GUEST BLOG: Southern Boy Goes To Cali

What could a guy from Orange Virginia look to find in the laid back town of Pasadena, California? My initial answer would be good food, good friends and good wine. I would have to take my friends word that the wine was good, but the food was a tapestry of flavors and textures that both stimulate the palate and satisfy the soul.

I recently traveled to California to visit my friend Tammy Tu. Knowing that she is a culinary artist; I looked forward to one of her famous home cooked meals and I can honestly tell you I was not disappointed. Early in the afternoon, we went to the farmers market to pick out fresh vegetables. Being from Orange, VA, I am used to farmers markets, but this one was pretty unique. It reminded me of a fiesta. The streets are closed down and the local artists played music and the numerous farmers sold their California produce. In addition to the fresh produce, there were also local vendors that came out to delight the local community with their smorgasbord of ethnic delights.

After we sampled from the local farmers market and Tammy picked up the fresh grown produce she needed for her meal, we made our way back to her apartment to begin. I say we, but the cooking was totally her. I just sat back and watched an artist at work.

The meal started with some wine, cheese and salami. This was complemented by an assortment of mustards that made the cheeses and meats pop. Heirloom tomato brushetta followed which was a French baguette topped with heirloom tomatoes and a sprinkling of fresh basil. This light, but satisfying appetizer really brought out the local flavor of the tomatoes and basil.

As we sampled the appetizers, we were delighted to see the main course almost done. This was a chicken marsala. This included chicken pan seared in olive oil and baked to perfection. The chicken was then topped with a light Marsala sauce that was made with caramelized onions, garlic, Marsala wine and olive oil. The chicken was paired with fresh seasonal peas and broccoli. From the moment we took the first bite to the end of the meal, each bite revealed a different seasoning and brought to life the textures and flavors of the complementary meats and vegetables. Everything was accompanied by garlic bread brushed with a light butter and fresh garlic. What meal would be complete without a good Napa Valley wine? A cabernet was chosen to complement the food selections.

At the end of the meal everyone was delightfully pleased with the complementary food, drink, and conversation.

I would like to thank Tammy Tu and her friends for inviting me to sample the local California culture and also the delicious fresh food that could only be prepared and grown in sunny California.

-Jason Davison
(Tammy's old roommate at VT)

Continuing on.... my trip to New Zealand, part I

The Pavilion at Colac Bay
My shack

Stewart Island
Minced Meat and Cheese Pie!

After Vietnam, I headed to New Zealand to WWOOF. It was a long trip, stopping in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia and then to Auckland, NZ and finally to my final destination of Invercargill. Invercargill, pretty much on the most Southern tip of the South Island of NZ a.k.a, middle of no where!

Woofing stands for Worldwide Organization of Organic Farming. I chose New Zealand because I had heard of the incredible produce and the beauty of their land, not to mention, I wanted to volunteer somewhere English was spoken. The first place I worked was a restaurant called the Pavilion on Colac Bay. My living quarters was a shack on the premises, 40 feet from the Bay. The room consisted of a TV with no reception, 2 twin beds, a small heater and tons of blankets, and the bathroom/shower in the restaurant. I was definitely in for an adventure. I worked 7-8 hours a day, prepping, watching the young Chef Daniel at work. Every night the restaurant pulled in 40-50 people, one night, we did 135 people, a record for the restaurant!

It was a lonely but eye opening week as I hiked around town and hit the scene in the boones of New Zealand. The best things I ate that week was Stewart Island salmon at the Pavilion and minced meat and cheese pie at Stellas. They are really known for the salmon, mussels, oysters, shellfish in general down in the South. And they love their pies in New Zealand, savory ones; lamb, minced meat, and even chicken curry. The worse moment was the trek on a ferry boat to Stewart Island, the rockiest and most sea sick hour ever! I also did not enjoy the howling wind as I tried to sleep at night, praying that my little hut would not blow over!

I met some great folks mainly Americans, Jean from Buffalo and Harmony from Texas. They really healed the short lived homesickness. Jean was actually gracious to let me stay in her home, warm and cozy. And Harmony too who rescued me with money for a $100 taxi cab at the one crazy night. At the end of my stay, I cooked the staff a meal of my own; Vietnamese Chicken Cabbage Salad, Miso Glazed Stewart Island Salmon, and Soba Noodles with Vegetables.

Julie my Woofing Host was the sweetest woman and unfortunately, shortly after I left, her son, Miles passed away suddenly while surfing. I did get a chance to hang out with Miles one night, only 26, he had great stories of his travels and life. May he rest in peace. I’ll never forget that little town of Colac Bay, quaint, quiet, away from all the hustle and bustle, makes me realize how simple life can really be.

Palm Springs

A typical bachelorette party consists of strippers, leopard prints, girls gone wild, and penis ice cubes... gottta love em. I’ve actually only been to two, both which I hosted, and neither had any of the above mentioned! This one fell into the same category and was so much fun, especially since my 2 cohorts of the century were joining along, Gerlyn and Carly, both from the VT days. Sarah Dodge was the guest of honor and I planned out a menu specifically for her vegetarian needs.















Leaving LA at the peak hour for heavy traffic, we made it to Palm Springs in just under 4 hours (it normally takes 2), just for Gerlyn since she lives in NY and doesn’t get to experience much of it! The menu I designed was Mid-century since Sarah and her fiancées’ wedding theme is Mid- century modern.
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I should also mention I’m super flattered that Sarah asked me to consult on her wedding menu. I came up with some suggestions after a bit of research. Back then, Betty Crocker, TV dinners and canned soup were just hitting the scene. What does this all mean…comfort food and convenience! Very similar to what we are seeing now in restaurants but in smaller portions. I read recipes for multiple kinds of casseroles, tidbits wrapped in blankets, grilled meats/kabobs (the backyard BBQs starts!), and the Baked Alaska which I have never understood. See this link for more ‘decade’ type foods.







Back to Palm Springs, the house was AMAZING with great entertaining amenities; it had 4 bedrooms and 3 baths, fully decorated in the typical modern design that Palm Springs is best known for, with marble slab kitchen counter tops, an Eco dining table, an awesome bar area, and a pool that puts the Standard Hotel's pool to shame. I had a field day with the stove in the Kitchen but had to cut down my 1950s theme to a modern California theme with Tofu and Beef burgers.

Highlights of the weekend were karaoking, lounging by the pool, cheese & snacks galore, Reyna eating red meat, James Dean, Sarah in her fluffy heels, truffle French fries, a bad ass naked Pam Grier painting, late night cooking, and, of course making new friends! Thanks ladies and see you at Dodge’s Wedding!