because this whole blogging thing has somehow become a big part of my life, and well – if you, dear readers, had never showed up - then just what would be the point?   so again, thank you.  and so that you know, i adore each and every one of you and wish we could all have one big group hug.  and then i would cook you lunch.  and i would really try to impress you, yes i would.  because after all, a lot of you would have had to travel very far to get your hug – and it’d be the very least i could do…

SO LET ME JUST SAY THAT THIS WAS TOTALLY FREAKIN’ HARD…

and you know i’m not big into capital letters – so it had to have been REALLY tough. 

ok – i picked 5…

and the winners are:

comment #6 – klinde – hers was the longest and she referenced the sound of music and well, i know every lyric to every song from that movie and i had the record and played it on my little victrola in my bedroom in forest hills, queens – and so YES i am old…  but it’s not my fault, ok?  anyway – klinde was convinced she was going to win and so i didn’t have the heart to rob her of that fantasy. 

comment #11 – tim johnson – he did lose points for misspelling the word limerick but then he forged forward and really did write a good one… and who doesn’t love a rock solid limerick?

comment #30 – mary – she hit me heavy with the high brow quotes and almost more adjectives and adverbs then any one comment could possibly expect to hold.  something about envisioning herself there on a natural high… i liked the vibeyness.

comments #38, 41 and 42 – cary and sarah – because they double teamed me and then there was that "dirty little food porn secret" reference – and well, it’s hard not to like that in a couple.  at least if you’re me.

comment #55 – richard – because he’s also from new york and he feels my pain…  and if you have to ask you’ll never understand.

if the winners could please email me at cookeatFRET@gmail.com with your addresses, ‘the nashville scene‘ will get these tix right out to you.

so thanks for playing along.  big thanks to the wonderful nashville scene – but mostly dear readers, thanks for being my cyber buddies.

i’m honored.

hey nashville?  we need to talk, ok?  because here at ‘ceF‘, i’ve got something both exciting and wonderous to tell you - AND to give you.  well not all of you.  but 5 of you.  yep, 5 of you and your one very special friend.  so that’s 10 whole people whose lives i get to enrich, expand and perhaps even alter – forever.  dear readers, can’t you see the absolute ENORMITY of this?  i just knew you could.

and suddenly, i’m feeling very oprah’esqe…

so here’s how it works… ‘the nashville scene‘ has generously given ‘ceF‘ 5 pair of tickets to this totally awesome event.  so if you’re going to be in nashville on april 30th, and would like to attend ’IRON FORK‘,   the culinary event of the year (details listed below), please just leave a comment telling me why you’d like to go – and be sure to get your point across, ok?  i will pick the 5 best comments.  because it is my blog and quite frankly – i’ve got all the power here – within the unlimited confines of my cyber walls.

all entries must be in by monday april 21st at midnight
winners will be announced tuesday april 22nd at noon

        Don’t miss the culinary event of the year!

On Wednesday, April 30^th, Whole Foods Market Presents Nashville Scene’s Iron Fork, benefiting St. Luke’s Community House, at LP Field’s West Club Level Riverside. The fun lasts from 6:00-10:00 p.m. with samples of award-winning cuisine from Menu of Menus 2008, the Scene’s guide to Nashville city dining, two complimentary drink tickets, and live entertainment. Watch 5 of the best chefs in Nashville battle it out in a head-to-head chef’s competition better than anything you’ll ever see on TV!  Or enjoy a refreshing glass of delicious Blue Moon ale in the Blue Moon Beer Garden hosted by 107.5’s Woody and Jim.

The 2008 competing chefs are:

Bobby Benjamin – Flyte World Dining
Clay Greenberg – Lime/Virago
Deb Paquette – Zola Restaurant
Sean Norton – Watermark
Will Ulhorn – F. Scott’s

Sampling restaurants include Agave Tequila Lounge, Alleycat Lounge & Tex-Mex Grill, Drew’s Brews Coffee, Fire-N-Ice Bar & Grill, Flyte World Dining & Wine, Green Hills Grille, Mad Platter, Mere Bulles Restaurant, Nero’s Grill, PM, Qdoba Mexican Grill , Ru San’s Sushi and Seafood Japanese Restaurant, Saffire Restaurant & Bar, Sitar Indian Cuisine, Star Bagel, Watermark, Whole Foods Market, Wildhorse Saloon, and Wildwood Oak Fired Kitchen.

And it’s all for a great cause!  Bring your family and friends and help raise money for St. Luke’s Community House, since food is the very foundation of St. Luke’s services. Volunteers deliver around 100 hot meals to area seniors every week day through their mobile meals program. Through a partnership with Second Harvest, St. Luke’s distributes emergency food boxes to hundreds of our neighbors each year. With major support from the Bank of America Foundation, St. Luke’s began offering culinary classes as part of their job skills training program that serves men and women trying to find a better job.

$25 advance tickets can be purchased through the nashvillescene.com or you can buy your ticket at the door for $30 the day of the event. Presented by Whole Foods Market, and sponsored by Blue Moon, 107.5 The River, and Jive! A Digital Print Factory. You must be 21+ with a valid I.D.  Parking is free. For more information, log onto www.nashvillescene.com or call the Iron Fork Hotline at 244.4989 x341.

my eyes close in on #23! and it’s joy from joy of cooking! a homey! a patissier at a local market/restaurant called marche with an excellent reputation! and we can finally meet! i will save on shipping! she’s even half mexican! it seemingly couldn’t happen to a nicer gal!!! excellent. but that #44 sure does sound familiar. yep. jaden again. all i can say is that this woman must be karmically desperate for mole… ok ok jaden. the universe is sending you mole and i am just the messenger. so jaden and joy you have ceF’s sincere congratulations for your incredible skill and deftness in posting comments. especially jaden. i would also like to add that after all of this, i am awarding a third prize too. it goes to #30 – michelle from thursday night smackdown, who asks the age old question, "where the fuck do you get avocado leaf?". well michelle, this is your lucky day. you get it from me. the goddess of avocado leaf. and i am sending you an avocado leaf of your very own. seriously. for you. BUT HEY NOW LISTEN UP!!! because michelle’s comment was so incredibly real – and moving as well as inspiring, i have decided that anyone who entered this contest who would like an avocado leaf to call their very own will now have their flora dreams come true. because dear readers, here at ceF, everyone’s a winner. that’s right. you heard me. you’re a winner. yes you are. ok now gather round. biiiiig group hug. so all those with any interest please send me your snail mail addresses at cookeatFRET@gmail.com and your doorstep will be graced with an avocado leaf. signed, goddess of the avocado leaf (aka gaL) ps – in celebration – there will be cake tonight for all of you…