Apricot + Self Control

By Craig Lieckfelt & Jameria Blain

The wooden door creaks as it opens and the tarnished brass bell, dings out. The long wood planks are about a hundred years old, and they make the ground crinkle, warped by seasonal juxtapose. But that’s what adds to the beauty of this place. David enters the store, Mackinaw Fudge, the speciality, a smile, examining the fudge makers at work.

Their pots are filled with molten fudge and David wouldn’t say it’s boiling but a gurgle is heard throughout the store. With large hollow pockets of fudge circling around the surface of the pot. A burst of sugar, butter and chocolate fill the air, intoxicating David’s being in seconds.

The fudge maker stirs the molten, fudge lava with a wooden paddle, the marble table is fitted with guides, a template prepared for the process. David has been to these fudge shops before, soon there’s pouring, folding, scraping and layering fudge, a process complete. David’s not leaving until he gets his treat, but he does wonder around the shop a bit.

Peering around with untethered eyes and examines the homemade ice-cream surrounded by the various cases of: Fudge, Traverse City cherry, Butter Pecan, Double Chocolate, apricot, saltwater taffy, licorice wheels and laces, flying sauciers, smarties, and M&M’s available for purchase. But fudge is the only thing on David’s mind.

The fudge maker and his coworker determine if it’s ready. The door opens and an elderly gentleman walks in and he resembles, in David’s mind, the late great Coach John Wooden. David begins to exercise his self-control, when the stores newest patron revokes a memory of a lesson from Coach Wooden about controlling self. 

“I was raised on a small farm in southern Indiana, and dad tried to teach me and my brothers that you should never try to better than someone else. I’m sure at the time I didn’t get it, but years later in the hidden recess of my mind it popped out. Never try to be better than someone else, always learn from others, never cease trying to be the best that you could be. That’s in your control. If you get too engrossed, involved, and concerned about things that which you have no control than it adversely effects the things that you can control. Then I ran across a simple verse that said “At God’s foot stool, too confess, a poor soul knelt and bowed his head, I failed he cried, the man said, I did thoust best, that is success. I coined my own definition of success which is peace of mind obtained only through self-satisfaction and knowing you made the effort to do the best of which your capable, I believe that’s true, if you make the effort, do the best of which you’re capable and trying to improve the situation that exists for you, I think that’s success and I don’t think others can judge that.”  

-John Wooden-

David sits with his fudge, and he contemplates the definition of self-control and restraint, in which only eating one slice of fudge when David feels like two is of value. For there’s value in self-control but that value stretches beyond physical manifestation. It’s the outside material and our relationship with outwardly things that are of true value but could also lead to things that defiles. In the same way it takes time and consideration to control ourselves inwardly. Finding restraint from other’s perception, self awareness, control of self from other’s thoughts is mastery, inwardly control manifests outwardly respect and love for others — this leads to true self-worth and value.

Apricot Hot Sauce with breakfast 

yields 4

Ingredients 

Apricots 1 lb 

Fresno chilis  1lb 

Garlic 6 each cloves 

Red wine vinegar 2 T 

honey 1 T 

Salt 2T

Water  1quart 

Farm fresh eggs   2 each 

Spinach  2 cups 

Porcini 2 each 

Avocado 1/2 each 

Garlic 1 clove 

Shallots, minced 1 T 

Thyme leaves, 1 T 

Furikake 1 teaspoon 

for the apricot hot sauce

Rinse the peppers and place in a glass container.   

Heat the water, honey, salt and vinegar until all is dissolved and then cool slightly.  

Pour the liquid over the peppers, cover with a lid and let marinate in the fridge for 5 days to fully develop flavor.  

Heat a pot of water to boiling and then score the apricots with a pairing knife and then submerge in the boiling water for 10 seconds and then plunge in ice water.  Once cool, with a pairing knife, peel the apricots. Cut them into quarters and remove the seeds.  

Place the apricots and the marinated peppers with liquid into a blender and puree until smooth.  Push through a fine mesh strainer and then place in various containers.  

for breakfast

in a large skillet, sauté seasonal mushrooms with garlic, shallots and thyme.  Add a handful of spinach and cook until completely wilted.  Reserve. 

In a non stick pan, take local farm fresh eggs and fry until your desired degree of doneness.  

For final garnish, plate the vegetables at the base of the plate and then top with fried eggs and then avocado and season with salt, furikake, olive oil, black pepper and then drizzle the apricot hot sauce on the whole dish, serve some on the side if desired.