It’s a question I’m interested in, though. Cooking is a crowded field. What makes one think one’s offering will succeed or offer something new?

You cooked for the JC? Wow. That takes guts. I know I could have served her without dumping food in her lap (unless we were doing non-plated service, which is hard for me if I’m not lifting).

For the Culinary Nerd stuff, check out cafepress.com. The essence of their business is you send them your logo and pick which of their items you want it on, and they make and sell it for you.

I was one of the J&W volunteers who got to cook for Herself at one of her birthday galas. I could have volunteered to serve, and thus had a chance to meet her, but I stayed in the kitchen. I figured I’d rather do that. A friend of mine served her, though.

It was cool.

I love your Nerd story! Culinary Nerds of the World Unite!

A clothing line–what an interesting idea. I will discuss with Zak who did the logo for my original Culinary Nerd business which was when I was a personal chef.

We could do t-shirts and jackets and such to support the T&S website bills.

Thanks for the idea!

Barbara, you should create a line of clothing dedicated to the Culinary Nerd. I could outfit myself from head to toe. At cooking school (I was one of the dilettantes attending for the fun of it) I had that rep although not the name. Risotto day was the day the school examiners visited my class. See, it was That Time, when the Accreditation Committee examined the school to determine whether it was still up to snuff. The AC approached me and asked me what I was doing. I launched into a 15 ad-libbed exposition about risotto: the technique, the science of sauteeing rice and absorbing (NOT evaporating, thankyouverymuch) liquid, common problems, related techniques such as Indian pilaf which led to a mini-lecture on universal techniques (good thing it wasn’t dumpling day or they never would have gotten me to shut up), how to optimize the recipe for a restaurant kitchen, other ways to speed the process and how that might affect the final result, and the particular additives I was using (parmesan rinds to be removed later, prosecutor rinds that would soften during cooking, and spinach) and why. Finally I stopped to draw breath and they asked me how long does it take to cook risotto. “I don’t know,” I replied.

The shocked looks on their faces was priceless.

I continued “This is the first time I’ve made risotto. The book says 40 minutes via standard method.”

I will catch y’all on the flip side, though.

(Of course, I say this and then find out today that Hadar was in the area, too, for a conference. Sigh.)

I am very thrilled to see so many who consider the Swedish Chef to be a personal hero! That is awesome! Though I didn’t look my best in the picture, being sweaty and with my hair pulled back to keep it off my neck and face (it was about 98 degrees that day–ugh) it is still a good pic, and was a fun one to take.

As for the food in the American Indian Museum–Alan (yes, it would have been TOTALLY cool to see you and Roberta again, and meet your kids) and Vicki–it was very, very good. Hideously overpriced, even by Smithsonian cafe standards, but it was quite good. I was so tired and hot though, that I stuck with tried and true beloved goodies–frybread and bison chile. It was comfort food….and it was quite good. I just think that an exhibit about native plants and foods and medicines would be cool. Maybe sometime in the future….

Isabel–I am just not good at spelling! Thanks for correcting me–it IS cool to be a nerd! Especially a culinary one.

Alanna–what an interesting thought. I think the reason they preserved it was because it had been seen on television, and so was familiar to us. It would be neat to preserve or rebuild kitchens from different eras, too. Have an exhibit on the development of the American kitchen….do you think anyone other than the Culinary Nerd would like it? I think so, but maybe I am wrong….