about where we were headed, but were well aware that it involved some sort of drilling the information we had just learned.

We arrived at a huge facility set up to mimic the top three floors of a cruise ship. On deck however, instead of chairs, umbrellas, and luxury amenities, a large fake helicopter sat in a giant pool. This was no ordinary pool. It was approximately 1 ft deep, and designed to produce MONSTER flames exactly as one would find in a catastrophic JP5 jet fuel fire. For the day we were outfitted with FULL firefighter gear (thermal-suits, boots, hair / face coverings, helmet, mask, oxygen tank, regulator...etc) and taught how to battle all types of fires, use high pressure fire hoses, and perform search and rescue operations in dark, low oxygen, smoke-filled environments. The day ended with a fantastic demonstration of a fire's intensity by sealing all 14 of us in a chamber with a roaring bonfire. As the fire rapidly increased the temperature of the room, we watched the room fill COMPLETELY with smoke, the fire choke all of the oxygen out of the chamber, and flames crawl across the ceiling. Ambient temperature topped out at 250F, and the radiant heat off the now 1200F fire was incredible. Short bursts of water were then sprayed into the superheated gas layer closest to the ceiling, and the room FILLED with steam instantly. Our instructor then directed a series of sprays at various sections of the fire, and instructed us to find our way out of the blackness to the opening of the structure.

All in all I developed a HUGE respect for firemen (and women... of course). I could not believe how surreal it was to use an oxygen tank for the first time in that kind of environment. It was an incredibly educational day, and I've gotta say, it felt pretty bad ass to put all the (seemingly) BORING theory to practice. If this ship thing works out for a while, who knows, maybe i'll join the fire response team!

Day 2: More Fire Theory.... tests tests tests

Day 3: CPR

Lemme tell you something. I learned basic CPR in high school. Find the victim, check responsiveness, listen for breathing, watch the rise (or not) of the chest, check for obstructions... blah blah blah. Well, apparently all that was too much for people to actually remember, so they've decided to shorten it! I was shocked! Would YOU want some lazy bastard to do the new ABBREVIATED version if you were keeled over on the floor!?!? I sure as hell wouldn't! Gimme the full treatment, all the bells and whistles!

Well, I'll climb off my soap box now. I'm sure 98% of the people won't die...

On the upside I can use a Automated Defibrillator now.

CLEAR!!!!!!!!

Day 4: Seawater Survival

Cool concept, but lay off the videos! Honestly, If i never saw another horribly dated instructional video, I wouldn't be upset. I did however, learn about the new seawater activated radio beacons and RADAR reflectors. LOTS of crazy acronyms, and rapid descent, free fall life boats. Check em out, they're pretty damn cool.

Day 5: Survival Practical

Tomorrow we'll be learning to inflate our clothing, deploy life rafts, don rescue suits, and all kinds of other whacky water survival techniques.

It's been a fun week and I can't believe it's over....

Also, I should probably mention to you all that I've had the pleasure of doing this course with my new ship's Cruise Director and Head Sommelier (both great guys). They've given me a TON of info on the in's and out's of working on ships and I'm sure will ease my transition on board dramatically.

Anywho, the weather's nice so we're gunna go sit out and enjoy a glass of beer or wine while we can.

Ciao from Florida!

p.s. I ship off on Saturday!

Happy Passover!

2009-04-09T23:41:00.001-07:00

Maybe i'm sick, but I love that comic...

9 more days 'til i leave for Florida!

I'm gettin' psyched. How 'bout you??

...oh, and Happy Passover!!!

This just in...

2009-04-01T11:32:00.000-07:00

BST, Basic Safety Training begins on April 20th in Ft Lauderdale, Florida.

"The Standards of Training Certification & Watchkeeping Code requires any new mariner take this 5-day course of instruction. This is comprised of four main courses: basic firefighting, personal survival, personal safety and social responsibility, and elementary first aid."

... Looks like i'm headin down south!

Hittin' the High Seas!

2009-03-17T21:17:00.000-07:00

As my previous post would suggest, i've recently accepted A NEW JOB!!

In April, I set sail for my first four month stint as Pastry Sous Chef aboard the floating city, "The World." Now, to be perfectly honest, before Anthony Bourdain's account of the boat in his most-recent book The Nasty Bits I had no idea that this boat even existed! However, a few weeks ago (for some bizarre reason) I was suddenly hit with a bolt of inspiration to read up on it, and inquire about any available positions. As luck would have it, they happen to be looking for someone and after a few interviews, I found an offer in my inbox. =)

Ok, so what exactly is this "The World" ?? Essentially, it's a monster floating city complete with around 200 condos, 4 restaurants, a casino, a theater, a full-sized tennis court, a pool, a work-out facility, a library, a spa, and a helipad (for easy "just jet on by" access). Residences range in price from $2 - 7.5 million, and (for a ship that's big enough to fit around 1500 people) there's only around 300 guests on board at a time.

Not gunna lie, this is definitely an unusual experience, and for a ton of reasons, something I'm REALLY excited about. When I got home from Italy, I wasn't sure exactly what would become of this blog, but with this experience on the horizon I'd be stupid to let it go. Another expat job means being miles and miles from the comforts of New York, the family in Baltimore, and friends spread all over the world. With the blog, I'll be able to stay connected and keep you all updated with pics & stories from all over.

OH, and with that in mind, my first stint starts in Chile and should drop me off somewhere in Alaska in August.

Should be fun!!!!

Ciao!

Shiny & New

2009-03-17T06:27:00.000-07:00

...thought the blog could use a fresh coat of paint, a new logo, and a new layout. Perhaps that's because it's being resurrected in preparation of the new job i just accepted. (!!!!)

More to follow... =)

When life gives you lemons, make Lemon Ganache...

2009-02-07T22:50:00.000-08:00

For more than a few weeks now I've been "beatin' the pavement" as my dad would say, lookin' for a job. Unfortunately though, finding a good job is about as hard as finding an intelligent sentence in a Palin interview. That being true, I've taken this abundance of free time and put it to good use. You see, since going to culinary school, I've developed a dorky obsession with chocolates and confections. From well made, classic confections, to cutting edge (and mostly bizarre) candies, I'm totally fascinated and captivated by the methods by which they're made. That being said, this "limbo" time has afforded me the awesome opportunity to develop some candies at home. Now, much like any concept, one must first work within the "safe" realm before he/she can venture into unknown territory. So, without further adue, I've decided to "Go My Own Way" so to speak, and I give you a simple box of chocolates of my construction:

Chocolate Production - Home

Now that the preverbal band-aid has been torn off and production has begun, the more unusual ideas have started flowing. With that, I've ordered some funky ingredients and will be experimenting with them this week. I'll have to keep you in suspense as to what they are, but I will say this: They aren't flavors.

Weird huh? If I can get these ideas to work, I'll have some VERY unique candies to distribute. ;)

Guess you'll just have to stay tuned!

Ciao!

A new day...

2009-01-21T17:05:00.000-08:00

Made it to the inauguration and it was freakin crazy!! The sea of heads all the way to the capitol was an amazing sight, and I'm SO glad I was convinced (last-minute) to go. =) One of my companions already posted a few pics on facebook, so check those out while I start compiling my pics of the day. =)

So, how about a little look ahead to 2012??

Who wouldn't vote for THAT face?? =P

Memories... (6,000 photos later)

2009-01-14T13:42:00.000-08:00

As I skim through all 6,000 (yes, i said SIX THOUSAND) of the pictures I took while I lived in Italy I've begun to compile them into small snippets of great moments throughout my trip. Starting backwards, here's one that I hope will forever be too hard to forget:

The fresh-pressing of the olives grown on our property:

Italia - Olive Oil Pressing

... that's some serious inspiration right there =)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2009-01-02T22:21:00.000-08:00

Yessir, it's that time of year again.... or should i say, that time of NEW year.

Aaaaaaaanywho, just wanted to say to everyone that i'll be in NYC for the next week lookin' for jobs again. Unfortunately, this endeavor's really gotta have a foreseeable end, otherwise it's back to Baltimore for a temporary work solution. Oh man, this week's gunna be a mad house. Not gunna lie, I'm too damn stubborn to let this week slip between my fingers.

For those of you in the NYC area, gimme a buzz. My time's short, but it's tough to pass up on grabbin coffe between interviews.

Wish me luck!!!

p.s. check out what my sis got me for Hannukah:

AWESOME!!!

Stagier: French for "Indentured Servant"

2008-12-22T23:13:00.000-08:00

In the restaurant industry, there's a practice known as "staging." (Pronounced with a long "a," as if it rhymes with dodge) Essentially, someone interested in seeing how a particular restaurant works contacts the chef, and requests a one-day (or more) internship. This indentured servitude is then rewarded (by the better restaurants) with kind treatment, recipe / procedure transparency, and the chance to walk in the shoes of one of an employee.

Regardless of the word's history, this level of transparency within a business can seem somewhat foreign to a lot of my friends. Non Disclosure Agreements (and other such contractual guarantees of silence) make a completely open door essentially non-exsistant to them. I've gotta say though, since making my career switch, i have become a huge believer in the power of an open door. The ability to see "how the other side lives" so to speak is something that allows food-related professionals constant access to knowledge and inspiration, two things that are always in demand. Unfortunately though, there's a huge debate within the industry as far as HOW MUCH information should be divulged to one of these interns. Should a guest be privy to all the recipes he/she can cram into memory that day, or should there be some be guarded secrets? Are signature items completely off the grid, or is EVERYTHING fair game? Well, I suppose it's all a matter of opinion and so it's up to the chef to decide what he/she is comfortable divulging. In my experience, those chefs who were secure enough to share their full knowledge base have been the most successful within the industry. They find comfort in open discussions, inquisitive minds, and even the occasional heated debate. You see, the food industry is a strange place. When someone cooks they invest themselves so heavily in the products they produce that it becomes extremely personal. So much so, that there are plenty of times that it's nearly impossible to pull yourself back and say "ok, how do I like this composition of flavors/textures thus far?" I wouldn't know it yet, but I suppose it'd be like asking a parent to objectively judge their child against all others. Sure, there would always be flaws, it's just a matter of what flaws are most obvious, and how severe those flaws TRULY are. For that reason, I find it extremely important to be open to discussion, critique, and hope that as long as we can keep things civil, this level of communication will yeild a better, more refined outcome.

Anywho, what I'm driving at is that there are plenty of chefs who I feel demonstrate what it is to be professional, open, and confident. For the last two weeks, (and until i'm employed once again..hah) I've had the pleasure of visiting a bunch of great restaurants around New York. I've been extremely picky about who i'd like to visit, and it's really helped me narrow-down what the qualities are of the next environment i'd like to work. The place has to be high quality, intimate, creative, free-thinking (not bound to any stupid rules like "oh, chef ____ ONLY wants desserts like this"), and, more important than anything else, welcoming.

If I could work anywhere now, it'd be Le Bernardin. I've waxed poetic about everything from the clean, vibrant symphony of flavors that are the desserts, to the staff which has (on multiple occasions) treated me as one of their own. A restaurant like that has a lot to teach cooks, and of course, has set a great example for me to use at a place of my own (in a few years). Unfortunately though, my schoolgirl-like crush on a position there is going to have to remain a fantasy until by some divine miracle a spot opens up. I'll jam my foot in the door as long as I can, but the realities of rent, food, and running water have a habit of sneaking up on me.

Anywho, for now i'm going to head home to Baltimore for the week. Assuming all goes well, i'll be relocating (as permanently as a twenty-something can) back to NYC for the New Year. =)

Until we meet again, have a Chappy Channukah, a Killer Kwanza, and a Merry X-mas.

CIAO!!!

....also, random Hot CD: Kid Cudi - Plain Pat & Emile Presents a KiD named CuDi

Enjoy!

Italia in Fast Forward

2008-12-04T18:43:00.000-08:00

Massarosa -> Viareggio -> Florence -> Venice -> Milan -> Pisa -> Naples -> Sorrento -> Vesuvius -> The Amalfi Coast -> Vietri Sul Mare -> Reggio Calabria -> Messina -> Taormina -> Castelmola -> Catania -> Mt Etna -> Vietri Sul Mare (again!) -> Siena -> Chianti -> Viareggio -> New York -> Baltimore

Any quesions?

Ok ok, so that doesn't really say much. Actually, if you hadn't read anything before this, that seemling random string of places seems absolutely non-sensical. Fortunately however, there is in fact a method to this madness.

What you see above is a brief itinerary of the three week adventure my parents & I completed. Now, in the interest of full disclosure I should say that my sister joined us for the first week, so from Massarosa to Pisa, we got to see Italy as a full family. Afterwords however, it was back to the triumphs and tribulations of the Rosen Trio.

Basically the trip consisted of short "sprint" drives where we would cover a few hours on the autostrada and stop wherever the scenery became most interesting. WIthout that mentality, I can almost guarantee we would've never enjoyed the company of an amazing family that took us in in Vietri Sul Mare, or the hilariously dysfunctional Mother-Son culinary team we met at a restaurant on the top of a mountain in Castelmola. Honestly, it had its frustrations, but it really was an amazing way to travel. As I'd anticipated, my Italian certainly was pushed to it's bounds as it became more and more clear that simply trying to converse with people for 6 months does not make you anything close to a countrymen. There were mixups and fudges of seemingly monumental proportions, but of course when it all came into perspective, I can only be thankful for the chance to see everything as we did.

I do have to mention though, when i finished my time with Sandra & the gang at Toscana Saporita, I felt that I had reached a comfortable end. I felt as if we had our time, but it was time to do/see something else. However, as I stared out the window of our plane and the engine's thrust squished me back into my seat, the scenery began to pull away, and the idea of going home finally set in, I developed a bit of a pit in my stomach. I couldn't believe that I was leaving. More so, I felt physically disturbed. It was as if my organs had decided to stay, but my body was being dragged along. For the first time, I really felt very unhappy with the idea of leaving, and it hit me hard.

As we cruised at 30,000 ft over the Atlantic I thought about it more and more:

What had I really set in motion by coming home?

Where am I going now?

and more importantly, How on Earth am I going to get there?

Honestly, I have no idea. BUT, I will say that living abroad made a lasting impression on me. For the first time, I truly understand what it's like to walk in an ex-pat's shoes.

A few years ago I had an intimate relationship with someone who took time to live abroad. When this person returned home, I had no doubt that something was different. A lot had remained the same, but there was something intangible that truly altered our dynamic. When I stepped off that plane and thought about seeing my friends again it dawned on me. For the first time in my life I understand that position. I don't know exactly what's changed, but I feel different. I feel as if, although the physical distance is gone, there is still some psychological distance between myself and people at home. It's as if there's some force imposing this feeling outside of my control, and I truly wonder when I'll feel fully welcomed back into the world of living as an American. I mean, to go back to my previous point, I'm sure I did what I could to maintain consistency a few years ago, but I'll tell you, I never expected the other side to be like this. To this person's credit, it takes a hell of a lot to re-calibrate back to being home. I don't know if I'll ever fully adjust, but I can say for sure, this will not have been my last ExPat experience.

The bug has bitten....

Let see when the itch comes back. =P

Until next time, CIAO!

(oh, and pics to come... don't worry! I'm transferring to a new computer so it may take a bit)

Every end is a new beginning....

2008-11-18T16:00:00.000-08:00

Well, as they say, my time has come. I honestly can’t believe so much time has gone by but October 31st marked my last day at Toscana Saporita.

Wow.

Honestly, it’s somewhat surreal to finally see it on “paper.” This town, this job, this lifestyle has been such a dominant force around me for the last 7 months that I think it’s going to be really strange to be without it. What will I do without seeing Anto on the couch every morning before work? Who’s going to light up the kitchen every day like Sa? Who’s going to bust my balls every night like Ila? =) And more importantly, where will I go to get my espresso “corrected”? [hah! Time to get an espresso machine =)]

Honestly, this was an experience that I wouldn’t have had any other way. I’ve met some amazing people, made some amazing food, drank some amazing wine, and seen a world outside of everything I thought I knew. I’m truly grateful to everyone who helped shape my time in Tuscany and I say from the bottom of my heart that each and every one of them will always have a home wherever I am.

As for the next move, my parents have FINALLY come to visit, so the next three weeks’ll be spent exploring Italy with them. Some of it I’ve seen, some of it’s totally new, but ALL of it’ll be an adventure. Lets see how good my Italian’s gotten!

Ciao Ciao!!

SPAIN 3.0

2008-11-04T14:15:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's been a few weeks since I've last posted and so much has happened it's out of control.

That being said, lets rewind to Saturday Oct 18th....

With a week off and a whole world to explore, Justin, David & I hopped a cheap Ryanair flight to Barcelona. Getting in late at night, we decided to forgo the hotel / hostel for one night and spend the night wandering the city. After hours of exploration (and strange Indian men seeming to pop up EVERYWHERE hocking Estrella Damm Beer for 50 Euro Cents), we made our way across the city to the beach and sat down there for impending sunrise. Soon after, the smell of freshly baked breads / pastries wafted through the air and we set off for a quick and easy breakfast...

[Now, as a side note, I had a FANTASTIC week in Spain. It was so great to spend a culinary bonanza like that with people like Justin and David that I could happily go into excruciating detail describing every aspect of our week abroad. However, this would be amazing to some and horrendously boring to others, so i'll try and trim it down to the big, meaty points.... mmm, meaty]

Ok, back to Barcelona. =)

SO, after wandering around all night, we were exhausted. We finally got ourselves to the apartment we rented, got settled, and dropped off a ton of our stuff. Shortly after we began our Barcelona blitz, hittin the city hard with a bus tour complete with (smuggled) wine service, gorgeous scenery, and a visit to the chocolate shop of one of the world's premier pastry chefs Oriol Balaguer. We even found ourselves an Italian Aperitivo Bar in Barcelona one evening and couldn't resist getting a little taste of our (new) Italain home while away.

After 3 days of Barcelona, it was time to bid "Adios" to Catalonia, and hit the road for San Sebastian, a 5 hour drive across Northern Spain into the Basque Region. To do so, we headed back to the airport and picked up the 3rd Fiat Punto i've rented yet. (Gotta say, for a cheap car with lots of space you've gotta love the Punto!! OK ok, enough of my shameless plugs) After a few hours on the road, hunger set in and a quick meal was in order. We stopped in a random town along the way, and had an amazing (3 course) meal for an astoundingly cheap 9 Euro. Shortly after, we were back on the road, and found ourselves passing the town of Pamplona. Without being able to resist, we pulled off the highway and spent a bit driving around Pamplona, getting a quick bite to eat, and enjoying the fact that the car would afford us all kinds of opportunities like that should we want them.

Not long after Pamplona, we arrived in San Sebastian. Our hostel was positioned right off the beach in a great location, and was filled with so many twenty-somethings that it basically functioned as an overseas college dorm. The town itself was an amazing blend of history, extremely thoughtful (and aesthetically pleasing) architecture, incredibly nice people, and knock-out food. We spent the majority of our time wandering around the harbor / old city, exploring the mountain roads overlooking the area, getting to know (and going out with) the other kids in the hostel, and mentally prepping ourselves for arguably the best restaurant experience any of us had encountered in our entire lives.

That being said, the meal i'm referring to is one we enjoyed at a restaurant called Arzak. I can only describe to you a small percentage of what the actual meal was like, but suffice it to say it's one we won't be one any of us'll forget for a LONG time. Essentially, this is a restaurant that already sits on the list of the top ten restaurants in the world. It's tasting menu is a comprehensive tour of the culinary play that Juan Mari and his daughter Elena has created and maintained for MANY years. (Arzak recieved it's 3rd Michelin Star in 1989 and has held it since) That menu alone is fantastic and needs no adjustment. Fortunately though, I had the incredible fortune of being put in touch with the Maitre D' through a great friend of mine, and as such got to hear something everyone dreams of hearing at a restaurant of that calibre, "Put your menus away, If you'll allow us, we've prepared something special for you."

21 Plates later, we were satiated with probably the best meal that has graced my pallet. During the meal itself Juan Mari personally visited the table TWICE to ask how the meal was progressing, and at the end, we were privy to a private tour of the kitchen and the wine cellar. To put it bluntly, I was completely beside myself. Oh, and if that wasn't enough, as the restaurant was breaking down and cleaning up, the Maitre D' asked us "So, are you staying in San Sebastian." To which I of course replied "Oh yeah, right down on the beach." "Great" he said, "What are your plans for tomorrow?" HAH! "As of yet, nothing. We're just planning on wandering around the city and taking it easy." I replied. "Ok, well if you'd like to come back at around noon I'd love to show you around the Labratory where we develop all of our ideas."

...Umm, wow. Not bad eh? So yeah, all in all it was an incredible culinary experience. I'm extremely grateful to the people of Arzak as a whole, and I can't wait to bestow something like that upon a fan of mine one day.

That afternoon, we rode out the two day high that was our meal, finished up our time seeing the sites of San Sebastian, and tied up our trip with a last-hoorah with most of the kids in the hostel.

As we drove back to the airport the next morning we were a little banged up and happy to just listen to our two favorite roadtrip cd's (Mute Math - Mute Math, & The Killers - Hot Fuss) and silently reflect on one hell of a trip. There were so many stories and jokes to remember I can only hope we keep reminding ourselves how great a time we had.

I know it's only scratching the surface, but here are a tiny tiny few of the 906 photos that fully describe our week in Spain:

SPAIN 3.0

ENJOY!

Happy B-day... TO ME!

2008-10-17T14:39:00.000-07:00

The days are getting a little bit cooler, the olive trees are filling out nicely, and the nights are developing the crisp air of winter; Man, I love this time of year!

As you may have guessed, this is also birthday time for me. =) Recently, we've been enjoying some beautiful days, and nights crisp and cool enough to build a comforting, warming fire. As I mentioned before, the olive trees have started to tint their fruit dark purple, and the huge nets have been spread in the orchards surrounding our house. Actually, now that i think about it, it reminds me of the Gates exhibit in Central Park. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gates) For those of you who haven't had a chance to see either the Gates exhibit, or the olive harvest, it's as if someone suddenly colorized the countryside. It's really quite beautiful!

Well, soon the olive pressing'll begin and fresh oil'll start to flow from the Frantoio (Olive press). I really hope it starts soon so that I'll have time to grab some fresh focaccia, sprint over to the presses, and catch some of the fresh oil for a snack!

Anywho, in the last week we've started to see lots of "Sagre"spring up around the countryside. Essentially, a Sagra is an open dinner for anyone and everyone to come and enjoy regional cuisine centered around a specific food or ingredient. Recently, we had a chance to go to the Sagra della Castange, which roughly translates to the "Chesnut Festival." There, we paid minimal prices for a HUGE Stinko (pork shank.....mmmmmmm, delicious) and a healthy portion of Ribollita (delicious Tuscan stew).

Then, AFTER eating all that, we were privy to tons and tons of roasted chesnuts, singing, dancing, delicious fried sandwiches called "Quartuccio", and lots and lots of wine. (heh... as if we don't do that EVERY day) I mean, if you don't expect to eat your brains out in Italy, you're in the wrong country.

After the Sagra, it was time to go back to work, teaching, and cooking for a new group of students. This week was a bit older than we usually get, but all in all they were extremely sincere and a true pleasure to have for the week. For our Thursday (buffet) lunch dessert I decided to make a ton of Bombolone (Italian Doughnuts), which i'm happy to say came out great. =)

This week was definitely a welcome change from the last few weeks of high maintenance groups, and a great way to get nice and recharged for next week our TRIP TO SPAIN!!!

That's right folks, just for the hell of it yours truly (along with two other chefs, David & Justin) are heading to Barcelona for a few days, renting a car, and road-tripping it to Spain's Basque country!!! This is a trip i've been dying to do since I graduated from culinary school so I couldn't be more excited about it. As soon as we get settled in Barcelona, i'll be tracking down a ton of the Spanish chefs i've been reading about for years now and FINALLY be able to see their work in person. I can't wait!!!

Oh man, my camera's memory card's gunna take a beating this week!

Until i return, take care & ciao!!!

Oh, and to everyone back home who was kind enough to send birthday notes, that really meant a lot to me. I miss you all a ton!

Thursday, Bloody Thursday

2008-10-09T13:52:00.000-07:00

Ciao all, or should i say: Good Yontif!!

Today (for all the goyim out there) was in fact Yom Kippur. As such, I didn't eat a bit all day and as such, had to do everything I could to fight the urge to become a raging bastard. (Unfortunately, the lack of food seems to manifest itself in the worst way with me) Fortunately, I succeeded and finished the day, reflecting on the past year and centering myself for the upcoming year.

Now, as the schedule would typically have it, today was pizza day! SOOO, as promised, here is my photo-journalistic approach to our pizza night. ENJOY!:

Pizza Time!

Oh, and as a side note, i broke the fast with one of my favorite Tuscan soups called Ribollita and a BIG JUICY hamburger on a brioche bun (THAT I MADE!!). Just for some fun, here's a picture of the burger, and a few to describe the last few days as well:

Justin + Hamburger = Delicious!

Creme Brulee lesson time!

Oh Davide, found glass bottles almost always spell trouble

Ciao ragazzi!!

Happy New Year!!

2008-09-30T15:21:00.000-07:00

L'Shana Tova!!

It's now 5769, and it's definitely time to kick off a new year. This past week was unusually taxing, demanding much more time and energy than a typical group. From wandering eyes to constant coversation, it was especially difficult to maintain each and everyone of their attention spans. As such, i'm a bit drained mentally and hoping for something bit lower key for the next week or so to recouperate. This experience has certainly given me a ton more repect for my old professors and I've gotta say, I'm sure I wasn't the easiest to teach either.

So, to them I say a very heartfelt thank you. Your styles have all rubbed off on me, and taught me that it's through your methods of cheesily joking with classes, imparting as much usable knowledge as possible, and always trying to go the extra mile for a student that have really made this experience great.

On that note, one of the most recent student concerns has been bread baking. SOOOO, i took it upon myself to attempt my own lean dough here. (Lean dough = Flour, Water, Yeast, Salt) That being said, the endeavor went pretty well. Originally i wanted to use our brick oven, but it turned out to be so insanely hot that it charred the outside of one of the Baguettes before it could cook all the way through. I then baked the rest in our convection oven and got some pretty good results.

Proofed Baguette Dough
(ready to bake)

Baked Lean Dough

The crumb was ok (kinda tight, but i'm sure that's splitting hairs for a lot of people), and the crust was about the same. (definitely could use some moisture in the initial 5-8 minutes of baking) I'm sure i'll try adding some boiling water in the bottom of the oven next time to provide some basic steam and allow the crust to expand and take on a much thinner, darker crust.

Until next time, the grapes are 'bout ready to harvest so i'm goin to go pick some to nibble on before they're all gone....

CIAO!!!

Pasta Carbonara

2008-09-20T16:15:00.000-07:00

Hot Pasta + Diced Prosciutto+ Raw Eggs + Parmigiano Reggiano + Black Pepper = DELICIOUS!

Honestly, there are few things on the planet more enticing than a freshly made plate of Pasta Carbonara. To make the fantastic pasta, one starts with diced Prosciutto in a saute pan and cooks it until it begins to pop. Deglaze with white wine and cook until the wine is fully reduced and the only liquid in the pan is the fat from the Prosciutto. In a separate bowl, combine raw eggs, shredded Parmigiano Reggiano, Black Pepper, and a tiny splash of cream. (season INTENSELY with the black pepper) Once the pasta is 90% cooked, transfer it to a large bowl and add the hot Prosciutto directly from the saute pan. Finally, stream in the egg mixture while stirring vigorously and serve immediately.

Sounds crazy eh?? Well, take my word for it, it's one of Italy's best pastas!!!

And now... the PICS!

Weekly Schedule

2008-09-20T07:44:00.000-07:00

It has recently occured to me that in four (cumulative) months of being in Italy i have yet to describe to you all what a typical week's menu contains. Mind you, these are a mix of items we produce with students and for students. Typically it's the lunch item that we teach and the dinner item we prepare. However, thursdays are done in reverse with the lunch item prepared ahead and the dinner formulated side by side with students.

So, without further adue, main items are regular text and the dessert is enclosed within brackets: (oh, and "Free Choice" = Whatever I want to make)

Sunday:(students arrive)
Lunch: Tuscan Antipasti Plate, Seasonal Soup[Local Fruit]
Dinner: First dinner with the students [Free Choice]

Monday:
Lunch: Fennel Gratin, Fresh Tagliatelle with seasonal sauce [Gelato of chosen flavor]
Dinner: Pasta, Seasonal Protein with Salad or vegetable side [Free Choice]

Tuesday:
Lunch: [Pasta Frolla Ricotta Tarts]
Dinner: Fish Antipasti plate, Seasonal Soup, Pasta, Fish-based Main, [Panna Cotta of chosen flavor]

Wednesday:
Lunch: 6 Color Ravioli, Gnocci 2 ways: A La Romana & Potato [Sorbet]
Dinner: Pasta, Seasonal Protein with Salad or vegetable side [Crème Brulee]

Thursday:
Lunch: Buffet of Tuscan Antipasti & Protein in finger-food form [Local Fruit / Free Choice]
Dinner: Pizza: Speck & Mascarpone, Stracchino & Salsiccia, Margerita, [Cantucci => What we know as "Biscotti", but that's a misnomer]

Friday:
Lunch: Fritatta Salad & seasonal Risotto [Chocolate Tasting]
Dinner: Pasta, Seasonal Protein with Salad or vegetable side [Tiramisu]

Whew, now that THAT's out of the way, I've decided that a great idea for a project'd be a series of photos based on the progression of each evening.

Stay tuned for pics!!

CIAO!

BBQ 2

2008-09-15T09:01:00.000-07:00

BBQ

2008-09-15T08:58:00.000-07:00

whew... finally!

2008-09-14T01:39:00.000-07:00

Ok, for those of you who have never lived overseas I can only say that a garaunteed, low-maintenance internet connection is a luxury atypical to many many parts of the world. That being said. I, and my new camera, are finally online. hah!

It's been about two weeks since I've posted last and since then we've jumped right back into teaching classes.

We've already gone through two rounds of students, and I can say with much ease that it's good to be back. Every day i'm reminded of some of the pleasures i've gotten to enjoy here that i've forgotten about while at home. (Mainly food & wine that is...) The summer season is winding down here but some of the days still find themselves well into the 90F range. The pool has become an excellent mid-day diversion to the heat, and I'm glad that my coworkers share my desire to minimize working through the day's most brutal hours. (Oh, and just to clarify, the Italian lifestyle pretty much dictates that everyone have the mid-day hours off. Working through what we would consider the "lunch hours" at home is a completely foreign concept here.)

Other than the usual "work-reorientation" jazz, i'm happy to say that this time of year is a pretty great time to see Italy again. The summer vegetables are just finishing their growing season, and the jewels of the fall are just starting to roll in.

--mmm, summer to fall -->
Tomato Porcini!

As such, we've started incorporating things like the classic Roast of Veal with a Porcini Marsala sauce. Now, let me be 100% honest when i say I distinctly dislike Marsala. I think the smell of a freshly opened bottle is one of the few on Earth that makes my stomach go from calm to "spin cycle." HOWEVER, the combination of such sweet, earthy mushrooms with the full-flavored Veal roast was something other-worldly. (heh. If I could press a Veal cut against my screen hard enough that you could smell it too!)

Needless to say, it was damn good.

Oh, and the wine... yowza! Since the start of the season, a lot of the old-standby's from last season have disappeared. Fortunately they've been replaced with such wonderful bottles as a Barbera Sant'Agata from Peidmont that was so strong up front, and so full of fruit on the finish that I was instantly taken by it... oh, and not to forget my go-to-"oh man it's good" wine the "Etrusco" by Cennatoio vineyards. wow-wee-wee-wow that's good wine!

Anywho, i'll be collecting a few good bottles to bring home so maybe you'll be lucky enough to try one too!

Ciao, e c'e vediamo doppo!

Gettin Settled...

2008-09-02T08:51:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

Just wanted to let ya know i've finally got myself back to my house in Tuscany. =) I'm re-acclimating to life here and so far things are great. I'll be taking my camera with me to the kitchen today so hopefully I can grab some cool candids to post. Until then, take care.

Oh, and i've finally downloaded Skype so use my email if you wanna try and catch me.

CIAO!!

(ok, this picture is HUGE, 1' x 7.5' when printed, but it's kinda cool. It's the view from the hotel where I stayed before finally moving back into our usual house)

I'm Audi 5000

2008-08-27T09:09:00.000-07:00

That's right kids.... today's the big day!

I'm goin BACK TO ITALY!

Barring any natural disasters (read: inexplicably delayed flights, godzilla attacks... etc) I should be arriving in Pisa tomorrow, starting the Italian Adventure 2.0. I may be out for a bit but drop ya a line once I'm back online.

CIAO!

SLR = three letters that mean happy!

2008-08-21T14:06:00.000-07:00

Oh yes, that's right.... I've recently upgraded my camera from a Canon SD630 (a throw-in-your-pocket "point and shoot") to a fantastically capable Rebel XSi.

These are just a few of the test shots I've been messin' with since tearing open the box. I'm sure as I learn more about each of the cameras 1 zillion modes (Yes, canon uses approximately 1 ZILLION modes on all their cool cameras) they'll get better and better!

Brownie & Lemon Mousse

Backyard Tomatoes

Dad

Dad & I

...man i love this thing!

uncomposed thoughts...

2008-08-09T13:49:00.000-07:00

It's been a few weeks since i've gotten home from Italy and frankly, it's been a whirlwind. NYC was everything i've drempt about while I was abroad, seeing old friends, visiting school again... it all reminded me of the places I miss the most. The city made me feel like I never left home, and it genuinely pushed me to start thinking about the next steps.

Since i've started this journey there have been so many unexpected opportunities. Considering that, I really have no idea on how I could possibly plan anything beyond the day's agenda. I suppose what I mean is that my life feels as though it's become an improv scene; the overlying plotline has been set, but the incidentals of how I actually get there are totally pliable. I suppose the shortlist of plot points is as such:

1) go to culinary school
2) seek out unusual experiences that challenge my culinary life
3) train under someone that has truly mastered the art of chocolate, sugar, dough, and the plated dessert
4) rise through the ranks and take a leadership position as a result of that mentor
5) pave my own way in the business (or businesses) of my own concept
6) take on my own protege

That said, i've booked my next flight to Europe. Soon i'll be in Tuscany again, learning Italian, educating tourists, eating all the Italian food I can get my hands on, and seeking out more of those "unusual experiences" i've been looking for to better position myself for step 3.

Still though, i can help but wonder what that next step'll be... and more so, what that next step'll entail. I suppose things have been in flux long enough that i'd love something stable.... Something where I can sink my teeth into the position long enough to make a mark without worrying about Visas, plane tickets, previous obligations and such.

Oy.... I know it's on the horizon... i'm just so damn impatient!!!

HAPPY B-DAY BOOGS!!!

2008-07-23T22:11:00.000-07:00

Ok, sounds weird but u know who u are.

HAPPY B-DAY!!! =)

...Part III: Florida, or as the kids call it, Flo Rida

2008-07-16T22:40:00.000-07:00

OK OK, i get it. It's a lot.... but trust me, I know. I lived it!

Ok, so after finally gettin home to the states it was "pack up your bags" once again, "we're off to Florida!"

Yessir, it was time for my cousin's wedding.... BUT, before we get to that, a great friend of mine moved down to Florida after culinary school and is living in a city on the West coast of the peninsula on essentially the same lattitude as Miami. SO, what a better excuse to go visit then a wedding only an hour and a half from his house right??? My thoughts exactly!!

Soooo, with a little help from my boy Dan, I got to Florida a little early (for the wedding) and made my way to his (new) hometown, Naples. There, Dan, his brother Aaron (who definately gets a shout out as well), and I tore up the town, had a GREAT time, and ate some fantastic food. As per the usual, when u visit a friend who's a chef there's pretty much two things you've gotta do:

1) Visit his / her restuarant & 2) Cook a meal with him / her

Fortunately we took care of both, having a excellent array of everything his restaurant (Chop City Grille, http://www.chopscitygrill.com/) had to offer, and whippin up a great meal of potatoes, green beans, and pork chops complimented with a spiced apple chutney (he didn't call it that and i know he's gunna kick my ass for saying "chutney" instead of his classification...haha) that really sang. Fortunately, a new hobby of mine (thank you blog!) has become food photography so feel free to paroose the pics below for a better spread of what the meal looked like.

As one could imagine, it was great chillin with Dan & Aaron, i really missed those guys while I was away.

For some reason, my new obsession has become taking macro shots of food with the person preparing it in the background out of focus... so here's dan with the super-macro Potato, and a shot of him plating the dish in it's final form.

Finally, the finished plate, and an action shot of Dan sprinting down the line shot along the bar at his restaurant.
Nice work kiddo. =)

Anywho, at the end of that same week, Dan, Aaron, and I jumped in the car & drove to Miami to meet up with my family for the wedding. Much to our surprise, when we arrived in Miami (at 1:30 am) there was actually a pretty sick lineup of DJ's in town so we jet over to Park West and got a chance to see Boris spin there 'til about 4:30 in the morning. At that point, my sister (rightfully so) pulled the plug and suggested we get some rest before the "big day tomorrow." We all crashed in our hotel room, and the next morning my parents woke us nice and early for a pretty cool surprise. "Strap on your baithing suits, we're goin PARA-SAILING!"

hahahaha, I'm still waitin on some pics from my mom, but suffice it to say, Para-sailing was amazing. We each flew alone (with the exception of my sister and dad), and the experience was amazing. The boat must've pulled us at least 15 stories high when we were at full tilt. I sware, there was a point where my parachute caught enough of an updraft to take me slightly higher than all the South Beach hotels and the whole city of Miami just seemed to open up in my view. It was truly breathtaking.

That night, we took my sister to an awesome dinner at a Latin restaurant called Cacao. It served some great food, but was hardly the notion on my mind as my mom, dad, sis, and I had finally got to have dinner as a family for the first time in what seemed like a LONG time. After dinner, it was layin low 'til about midnight where we heard that Hernan Catanea was spinnig at Mansion. SO, like any body else would've done, it was "get dressed, we're goin out!"

Long story short, Mansion was sick. Myself, Dan, Aaron, and a bunch of their friends (guys & girls) had a great time and ended the night like any good South Beach local would... with cuban sandwiches from Dave's Cafe. Oh man, i DEFINITELY forgot how much i love those damn things. =)

The next day was my cousin's wedding, and like any family function, it was a madhouse. All in all the ceremony was beautiful, my cousin and her new husband looked extatic, and the party went off without a hitch.

Before finally heading home to Baltimore, my family made a quick stop in Del Ray Beach to spend the night with my Grandpa, then it was back on the plane home.

In the last few weeks i've done a LOT of travelling, and i'm ready for a break....

Oh, and did I mention that my (Italian) boss asked me to come back to Italy in August for another few months.

TIME TO START PACKING!!!! =)

...Part II: The transition home...

2008-07-16T21:09:00.000-07:00

After returning from Rome, It was only a mere three days of work before I bid farewell to my home in Tuscany and boarded my plane for home.

After reaching my layover city, London, I realized how incredibly stupid I was to think I'd score a hotel room as I had arrived in the MIDDLE of the Wimbleton tournament. Local hotels had SKYROCKETED in price to nearly $300 / night, and frankly, that's just too damn much money for this poor kid. So... like any travelling student, I found myself a semi-comfy looking chair, stacked my luggage around me like a four-year old's fort, and tried to get some rest. The next thing I know, i'm being harassed by a ticket agent at 4 in the morning yammering on about something to do with me not being where i'm supposed to. So, groggy as hell, I paced around the airport, wheeling my suitcases up and down the concourse. After a good 20 minutes of pacing, i settled down at the 24 hr Starbucks, had myself a latte, and found a chair suitable for at least a good hour's rest. By that time, I was a bit wound up so I threw on my iPod, watched the entirety of "No Country for Old Men", a few Family Guy's and slipped right into the unconscious unknown.

FINALLY, after getting up, spending a few hours wheeling around, getting magazines, and entertaining myself any way I possibly could, it was time to check my luggage in. Everything went without a hitch... despite my two bottles of grappa, truffle paste, and miriad of gifts i was bringing home to my family, i made it through security!

7 Hrs later I finally landed in Baltimore and was extremely glad to see my family. Again, security was reasonably cool with me, and provided no major hassles.

After a good two days of sleeping ( / resetting my internal clock) I got myself back on my feet and gave my family their gifts. Everyone seemed pretty appreciative, which definitely made me happy since I spent a LONG time and a lot of thought on each one.

A few days of story-telling, picture-showing, and lots and lots of cooking I had finally settled, and began packing my bags for my cousin's wedding in Florida....

Oy, on to part III =)

One LOOONG Month.... part 1

2008-07-15T15:44:00.000-07:00

Firstly, I'd like to apologize for not updating the blog until now. I can assure you it's been a hell of a month. (Since we last spoke, I've been in Tuscany, Rome, Pisa, London, Baltimore, Miami, Naples (Florida), Del Ray Beach, and finally, back to Baltimore) Secondly, I'd like to thank everyone who's kept up with me during my time abroad. I've really been amazed at the spread of people that read this page. It's been an enormous pleasure keeping you all updated with my life, and more than anything else I do it to maintain the connections that matter to me most. I find that there are more people that I'd like to stay in contact with than i could possibly write to on a daily basis, and so I hope you'll take this outlet as my way of telling my side of the story. As more time passes however, I'd really like to know what YOU all are doing. How YOU all have been, and with any luck, when we can finally get together again.

Anywho, without further adue, here's the short version of what my last month has encompased:

Since we've last spoken, my friend Ali and I were joined by my best friend Frank in Tuscany. Frank LOVES to cook so it wasn't long before he was up to speed and helping us whip up prep for lessons, lunch, and dinner for the now FULL classes. We ran through the normal schedule for a few days, and that thursday (June 19th) Frank, Ali, and I rented a car and took off for an old college friend (and frathernity brother) Simone's wedding in Rome. I must say, it was very generous of Simone and his new bride Maite to invite the three of us since it was indeed a "destination wedding" and (as i've learned) they can be QUITE expensive to organize and orchestrate. Anywho, it was great seein so many old faces and it was really amazing to get to connect with them again so far from home.

Simone & Maite

Al & I Cutting the cake

Phi Kaps... Italian-style

No sleep 'til Roma!!

2008-06-15T17:03:00.000-07:00

CIAO regazzi!!

As some of you may know, i've been joined by an old friend here in Tuscany. His name's Ali and he and I went to college together a few years ago. Since college, he's bounced all around the US but currently lives in San Francisco. He (and soon many other college friends) made the trip out here for a mutual friend's wedding. Fortunately however, he decided to give himself a good 10 days of relaxing in Italy straddling the wedding. SOOOOO, of course (to make the most of his trip) we met here in my little town, rented a car, and hit the road....

On his first day, we explored the area immediately surrounding my small town. Shortly after, we hit the weekend and decided to make the most of it by driving a bit farther. After some intense decision making (we practically flipped a coin) we opted to drive to San Gimignano (in the heart of the Chianti Region) for the day.

After getting there, we had a fantastic time, saw some beautiful scenery, and decided that we should take a few hour detour in Volterra before we finally made our way back home. NOW, I should say that it's been great having him here, but to be perfectly honest i've barely slept, ate like a pig, and drank enough to kill a small elephant!! Of course i wouldn't change it for the world and I'll defiantely attest to the wonders of Wild Boar and Fennel Sausage (Salsissca di Cingale e Finoccio) , Farrow Soup (Zuppa di Farro), and all the other fantastic Tuscan delicacies. =) [Case in point: It's currently 2 am here. We've just polished off our 2nd bottle of wine for the evening, and after staying up until 4:30 am last night, i'm ready to do a faceplant into the keyboard!]

Here are some pics from our last adventure:

Josh & Al - San Gimignano

Farrow Soup & a fantastic view from the drive down

Oy I need sleep....

BUONA NOTTE! =P

HOLY CRAP, A ZOMBIE!

2008-06-03T09:38:00.000-07:00

Ok, not literally... but lets just say LITERARILY i've risen from the dead. Yes yes, i know, i've been gone for a bit now and many of you feared i'd never return. Well, much like Jesus springing from his well-adorned egg during Easter (I think that's how the story goes), I too have reappeared despite popular belief.

Firstly I would like to say that these past few weeks have been as the Italians say "Casino Casino." Suffice it to say, we (at the school) were joined by an old chef named Jacob who stayed with us for a little more than a week and definatley livened things up a bit. He and I hit up the local nightlife, took a roadtrip to Venice, and definatley had a blast. Happily, I can also say that he's quite talented in the kitchen so we actually got to put out some good food while he was here. Below you'll find a small trio that he added to our usual fish appetizer plate for our Tuesday night menu.

"Jacobe Beef" and the trio of fishy delights

CIAO VENEZIA!

Also, our property has a number of cows that have since appeared outside our humble home. SO, of course i couldn't wait to take pics and get them up on the blog.....

The Cows of Tuscany!!!

hahaha, anywho... i'm happy to be back, and will definatley be posting more soon. OH, and as a random side note, I should also say that my US phone number works here. SO, for those of you who were curious about that, Verizon's world phone service works pretty damn well.

CIAO!!!

Summertime Snacks

2008-05-12T07:28:00.000-07:00

Hello friends, for today's installment of "True Life: I'm a Tuscan Pastry Nerd" I'll be featuring a recent inspiration of mine;

Italian Summertime Snacks

For my first experiment, i decided to give the ol' Chocolate Sausage a go. No no, i'm not talking about trying any weird Tuscan sexual exploits... I'm talking about a confection, made of ganache, nuts, and sometimes dried fruit, enjoyed by Italian children everywhere. For my first iteration of a Chocolate Sausage recipe, I tried Gina DePalma (pastry chef of Babbo)'s recipe. She seemed to have a pretty obvious grasp of Italian food (combined with an American palate) that logically leads me to believe her recipe'd be pretty good. Well, take it from me, the recipe IS good, however it really needs one small alteration: Make a Sabayone with the Egg Yolks & Sugar. Don't leave 'em raw!! Unfortunately if you do, the sugar is quite percieveable and provides (for me) an unusual texture. Obviously this is a personal beef, but hey, you're here readin about me, so tough!

(Choc. Sausage....mmmm)

Ok, now that we've crossed that bridge, lets get onto the next experiement:

In Italy, especially Tuscany, it's quite common for kids to grow up snacking on Orange Segments, drizzled in Olive Oil and served with a tiny PINCH of salt. Now, to an American, this is an odd combination, but (of course) once you put it together it's pretty damn good!

Well, once I heard about this, the wheels starting turning and soon enough, I had a plated dessert. So, without further adue, i present to you, a Blood Orange Cake (iced with an Orange Zest Glaze), Orange Paste Frolla (brushed with Olive Oil), a White Chocolate Olive Oil Ganache, and Mascarpone Cream. Garnished with Blood Orange Segments and (fancy) Olive Oil.

deeeeeeeelicious.

The plate came out great, and of course, I love the way they all look together.

Buon Appetito!

You guessed it.....

2008-05-08T23:38:00.000-07:00

HAPPY B-DAY MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love ya! =)

Ciao Fancy!

2008-05-08T03:38:00.000-07:00

Oh me oh my....

Well friends, it's been a week since I last wrote to you, and I must say it's been an interesting week. The last class group was exceptionally fun, and I'm really happy to have spent time with such a stimulating group. Honestly, I've gotta say that the experience here, from their side, pretty much depends entirely on their desire to learn. I think more than ever I understand what it's like to be at the front of the class, gauging student questions and responses and trying to cater to an entertaining environment from them to learn. Also, it's become apparent to me that all a class really needs is the right personality to lead the charge and the rest will follow. Even the most quiet and reserved of people seem to come out of their shells when a certain type of enthusiasm is in the kitchen. It's definately an intruiging idea and i'll definately be trying to keep an eye on what that exactly is defined by in the future.
Anywho, long story short, i had fun and hopefully so did they.

On a related note, we also had a visitor last week. Her name is Fancy Fabreeze and she is FA-BU-LOUS. (2 snaps, and a twist)

To say it bluntly, "Fancy" is quite the "lady" as she is actually one of my roommates HILARIOUS cross-dressing personality. (Yes, you read that correctly. I must say, Tuscany sure has a way of opening people up.) "Fancy" is a character he's developed over the last few years in his vacation town of Provincetown, RI, which (as you may or may not know) is a prodominatly gay community. She has appeared many times there and is certainly the life of the party. Much to our surprise, this group just seemed to have the right chemistry to evoke her presence. And so, without further adue, i present to you, FANCY FABREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZE:

Wow wee wee wow!

Yeah, well, after that I can certainly say we ended the week on a high note. I think everyone in the school was dying of laughter and couldn't stop taking pictures. "She" definatley was the hit of the week, and very possibly, the most memorable woman i've met in Italy.

Until nex time... CIAO!

Absolutely beat....

2008-05-01T15:30:00.000-07:00

Ok friends, usually I have the stamina to endure a full day's work and type a bit to you to regarding my time here in Italy BUT this week I've taken on a new job in addition to my own. Now, instead of working solely in the kitchen, i was enticed (financially =P) to drive some of the students 'round the area as their tourguide during our off hours. Fortunately, the students are a blast, and I actually really like exploring the area in Sandra's fully-loaded and nearly-brand-new Toyota Land Cruiser. However, at the end of every day i basically do a face-plant into bed and wake up dazed, half dressed, and completely disoriented. (HAH! just like home right??)

SO, despite itemizing my current schedule to you all (which was my original idea) I've decided to simply post a few entertaining pics of recent history and a fantastic recipe for a Dark Chocolate Mousse that I used to compose the dessert below.

I certainly hope you all are well, and will definately get back on the literary horse as soon as my brain has time to catch up to my body.

(Left: Blood Orange Curd, Italian Meringue Tart, Right: Agatha, Kitchen Terror!)

"Chocolate Almond Tower"
(Concept and Design courtesy of me, Joshua Rosen)

Dark Chocolate Mousse
Yeild: 1 - 9” x 3” round cake

Amaretto Liquor (ie: Disaronno) 0.5 oz
Eggs 4.8 oz
Sugar 3 oz
Dark Chocolate, Bittersweet ( ≥ 60 %) 8 oz
Butter, soft 1.6 oz
Heavy Cream, whipped to soft peaks 8.25 oz

Method
1) Whip cream to soft peaks and reserve in refrigerator
2) Melt chocolate to 110 F. Add butter off heat and stir to melt butter.
Reserve chocolate mixture @ 110 F.
3) Combine eggs, sugar and liquor in a kitchen aid bowl and set on top of a double boiler. Whisk CONSTANTLY until the mixture reaches 145 degrees.
4) Remove the bowl from the pot of boiling water and whip (with the mixer) on high speed until thick and cool.
5) In a separate bowl, fold 1/2 of the egg mixture into the chocolate using a whisk
Once homogenous, fold in the remaining egg mixture followed by the cream
6) Pipe or pour into desired containers and refrigerate as necessary.

Enjoy!!

Wow Wee Wee Wow!

2008-04-24T13:21:00.000-07:00

Lets face it.... I'm a nerd. Some may say my obsessions with food / sweets borders on lunacy. Well my friends, today I have officially surpassed all nerd-dom.

A few weeks ago I arrived in Italy and began discovering many amazing products. From SCREAMING orange eggs to cream as thick as creme anglaise before it's even cooked. I've picked sun-kissed lemons right outside my door for sauces made a-la-minute. However, I must say, none of those products has wow-ed me like Amedei chocolate.
Some say, "when you love to cook, it shows." Well, i can say without any doubt that the people that make this chocolate have nothing but love for it. How do you know you say? Well my friends...

TODAY I MET THEM!!

hahahaha, yeah. I know. It's sad. I was so excited i was like a little schoolgirl! Well, to explain, the brother and sister (Alessio and Cecilia) who own and operate the company just HAPPEN to be good friends of my boss. How convinient right??? I mean honestly, this is like just HAPPENING to win the lottery. Dear lord! Anywho, because they just HAPPEN to be so buddy buddy, when i mentioned that i really loved working with the Amedei, Sandra was like, "oh, you should meet their head chocolatier." HELL YEAH i should! So today, I dressed up a bit, hopped in the car and we were off to the factory.

The place:
Willy Wonka meets an IBM cleanroom. From a chocolatier's point of view this place was incredible. It was as beautiful as it was sanitary, and the care put into each and every product was incredibly obvious.

The people:
SO incredibly humble. You'd think you were just chatting with a neighbor instead of sitting down with the two owners (and head chocolatier) of the world's PREMIER chocolate company. (Yep, they've won the #1 chocolate in the world award three years running now by an international pannel of SERIOUS chocolate judges)

The products:
Ok, so part of the experience today was sitting down with Cecilia in a room lined with every product they make and being told to try any and everything you want. Ummmm, can you say RIDICULOUS!??!! Yeah, lets just say after picking her brain for a bit about the manufacturing processes they use I DOVE IN. We tasted about 10 different pralines and truffles, 5 or 6 bars, a new bean variety they're workin on now, and the best hot chocolate i've ever tasted by far! I can honestly say I was blown away.

The aftermath:
Wow, I dont think i could thank sandra enough for this opportunity! This experience went so well I think Sandra and I are going to formally invite Alessio and Cecilia to the school for dinner so that I can prepare a few treats for them.... I just hope I do their chocolate justice!

Wow. Well, as you can tell i'm hopped up on sugar, chocolate, and adrenaline.

I think i'll be on cloud 9 for a week...

CIAO!!

(P.S. these are the treats they gave us on our way out)

yep, it's Pisa time

2008-04-23T16:22:00.000-07:00

Ahh Italy.... If you're a tourist you pretty much associate five basic things with Italy: Pizza, the mafia, the Pope, funny-sounding (smoking) Vespa-riding men with steriotypical names like Mario, and the leaning tower of Pisa. That being said, I must say, Pisa gets a bad rap.

Pisa is a fantastic place. Unbenounced to many, Pisa is a college town. It's full of markets, shopping, college kids, and is set on a beautiful river. Unfortunately however, the most anyone in the US typically thinks about when Pisa is mentioned is a Times Square-esq nightmare of a million tourists and the countless north africans peddling cheap crap to them. Now, please don't misconstrue what i'm trying to say. Much like Times Square, the place is truly overwhelming at first. The plaza itself houses a beautiful church, a huge domed structure, several smaller buildings, and of course, the tower. Oh, and did i mention, the whole damn place is sinking!!! The tower is definately NOT the only building built there with the engineering knowhow of a 2 year old. The church was slapped together with collumns and stone from all over, built on an angle, and then obviously shored-up so that (hopefully) no one would notice. Well, italian man who designed this structure, i've got some news for you..... YEESH!

Anywho, despite the touristy mahem, it was actually a really beautiful site. The architecture was actually quite amazing and I honestly doubt I've seen such ornate structures in a LONG time.

Anywho, after our fill of that we headed into the city. Into the REAL city. By this time, we were immersed in college kids (FINALLY!!!), beautiful produce markets, and shopping! (I know, isn't it sad that i even get excited to see good shopping???.. I think living in Campo Romano's startin to get to me =P) There were some great bakeries, fashionable clothing, and most importantly, YOUNG people. I mean honestly, I feel like if you're not over 40 you don't leave the house around me sometimes! It's ridiculous! I crave youth, excitement, inspiration, and frankly, i've gotta have it!!

::sigh::

ok, so back to the story: SO there we were walkin around Pisa gettin the real story, and honestly, it felt pretty good. I felt like finally i could see what it was like to be a twenty-something in Italy. This is the life i want to explore and believe you me, i'll be back there soon.

(Pizza and Pasta vending machines)

(just cuz i think it's funny)

For now, enjoy the pics and stay tuned for the next post.
I've covered day trips for a while now...It's time for us to talk food!

CIAO!

Three weeks...

2008-04-19T16:21:00.000-07:00

Since i've arrived it's been three whole weeks. I've taught had two weeks of students, (the first with 12 and the second with 4) all of which have already had a big impact on my desire to stay, to teach, and to learn.

I must say, this experience has definately shaped up to be quite different than i expected. I think originally I viewed this as an opportunity to be a cook in a different country. Well (obviously!) this is a little different than what i got. Honestly, i have a lot more freedom than anticipated, and it's fantastic! My boss has got to be one of the most easy-going people in the world, and i couldn't be more thankful for that. For the most part, dessert is based on a subject matter taught in the school BUT, every week there are approximately 6 meals in which dessert is essentially my choice. These meals are a chance for me to play, to experiment, and to run for cover so my presence doesn't influence the opinion of my poor victims. =)

I must say though, in my free time, I read a lot to spark my creativity. Actually, lemme say that again. I read A LOT. Countless chefs have decided to start publishing their work in both the physical, and metaphysical (via internet) form of the printed word. Chefs who, in their own right, are fantastic. These people have published recipes and presentations that have reshaped the pastry world as we know it. Then, all of a sudden, I see myself; some post-culinary school yahoo yapping (in the same medium as these chefs) about his sophmoric creations. Well, being informed is one thing, but there are times when it takes a sizeable amount of effort to keep my inherant impatience for greatness from getting the best of me. These are the times when i hope with a good bit of my being that someone i greatly respect will take me under their wing and mentor my transition to the next level. Well, as i once heard, "all things come to those who wait." In the meantime however, i'll continue creating the (newly-tuscan) distillations of my ideas, and absorb the atmosphere as much as i can.

This season's going to be something great... I can't wait to get back in the kitchen!

Forza Juve!!

2008-04-19T09:50:00.000-07:00

Soccer.

Need I say more? Well, as you all probably know, soccer is the lifeblood of the Italian sports scene. As a foreigner, I feel like there are just some things worth doing wherever you are, simply because of it's impact on that culture. Well my friends, if you're in Italy, you've GOTTA go to a soccer game.

This past wednesday Anto, Alessio, his dad, two of Alessio's friends, and I all piled into a car and drove 2.5 hrs to see Juventus play Parma in Torino. For starters, let me say that Italian soccer teams are like rockstars. They get a full police escort through the city with flags, sirens, and cheers lining the streets. Upon their arrival to the stadium they do a few quick warmups and clear the feild. The game begins with the announcer proudly chanting the name of every player as they enter, complete with audience echo. Once the game begins the stadium's filled with perfectly rehearsed cheers and hand gestures. Oh, and i should mention, these games are NOT for kids. Every cheer is SO vulgar!! In unison, you can clearly make out phrases like: "GIGI BUFFON, Un testa di merda!" (as you'll see in the video below) and the italians LOVE it. Oh, and i should also mention, VERY few people are drinking. (and if they are, it's a shot in their espresso or a well appreciated beer drank slowly)

The game runs 90 minutes and i think we sat for about 10 minutes of it. (mostly during half time) All in all, Juve won 2-0 and it was definately a blast to see. For once in my life, i can finally say i understand the lure of soccer.

FORZA JUVE!

mmmmm, Sienna

2008-04-18T17:26:00.000-07:00

Ciao ragazzi!! It's been a few days since the last post and there's much to report. Over the last few days we decided to venture out of our cozy home and drive down to Sienna for the day. As you can see from the pics above the central piazza is GORGEOUS. (Probably the most beautiful city center i've seen since i've gotten here) While in town we meandered all over the place, walking with no specific place to go in mind. Eventually we found ourself at the main church in town, which i believe (according to Dante) is reknown for it's pink marble. Who knew those Siennese were such crazy party animals that they could get away with pink marble?!?! Well, go on with your bad italian selves!!

Also, while in town i saw some beautiful souveniers (which will mostly remain nameless, due to their potential as gifts =P ) including the fantastic product known as a 'Chocolate Sausage'! Oh yes ladies & gents, i said CHOCOLATE SAUSAGE. No no no, not that creepy DVD that always catches your eye in the blockbuster on the way to renting Charlie and The Chocolate Factory for the 12th time.... this my friends is a fantastic confection devised by those clever italians wherein one finds Gianduja, hazelnuts, marshmallows... and/or many other treats to form what looks like a delicious sausage!

http://www.dolciarialuigia.com/natale-ingl.htm
(This is where i got mine...)

Kinda weird, but i love the idea!

Tuscan Infomercial...

2008-04-15T03:34:00.000-07:00

Hello friend, have you decided what to make for dinner tonight? Well, you're in luck. Start with choosing your favorite local pasta. Then, pair with local tomatoes, Basil, oil, cheese, truffles, or whatever condiment you should have easy access to....

What's that? You'd like Lasagne? Well Sir/Madam, you're in luck!!

Instead of MAKING that annoying Bechamel Sauce, look no further with Chef Brand pre-made Bechamel!!! You heard me! Why drop $45 k to go to a culinary school when this little box will essentially make your skill-set completely useless! That's right friends, you too will be completely obsolete thanks to this italian wonder-product! hahahahha, just kidding!!! This stuff definately couldn't hold a candle to any of the sauces i've had hand-made for me over the years. (yeah, pastry kids barely ever make bechamel) It's just kinda funny that you can buy pre-made sauce here. Anywho, back to the dinner dillema....

So, once you're decided on what to make, grab 3-4 bottles of your favorite local wine,

slap your favorite cut of meat on your rustic (yet chic..hah) fireplace grill kit,

slice a few chunks off your fully-cured (and heavenly) leg of prosciutto and BAM, insta-talian dinner!!

All this for a measly 10 Euro. ($15) Yessir, there's no wonder these people never go hungry!!

HOT WHEELS!

2008-04-15T03:08:00.000-07:00

So, for some awesome reason this week there's no class and for us, that means DAY TRIPS! On that note, nothin suits three young men cruisin' round italy like the Fiat Uno.... and you bet your sweet ass that's what we're rockin!!

Yowza... well, without any further adue i'll just say that a few days ago we took the ol' girl out for a spin and ended up in Lucca. Yeah, that's right, that town that i heard all the voice majors talkin' about for a few years now. Who knew it was so close!?! Well, long story short they've got the usual scene, Churches, Bakeries... etc. BUT, the town itself is seen as unusual for the gigantic wall that surrounds it. It's definately a site to see, and makes for a beautiful walk.

Also, while in Lucca, we discovered a wine store that totally blew my mind... It had to have had at least 10,000 bottles and 8-10 underground corridors to store it all. After wandering around in this subteranean wonderland i had to post a pic to show it's spleandor. (Sorry about the focus, the lighting made it insanely hard to hold a camera still enough to get a clear pic.

Oy, i wish Picassa'd let me post more pics in each post...

Fool-proof Biscotti

2008-04-11T08:49:00.000-07:00

Ok, so as you all know, the title of this blog is Cogs and Chocolate... SO, somewhere along the line I feel like it'd be false advertising to NOT persue Tuscan foods, and at least ONE good recipe. So, without any futher adue, here we go:

To the italians, all cookies are Biscotti. To Americans, Biscotti are a wonderful cookie found mostly in individually wrapped packages by a company called "Nonni's Biscotti" (http://www.nonnis.com/), or in some mass-produced madness at Starbucks. The actual derrivation of the word biscotti is 'bis' or twice, and 'cotti' which means baked... or together, "twice baked."

In my lifetime I have had two Biscotti worth noting: one in a fantastic store in the Strip District of Pittsburgh called "Enrico Biscotti" and the other here in Tuscany. Unfortunately the Biscotti made at the CIA were quite tasty, but involved the creaming method. (which, for all you non-pastry people, entails butter and eggs at specific temperatures, and specific mixing times) This however, is the traditional Tuscan recipe, void of all butter, and completely fool-proof. Also, due to the very low fat (and moisture) content, it has a fantastic shelf-life.

Should you attempt this recipe, you should only expect delicious, dry, dunkable cookies:

Biscotti:

Yeild: (enough to fill a 6 qt mixer bowl of dough) approx. 120 - 4" long biscotti

Flour 2# 12 oz
Sugar 2# 8 oz
Eggs 1# 3 oz
Almonds 1#
Orange, Zest 1 ea
Vanilla extract 1 tsp
Baking Powder 1 tsp

1) Paddle (in a planetary mixer such as a KitchenAid) the Sugar, Eggs, Orange zest, and Vanilla X
2) Add Eggs & mix into homogenous
3) Combine Flour & Baking Powder, add to the mix, and mix until homogenous
4) Add Almonds & mix breifly (!!) to distribute Almonds (note: mixers are not designed to process hard objects such as nuts for long periods of time)
5) Portion Dough into 2" diam. logs as long as the width of a 1/2 sheet tray (for home use)
6) Place 3 logs per 1/2 sheet tray (with space to spread slightly), and gently flatten to ease baking.
7) Egg Wash & Sprinkle with Sugar (Egg Wash = 2 Eggs, 1 T Water, pinch of Salt)
8) Bake at 350F until fully baked and the exterior has taken on a golden hue (SORRY CHEF HAMON!.. haha)
9) Remove from oven, let cool and cut on the bias (a.k.a. diagonally) into 1/2" thick cookies.
10) Lay cookies flat on sheet trays and re-bake until dried. (They will START to take color when completely dry, so feel them and pull out when finished)
11) Cool and EAT!

CIAO!

Firenze!

2008-04-11T06:33:00.000-07:00

Ciao from Florence! Rather than stay to prep for lunch yesterday, i prepped ahead so Sandra, Alessio, Octavia (his girlfriend), and I could jet off to Florence. We spent the day walking around the city (which by the by is gorgeous), sampling gelato, and shopping our brains out. Oh, just to clarify, Sandra & Alessio did the shopping. Octavia and I just spent the day marvelling at all the insanely cool stuff each store had.

Oh, and just so no one worries, of course we strolled past the Duomo, a few notable works of art, and enjoyed the Times Square-like hustle and bustle of a clearly-touristy destination. There was definately a part of me that wanted to stay and see the rooftop of the Duomo, but the line was so long even i said "umm, i think i'll pass." Good news is, it's only an hour away so i'll definately take the opportunity to visit at least once more over the next few weeks.

CIAO!

Before I forget...

2008-04-09T16:42:00.000-07:00

My Station

Orange Ricotta Tart with Grecian Honey (a gift from a student),
Strawberry Bavarian with Balsamic Reduction

Almond Cream Tart

Kitchen Tour

2008-04-09T16:37:00.000-07:00

To everyone who's curious about the kitchen layout I FINALLY compiled a few pics to give ya the general layout. What you see here is are shots taken from the opening of the kitchen (at the back of the building) facing towards our dining room. (Down the hall a bit) The two long metal tables serve as the hands on teaching area, and are also great for prep, should anyone need that much room. (Which we have several times to break down Suckling Pigs, and WHOLE Lamb) On the right you'll see the burners and SINGLE oven. When classes are small it's no big deal sharing the space, but big classes can get a bit hairy. On the table below the knives, there are two "Il Gelataio" gelato machines which i'd totally love to take home, BUT cost somewhere around a grand each. YOWZA!

Can you say Happy Hannukah from Mom & Dad???

( http://www.amazon.com/Musso-4050-MUSSO-LUSSINO-4080/dp/B00004RDF0/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1207784001&sr=8-1 ) Come on, it's not like i dont make lots of Ice Cream for you guys already!!! =P

Ok ok, continuing on, the pantry is next to the fridges in the last pic, and I'm afraid to say the pastry station is nearly impaired by the shear distance from the door, and the colums in front of it. (If you can make it out, it's in the back of the room on the left... seen best in the second pic)

Essentially this room is my life for my time here, and i've gotta say, so far i really enjoy it.

...tune in soon for pics of my station and a few creations thus far....

CIAO!

Home 2.0

2008-04-07T14:03:00.000-07:00

Ok, now that things are somewhat settled I can take a minute to show you what "home" is like. (Don't worry mom & dad, it's not my REAL home...hah) ok... so, this is our house. I say our because I live with Anto (an intern-turned chef that's been here for 3 years) and Dante (a former student who's now interning with me). Both are great roommates and we end up relaxing together with a bottle of wine (or 4) nearly every night. The second, third, and fourth pics are of our living room, pretty much the center of our social lives at the moment. Basically, if we're at home, we're relaxing here. I've got a few pics of my room, but Picassa only lets me post a max of 4 at a time, so i'll have to post them as a seperate entry.

Oh, and as far as an update on the other aspects of Tuscan life, we finished my first class last week. As an "advanced class" we had a great time teaching 12 cooking enthusiasts all kinds of semi-professional (read: professional, but modified for the home) cooking techniques. I've discovered a love of pasta carbonara, and i've gotta admit (sorry mom!) i'm actually starting to take a liking to Tuscan pasta. Dont go too crazy now, i wont be having too much pasta back in the states, but if i make it, i bet you and i'd BOTH love it.

Oh, and don't worry, i'm gunna learn as much as i can about making tuscan dishes and post recipes ASAP. Until the next post, much love to all, and keep commenting! It reminds me to mention all the things i'm forgetting!

CIAO!

Attack Chicken!!!

2008-04-03T08:04:00.000-07:00

You heard me, that's right... some have gaurd dogs, we've got attack chickens!! hahaha, just kidding! All we have is sweet old Agatha who roams the property and occasionally makes her way into the kitchen. Sandra is deathly (!!) opposed to harming her so my guess is she'll live a long, full life.

As for me, the internet's a bit spotty today so i'll just say that i spent the early part of the day whipping up pound cake for tonight and my side project of some Saffron White Chocolates. The weather was juuuust cool enough to finish enrobing them outside so I packed up my stuff and relocated to the table outside the kitchen.

Not gunna lie, there's something about overlooking an olive grove while you work that makes the tediousness of dipping a whole lot more fun. I finshed each chocolate with a thread of saffron and i must say, they came out pretty nice.

I've had a request or two for recipes so i'll try and grab a few Tuscan favorites while i can.

Ciao!

Colors

2008-04-01T08:15:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wander and take pictures of the plants here. These only scratch the surface of how vibrant they are... Enjoy

I'm alive!!

2008-04-01T07:51:00.000-07:00

Buon Giorno!! I'm finally settled in my new Tuscan home and i'm still amazed at how beautiful it's been here. I'm happy to say there's lots of good news to report, so here's the basic rundown:

Surroundings:

Que bene! Wow... Tuscany is truly something else. Honestly, you see the stereotypical Italian scene in the movies and imagine it isn’t true, well I’ve got two words for you... Come visit! Every day I wake up to the sun rising over an olive orchard cascading down the hillside. We trek a short distance up the hill to the top (where the school sits and overlooks the town of Stiava) and the view is truly amazing. Honeslty, it feels like such a different world here. Life is slower, more relaxing, and technology is virtually non-existant. Even this internet connection is so spotty I couldn’t imagine being able to check my email very often!! Suffice it to say, assuming this post works, i'll follow with many more.

Living Arrangements:

Rustic. no heat, wood fireplace, tile everywhere… absolutely fantastic. THIS is the Tuscan experience. THIS is living.

Staff / Roommates:

All great so far. Honeslty! I ALMOST wish I had some hilarious horror story for you about being dropped in the middle of Italian indentured servitude but alas, I love em. My boss (Sandra) reminds me of a hybrid between a loving mom, and a twenty-something dying to have a good time. She’s hilariously blunt, vivacious, and a pleasure to be around. The rest of the staff has its characters, all fit together to form a fantastic family. I suppose that really is the best way to describe it. Since I’ve started here, it’s like inheriting an extra family.

Cooking:

First day, i walk into the kitchen and the first thing i hear is "ok, so we need dessert for lunch and dinner. Let us know what you need."

WHAT!?! I thought I was going to spend a few weeks working with someone, getting up to speed, figuring out the intricacies of the kitchen... etc! No way jose, this is it. Go time. Soooo, within a few short minutes of my arrival I was pulling out old recipes and going to it. First dessert: a simple but chic frangipane (almond cream) tart with a baked-apple top and Sambucca whipped cream. Rustic but chic, Sandra loved it.

Well, there's tons more to say, but lets leave it there for now. I'll post (hopefully) at least once a week, so stay tuned for more...

Ciao Ciao!

Lets do this...

2008-03-26T23:23:00.000-07:00

Ok ok, I never thought I’d do it, but here I am…. Officially blogging. Well, if Anthony Bourdain can do it, why the hell can’t I?? Haha, suffice it to say, this’ll provide an excellent means of periodically dropping in on you (my friends and family) to enlighten you on the daily life of my adventures through Europe (and beyond). Tomorrow I’ll board my plane for Pisa, Italy and the adventure’ll begin.

Enjoy!