:: Life on Planet Dan-E ::

:: How We Met ::

Every time I become friends with someone who's already married, I always ask them how they met. I love listening to these stories, always have.

The writer of one of the blogs I frequent shares a similar love. He takes it a step further and linked to a beautiful "How We Met" story in the Washington Post that moved me more than I really care to admit.

It moved me because of their fearlessness; their willingness to dive headfirst into unknown water despite the precarious circumstances circling their lives. It moved me because it made me wistful for my own stories to tell.

Enough about me, enjoy the story.

Labels: introspective, love

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 3:03 PM [+] :: | 2 comments
.....

:: That Wasn't there Before ::

One of my co-workers invited me to her place for a wine tasting/dinner party at her place last week. We both share a love of good wine and since Lynn is studying to be a sommelier (where as I just like drinking the stuff) we became friends through the many conversations at work about wines.

Her husband, K, is also a wine connoisseur and sports a rather impressive collection at their place. The first hour or two involved some tasting and discussion, along with some pretty good food. After a few bottles tasting and discussion became drinking and loud talking. We somehow managed to polish off a double magnum (4 liters) of sparkling wine along with quite a few bottles of whites (there were a few reds in there though I can't recall clearly).

Through it all I remained fairly sober right up until a latecomer showed up with a bottle of 23-year old rum. Knowing my love of scotch, K also broke out a bottle of Macallan 12. "Neither of us drink whiskey," he stated as he handed me the unopened bottle. "So go nuts."

"Sure, twist my arm."

I only had one (rather large) glass after which I started getting a pretty good buzz. Still, none of us didn't get drunk until K had the bright idea of heading over to a nearby bar. A round of shots and a glass of bourbon later, we stumbled back to their place, after which I grabbed my stuff and somehow made it back home.

I was fine the next morning, though Lynn seemed somewhat tired that night at work. When I return home after work, I head to my liquor cabinet to pour myself a drink when I noticed a new, barely-drank bottle of Macallan 12.

Umm, shit. Did I steal that?

I quickly send Lynn a text; "Um... I may have accidentally stolen a bottle of Macallan last night."

A few minutes later: "I told you to take it. We don't drink scotch :)"

"Oh, good. By the way, thanks."

I'm thinking I need to attend these wine tastings more often.

Labels: alkie, drinking, scotch, wines

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 4:30 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
.....

:: Merry Irish Christmas ::

I did what any self-respecting Irishman would do on St. Paddy's day: I went out for sushi. (Seriously. Every Irish themed bar is going to packed with drunken jackasses drinking green beer and puking said beer on the floor later. No way I'm going to one of those places.) Don't think for a second that I didn't have my pint of Guinnness, however.

As for the rest of you enjoy some of this...

...or this...

...but before you drink, toast with this:

Labels: alkie, booze, drinking, guinness, whiskey

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 11:27 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
.....

:: Too Loud ::

I received a noise complaint for the first time ever last week. I was cooking myself dinner after work one night and since it was a recipe I wasn't familiar with, I had my laptop perched on top of my microwave, right next to the open window, with the recipe on the screen.

This worked out well since I love listening to music while I cook. My laptop speakers aren't the greatest but they'll suffice. About 20 minutes in I hear a knock on my door. At 1:30am. I open the door - still holding my knife - and this scruffy looking guy is outside.

"Could you please turn you music down? The entire building can hear you."

"Sure. Sorry about that."

I head back to the kitchen and turn the volume down. Just to be sure, I even changed the music to something mellower, after which I couldn't help but laugh at the situation. I annoyed my neighbor with my crappy little laptop speakers and it wasn't even something obnoxious like Van Halen or Pearl Jam.

I was listening to Beethoven.

Labels: cooking, it could only happen to me, unintentional humor

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 2:58 PM [+] :: | 2 comments
.....

:: Why I Cook ::

I've been racking my brain trying to think of something to write. I have yet another four half-written posts saved up, yet it took almost two months before I found something worth writing about, and it wasn't even my idea. I read this great post from a blog read regularly and he got his inspiration from an enthusiastic food writer.

So why do I cook. I almost have too many reasons to list and while long posts aren't exactly new to me, I'll run down some of the more important points.

- I cook to eat. Seems like a resounding *DUH* right? But I love to eat and if you were to ever meet me, you can tell I don't miss meals often. Or ever. But other reasons range from my general disdain for most processed foods and microwave meals (it's been literally a decade since I bought one) all the way to health concerns. I also know what I like and therefore it's easy to make what I like.

- It's a hobby that I have a great deal of passion for. I love it, plain and simple. People I work with have asked why I don't pursue cooking as a profession. I think if I had to do it every day as a way to make rent, I would lose enthusiasm for it, having to grind away behind a hot line 8-10 hours a night, 5 nights a week. As it is now, if I don't feel like cooking I just stop by Five Guys or if I'm broke, whip up some eggs. Besides, I work in a restaurant where I get along with the cooks, it's also easy for me to pick up tips here and there.

- Cooking is an excuse to buy myself some great new kitchen knives. Also got a bamboo cutting board, a new honing steel, a cast-iron skillet and many entertaining evenings playing chef. (Ironically, as one of my goals for this year is to be more social, I'm wondering if this is a good thing.)

- Many waiters, after a long shift, like to drink themselves into oblivion or light up a joint. While I do love a good drink, cooking helps me to relax as much as a night out with friends and I get more of a kick from fixing a good meal.

- On that same note, If there's anything I love more than cooking, it's music. Few things make me happier than cooking while I have my favorite songs playing in the background. (I'm even happier when sipping on a good whiskey.)

- Personal fulfillment. I rarely cook for people and when I do, it's only for the closest of friends or a woman I'm dating. Even if I'm dicking around with a recipe and I need guinea pigs to sample my dish, I only invite the few friends I can actually spend more than 30 minutes with without needing booze to keep me interested. Along those lines, I've never cooked to impress a woman hoping she'll date me. As much effort as I put into my dishes, if a woman wants me to cook for her, she has to show me something. (And I don't mean her tits.)

(Though it might help.)

- I love trying something new and experimenting with ingredients. I remember how intimidating it seemed the first time saw Alton Brown butcher a whole beef tenderloin. I also remember trying it myself the first time and thinking to myself, "that's it?" and enjoying beef dishes the rest of the week. I remember the elation of braising lamb shanks for the first time. I especially remember finally learning how to precisely slice salmon into equally thin pieces with my new sashimi knife and the look on my buddy's face when he saw and sampled my hamachi.

- I enjoy the challenge. I'll make the best steak tartare you'll find outside a fine restaurant. My espresso-rubbed short ribs braised in chocolate stout and served over vanilla mashed potatoes is amazing. So is my own homemade tomato sauce. I received moans of approval from people who tasted my coriander crusted snapper with tequila-lime sauce and jalapeno parsnips puree. I can make my own salad dressings. And I've said many times; I make the best guacamole on the East Coast. But none of these came out great the first time and they all seemed difficult at first. And while I have these and a few other dishes I rotate through, I really don't know as much as most home cooks. I don't know the first thing about baking. I couldn't make a dessert from scratch other than opening a pint of Ben 'n Jerry's. And even though I'm good with red meats and fish, I can't do that much with chicken beyond frying up buffalo wings. That's the next hurdle I'm looking forward to.

- I cook because life is better those few minutes I spend in the kitchen. As much as I enjoy a good dining experience, food tastes just that much better when it's earned.

Labels: cooking, introspective, still here

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 12:08 AM [+] :: | 1 comments
.....

:: Looking Back on 2009 ::

I don't even know where to begin. This year has had so many ups and downs that I feel like 2009 couldn't end soon enough. Reading some posts this year was a somber experience. I've had some great highs but there was a disproportionate amount of lows; enough that I can look back and say this year wasn't one of my best.

There have been good things. I made some great new friends. I'm good financially. I've eaten at the great restaurants and cooked some great meals. Like every year, I've learned new things.

But I had to change jobs again. One in which I'm grateful for having, given the economy but I've had to deal with more stress than seems rational for a waiter.

There have been some women in my life but there is has been no intimacy. I went on some nice dates but there's something left to be desired if all I can say about a date was that it was "nice." I've pushed myself to grow and I have, but one thing I've learned is that at age 35, I still feel like I have so far to go, so much to learn.

Things don't magically change just because the clock turns to 12:00 but there is some truth in the old axiom "new year, new beginnings." Things will be different in 2010. Hopefully for the better but things will be different.

I already have something to look forward to. My younger brother is getting married this summer. Hopefully I'll meet my new sister-in-law before then. I already know she's going to be a good for him since he usually attracts quality women (unlike me).

But I need something good to happen to me this year. Whatever inner drive I had that provided the initiative to make the move to Miami six years ago, I need to find that again.

No matter what, things will be different.

To all my readers, Happy 2010.

Labels: happy new year, introspective

:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 11:02 PM [+] :: | 0 comments
.....