City Day

A day at the Pike Place Market does a spirit good. Traveling with my middle niece Jennifer via the new light rail system was a true big city day. The train was packed with Seattlelights of all creeds, cultures and colors, it was clear I wasn’t in Depew Oklahoma any more Dorothy! I was trying hard not to stare. Living in Oklahoma I forget that there is a world outside of my own, one bursting from its seams, one flowing over with unabashed freedom and force. This City, like most big cities is full of life, some of it profoundly joyful and beautiful and some tragic and painfully sad.

We listened to great old guy Jamin’ at the market. He was a light! Crooning old Dillon and Guthrie toons he attracted a huge half circle of on lookers in an absolute daze. Tourists and homies , This guy was a great entertainer! Tried to upload a video for you but it must have been too long.
Down the way a bit we listened to a fellow playing a saw. I have to admit it sounded like he was torturing that poor saw, best to put that thing to a timber than a bow son! Just sayin’.

I met several artisan cheese venders. They were very busy so I really didn’t get a chance to talk in depth but the samples of cheese I tasted were no less than inspirational. I picked up some cards and brochures and thought possibly after Yule I’ll see if I can come to their farm for a visit. My heart races when I taste a beautiful handmade cheese. My palms get sweaty and I babble. I can’t focus and can’t really form sentences. All I really want to do is pull out my milk and my cultures and get to work. It drives me crazy that I don’t have an on farm processing permit yet. I know it will happen eventually. The only thing stopping me is money.

Today, I’m headed out to shop for Christmas Eve dinner. This is when I start to really feel the angst of being home. I am a trained chef. My family would like it if I make the dinner. Here is the problem most of them eat like four year olds, they have the taste buds only suited for cheesy mac and Top Ramen. They don’t like vegetables they don’t like anything “gourmet”. So my challenge as a chef is to make them happy by cooking the blandest fakest meal I can. (Instant mashers win over fresh, iceberg over green leaf)

How does “A real food” foodie cope with this????

One option is to cook two dinners. One for myself, my brother in law and my older sister and niece that’s 4 and the other 10 get fake potatoes, feed lot beef, minute rice and iceberg w/ ranch. Or should I just suck it up and just go along with what will make the majority happy. I need your help here people! Or maybe I make the fake food and just have a couple of items that will be a real treat like fresh dungenous crab cakes with rosemary aioli, How ‘bout a bottle of Andrew Will Cab to put my mind at ease. How about a small filet of Alaskan salmon barely cooked. And I’ll go back to the cheese venders and make myself a little local cheese sampler.

What’s a good compromise? Any ideas? Am I just a food snob? Yes! I’m a complete food snob, can they love me anyway?