UN DÎNER POUR UN CHEF.

06/22/2020

Wow. Best sleep of the trip. I am staying in the guest quarters of my brother's home. The room has no windows and a sizable mattress. Sleep came effortlessly. Time is nonexistent in this sunless situation. It felt incredible to recharge. After I finally crawled out of bed, Collin and I made some drip coffee and chilled out in his living room. He had an appointment to keep, so I worked on various things in his absence.

When he returned, we walked a few blocks down to the light rail. Everything felt right when we walked through his charming little neighborhood known as Capitol Hill. I love Seattle; living here is an option for my future. I needed to stop and grab an espresso. I admit this shot was the best of the trip, but it did not outrank crepe's carefully curated coffee. After boarding the light rail, it took about seven stops to reach the International District. This region has got to be my favorite part of Seattle.

Uwajimaya Seattle was our next destination. I gathered various ingredients from this amazing Asian supermarket. When our shopping was completed, we walked up the street to Hing Hay Park. Here we sprawled out and ate a late lunch. I consumed a spam nigiri roll, several Seattle rolls, and a small bowl of hot and sour soup. This was the first food of the day, and it was enjoyable. We even had some delightful entertainment as two locals played ping-pong on a table in the park. This moment was magical. Promptly after pleasing our appetites, we retraced our steps back to Collin's crib.

It was time to get dinner started, the dish for tonight, some rockin' ramen. First, I prepped numerous vegetables and threw them into a large pot with water and spices. After bringing it to a boil, I let it sit for an hour on low heat. The next step was to drain the lifeless vegetables. The broth was beyond beautiful. I brought that broth to a boil and added the dry noodles and shrimp. In a cast iron, I sauteed parsley, carrots, garlic, and onions. Everything was sliced paper-thin, and I used a combination of butter, coconut oil, and sesame oil to really give those boys some full-on flavor. I cracked a few eggs into the pot and stirred it up. The finishing touches included sprouts and avocado slices. I had almost forgotten how much I loved being in the kitchen. There is something meditative about it.

We retreated to the backyard and enjoyed our meal. It was nice to have a proper meal, it had been far too long. Of course, Collin provided a perfect German Riesling to accompany the ramen. We spent much of the night eating, drinking, and chatting. Tiredness consumed me. After cleaning a few dishes, I retired to my chambers. It was not the most adventurous day, but it was extraordinary nonetheless. Bonne nuit ma chérie.