Tobasco

The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Tobasco is accidentally eating food off my dad's plate with Tobasco on it, which still happens from time to time. Water will not get rid of the taste in my mouth- I have to quickly eat something else so it doesn't linger.

I would tell someone unfamiliar with Tobasco that it's an intense rush of flavor you may or may not like, that has a spicy bite that doesn't last long enough to really make a difference.

Tobasco is a nuisance that I can never seem to get rid of. I even hate the smell, so it makes it hard to eat while someone else has a bottle open.

There is no place for Tobasco in my diet. I only recently even started using hot sauces because I had such traumatic experiences with Tobasco when I was young. It doesn't bring anything to the food I cook (although I do think the images of the devil, salad and eggs on the box are cute).

If Tobasco were a person, it would be George W. Bush, and I don't mean in a good way. Always messing up a good thing and being so bold and unapologetic about it. Probably has really mediocre taste in music, movies and food. But at the same time, so comfortable with himself.

Spices and Flavors

I hate bland food, and I will always prefer to have spicy to mild. I like to order foods that are already hot because they've been cooked in spices instead of adding hot sauce. I like for the flavors to be balanced for the dish, not just thrown on for heat. I do however use Yucateco often at home. It's not a common condiment so I don't get to put it on food on restaurants.

When I cook, I put red pepper flakes in nearly everything, unless it's Mexican food. I also use serrano peppers a lot.

I keep my spices above my stove on a spice rack. I would prefer to have the hot sauce in a separate place, but my room mates think otherwise. The spice rack works, but it's not neat or organized, which sucks because I can't see the labels.

Eating Out

I love eating out. I try not to do it during the week, but I eat every meal out on the weekend. Brunch is my favorite, because you can drink in the morning and not be judged.

I typically go to ethnic restaurants or burger places. I eat Indian at least twice a week. I usually order spicy food. Normally I ask specifically for my food to be made extra hot, but in New York it's always just mild. It's like they don't believe you actually want spicy food.

I also really like restaurants that have nice interiors and lighting, it makes the experience more pleasurable.

Preparing Food

Anyone can can cook food, but not everyone can create a meal. A meal means everything is hot at the same time, and in order for that to happen, you have to plan out the cooking process in your mind and time everything correctly.

I usually start with the ingredients that will take the longest to cook, or in the case of vegetables, those that have to be chopped, etc to be prepared to cook. If something has to be marinated, it's the night before.

You also have to season food correctly and at the right time. Herbs will burn off if you add them too soon, and balsamic vinegar will ruin a pan if you add it too early.

I use a cutting board, knife, pinch bowl and little plates to prepare food. I eat all my food hot, I can't stand a cold meal.

If I only had three ingredients to work with, I would pick olive oil, salt and red pepper. Fat, salt and spice is the way everything should taste. If not it's just boring, and if I were on a deserted island with nothing to do, I would at least like to eat well.

About Food

To me, food can be the highlight of my day. I can spend all day thinking about what I'm going to cook or where I'm going to go out to eat that night.

I'm really involved with the way I eat. Every Sunday I make a menu of items I want to cook for the week, and create a grocery list accordingly. I list out the ingredients in the order that I walk through the store to be as efficient as possible.

Food Evolution

My eating habits have definitely changed. I'm more open to new things, and I no longer hate mayonnaise. In fact I quite enjoy it now. I crave certain foods now that I never would have eaten before, and attribute it to growing older and "changing tastes."

I cook a lot of foods that are similar to what my dad cooked, but probably less healthy. My habits as the exist now have not changed much from the way I used to eat at home. Except breakfast, I never make breakfast for myself. My parents rarely took us out to eat, so it's one of my favorite things to do.

I similarly use garlic, kosher salt and pepper (from a grinder) liberally.