Fear

Fear. Something that you are irrationally afraid of. Yet fears can be much more limiting than that one, simple definition. Fears hold us back. Sometimes fears can keep us safe and in our own personal bubbles. Fear keeps us surviving, but does it help us in LIVING our lives?

During the second week of culinary school, I chopped the tip of my thumb off with a Japanese mandolin. Yesterday, guest Chef Jesse from Happy restaurant in Boulder handed me...you guessed it...a Japanese mandolin to use on some sweet potatoes. I panicked. People offered to slice up my sweet potatoes for me. What did I do? I almost cried. I got frustrated. Try as I may, I couldn't stop my arm and hand from shaking.

Thankfully, Chef came and showed me proper body position and how to find the "sweet spot" in the potato. If the potato doesn't glide right through the blae, back off. Oh, and Astrid, only go as far as you feel comfortable. Don't push the limits. Not yet.

So I cut my sweet potatoes. My hands are in tact. And I have faced my fear of mandolins.

This week is also about learning new things. A huge thing about fear, is the unknown. What is more unknown than trying something completely new?

We have a guest chef and are being exposed to Asian fusion. This means that nearly every, single item on the menu is something I have never worked with or eaten. I was so excited!! And you will see exactly why.

Quail eggs wrapped in bacon. Then grilled.

Money bags. Steamed spring rolls with a vegan filling. So that "special" people can feel special.

Have you ever seen quail eggs? So adorable! And on a stick wrapped in bacon? Yes, please. Please, please, please!!

Do you know...that BACON has all 5 amino acids. This creates some serious umami, and it is why bacon is so gloriously delicious. If I was to ever become a vegetarian, I would still eat bacon. I will be a baconaterian. Don't mess with my bacon.

My sweet potato shoe strings fried up. Yum.

Rice cakes. Something so simpe sitting on a lettuce leaf. It was calling me. I have to admit that I was not amused or enticed at all by this rice cake at first sight. I mean, a cake of sushi rice? Not very exciting. But this rice cake had a mirin soy glaze on it. Then it was grilled.

Crap. I was instantly defeated. Nerver, ever, judge something at first glance. It may surprise you It may be a bite of ultimate heaven. There were moans and complete silence around the table as we all enjoyed these rice cakes. I ate my entire serving and was in bliss. Rice was one of my favorite foods growing up. I am pretty sure that if I had ever discovered these cakes, I would not have eaten anything else. Ever. Seriously, I am still drooling over these as I look at the photo.

Dashi broth with the grilled bacon-wrapped quail eggs. Looks dainty, doesn't it?

These bites of salty bacon and simple egg were phenomenal. The bacon, although tnot crispy (the way I like my acon) was not chewy. It was tender bacon. Tender, salty bacon. I ate three of these. But if I ever find these at a party or BBQ, I will be parking myself right netx to the plate and making a meal of these alone.

Money bags with a thai basil puree, a poached egg, and the crispy sweet potatoes.

The greatest part of this dish. aside from the oozing egg yolk, was the two types of sweet potato present within the dish. Inside of the money bag were chunks of cooked sweet potatoes. Tender, soft, and sweet. Outside of the money bag were strips of crispy sweet potato. They worked to tie in all of the layers of this dish.

Lemongrass soup. A beautiful dessert soup. Served with a pineapple foam and a pineapple stick. Umm...one shot glass of this dessert was not enough for this girl. A taste of heaven. A beautiful taste of heaven.

Served alongside a siple ice cream made of heavy cream, condensed milk, and vanilla. To be honest, I was the only person in class that wasn't a big fan of the ice cream. Too rich for my taste. But the soup...I could have downed several shot glasses worth. Easily. Or just hand me a whole bowl of that stuff. With extra pineapple on the side.

New flavor profiles, new ingredients, new goals. This has been a BIG week for me so far.

Thanks for being here with me.