Time to get going again

I have been in a creative rut for the last couple of weeks. Every time I tried to cook something new not only was my end product something I was unhappy with, but I also felt like my food was completely unoriginal and somewhat boring. Every time I tried to write I felt like my sentences didn’t make sense and that there was something more purposeful that I should be doing. Essentially I was feeling restless and frustrated and needed something to get the creative juices flowing again.

Lucky for me, I was fortunate enough to be invited to Alex and Aki’s (of IDEAS IN FOOD) house for dinner this past Friday. Not only was the meal (menu here) incredibly enjoyable and inspiring, but I found that their kindness and their enthusiasm for food helped me to re-focus. Sometimes the proper motivation is attained simply by being around people who have accomplished more than you (in whatever creative outlet you choose) whom you respect, to get you kick started again.


The dinner on Friday helped motivate me to cook for 6 guests on Saturday night and to play around a little and create a new dish which I’ll post tomorrow (maple marinated flounder baked in a brioche crust with apples, berries and a bacon-sage vinaigrette) on Sunday.

Before I finish up I’d also like to credit Alex and Aki for reintroducing me to pop rocks, something that until recently I didn’t know how much I missed. We were served a ‘sparkling’ salt with pop rocks that gave the beet dish it was paired with a magnificent and incredibly different texture. We were also served parts of a candy bar that was made of crushed butterfingers, crushed butter cookies and pop rocks. The candy bar was one of the most amazing and memorable things I’ve tasted in a while and I really can’t stop thinking about it. The best part about eating the pop rocks was that there was nothing I could do to stop myself from smiling, which at the end of the day is what cooking she be all about.