Post Grad grumbles

I know I promised an ice cream composition entry.  I promise I didn't forget.  I think that's something I can add to my resume? Dependable? lol.

I just finished watching Post Grad hoping for some...hope, I guess. When she doesn't get the job and has to move back home, I know exactly how that feels.  Scouring the internet for any job position, I'm so there.  Seriously, any position that does not require manual labor I have applied for.  In fact, I'm pretty sure I can apply to every job position available and still not get an opportunity.  It is unbelievably frustrating to think that I am unemployable.  BUT HOW CAN THAT BE???  I haven't found myself completely because let's face it, post grad and still young, I could do with a bit more soul-searching.  But I do know that I work hard, I'm diligent, efficient, and most of all enthusiastic!  And enthusiasm is not something that can be taught.  Granted I have a witty, sarcastic streak but there should be some fun in life.  I feel that the best medicine is laughter.  So tell me please.  After applying to I've-lost-count-of-how-many-jobs, how is it that I still haven't found the match for me?  But let's quit this whining and be honest.  

Someone mentioned to me that my generation is a group of me me me.  We feel privileged and to put it blunt, a bit conceited.  We all think we're awesome and that whatever industry we studied for owes us for the education we received for them by giving us a job.  I thought at this point I would be a marketing assistant reading the lasted trends in candy technology and planning out the next candy expo.  I was that girl with a plan.  I could tell you what I would be doing in 2,5,10,15 years from now.  But the world isn't playing by my rules which I find discouraging.  However, my plans are falling apart before my eyes and there is nothing more I want to see than a plan fulfilled.

I am literally spending all my time in front of a computer praying for job responses and inquires to past co-workers.  I entered food science thinking, yes, everyone needs to eat!  This is the perfect field to go into because everyone needs to eat!  There will be a plethora of jobs available and I won't have any problem getting job offers.  Wrong.  Well....we can't be right everytime I guess.

So here's to another day, another week, hopefully not another month, of praying for a career.  If you have any ideas, or can relate, or not looking forward to leaving college, leave a comment.  Tell me your story.  :)

Oh. And Go SF GIANTS! Epic game tonight!! I just can't look away. WHOO!! The world series is off to a great start. YAY!

Career Option: Food Stylist?

When is ice cream not really ice cream?  Shockers!  Food photography is slightly deceiving but with the best intentions though.  Nowadays, everyone can claim to be a food photographer with the accessibility to stellar cameras with low prices. All you need to do is focus, right?  But it's another thing to be a food stylist.

 To be a food stylist, you need to understand food chemistry, food product development, and good photography.  All that needs to revolve in a creative mind. Oh, wait. I can do all that. Hahaha.  This is an incredibly hard path to follow as everything is based on your portfolio and your past clients.  It's intimidating!  It would be a dream to travel worldwide and take food photographs armed with all my technical food knowledge to get the best possible picture. I've been researching local food stylists and hoping to contact them in the hopes of becoming an apprentice.  Here are some that I fell in love with:

Katie Christ: http://www.katiechrist.com/
Ann Belden: http://www.annbelden.com/

My personal favorites whom I would love to work with:
Randy Mon: http://www.randymon.com/
-His work is absolutely incredible.  It would be sensational to be mentored by him. The effortless look with simple crisp focusing.  I am actually drooling because of these photos.  I love his bio story as well and he seems like an easy-going person with a humorous attitude.

Susan Devaty: http://susandevaty.com/index.html
-Something about her work makes me feel very cozy and comforted.  I have no idea why though.  My first impression of course.  There are some images where I can see the fakes added which are funny.  Her portfolio is very extensive and her client list is impressive as well as Randy's.

I stumbled upon this article from PBS kids about the advertising techniques food stylists use and how we should not believe what we see.  Just an example of what some food stylists choose to do.  Here is the website from PBS: http://pbskids.org/dontbuyit/advertisingtricks/foodadtricks.html
Like every industry, there are different degrees of a person.  Some food stylists are food purists (using the actual food) to the extreme of food manipulators (using decoys as much as possible).  Definitely an option and again, I just need to do something with my life and degree.  I cannot sit here with idle hands.  I'm getting antsy!

I CAN HAZ SCIENCE?

Tell me.  How does a computer science nerd get involved in food science?  That is not even what he paid his college tuition for!  How does he get to do what a food science (me) person should be doing? Let's ask Jeff Potter, author of Cooking for Geeks(2010).

I just came back from a "lecture" given by Jeff Potter on his "expertise" on food science.  It was so impressive to see people interested in food science.  HELLO. HI! Welcome to the blog. I cover all of that if you just let me know what you want to know about. The questions asked by attendees were so intellectual and I am proud to be a San Francisco local.  We're so smart.  :)  And I forgot who I was listening to but they spoke about people wanting to feel like experts.  Everyone in that room thought they were some kind of food expert.  That both astonishes me and amuses me.

Oh, and yes, those words are in quotes for a reason.  Thankfully, most of his questions were saved by food scientist Tina who also attended the event.  I like to think of her as the super awesome sidekick and brains behind the operation.  Of course, I am sure Potter did his thorough research in the "food science literature" to fully write the book correctly.  Props to him.  But I still think it should've come from someone who actually studied the subject for 4-5years of their life in college with proper professors and massive amounts of knowledge.  I'm just sayin. And for those of you curious, I did ask him a hard question and did stump him to my immense pleasure. Of course, I was just asking to test him.  I give him a C for effort though before the question was commandeered by food scientist Tina.  All in all, great talk and fascinating question.  I have hope that this blog will be successful if not more because well...I got an education in food science. What you think about that!

To the boy who asked the ice cream question and makes ice cream, you look very familiar and I am so fascinated to see what kinds of ice creams you have made.  I wish I got your contact info....Anyways! Your question was about ice cream and the composition of it.  Jeff Potter answered it wrong but I believe you understood my correct answer.  I'll continue tomorrow with an ice cream blog.  I mean...I did take a 10week course in frozen desserts and made my own ice cream at the factory level but you know...no big, right?

Too tired to continue. But Potter...that reminds me.  I have read the entire HARRY Potter series backwards and then forwards within the past 2 months.  I love HARRY Potter.  And time to resume reading the 7th book.  I can't wait for the movie to come out!! Yayayayayay!  Until tomorrow, delicious dreams.

Savor the Central Coast, Sunset Magazine

Shout out to Sunset magazine!  Absolutely incredible event!  I had an amazing time being back in my college town two weekends ago and had the opportunity to attend the event free of charge.  That is why it feels good to have connections. The event had so much to do, eat, drink, and play.  It was super well organized and I wouldn't mind having a part in planning it. (hint hint)  Hire me! I know food, planning, marketing, and writing! What more could you ask of an employee? lol. One day.....

So I have quite a few pictures but I don't want to make this entry too long.  I get bored half way through reading long ones too.  You can find out more information about what wineries were involved and local eateries at their website: http://www.savorcentralcoast.com/

Now time for some pictures!

It's nice going to an adult event and paying free99 to get in

Windswept and riding the original Disneyland train

To my favorite Katie DeFrisco for being amazing!

Oh my gosh! It's a roasting lamb!

Garden exhibit with farm fresh produce.

My dearest Kim petting the baby watermelon.

Oh, and meeting Tyler Florence. No big. lol.

Cook: Homemade Applesauce 101

Hello!

I just realized I still haven't posted pictures from Sunset magazine's Savor the Central Coast. But let me make a quick cooking blurb since I went apple picking nearly a week ago.  My grandparents have about 4 apple trees in their backyard.  One is grafted to produce red delicious and golden apples.  Two are fuji and the last is another golden apple tree.  Yum.  My favorite fruit in the entire world is apples.  I swear to you.  I could eat it for days, and I did when I was in elementary school.  Best snack ever!  My grandma is overwhelmed by all these apples and settles to make the damaged ones into applesauce.  Epic.  She taught me and now I share with you.  No additional sugar needed!  Super healthy treat.

1. Pick and wash apples. From your local farmers market or the grocery store.  Too bad you don't get any kind of discount for bruised apples. Shucks.

Golden Delicious apples fresh from Gparents garden

2. Don't mind the bruises.  Just cut out where those sneaky worms got to. Keep the skins on!  You're going to steam them with it on.  Remove the seeds and stem so they look something like this....

No seeds, no stems, no worms!

3. Place into a steam proof bowl and place that into a very large pot on a steamer stand.  It's ok for the water to touch the bottom of the bowl.  The only place you DON'T want water is in the bowl with the apples.

4. Put on the lid and set the flame to med-high heat.  Steam for about 30min.  I only used 3 apples but I still needed a considerable amount of time.  You're looking for the apple skins to slough off easily.  Turn off the flame when you do that. (I learned the hard way and got a steam burn from being too eager. sad day.)  Remove as much of the skins as you can.

5. WHISK. Or CHOPSTICK.  My grandma does the chopstick way but I found that took longer.  Whisking is speedy and makes the applesauce smoother.  Yum...It should look like this.  I like my applesauce chunky but I supposed if you want it smoother, feed it to the food processor.  Good luck!

No skins, chunky applesauce! YUM!

TJ's Test Kitchen #1

Let's incorporate some cooking into this blog.  I am a HUGE fan of Trader Joe's.  From the quality of their products to their marketing techniques, never have I been so in awe of a company's business.  So being a frequent customer to their store, I like to check out their new products.  One that they recently put out is a vacuumed sealed pre-cooked pulled pork.  Yum?  Having studied vacuumed sealing and microwave engineering,  I still can't bring myself to think that it will taste good.  However, true to Trader Joe's reputation, I doubt they would send out a product without ample test studies.  So I bought it.  Followed the instructions and warmed it up since vacuumed sealed objects are cooked through different processes like retort or high pressure processing.  And it came out like this....

 

Review:  Salty.  But that is understandable because of preservation techniques employed.  The texture is what gets me a little bit.  Slightly soggy in one bite then tough and chewy in another.  I made a cole slaw to go on top to add more of a tang flavor.  The sauce of sweeter than I expected but I liked it over all.  And yes, that ceramic dish it is sitting on is handmade.

I've noticed a lot when I cook, I tend not to measure.  Not that I'm lazy when cooking but estimating is more fun than strictly measuring each portion.  I only do that for baking because those ingredients all chemically react with each other to form the desired results.  Otherwise you'd end up with a bloated bread loaf from too much yeast. Hahaha.  And what good would that be?? Can't eat it! 

I'll give you all the scoop on the event I went to this past weekend in the next post: Savor the Central Coast hosted by Sunset Magazine.

OVERHAUL DESIGN update: I'm working on a new design and layout.  Bear with me if things look a tad funky and odd.  Should be all up and running by next week.  Thanks!