Diary of The Food Whore: Hugging The Dirty

Hugging The Dirty

June 25, 2008

We have a routine, when I get home from The Restaurant or A Trick, that The Husband will come close enough to get The Signal, and then ask if I want a hug. And he asks because once he hugged me before I could tell him to give me a minute to change out of the jacket and apron covered in garlic juice. (Long, long story)

And its not that he doesn't love me enough to hug the dirty its just that our love is strong enough that I see no reason to have to wash what he is wearing, too.

So we have a system. If my arms go outstretched - he hugs. If they don't, he waits until I shower. No words. Just a smile and small salute while I make way to the laundry.

And let's be honest, its me. Rare is the night the arms go outstretched before the shower.

So the other day we had a trick and we spent the day outside grilling salmon and steak for a large crowd of guests celebrating whatever it was they were celebrating.

I brought the salmon already fileted and wrapped in parchment. I placed in a box covered with a large plastic bag filled with ice. Ok by 'large plastic bag' I mean it was a clean garbage bag - and I specify clean because I don't need the stress of all the e-mails - and... where was I... oh yeah, the bag was filled with ice...

Anyway.

So I prepped the filets in The Client's kitchen and used the box for the clippings/trimmings from the rest of my prep and took it out to The Van. I don't like to leave that kind of garbage for A Client to find/smell later in their garbage can while 40 cats cling to the side.

The Trick was fabulous. Happy people. Great food. And only one small glare in the direction of Dennis The Menace as he repeatedly pelted me with his rubber band gun. In defense of him - his parents did not seem to care what he was doing. And I maybe stuck my tongue out at him once or twice.

So at the end of the night we unloaded our wares and at the last minute I rembered the box tucked in the corner. So proud of myself for saving The Client from the inconvenience, I smiled as I hoisted the box over my head to toss in the dumpster. Mid smile I was hit with a cascading waterfall of a lovely melted water/raw fish juice/tomato seed/garlic skin/mystery juice. I was like the bar rag at a sushi counter. And as I am always want to say, 'No good deed goes unpunished'.

Before I even had a chance to get my salute out The Husband smiled and said, "I could smell you coming up the stairs. Love you."

Good times.

Posted by Foodwhore at June 25, 2008 10:40 PM

rofl......man I love the F&B biz.....lol....and am glad I'm no longer in it. :) Thanks for letting me live vicariously thru you.

Posted by: cheryl at June 26, 2008 05:42 AM

I keep reading about your disasters and keep wondering why I never have any. The closest I've come was a small retirement party two weeks ago when the power went off for two hours right after I'd served the appetizers.

I ended up joining the party and drinking wine until it came back on. I got home much later than planned, but I had a good time.

Posted by: kevin at June 26, 2008 09:42 AM

You do know that many garbage bags are coated with insecticide to keep insect populations at landfills down? They don't have to advertise the insecticide because it's not intended to be food safe, yeah?

Yeah.

Posted by: virago at June 26, 2008 03:57 PM

kevin, apparently you're not doing it right. ;)

Posted by: cheryl at June 27, 2008 11:08 AM