Presentation Marks

Before watching the opening ceremonies of the Olympics, I made this simple broiled wild Alaskan (That's pretty close to Canada.) salmon with roasted asparagus and wild rice. The salmon marinated briefly in lemon juice then in soy sauce and brown sugar for about 15 minutes. I'm blaming the charring on my most despised cooking apparatus: the electric stove. I know it was the electric broiler's fault and not mine for setting the broiler to "high." Don't you agree? Down with the electric range!

I actually made an attempt at an interesting presentation, but, as seems to be the case with most of my meals, was too anxious to eat to actually try too hard. Now that I look back on it, those asparagus spears are lookin' particularly flaccid. Some people (namely the one who ate the other helping of this meal) call me overly critical--and not only of my own cooking--but I know I have a long way to go before I'm the kind of cook that I strive to be. That is, the kind who might wipe the edge of the plate before they serve it to someone. And I have certain standards for the food that I eat. What's so wrong with that?! Nothing, but it sure does make me annoying to eat with sometimes!

Today I read an NPR profile on two-time gold figure skating gold medalist and Olympic commentator Dick Button today. He has a rep for being a bit harsh at times. I particularly love his remark: "It was just so-so" following a world champion's routine. However, his occasional critical comments are balanced by a true love and appreciation for all aspects of the sport.

But he's adamant about not sugarcoating what he sees on the ice. "I don't think anybody wants to sit there and listen to somebody say, 'Ooh, ooh, ooh, wasn't that beautiful? Wasn't that just too lovely for words?' The heck with that," he says.

So, what I'm getting at is...I'm the Dick Button of cooking.