Marking: November 1, 2012

...in exactly 9 months, my ban on chips will be lifted. I seriously plan on throwing a potato chip / Cheetos / Ringalos / onion rings party. It shall be glorious.

The problem with people who care...

...is that sometimes they do things to torture you. It's no secret that I've given up potato chips (and by extension, Cheetos, Ringalos and other yummy treats) for a year. It'll be exactly 3 months on February 1.

So far, it's been easy. Why?

Because people - like my colleagues at work - tend to be considerate of the fact that I have given up something amazing for a year. They applaud my willpower and cheer me on. They also sometimes feel guilty about the fact that they are eating chips right in front of me.  Believe me - I appreciate this thoughtfulness.

Enter J (who has been a bit of a tornado in my life), who also loves chips and Cheetos. And who, not too long ago, was torturing me with a FRESH bag of Cheetos. Not only was there savouring, there was also a description of how yummy those sticks of cheesy orangy goodness are. And how they melt in your mouth.

Like a pesky fly buzzing in my ear.

So what did I do in retaliation? I had a hunk of cheese, a plum, spaghetti and a piece of chocolate (okay, 2 pieces of chocolate). Come to think of it, in order to curb my craving for Cheetos (which J offered to share not out of love, but out of pure enjoyment of watching me suffer), I consumed waaaaay more calories than I would've had I actually eaten the damn things.

As I write this, I can hear the crinkling of the packaging, as he consumes yet another piece of buttery goodness.

*Sigh*...T-9 months to go...maybe I should invest in a flyswatter.

Tired...of food???

It happened again. Every New Year, I take a sabbatical from my KitchenAid - and cooking - in general. Why? Because of the holidays. And of all the stress I impose on myself.

Over the holidays, my baking goes into overdrive. I'm not a huge fan of shopping for gifts, and from a personal stand point, I usually enjoy homemade gifts more than store bought ones. Homemade gifts require time and effort. I theorize that most people feel the same way, which is why for Christmas, I gave everyone a box of homemade cookies, each box with 4 different types of cookies. Multiply 16 cookies times 25 boxes (and of course enough for dessert for Christmas Eve dinner), and you're talking about nearly 600 cookies.  And this was before Christmas Eve. (And doesn't include the cookies I do in trial runs!)

My Father was born on Christmas Eve, and tradition dictates a massive party for anywhere between 30-45 people every year. I love cooking, but there's only so much oven space at my place and my parents' place. Using ovens at both places, that still only covers the roast and the turkey, never mind the fixings. Long story longer, I was very tight on time. My condo literally became Kitchen Stadium. And while dinner takes place on the 24th, I start cooking at least 2 days before.

This year, there were cookies, and birthday cakes and about 10 other sides I can't remember. Was I tired? Yes. But did love every minute of it? Hell yeah.

But do I need a break? Definitely.

At least until the end of January.

Giving up potato chips for a year (day 42)

Forbidden yumminess

Yes, I know. WHY ON EARTH WOULD I GIVE UP POTATO CHIPS FOR A YEAR?!  To be honest, I have no idea...well, I do.  I made a secret deal with Gouda (God + Buddha) that if I got a specific something, I would give up chips for a year. And since Gouda held up their/his end of the bargain, I had to hold up mine.

And let me tell you - it's tough. To be plain honest, it sucks. (I'd use other, less, socially acceptable words, but I'm forcing myself to uphold certain standards).

You might be thinking, of all the things in the whole, wide world, why potato chips? Well, the reason is because potato chips are probably my favourite food in the whole, wide world.

I love potato chips.  From the crinkly sound of the bag to the awesome crunch of thick, rippled chips, in sour cream and onion flavour (though right now, I'd settle for a bag of plain old kettle chips), I love everything there is to love about potato chips.

The problem is, potato chips are everywhere. From grocery stores, to meetings, to my parents' OWN kitchen (thanks, Faja Man), I am constantly forced to exercise my teeny, tiny willpower. And when that doesn't work, the bargaining begins.

After all, what constitutes a potato chip? *Technically*, Cheetos, Ringolos and onion rings AREN'T chips. But every time I pick up a bag of these *technically-not-chips* products, I'm wracked with guilt. So I end up not eating them.

And yes, I am aware this pain and suffering is self-inflicted.  But that doesn't mean you can't feel bad for me.

So the next time you eat a potato chip, think of me, and maybe have another one in my honour.  (Though maybe not in front of me).

Holiday season get-togethers

Scallops w/salmon mousse in balsamic reduction

One of my favourite things about the holiday season is getting together with friends and family. It doesn't matter if you don't see each other often - as soon as you get together, the conversation picks up where you last left off.

Mushroom risotto

Last night, I had dinner with my friend M and her husband the Food Fella. I was treated to a number of yummy dishes, including, scallops topped with salmon mousse in a balsamic reduction, mushroom risotto, and chicken with roasted and grilled veggies in a espagnole sauce (see pretty pics!).

Chicken in espagnole sauce

Over wine, dinner, dessert and then more wine, we talked and caught up on each others' lives.

The holidays give all of us the perfect excuse to get back in touch. If you haven't already, reach out :)