I am back!! Actually, I was back...but Blogger ate a post. Sad.
Following your dreams is important. What they don't tell you is that there is no definitive end to any road we choose to take. Life is a huge adventure. With a bunch of mini journeys, each different from the other. Each challenging. You can't expect life to change and become "easier" or even to make more sense when you make a certain decision.
Now that I have become a professional chef and am ready to move on in my career, I am going to take the memories and lessons learned in beautiful Boulder, Colorado with me.
Lesson 1: Always take the time to appreciate the beauty around you. The view you see from anywhere in Boulder is gorgeous. Yet it is very easy to become immune to it when stressed and absorbed in every day stress. When I actually took the minute to take in the scenery, stress immediately dissipated. Nature is magically healing, but you need to let it in first.
Lesson 2: People are important. Yes, I was in a gorgeous place. Yes, I was cooking everyday and learning so much. But I was away from the most important people (and animals) to me. A place instantly becomes more beautiful when surrounded by people you love. When Stephen was in Boulder, we went for a walk and the mountains seemed even more majestic and the air felt even more fresh. Friends and loved ones are necessary, and new ones are always welcomed!
Lesson 3: Don't compare yourself to others. I have a tendency to feel instantly dejected when faced with someone who is so successful and far along in their career. I think that I can never make it to that point. There were many people in my class who were already successful chefs. I felt that I lacked something...and that I could never find it. abaut that type of thinking gets you no where. Very quickly. I have my own talents and strengths. And I adore creating food. I cook from my heart and I know that will get me where I want to go.
Now I have moved on from preparing meals in the professional classroom setting to preparing meals in my own home for myself and Stephen.
No more fancy garnishes and proper plating.
No more extravagant meals.
But wait...this is me we are talking about. I have been thoroughly enjoying cooking for myself and Stephen again. It is so much fun to put together kind of simple and tasty meals for us. For me, at home, it is about cooking ordinary things in an extraordinary way. Talking simple comfort foods and taking them a step or two further.
It is crazy what can be deemed impressive. I created a Shrimp Parfait using a salsa (tomato, cucumber, avocado, pickled red onions, roasted garlic), greek yogurt, and shrimp.
And here we have meatballs made from ground pork and turkey stuffed with mozzarella cheese.
And of course cookies for dessert. I am quite the cookie monster, and will always be.
Hopefully I will not turn into an actual monster!
Note: This is going to be my last week of writing my blog for a long time. I will be living in Glacier National Park in Montana and will not have internet access (and maybe not even a computer). It will be a much needed escape from the world of extreme technology, but I will miss writing and reading blogs.
