Random Bit of Info

Y'all have been documenting such wonderful things lately (births, birthdays, cross-country moves, deliveryman debacles, etc.), and I've been meaning to post comments on all of them but haven't had time. (I will, though. I really will.) So, while not as monumental as your recent events (well, except for BB's -- haha!), I thought I'd just drop a quick post about the last week of my life. As a favor for Tonya, one of my best friends, I catered (almost all of) the food for her wedding reception Saturday night. We ended up with about 125 people, but, as I discovered, I made enough for about double that. She had wanted to do southern food with a twist. So, the main course menu included a shrimp and grits bar (served in martini glasses and topped with shredded cheese, crumbled bacon and green onions), seafood Brie mac and cheese (with lobster, crab and crawfish), vegetable tian (which I "southerned up" with the addition of squash, pepper jack cheese, and a crumbled cornbread topping), cabbage, apple and pear slaw (with a whole grain mustard vinaigrette), and watermelon salad (with 24-hour pickled red onions, feta and mint). And, even though they aren't southern, I made (a kajillion...ok, 7 dozen) Parisian macarons tinted to the pale blue of the flower arrangements (the cookies themselves were vanilla-almond and filled with lemon buttercream). I shopped, prepped and cooked for three straight days (over 36 hours total, by my calculation) and, without the assistance from some of my friends (I had three of them peeling and deveining over 600 shrimp until midnight on Friday, while two others were breaking down red and yellow watermelons), I wouldn't have made my deadline.

I felt confident in cooking all of the dishes in small batches, but I was a little concerned that the quality would be diminished with such quantity (I cooked over 20 pounds of pasta for the mac and cheese, if that gives you an idea). However, everything came together, and the food was well received. Most importantly, though, Tonya and Scott were happy. In fact, Tonya, at the end of the night and after a few cocktails, offered me their firstborn, to which I quickly and instinctively replied, "Uh, I don't want your kids." Perhaps I should have been a bit more gracious, but oh, well. They did give me a brand new Cuisinart (mine recently died), which was a much more appropriate gift.

All in all, it was probably the most physically and mentally draining experience of my life, and I loved every minute of it. Just before dinner was served, a friend's mother asked me what medications I was on to be so calm, and I realized that I had been having such a good time I hadn't felt stressed or frustrated at any point over those three days. And it was an amazing learning experience. I talked to Diana Bratton yesterday (who owns Cafe 1217 and Taco Mama), and when I told her how exhausted I was, she simply said, "I know you are, but I can tell you have the bug now. I can hear it in your voice." So, while I may never cook on that scale again, I'm fairly confident that I can handle just about anything in the kitchen from here on out. And I'm already jonesin' for my next gig.

And now it's off to Austin on Thursday for the 10th anniversary ACL -- it's going to be strange that MRJKMC won't be there this time! Miss and love y'all and hope to see you soon! -Sus