A sharing experience

About a week ago, and after quite a few attempts later, my wife was finally able to round up a couple of friends and were able to share in what was quite an enjoyable evening. With all of us involved in different jobs and with different schedules, one could almost say that my wife had the most difficult job.


A few weeks before that, I had purchased some short ribs of the kind that have the meat wrapped around one bone. Very suculent and full of flavor, this, I can almost say, could be my favorite thing to cook! Most of the time, you´ll see this types of cuts braised, specially because, aside from the technique developing a lot of flavor, it helps the meat become almost fork tender. Also, just like sauteeing foie gras, it shows a great deal of skill, specially because of all the steps that the dish requires.

So without the need of a special ocassion, aside from being able to finally get togehter and share at the table, I decided to tell my wife what I was thinking of doing, in vague terms so as to not compromise my self to much. The menu was actually a bit simple:

Guava stuffed brie cheese,

served warm, with mixed greens, mustard vinaigrette

Cucumber Salad,

mint dressing, roasted beets and alfalfa sprouts

Braised Short Ribs,

cauliflower puree, sauteed vegetables, tomato glace

Preserved Peach Tart,

mango anlaise, toasted cocunt

I can say, that I have to be careful when opening my mouth, for it will definately get me in trouble, so I found out. My wife did ask me if I had all I needed for it, and the obvious overconfident chef just grinned back at her and said "sure, no problemo!

At the time, I guess I forgot that it is one thing to make this menu at a restaurant, where you have all the necessary equipment and specialy SPACE to work. Another one is doing it in a half built house kitchen, that, well, let´s say it has alot of space to walk on, but hardly any counter space. And so, the idea was great until the day finally came!

Shopping was a breeze, actually a chore I find myself enjoying more and more! The best part is arriving and grabing a nice cup of joe for the time spent at the grocery store. The produce seemed quite fresh and actually the store smelled of citrus, maybe because the coming winter produce had just arrived. It didn´t take that long to do it and I was out after about an hour. I did have to run a couple more errands before getting home, but, it was nothing out of the ordinary. Once home, it was still early, so I decided to take some time to relax and read a couple of pages of a book.

As I was getting ready to finaly get started, I realized my over ambition, specially when I remembered that I did not have a rolling pin to make the short dough tarts and also, well, I didn´t have a mixer either, oh...... and a food processor! So much for a quick start!!!!

As luck would have it, my neighbor was able to help me with her rolling pin and I had a big enough metal bowl to make the dough. Next up, was making the stock, to which I quickly learned that a house oven, even at high heat, will just not get up to temperature so, needles to say, the bones took a little bit longer to roast!!! Two things and time was already running out!!! yikes!!!

At this point, I decided to regroup, set a competition style work list, told myself to stop compalining about how many things I needed in my kithcen and got my butt to work.

I can´t say I did not have fun. I kept telling my self that this dinner might just end up being one of the toughest competitions I will ever be in, against the clock, and against my self. Luckily by the time I was ready to start searing the short ribs, I had gained enough time to take a little breather... that is...unitl I realized I had run out of string to tie them together. I think I turned every color on the rainbow, specially when the thought of serving pizza instead for dinner came running through my mind!

I ran out the door to get the string and came back to tie the short ribs. I´m guessing it took me about 20 minutes -we all know how time flies when you are in a hurry- and by the time I got back, I was running behind again!!!! While in the car, I did remember that my Mom used to pray to San Pascual Bailon patron of cooks and all things of the table in the Catholic faith, to help her in the cooking of a special meal. Needles to say, I found myself praying the same phrases with cold sweat:

San Pascualito Bailón

báilame en este fogón;

yo te pongo un milagrito,

y tú ponme la sazón

(or in English)

Saint Pasqual Bailón

Please dance over the fire;

I will place a little miracle

If you help me with the seasoning

And so.. after uttering my little phrase, and thinking about dancing for a second, I ran out to my boombox, got on some jazz music and got down to finishing what I had started. I never thought, and now I realize that it is true that as a cook, your state of mind will show in the food. No wonder cooking has always been called a labor of "love"!

After searing the short ribs and preparing the braising vegetables, the aroma I was looking for finally came, after deglazing the pan with red Rioja wine. The house filled up with the aroma of the vegetables, the meat and the wine, yummy!!!!!!! I was back in business!

After about 2 more hours and a couple of glasses of wine later, I was finally getting to the finish line. I started setting up for "service" and... well, at this time, I realized I better be saving to build the kitchen, for I had just taken out the dishes where the food was going to be served and I was out of room. I organized and reorganized and finally ended up using even the space above the fridge! At least, I was ready and on time!

Serving dinner was a bit claustrophobic at times, but a lot of fun. My wife helped me set up the table and one of our friends that likes cooking alot helped me in plating up the food. The menu stayed the same, and we were able to enjoy every course together. I semed that everyone liked the food, specially one of the guys, that kept on wanting more sauce over his short rib. I have a feeling he could have used another one! Two of us really enjoyed the wine and the girls really enjoyed the salads as all women do.

In the end, and after the night was done, I counted my blessings for Saint Pasqual and thanked my mom and both of my grandmothers for all the labor of love that they place on their everyday cooking, for I had done it only once, and well, they have done it a million times!!!!! Now I know this is a most important part of what real cooking is about!