an appetite.....what a horrible thing to waste

A ravenous appetite is I do dare say one of the sexiest qualities a person may have. It concludes a far lot about a person than just the rumble in ones belly. A healthy appetite is a characteristic of a person that is determined to charge the world and make a mark. An appetite proves a general insatiable wonder for the world. Confidence abounds in the person not faint of appetite- being comfortable with ones self to ask for seconds- and get lost in the enjoyment a lovely meal can provide- and revels in the opportunity to edge slightly into glutinous satisfaction.

Indulgence is a beautiful thing. Life is too short to only celebrate now and again.

Eat like you mean it!

open...

My discovery is not a new find for locals in the Emerald City, but for me it is revolutionary. I have stumbled across the best Thai food ever- no no not the best Thai food in Seattle- but again- EVER. Thai Tom is a beacon on University Ave- in the center of an overabundance of food court quality storefronts fanning every side of the street accommodating the budgets of the predominant demographic of young 20-somethings. Thai Tom is different from the start. The warm glow of the neon lit open sign and the constant hover of patrons awaiting their turn for a seat billowing out the door, are its most recognizable street side features. Once inside you will be ushered to sit in the shoebox of a dining area by the friendly and industrious staff. The seating arrangements are one wall of stacked tables on the south wall followed by what I consider the box seats of the venue at the bar- providing excellent entertainment. The staff keeps this amazing cadence that I have yet to ever bear witness. Every person has a distinct role in maintaining the efficiency of the operation. Amazingly no one that works at Thai Tom manages to cross the lines of responsibility- keeping the order in tact. At the helm a gorgeous display of rhythm is conducted by the cook- who is on display for all to observe. Every space of the grill is maximized- a shallow wok pan on every burner. As soon as a pan is used it is immediately retrieved by the right-hand attendant- and soon replaced by a clean pan to be filled with vegetables and sauces- that are created right before your eyes. In addition to the smells wafting through the air are the tunes pumping through the air- with familiar tunes from classic rock heroes being the like of Eric Clapton, the Eagles and Mr. Bob Marley. Just as reticent as any other position is the person in charge of maintaining the quality of music quietly acting as DJ for the audience present. In addition to their post at Thai Tom, several of the guys that keep the eatery running smoothly are also in a band adequately named Thai Sons. The repertoire of the band heralds their favorite musicians covering the likes of Clapton and other rock legends. Due to the incredulously small space, Thai Tom can not accommodate performances so the band regularly performs the first Monday at the month at Scarlett Tree off of 65^th and Roosevelt.

The most indicative trait of an establishment worthy of esteem is the quality of the person in charge. George-proprietor of Thai Tom (and drummer of Thai Sons)- in suit with other musicians I only know him by a singular name- is the epitome of an exceptional host. The appreciation for his customers is explicitly genuine and masterfully expressed. Slight in stature and frame are paradox to the largeness of his heart and exuding passion. All of the dishes listed on the fancifully rustic wooden menus are the creation of George himself. As a native of Thailand- he has brought us the flavors of his homeland with the style of a true artist and the graciousness of a Southern gentleman. You can not go wrong with anything here. Any selection will wow and have you craving more. In just one weeks time I have sat at George’s bar thrice times- and still it is not enough. If it weren’t for other obligations and my deep seeded satisfaction with cooking myself I would be dining with George and his enclave every night. This destination is more than open its happening.

what's not to love?

I am a destination type person. I am not particularly willing to go out on a jog or engage in something physically exhilarating for the journey alone. I am motivated by what is awaiting me at the end and almost always this involves at the minimum coffee. Currently I am basking in my annual trip to Park City, Utah to enjoy the company of friends and take in the infamous Sundance Film Festival. One of the many things I hands down adore about this city is its extensive trail system. The system meanders through fields all the way from Park City to Salt Lake- its amazing. The trails serve walkers, joggers and cross country skiers alike. I am a cross country ski fan so I packed mine this year; along with a tremendously huge suitcase- leaving my hosts wondering if I am ever going to go home; with the intention of working off a bit of that pan dulce I brought back with me from Mexico! Since arriving I have several times slapped on my skis and voyaged out on the snowy white ocean of snow. The trail of my liking is part of the Snyderville Basin recreation district. The luxury and allure of this particular stint of the trail is that it meanders directly behind my hosts' house and takes you past one of the famous white barns dotted along Highway 224 and drops you right into Redstone- the yuppy little retail center where there is a Whole Foods, several restaurants and a coffee roaster. So my daily excursion takes me to my favorite destination point- coffee and pastry. Gotta love it!

1st Quarter Ice Cream Report Card

The people closest to me know there is nothing that gets between me and my ice cream. This simple dessert is a staple in my diet. I'm not a one flavor girl- I am always tempting new delights in the frozen custard isle, shop and in my own kitchen. Recently I took home two new tries of Haggen Dazs (I also brought home one-tried and true-java chip)- I of course unveiled each one promptly and took a spoon to them. I am here to say- Rum Raisin is awesome. So sad- I have been missing out on it for so many years. It always seemed like such a matured and old person kind of ice cream- what with the hint of liquor and dried fruit- but I gotta tell you throw that notion away if you ever have shared it with me. The truth is this flavor is sophisticated- but not stuffy. The other flavor I perused is Amaretto Almond Crunch- not as good as my other new find- but good. It had too much crunchy sugary crystals in it for this CG.

To sum up: Haggen Dazs Rum Rasin: A+

Haggen Dazs Amaretto Almond Crunch-B

ummm....excuse me miss

Gone are the days of willy nilly travel.

A couple of nut-jobs saw to that, trumping spontaneity-all because they could not let peace and innocence alone. The new security precautions in our airports 'round the world produce not only some of the most interesting people watching but from time to time also advance surprising comic relief. Did you know that you can not board a plane with a tortilla press? I didn't. In an effort to reduce the weight of my checked bag on my return home from our friend to the South- I unloaded my precious industrial tool into my carry-on bag not thinking much of it. While attempting to get through the security clearance it was seized from my belongings- and separated from the destiny it was to have with me. In one clean swoop our dream of sharing the tenderness of creating the earthen-hearty and warm masa discs-was shattered. Apparently, a tortilla press has some kind of weapon capability that I was completely unaware of. I was such a naive suspect- attempting to carry that contraband into my mother land. Well without too much resistance I parted ways with my metal ally.

Once inside the border of my home country, I went through standard border control inspection and declarations. Upon admitting that I had a stow-away sandwich in my purse I was immediately whisked to Aisle 1 in the Dallas, Texas airport. The criminal substance I was was concealing between two slices of bread was the meat so many people love to hate-ham- or jamon (the proper name from the country of origin). It is the protein that several religions have deemed un-pure. Now our country- the gorgeous U.S.A. has formed an alliance against "the other white meat" - being of the foreign persuasion. We are now a prejudiced pork loving country. Again- who knew? This all comes about, because as I was informed the U.S. has been spared from three particular diseases that the rest of the world is subject to. Foreign pork seems to be the carrier of at least one of these diseases, and so the U.S. Pork Association maintains its standards in U.S. bred pork by not allowing migrant pork into the country- at least via a life raft of carbs.

make it two- and take heed

Moments ago I discovered yet another doll in the Rosca.....this means two things- One I am to host another party (now it is mandated that I issue two- with my finding of the two little alien plastic white figures I have discovered buried within the layers of feathery bread) and Two- I am consuming a humorously lot of pan dulce (sweet bread)!!

With the envelope of another year just being opened- and it already evident how people are eager to jump inside it- and shed all of their perceived transgressions against their body- it provokes me to share a burning sentiment I hold very close to my heart. I have a philosophy in regard to food and one you can stitch into your shirt and apply to all facets of life. Do not deny yourself things you enjoy....it is a sure fire way to fall flat on your face. Deprivation to oneself is down right absurd. Of course you have to always reckon if your indulgence is physically or morally abrasive to you and your character. This in check- you are only doing damage to yourself. A healthy sense of self-pampering is the best way to assure self-confidence and in turn be able to give of yourself better. Once you allow yourself the freedom to enjoy- you are sure to find you will need less of whatever you are desiring. Guilt produces the most disgusting of recourse. Be free.

Understand that my strong feelings on this subject have not come with an innate understanding of the matter. I constantly battle my own demons on this front- and are ones I will constantly have to fight to be the champion of. It is the sum of my own experiences that I can defend my thoughts with this quantity of passion and righteousness.

Food is the window in which so many observations can be made- that billow away from the true subject- the nourishment that one puts into their mouth and consequently ones body- and manifests itself dawning light on the kind of people we truly are, our habits, our temperament and our view of the world and the people in it.

i guess its party time!

We broke into our Rosca de Reyes early. This is a traditional egg bread that is formed in a huge ring- it is covered in a dusting of sugar and dried fruit and is served for New Years Eve and New Years- and it can be found all throughout the Christmas Season. It is reminiscent of challah and cardamon bread- a yeast bread with hints of sweetness. As I was devouring my chunk of this lovely treat my fingers treaded across a little plastic figure. The plastic figure is hidden inside the bread and is representative of the baby Jesus, and the one that gets the doll in their piece of the bread is the baby Jesus' god-parent and is supposed to throw a party for His christening. My piece was the one in which the little doll was hidden......so I guess I'll just have to throw a party!! ......As if I needed an excuse!