Nomblog

It’s about a month into my stay and stage in Barcelona. I’ve been writing entries by hand but I want to curate my narrative online; the part of my brain responsible for language is getting some serious exercise, and I’m finding great joy in writing again. Duolingo states that I’m about 15% fluent in Spanish, but in terms of sentences like “the girls drink milk, and We eat fish–Totally non applicable sentences in my everyday kitchen life. Words frequently used and the first I learned:

"Burn” is “chemo” pronounced (kay-mo) which is what people say instead of behind. And is also kind of an asshole thing to do in the states if you don’t actually have something hot in hand. “Quidal”(quee-doll) is ‘be careful’ and vamos (va-mose) means go! In terms of the tasks at the restaurant, so far the only thing I’ve really 'cooked’ at the restaurant per say was razor clams, or “navajas” which are baked in salt. The kicker being yang sauce (gan yang: the one with the peas on the front of the bottle). Stagiers are, for the most part, production cooks and laborers but I’ve acquired some dough recipes that are cold held in siphons, which is valuable and unique info. The research and developer the other day was playing with an enzyme called pectinex. I had my roommate translate to him about using it on citrus to dissolve all of the white pith, thus creating totally bitter-free fruit segments. Furthermore, one can flash freeze said fruit in liquid nitrogen, shattering the individual citrus cells apart–they’re calls druplets–(berries can undergo the same process) and then serving them thawed or partially frozen as a garnish element, salad or cocktail ingredient. He really liked the idea, and told me he’d share it at the creativity meeting.

I’ve noticed some changes with myself. I’ve probably lost 10 pounds due to less caloric intake and the fact that I’m working 14 hours a day 5 days a week. On average an employee there walks about 6-8 miles a day depending on your role. I’ve begun to take my time when I eat. Flavor is ubiquitous throughout the region and behooves one to savor the food. Knowing food becomes this way through respect for the process and end product reflects itself in the instinctual yet natural manner in which they’re consumed; Time being an essential ingredient when it comes to breads, cheeses, jamon, etc. Something that slows America’s capitalistic conception of “productivity”, but this is what the Slow food movement is about. Speaking of which, I’ve slowed my drinking, and I can actually feel a glass of wine. I’ve had just two cigarettes since my arrival. I’m more mindful of my relationship my body has with my environment. And I’m trying to rid my body’s unhealthy addiction to processed foods and animal products. Treating it, and approaching thoughts of unhealthy cravings as addiction is both true and super helpful for me to react appropriately. It’s much easier to do in this environment. For what it is and also because here is fresh for me. I do hope though, I career through this thing. I deeply miss Khampaeng, his lovin’,and I’m anxious to start moves when I get back.

As for more about the restaurant. It is based in free labor. 60-70% of the individuals that are a part of the restaurant are long term stagiers. Every day, we deseed Guindilla peppers in such a way that the seedpod stays perfectly intact. We de-stem Padron peppers just for the fucking stem. We supreme, then brunoise citrus, pick rose petals, line up 8 rows of ten soba noodles on parchment papZer. We cut and juice like 150 pounds of green apples, we also juice 4 or 5 cases of romain. We cut seaweed and build a razor clam dish and bake them in salt, we fabricate squab which entails cleaving off the head, feet, and wings, gutting them and reserving the livers, detaching the crown of the bird from it’s spine and hindquarters, of which are subsequently chopped and processed to be made into a sauce. We then torch the crowns to remove any feather roots, and vacuum seal them with a double layer of foil liner. We push blended corn through a fine fabric, as we do with a blended olive mixture. This takes forever. We gut and gill “trash fish” from unsustainable fishing methods. And chop into small bits. We take the eyeballs and gills out of monkfish and break it down. I’ve never worked at a more Trash producing and wasteful restaurant however, and it makes me cringe. It’s safe to say I’ll most likely be coming home Soon