For The Love Of The Game

For The Love Of The Game

Waking up this Sunday morning is most like any other Sunday morning. I wake up, grab a glass of water, open the bedroom patio door, fill the bird feeders and let the world unfold for a moment. This particular morning has some bluejays chitterchattering as they pick the sunflower seeds out of the bird food, I can see fog through the tree outside, hanging up around Cole Valley and Parnassus, and I can hear the St. Ignatius church bells intermingling with the fog horns. A very peaceful way to wake up.

And just like most every morning, while the world is waking up with me my mind swells with excitement for what the new will bring. Maybe I'm one of those annoying people who are morning people, and always wake up happy and excited. Well, I suppose that is only annoying if you are annoyed by it. But I digress..

This particular morning I am excited for what I am making for breakfast for my household: Traditional Eggs Benedict. Not the popular Crab Benedict, or with any non-traditional ingredients like a Chipolte Hollandaise topping the egg and avocado. Although, all of these are really great options as well. But today just a few ingredients, simply prepared, with the melding of textures and flavors as the shining star: A buttered and toasted English Muffin, a slice of warm sweet and salty ham, a perfectly poached egg, topped with a rich, buttery, lemony Hollandaise sause, with a touch of my favorite smokey paprika from Whole Spice.

Today is also a special day because I get to feed some pretty great people some amazing food. My smart, inspirational, funny, talented and energetic friend Karen started her own business, Prickly Pig, and over the past few years she has slowly developed her recipes, gained a great local following, and has started selling her amazing Slow Roasted Pork Sandwiches along with her signature Dry Spice Rub, and Prickly Barbecue Sauce. And just like my take on Eggs Benedict this morning, Karen focuses on quality and flavor in just a few items, that when put together seem so simple visually, then the complexity and depth reach all of the senses as you take a bite. The crunch of the Acme Roll, The cool, tangy, crisp coleslaw, the Prickly Sauce with it's Carolinean style vinegar bite and savory spices, and then the warm, juicy, perfectly roasted pork.

I am blessed with amazing, talented friends all over the world, and Karen is one of them. I love to share in her passion for cooking in the Uptown Kitchen in Oakland, CA, where other local food vendors share a great space preparing food for various events. Just being in the kitchen is a learning experience on it's own. Who's cooking what? What events are the working on? Networking, cooking, sharing stories and recipes.

When all of the cooking and prep is done in the kitchen then the fun really begins. Feeding people feeds our souls. Prickly Pig was asked back for a 3rd time to take part in the Oakland First Friday Art Murmur. This event is always well attended, with local people enjoying the street closed from traffic, shops, art studios, bars and restaurants open their doors, and vendors of all kind line the streets. While it is a lot of work bringing everything to the people, the people enjoy it and it's worth it every time! In the case of this past First Friday the market is set to open at 5pm. However, the health inspector did not get around to our space until nearly 6pm, and that was after tracking him down. The stressful situation was diffused because of a handful of people who were actually waiting for the inspector to arrive so they could enjoy a Prickly Pig Sandwich. What a great feeling!

Once the inspection was over we were good to go and sold Prickly Pig Pork Sandwiches and the Special of the night, Vegan Frito Surprise in a fury from that moment until we sold out, just 10 minutes before the event was over. All the while we were interacting with our friends that came by to support us, community neighbors who know and love the Prickly Pig brand, and new friends who were experiencing the food for the first time. We got into our groove, laughing, dancing, feeding people, making them smile. My heart feels overjoyed.

And now today. Today we are feeding our friends and Neighbors at the bar where we all met, Hobson's Choice. When I moved to The City almost 10 years ago now, I was lucky to find myself in Hobson's with work buddy. It was her local spot, and it was soon to be mine. The friends that I have met in Hobson's have become like family to me. Through the years we've enjoyed holidays together, shared in each others happy times of new jobs, new relationships, and sad times with the passing of loved ones, hard economic times, and the daily grind. But all in all Hobson's has been our Cheers, our living room, and the center of our community.

Taking something love, cooking and feeding people, and bringing it to people I love is simply the best feeling ever. I don't do it to make money. I volunteer my time and support to a friend who I believe in. I do it for the love of the game

Good Mourning

Gathering around the kitchen of the table following the passing of a loved one is something that transcends religions and ethnicity. My family is no different. Coming from Irish, Ukrainian, and Polish Descent, which clearly has a lot to say on mourning in the Polish culture. There are many memories I have of pre and post service meals, filling loved one's ice boxes and cabinets with enough casseroles and dry goods to last the living for eternity. But why do we do it?

My grandmother was a feeder. As much as she was a looker, a lover of estate sale gems, and a devout CB radio enthusiast, she was a feeder. It was her way. Even if her way came with a chiding tsk tsk, "your pants *are* getting a little snug" she would be heaping the fried chicken, potato salad and green beans onto your plate. My grandfather too, was a feeder in his own sort. This may not have included anything that he himself prepared for you, but more along the lines of a second serving of desert, a handful of candy, or better yet a small, ornate, crystal vessel containing at the tender age of 5 or so my drug of choice: The Fuzzy Navel.

So, all history lessons aside, We laid my grandfather to rest this week and preceded to have a fun, silly, honorable, dinner filled with reminiscing about the ways of my grandmother and grandfather, and each retelling the various tales that had been passed onto each of us. Of course lining up the incongruities could sometimes be my favorite part. I would say that i would take most of what has been told to me with a grain of salt, and the other half is hogwash. For our chosen meal of hearty laughter and many a cocktail we hit up a local Asian-Fusion restaurant which was already loud and boisterous when we got there, so no sad faces, no I'm sorry's, we just added to the upbeat vibe of the room and enjoyed some delish dishes with a heaping side of tears rolling down the cheeks in laughter and love.

Foodspotting: Grecian Times

One of my first stops on a trip home is to The Manville Diner.

The Manville Diner is owned by a Greek family, in traditional NJ Diner style. They have an awesome Greek Gyro platter. This is the Small: A Gyro wrap small Greek side salad and small side of fries. Get the regular: a full sized Greek salad, and Gyro plate with fries. Home made ingredients, filling comfort food. Comfort me, Manville Diner, comfort me!