the beauty and the wreckage

It started with hamburgers, then ramped up to a short order breakfast, then crescendo’ed in a full-on, slam-down, cook-off.
 
That was the natural progression when Sarah rented a house with a professional kitchen in Mendocino. Seven of us duked it out over a griddle, grill, professional wok, four convection ovens and six burners.
 
Amazingly I throttled the competition with my dark horse entry: honey-roasted pears and grilled pork served on garlic-rubbed toasts with yellow peppers, parsley, and a dollop of greek yogurt. But when it came to light the next morning that my pork came pre-marinated, there was hell to pay.

See some of the action here.

Comments

[Mike (the husband)]

Ah yes the cooking competition. I suspect controversy still reigns. Is it valid to have a store marinated pork loin in the contest OR is that a great use of limited resources? Either way it did taste pretty damn fine I have to say. Mendo rules no doubt about that. As do fully kitted out pro kitchens that you can't help yourself wanting to cook in constantly especially with a three burner wok that you could smelt pig iron in.

Maybe we should have prizes next time. Ribbons? Or bronzed pork chops? For now though we must hail Kelly the champion.

Cheers. Mike.

[Sarah]

/Users/derekdebakker/Desktop/porky.JPG

It was a tough loss for a girl with a zucchini and a dream! Sadly, Kelly's pork "doping" was only discovered before any rules about artificial marination could be established . That cryovac bag, hidden conspicuously deep within the garbage and containing what looked like remnants of Seven Seas Italian Dressing, will forever haunt me.

Until we meet again, Wilkinson. Until we meet again.