Warning : This post might turn into keyboard diarrhea. I have some things I would like to talk about and I’m not entirely sure where my thoughts will take me by the time I’m down writing, and this post might not have any real theme tying it together. Regardless, when words need to come out, I start typing, so bear with me. If you’d like.
In my last two posts, I mentioned that I have finally gotten a kitchen mentor, which means a lot to me, and that I am trying to plan a trip to Oaxaca. So here I will be discussing both of those concepts and my recent thoughts on them through the course of today, my day off.
My mentor told me that she wants to give me weekly challenges. These will be a series of research projects, sometimes actually involving cooking things for her (maybe?). In many ways, it is a structured way of going about one of my hobbies, as I really enjoy learning and reading about food. Last night we were discussing it briefly in front of somebody else, who asked what we were talking about. Her response was, “I am going to be giving Aaron weekly challenges to learn more about food and cooking that will make it so he knows more about food and becomes a better cook than …. anybody.” That was an interesting revelation to me in some ways. It shows that she sees a lot of potential in me. I kind of felt like I have the blood of a good cook flowing through my veins ever since I finally stumbled on this career and that confirms that those who know more than I do agree. In order to be a great chef, you have to love, appreciate, understand and know food to extremely minute detail. These challenges will help me to do that.
This week’s challenge should be interesting. “How many types of spring onions are there, and which four varieties are local to the Seattle area?” Okay, I’ve heard of spring onions, and have seen them floating around at work. In fact, I’ve read about a few recipes involving spring onions. I’m not entirely sure what they are, though. To the best of my knowledge, they are basically onions that are picked earlier than usual (obviously, in the spring), so are smaller and I would assume would have a different flavor. I’m guessing milder, to say the least. Never tried them, though. By next Thursday, I will know a lot about them.
One thing that my mentor might not realize, but will soon understand, is that when I am given a research project, I take it very seriously. In culinary school, we were supposed to pick two of the five mother sauces of French cuisine, and two of the sauces that were derived from them. At that point, it was required to write an “essay” about them, including how their made and how they were invented. I put it in quotations because it didn’t feel like an essay to me : the length only had to be half a page. I turned in a five page essay, because we were not given a MAXIMUM length. I assume she’s expecting me to come back to her with a verbal response that includes a number, and then a list of four local varieties. That’s not going to happen. I will give her a written report consisting of a list of all the varieties, and the differences between all of them. That’s just how I roll!
I sat down to start my research project, and as I was about to type out “spring onions” into the search bar, my fingers betrayed me. Instead of doing my research project, I found myself searching about Oaxacan cuisine. For some reason, it just felt like even though my trip is in October, reading about Oaxaca was more pressing. And when I research a destination, a vast majority of it involves reading about their food. There are very few things more upsetting than getting home from a place I visited and hearing about an incredible dish that I hadn’t tried while I was there. Also, it is the one aspect of a local culture that you can get a really good idea about before you get. And while I only have a week to get back to Z about spring onions, there are still a lot of things I need to read about Oaxaca before I buy my tickets. For instance, what part do I want to go to? Is there a chance that maybe another part of Mexico might give me more of the experience I want to have? When is the cheapest time to go? All of these questions have to be answered before I pay for a flight.
I’m currently thinking about going in the period of September through November. The trip will likely be for only a week, as that’s how long work is willing to let me go. Otherwise, I will be forced to either re-apply there or find a new job after. No thanks. I love that job, and intend on keeping it until I finally have enough to move to India. Airline tickets generally should be purchased at least three months in advance to get the best deal. So, though the trip is kinda far away, I realistically have two weeks at the least or two and a half months at the most to have a clear decision. Therefore, it seems my subconscious was right in having me look up Oaxacan cuisine.
The things I have read about Oaxacan food seem very compelling. I’m still thinking that the regional traditions of eating there might be the most interesting for me in the whole country. What’s great is that there are many dishes and drinks there that not only predate the Spanish conquest of Mexico, but have actually endured since before the time of the Mayans or Aztecs. How often do you get the chance to taste history? So one question is answered. No, there is not another part of Mexico that I want to go to more than Oaxaca. That is the place for me. Now, what part should I go to? That one will take a while and is not a question for today. Fortunately, from my understanding, travel to anywhere in the Estada (State), is conducted through a flight to Ciudad de Oaxaca (Oaxaca City), and then moving on from there through local transport. That means that after I have sated my appetite about the cuisine there, I can research spring onions. Because the “When is the cheapest time to go” question can be answered in minutes! After that it’s just a whole lot of price comparisons, and trying to figure out if there is an agent that can arrange discounts.
Today seems to be the first step in re-awakening a passion in me. Researching food is something that I once did almost fanatically, but I have done extremely little of it since my life changed drastically a year ago. Between having challenges, and finally planning a trip, I feel like something has clicked in me that has been dormant for a long time, I welcome it’s awakening. Although, I still just can’t wait for the future and wish it would come quicker.
The Open Road is Calling! 