Rain, rain, go away... And take the fennel with you!

It came down BUCKETS here today. Most rain I've seen in at least a year. So of course, there had to be an entire crapload of boxes to break down and walk down the block to the recycling. In the torrential downpour. And get who got asked to do it? Booya!

Then we were smack dab in the middle of the slowest lunch shift EVER, with the combination of a party of 35 coming tonite and a party of 55 coming for lunch tomorrow, which meant that to prep, we had to cut more fennel than I have ever seen in my life. I don't know if you remember my description of this fennel cutting process from one of my earlier posts, but suffice it to say it is painstaking, meticulous, tedious... not super fun. Rain like whoah, nothing to do but cut fennel, the knowledge of a crazy dinner shift looming: call it the perfect storm. Pun intended.

And I have to say, when I imagined what my externship would be, I did not expect it to involve hours of vegetable cutting, a la prep cook. I remember almost every chef at school telling us that the whole reason we were in Culinary School was so that we would have that leg up and be able to start out on the line, or at least close to it. Then again, I suppose this is what I get for choosing a restaurant with 3 Michelin stars as my externship, so I ought not complain. And despite the fact that I hate fennel right now, I know things could be far, far worse, and I do feel very blessed to have this opportunity at all. Just wanted to be clear that this isn't another venting email, just felt like sharing my semi-lame day in case anyone out there felt like commiserating.

Anyway, the clock is about to strike 6, which means siesta esta terminado, y es la hora de trabajo. I'm off to a place called Asturias this weekend; it's about 4 hours west by car, and I am tagging along with a friend from the restaurant who is going home (he lives and works there on the weekends). I have never heard of this place, but hew claims it's one of the greatest and most beautiful spots in Northern Spain slash Basque country, and it's a free ride with a free place to stay, so who am I to say no to an adventure? He has to work all weekend so I will be exploring the city by myself, which I always enjoy. Hopefully come next week I will have some amazing things to talk about. Or at the very least, some amazing meals. Till then, ADIOS!