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Peter Hummer's avatar

Hey Mr. Nabeel. Longtime reader, first time commenter.

I didn't even make it to the end of this article, maybe I'll go back and finish it, before feeling the urge to comment and just say -- YES! AGREED!

It brought to mind a former housemate of mine (Proud umich '22 alum here Go Blue!). I lived in the ICC system, the Ann Arbor cooperative housing community. Luther Haus. You may have heard rumblings of our Halloween party. Or perhaps you were even invited one year!

Anyway, this housemate of mine who shall remain unnamed, was quote, "obsessed" with Green Cholula sauce. She had a large, personal vat of the stuff she globbed over every meal she ate.

As a house cook, I took pride in my Wednesday meals. Painstakingly prepared with the guidance of my personal bibles, "The French Laundry" by Thomas Keller and co., and "Kitchen Confidential", Mr. Bourdain's side-splitting-tell-all about the REAL culinary industry, my textures and flavors were of the utmost importance. I was out to provide not just a meal, but an experience.

One Wednesday, my sous and I prepared a simple chicken and potatoes dish. I won't get into the details, but we were proud of our work. (A couple whole, roasted chickens, skin crackling and crisp from the combination of salt and heat, and potatoes and leeks soaking in a delicious lemony sauce below.) When we served our meal, I looked around the dining hall to examine our diners' reactions, and I saw her -- Big stupid grin, cholula vat beside her plate, and our meal, swimming in slightly chunky, forest-green sauce. Ruined.

As a man of flavors, that was too much for me. What was differentiating our 3 hour cooking process from that morning's scrambled eggs, likewise covered in green cholula? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. An art form reduced to sauce. Love and care swallowed up by sauce. (This is why I cannot stand ketchup on French fries, but that is for another time).

Thank you for this column, Mr. N. It was cathartic to begin reading it.

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Huw Evans's avatar

It must have taken a lot of restraint not to use the phrase ‘goated with the sauce’, proud of you for not stooping that low ❤️

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