Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Too Damn Hot



Mood: Freaking HOT!!
Song: Fade Into You - Mazzy Star
Units of Caffeine: Not enough!
Days Until Vacation: 59

It's March 1st and it feels like it's in the mid-90's. No. I'm not kidding. I'm being completely serious. It's currently in the high 80's and, between the sun and the humidity, it feels like it's in the mid-90's. Gawd! I'm not ready for this. But really, I'm never ready for this. I guess one of the things I'll enjoy about going back to the northeast in a couple of weeks is that it's still nice and cold up there this time of year, and chances are very good of getting some snow.

In the meantime, I sit and sweat at my desk while working on a few theatre resumes. Something I have just come to realize is that, throughout my studies in theatre - both undergrad and grad - I have never learned how to write a resume. Oh, of course, I learned how to write an actor's resume - But what of the other production stuff? Specifically, production and stage management? Directing credits and the like? What about those? So, I met with one of my former grad professors this afternoon, (the only one that I like). I had to see him anyway - I had a lot of shit of his that I've been collecting over the past few years (files, books, movies and such that he's lent to me) and I needed to hit him up for a letter of recommendation for the internship. So, other than dwelling on the trip to NY and working on my stuff for the internship application, not much is happening in Dexter's lab - However, this has given me the opportunity to read various things. Again, I am constantly amazed at the great wealth of crap that is out there on the web.

In light of Mardi Gras, I made some jambalaya for dinner last night and was searching many cookbooks and the web for other Cajun delights and came upon this article which was a rant about how most of the food we know as "Cajun" isn't really Cajun. At first, I was very into the article and agreed with what the author was saying. I particularly enjoyed these two quotes:

"COMMERCIALISM: The process of taking something real and true (beer, music, etc.) and fucking it up so that the American public will buy it."


""Cajun" as descriptive of a style of cooking was unheard-of...Then, Paul
Prudhomme burnt a fish and it all went through the roof!"

Whereas these quotes may be true, it got me to thinking. Not just about Cajun food, but about cooking and the history of culinary arts, in general. I mean, you have to ask yourself: Is the cuisine you're eating truly the cuisine you're eating? Is that lasagna truly Italian or is that corned beef and cabbage truly Irish? Most likely - it isn't. (In fact, corned beef and cabbage did not originate in Ireland, but rather in the United States. Corned beef was used by Irish Americans as a substitute for Irish bacon.) It isn't because people's tastes in food change - culinary art, (just like any art), is constantly evolving. In fact, my tried and true "family recipes" that have been passed down to me from my parents are NOT the same as they were when I was growing up. I added some spice here; changed an ingredient there - It's one of the glories of making food - making it your own. So, the article about Cajun food is probably right - The jambalaya and gumbo that I know and love most likely isn't what it originally was decades ago. What I do know is that I love the "Cajun" food that I make - And not only that, but I encourage the constant change in food. Otherwise there would not be any art in the culinary arts - And food? Well, it would get boring. It would become nothing but something for which to nourish the body. And whereas that is perfectly fine with some folks, I choose to enjoy life and not just live it. So, screw the conservative views on cooking and bring on the new ways of enjoying old-fashioned cuisine!

1 Comments:

Blogger TrekkerDave said...

Yep, gotta love the texas heat. Me? I am looking forward to the warm weather. It means time for swimming and water skiing!! WOO HOO!!

2/3/06 5:09 PM  

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