How the Affare All Started

I know you all are dying to know how it began; it’s the hot details of the beginning that makes the story interesting. 

Moving Day, July 2004, Durham, NC – If you know NC summer heat and humidity, you know not to choose to move into a new apartment that day, its plain stupid, but I couldn’t have been more excited.  My FIRST apartment, on my OWN!  I was 21 and thought I new everything.  I had a job as a Sales and Catering Manager at local full-service hotel, making a real salary and on cloud 9…until we unlocked the door to the empty apartment.  CURRY.  All we could smell was curry.  At the time, I had not come to love traditional Indian cuisine, so I was immediately grossed out.  The complex had no other vacant units, so this was it…700 square feet of curry goodness.  I now wish I could write the previous tenants a thank you note – curry is delicious, but we will get to that in “Affare with Azitra.” 

There I was in a small apartment, purple slip covered couch (gosh, looking back, it was terrible!), small 4-seater café table and a large galley kitchen my parents so graciously stocked before they left.  My Mom left me with a small plastic index card box filled with some recipes from home, but I had no clue in the world where to start.  So I walked to the sushi restaurant across the street. 

This little gem, Shiki Sushi, became my home 3 days a week.  I found my palette has a strong affinity for spicy scallops, wasabi and a crisp white wine.  Money was a bit tight, so I had to go on buy one roll, get one free night and could only get wine on Wednesday wine night because it was on special.  My salary job was nice, but I quickly learned that it did not support my sushi habit…it had to stop.  Moment of silence inserted here…

On my next trip to the grocery store, milk, mayo, and basic items in tow, I approached the seafood aisle and something clicked.  I can use Krab Meat to create my own sushi.  It’s pre-cooked, really cheap and will absorb any flavors well.  I grabbed a couple cucumbers, some cilantro and a Barefoot Chardonnay and hurried to the check out.

Walking home I was enthused to try my new concoction – Krab Rolls (I was also really creative back then).

One Package Imitation Krab Meat

½ cup mayo

Chopped Cilantro

Cucumber, peeled and sliced ¼ inch or so

Salt/Pepper

Dice the delicate krab meat sticks and toss is small mixing bowl.  Add mayo, chopped cilantro, salt and pepper – mix.

Place spoonfuls of the mixture on salted cucumber slice, top with additional cucumber slice and enjoy.

Best when washed down quickly with large glass on Chardonnay

Yes folks, that was how it all started.  Looking back the krab rolls weren’t that bad at the time but I am not on a mission to make a “grown up” version and actually roll the cucumbers and use real seafood in my next recipe.  Key takeaway…seafood pairs well with crisp white wine.