A Little Production

Do me a favor. Somebody. Fast. Get a thumbtack. A sharp object. Something. My ego is a tad inflated. Much. Inflated. Friday night was the premiere of the very first "Live Cooking Show"... which ... I wish we could somehow call "The Cheryl Show" for reasons beyond my control - it rolls right off the tongue, for one. But it's just really a cook's club now - or - well... is in the making. Could I have gathered my thoughts before composing this? Apparently not. I think maybe my head is still spinning from all the whilry girly Oooo and Ahhh and dotes and spankings. Well, there were no spankings. But still. Might as well have been - the kind you get from teammates after a home run. 'Cause that's what this was. A homer on a bed of greens.

The idea I might like doing this all got started a really long time ago when - at a friend's house - I watched her heat and eat what looked like a particle board chicken patty with spray-paint grill marks. And look, if you have to make things work with what you have, I am not about to snub that. She was a single mom at the time, had to maintain a heart-rate, ya know, and the mitochondria of her 6 year old son. It just made me want to help the situation with a few ideas. So... I [not at all controlling and take-overish] decided to show up with ingredients and tools in-hand to give her a what's what on a simple, delicious meal or two.

[and... time lapse]

Then, it seemed I became a tiny bit of a go-to on what to make for this or that. I'm not talking about masses here, people, just a few friends. One in particular was in charge of lunch with her family at a reunion - and apparently the mother-in-law is a bit of an intimidating cook, only because her everythings are flawless, I hear. So, Reunioner wanted an idea on how to wow her peeps. Snazzy mayo on some nice sandwiches and the crowd went wild. So, ya know - that sort of thing - an idea, not necessarily full on culinary school on the DL in someone's home kitchen.

[cut to facebook a monthish ago]

Someone claims to need serious tutoring on the cooking front on her "page". I guess she can cook all sorts of Paula Deeny blankets on weenies, but needed to know how not to drown vegetables in butter - inspired by her experience at Cool Greens. I offered to come over. Lots of people chimed in. One gal shot her tons of recipes on email. And then silence. No reply. But then I get a personal "Were you serious about coming over?" message from an entirely different gal. And there you have it. The ball rolleth.

So, in front of 8 gals, in the hostess' unbelievably fantastical kitchen, I demonstrated [ie prepared, showed, talked about, served] three items plus one cheesecake already done ahead of time - by me - don't be getting any ideas I showed up with some picked-up cheesecake, you guys. I'm all about the baked goods. It was a blast. It was a trip. We laughed and then laughed some more. I made a warm goat-cheese and red pepper sandwich, a panzanella green salad with chicken, and orzo with lemon and parsley. Everyone raved. Everyone overate. And now I hope nobody catches on I'm trying to make them all fat as hell.