Early Food Memories

Growing up in such a large food town like New Orleans, food has always been a big part of my life. Food was the centerpiece of all gatherings of family and friends. For every holiday or special occasion, an intoxicating smell filled the air as an endless buffet sat on the many tables in the kitchen. Of course the staples of fried turkeys (really the only way to eat turkey) at Thanksgiving and hams at Christmas were always present, but it was always fun to see what new recipes that my aunts and uncles would bring. Now it was never a competition, but as any good chef would tell you, you always want to have the best dish for that year. To hear the words of praise and "can I get that recipe" give an affirmation of "being the man" for this holiday. The crawfish enchiladas, homemade traditional tamales, one grandma's carrot cake (to this day the best one ever), other grandma's gumbo, and aunt's homemade breads are some of my fondest memories from those  dinner tables. But the one thing that to this day I sometimes crave is my mother's crab soup. This very simple soup is a great combination of flavor. It is a creamy soup that has a hint of sweetness from the crabmeat and just the right amount of spice from the Zatarain's liquid crab boil. Every time I even smell this soup in the house my mouth begins to water and I can't wait to dig in. Always a favorite by my family I hope you can enjoy this soup as much as i have over the many years:

1 stick of butter
1 bundle of green onion, chopped
2 large cans (26 oz) of cream of mushroom soup

54 oz of whole milk

1 Tbsp of Zatarain's liquid crab boil

1 lb.  lump crabmeat

1. Saute the chopped green onions in the stick of butter until softened

2. Add the pound of crabmeat and saute for few minutes

3. Add the two cans of soup, whole milk, and crab boil and allow to come to a simmer.

4. Allow soup to simmer for about 15 minutes to allow flavors to come together

5. Serve hot with oyster crackers for a little crunch 

This soup is delicious on its own but can also be used as a base for many additions. My family has added  things such as corn and shrimp.  Happy Cooking

Where to Begin

First just to give a brief history of myself, I am a chef and have been in the business for over 6 years. I have held almost every position in the restaurant business from the front of house(serving and managing), short order cooking, fine dining, pub food, catering services, and most recently Sous chef of a steakhouse. I might be the easiest diner to impress but also one of the easiest to become annoyed by poor performance.
This Blog is going to hopefully give a glimpse of what a chef thinks anytime he/she sits down to a meal, wether it be in a restaurant or just my own personal cooking/eating experiences. Look forward to reviews of many restaurants from all over the country as well as recipes and posts about crazy food that my friends and I like to whip up.
Chefs have a burden, which we freely accept, of being the "expert" about food amongst our friends. I always love when my friends invite me over for dinner and say things like "well it's not as good as what you could do" or "I hope this is up to your standards'. Honestly, anytime I sit down to a meal I am always appreciative of the time that is put into making that food, especially with the "love" I like to put into my own food. Food for me is a very exciting and creative expression of the cook. The possibilities are limitless and experimentation is always welcome. I hope you have as much fun reading about my thoughts as I do talking about the one thing I truly love, FOOD.