Kitchen Shaman
Urban Shaman - Kitchen Shaman
Some years ago I was asked to create an art piece for the premier exhibition of "High Art, High Chair" an annual invitational for artists in the Intermountain West - the US Rocky Mountain States. My creation was "Urban Shaman's Chair," the point being - in a world surrounded by frantic routine, contemporary noises, and rat race mentalities there is a cry for 'spiritual place' where one can acknowledge presence and existence. It is often hard to compose visions of nature in a daily routine while hard at work making the globe turn.
Cooking for the soul is no less challenging, in fact I believe one must be a "Kitchen Shaman" to maintain a state of exquisiteness needed to create masterpieces of culinary delights. How does one go about this? Well as any great chef would tell you - experiment, experiment, experiment. Meaning, after all, what's the point of culinary pursuit if you are only going to follow the guru - guru's (in this case - recipies) are there to support your journey by supplying you with foundation, general direction and basic need. But, for proper chemistry it is always good to "follow the directions" unless; your altitude is different, your stove doesn't heat well, your kitchen is cold in winter / hot in summer and fresh ingredients are as ready as, say, Kiwi at the North Pole - then you are on your own to resolve and preserve.
Becoming a "Kitchen Shaman" is like anything, one needs to have ingredients necessary for the right chemistry. A spirit for adventure, a foundation in culinary appropriateness, and a good collection of journals, articles and dare I say it -
That said, here is one experiment that become a favorite of mine;
Use this with roasted chicken, grilled lamb or on baked potatoes, it is a special treat for your taste buds... this is also the richness of my Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas, which will be posted here later.
Sour Cream Sauce
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh local honey
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 cup jalapeño juice from a favorite brand of canned jalapenos
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Mix all ingredients well and refrigerate for an hour, then bring back to room temperature for full flavor. For serving and presenting I use clear 12-oz. squeeze bottles available at your favorite restaurant supply store or Amazon.com. They make for great designing with your sauces and help manage quantities easily. After all, food is as much about how it looks, as it is about how it tastes.
from another BajaChef...
Testing the Urban Shaman's Chair
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