25 Apr 2014
by scolgin
in Eating Out, Food, Pork
Tags: buffet, food, humor, silent auction, The 1909, Topanga, Topanga Elementary Charter School, Topanga Hustle, wood burning pizza oven
They first approached me about cooking for the elementary school’s silent auction a couple years back. This year, they meant it. And being that it was for the good of the kids, I agreed!
Glass candle baubles dangle from the oaks at 1909
I don’t often do large events — when I cook for others, it’s usually private dinners — and the logistics would be a challenge. The event, 200 or so people gathered to eat, drink, bid on things they really didn’t need, would have a 1970s “Topanga Hustle” theme. More
19 Nov 2013
by scolgin
in Good Gadget, Bad Gadget, Observations, Starlets, Yoga Students & Quinoa (stories)
Tags: barbecue, Black Equities Group, food, gadgets, grilling, humor, rib eye, Scott Murphy, Topanga
People often give me items for cooking or the kitchen that are sometimes useful, sometimes not. And you never quite know at first in which direction they will fall.
The Scott Murphy Hat
For example, you may open a Christmas gift to discover a beautifully designed utensil from Williams-Sonoma that looks like something you couldn’t live without, and find over time that you have no use for it at all. Conversely, someone may hand you something you couldn’t imagine ever using, and it winds up being one of your MVPs (Most Valuable Products). Such was the case with the Scott Murphy hat. More
29 Oct 2013
by scolgin
in Food, Humor, Starlets, Yoga Students & Quinoa (stories)
Tags: chili cook off, Grillers, Halloween, humor, soy, Topanga, vegetarian chili, vegetarian cooking
It was, once again, time for the annual Halloween carnival at my kids’ elementary school. And once I again, I was asked to make vegetarian chili.
The author as Señor Taco with friend Lucy at the Halloween carnival, 2012
As I mentioned in my last New Soy Technology post, my vegetarian chili was gaining a following. My pal Ernie had recently suggested I make it for the Topanga Chili Cook-Off — he was a judge last year. (Actually, now that I recall, I was supposed to be a judge too, but was out of town.)
More
24 Sep 2013
by scolgin
in Humor
Tags: chickens, chopping, Ernie Demontreux, food, humor, The Art of Manliness, Topanga, Topanga Lumber, wood splitting
Splitting axe with curious chickens
It was a few weeks ago, I guess, that I first began to experience it — feelings of inadequacy as a man.
I was in the kitchen cooking some dainty little dish or other when my pal Ernie stopped by. We hugged and had just began to chat when my wife came out of the back.
“Ernie,” she said, “Can I ask you a couple things?” More
12 Jul 2013
by scolgin
in Food, Humor, Video
Tags: cooking, food, humor, James Grasso, naples, pizza, San Marzano, Topanga, wood burning oven
Spicy squid pizza, ready for the oven
James is one of my favorite dudes. He drinks fine wine and rides motorcycles and drives 4WD tractors and builds things and does all those kinds of things I think of real men as doing. But that’s not why I’m envious of James. I’m envious because he’s got a wood-burning pizza oven on the patio outside his kitchen. More
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