I haven't posted in a while on GLITQC, mostly because anything I'm normally interested in speaking about doesn't really fit with things here. But you can catch more of my antics on my other blog, wildelife: http://wildefanblog.blogspot.com/, you know, in case you're interested. You're probably not. But that's okay.
Anyway, I'm housesitting for a lovely gay couple this week. I like them. They're like my "fairy god-gays". (Is that redundant?)
They have respectively been in my world since my early college years. And as I got further along in my education, they became more involved. One was even my advisor in grad school.
There are four reasons I like housesitting for them.
1) They have a great shower...two of them, in fact. And I mean...FANTABULOUSLY FANTASTIC! They are the full massage shower heads...and they have great water pressure. All I'm saying is it's not a bad thing that I can't afford a regular massage--this'll do.
2) They're good guys. I like them. Simple as that.
3) They don't hide their porn collection. Seriously. The first time I housesat for them, it took less than 5 minutes to find it. Because it was in the DVD rack of the enterntainment center. I thought their tastes were a little odd--it was all super-cheesy, but one finally explained it to me that they used to host "brunch & porn" parties.
4) Their kitchen is serious. HUGE convection oven. 6-burner range, complete with grill plates. And for the last two evenings, a wonderful reason to cook.
I'm not a professional chef by any stretch of the imagination, but most of my friends who have been treated to my cooking have been glad to be near my culinary skills. I've been able to prepare enough meals for my parents and grandmother (a former head cook for a school district) that they willingly ask me to prepare the meals when I visit.
The last two evenings have been filled with fish: baked Chilean Sea Bass (last night) and baked Grouper (tonight). I'm trying the healthy thing. Except for pasta. And bread. I have no qualms with gorging myself on that fantastic stuff!
All of the interest in seafood is rooted in one great idea...I want to thoroughly impress my man this weekend. He's a seafood fan, especially white fish. I am getting there, certainly. Not perfection, but closer to it than a year ago.
Les has asked me to write a couple of blogs on food before--and I'll certainly try to get some new ones in before long. Both Branson and Queen City places. But I figured for tonight, it'd be good to share a little bit of cooking.
Happy dining, all!
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
Something fishy
Word has it that James Clary, former owner of now defunct restaurants Clary’s and Fish, is working for Price Cutter. Clary is their Culinary Director. The biggest change I’ve seen thus far is my Price Cutter now has an obscenely obnoxious man who screams at me about fish of various and sundry variety as I shop.
The guy is tall and wears one of those headset microphones made chic by Garth Brooks and the Gap. He has a grating voice that can only be described as early used car salesman and his sales pitch only makes me want to flee the store. I’m not alone. I’ve yet to see one customer at his cart. In sharp contrast are the group of folks from Oscar’s barbeque who quietly sit at their cart, often with a line of customers, smiling politely.
The Queen City is such a weird culinary place. We’re landlocked, but enjoy a proximity to Gulf States from whom we get fresh fish, leading to copious amounts of wonderful sushi restaurants, but no real seafood restaurants. The aforementioned Fish went under quite some time ago and there is very little fresh about the seafood one can get at Red Lobster.
Red Lobster isn’t a bad place, mind you, but it isn’t exactly good either.
With the proximity to good seafood and the number of lakes with good fishing in the area, you’d think a local fish place would take off. The concept of Clary’s Fish was a welcome one, but he didn’t really pull it off. I ate there a few times and found there were a great variety of seafood dishes, but the food itself fell flat.
Conversely, places like Ocean Zen, Haruno and Mijuri don’t have the big fish dishes, but their dizzying array of sushi offerings are delightful. But sometimes, I just want a regular seafood dish: Shrimp Scampi, Trout Almandine or even something local like Fried Catfish. I’ve yet to come across anything in the Queen City that isn’t a chain that has such an offering.
Tragic.
I’m sure the weak economy has more to do with Clary’s change of occupation than his skills as a restaurateur. Sadly, I imagine it will be quite sometime before anyone has the capital, know-how and patience to try such a venture here in Springfield. But make no mistake it’s sorely needed.
In the meantime, I guess I’ll whet my appetite with all that sushi, but I’m not going to stoop so low as to buy fresh fish from a stale salesman with a Garth Brooks complex.
The guy is tall and wears one of those headset microphones made chic by Garth Brooks and the Gap. He has a grating voice that can only be described as early used car salesman and his sales pitch only makes me want to flee the store. I’m not alone. I’ve yet to see one customer at his cart. In sharp contrast are the group of folks from Oscar’s barbeque who quietly sit at their cart, often with a line of customers, smiling politely.
The Queen City is such a weird culinary place. We’re landlocked, but enjoy a proximity to Gulf States from whom we get fresh fish, leading to copious amounts of wonderful sushi restaurants, but no real seafood restaurants. The aforementioned Fish went under quite some time ago and there is very little fresh about the seafood one can get at Red Lobster.
Red Lobster isn’t a bad place, mind you, but it isn’t exactly good either.
With the proximity to good seafood and the number of lakes with good fishing in the area, you’d think a local fish place would take off. The concept of Clary’s Fish was a welcome one, but he didn’t really pull it off. I ate there a few times and found there were a great variety of seafood dishes, but the food itself fell flat.
Conversely, places like Ocean Zen, Haruno and Mijuri don’t have the big fish dishes, but their dizzying array of sushi offerings are delightful. But sometimes, I just want a regular seafood dish: Shrimp Scampi, Trout Almandine or even something local like Fried Catfish. I’ve yet to come across anything in the Queen City that isn’t a chain that has such an offering.
Tragic.
I’m sure the weak economy has more to do with Clary’s change of occupation than his skills as a restaurateur. Sadly, I imagine it will be quite sometime before anyone has the capital, know-how and patience to try such a venture here in Springfield. But make no mistake it’s sorely needed.
In the meantime, I guess I’ll whet my appetite with all that sushi, but I’m not going to stoop so low as to buy fresh fish from a stale salesman with a Garth Brooks complex.
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