Labor Day Post

Now, I realize that I usually write about food and will diverge slightly from that topic for today. Today is Labor day in the U.S. which means that a lot of people will have the day off work. There are also a lot of people, approximately 8.3% of the population, who are unemployed.

They say that you never really appreciate something until you lose it and I think that applies very well in this case. Unemployment hast been improving steadily since November 2009 according to Google Public Data and even though sometimes it’s hard to see the improvement when you’re the one who’s still struggling to find work, it really is getting better. It’s normal for many people to be frustrated that it’s taking so long, especially in a now now now culture that we have developed but if you take a step back you can see that things are improving.

I know this from personal experience and even though it can be easy to get impatient because that perfect job doesn’t show up at the drop of a hat I have to force myself to remember that it hasn’t been as long as it feels, that there’s still a lot I can do and to be grateful for the freelance work that I’ve gotten in the mean time.

With elections coming up, the economy is an obvious point of contention between the candidates and, of course, the voters. No matter which side of the fence you are one, today is a great opportunity to remember to be grateful for the work you do have, and for the things that it allows you to do.

Have a great story about finding work you want to share with us all? Send me an email at seth.mariscal@nuttyfoodlover.com.

Blackened Fish with Pico de Gallo

Part of being on a budget means not going out to eat. I have acknowledged the fact and have focused on cooking. So why no cooking posts? Mostly because I completely forgot that I had a camera to take the pictures with since I used to do it with my iPhone which I no longer have. So after  a beautiful and meditative walk with my wife in a Lancaster park yesterday, I decided to take some great food pictures. What better recipe to start with than my blackened cod (though today we substituted for another white fish).

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Kloster’s

First of all I’d like to apologize for disappearing like that but if you follow me on Facebook you’ve probably seen some mention of recent changes and a big announcement. Well, the fact is that we have moved to the U.S. and are currently living in Pennsylvania. We’re discovering a whole new world out here, looking for work, setting up life and getting things moving. But right before we left, we went to Klosters a few times.

Most people who know me know that I really don’t like cheese. It isn’t that the idea is something I don’t like, I actually love the idea and really wish I could like it but the flavor is just beyond me. I love the texture, I love how it looks but the taste and smell are just beyond me. Until know. But first, we’ll paralyze a few taste buds with a wee sip  of the good stuff.


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More delicious home cooking

So part of being on a budget means cooking at home and since I’ve been home quite a bit more recently I was able to make one of my favorites: Risotto. This rice dish is made with arborio rice and requires quite a bit of attention. The first thing I did was fry up the rice with some great olive oil.

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Raul Rodas & Coffee at Café Saúl

July 15, 2012: Raúl Rodas has won the World Barista Championship! Congradulations to Raúl and everyone who has supported him in chasing the dream. You can watch a replay of the final round and the announcement here: http://new.livestream.com/worldcoffee/WBC2012finals


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Chicken Wings

So we’ve been on a roll this week! First we churned out the asparagus soup, then we made the spanish tortilla and now we’re making baked wings. So we’ve been trying to eat healthier and we’re finally making quite a bit of progress so I decided to share one of my wife’s favorite meals: wings. You can buy a tray of them at the supermarket and since the oven does all the work, you can make as many as you like! First step is to mix the wings with some olive oil, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Mix them around so they get evenly coated.

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Spanish Tortilla

It’s a great to be back in the groove of cooking again! For supper, and possibly straining the bounds of our diet, I decided to make a Spanish tortilla (a Spanish style omelette). We really like it because it’s tasty, satisfying, quick and easy to make and it just tastes so good. Don’t sweat, don’t fret, I’m here to guide you step by step. First peel a russet potato (that’s the baking kind) and cut it into cubes. Pour about 2 cm of olive oil and fry the potatoes. You’ll know they’re ready when the turn a delicious golden brown.

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