MY OWN VERSION OF A MARATHON. What is yours?

WHAT IS YOUR MARATHON?

I didn’t post on Friday. I was in the city. At the city. On the city. But I was in the middle of a two day marathon race.

My brother Doug does triathalon. He spends time practicing his swimming and his bicycling and running to get ready for races. He used to be quite good at it. Today – he does it to see if he can keep up with his age. He is still pretty good at it.

Some years ago, I used to wonder why I don’t do marathons. But I remembered what I witnessed after being at the finish line of the Boston Marathon one year. People ran across that line nearly out of their mind, having soiled themselves and bleeding at various parts of their bodies. Why would they do that? And why would I want to do it?

But last Friday and Saturday, I was reminded that we can each have marathons that we run – but we just have to discover what the passion is that would drive us to such extremes.

For me, it is food. And the preparation of it.

I have been in a dry spell for many years. And it was part of my goal to get back to cooking marathon’s this year. I did a short marathon about six weeks ago when I invited an afternoon of friends over for a Cajun meal. I made my first, and pretty damn authentic, pot of gumbo.

My accomplishment of the year however will be the fiesta meal that I made this last weekend. I had nine people over for nine courses of authentic (with a twist) Mexican dishes. I spent weeks researching the food. I went shopping in authentic Mexican supermarkets in San Jose and relearned all about the various body part of pigs and goats. I became familiar with at least 12 kinds of Mexican peppers. And I picked out city blocks of the bay area – and literally walked door to door to little mom and pop restaurants, trying a taco here or a plate of barbacoa there.

By Saturday afternoon, I was ready. Let the marathon begin. Guests arrived at 7:00. And over the next 7 hours, they endured the marathon with me – eating and tasting things that most people only hear about.

I judge the success of any chef by the sound people make as they take the first bite of each dish. If there is silence, it often means that it is a taste that is yet to be acquired. But if you can make the first bite make people moan, or shake their head from side to side, then you have a chance of it being a winner.

On Saturday night, I hear more groans then silence. That was a good thing.

It was wonderful to hear the praise. Especially from a women who was born in Mexico told me, “Even my grandmother would not make these food dishes from scratch the way you have. And even if you did – to make pozole, barbacoa and mole all in one meal – you must be loco!” But she insisted on taking tastes home to her family, and so I took it as a good sign.

One woman at the party said, “Rick, people don’t do this anymore. No one goes through the time and trouble to plan and prepare such an evening and such a meal.”

I nodded with appreciation. But I also explained that this meal was as much about my own selfishness as it was to entertain. For me, it was about an intense learning of culture and ingredients. I know so much more about people and food of the land to our south than ever before. And I have even had a few months of travel through Mexico.

Unfortunately, those days were many years ago. And they were days of “student travel budgets” and no time to enjoy the foods.

I want to believe we each have a passion that we would be willing to run a marathon for. Mine is cooking. My brother likes marathons.

What is yours?

What do you do because you passion just fills up – and you have not choice but to follow it?

Note: My next "Friday in the City" will be in Shanghai. Check back for some hopefully interesting posts!

Here was my 9-course Mexican menu:

1

Sunset On the Deck starter at 7:00

Guacamole de chile poblano asado

Roasted Poblano Guacamole with garlic and parsley

And served with MiPueblo San Jose tortilla chips

2

Starter

CEVICHE

Ceviche Clasico

Traditional lime ceviche made from red snapper

Ceviche de salmon a la Naranja

Salmon Ceviche with orange, capers and roasted green chile

Ceviche de hongos

For vegetarians: Ceviche of mushrooms

3

Starter

Pozole Rojo al gusto with a masa huitlacoche dumpling

(Red Pork and Hominy Stew, with a secret smokey ingredient)

(Red vegetarian version available)

4

Intermezzos

Black pepper Tequila and Mango Sorbet and “picante Skwinkle”

5

Main First

Mole rojo Clasico de Guajolote

Classic Red Mole with Slow roasted roasted Breast of Turkey

Made with house made 3 pepper / twenty ingredient mole

Served with Jicama Relish, pickled red onions, pickled jalapenos and warm fresh and local made corn tortillas.

We will also do a 3-mole blind tasting.

6

Intermezzos

Watermelon Lime granita

7

Main Second

Barbacoa de Borrego

with braising-juice soup and fresh sweet favas.

Served with Toasted Cumin Crème Fraiche

(BBQ goat) and Frijoles con enchipotlados con espinacas

8

First Dessert

Dark Mexican chocolate crunch sorbet

in a Strawberry Balsamic Soup

with an interesting ingredient

9

Second Dessert

Rustic Cajeta Apple Tarts

with Berry Salsa, (Goat milk caramel sauce)