josigirl13's Cancer Blog

October 11, 2007

Culinary delights and other news Views: 3288

I know it has been a while since I posted, but I have not been feeling like I’ve had much to say. As you know from my last post, I reached the halfway point at the end of September. To celebrate I went down to San Diego for several days to soak up some of that rejuvenation that only the Pacific and close friends can provide. I was able to stay at my aunt and uncle’s beach house in South Mission beach, only a few short steps away from the sea. My first stop upon arriving into town, of course, was El Indio for their famous chips and guacamole and some tamales. With that and some mexican beers I knew I could survive the weekend! It was such a nice relaxing weekend, sleeping late, reading books on the beach and catching up with friends. I got to spend a lot of time with Joanna, finally connected with Lindsay, Jamie, Christian, Brian, Shannon, Melissa, Pauly, and Mario. I was even a good alumnus and made a trip back to campus to see an innocence project speaker. Always good to give your ethics a reality check!
Anyway, I started round 4 of chemo on October 3. Round 4 is a repeat of the drugs I had in June/July, only in a more condensed time frame. As many of you may recall, I was feeling quite well at the beginning of all of this, wondering when the “sickness” was going to start. I have to say I am not feeling quite as well this time through, but am hanging in there. I have a few aches and pains and fatigue, but overall I have been in the same good spirits as always. I have appointments every other day for injections of chemo, so more than anything it just a lot of back and forth. I begin THE BAD ROUND on Halloween, hoping to be on my way to healing by Thanksgiving. More on that as it approaches.
Yesterday was a great food day for me! It started with one of my favorites, everything bagel lightly toasted please with plain schmear from Noah’s (not quite on par with Bruegger’s garden veggie cream cheese on an everything bagel, but a close second). Then I had lunch with Shelly, a friend from work, at a thai place I have been wanting to check out. I had kaffir lime and coconut milk soup with chicken, fresh cilantro and mushrooms…it was the perfect thing for a light lunch since I was anticipating a FABULOUS dinner. Here’s the kicker…
Anne and I went to The Kitchen for dinner. This is a restaurant owned by Executive Chef Randall Selland and his wife, who also own Selland’s market (like Damico’s for you Minnesotans) and a new restaurant called Ella. Going to The Kitchen is sorta like going to the chef’s house for a huge dinner party. They only have one seating per night and they only seat 50 guests. There is a huge counter where about 15-20 guests can sit and face the kitchen almost like on Emeril or at a cooking class. There are 4-5 tables that seat about 6-8 guests around the perimeter of the room, and there is a wine cellar in the back corner. Behind the tables is a lovely patio with a fireplace and benches shaded by flowering trees. A fountain drowns out the noise of Howe Avenue and the Taco Bell drive thru that is next door! Chef Noah Zonca began the night with a rowdy hello and a detailed explanation of the different components of the night’s meal. The menu is fixed and prepared with all the freshest, seasonal, organic and humanely raised ingredients you would expect here in cow town. He displayed for us huge bowls of chanterelle mushrooms, lemon grass, bamboo rice, tight rope mussels and even brought out some of the largest live Maine lobsters I have ever seen in my life. They have a great wine list there and had prepared a flight to accompany the meal for those of us who can’t make decisions when it comes to that kind of thing.
For the second time yesterday I had Kaffir lime and coconut milk soup. However, this time it came with chunks of Maine lobster that were served over a rice cake made of bamboo rice risotto with lobster stock and as if that weren’t enough there were tight rope mussels steamed right in front of us at the counter and laid into the broth. AND some soft shell crab legs kicking off the top. Heaven. I think that was my favorite dish of the night….well, maybe it was the tenderloin…ugh decisions.
Then came a salad, which I thought was okay. I admire the fact that it was laid upon duck prosciutto which the chef had cured himself over the last several weeks. There was also this incredible mushroom that looked like something you’d find on the ocean floor, lots of tentacles, it was golden colored and they had marinated it in olive oil, sherry, shallots, garlic, etc. Out of this world!
Then came the sushi course…yes, an entire course was dedicated to sushi and prepared by the only sushi chef to have come out of Jalisco, Mexico (so we’re told). There were oysters, tuna, hamachi, california rolls, the best vegetable tempura I have ever had, soft shell crab, Massachusetts diver scallops, all laid out on gorgeous platters. The wine steward was offering two different types of Sake with the sushi course, but there was no way I could hang with that! The sushi course was served out on the patio and everyone mingled like at a dinner party. The atmosphere is great, and the chef invites you to explore the whole place. So of course I had to get back into the kitchen to see what everyone was up to. It is surprisingly calm, and clean. Nothing like the kitchens of my long restaurant past!
On with the meal! The third plate was Canadian Wild Salmon and Vietnamese jumbo tiger prawns served over a cabbage confit (with duck broth for those who cook) and topped with an arugula-pine nut pesto. The fish was so tender, and I guess this time of year has the highest fat content that it will have in its life. Bonus!
The fourth plate was right up there with the soup, contending to be my favorite of the night. You should have seen the tray of been tenderloins that was sitting on the counter. There must have been at least $500 worth of meat sitting there, all medium rare and whispering my name! They were grilled on a mesquite grill with a bunch of lavendar thrown on top of the fire to add the scent. The tenderloin was served over butter poached black truffle pasta (handmade in-house fresh), golden chanterelle mushrooms, and a reverse hollandaise of warmed egg yolk and cabernet-parmesean broth. Need I say more?
Yes, there was dessert! Brioche french toast and apple consomme with pink lady apple fries, real vanilla and cinnamon ice cream and maple sabayon. A big hug from the chef on the way out topped off the night, and I have to say it was one of the best dinners I’ve ever had. It was great to share it with Anne who is an exceptional cook in her own right, and can appreciate all the preparations and ingredients we experienced, and is overall a very appreciative eater, like me.
Jo, Mark, Lauren, Jen, Donny, we all must go again! You would all love it!
Anyway, I wanted to give you all a little taste, since I haven’t written about food in a while. I haven’t been doing much cooking, but perhaps I am regaining my inspiration. Stay tuned for further updates!
Peace, love, and indulgence!
Josi