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I don’t know what I wanna be anymore. (Anyways, when is this grown up thing going to be happening if it hasn’t already…) I went from the steadfast belief that I was going to be a veterinarian from gradeschool and up, to a wistful hope through highschool of getting my degree and getting into a certain program that would bring me over to teach english in japan. (and hopefully see the cherry blossoms in full bloom along with the rest of the culture) Since the end of highschool though, those convictions have metamorphosed into other things… along with the rest of my perception of the world. The best way to put it is: I thought I knew everything and now I feel I know nothing. (And this is where wise mentor comes into the scene: “Ah but now you are learning, young grasshoppa”)

Now my major in college changes on a whim, and my thoughts on becoming are leaves in the wind. Sometimes I want to be a starving artist with only the company of blank canvas boards, used tubes of oils, sketchbooks in dissaray on the floor, brushes in a glass half full or empty depending only upon the hour. There will be weeks where I sit places and sketch unsuspecting persons… And then, I drop it like a friend who has wronged me… Some days I dream of becoming a scientist in a controlled environment, others I imagine myself working near, studying, photographing wild animals in other countries, the idea of pressing my clothes before work simply out of the question and unneccessary to say the least. And others yet, I’m in a business suit with a confident stride down a seemingly endless hallway of pristine executive offices doing something… “important” (this time the pressing of the suit absolutely crucial)

…The dream that reoccurs the most and stays the longest in my head though, is building my own place in the world from the ground up. A restaurant, to be exact. Over time of course… right now I am just soaking up every scrap of knowledge I stumble across and am arming myself with what I feel are the best weapons for many situations; hope, experience, ambition, inspiration, discipline and honor to name only a few.

And what spurred this thought processes? An inspiring conversation with my coworker, who is now I would say becoming a friend, and who is also teaching me how to speak Tagalog, (it sounds like it is said Talgado to my ears, but really pronounced like tah gah log) the language from the phillipines. On a lighter note, life has been crazy good… I really enjoy my job and am learning so many things. So now I must work on making more things on a daily basis…

What better to start with than a most simple recipe involving only honey and sesame seed?

These are a greek snack called Pasteli. I think this is the simplest snack I’ve come across making in quite some time (Faster than pizza rolls even :p) Healthiest too; I looked up both ingredients out of curiosity and the heaping list of health benefits made me skeptical of what these things would taste like.

Well… they taste like the sum of their ingredients. If you enjoy sesame seed flavor and the natural sweetness of honey then you will probably enjoy these. At first bite I didn’t know if I liked them or not. They were interesting, but not something I was used to. They have grown on me since then. I took these to work and my coworkers and Shaun seemed to really enjoy them. Anyhow, I see myself making these many more times to come and then eventually becoming my go to snack (being very good for you is a bonus too!). They are so simple to make, they’re certainly worth a try.

Pasteli:

Recipe originally found on elly says opa

1 1/3 cups honey

3 cups sesame seed

If the sesame seeds are not already toasted lay them all out on a sheet pan and put in a (preheated to 350 degree) oven and toast until fragrant and golden brown. (This took me about 10 minutes; I check on them at the five minute marker and then keep a close watch after)

Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper (I used my silicone mat)

Over medium high heat bring the honey to a boil. Stir in sesame seeds and bring to a second boil. Continue stirring for a minute or so more until it thickens and the seeds are coated with the honey. Pour onto prepared sheet. If you want to do bars of some sort you can smooth them down to even layers and then cut them later when they cool; if you want to make sesame balls wait a moment until they are cool enough to touch (but still slightly warm and flexible) and roll them on your palm (or any flat surface) in circles.

Well… until next time, paalam (goodbye)