Quarantine Archives - Good For Spooning

I blame my sister Nancy. It’s all her fault. For years she has been calling me and saying things like the following:

I am trying to make __________. I don’t have ____. What’s a good substitute?
What do I NEED to know before I attempt making ______?
Why isn’t my ________ ______ing?
I have <ingredient X> in the fridge/pantry, what do I do with it?

And so on . . . ad nauseum

After seeing my post about Nina Manchev of Forte Tapas doing a live cooking event in conjunction with SecretBurger.com and how much I loved it, she called me. So I kinda blame Jolene and Nina as well.

YOU should do this!

“I have a great idea! You are such a good teacher. You’ve taught me over the phone! You have done a million live demos. YOU should do this.” Nancy thought it would be more fun to watch someone she knows (a/k/a ME) make something that looks difficult, but with the right instruction and a little interaction and feedback, is fairly uncomplicated. “We” could post the ingredient and equipment lists ahead of time so that we can actually cook together, instead of watching a cooking demo and having to try to recreate it later because (1) she didn’t have the ingredients; (2) the chef goes too fast; (3) the timing is not accurate (the video was edited); and (4) she can’t ask questions. “Let’s do something I don’t know how to make!”

My Mouth Agreed Before My Brain Caught Up

And because I am bored at home, my mouth agreed before my brain could catch up. If this is the only way my friends can visit with me, I thought it would be a good idea… at the time…then Nancy started inviting her friends on FaceBook… and a bunch of people accepted (!)…and then I got nervous. WTF was I thinking?

And thus, Quarantine Kitchen was born (thanks to pal Gemini for that catchy name).

By now, most of us are sick of cooking the same shit…all the time. Few people are willing to test out new recipes under the best of circumstances because they don’t want to waste time on a dish they might hate. Now that we all have plenty of time at home, few people are willing to test recipes for a different reason — screwing up a dish. Or worse, buying all the stuff and never making it, meaning a wasted trip to the grocery store, which has the potential of dire consequences involving death.

Keeping It Real

To keep it real for what the original intention was, Nancy and I will be picking recipes that we both love which she does not know how to make well. Of course, I’ll be doing most of the “heavy lifting” so to speak, but I told her that if I am doing this, she is doing it with me. The Hubs will be with us monitoring the camera and letting me know your questions in real time and the Offspring may be brought in as well because he loves to cook!

If you read my last blog about being in quarantine, this is a chance for you to learn something new and engage with others in a safe way – social distancing to the MAX here. For me, it’s a way to stretch my comfort zone, connect with some friends and strangers, and do something I love – cooking for others. Remember in the blog that I said I miss cooking for a crowd? Well here is my chance, and as I type there are more of you interested than I thought possible.

Croque Madame was the Star of the Show

Croque Madame at Bouchon, Las Vegas — The Croque Madame at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon, Las Vegas. Photo by me.

Our first dish was Croque Madame. My all-time fave brunch dish. And let me tell you, it sounds way fancier than it is. When was the last time I made if for myself? Exactly never! I order it when I go out for brunch, but who knows when the next time that will fucking happen! Next up? My version of the only thing I will eat from Olive Garden – that Sausage and Kale soup.

Go to Good for Spooning on Facebook, check out the ingredient and equipment lists (most of which you probably already have on hand). (Truthfully, it is not quite as long as it looks at first glance. Don’t be scared! I added EVERY DAMN THING you need and a description of it in case you need to sub an item.

I Will Try to Answer ALL of your Questions

During the events I will answer questions as we go along, so don’t be afraid to chime in. The Hubs will read the questions to me so I can answer them. At the end of the demo, I’ll ask you to make suggestions for dishes you’d like to see. I can’t promise that I’ll do them, Nancy must want to learn the recipe since this is her damn idea.

It had been more than 5 years since I had done a live demo. And while I have done more than 1000 of them in my lifetime, I have only ever recorded a couple of them. If you are going to critique, please do so, but please be kind. I am sure I will suck in the beginning, but I am also sure I will get better. A little warning – it may end up being like “Auntie Fee” peppered with foul language, but I hope the recipes won’t be quite as disastrous.

Can’t wait to see you and cook with you on Saturday!

Cover Photo by
Photo by Becca Tapert on Unsplash

Allow me to be a whiner for a little bit and then share some cool shit with you.

I am a social person and COVID 19 (not the “Chinese Virus” as the Asshole in Chief keeps saying) has me missing my social-ness. I hug my friends with a kiss on the cheek when we meet up and say goodbye the same way. These days we barely touch each other. And I like to get out and do things, but of course literally every damn thing in Vegas is closed. It’s almost like when I was a teenager in upstate New York. Our nearest neighbor was a quarter of a mile away, we lived out in the country with nothing to do and nowhere to go.

I can draw a direct line in my head to growing up in a rural area and this COVID 19 situation. There are a LOT of parallels. You see, we didn’t have money when I was a kid. We “made do” with every damn thing. We grew our own veggies, Mom canned everything she could (it was a sight to behold). Yes, we qualified for free lunch. No, there wasn’t always enough to go around, but Mom did the best she could. Because of the way NOT having made me feel as a child, in my adult home I start to get a little twitchy if I can see the shelves of my fridge or pantry. If my freezer has space, I start looking for sales to fill it up (or start looking to share butchery of a whole or half animal with friends). This minor paranoia has served me well in the past weeks. I was already a hoarder of frozen and shelf stable food, so I didn’t need to freak the hell out and run to the store. As long as I have fresh produce, I am good to go for at least 3 weeks.

The major problem right now for me is “social distancing”. Cooking is stress relief for me, but The Hubs and I have been learning to eat more healthfully in order to reduce our weight (combined we have lost 100 lbs). With our eating habits changed, and not being able to “throw a party”, I have no one to cook for. I have no one to feed. And frankly folks, all I want to eat right now are comfort foods

COVID 19 has me feeling some sorta way

We are all feeling it one way or the other. I am a little stir crazy like many of you. Ya know, like kids in the midst of summer break from school whining, “I’m bored!” Like being stationed at “Boring Loring” during a blizzard (only I have electricity).

Enough with the fucking whining! There are people out in our world that are more than just “bored”. They are out of work and trying to figure out how to pay the bills, feed their kids, and get through ALL of this without knowing when they WILL be allowed to work again. There are first responders that are being pushed to the limits because they CAN’T stay home. They are worrying about bringing illness into their homes. They are worried about so much more than “being bored”.

In case you didn’t know, my chosen hometown of Las Vegas is driven by the hospitality and travel industries. Many of my friends and I are feeling the impact directly in the form of closures, layoffs, reduction in hours, cancelled conventions, cancelled trips, etc. due to COVID 19. Then there are the friends and family members who work in “essential” businesses like medical care, grocery stores, first responders of all stripes, family and child protective services who have no option to “shelter in place”. They still gotta get out there and do their jobs to help ALL OF US get through this.

There are always people willing to help - just look for them

We all want to help. We want to help our friends hang on to their businesses and support them in times of trouble. We all want to be safe and help others be safe. But, in these uncertain times, HOW best to help is the big question.

Suggestions on how you can help during the days ahead with COVID 19 :

Volunteer at your local food bank. Here in Vegas, Three Square needs help to support their more than 1000 community partners get food into the hands of folks who need it. They continue to provide services during this time. Check them out HERE to register as a volunteer and find out more about how you can help.
Support your local Mom & Pop restos that are offering take out. Why go through the drive thru of a chain that will most assuredly bounce back from this when you can put the money directly into the hands of one of YOUR community members? In Vegas, check out this list compiled by Eater. Eater also has lists for other major cities, so check those out if you live elsewhere. Also check out this list from Las Vegas Weekly for more info. There are plenty of places all over the valley to choose from.
Offer to shop for someone who is immuno-compromised, elderly, or has their hands full with kids home from school. You can also call friends and ask them what they need if you are heading to the store anyway. That makes for less congestion and fewer people in line.
Choose online ordering for groceries and cleaning products with home delivery or curb side pick-up. Expect delays, so think ahead. *
Wash your hands METHODICALLY and sing a song while you are at it.
Don’t be a fucking hoarder. EVERYONE needs the same shit you do. Think of your fellow humans and how you will feel if you NEED something and it is sold out in every store. Take only what you NEED. Supply chains are still running, and stores continually are refilling their shelves. Thank the heavens for grocery store workers!
While shopping, if you see the WIC symbol and you CAN make another choice, think about doing so. WIC has very strict guidelines on what their recipients can and cannot purchase. WIC feeds pregnant and nursing mothers, and infants and children up to 5 years of age. Again, don’t be a fucking hoarder.

Just look for the WIC symbol and make a different choice if you CAN.

Things you can do for your own mental well-being during quarantine. Relieve some stress with these activities:

Plant some seeds and watch them grow. In a 30 day “lockdown” most seeds will germinate and start to provide you with visual enjoyment. In the case of herbs and veggies, you’ll know that you have something good to eat coming to your table soon. This is great with your kids.
Take a walk in the fresh air or ride your bike.
Have an online Happy Hour with friends via Zoom, Skype or some other online conferencing service.
Call your family or chosen family to check in.
Use those cookbooks you have! Try a new recipe from your Instant Pot, or a vintage cookbook or that celeb chef cookbook that you have been too busy to crack open.
Play a game of “Chopped – COVID 19 Version” using ONLY the ingredients in your pantry/fridge. Have your S/O or roommate choose 5 ingredients and make a dish that contains all of them and standard pantry staples and your spice cabinet. If you need inspiration or advice consult your cookbook shelves! The time limit is up to you. Challenge yourself to NOT use the internet to find a recipe – use what’s in your house and your own creativity.

Try and have a little fun in the kitchen to relieve the stress.

Learn a new game. Learn to play bridge or some other classic card game and make yourself feel all retro and shit! You can also play some of your faves, like Cards Against Humanity, ONLINE!
Learn a new skill or craft – sewing, crocheting, cooking, anything to keep your hands and mind busy.
Purge your closet. Try on every damn thing you own and if you still love it and it fits well, keep it. Donate everything else to charity.
Clean out the junk drawer in your kitchen…I really gotta get on this one!
Read all the books you have been putting off, or pick up a BIG series like Outlander.
Bonus to choosing Outlander? It gets you ready to binge watch the series!
Binge watch your wish list of shows that you haven’t made time for yet.
Cuddle your pets. They are probably feeling your anxiety and need a little reassurance too.
Wash your damn hands.
Challenge yourself to empty the freezer. YOU KNOW you have unlabeled things in your freezer. That leftover tomato sauce, that soup you forgot all about, etc. Thaw out one or two things a day and if they are edible, make use of them. You can even turn it into a family game of “guess what this is” before it thaws out or “how can we re-purpose these leftovers”.
Here is a list of 100 things to do from USA Today
And lastly – practice an attitude of gratitude. There is ALWAYS a reason to be grateful. You have a roof over your head? Food in your house? Friends and family that love you and are healthy? A child’s laughter? A beautiful sunrise? Just take a moment to be grateful. I promise it will make you feel better.

Footnote – * the links to the grocery and cleaning product delivery services are unique to me and I DO receive a referral fee if you sign up.