On the Road to MasterChef - Day 2

Well, my crepes turned out better than I could hope for.  After the third crepe hit the hot pan, I was learning to roll it round and produce a golden, paper-thin, delicious piece of art.  It wasn’t long before I had nearly 20 beautiful crepes from my first mix of batter.

I felt really overwhelmed, yet bubbled with excitement. Of course, having a plate full of delicious crepes, I needed something to go in them and on them.  I hadn’t got that far.  I had convinced myself I was going to spend a full weekend making crepes.  But, I found myself ahead of the game. 

I had some fresh raspberries, sugar, butter, and white wine… so I began to mix and stir, over a medium heat.  I worried it would be too tart or just not work, but when I dipped my spoon into that beautiful concoction and tasted it, my eyes nearly rolled back into my head it tasted so good.

But, by this point, I knew I still needed something else.  I had some baker’s chocolate and dropped a couple squares, butter, sugar, and a few tablespoons of water into a small pot, and within a few minutes I had a heavenly molten batch of chocolate. 

It was delicious.  I had to taste it a few times. 

Well, plating is something I’m going to have to practice a bit. For this turn, I decided to roll my crepes after filling them with cream cheese and raspberry glaze, then drizzled them with chocolate, more raspberry glaze, whipped cream and a fresh raspberry.  I thought my plate looked very, very, very yummy.

No good story can be told without a few tears. I cried when I had to toss the five crepes I plated. But couldn’t stop smiling when I brought in a handful to my co-workers.  They loved them, because they didn’t leave a single bite on their plates. I hope none of them are on any diets, because for the next few weeks, they’re going to become my taste testers.

It was a great first try.  I’m so looking forward to how things turn out in the end.

Till next time,

~Crepe Queen

On the Road to Masterchef - Day 1

As most of you know, or maybe you don’t know, but I have registered to audition for MasterChef Season 6.  My audition is scheduled for Saturday, September 27th in Atlanta.  Whatever possessed me to register?  All the blatant comments from several of my friends and Facebook followers about the pictures of the creative dishes I post.

I do not claim to be a chef of any kind.  I have just discovered the art of cooking and eating gourmet food a couple of years ago when I became single and had only to feed myself.  For the first time in my life I could cook what I wanted, how much I wanted, and it really made me stop and consider what I was eating and why.

I’ve went through a lot of changes these last few years.  Health and Fitness was moved from the artic zone in my life up to front and center.  I’ve tackled many bad habits, and one of them being what I cooked and ate on a regular basis.

You really are what you eat, and what I was eating was slowly killing me. In my existential journey of self-discovery and seeking meaning to my life, I started to love myself.  Loving myself meant loving my body.  I didn’t love my overweight, out-of-shape body. I detested it.  Mostly I detested that I ever let it get into that shape in the first place.  I can give you a million reasons, but none of them are really an excuse.  I didn’t love myself, and didn’t love my body.

Learning to love me, I had to first forgive myself for what I had done to my body.  That was NOT an easy thing to do.  Actually, it’s probably been the hardest thing I’ve ever done.  I’m a hardass… and forgiveness doesn’t come easy for me – especially of myself.  I’m very judgmental of myself.  I ALWAYS look to me first in criticism, discipline, and neglect.  Well, not anymore.

I’ve also learned to forgive food, to love food, to look at in a different light.  Food was never my enemy. I was my enemy.  I now look forward to dinner. It’s become an expression of art, flavor and skill for me.

Anyway, I have one of the sweetest, loveliest, and beautiful friends in the world, Sally Balsamo.  This woman has shown me so much love and support since I’ve met her last year on Scribophile, she blows me away, and reminds me of the beautiful, loving people in this world.  We don’t talk every day, don’t hang out, often stand on different sides in political and social debates, but I love her dearly and respect her to the moon and back.  If she ever needed me, I hope she knows she can always count on me.  She’s a friend for life.

Well, my friend, in her support of my insane decision to audition for MasterChef, she has put me in contact with two lovely chefs to help me plan a signature dish.  My audition has some obstacles, and I was at a loss what to make.  Had I access to a full kitchen and every kitchen appliance invented… no problem.   But as it is, there are lots of obstacles.  (I don’t want to give too much away too soon.)

My two new friends, Chef’s Cameron Lokey and Laura Gilbert,  whom I already love and adore, have given me a homework assignment – to practice making crepes.  I’ve never made a crepe in my life and have only eaten them once or twice.  I’m allergic to eggs and am lactose intolerant, so the fact they’re made with milk and eggs, they’re usually not on my menu.  But, I’m determined to become the best Crepe maker the world has ever seen… or at least the judges at MasterChef.

So, tonight I begin.  Tonight I will attempt to make my first crepe ever. Regardless of how bad it turns out, I will post a picture of my failure or success (there is no failure – just perhaps a defined way NOT to make a crepe) and keep you guys updated until my audition, so you can experience this journey with me.

Till next time,
~MasterChef in Training