SaltAir

Drive it like you stole it. Park it like you own it.

I received a lovely gift from one my best girlfriends.

My friend is this kind, bold, beautiful, bad ass, Israeli woman. I met her over 20 years ago this year. She coached me into some of my very first waves on a surfboard. She says what she feels, and means what she says. Just the sort of woman I admire. She’s also one of the best cooks I know. Well, she can do it all because she does what she wants, fearlessly; Effortful and intentional. She’s quite remarkable and inspiring. Our relationship has been primarily long distance as she has lived afar all these years. We do make the time to see each other every couple years or so. We cook, eat, surf, and share our current beauty wellness cositas. She’s fun. Her name is Shelly.

Shelly just returned from Israel and as you can imagine what a wild trip to go home to her beloved country under the current circumstances. We do not talk about politics or perspectives.. I share my concern for her well being and family. The conversation quickly turned to our nervous systems and how both feel frazzled these days. We share our “tools of the trade”, as we are both mothers and self employed. Check out her most yummy skin care line, Oshan . We talk about her food inspiration and food journey in Israel, sharing recipes and knowledge. For my birthday, she sent me her current favorite cook book called Zitoun, recipes from the Palestinian Kitchen.

Nuance. Nuance in everything really. Im not sure why as humans we find much comfort in defining rolls or perspectives. Like we’ve got to know a clear defined box to make everything fit right or everyone wrong. There’s now this pressure to have to display with a vengeance our political views and perspectives on social media. I don’t have an interest in fighting with anyone. I don’t need to be right. I rather feed people. Feed people with nourishment. There is a million ways to do a thing. No fuqing proper way to make a grilled cheese sandwich. I say be weary of someone who claims to know it all, and without a doubt. Don’t trust that chef. Nuance.

Well, did you miss me? I skipped a few weeks. Not that I wanted to. I have been loving writing, taking the time to reflect, and to share here with you. I have been so busy doing and being all the things. Chef, mah, wannabe surfer, you get it. It has been a bit much. A little bit of stress, a sprinkle of funk, with little bursts of joy throughout the days to keep me going.

It was my birthday this week. I am feeling good to be here, in my skin, swirling in space on this planet, here with you. I have really been loving my 40’s. Now as I turn 44, I feel ready and steady. So grateful that many of my anxious thoughts and worries have gotten a little bit bored living in my head. I know fully, that abundance loves the mindset of abundance. Scarcity also love scarcity. Loving makes more space for more loving. Worry simply worships the problem. These notes save my ass time, and time again. If only it were always easy. Well actually… ease only comes after the squeeze anyways. Lemonade with tequila anyone ?

I’ve learned to appreciate the breeze, and especially when it hits me just right. These moments I really try to savor. They stop me in my tracks. I know better now. I know when to pay attention. I know one day the breeze will stop, and maybe Ill fell like I’m suffocating for the moment, and then that the breeze will return. With this trust and wisdom, comes the silver tinsel sprouting in my hair. I don’t mind them, but they do look a bit electrocuted. I do know, with time, like everything else, they too will smooth over.

I will leave you here with my death row meal. It would be grilled chicken drummetts and salad. I love chicken wings so much. The drummers I find easier to eat. I like to eat things with my hands.

For the wings:

-season with salt & pepper and adobo ( I like frontier brand). Then some cumin and turmeric. I like to grill pretty high as I like nice grill marks and a little char. Def give it at least 8 minutes on the first side. Flip and she’s alomst done. It goes fast, and are done quickly.

I make these often when I’m alone, as it’s the time I like to pick a simple salad from my garden. It’s an easy meal. I crave simplicity and “my soul foods” when I cook for myself. Maybe its because I grew up going to happy hour as a young child with my parents. Back then, they let us kids sit at the bar and eat all the merachino cherries we wanted. Shirly temples on tap with chicken wings. When the adults got lit, I got some some cash for 7 11 for candy or a slurpy down the strip mall. Cherry coke.

I often season the wings in advance, and take them in a insulated Hydroflask Bowl with Lid camping. So they are ready to go to hit the grill. They cook fast and are so easy. Perfect camping food.

You can make a chimmichurri to go with. You can dip in some of my favorite condiments such as, Truff hot sauce, Zabb's hot sauce, or Momofuko chilli crunch.

Pro Tip: chimichurri and momo chilli crunch go great together.

Chimmichurri

( goes great with all grilled fare)

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano

• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

• ½ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, (from about 1 bunch of parsley, coarse stems removed)

I prefer to do this all by hand, but you can use a food processor. You can add cilantro if you like. Play with the acid… like use lemon and or zest for example. Sometimes I add honey and chopped almonds.

Do you…

but this is my death row meal.

With Love and Cositas,

jess