My Food Geek

The long cold winter is sucking my will to cook anything new and exciting. In the meantime, I continue to eat pizza and buy expensive produce from California.

Is it spring yet?

I can’t believe December is almost gone. It has been almost a month since my last post! I think I have some excuses I can use…

• My dogs were sick
• I’ve been eating nothing but ramen and take-out
• my camera is in the shop
• There’s no food in my house to cook
• I was buried under 100ft of snow

While some of these things may be somewhat accurate, the truth is I’ve just been kind of lazy. I’ve found a flaw in my posting system and I’ll try and remedy it for the future. I’ve spoken with the eater and I will not let this happen again. Everyone should bookmark this post and send it to me 100 times if I even go two weeks without posting again.

Enough with the excuses, now how about some teasers?

• New daring bakers post coming up for this weekend. (here’s a hint, holiday goodness!)
• I’ve been growing some green things in the dead cold!
• More macarons
• Cookies!
• Candies!
• Cupcakes! (oh my!)

Even more good things to come in the new year, too. Please hang in there while we work out our growing pains.

Foodgeek Management (aka: geek)

Haymarket is the quintessential old-Boston market. A melting pot of people, food, and cultures all nestled on a small back street right next to Faneuil Hall. If your only experience with buying produce is at the supermarket Haymarket may frighten you a little. There’s a few nuances that seem to be unknown to the public. With that in mind, here’s 8 things you may not have known about Haymarket. (and may just help you out along the way)

1. Haymarket is not a farmer’s market. The produce you buy here is surplus produce that is sold to local supermarkets that you may already visit. The produce may come from halfway around the world or right down the street; if you care, ask.
2. Don’t touch the goods. The vendors are more than happy to choose and bag your produce for you. I know this sounds scary, but they aren’t trying to sell you bad items, they just want their displays kept nice.
3. The vendors may seem scary but they are actually quite nice. Take a minute to talk to them and you’ll find out for yourself.
4. You can barter. Want a box of tomatoes, a case of onions, 25 watermelons, make an offer. You’d be surprised at the deals you can get if you just ask.
5. Friday mornings will get you the best variety. If you get there early enough, you can beat the chefs to all the good stuff.
6. Saturday afternoon will get you the best deals. The vendors don’t want to haul this stuff away - this is a good time to try #4.
7. Cash is king. This is a market not a grocery store. Bring cash or you’ll only go home with memories.
8. Hours of operation: Friday and Saturday - Dawn to dark. Rain, snow, wind, hail, sun, this place never stops.

There’s firsts for everything, this time it’s the first time that I’ve been tagged for a meme. I’ve been tagged from the other side of the globe by a young girl from Singapore. (foodgeek has made it to Singapore, pretty amazing.)

So here’s the deal:

- Players must list one fact, word or tidbit that is somehow relevant to their life for each letter of their first or middle name.

- When players are tagged they need to write their own blog-post containing their own first or middle name game facts, word or tidbit.

- At the end of their blog-post choose one person for each letter of your name to tag.

- Don’t forget to leave a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

I get it pretty easy since my 3-letter name was tagged, so here goes:

J - Judgmental. This is especially true for food, people’s work attitudes, beliefs, dreams…ok, just about everything. I wouldn’t say it is one of my better qualities, but it is something I tend to do.

E - Eager. I’m always up for doing something fun. I’m even up for doing hard work if I think it is worth it in the end.

F - Fanatical. Why do something half-assed when I can do something all out? I tend to go all out whenever I learn something new or find something interesting to the point of trying to absorb as much information about the subject as possible. Crazed? Maybe…

So now here comes the part where I need to tag three more people. Here’s my three:

First off, Tyler from What We’re Eating. I think I’d like to find out more about this guy. I guess it would be ok if Amanda joined in, but make it good if she’s joining the party.

Second, Peabody from Culinary Concoctions. Everyone loves pastry and she makes some good stuff.

Finally, Vanessa over at What geeks eat. She cooks, she loves food, she’s a geek! I wonder what she’ll come up with?

Since I got the easy out with a short name, I won’t feel bad if one or all of you totally ignore me.

It’s been almost a month since my last post. In that time I’ve: started a new job, got a new house, and moved in…mostly. I’m still unpacking what seems to be hundreds of boxes with no end in sight. The good news is that my kitchen is almost completely unpacked and ready to go.

Things are finally settling down and I can get back into making my regularly scheduled meals. I’m officially tired of eating take-out, going out to eat, and not eating the food I cook. I know, it’s a sad day when eating out doesn’t make me happy, but I really crave some good food cooked at home. While I have appreciated getting back in touch with east coast food, home cooking is what I’m craving.

With that, I’ll leave you with a teaser shot. I made this dish for a good friend of mine for his birthday. I didn’t have all the tools I wished I had or all of the ingredients I was looking for, but this dish still managed to put a big smile on his face.