It’s been another long work week so I haven’t been able to post. I am still really surprised that I started a blog because I’ve actually been pretty eager and antsy to write in this thing! I finally admit it…… I really enjoy blogging. Even if no-one is reading, I get a great feeling being able to write out some thoughts and feelings about the things going on in my life. I find the things in my life pretty exciting and I’m really happy about that!
This work week has been pretty eventful. I was able to get the cooking portion of my ‘Food Blog Post’ (which is coming real soon!) for my Basque Stage application done at work. The dish was actually part of the brunch menu at The Harvest Vine, so I was glad to be able to kill two birds with one stone!
But on Friday, I was able to experience something at my work that I have never been so excited to see and take part of in my 2 and a half years of working there.
It was around 5:45p.M. when the the diners in our restaurant grew almost silent as they turned away from everything that was happening in that moment. Right outside of the opened garage door that exposes the patio area, my chef had just added the onions to the beginning of an epic paella, as requested from a couple and 30+ of their closest friends and family.
Joey making the Paella!
Just from the sound of the sizzling onions along with the aromas of the sweet onion smell, the attention of every diner sitting in the room had been focused on the paella pan. Next comes the peppers, pimenton, saffron, and garlic making the smokey sofrito.
Sofrito!
The energy in the room had never felt like this before. There was excitement in the room. Everyone had so much interest in something that they weren’t even able to experience. The aroma filling the room was indescribable. I had felt that this was the closest to Spain that someone could possibly get. It was a glorious feeling.
Me giving the paella a thumbs up!
Joey adds the rest of the ingredients (bomba rice, fish stock, etc.) and left the pan over a warm flame to simmer and develop those flavors . He then adds the main ingredients on the paella with the fresh seafood carefully placed all around the pan. and covers it with foil to finish.
The hand of Joey placing the center clam!
The moment finally came and the foil comes off of the paella and i’ve never seen anything like it. It was beauty at its finest. Or I guess I could say, probably food porn at its finest. It was sad that I couldn’t even taste some of it (especially the best part, the crust on the bottom.), but my excitement for delivering it to our special guests made up for it. We put on the finishing touches of parsley and sliced lemons. And sent it off.
Me trying to look busy. =P
I’ve seen my chef, Joey, make pleanty of paellas. But I’ve never seen him make a paella like this. He was in the zone. Just watching him, I knew that it would turn out to be an amazing dish because of the care he had put into it. And this was something I, and I’m sure everybody else, really admires about Joey. I someday wish to cook with the finesse and ‘swag’ that Joey has.
The Finished Paella minus the lemons.
Thanks for reading!
-Justin
P.S. Thank you Mara Lang for the great photographs!
JustinCLegaspi 