A funny thing happens when you have a website such as this, no matter how humble you might think your recipes (seriously, I'm no Stephen): suddenly, no one wants you in their kitchen. No one wants to cook for you anymore (except chefs). Everyone wants those brownies or pots de creme (sorry, haven't written about them) you made last spring. Everyone wants to go out to eat with you, and complains that you don't visit enough restaurants (Josh, I think that's 3 now). Friends shake their heads when talking to you and say things like "boy do you guys eat great at home." And so, this is for all of you. And for any other foodies, chowhounds, or whatever else you call yourselves, (and I know you're out there) who secretly eat Cheez Wiz and White Castle sliders, and for all you chefs who love iceberg wedge salads (and I definately know you're out there).
Confessions #1 - 4, in a series
1. I love the packaged food at Trader Joe's, particularly their pasta sauces, 2 minute potato gnocchi (it's $1.69 a bag!?), and their dried tortellinis and raviolis. I have eaten so many packaged food products from Trader Joe's that I could give you a dissertation on which are the best and why (Savory Thin rice crackers), which are the most nutritious (chicken chili, Marinated bean salad), which are strange tasting (beef chili), and which are unbelievable values (these don't really count I guess, but olive oil). I have given serious consideration to giving up all the glamour of serving to become the food demonstrater at Trader Joe's. I could be next Rachel Ray! I could be Rachel Ray's cynical, eye-rolling, less-perky, snobbier evil twin sister (just kidding, she's older than me, but creepily, also a Virgo).
2. I eat some form of instant Asian noodle - udon, ramen, fried ramen, pho bac, about 4 times a week, usually right before bed, as a snack. I'll refer back to this when, in later confessions, I'll discuss my love of MSG.
3. When I'm too lazy to make a full pot of coffee in the morning, I drink International Foods instant coffee with a few spoons full of instant espresso thrown in for good measure and foodie street cred.
4. Even though I worked at Williams Sonoma for 2 years and extolled, to wealthy suburbanites, the virtues of Wusthoff over Henkel, and Shun over anything, I do not own a decent knife. Our kitchen is full of Dexter Russell safety knives (available in restaurant supply stores), which, in the professional kitchen, is reduced to the lowliest possible chore; typically given to a server with no knife skills, in search of a knife so they can cut lemons with no cutting board. My current favorite is a $12 Santoku, made in Japan, which I purchased at Kamei superstore in San Francisco (seriously, anyone in the bay area needs to go there ASAP).
So there you have it, now you need not be afraid to invite me over to dinner. I'll bring the noodle casserole.
