I remember the good ol' days, days when the first class of the term was spent looking over the syllabus four about ten minutes before we were all dismissed to ponder what to do with our newfound hour of freedom (usually this would be spent either sleeping or watching TV, depending on what time the class was).
Unfortunately these days are behind me, and now the first day of class not only includes going over the syllabus (with the same "don't be late, don't cheat" lecture repeated each time) but jumping right into the thick of things. It wasn't until yesterday that I found out just how thick that could be.
I stared blankly ahead of me as my fellow students started moving about, preparing for the task at hand. Had I really heard right? Create two salads, two plates each, from whatever you can find, using a protein selected by the teacher. Normally I'd jump at this sort of thing. As it stood, I had no idea what was available, would have to fight my way through a veritable zombie horde to find out, had only eaten duck once before (oh yeah, my protein was duck confit) and was running on roughly three hours of sleep.
Awesome.
My gaze turned to my cutting board. At least I had found the common sense to start setting up my workspace. Sadly its plain white surface wasn't giving me any inspiration. I look around again, blinking heavily.
Salad... lettuce... with... stuff...
Okay, so that was a start.
Knives were moving all around me, herbs being chopped, greenery being cajoled into whatever form deemed necessary, meats of all shapes and sizes being worked on to fit the greater design. I look again to my cutting board.
Still nothing.
Guess I have to fight my way through the zombie horde.
Luckily by this time most had returned to their own stations and were hard at work. I scanned the near-barren shelves in hopes of finding something to spark my interest. Boston Bibb. I remembered having seen some radicchio earlier... that could work together. My brain finally started to kick into gear, thinking of possible additions to that mix while still taking in what still remained on the shelves.
And then I saw it; Belgian endive. I'm rather a fan of stuffing things into endive. It's just about the perfect size for finger food, and comes in the perfect boat shape that just begs to be used to cradle something. So grab some endive, tuck in some dressed duck, and maybe throw something on top to give a little extra color.
That's one down, one to go. By now I was dimly recalling seeing some asparagus outside near my station. That could work as a good base. A little duck on top, a bit of something else over that, drizzle some dressing on and it's good to go.
Speaking of dressing, that was the next bit to figure out. At least by this time the gears had been turning long enough to bring me (somewhat) out of my stupor. There were enough fresh herbs that I couldn't resist an herb vinaigrette. Probably best to use that with the endive... find something a bit deeper to meld with the asparagus. Maybe a balsamic... best to see what's available in either case. So with greenery in hand I made my way to take stock of what I could use to make my dressings.
I was on a roll - white wine vinegar would work well with the herbs, and the asparagus would do well with a red wine vinaigrette.
Time to chop.
Herbs were minced, leaves were tripped, asparagus was snapped. Despite my lack of sleep, I managed to not do the same to any fingers.
Someone called out, asking if anyone needed red onion - a julienne of which would be the perfect garnish for my endive. I snag a piece, make the cut, and keep going. Later the same happens with a bit of leftover tomato. A bit of chopping later and my asparagus duck salad has its top layer.
A drizzle of dressing here, a quick circle around the plate there, and my plates are done. Two go off to be served in another room and two go in the reach in, awaiting the judgement of my peers. I'm pleased to say that I even had some time to clean up before time was called.
Getting to go home after ten minutes may have its perks, but pulling this was way more satisfying.
Now, though, it's time to get some more sleep.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Moving up in the world
Professional writing is one of those things where being in the right place at the right time is very important. Considering that you're facing a lovely catch 22 of no one wanting to publish your work until you can show them examples of your published works, it can be hard to get your foot in the door.
Luckily for me, I tend to be pretty lucky and have something of an uncanny ability to make the right connections. As such, I give you this, the rough draft of an article that will, after some revising, be seen in Charlotte's Uptown magazine.
New kid on the block
“So, what is there to do around here?” A harmless enough question, and one that was posed to all manner of people when I first moved to Charlotte. Roommates, classmates, and anyone else who seemed like they might have half a clue about something to occupy my time other than sitting in my room praying that my friends from back home would get online. Unfortunately for me, as often as not this question was answered with shrugs and blank stares. Of course, it doesn’t help that a lot of the square footage of the uptown area is devoted to bars. If the predominantly underage population of the Johnson & Wales student body did have an intimate knowledge of these establishments I think I might be just a touch concerned.
And so it came to pass that much of my time was indeed spent aimlessly checking facebook, E-mail, and otherwise praying that my friends from back home would get online. Before too long, though, it became apparent that I would have to join in on one of the oldest and greatest traditions of higher education; the search for a part-time job. Luckily, the question “Know any place that’s hiring?” tended to get better results than my previous inquiry. Among my meanderings to various coffee shops, restaurants of all sorts, and about anything else that I could find I was directed to the EpiCentre. At that point it was little more than one giant construction site. However, it did show some promise. Signs announcing what would soon be filling the vacant spots were everywhere. Cold Stone Creamery. Jason’s Deli. I felt like Jack Skellington when he found himself on that fateful trip to Christmas Town. What’s this? A bowling alley? And over there, a movie theater going in? Could this be the solution to my problems? Not only were the “Now Hiring” signs hanging around every corner, but the EpiCentre was looking to be the place to go for an early morning cup of coffee, a late night drink, and everything in between.
Fast forward to present day. Expectations have come to fruition. Turns out that you can indeed get that morning perk or partake of your favorite adult beverage; in fact, you can do it all under one roof. PJ’s Coffee and Lounge offers uptown about what you’d expect from a coffee shop during the day – a menu full of coffee selections, a few sandwiches and salads for lunch, and of course a window full of baked goodies to peruse. For those like me who aren’t big on coffee (heresy at its worst, I know), they make a pretty good spiced chai. But what’s a coffee shop without ambiance? Luckily for everyone involved this question need not come up at PJ’s. The (admittedly limited) space offers up a number of areas perfectly suited to a group of friends or to someone who just wants to sit and relax for a while. Soft lighting and music make it all the easier.
Of course there’s more than just coffee. When the sun goes down, bottles replace the beans, and the cocktails come out to play. Whether you’re into a nice wine, a signature martini, or care to try one of their specialty coffee drinks, PJ’s can hook you up for your after work happy hour (or two). If you’re feeling particularly sophisticated you can join in for one of their Wednesday night wine tastings.
Going out for dinner and a movie might be a little cliché, but Mez gives new life to this old standby. While lunch can be found here during the day, Mez offers a nighttime experience that’s not to be missed. The menu has been described to me as “world cuisine”, and offers an array of large and small plates along with a variety of sides that, combined, mean a lot of great food perfect for sharing. An open kitchen even allows you to watch your food being created.
So what about the movie part of this package? Tucked inside are five theaters, each showing their own movie. Better yet, along with your ticket from the downstairs box office comes a reserved seat, so you don’t have to worry about rushing through your meal to avoid a bad spot in the theater. Besides, the theaters are food friendly, and you can order items from the bar to take in with you. Skewers, steaks, drinks – and yes, even popcorn and other classic concessions – are available.
For the late night crowd, the music turns up and the lounge hits full swing. Hours after dinner service has ended the lounge stays open and the drinks flow freely (is anyone else seeing a trend here?). The mood is upbeat and highly energetic, and anyone trying to navigate the premises might have to avoid an impromptu dance party or two.
The last stop on this EpiCentre adventure is at Howl at the Moon. At first glance (and never having heard of this particular enterprise) I lumped it together with the rest of the bars that populate uptown Charlotte. Digging a little deeper showed me the error of my ways. Far more than just a place to grab a drink, Howl offers denizens of Charlotte a unique form of entertainment – dueling pianos. Talented musicians entertain the masses with popular songs and sing-a-longs that get nearly everyone out of their seat and into the action. If the traditional bar scene has started to get old, Howl at the Moon might be the answer to your troubles.
So it turns out that there’s a good bit to do around here after all. Looks like I’ll be closing facebook, shutting down my laptop, and getting out for a change.
Luckily for me, I tend to be pretty lucky and have something of an uncanny ability to make the right connections. As such, I give you this, the rough draft of an article that will, after some revising, be seen in Charlotte's Uptown magazine.
New kid on the block
“So, what is there to do around here?” A harmless enough question, and one that was posed to all manner of people when I first moved to Charlotte. Roommates, classmates, and anyone else who seemed like they might have half a clue about something to occupy my time other than sitting in my room praying that my friends from back home would get online. Unfortunately for me, as often as not this question was answered with shrugs and blank stares. Of course, it doesn’t help that a lot of the square footage of the uptown area is devoted to bars. If the predominantly underage population of the Johnson & Wales student body did have an intimate knowledge of these establishments I think I might be just a touch concerned.
And so it came to pass that much of my time was indeed spent aimlessly checking facebook, E-mail, and otherwise praying that my friends from back home would get online. Before too long, though, it became apparent that I would have to join in on one of the oldest and greatest traditions of higher education; the search for a part-time job. Luckily, the question “Know any place that’s hiring?” tended to get better results than my previous inquiry. Among my meanderings to various coffee shops, restaurants of all sorts, and about anything else that I could find I was directed to the EpiCentre. At that point it was little more than one giant construction site. However, it did show some promise. Signs announcing what would soon be filling the vacant spots were everywhere. Cold Stone Creamery. Jason’s Deli. I felt like Jack Skellington when he found himself on that fateful trip to Christmas Town. What’s this? A bowling alley? And over there, a movie theater going in? Could this be the solution to my problems? Not only were the “Now Hiring” signs hanging around every corner, but the EpiCentre was looking to be the place to go for an early morning cup of coffee, a late night drink, and everything in between.
Fast forward to present day. Expectations have come to fruition. Turns out that you can indeed get that morning perk or partake of your favorite adult beverage; in fact, you can do it all under one roof. PJ’s Coffee and Lounge offers uptown about what you’d expect from a coffee shop during the day – a menu full of coffee selections, a few sandwiches and salads for lunch, and of course a window full of baked goodies to peruse. For those like me who aren’t big on coffee (heresy at its worst, I know), they make a pretty good spiced chai. But what’s a coffee shop without ambiance? Luckily for everyone involved this question need not come up at PJ’s. The (admittedly limited) space offers up a number of areas perfectly suited to a group of friends or to someone who just wants to sit and relax for a while. Soft lighting and music make it all the easier.
Of course there’s more than just coffee. When the sun goes down, bottles replace the beans, and the cocktails come out to play. Whether you’re into a nice wine, a signature martini, or care to try one of their specialty coffee drinks, PJ’s can hook you up for your after work happy hour (or two). If you’re feeling particularly sophisticated you can join in for one of their Wednesday night wine tastings.
Going out for dinner and a movie might be a little cliché, but Mez gives new life to this old standby. While lunch can be found here during the day, Mez offers a nighttime experience that’s not to be missed. The menu has been described to me as “world cuisine”, and offers an array of large and small plates along with a variety of sides that, combined, mean a lot of great food perfect for sharing. An open kitchen even allows you to watch your food being created.
So what about the movie part of this package? Tucked inside are five theaters, each showing their own movie. Better yet, along with your ticket from the downstairs box office comes a reserved seat, so you don’t have to worry about rushing through your meal to avoid a bad spot in the theater. Besides, the theaters are food friendly, and you can order items from the bar to take in with you. Skewers, steaks, drinks – and yes, even popcorn and other classic concessions – are available.
For the late night crowd, the music turns up and the lounge hits full swing. Hours after dinner service has ended the lounge stays open and the drinks flow freely (is anyone else seeing a trend here?). The mood is upbeat and highly energetic, and anyone trying to navigate the premises might have to avoid an impromptu dance party or two.
The last stop on this EpiCentre adventure is at Howl at the Moon. At first glance (and never having heard of this particular enterprise) I lumped it together with the rest of the bars that populate uptown Charlotte. Digging a little deeper showed me the error of my ways. Far more than just a place to grab a drink, Howl offers denizens of Charlotte a unique form of entertainment – dueling pianos. Talented musicians entertain the masses with popular songs and sing-a-longs that get nearly everyone out of their seat and into the action. If the traditional bar scene has started to get old, Howl at the Moon might be the answer to your troubles.
So it turns out that there’s a good bit to do around here after all. Looks like I’ll be closing facebook, shutting down my laptop, and getting out for a change.
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