Fishscale

On a good day I can still smell the salt in the air that I grew up with. It was a powerful time in my life to be exposed to the freshest of seafood. It stays instilled in me even after years removed from my home front. But distance can't kill my vibe. So I have gone back and forth in my head for a while to create this blend for  seafood to pay homage to what is true to my heart. It's like breathing to me, second nature for sure.

When I set out to create this, I wanted something universal to cater to all my favorite under the sea items. So like any mad scientist, I got in the lab and started to cook up some magic, recipe after recipe, till I felt as close to perfection as I could stomach. It's hard to use perfection in a sentence due to my Pops. He always says.... 'What happened to the last person that was perfect... they hung him from a cross." True story Pops. I prefer that original quote than comparisons to "The Natural", one of his favorite movies. 

I do things like this spice blend to share my passion about ingredients and what type of art I can create that's appealing to a palate, real talk.  So as I prepared to drop this product to the world, I sharpened the knife and reflected on vague memories of my days in Washington state, grilling fish with my father.  From rainbow trout to salmon, shrimp, snapper, lobster, Spanish mackerel and fucking mahi mahi.

Today I took a salmon fillet and seasoned it with our seafood spice blend and began my spinach risotto. With a light stock I cooked the risotto till it was almost complete, sauteed my spinach, than heated my pan for the salmon with a little drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice. Fish went in skin down for that lovely, divine, crispy texture. Then turned it to finish and proceeded to the plate. The blend is a well balance with depths that will be sure to hit all the flavor pockets you have. I am proud of this product and it's development.

 You know, growing up, we've all had hard headed moments. It's sad that sometimes you don't realize what you have around you until it is gone but it will remain in my heart and alive as long as I create. This particular blend will be available for sale on our website in a two weeks.

Much love and respect world, stay up and stay tuned for our next project! It will melt faces! The future is now! food is life, food is love. Thank you keys kids for helping mold me into the beast I am, here's to you...  hats off and drinks up! 

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Shaolin Flavor

I am all about the elements, this balance of life can be brutal to maintain.  However today I woke with this soul in a being of zen on the highest level. This dish was in my dreams and it started with a candy my Pops has been addicted to. It's a chili mango piece.  It has great flavor for sure, naturally. It reminds me of my childhood nostalgically. I miss the keys everyday.

I began with the basis of my version of a Korean BBQ sauce, base fresh citrus lemon, limes, Teriyaki, some PBR, ketchup, and some diced chili mango candy.  I let it simmer in my sauce pot for a while. I began butterflying my chicken breasts, lightly seasoning with mixed peppercorns, sea salt,and extra virgin olive oil. I turned off the sauce, and fired up the grill on high heat, basted the chicken and began to grill. 

The bao's were traditionally steamed. For the condiments I went with some quick pickled red cabbage with rice vinegar, lime juice, sugar and ginger. I sliced the chicken after it rested for about 5 minutes and resauced it and began to layer the bao: pickled cabbage, sauteed greens, the chicken, a little sauce and some more pickled cabbage garnished with diced plums. Game over! The flavors were powerful, they worked over all 36 chambers.

This dish was meant to be banged with any album on blast in your headphones, out of the Wu Tang discography.  I mean, whats better in this world than some banging monk style beats and street food on a summer day, that's the balance God. The type i started my morning with and the journey proved to be true. Stay up. Try to maintain that level of chi and the world can't hurt you. 

The art always brings me back in when I get drifting into the abyss. The freedom to create reminds me that we are free from 93 till infinity, my sword will be sharp and I will continue to brandish the flyest dishes possible. From Baos filled with layers of flavor that hit you like addictive behavior, to the moon chilling in the craters Hennesy and a hot plate! Politicking the next move until then world, check mate, stay up, food is life, food is love!