STOKED: Believe it or not I'm walking on air!

It's been SO long since I've blogged I don't even know if I remember how to do it anymore. There's so much I need to catch up on & so much I am still processing. My life has changed massively in the past couple of weeks & yesterday may have been one of the best days EVER!

While I was in Atlanta I got a call from ICM to audition for a show called "Search For the Greatest American Recipe" I swear I've had at least 10 people email, call & text me about submitting myself as a contestant for the show, so when ICM called I almost fell out. The Producers wanted me to come in thee NEXT day, I wasn't getting back to LA til 8 days later I asked if they could see me then. They weren't sure so I chalked it up as a no biggie, it wasn't meant to be. What's meant for me is coming.

I enjoyed hanging with my Mother & my family, she threw me a birthday party, my first with her in almost 20 years... damn I LOATHE I'm at the age when I can say "20 years ago..." anywho... my Mother is SUPER low key & jolly. She's been through A LOT in her life. I don't really go to her for advice when I have problems because she's not really the type to give sage advice anymore, going deep isn't really her steed & I respect that, she's just cruising for the rest of her life. She has worked too damn hard & deserves the break & I have INCREDIBLE friends for that.

She told me "you are leaving your Jesus Year, 33 is the hardest year of your life & you have survived & overcome SO much! You made it past these difficult times & didn't let that year break you. I promise your life is now for the better. I am so proud of you"... OK seriously I don't think I've cried SO much or could EVER cry so much in my entire life, not even after a "Color Purple", "Sophie's Choice", "Imitation of Life", "Terms of Endearment" back to back marathon. I knew right then & there what my mother said would now be my new truth.

I came back to LA on the 7th, my birthday was on the 9th (09/09/09) & my roomie & his new wifey took me & my brand new Lobou's I bought for my brother's wedding to Gordon Ramsay at The London for dinner & I got to have everything my little heart wanted on the menu & didn't have to decide *swoooooooooooooon*.

Christian Louboutin Carnival ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥


The HAPPY couple on their BIG day ♥Chips & dip
Lobster Risotto
Kumamoto Oysters that MELT in your mouth, Hamachi with Yuzu, ginger & Caviar & Prawn with watermelon & cardamom sauce

kumamoto oysters... PERFECTION ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Wagyu Beef Cheek
Pork Belly with crispy Pig's Head (FAVORITE dish of the night!!! ♥♥♥♥)


HAPPY birthday to me ♥





I didn't think my life could get any better. I woke up the next morning on the 10th freshly minted as outta my crazy ass "Jesus Year" then within minutes of my new year my favorite cupcake EDB wanted to stop by & drop off my birthday present a MASSIVE Hello Kitty goodie bag loaded with Hello Kitty stuff & THIS...


♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥I mean SERIOUSLY?!?!?! 2 of my FAVORITE things into 1... INGENIOUS! If this isn't a sign I don't know what is?

I rip open the package set it up in my kitchen & just stare at it for the longest realizing I CAN do this... I SWEAR within minutes after I realize this I receive a call from ICM "are you free on the 20th?" I answer yes & they're like GOOD you're working as a Recipe Expert Judge on Lifetime's "Greatest American Recipe" hosted by Chef Tyler Florence.....

GET THE HE-YELL OUTTA HERE!!!!! Shut up?!?!? As if it wasn't cool enough ICM got me a job or my Mom's advice came true or I get to work with people from Lifetime or that I am being deemed as a "recipe expert" yes ALL of that IS spectacular but the ULTIMATE.... COOLEST stand out moment was getting to work with & meet Tyler Florence!!!! He is part of my Trinity: Gordon Ramsay, Anthony Bourdain & Ty-LER friggin' Florence!!!! I still can't stop getting all teary eyed when I think of it. Ok damn... ICM hooking me up is the Ultimate too, but bear with me on this one, there's something Mystic & life affirming at hand for me here.

I've worked with, met & even dated heaps of "famous people" OK I've only dated a couple not heaps... settle down Beavis, but this was different, this was life affirming. I'm only a year & a half into pursuing my culinary TV dreams. I've been writing & acting in LA for almost 12 years & this is my second pilot in 10 YEARS!!! "Tyler's Ultimate" is one of the shows that changed my life & it's not just because he's this great Chef, hell I can't taste his food well... unless I make it myself to the T of his recipe but how he lives his life to the ULTIMATE!

No fear, no doubts, no apprehension... FULL of passion & a joie de vivre in EVERYTHING he does. From the way he cooks, to his love of food, his passion for his wife, the adoration of his kids (have you seen the video he posted on Facebook taking a bath with his baby?!?!? To die FOR!) his impeccable taste in music, the sheer coolness of his Mill Valley store, his respect for his parents... the Man is seriously one of the most inspiring people EVER! He ultimately lives thee BEST life that he created & is lov-ING every moment of it, it's so empowering & he's so proud of his life & he's open to share his favorite moments online & on TV making you feel like you too can have the life you always dreamed of & even better!

Over 2,000 people showed up... it was mind blowing! All with a recipe, a personal story & the dream that their recipe would be named thee "Greatest American Recipe". I am a Cook so judging fellow cooks that want the opportunity to showcase their dish on TV so they can change their life is VERY much a sentiment I understand. I didn't want to be too tough on them like on Chopped or Top Chef, those people are professionals & attended some of the best schools in the world & or apprenticed under the greatest Chefs to hone their craft. Critiques from their peers is part of their process to become better Culinary Artists.


SO many contestants were SO nervous, some even impossible to hear I just wanted to set them at ease to tell their stories & share their recipes. I tried to make them laugh & convey to them that I wanted the best for them I'm not just "judging" them & I wanted them to understand that I was grateful that the recipes they share with the dearest people in their lives they are willing to share with all of America.

I mean they showed up with pics of their families or their entire family & are risking putting their family's biggest recipe secrets without the guarantee of winning or even getting picked. Some even found ways to modify a great grandmother's recipe so it wouldn't get lost forever because so many people in the family had severe food allergies & couldn't enjoy it... couldn't you die? I met a handsome devil yesterday who did just that so his great grandmother's recipe could live on in his family so many, many more generations can enjoy it, how freaking considerate & damn sexy is that? I could just kiss him... I SWEAR!

The hardest part for me judging was when the littlest ones didn't make it to the next level but man I can't tell you how refreshing it was to see SO many kids put down the controllers & their Nintendo DS & instead are so passionate about expressing themselves & creating fantastic dishes in the kitchen. The future for foodies like us is safe in the hands of these tater tots.
So PROUD!!!

Well here's hoping the show gets picked up, I mean how could it not? It's like American Idol for cooks & I hope that I can continue to be a part of it. If not, the experience will last me a lifetime (no pun intended) & I know I am on the right path in getting closer & closer to ALL of my dreams coming true. I learned so much yesterday & feel blessed beyond my wildest dreams. Thanks for indulging me. Goodnight ♥

Let Me Cater To You: The Dr is IN!

BEFORE: Here's all the stuff I schlepped over myself... I'm like a Gypsy, I swear!

And the stunning after!

I know over 2 weeks later, my catering gig story I promised. Sorry for the delay, I am in the middle of moving. With the support of my family I have decided it would be best to move & focus more on the blog, selling the show & my catering gigs. I found a stun-NING 1930's 1100 sq ft upper of a 4 plex in the Fairfax District with a fantastic potential roommate who runs a pretty neat blog himself you can find right here, here's hoping everything goes through ♥

SO... after I posted up my cupcakes on my Facebook, my friend & former club dancing partner, Lovejoy aka The Dancing Chef , was blown away & I asked if I made them all? I told him yes, impressed he asked what were my immediate goals with pursuing my whole culinary game? I told him I was interested to restart my old intimate catering business. Impressed, literally 3 days later he called me & offered me a gig he couldn't do. A party of 14 for this dynamic young Woman celebrating with family & friends after she's finished her Residency at USC.

I called Dr. Strand & she was so fun & excited to throw this gratitude dinner. She said that she loves roses & they were going to be everywhere. I told her let's incorporate roses in the meals. I have this fabulous bottle of Rose Syrup & I ♥ infusing it into drinks I can work on a rose glaze I have been envisioning & DYING to try & I can incorporate it into a dessert. 

I told her I can make a stuffed Saddle of Lamb & Israeli Couscous, she LOVED the couscous idea, her mother was from Morocco! For the non 4 legged diners I offered a Cognac & Pinot Grigio Scallop Gratin. For the starter I offered to make my Shrimp Martini with Crispy Yucca based on the lobster one I made here . For the dessert, rose infused Pots de Creme & as a twist crystallizing rose petals making them edible. Lastly, for the drink Pom & Rose Syrup Martini's I called the Dr Is In!

She was STOKED within our 15 minute conversation the dinner plan was set! Mission begins.

Spinach, Guava & Cheese Stuffed Leg of Lamb

I am INTENT on making Guava a staple in American cuisine, this is my mission. There are SO many uses & it is seriously the perfect fruit. I am catering my brother's rehearsal dinner. His Fiancee is Mexican & we're Haitian so I wanted the menu to reflect the marriage of their cultural cuisines also. 

It was a pretty ballsy decision to try a recipe in my head for a catering gig, but hey how else was I going to learn. I needed to see & hear the feedback by several palates, palates that didn't just know & ♥ me but give me unbiased reviews about the food honestly.

I saw my food God Gordon Ramsay make a Saddle of Lamb... I never even heard of it, I was RIVETED on how glorious & easy it looked. Yes he did refer it as the Rolls Royce of Lamb.. but dayum it literally costs as much! 

I charged $25 a head for the party. I budgeted the meal to cost no more than $110. After calling every Butcher in LA, mind you... 80% didn't speak English & 99.5% didn't even know what part the Saddle was... SO frustrating it made me wish I were back in the East Coast... this would NEVER happen in NYC or MIA.

As per Cook's Thesaurus:

lamb loin roast  Notes:   This is a very tender, flavorful, and expensive roast.   If you want more servings, you can get a saddle of lamb = double loin roast, which combines the loin roasts from either side of the lamb.   If boneless, a loin roast is called a loin roll = boneless loin roast = rolled lamb roast, or a double loin roll = rolled double lamb roast if made from the saddle.  Substitutes:  leg of lamb

**NUH DOIFFY!!! Yeesh LA, get on it already isn't it bad enough we don't have turn signals at every light, dating here is non existent & as long as Charlie Sheen is still alive all the bars & clubs have to close at 2 am? Can't believe how bad the Butchers are here**

After 3 hours of calls around town I FINALLY found two credible Butchers at the Farmer's Market in the Grove one that can cut right then & there & one I had to place the order the day before, hell the dinner was the next day! To feed a party of 12, here's what the Butcher deemed fit:



YEAH FREAKIN' RIGHT!!! I still haven't bought all the other ingredients yet, so it was off to the Butcher at Jon's to get a leg & pound that puppy to the ground when I got home to flatten it out. $47.69 for 13 lbs... SA-WEET! ♥♥♥



Here's the prep:

STUFFIN'
Last minute I canceled on the Mascarpone.
The Star Studded Cast
Sweating the shrooms





Wrapped in Prosciutto ♥
Frying the garlic & sage
Inspired by Gordon I used the sage & garlic as a rack & placed the seared lamb on top of it & finished the cooking process in the oven. I punked out on the rose glaze BUT I did serve on rose plates
Seriously.. one of thee BEST things I have EVER put in my mouth, the party RAVED about it, definitely will be making this for my Brother & Sister in Law's rehearsal dinner. The switch between the sweet, savory, crispy, creamy & all those flavors in between was mind-blowing!



COUSCOUS

The Star Studded Cast
Couscous, Currants. Cranberries, Cucumbers, Pistachios, Walnuts, Saffron, Rosemary & Parsley

COGNAC & PINOT GRIGIO SCALLOP GRATIN

The Star Studded Cast

I grabbed the butter out of my freezer So fast I didn't notice I didn't grab the unsalted one... dang! I had to make this twice. With the Gray salt it was way too salty, luckily this takes about 10 minutes to make so I didn't mind chucking out & starting over. Lesson learned.


♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
For the shrimp martini, I tried to use frozen Yucca. it didn't shred nicely so I ran to WHole Foods to buy a fresh one. Alas, they didn't have any so I settled for a Sweet Potato, it wasn't a total loss. Joshua Jackson was there & he is much cuter in person & that made my day.

Fried up nicely like the Yucca but I prefer the taste of the Yucca better on top of the tangy shrimp.


ROSE SYRUP POTS DE CREME WITH CANDIED ROSE PETALS

The Star Studded Cast

I added both chocolate chips & butterscotch chips to add more layers of flavor
Pouring the Amarula for the white cream layer
Prep for crystallizing the roses

♥♥♥♥ These tasted SO good, sweet & crispy ♥♥♥♥
It's remarkable how easy Pots de Creme are to make, just blend & refrigerate!
Rose Syrup ♥

Adding the strong French Vanilla coffee
A Chorus Line ♥


Have you EVER?!?!?! *swoon* ♥


COCKTAILS & ATMOSPHERE:

The Star Studded Cast: The Dr Is In!
I ♥ this!

Nat, her Best friend since 7th grade, colleague & father from Arizona. The reason the theme was roses is because her father used to send her roses to school all the time from her childhood to her Residency... I cried like a baby, how awesome is that?!?!? ♥♥♥♥♥

For an added touch as place settings, photos of the party were laid out ♥

I brought all the plates, silverware, glasses, candles & decorative stones. I really enjoyed dressing this table... take THAT Aunt Sandy!
Shrimp Martini

The BEST part of the night is when Nat, her roommate & I sat outside when the party was over after everything was put away. Nat turned to me & in earnest said it was a shame that we met NOW before she was off to Arizona, everyone there thought I was a friend, not the Caterer & had we have been friends her life would have been a little sweeter...

COULD YOU JUST DIE?!?!?! I LOVE this woman!!! Who says stuff like that? Women really are so amazing. I wish we took the time to have one another's back more. Thanks for indulging me you guys. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did ♥