The black eye pea pancake

There are four basic types of cooks. First, you have the Boxer. This is the person who relies heavily on prepackaged foods in order to make a meal. You know the types, they typically make the Rapper's Delight special. If you don't know what I'm talking about, check out the classic rap song by the Sugar Hill Gang and you'll get my point (hopefully, sheesh). Next on the list are the Momma's Little Helpers. This group are the only cook what my folks taught me to cook. Usually over a meal, they'll say "I used to watch my momma cook this. This is one of my favorites." If you're lucky, you'll get the elusive, "I've been cooking this since I was eleven/twelve/thirteen years old." Normally, I'd classify this as "Momma's boy" syndrome, but because I want to be all inclusive on this, well...you get the point.

Third on the list is the kitchen chemist. You've seen them around, you'll find them in the cooking section of any bookstore or library. This group view cooking as an exact science. Every recipe is measured and carefully constructed for optimal results. The good thing is that they have the most immaculate kitchens and the greatest gadgets known to man. The bad thing, if you move the recipe or heaven forbid, the recipe doesn't have a photo. You're in for hours of apologies because it didn't turn out quite right due to lack of reference, or you'll just seen them go in to a catatonic state for lack of direction. In that case, be merciful and take them out back and shoot em' in the head...it's the right thing to do.

Lastly, we have the cook. This person is the one who can watch a tv show and replicate it, see something in a restaurant and break it down to cook at home. This talented group can even create stuff on a whim. I'm part of the latter, specifically...I like making shit up.

Confused? Here's where I'm going with all this cooking stuff.

Friday night on my way towards home, I had a craving for black eye peas (whacko, right), and as I started my grocery list in my mind I began to think about what I could do to take it up a notch. Well, I decided on making a pancake out of black eye peas. I got so excited with the concept. I did what I had to do and went to bed. I was tired and figured the sleep would get me worked up on the idea. I spoke to several friends about the concept who are chefs and food enthusiast as well. They gave me the look/silence when I mentioned it. The concept was just too far out there for them to grasp. Now it wasn't like I planned to make fresh off the toilet stew or anything, it's friggin' peas! I chocked their lack of imagination to an improper upbringing and made a mental note to seek revenge at a later date...just kidding (or am I, hmm...).

Sunday was the big day, I decided to make the meal I was so ridiculed about for a freelance client who was coming over to discuss a project. As we talked particulars about the job I was contracted to do, I did my thing in the kitchen and he gave me the look/silence, too. I would have said something, but I get paid to be nice to assholes. Eventually I got the meal plated. The dish was a black eye pea pancake topped with a lemon pepper chicken cutlet with celery relish, topped with an asian infused broccoli salad.

He loved the dish and so did I, but it needs some tweaking. The pancakes were not at the consistency I'd like them to be. Also, I don't think I'd pan fry the cutlets this time, chicken cutlets tend to dry out too quickly.

I'm writing this to say that sometimes, the only thing that holds us back is ourselves. In some situations you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. All that's required is a little imagination, determination and belief in your own abilities. To my foodies and friends alike, try the pancake...or at the very least, the lesson I learned from it.

'nuff said.

There are four basic types of cooks. First, you have the Boxer. This is the person who relies heavily on prepackaged foods in order to make a meal. You know the types, they typically make the Rapper's Delight special. If you don't know what I'm talking about, check out the classic rap song by the Sugar Hill Gang and you'll get my point (hopefully, sheesh). Next on the list are the Momma's Little Helpers. This group are the only cook what my folks taught me to cook. Usually over a meal, they'll say "I used to watch my momma cook this. This is one of my favorites." If you're lucky, you'll get the elusive, "I've been cooking this since I was eleven/twelve/thirteen years old." Normally, I'd classify this as "Momma's boy" syndrome, but because I want to be all inclusive on this, well...you get the point.

Third on the list is the kitchen chemist. You've seen them around, you'll find them in the cooking section of any bookstore or library. This group view cooking as an exact science. Every recipe is measured and carefully constructed for optimal results. The good thing is that they have the most immaculate kitchens and the greatest gadgets known to man. The bad thing, if you move the recipe or heaven forbid, the recipe doesn't have a photo. You're in for hours of apologies because it didn't turn out quite right due to lack of reference, or you'll just seen them go in to a catatonic state for lack of direction. In that case, be merciful and take them out back and shoot em' in the head...it's the right thing to do.

Lastly, we have the cook. This person is the one who can watch a tv show and replicate it, see something in a restaurant and break it down to cook at home. This talented group can even create stuff on a whim. I'm part of the latter, specifically...I like making shit up.

Confused? Here's where I'm going with all this cooking stuff.

Friday night on my way towards home, I had a craving for black eye peas (whacko, right), and as I started my grocery list in my mind I began to think about what I could do to take it up a notch. Well, I decided on making a pancake out of black eye peas. I got so excited with the concept. I did what I had to do and went to bed. I was tired and figured the sleep would get me worked up on the idea. I spoke to several friends about the concept who are chefs and food enthusiast as well. They gave me the look/silence when I mentioned it. The concept was just too far out there for them to grasp. Now it wasn't like I planned to make fresh off the toilet stew or anything, it's friggin' peas! I chocked their lack of imagination to an improper upbringing and made a mental note to seek revenge at a later date...just kidding (or am I, hmm...).

Sunday was the big day, I decided to make the meal I was so ridiculed about for a freelance client who was coming over to discuss a project. As we talked particulars about the job I was contracted to do, I did my thing in the kitchen and he gave me the look/silence, too. I would have said something, but I get paid to be nice to assholes. Eventually I got the meal plated. The dish was a black eye pea pancake topped with a lemon pepper chicken cutlet with celery relish, topped with an asian infused broccoli salad.

He loved the dish and so did I, but it needs some tweaking. The pancakes were not at the consistency I'd like them to be. Also, I don't think I'd pan fry the cutlets this time, chicken cutlets tend to dry out too quickly.

I'm writing this to say that sometimes, the only thing that holds us back is ourselves. In some situations you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. All that's required is a little imagination, determination and belief in your own abilities. To my foodies and friends alike, try the pancake...or at the very least, the lesson I learned from it.

'nuff said.