Philly!

City Hall-Downtown Philadelphia

UPDATE: Not a "new" post, just had to change a few things...will post something new SOON!! ;)
OK, so I went to Philly over the weekend to spend some time with my friend that I haven't seen in 2 years. I was very apprehensive at first, because we had been more than just "friends" at one point in our lives. We both wanted different things; He wants to get married (yet again) and have someone to take care of him and someone he can grow old with. I, on the other hand, feel as if I have just begun to live MY life and am not ready to sit on the porch and watch the sunset...at least not now anyway...

We have remained in touch and he invited me to come to Philly for a couple of days. I haven't been out of Pittsburgh since December 2010, and have been working my fanny off with school/work/internship/homework/projects...you get the idea...

So I thought "why not?"  I need to get away for awhile and just see what happens. I am so segregated and isolated from my friends and family that sometimes I feel like a hermit. I just wanted to go and have some fun with no worries. One 7+ hour long train ride and I arrived in Philadelphia! I don't think it changed much since the last time I was there, but I got a chance to see some new places. (Pics on Facebook)

I had my first "official" Philly Cheese steak from Geno's Steaks...and to be honest..it wasn't what I anticipated it to be. Next time (if there is a "next time"...I'm going to try Pat's which is directly across the street)

I got to drive thru the area where Sylvester Stallone as "Rocky" ran thru the stalls of the Italian Market- I would have loved to have done some shopping there! Seafood, produce, bread, cheese...all kinds of shops..sorta kinda like the Strip here in the Burgh.

Over the course of the next couple of days, I visited some of his family that I had met before-His MOM!! OMG I LOVE HER!! She is a PISTOL!! hahaha!! Sat out on the deck and listened to some "Disco Dance Party" Station, had a few drinks and some great food!

I even got to grill out!! He put some steaks on the grill, that I rubbed/seasoned. I grilled my "special recipe" Corn-on-the- cob.....sooooooooo good!! We ate outside under the flames of citronella Tiki torches, listened to the old skool tunes on the radio and the explosions of neighborhood fireworks!

So THEN I thought..."let me make him something special" for dinner. I am a "chef" right? (I guess that would depend on who you ask, seeing as tho I really don't get any feedback from those that see my pics or read my blog, but I digress...lol) I thought about something creative and decadent to go with our massive steaks. I got this idea in my head and decided to run with it. It's summer time and I had been craving some fresh seafood for quite some time. Not having the budget for Lobster or Crab, I decided to use Shrimp and Scallops as the foundation for this creative venture. I wanted to push myself to the limits without any recipes handy, and just off the top of my head-pairing what flavors I thought would be good together, not boring or predictable.

I also think about "color" when I cook...it has to be just as pleasing to the eye as well as the palate. I chose some Lemongrass, dill, chives, shallots, fennel, blood Orange, garlic, caviar (yes caviar...why not splurge a little...I deserve it right? lol) and a nice, local Pinot Grigio/Chardonnay blend and came up with this dish: <I even went so far as to buy this plate from TJMAXX! haha  He didn't have any white plates in the house and I was HELLBENT on having one!! lol>

Pan-Seared Jumbo Shrimp and Sea Scallops

Blood Orange/Fennel/Red (Bell) Pepper Chutney

Lemongrass/Dill/Chive Wine Cream Sauce

Caviar

At first, my friend was laughing at me for all of the thought and effort I was putting into this dish because it was only the 2 of us for dinner and I was sweating my ass off because he was ready to eat and rushing me! So the plate presentation was not a precise as I would have liked it to be....sigh... I was waiting on bated breath to see what his reaction would be-the first thing he said was, "The CORN is AWESOME!" Omg! I just gritted my teeth and said "Thanks" because I already knew that!! I do this same corn all the time, for YEARS and it's tried and true! lol So we talked and continued to eat, I was watching him intently..see you have to understand that my friend has travelled all over the U.S. and has worked extensively in the UK until just recently. So he's eaten just about everywhere, and I really value his opinion. He can be very cantankerous and opinionated -but he's no "bullshitter!"

FINALLY he eats ONE shrimp, without saying a word and goes back to eating corn and steak....<deep sigh> now I'm getting worried, "Does he like it? Does it taste awful?" I'm saying to myself.. and then he goes in again, for the scallop...then again, getting some of the chutney, and swiping up the sauce and caviar...*holding my breath*...and then, after a moment of what seemed infinite silence he bellows-"Sharon, this is EXCELLENT!!!" OMG!!! YAY!!! I have been REDEEMED!!! He didn't even finish his steak! He pretty much devoured the entire plate!

I felt a "calm" come over me instantaneously and knew that I still "had it!" At the end of the meal, he told me that everything was just FANTASTIC and that he was so grateful that I made this "exceptional" meal for him! The next day, he pretty much RAVED to his mother and siblings about this meal I prepared for him-and they all seemed quite impressed and a bit "miffed" that they weren't invited! <giggle> It is times like these that I live for! Wanting desperately to be acknowledged for the food I create as being something new and delicious. It's like Kailyn says-my food takes the diner through a 3-step process; 1-"The first bite is one of surprise and wonderment, even bewilderment to the point that you have to (2) take a SECOND bite to confirm the initial reaction of the first. Which then immediately prompts you to (3) take the THIRD (and subsequently all other bites) to just relish in the deliciousness of it all!" I didn't believe her at first-but this seems to be the case in most instances! haha! So  after a few more of these...

Amaretto w/Sparkling Pomegranate Lemonade

And a couple more of these....

...we had a great time!

It was good to get away for a few days, now back to the grind tomorrow! My one wish in life is to be successful at what I do, to be able to cook and please the palate for many-and of course to be paid for it! lol

Many thanks to my friend Mike Joyce for allowing me to get away and create and just be myself. While we are "just friends" now...I will always love him for that!

Happy 4th of July!!!