A Cincinnati Celebration

It's been 10 days back in South West Ohio and I've just been cookin. There's no rest for the mercenary chefs. In 6 days I fly to Panama :) Til then, it's time to give some thanks. I've been cooking for family and friends. Cook, eat, run, sleep. I'm happy to be out of South Pole, but I also miss the polar winter night skies. I haven't talked to anyone I wintered with yet I do think about them and tell many stories. I probably talk about the South Pole at least 2 hours each day. Folks here say I'm living the dream and you know what... I am living my dream. FRESHIES!!!

I visited my Nannies and cooked up a maple glazed roasted duck, country fried red potatoes and onions, prosciutto wrapped seared asparagus spears ontop carmelized apple and she cooked pumpkin bars topped with cream cheese icing for dessert. It seems like I've been cookin in a new kitchen every day.

Memories unfolding. I've been away for a whole year and I am home just for two weeks, my little brain is soaking in everything it can for the sake of making history.

Ummm... that's me many moons ago.

My Poppa and Nannie have been taking care of one of my bonsais. This one I call Buddha Bonsai.

Next day I partied at Nora's 8th birthday. That's my lil' sis runnin with her ballons.

The kids jumped so hard they broke the thing.

Pizza time.

Haha Beaner is the last one to get a slice ;)

Cake time.

Emma and I played in the blacklight bowling room.

Next day (yesterday) I went to La Poste resturante in Clifton, Ohio. Here is their website where you can make online reservations. Their menu is global and evolutionary. The Chef there, Chef Dave Taylor, invited me to be the Monday night 'Antarctic Cowboy' guest chef. So, that's what I did. I helped him put together a traveling chef special dinner. I have the special din listed below.

Here's Chef Dave rebasin the Belgium beer lamb stew. We used the Three Phisolopher's brew.

And Jo... Jo.. Jo... Jo. Words don't describe. He found a few potatoes and a few sticks and next thing you know he's making Louise, the potato doll.

It started simple.

My task in the whole scene was to sauce and assemble elements on the Cody dish. It was a 4-course meal, here's the second course. Ahi tuna, asian pear, greens, pepper and Arizona cactus pear dressing.

Then he dressed her in a bikini made up of tomato.

The Cody dish course 1 - prosciutto wrapped asparagus and pear, duck confit, fried onion and duck sauce.

The Cody menu and crazy Louise in the back surfing some wave (napkin).

The next morning, after all the fun, it was time to sit down for story time.

After class Nora helped me make some sweet Buckeyes for the big turkey dinner on Thursday. Stay tuned for more.