Love, Spice and Secret Sauces
Pass me the basil, Basil.
Kitchens are havens for family and friend get togethers. The intimacy of sharing a work space and the promise of breaking bread with people you’re close to places the kitchen as the number one spot of the house that gets the biggest remodeling budget. It seems reasonable to assume that aside from the bedroom, couples spend more time in the kitchen than any other room in the house. Remodeling trends prove this out by the amount of homeowners who have knocked down interior walls to open the kitchen to the rest of the home. And we know that the kitchen is also a place for romance.dining by candlelight
This is a remodeling blog, but no one said we have to talk about structure and model numbers all the time. Remodeling is much more than that. Great remodeling is dreams realized, it’s subtle, it’s obvious, it’s amore’. Who of us has never seduced a lover with food? Who of us haven’t at least tried. Seduction comes in many forms, an enticing cologne, the soft light of table candles, a little skin showing on the shoulder and the Big Mama of them all, the come hither look. Hot dogs with chili sauce is sexy food if you follow them with the come hither look.
So how do you romance in the kitchen. First off make use of the shades and colors of your cabinets and walls, install adjustable lighting that can be dimmed after the food is served, a table set for two with just candles and room for a couple of plates and a glass of your favorite wine. Even in an open space you can find intimacy. Sexy food is a combination of smells and textures, tell me if a women sipping wine from a slim glass or a man ripping a baguette with nothing but his hands isn’t sensual, twirl a little pasta around your fork and slurp that last little noodle in and…. surrender to the moment.
Secret Cajun Dry Rub Recipe
It was 1993, and I was cooking an outdoor dinner function for a large corporation. The theme was to be Cajun. At the time I did not know to much about Cajun or creole cuisine, so I decided to ask around. I came upon a chef from New Orleans who had been known for his famous Cajun Dry Rub. This recipe was so popular that he kept the original recipe in a safe deposit box at his local bank.
After talking with him for several hours, he realized that I was a trained chef and was willing to help me in any way possible. Thats when he agreed to let me in on some of his secrets. The next couple of weeks I tried all of his recipes and they were fantastic, but the one I wanted was the Cajun rub. I called him after the big function to ask if he would share it with me. He told me that he would send me a sample of the rub, and if I could guess all of the ingredients in the rub, then I could have the recipe and share it with anyone. I said you got a deal.
He sent the rub and I began to taste and re-taste for several weeks. Finally, I called him and told him I think I know the recipe. He quietly listened and said I was close but was missing one ingredient. I felt like I had failed and was ready to hang up. It was at that moment when he said wait….you were so close that I have decided to give you the Cajun Rub recipe anyway. I was elated and hung up the phone. I have now decided to share this incredible recipe with all of you.