More Food Stuff From "The City Scoop"

OK, I have been remiss as a Bloger and not, well, Bloging, so I thought I would regale you with more "Greatest Hits". This article is from June 8th, '07 and features one of my favorite characters to play, Jenna Seidel. She is a no-nonsense gal who leads a gang of thugs, enjoying the chaos and mayhem that is the Rogue Isle and the second of NCSoft's offerings "The City of Villains". In the game settings, Jenna is a Natural origin, Master Mind archetype (read uber pet class) with 6 semi-controllable pets. Her back story is that she is Sara Seidel's (from CBS's CSI:) little sister. As pets in the "City of" franchise are nameable, her thugs have a CSI twist as well, everyone from Hodges and Archie to Jim Brass are represented.

As with all of my City Scoop food articles, the recipes have been either created by me or passed down through my family. The coleslaw recipe is my Grandmothers, Jean Pettit's and the beans were first made by her husband's father, Kelly H. Pettit, Sr. Enjoy the story and the recipes.

Rogue Isle Repast

By Jenna Seidel

Greeting Villains, Vigilantes, Heroes and other general pains in the neck. After reading the latest edition of “The City Scoop”, I decided that being a food critic wasn't that hard. Besides, the more tourism to the Islands, the better for everyone involved.

I grabbed the gang and we all headed out to Brass Knuckles favorite dive, Lucky Spot BBQ. The six of us had a quiet meal together, with great service. This could be because when five crazy-eyed thugs and one no-nonsense chick walk into a place, we normally clear it out. The food is char-grilled, chicken, pork and beef, with some burgers. If you don't eat meat, you are SOL at “The Spot”.

I had a chance to sit down with Lucky Spot's owner, Deacon Jackson and his wife, Effie. It was hard at first to convince them that we were just there to eat, Archie demands on taking his TNT with him everywhere. After calming them down, Deacon told me that he and Effie moved to the Islands during the “problems” of the 1960's in the American South. “Even with heroes, it wasn't a place for certain folks to be.” Lucky for us, they brought their recipes with them.

Greg had the pulled pork sandwich, Carolina style, the cole slaw on the sandwich, with potato salad. The BBQ sauce is fresh and home made, sweet, tangy and a bit of spice. The pork was juicy and tender and the cole slaw is a cool, creamy contrast to the hot pork. He liked the cole slaw so much that he demanded the recipe and I added it.

Hodges went with a more local flavor, the grilled jerk chicken with plantain fries and pineapple chutney. Pineapple chutney, as far as we can tell, is pineapple cooked in brown sugar and spices. The chicken was a little spicy for me, but I was lucky I didn't pull back a bloody stump when I asked Hodges for a bite. The plantain fries tasted just like sweet french fries to me, but Deacon told us that it looks like a banana, but you have to cook it before you can eat it.

Archie, being a pyro and into anything hot, had the “Firehouse” brisket with a side of beans. The “Firehouse” is a special sauce that is available with any BBQ dish, it's the hottest thing that Deacon serves, made with a lot of Louisiana hot sauce. It burned my eyes when it was brought to our table. Archie said that it was one of the best meals he had ever eaten and didn't even have to add his own hot sauce. The beans “didn't have enough flavor” for Archie, but they tasted just fine to the rest of us. I think that's 'cause we have taste buds left.

Pancho ordered the “Smokehouse Combo”. Half a rack of ribs and smoked sausage, with fries and slaw. So much for originality, if you ask me. The sausage recipe is another one that came form the American south, but this time with Effie and she said that she would rather lose a finger than give up it up. It was good enough I didn't press it, besides she's a nice lady. War, my other Enforcer, ordered a combo, too. He had the “BBQ Combo”, half a rack of ribs, half a BBQ-ed chicken, again with fries and slaw. I really shouldn't complain too much about their eating choices, they are good at what they do.

Brass had exactly what he came for, a rack and a half of ribs. Lucky Spot doesn't actually have this as a menu item, but Brass likes the extra sides he gets when he orders both. The man packed away a pound of meat. Deacon told us that he hot smokes the ribs personally, letting them smoke over 48 hours with real hickory wood smoke. Then he sets the ribs in a cooler for another day, just sitting in the dry rub. He'll baste them 2 or 3 times while he BBQs them over low heat. And I will tell you the meat falls right off the bones.

I didn't order anything, I ate off the guys plates.

Though we didn't have to pay, and got another customer in our “Security” business, Lucky Spot BBQ only accepts cash.

Lucky Spot Cole Slaw 1 head of green cabbage 2 carrots peeled and shredded 1/2 tablespoon of pepper 1-1 1/2 cups of mayonnaise or salad dressing 1 5 oz can of crushed pineapple 1 tablespoon of sugar or sugar substitute juice of half a lemon Shred cabbage into a large bowl and add carrots and pepper. In a small bowl mix remainder of ingredients. Add dressing to cabbage and mix well, refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving, best if chilled overnight.

Grand Dad Kelley's BBQ Beans 5-7 strips of bacon 1 medium onion large chop 1 clove of garlic or 1 tablespoon of garlic salt 4 10 oz cans of pork-n-beans 1 cup BBQ sauce 1 cup ketchup 1/4 cup of brown sugar 1 tablespoon of worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon of Louisiana Hot sauce (Tabasco ) 1 tablespoon of prepared mustard Slice bacon and fry up in a large skillet. When bacon is crispy, drain some fat and saute onions and garlic. Add beans, sugar and sauces. Add 1/2 cup of water and let simmer for about an hour. Beans can be served right away, but are best if refrigerated overnight and reheated. Reheat beans to a temperature of 160 deg. F. before serving, Effie says so.

The Wonders of Food Safety

This article was part of a series I was writing for "The City Scoop", a e-fan-zine for "The City of Heroes/Villains" MMO, that was originally published on April 11 of this year. The whole "Wonders of Food Safety" concept is to allow the common person in on the importances of food safety and how to stay healthy in their own home.

Cooking and holding temperatures

This time of year is unique. The temperature is getting warmer, and the sun is coming up earlier and staying up longer. In Arizona, where I live, the daytime highs are already in the low 90's. However, at least in the US, the one thing most of us start to think about is summer. Summer means barbecue, grilling on the back porch, and having friends and family over for Memorial Day, Labor Day, and the Fourth of July. The one thing you don't want to invite to the party is bacteria. People will not come back over if you give them Hepatitis, Camplibactor, E.Coli, Salmonella or any of a host of others that could show up uninvited.

We've covered a lot in these little mini-lessons on how to keep your kitchen healthy and happy. However, the one thing I cannot stress enough is what is laughingly referred to as “The Danger Zone”. This temperature range, from 40 degrees to 140 degrees F is no laughing matter. Thing of it as the “hot” new club in a tropical location during Spring break, and that somebody spiked the drinking water with fertility hormones. Now speed it up. A food item or a dish can go from safe to teaming with billions and billions of potentially lethal bacteria in under 2 hours.

This does not mean that you can play “The Hokey Pokey” with your food. “You put the egg salad in, you take the egg salad out, you put the egg salad in, and there isn't any doubt....” Every minute in “The Danger Zone” is accumulative, and you only have 2 hours total. Say that lovely potato salad you just made is sitting on the counter. The potatoes were still hot, say 102 degrees, which will bring up the temperature of the mayonnaise to about 90 or so. Now, you wait another hour to get it into the refrigerator, letting everything cool down to about 78. Now you take it to a picnic, where it is going to sit, in the sun all day. Doesn't really sound that bad, does it? Well, the potato salad has just spent at least 3 hours in “The Danger Zone”, and about an hour and a half ago, cousin Debbie's questionable boyfriend didn't use the spoon, contaminating it with the staphylococcus aureus he didn't know he was fighting. Your other aunt, Peggy, who has a weakened immune system already, catches this “bug” and holds on bravely, but eventually succumbs to dehydration and food poisoning.

At least with cold foods, a good way to avoid this it to place every bowl in a bowl of ice, which should keep the temperatures at a reasonable level. Also, consider smaller serving portions. Is not having to refill the salad bowl worth potentially killing your hypothetical Aunt Peggy? Another place you have to watch food temperature is hot food - not only holding but cooking them to the right temperature. The FDA has put out a list of appropriate cooking temperatures. You can throw these out the window, and I do on occasion. You have not lived until you have eaten medium-rare pork or chicken. Yummm! However, I don't do this out, you see. I do, however, order my steaks “Blue”. It's a professional term for “Rarer than rare”, and the meat is very purple. This is a game of Russian Roulette that I gladly play for a good steak. Here is a list of cooking temperatures in the United States.

Beef:
Rare: 140
Medium rare: 145
Medium: 160 (this is the minimum temperature for hamburgers under ½ lb in most states)
Medium well: 165
Well Done: 170

Roast beef: Reheat to 140

Chicken/Turkey:
Whole: 180
Breast: 170

Ham:
Raw: 180
Reheating a smoked ham: 140

Pork: 160 to 170

Stuffed foods, force meat (meatloaves) and reheating: minimum of 160

All temperatures are taken from the thickest part of the item in question, close to the center. If bones are an issue, try to stay away from the bone as they take heat quickly and retain heat longer.

What to take temperatures with:

Instant read thermometers are weapon of choice here. You can get a fairly accurate reading in about 2 seconds. There are several styles to choose from out there, from small pen sized analog and digital ones that are available at the grocery store to large digitals that are being phased out by health inspectors for the high tech and high priced infrared thermometers. The benefit of the infrared style is that there is no contact with the item in question, which is good for checking liquids, sauces and sides, but not so good for checking roasts and hamburgers. Because most probe style thermometers do pierce the skin it is best to only take the temperature once, twice if needed.

Recap:

Hold food under 40 degrees F
Cook food to over 140 degrees F
Use ice baths to help maintain temperature
Use a thermometer to insure proper cooking temperatures

Feeding a Gaming Group

Whether you get together, on Friday nights to play cards (Apples to Apples or poker) or you are looking forward to Wizards of the Coast publishing the 4th edition of Dungeons and Dragons (RIP Gary Gygax) you are most likely wondering how to feed a crowd on game night.
I've been pondering this question for nigh on 15 years myself. Pizza and beer or soda is the norm, but it's boring!! and can get quite expensive, depending on the age and appetite of your gaming group. Lets face it, men have a tendency to eat like they are growing, no mater what age. You order 2 large pizzas for your average gaming group and they are gone within 5 minutes, and "the guys" are still hungry. There is always the matter of paying as well. Not only is there "The Mooch" in every group, people are carrying less and less cash. Not to mention the fact that places are accepting less and less cash. WHAT IS WRONG WITH PAPER MONEY PEOPLE!!!!!!
Recently, with my D&D group, I took it upon myself to feed everyone. Being the "Proud Scots" that I am and notoriously frugal, I decided that everyone should pitch in. Being that there are 4 families in our gaming group, I was putting together "4 Ingredient" meals to feed a crowd. One person would bring 2 pounds of pasta, one person would provide the canned tomatoes and two would provide the meats. It was that way with Chili and chicken soup and... well you get the picture. In this way we could feed 15-20 people, players and non-players for less than $5 each. I did say that there was 4 families, with children aged 3-15 and friends. And that's not $5 per person, that's $5 per family. Sometimes, there was even leftovers.


Game Night Pasta Sauce

• One pound Italian Sausage
• One pound ground meat (beef, turkey, pork, chicken)
• 1/2 medium onion "rough chopped"
• 1-2 cloves of garlic minced
  
• 2 cans Italian stewed tomatoes
• 2 cans tomato sauce
• Oregano, basil, thyme, marjoram, Italian spice blend and/or red pepper flakes to taste
• 2 pounds of your favorite pasta

Heat the largest pot you have over medium-low heat. Brown the ground meat and the Italian sausage, if it is the bulk variety. If you have links and would like to chunk it up, I find it better to brown the links whole, then cut them in to bite size pieces. Once the ground meat is well browned, season with salt and pepper. Next add the onions, when the onions are translucent and not burnt, add the garlic. Watch the garlic, cause it has a high sugar content and will burn. When the whole kitchen smells of garlic and onions, add ALL the tomato products. Simmer for about 30 minutes then add your herbs and spices. Simmer for another 30 minutes, then serve over your pasta cooked according the the package directions.


Game Night Chili

This recipe was actually inspired by a hero of mine named Alton Brown. OK, the recipe might be all his, from his show Good Eats on the Food Network, but I didn't remember the amounts.

• 2 pounds of ground meat, this could be a mix or all beef
• 1 can of Mexican stewed tomatoes
• Up to 2 cups of chunky salsa (you get your tomatoes, onions and peppers this way)
• 1/2 medium onion "Rough chopped" (optional)
• 1-2 cloves of garlic minced (optional)
• Up to 1/4 cup of chili powder (start with 1 tablespoon at a time)
• 1 pound bag of corn tortilla chips, pulverized
  
• Oregano, cumin, cilantro, salt and pepper to taste

Heat your largest pot over medium heat. Brown off your meat. If you are going to add the optional onions and garlic, cook your onions now, just like in the pasta sauce recipe. Same for the garlic. Add your tomatoes and salsa and simmer away for about 15 minutes. Add the chips and seasoning and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until the chili is as thick as you like it. For a different taste try adding 12 ounces of the beer that's just laying around on game night. The darker the better, though ports don't do good in chili, IMHO.

My very first article for "The City Scoop"

Way back in May of '07, I wrote to the Community Coordinators on the boards of the "City of Heroes" game. Originally it was to get this blog started. :D However, the letter I received back was an invitation to write for "The City Scoop", an e-fan-zine located on the chat boards that came out every Friday. For about a year now I have been writing these "restaurant reviews" on fake restaurants with real family recipes. I've also had the privilege to write for and work with some of the best folks in that game, players, employees and Developers.
Most of the recipes that I have published with "the Scoop" have been family recipes, testing in my own "test kitchens" for, sometimes, over 30 years.
So without further ado, here is my first article for "The City Scoop"

Super Secret Diner

By LadyK

In this installment of the Super Secret Diner report takes us to one of the most familiar names in Paragon City, Rhode Island and, well, the US. I am talking about El Super Mexicano, of course. Who can forget ESM's owner's, retired Mexican hero, El Jefe, marketing campaign with Pandora's Box? Changing out the signage was a nice touch Boss-man.

The first thing that hits you as you come through the front door is the aroma of fresh salsa and fresher chips. The ESM family makes their tortilla chips fresh all day. This is a good thing, a reliable source stated just one store of this prevalent chain goes through about 2 tons of corn tortillas per year. Other than chips there are plenty of things to pick from. Appetizers, soups and salads, tacos and tostadas, enchiladas, burritos and chimichangas, and many other Mexican delights for the senses. As the menu is not just geared to hero types, who can need massive amounts of food to keep us going, all menu items come in four sizes. El Poco, good for children and people looking to manage their weight, El Medio, lunch sized portions for the average person, El Grande which some would call dinner sized portions and El Super, sized right for sharing with friends and family or for one of our brethren.

The prerequisite nachos and quesadillas were on the menu as well as a traditional favorite from the state of Sonora and the desert region that shares its name. I was quite surprised to to see this amazingly simple dish brought to my table on a pizza tin, and almost disappointed to see that it was nothing more than a flour tortilla covered in cheeses. This dish is deliciously simple and understated; it is a must for everyone. Next, from the array of soups and salads, I had to have help. Too many choices on the menu can be just as daunting as not enough. All the traditional favorites are there, munudo (pig tripe and hominy soup), albondigas (chicken meat-balls in broth), guacamole, taco and fajita salads. As I am not a big fan of eating intestines, I went with the guacamole salad. I was served a delightfully fresh salad with a dip/dressing of mashed avocados, onions, tomatoes and a secret blend of herbs and spices. For the main course I went with a combination plate that offered a little taste of everything on the menu. Combo number five features a cheese enchilada, a shredded beef taco, a chicken burrito a beef tamale, with beans and rice. I found the enchilada sauce a little bitter for my taste, which, by proxy, made both the enchilada and the tamale my least favorite items. The waitress suggested that a little sour cream goes a long way on these items if they are too bitter. The meat in both the taco and the burrito were amazing, well seasoned, moist and tender, perfect with the crispy corn taco and the soft, buttery flour tortilla with the burrito. As a choice with this combination, and all the tacos and burritos, you can have a soft or fried taco shell and your burrito plain, toasted or deep fried. I just recently learned that a deep fried burrito is called a chimichanga.

When I received the check, here again I was pleasantly surprised to find that even my bill was not outrageous. I was also glad to find out that our friends at El Super Mexicano take, not only cash, checks and credit cards but influence, enhancements, inspirations and salvage as well. Not every costume has places for a wallet and ID.

El Super Mexicano's Shredded Beef for Tacos, burritos and enchiladas

This is actually the recipe Estrella Negra, the wife of El Jefe, and co owner of El Super Mexicano, serves at home. This recipe serves 4 people.

• 4 cans of canned roast beef
• 1 medium onion cut in a large dice
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 clove of garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon of cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon of dried cilantro flakes
• salt to taste

In a large steep sided skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat. Turn down the heat to medium and saute the onions and garlic until the onions are translucent and soft. Add the herbs and spices and stir until the oregano and cilantro begin to rehydrate. Add the rinsed canned beef, breaking apart the chunks. Add one can full of water and simmer on medium-low heat for 30 minutes or until most of the water is evaporated. Serve hot in tacos, burritos, tostadas, salads or on nachos.

El Super Mexicano's Frijoles (Beans)

Estrella Negra uses this recipe at home and a modified version at all of the ESM restaurants.

• 1 pound bag of pinto beans
• fresh cold water to cover
• salt to taste

Place rinsed beans in a slow cooker or crock pot, cover with water and simmer over night on low heat. Serve hot, covered with cheese, with any meal.

My Husband's Views on Modern American "Home Cooking"

My husband recently started college, again. This is an essay that he wrote for an assignment on fundamental skills that everyone should have. His personal choices was either cooking (bless him) or building computers. I'm glad he choose cooking. "Cooking," he just said, "was , honestly, an easier argument."

Cooking is Fundamental

I feel that one of the most fundamental skills that seems to have fallen to the wayside through the last few generations in America is that of cooking. I feel that the two main reasons cooking is becoming a lost art is women joining the workforce and the advent of fast food. These factors have contributed to the erosion of the American family's ability to feed themselves.

I feel that World War Two in effect started a chain reaction that has helped contribute to our nations inability to cook. During the war a tremendous number of men were sent to Europe, and as a result women were needed to come into the work force in numbers not seen since World War One. The difference between these changes is that because of the advances in womens rights after the first world war women were even less inclined to work again under the mantle of being the quiet house domestic that men had grown to expect and demand from them. I do not dismiss the role that World War One played in these events, however I feel that while it primed society, it was in fact the second war that created the opportunity to make permanent changes to our nations social structure for women in the work place. The only downside to this in my opinion is, that while granting women equal rights to live, work and be independent which are all essential, it unfortunately left men lost. Men have as a whole very rarely learned much of the mysteries of the kitchen, and as more and more women left to fill their dreams and the job markets men had no one to turn too for good food.

There is some irony in that most professional chefs are actually male, that number pales in light of the larger number of men who do not know how to cook. It also seems strange in my opinion, that women overall have still a higher social expectation to be able to cook, however run into a lot of prejudices and social biases when they attempt to do so professionally.

I feel that it is a reaction to less women in the kitchens of America that gave rise to fast food. From burger stands to corner stores to full restaurant chains Americans have allowed corporations such as White Castle, Wendy's, Macdonald's and Burger King and countless others to fulfill our need to eat. Not to say all food bought out is fast food, there is still a thriving market for diners, deli's and buffets as well as actual sit-down restaurants. However these too contribute to the decline of the American palate as well as increasing the dependency we have for others to feed us. As it is only in the fanciest of restaurants that chefs prepare quality food that truly speaks to what good food actually is.

Now competing with the corporate control of our eating, company's that still produce products for grocery stores have also adapted. More and more often food is found prepared for consumers. They are removing the need for knowledge of how to cook, and replacing it with simple instructions, or with having fully prepared foods on the shelves. At it's current trend I would not be at all surprised if homes start being designed without ovens and stoves. As sad as it is to say, I feel for many ignorant Americans these tools are becoming obsolete.

I feel that it is this social evolution that has given rise to so many of America's health problems. It seems that every day new reports are coming out about our deteriorating health with obesity, heart attacks, cancers, high blood pressure and cholesterol on the rise. As a nation our health is going down as our intake of fresh food does. The true cost of the convenient foods are in the corners cut by the manufacturers; be it poor quality of ingredients, preservatives, artificial flavors, colors and additives or worse yet the content of the food.

It is predictable to tell what a person will be more likely to eat. The answer is what tastes good. However much of what is actually good for us doesn't taste “good” as we have been conditioned to understand that term. From our childhood on Americans are bombarded with advertising from food manufacturers that tell us that for food to be appealing it has to be sweet. This not only leads Americans from eating food with better nutritional value but encourages the consumption of soda, chips, chocolate and candy. Manufacturers also put sweeteners into their prepared foods to further its appeal. The cost of this marketing, Americans health is declining, even while our medical science advances further then it has in human history.

It is my firm belief that if the American people would take the time to learn how to cook properly then that knowledge would lend them to have the confidence to break the cycle of dependency on fast and prepackaged foods. This in turn would evolve into creating a demand for purer ingredients in which to cook with and that would force manufacturers to remove a great deal of the detrimental additives they put into food. This would further evolve into Americans health and standards of living improving.

Cheesecake

History

Where does cheesecake come from? Italy, Greece, France, the US? The truth is all of these places have a baked or set custard or cake made with cheese. Italy actually has 2 categories of "cheesecake", tiramisu and a floured cake with ricotta in the batter. The French style of cheesecake is more akin to what we here in the states consider "Cheesecake", made from a soft, unripened cheese. This spreadable cheese is often sold in the US as "Fat Free" cream cheese.
In the US there is a big debate over who has the best cheesecake, New York or Chicago. I say that the best cheesecakes come from your own kitchen.
This recipe is an amalgam of one recipe and one word of wisdom. The recipe part is out of a "Brand Name" cook book or a box of biscuit mix box. I really don't remember right now. And the advice was from my culinary school baking chef, Chef Scott Myerson, who told me that the best cheesecakes had only 4 ingredients, cream cheese, sugar, eggs and flavor. Everything else was fluff.
This recipe is so easy, I taught a 19 year old Marine to make it with a fork and a microwave. It also plays a big role in my current "Low Carb" lifestyle, but more on that later.

What you need

A large bowl, this could be the bowl of a stand mixer, a food processor, a blender, whatever
Something to stir with, the stand mixer, the blender, the food processor, a spoon, a wish, a fork
Something to cook in, this could be a cake pan, muffin tin, plastic bowl (but only for the microwave)



Plain cheese cake
8 8 ounce blocks of any unflavored cream cheese
8 whole eggs
2 cups of sugar or sugar substitute
2 tablespoons vanilla extract (pure please, not imitation)

Topping
1 cup of sour cream
1 tablespoon of sugar or sugar substitute
1 teaspoon of vanilla

1) soften cream cheese to room temperature
2) cut into 1 inch cubes
3) add to bowl with eggs, sugar, and vanilla
4) mix until smooth
5) Cook; if you are using an oven, preheat to 400 degrees, bake in a greased cake pan for 45 -60 min. If you are using the microwave, cook on high for about 3 min checking every min after the second.
6)The cake is done when the edge is firm but the center is still a bit giggly
7) Mix the topping up and place on the HOT cheese cake
8) Cool at least 15 min
9) Enjoy

What does this have to do with Gaming?!?!?!

This basic cheesecake recipe is one that I take to new gaming groups. It's a bit of an "ice breaker" for me, since food makes me more comfortable in just about any surrounding. It was also published in the MMO Fan-zine that I write for as part of a review of a in-game restaurant. It was spruced up a bit with the additional flavors of pineapple and coconut to make a Pina Colada cheesecake.

Intro

I am a geek. I was born a geek and I will die a geek. My Mom's a Trekkie and my Dad's an arm-chair historian. I've never dated anyone with an IQ under 130. At 12 I wanted to be an Astronaut. Why? To eat in zero G.
I went to a special magnet Middle School for Math and Science, there I fell in love with the science and art of cooking and cookery. In high school I tried to follow my Dad and get into sports. Well swimming and tennis, and performance arts, theater and choir. I think because of that, my love of tabletop gaming took hold. After high school, in 1993, I rolled my first "Dungeons & Dragons" character. I was in geek heaven. My Bards cooking skills were only put to use once, but the next gaming session, I brought the same cake I made in game. Between 1994 and 1995 I decided that cooking was "My Thing" and in October of '95 I started Culinary school. From October '95 to my graduation in '97 I managed to my my geek level to near "god-like" status, but joining the local Rocky Horror Picture Show cast. I instantly became the cast chef. 4 years, 20 cakes, and one wedding later, I left the cast.
Sometime between '99 & '01 I discovered "good" computer games, Heroes of Might and Magic, Ages of Empires, and others were my fix. It wasn't until '03 that I joined the ranks of MMO addicts. On "Norath"I learned that the "M"s also stood for "yuMM". Food crafting, in game, became my muse. The more guild mates learned that I was Chef the more they wanted the RL recipes. '04 also saw the birth of one of my favorite games. Paragon City, Rodes Island became my new virtual home and a wide world of culinary treats opened up. By the summer of '07 I was putting a culinary face on the game in a weekly Fan-zine.
Now, I bring my gaming geekyness, and my culinary cunning to you with "The Geek Gourmet". Whether its a Pre- Renaissance Faire breakfast, quick MMO snaking or Tabletop RPG feasts, these recipes are fast, fun and cheap