When I started to write this blog the focus was on my visit to the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival. I had so much fun sampling everything pumpkin! Pie of course, being the obvious choice, and then other sweet stuff like pumpkin cream cheese roll and inside out sticky buns, which had a pecan praline filling enveloped in a fluffy and buttery pumpkin danish roll. Macaroni and cheese with pumpkin too! No kidding, creamy and cheesy noodles with pureed pumpkin a hint of warm spices and topped off with toasted and salted pumpkin seeds. I was seeing orange from all the food I consumed. 
On my way home I took Highway 1 along the coast northbound to San Francisco. I stopped at a pumpkin patch and picked up some gourds and corn stalks to decorate my home. I absolutely love this time of year. The brisk air, colorful leaves, dark nights, and intoxicating scents of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg.
I put off the pumpkin blog for a few weeks since I got swamped at work. More on that later.
My friend Roger and his wife Desiree, just had a baby boy. We welcomed little Anthony to the world in September. A few weeks ago the proud parents invited some people over to celebrate little Anthony's one month birthday. I worked the night before so I did not have time to plan anything elaborate for the potluck lunch. It was the end of the week at the HOG (Hands On Gourmet) shack, and since we were not having any events for a few days, we were allowed to clean out the fridge. I had three heads of cauliflower, a bunch of carrots and a pound of jalapenos. Hmm..why not pickle them and serve them as a nice condiment. So, at around midnight, restless from a busy shift and anxious to get these veggies marinated, I heated up some olive oil and slowly poached some thinly sliced yellow onions and garlic cloves until tender. I sauteed the cauliflower florets, sliced peppers, and carrot chunks then added them to the warm olive oil along with some fresh oregano, bay leaves and a hearty splash of Sherry vinegar. I allowed the vegetables to cook until slightly tender then cooled them in the pot overnight in the fridge. This was a "quick" pickling process considering I only had a few hours until the party started. Well, let me tell you, they were a hit! Crunchy, a bit spicy and with a hint of tartness from the vinegar they were a crowd pleaser. I still have a jar in my fridge. I promised to send them to my cousin in Chicago. I better get on that before I dip into that jar as well.
I have been very busy with cooking classes. I have been doing everything from making tamales, pastry cream and beef carpaccio. After the pumpkin intro I started to notice that many of the foods I was working with started with the letter "P". Pears for tartlets, potatoes for latkes, persimmons for salads, pomegranates for margaritas, parsnips for roasting, pate a choux for eclairs. What was the significance? Just a coincidence..perhaps..it was all good whatever the case, just peculiar. So, now maybe I will move onto foods that start with the letter "Q", quail, quince, quiche.
I have been very busy with cooking classes. I have been doing everything from making tamales, pastry cream and beef carpaccio. After the pumpkin intro I started to notice that many of the foods I was working with started with the letter "P". Pears for tartlets, potatoes for latkes, persimmons for salads, pomegranates for margaritas, parsnips for roasting, pate a choux for eclairs. What was the significance? Just a coincidence..perhaps..it was all good whatever the case, just peculiar. So, now maybe I will move onto foods that start with the letter "Q", quail, quince, quiche. 
On a silly note last night during a late night call from my cousin, while I was half asleep on the couch and tuned into some lame reality dating show, the topic of Sloppy Joe's came up. I couldn't even remember the last time I had one. I think it was when I worked as a nanny in Florida about 10 years ago. Wow, had it been that long? I know how to make that stuff from scratch. However, there is something to opening a can up of that tomatoey sauce and pouring it out over browning meat in a hot skillet. What I realized was that this was the first time I purchased, prepared and consumed a sloppy Joe sandwich as an adult because I wanted one. I often have those moments, when I realize "wait a minute I'm not a kid anymore, and don't have mommy and daddy telling me what's for dinner...I'm having what I want!!" And if that wasn't enough I added some tator tots to the mix.
What's next finger painting followed by a nap? Sounds good to me.
Until next time...cook what you like, enjoy what's in season and remember to eat what makes you happy!
