A heating pad bungee corded to my shin and thigh is the clever
solution to a problem my wife solved. My mainly recliner bound ass is
here to say a wearable heating pad feels great and is genius.
Thank you, love.
In the last week pain changed from tear your face off to sometimes
negligible. Sleep has returned after 2 months and most of the lack of
REM fog has lifted. Less consequences are felt after pushing it which
is good and allies with my nature. Jacuzzis have become medicinal,
car rides take a toll and menthol makes me gag.
But in Beatle terms “It’s getting better all the time”.
How else would I have gotten to behold a Golden Corral in all its
glory? Why we ended up there is another story but my chef’s eye
review in short was better than expected. The fact it was an off hours
buffet was concerning to my HACCP sensibilities. 4pm is not exactly
prime time so a sad buffet filled with lukewarm representations of
mediocre food and Sysco product was expected.
A nearly full parking lot was a good sign. Busy means the food moves
faster (why you never want go to a slow sushi bar). Now if it’s being
held at the proper temp I’ll feel at ease. Pleased to report it was. After
a cursory tour of the food line, hot was hot and cold, cold. Not
knowing what’s de rigueur at Golden Corral I caused a bit of a
blockade when we got there by not being aware that you grab your
tray, order your drink and pay as you walk in. Standing there clueless,
a line of would be hungry buffet goers formed behind us staring
daggers into our backs.
Other than that it was easy, with “Do you want to sit next to the video
fireplace or the bathroom?” being the biggest issue.
Of the things that were better than good: Fried chicken livers w/
sautéed onions made my heart soar. The broccoli salad, which is slaw
like in concept with a mayo, sugar and vinegar dressing with the
addition or onion, bacon bits, cheddar cheese and raisins (or dry
cranberries) was good enough to look up the recipe on the internet
once home. I’d have thought the broccoli was blanched but the
copycat recipes I found used raw. I even liked the lo main noodles
particularly w/the boiled cabbage offered somewhere by the sliced
meats and salad fixings. Never in a million years… The server was
nice and in all the place knocked my fine dining arrogance down a
peg or two. They have a good system in place and I’ve been more
disappointed at other restaurants lately than I was here, and for
$16.99 I’d go back.
But this is supposed to about publishing. Book cover wise “Cooler By
The Lake” will be shot in a studio setting w/a highly stylized lake in
the background bordered by sand with a bass drum turned table laid
on its side and a true but questionable place setting. On Home
Cookin’-The Stories Behind The Food, a few concepts are
forthcoming and will be fed into the AI generator by my AI guru to see
what we can see and tweak what we feel compelled to tweak.
Trading riffs with a machine will be interesting.
Chef/percussionist/writer/reprobate and lover of all things beautiful & delicious, Chef Alan Lake’s culinary career includes East Bank Club in Chicago; Sunset Marquis in W. Hollywood; Izakaya Hiwatta in Ichinomia Japan and legendary nightclub Purpur in Zurich, Switzerland. Working all around the world for over four decades, he's won numerous awards, professional competitions and distinctions. He’s the author of Home Cookin'- The Stories Behind The Food and The Garlic Manifesto- the history of garlic going back to 10,000-year-old Neolithic caves and contains facts, fiction, folklore, myths and legends (besides 100 recipes).
A lifelong musician that plays 70+ percussion instruments, he coined the term “Jazzfood” to describe his cooking style i.e. “solid technique coupled with tasteful improvisation.” He views his food as he does his music and writing and has been known to bust a pout if subpar in any way.
Well look at that!! I am always impressed by your honesty!!
Way easier than being as full of shit as I once was. Only one story to remember.