oink!

i totally forgot that i met/sweated profusely in front of a (local) celebrity this past weekend!

 

chef edward lee, who won iron chef america and was a favorite on top chef  texas, has claimed louisville as home in the past decade and released a cookbook this month

i can't say i've ate at either of lee's restaurants...yet!  but i have had the pleasure of attending woodford reserve's master chef series in which he was featured

that's lee and ouita michel (another localish, fabulous chef)

i've also been interested and read a few of lee's publications in other outlets - and as someone who enjoys creative writing, voice filled memoirs, and ...well, food - i found lee's writing to be very enjoyable.

i knew i wanted to own his new cookbook - even if the recipes seemed to be quite meat heavy (not my style) just because of his personal story of growing up in brooklyn as a korean-american and his journey to louisville and how all of those things have influenced his asian-southern, bourbon loving cooking.

so yada yada yada yada - i was out shopping saturday and had on my to-do list to pick up a copy of the book Smoke and Pickles



i was headed to william's sonoma to ogle the pretty things, when i noticed they had a sign up with a picture of the book on it

i squealed thinking i would just buy the book here - and then my aunt pointed out that he was there doing a book signing!

i squealed again

but then noticed there weren't many people in the store and thought the signing was over

lee was at the counter talking with the staff, his signing "shift" was almost over and he was ready to leave

too scared to ask him if he could still sign my copy - that i still hadn't purchased- i asked one of the cashiers

when i asked if lee could still sign my book, she said "yeah- he's right over there"

i was so flustered- i mean hellllo lady...i know who he is...i just didn't want to disturb him if he was busy

but it all worked out - i was able to swipe a cookbook (with the permission of the staff), meet ed, have my book signed, and then i bought my book

that same lady was pretty nervous about letting me get the book signed before buying too- she basically was standing over top of me once he put the cap on his sharpie.

i don't know why i was so nervous - but i sweated so much while he was signing - i'm guessing the rush of excitement along with being flustered with the cashier

sorry ed if it looked like i had just ran 5 miles to say hello.

i can't wait to try out the bourbon and coke meatloaf this weekend!