Tooting My Own Horn

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

I’m not a vain or egotistical person; I don’t look for pats on the back.
But just about now, I am proud of myself.



I have a dear friend who is a chef/owner/operator of her own restaurant in Colorado.
At the beginning of the “season” she was preparing her menu and asked for my advice.
ME! A non-professional chef, I’m a home cook. I was so humbled.
She wanted to bring something from “the Islands” to the table this year, but wasn’t sure how to execute it.
I suggested an Ahi Poke Tower, huge hit just about everywhere.
Here’s the thing though, she had never made Poke before.



This is what we collaborated on.

Mixed the tuna with shoyu, sesame chili oil, scallions and white sesame seeds. Avacado is just pulp. Sprouts are radish sprouts and green stuff on plate is wasabi sauce. Rice cracker garnish and pickled ginger(behind tower). Put it in a pvc coupling...takes about 2 minutes to plate. $13 bucks a pop, badda bing!

YUM!
She said that she sells this appetizer out every night!
I have not yet been able to make it up there to try her creation.

 

[Dawgluver]

Good for you, K-girl! Way to go!

 

[GotGarlic]

Nice! Great that your friend recognizes home cooks can be really good cooks, too

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

Tooting Your Horn

Mahalo, thanks guys.
Any one else got a food inspired story to be proud of?

 

[Andy M.]

Nice! I'd eat that.

 

[FoodieFanatic]

That is fabulous! Congratulations!
Ok, I have one, not nearly as good as yours but here it is.
I use to be on the Board of Directors for a local non-profit. We'd hold monthly meetings and usually they were at lunchtime or after work. People were always on the go and didn't have time to get something to eat. I started baking these really good oatmeal , chunky chocolate cookies and packaging them in cellophane bags. Made it nice for those who wanted to eat half or take it with them. Everyone love them so much they asked for them each month. Then, they wanted to take them home to their children. After a couple of times people suggested I make to sell to the public (I never did ). When the Board changed and we all went or separate ways, people sent me emails asking me to make them cookies.
It was all very flattering. I made them for a friend who came over for dinner and he not only loved them but said he would financially fund me to sell them. Again, I didn't do it but nice to know these cookies could be a moneymaker LOL

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

... snipped ... but nice to know these cookies could be a moneymaker LOL

ZOWIE FF!! You should go for it! Who knows, you could be the next "Mrs. Fields" and be worth a large fortune.

 

[FoodieFanatic]

Thanks...I've thought about it but doubtful I'll do it. I'll just keep making them for friends.

 

[Dawgluver]

OK, a story. We stopped in to a brand-new restaurant in Mexico, I'd heard good things about it. The food was good, but sadly, their margaritas were swill. The sweet owner had me teach the bartenders how to make a proper margarita!

Another time, we were fishing with DH's family in Michigan. There had been a paucity of fish, but for some reason, we caught a huge amount with two boats. We even gave some away! Went to the little grocery store and bought up a bunch of their limited spice blends. We got free wave runner time for cooking and giving the owners of the resort free fish! I directed the seasoning and cooking, even DH's mom was asking what to do next!

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

Good on ya, Dawg!

 

[Kayelle]

I'll toot your horn too Kgirl! Good for you! There's nothing like good Poke! Is that a picture of her beautiful place?

FF your cookies sound fabulous! Since you passed on a commercial enterprise, would you consider sharing your recipe?

OK Dawg...we need to know how to make a proper margarita!

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

I'll toot your horn too Kgirl! Good for you! There's nothing like good Poke! Is that a picture of her beautiful place?

FF your cookies sound fabulous! Since you passed on a commercial enterprise, would you consider sharing your recipe?

OK Dawg...we need to know how to make a proper margarita!

Mahalo, thanks Kayelle! And yes, that his her place, it sit out over this beautiful lake, just gorgeous!

Agreed, I think that FF should share her cookie recipe too.

And oh yeah, MARGARITAS!!! I've never made one, but I sure would like to know how. They charge $5.75 up at the pool, YIKES!

 

[LPBeier]

That's fabulous, KGirl! I would love that!

 

[Cheryl J]

Your friend has a gorgeous restaurant on the lake, kgirl...and I would so go for you Ahi Poke Tower. YUM

 

[taxlady]

Good Margarita:

1 part lemon or lime juice or a mix of the two (my preference)
2 parts triple sec (or Cointreau for a smoother Margarita, but we like the bite of the less smooth triple sec)
4 parts tequila

Shake with ice until nice and cold. Strain into pretty, stemmed glasses. It's traditional to put salt on the rim of the glass. Wet the rim with lemon or lime juice, roll the edge of the glass in a small pile of salt. We usually prefer them without the salt.

 

[CrazyCatLady]

Mahalo, thanks guys.
Any one else got a food inspired story to be proud of?

Oh nothing like that sweet lady!

I can tell you that as a very young cook back in the 1980's I didn't poison anyone and they have a great sense of humor when it came to my cooking back then.

Ohhhhh wellll LOL!

 

[FoodieFanatic]

I'll toot your horn too Kgirl! Good for you! There's nothing like good Poke! Is that a picture of her beautiful place?

FF your cookies sound fabulous! Since you passed on a commercial enterprise, would you consider sharing your recipe?

OK Dawg...we need to know how to make a proper margarita!

Thanks, but I'm going to keep it a secret for now. You never know, one day I may change my mind.

 

[Kayelle]

Thanks, but I'm going to keep it a secret for now. You never know, one day I may change my mind.

Wise move FF and I sure understand. I encourage you to go for it, especially if you still have a financial backer. Gosh, it would be great to see your cookie company on Shark Tank!

 

[Addie]

My husband brought home an Aeronautical Engineer MIT student from the Philippine Islands for a Sunday meal. I had made a New England Boiled dinner with a smoke shoulder. I also had made two loaves of bread. One was for the freezer. He dang near ate the whole loaf of bread by himself. And made quite a dent in the smoked shoulder. I sent him on his way with the second loaf of bread and a heaping plate of what was left of the meal.

I found out after they he left, that he was here on a scholarship and had almost no money to live on. No wonder he was so skinny. We took him under our wing and made sure he got one or two meals a month to bring back to his dorm. The problem was he wanted the bread more than anything else. And also kept requesting a New England boiled dinner. It took some doing but we were able to get him to try other traditional New England meals. Did not like Baked Beans, but loved the brown bread and knockwurst.

 

[CWS4322]

The compliments on the sides I developed for this main:

Check out the Chefx menu for this Friday!  Order by midnight tonight!

have gotten rav reviews. I didn't like the succotash recipe the chef submitted, so I used the same ingredients and flavour profile for the succotash and complimentary flavour profile for the zucchini slaw. I usually will leave the protein (although I've taken creative license with a number of them for this company) and fix the sides to make them more "cheffy" or to make them easier for the home cook to make. Or, the stovetop instead of the oven if the recipe is for summer and will be offered when temps can be unbearably hot in this area...a time when no one wants to turn on the oven.