Golden Brown

Something's going on around here.

Earlier this week I received a phone call and email from the agent with an appointment for an audition for a play that I did in a workshop 5 years ago. Pretty great part. Play had problems. Now after 5 years, it is getting a legitimate production in a legitimate regional theater with it's eye on Broadway I'm sure. Would I audition? Sure I think. I know they were happy with my work. I know that I enjoyed the role.

I look at the breakdown that my agent has sent me for the audition. I am not auditioning for the role that I had played before. I am now auditioning for that character's father. In those long short five years I have aged from brother to father. Not nearly as great a part.

"Ha!" I said out loud. "That's funny." because it is.

I then spent some time plotting dishes for the proposed underground restaurant that I'm opening with a pal that I'm not telling you about right now, because it's underground. But the plan is great. Several courses, you need to sign a confidentiality agreement, know the password, pay in advance. It's sweet. It's exciting. It consumes me.

Then I spent some time working on the food history children's books that I'm doing with Kid Zenith. The start up boutique publishing house has hit a couple of bumps on the startup and is revising it's business plan. May go straight to app for Ipad, may go up as a pay website... there is a lot in flux, but still moving forward and gathering steam despite the hiccups. Sarah, the publisher and CEO has commissioned me to write two other books for them as well. It consumes me.

Then I spent some time working on the TV food show I'm helping to develop, that I'm not comfortable sharing the details of with you because it's such a great idea. The other creatives and I had a meeting in Central Park the other day that went swimmingly and was frankly exciting. We're raising the dough. Planning to shoot in July or August. It consumes me.

I spent mother's day as a sous chef in Long Island working for Chef Louis Bavaro who just this week began his new gig as private chef to the Italian Ambassador at the U.N. There was a lot of wind the night before and we had no power in the house, and yet we found a way to feed all 21 guest an 8 course meal. We used the gas grill creatively. It was like a Top Chef challenge. I wore the white chef's coat, and a hat. I liked it. There was candlelight.

The folks were very Long Island. The hostess asked me in her very Long Island, "Drew, are you from England?"

"No." I replied. "Just pretentious."

It consumes me.

I have other plans, all about food. All that could easily fly and make something. Maybe make a lot. I really like them. They consume me.

The great thing is, all these things, they bring me a kind of titillation, an almost naughty excitement that I'm cheating on the Theater God. But these are the projects that now occupy my mind . And it is much different than focusing on the phone that isn't vibrating because the theater world isn't calling. That way lay sadness and bitterness. I have a feeling this other way lay bliss. And ultimately maybe a way to enjoy the theater again instead of being pissed at it for not providing in the way I thought it should.

You see, I know that if I got that call and email from the agent a couple of months ago, I would've obsessed about the bad luck and the unfairness of it all, the fear of getting older, the fear of losing everything, the fear and the disappointment, the fear and the disappointment, and the fear and the disappointment.

Instead, I sort of laughed about it, and then forgot about it.

Something's going on around here.

When I was a young man, maybe 7 or 8, I would order American Seeds from the back of Boy's Life magazine. I would sell the seeds around the neighborhood and then return the money to the American seed company who would then send me a prize of my choice. I remember getting a fishing pole one year, and another, flippers and a mask. But I also remember feeling like a self made man. Like an entrepeneur. Like I was going places and knew how to make money.

I haven't felt that way in a long time. I like it.

The thing is, and I'm aware of this especially after losing the last big savior theater job a couple of weeks ago, the longer I go, the more I want one of these crazy schemes of mine to hit more than being saved by my heroin/theater addiction. I crave more power, I have really come to resent not having a real creative voice in the project when hired as the actor. I resent also the blue collar-ness of it... I want to get on the other side of the table. I don't ever want to go through this crisis again.

And one other thing. My food is getting really good.

Consume it.


CHEF BOBO'S FRIED CHICKEN (from his incredible book: Chef Bobo's Good Food Cookbook - buy it on Amazon)

1 2 to 3 pound chicken fryer, cut into 10 pieces
4 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons fine sea salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (I used Clancy's from Ann Arbor. AWESOME)
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin.
Canola or safflower oil

1. Wash chicken. Pat dry with paper towels. For marinade, combine buttermilk, 1 tablespoon of the salt, 1 tablespoon of the pepper, hot pepper sauce, and garlic. Place chicken in a larger container. Pour marinade over chicken. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 24 hours.

2. In a shallow dish combine flour, the remaining 1 tablespoon salt, the remaining 1 tablespoon pepper, garlic powder, mustard, paprika, chili powder, and cumin. Take a pinch of the flour mixture and taste it - it should be a bit salty and peppery.

3, Drain chicken but do not wipe off. Coat the chicken pieces with the flour mixture. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place a cooling rack in a large baking sheet or jelly roll pan. Set aside

4. pour oil into a deep heavy pot. The oil should not reach more than halfway up the side of the pot. Heat over high heat to 350ºF. Reduce heat to medium. Place the chicken, one piece at a time, in the hot oil. (Be very careful, as the oil will boil up and you don't want it to overflow.) Fry chicken 3 or 4 pieces at a time, until golden brown. Remove chicken from oil, and place on cooling rack.

5.. Once all the chicken has been fired, transfer the baking sheet or jelly roo pan holding the cooling rack to the oven. (This will help crisp the batter on the chicken and let much of theoil drain from the chicken.) Bake until fully cooked (180ºF), about 20 minutes.

BRAISED GREENS

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 pounds collard. mustard, or turnip greens thick stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Melt butter with vegetable oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Ad onion and garlic and saute until tender, about 6 minutes. Add greens and saute until beginning to wilt. Stir in broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until greens are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

CRACK MASHED POTATOES

2 lbs. Red potatoes diced with skins
1 stick butter
Salt and Pepper

Boil the potatoes then drain. Combine with butter and salt and pepper in large bowl. Mash.

TOMATO GRAVY

2 tablespoons pan drippings from fried chicken
1 cup finely diced onion
1 large cloves garlic, finely minced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (I used 1 tablespoon fresh)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 pound tomatoes (peeled, seeded, and chopped into 1/3 inch pieces.)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream

Heat the pan drippings in a heavy non reactive skillet and add the diced onion. Saute over medium high heat for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic, 1 teaspoon of the alt, pepper and thyme, and cook for another 5 minutes. sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring well, for another 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook 5 minute longer.

Slowly stir in the milk and heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently for 5 minutes. Taste carefully for seasoning, adding more salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Serve hot.