Family

Today I was thoughtfully reminded of how blessed I am to have such an amazing family. My mom had mentioned to me that her boyfriend, Stan, who I consider my step-father, would be fishing near Erie, unwinding from a long trial. He is a lawyer in Pittsburgh, but is equally passionate about fly-fishing. He has travelled all over fishing with friends, and I am always amazed at his pictures - he catches fish that are breathtakingly beautiful and enormous. As I prepared my lunch this afternoon, I got a call from Stan saying he caught me a trout and was delivering it to me. I was very excited but had no idea what I had in store. He didn't just catch me a trout, he brought me a gigantic steelhead trout in a cooler, frozen and stiff from rigor mortis. When he was able to flatten it, I took a picture that simply doesn't do this majestic creature justice.

I had never seen a fish filleted before, and it was interesting to watch Stan slaughter it in my kitchen. I've always appreciated and admired Stan, but today I truly came to marvel at his wide range of capabilities - from an outstanding lawyer in a business suit, to a sophisticated wine connoisseur and entertaining party host, to a sweaty gardener and squash player, and now capable fish "slaughterer." In addition, it caused me to feel more connected to this area, as fish are a prominent source of western Pennsylvania nourishment that I hadn't yet experienced from my project. There was a certain primal and fascinating quality to think that this morning, Stan's trout was happily swimming nearby, and hours later made for an incredible dinner. He cut the fish into 2 gigantic fillets, and I have plenty frozen to make delicious dinners in the future.

I baked the fish fillets with butter, garlic and rosemary. I put it in the oven on broil for about 3 minutes, and then turned the oven to 325 degrees, lowered the fish onto the bottom rack, and let it cook for about 15-20 more minutes. It came out perfectly - the meat peeled right off the scales, and the bones were easy to remove as well. The meat of the trout was particularly interesting; as you can see from the pictures it was very pink which isn't typical of trout. It's usually much whiter because farmed trout is fed pellets, as opposed to its natural diet, and causes the meat to be lighter. My trout meat looked more like salmon, which is indicative of its happy (or atleast I'd like to think so) life in its natural habitat. Stan doesn't ever keep his fish. He loves the "sport" of fishing but strictly upholds a "catch-and-release" theory. I know killing this glorious fish wasn't easy for him, but I am very appreciative not only for the delicious meal(s) it will provide, but for the opportunity to have such a unique dining experience.

Not only was receiving the fish special for me, but preparing it was equally satisfying. It had been a long time since I cooked for someone but myself (and something other than the grilled cheese or egg sandwich I was famous for before my project made me turn into a chef). In honor of my fish feast, I wanted to make a yummy dinner for my boyfriend. Though we've cooked together in the last three months as I've remained steadfast to my project, he never wanted to have more than a bite of my creations - he felt bad eating any of my food supply that I cherished. Tonight I insisted that he share a meal with me. I only have 11 "official" days left of my project, and I have more food than I know what to do with! We had a great time cooking together - his primary jobs were time keeper and picture taker, which he did remarkably well (until accidentally deleting all the pictures he took). It was a ton of fun and very satisfying for me when he thoroughly enjoyed his meal. It's one thing to like your own food, but it's all the more meaningful when its enjoyed by someone you care about. We have dinner plans tomorrow night too, I'm excited!

When I thought my day couldn't possibly get any better as I savored a hunk of maple candy, I got a phone call from my dad. My dad is an avid hunter, and spends many of his weekend mornings hunting geese, ducks, turkey, pheasants, etc., with my brother and the other men in our family. Today he had great news - he got me a grouse! Grouse certainly aren't easy to shoot, and I'm thrilled my dad was able to get one for me. I'm planning on making it for my dad and me while I'm home for Thanksgiving break, and I feel it will be a connective experience that I'm looking forward to enjoying.

Reflecting on the day, I'm struck by how much my family cares about me, and how lucky I am to have such wonderful people in my life. My family and friends have been extremely supportive of me throughout this entire process. In the beginning everyone was worried (as much as I was) that this project wouldn't be a success for one reason or another. I truly think it's because of the love, support, ideas, and wisdom of my family that have made the last three months so life-changing for me. Even though my project is near its official conclusion, I know these values will stay with me indefinitely; they have become too meaningful for me to ever forget.