Podcast Episode #39
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[00:00:00] Welcome to the Extraordinary Life Podcast from the creator of the Extraordinary Life Tribe, Crystal Obregon, the self-development podcast propelling you forward toward your goals. Using science backed high performance habits. Reach the next level in your physical and mental health. See new Heights in your relationships.
[00:00:18] Gain clarity on your purpose and live your extraordinary life. Welcome your host writer, speaker and coach, Crystal Obregon.
[00:00:29] Crystal: Hi there. This is Crystal from Crystal Obregon Coaching with Episode Number 39 of the Extraordinary Life Podcast. In today's episode, I'm talking with Debra Costella. I met Deborah a few years ago here in Santa Cruz.
[00:00:48] Since then she's moved to Ashland, Oregon to be closer to family. I know Deborah as a chef, I finally had the opportunity to attend one of her online cooking classes. And [00:01:00] it was so fun. I don't usually go to cooking classes because I'm a pretty good cook and worked in restaurant kitchens through college and after, but now I sign up whenever I can.
[00:01:12] It's fun to cook with others in the privacy of my own kitchen. And I learned a ton. Debra became a chef later in life. And I thought her story would interest and inspire you. So let's get started. Debra, tell my listeners a little bit about yourself and your journey, because I know that you have not always been a chef, right.
[00:01:41] Deborah: Originally. I think maybe I'm on my third phase of life because originally I. Cancer ballet dancer as a ballerina in San Francisco bay area, little jazz and tap as well. I danced in San Diego, California for a few years. [00:02:00] And then later got married and had four children, two girls and two boys. And during that time, it was a little more difficult to dance, probably fell into teaching around my third pregnancy.
[00:02:13] And so I was teaching and not performing by then and continue to do that. And then later. It was a stay at home mom and decided that dancing and teaching. I loved it. Then I was outgrowing it a little bit and I wanted to spend more time with my children. So I went to night school and got myself certified in early childhood education because I had always taught dance classes to both adults and children and teens.
[00:02:39] And I really, really loved it. I loved teaching. It was. So I thought, okay, I'll just be a preschool teacher, but I didn't want to just do daycare. I really wanted to do education. So I got myself certified in early childhood education and I did that for several years. So my children, I ran it out of my home.
[00:02:58] And then later I was hired by a [00:03:00] large corporation and then I could bring my children to school, work with me, but that got a little bit challenging. I was running nine schools in the state of Nevada. If I thought, gosh, crystal, if I woke up in the morning and thought of how many children and parents I was responsible for, I never wanted to leave the door to didn't want to walk out the door.
[00:03:23] It's a huge responsibility. And it also became really challenging for me to balance the creativity of working with children and creating curriculum and being an administrator where the priority is really profit and loss statements. And that.
[00:03:42] But one of the things that I had done when I was teaching, not just administrating, I incorporated cooking projects into my classrooms because I felt like cooking was a great way to address all types of learners and children. There's some visual, tactile, some kids don't [00:04:00] want to touch anything. Drawn in by the smell.
[00:04:04] Of course they wanted to eat the cookies or whatever. We made a Mac and cheese and such, so that, um, ended up evolving into just teaching, cooking classes to children. So I ran a business in Las Vegas, Nevada called kids cookies and caviar because I wanted to convey to people at the children would not just be making.
[00:04:27] Pizza on an English muffin or a Mac and cheese with sliced hot dogs in it. I wanted to convey the fact that these children that participated in my classes were going to get a more sophisticated experience with food and they did. So I did that for several years in Vegas. And then later the parents started asking me, do you teach adult classes?
[00:04:54] And I said, um, yeah, And then later I was getting asked, well, do you do [00:05:00] meal preps for people? Do you do catering and personal chef work? And so I went not yet, but I will. So then I went back to school again and got myself. And the culinary arts in Vegas. And I finally ended up just easing myself out of working with children, although I still do that and I love it.
[00:05:19] My primary focus is adults businesses, team building and so on and so forth. So clearly I left Vegas, but had to change the name from kids, cookies and caviar, and actually did this in Vegas. I changed the name, rebranded myself to cosmic muffin. And that's where I am today. So now at this point I'm working mostly with adults.
[00:05:43] I do some personal chef work on it on occasion, but really my focus is culinary education. So it just kind of snowballed when things still always a teacher just as I was when I was dancing. But now I use. [00:06:00] I always like to refer to that series similar to ours because now instead of choreographing movement on a stage, I choreograph ingredients into dishes and into complete meals.
[00:06:12] So it's the same thing. So tell
[00:06:15] me how long ago was it that you moved from Santa Cruz to Ashlyn? I know it was during the pandemic. Right?
[00:06:22] I know we were just talking about that because my son and I actually, there was no family up here. I just came up here and brought my son and daughter-in-law and my grandson with me.
[00:06:34] So I was in Vegas, maybe 23, 24 years. My intention in Santa Cruz was to open my cooking school there in Santa Cruz. And so I started teaching classes a little bit at it, new life, and I forgot the name, newly new leaf. Right. So that first year I think I moved there in 2019. Started making friends, joining networking groups and [00:07:00] getting myself out there, got myself licensed cosmic muffin schools, cookery in Santa Cruz, California, and then get some wonderful clients like match.com and things of that nature.
[00:07:13] So I could do group classes. January of 2020 was looking good. February of 2020 was looking good. And then down, and then yes, the pandemic. So that caused a big cause and I had to pivot and I'm really sick of that word, but we all did. I mean, I had to do some serious things. Because of my family, my son and daughter-in-law and grandson, and just the way things came together, it didn't make sense to stay in Santa Cruz for what I wanted to do.
[00:07:45] And so I've been at Ashland many times in the past to come here to see the Shakespeare place because Shakespeare festivals up here is beautiful. Just like Santa Cruz, lots of trees, no beach, but there are rivers and lakes. There is water up. [00:08:00] So, um, and also to be honest with you, it's just, it's kind of the way Santa Cruz and Palo Alto used to be back in the sixties and seventies still, still very charming, very point, very small.
[00:08:14] I thought this is a great place to semi-retire because opening a cooking school is certainly not retiring. And so I came up here with the kids and looked around and I went, okay. I had said many times when I had visited here in my head, not out loud, gosh, I could live here. Gosh, I could live here. I could live here.
[00:08:35] So I apparently I was planting a seed and wasn't aware of it, but that's so the university hurt me. And so here I am. So I'm just weeks away from finally opening, cosmic muffin, school of cookery and downtown Ash.
[00:08:49] Crystal: Tell me a little bit about that, because I know that that also has not been without its obstacles.
[00:08:55] Deborah: I know, I know one thing about living cause I was in Santa Cruz for two years, right? 20, [00:09:00] 19, 20 20. And what I loved about being there was every other day I could walk Westcliff when I was feeling frustrated, sad, cause he would ever, or even, you know, And I kind of needed walks along the beach during this process here because I found a spot downtown in June or July of 2021.
[00:09:20] So found a spot and started paying rent, you know, cause I signed my lease and so on and so forth and had my idea. And then I got to learn how to deal with city politics. Building departments and planning departments, contractors, because a lot of the people have here just the way California dealt with a lot of fires in 2020 and 2021.
[00:09:45] So did this area up here and many of our contractors are still engaged in helping people rebuild their homes. Right. So it was really hard to find a contractor. A couple of them, I probably scared off because this was an unusual [00:10:00] project because it's not food service. It's an educational facility. So I'm not producing several plates a day for people it's, maybe it's less than 20 plates a day because I don't even have that many students at one time.
[00:10:13] The challenges were not so much COVID related. It was really just navigating my way through opening a new business that I didn't fit into any of their categories. And that's what the city finally came to the realization and actually said that to me, gosh, Debra, you don't fit into any of the categories.
[00:10:30] And I went,
[00:10:34] so they worked with me. They were really, really kind and patient. And because I couldn't find a contract. I can now add to my dancer hat, teacher, hat, chef hat, general contractor hat, because I'm a general contractor project, electricians, carpenters, plumbers. Hear me say that they're going to roll their eyeballs because they've had to hold my hand [00:11:00] all along the way and teach me.
[00:11:01] Crystal: I'm sure you've been wonderful to work with.
[00:11:06] Deborah: Um, you know, I'm standing there crying in front of people, but that's okay.
[00:11:12] Crystal: So what's your favorite thing about being a chef? I know we talked a little bit in the past about how you grew up with food.
[00:11:21] Deborah: And it is kind of interesting because number is, as it, as a dancer back then, it's different now dancers nowadays are, I think, generally speaking healthier, they have a healthier approach to the way they approach their craft.
[00:11:37] I guess the way they engage. But back then when I was dancing, it was really important to be very, very small. So I didn't eat, let alone cook really, truly lived on lettuce and mustard sandwiches because mayonnaise too fattening diet Dr. Pepper in those posts to Susie Q's member, those [00:12:00] things. That's what I would eat.
[00:12:01] That was pretty much. What drew me to this really is the art of it. And it's also a wonderful way to, to express not only my passion for the art to be creative myself. But to teach other people that food is more than just nourishing the body. It's really is a complete experience because when you think about what you're doing over a meal, there's so many, it's either gathering together for a celebration it's gathering together for perhaps for a sad occasion.
[00:12:38] And the food is what brings us together. When I'm teaching the food allows me to work with both children and adults. I can teach math through measuring science because the kids there's so much science that happens in the kitchen, the art of putting together a meal plate, because we eat with our eyes first, we all do right.
[00:12:59] You open them [00:13:00] and you go, Ooh, that looks good. Right. It sounds really good. And especially if there's a picture in magazines, right. That's why we pick recipes. That looks good. I want to make that. So there's the. I also am able to teach a social studies culture and geography foods from around the world.
[00:13:16] But what part of Italy, just because it's not just Italian food, there are different regions. So that is what I love. And then also I have, I've developed a passion for food history. I love food history, telling people why this dish came to be what it is today. So many dishes have a story behind them. And I love that.
[00:13:40] I love teaching that part, but also I think the key for me, what sets me apart is my little brother Lawrence. I'm originally from Palo Alto, California, and that's where we went to school in San Francisco. And then my parents moved just to Palo Alto. We went to school there and my [00:14:00] youngest brother passed away.
[00:14:02] After a long ugly battle with cancer. And so I would fly from Vegas back to the bay area, to care for him and cook for him, right. To try to get him to eat. He was during that time. And shortly after his passing that I came to the realization I could have done more for my brother. Lawrence have to take a second because I can't, I, it always makes me cry.
[00:14:29] It was too late. He had already passed. So to honor my brother, I started really focusing on the medicinal value of herbs and spices in the foods that I prepare. So whenever somebody takes the classes, you, you know, you've done. And we go pretty fast when I click list. It's just you and I, because you do know how to cook and just cook that.
[00:14:50] We're still talking. I love working with people that are at the beginning, middle, and even people like you that are comfortable in the kitchen because when I can teach people like you, something [00:15:00] new. I love that. Like you'll say, oh, I know how to do this. I didn't know how to tie. I mean, I didn't know for me to say no, this was called the shit.
[00:15:09] So always in my classes, I will tell you about, what's so special about Terragon, the medicinal benefits of Terragon benefits of Bazell also these furs and spices have energy. And I don't think that people realize that. So for example, Rosemary. It's not only an antibacterial, it brings about feelings of fidelity and love, onions, happiness, paprika for the eyes.
[00:15:42] Great. Because all red foods good for the eyes. Also, it's an appetite suppressant. There's so much there, so it's not just additional.
[00:15:53] Crystal: When I first met you, I was doing my transition really from health coaching [00:16:00] to life coaching. And for probably about a year, I had a little. Mini blog that I would post it on social media called farmer's market Fridays, and I would profile different foods and their health benefits.
[00:16:15] And it was so amazing to learn. I mean, it's really why you should eat a very diverse diet. All these foods have health benefits and many vegetables and spices and fruits are cancer fighting, but you can't just glom onto one. You need to do all of them.
[00:16:35] Deborah: Like right now, I see in the store everywhere, CBD, tumeric and oregano oregano.
[00:16:42] Those are the big things. I'll ask somebody. So, oh, you're taking tumeric and they just know it's good for them, but they don't know why. The beauty of tumeric is that it helps to slow down the buildup of plaque on the brain. And plaque is just like plaque in our, in [00:17:00] our arteries. No. Good. And that's what interferes with brain function and the tumeric helps to slow down the growth of plaque.
[00:17:07] So that's what it is not to mention the fact that it adds flavor and color to your rice.
[00:17:12] Crystal: Right. I think it's fascinating.
[00:17:15] Tell me about one or two of the most influential people in your life and how they impacted you.
[00:17:22] Deborah: Well, that's a good question because at first I hadn't planned on going to culinary school when I was running kids cookies and caviar, because I was still just the beginning of my product.
[00:17:32] Wasn't that sophisticated. But in the beginning, when I was doing food service for people, personal chef work, they were asking me where I went to culinary school. And my answer was always. Well, I haven't gone yet. So finally we went, but the answer remains yes, culinary school, but also I learned so much from my dad and he's an incredible cookie still alive today.
[00:17:56] This in Arizona for many, many years, my [00:18:00] dad took me under the table. Super creative. We all have strengths and weaknesses. And I do too. Even I've been doing this for a while, but one of my strengths is putting together flavors. And I really think I get that from my dad. And then I would actually go to Arizona long before people were using pumpkin.
[00:18:19] I had come up with a pumpkin lasagna, which now you can get it's everywhere, but back then nobody was doing. So to give her, this is a green idea. So, um, I, I said, yeah, then I need to work on this recipe. It's not quite right. So instead of doing the lasagna, he said, well, let's do a camera rolling. So we got that.
[00:18:38] So we made a spinach and pumpkin filling with feel. We're drinking and cooking together. It was so good, but my dad he'll never remember, you know, like, you'll say, gosh, that was so delicious. Can you make that tonight? And you'll say, yeah. Yeah. And it's not the same because you never writes anything down.
[00:18:56] So between sips of wine and drinking, I'm trying to write [00:19:00] down this pumpkin of loony that he and I did together and it's fabulous. So he's always had a big impact. He was also the one that did the cooking when we were kids. Cause he got home from work before my mother. So he started dinner. So he was the cook, the other, they influence in my life in terms of cooking wise, my maternal grandmother, my dad's Italian, my mother's Puerto Rican.
[00:19:23] And so she is an excellent cook. Oh my God. The house always smelled good to have a roast chicken and rice beans that. And membrillo and manchego cheese and membrillo if you probably know, is the quince paste delicious, very old. I have her mortor and pestel, the molcajete that she had. So I had that in my kitchen and I, cause I can, to this day, remember the pounder, it was wood it's made of all of wood, not, not the lava rock.
[00:19:59] It's the old [00:20:00] olive wood. And it still smells like olive oil and garlic. And then I was a kid, Crystal I used to lick that thing. It was so good. The salt, pepper, the garlic I was smelling. It makes me think of how. And I remember she used to put olive oil on her, on her arms and her hands. And I remember telling her one time, oh my gosh.
[00:20:19] Now you smell. I'm like, why did you do that? You smell like a salad. I, and she goes, because makes my skin softer. It did, it did very, very fond memories of her in the kitchen, you know, and being able to help her and ...
[00:20:33] Crystal: Amazing. If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of advice. What would it be?
[00:20:40] Deborah: Hmm, that's interesting to think about actually funny. You should ask me that because I was talking to somebody today and they were asking me how old I was. And I had a moment of dyslexia and said 56 when it's really the reverse, right. It's not just 56. So we were talking and she said, wow, you have a lot of [00:21:00] energy.
[00:21:00] And you're a young 65. And he said, thank you so much. But I think I'm a happier, calmer person. Now at this point, I think the advice to the younger Deborah would be to slow down. And even this project, even the project of opening this school, because the building was built in 1914. So I can assure you the floor is not level.
[00:21:28] It wasn't a school before it wasn't. When I've learned and what I would tell my younger self is that when unexpected challenges arise, do you address them? Find a solution, the best solution that you can come up with, do it, apply that and then move on. And I think as my younger self, I would get maybe being a type a personality.
[00:21:51] If they're, if they use that term anymore, I would get really, really stressed and be super, super busy and felt like I had to do [00:22:00] everything all at once. And you don't, you don't cook that way either. Right? You make the. So there's a method you have to do each step. Now, granted, you might have several things on the stove at one time, but while you're mashing those potatoes, you're letting the vegetables roast in the oven.
[00:22:19] You're not doing everything at once. You really aren't because if you sprayed your thinking that way and your energy, that way, you're going to come out with a mediocre product. Looking back now, I feel like I'd probably rush through things and I was just. Intense on the inside. And maybe it showed sometimes on the outside.
[00:22:38] I don't know, probably, but it sure was really tight and intense inside here in my head really was. That's why sometimes we'll hear myself say, gosh, I wish I was this cool and relaxed when I was in my twenties and thirties and forties and fifties [00:23:00] as I am now. That's really when I think that it's going to be okay.
[00:23:07] I've also learned to trust more trust in the universe. Trust the people that I hire, trust the people that are working with me. And for me, I didn't trust people before. I don't know why, but I just wasn't in my nature.
[00:23:25] I think that's a trait of a lot of people to not necessarily trust. And when you can let go of certain things and even let go of them to delegate to somebody else.
[00:23:37] They might not do it exactly how you would do it, but it also gives you that time to do this really important thing over here and move forward so much faster.
[00:23:48] Yes. Yes. And you know what, crystal, that's also something that I've even said to people years ago when I was cooking and still acting, you know, like I'm really kind, maybe not so much in the kitchen, like, I'll [00:24:00] just tell you, I need you to do this right now.
[00:24:01] I won't say, would you mind doing or please? And thank you. You know, I just like snap. Snap snap, snap orders. But one of the things that I have to remind myself that I say to people is you're right, with regard to how everybody has a different way of doing things. If you had lined five chefs up and you asked them all the same question, you would get probably four different answers because only two of those chefs do it the same way.
[00:24:28] All, everything else is different. And yet there are people that are quite happy and pleased with how. Produces your product. So I have to remind myself that it's okay, that you don't do it the way I do it. I'll go. Sometimes you do have to do it the way I tell you. And the way I do,
[00:24:51] Crystal: I know my husband hates it. He does not cook much. Even if it's something like eggs and toast, I'm horrible [00:25:00] at
[00:25:00] Deborah: staying at. We have to stay out of the kitchen, then that's how I do. I won't go in there. And then also I noticed when it's been invited to dinner parties, I remember one time, this poor woman, she was sweating.
[00:25:12] She was so worried about the outcome of her meal. And so I did tell her, oh, please don't want, because your nervousness is going to translate your energy is going to translate into the food. And I cannot tell you how many times I'm going to go ahead and say it out loud to you and to your listeners that I had to throw out an entire prime rib and tell my guests, okay, guess we're ordering pizza because I.
[00:25:36] I did a bouillabaisse and some of the shellfish. You know, when in doubt and you throw it out and I was in doubt and I went ahead and put it up and I just went, okay, I can't serve this and threw that out and had to order pizza. So, you know, there's been times we all do it, but so I had to tell her, no, I've, I've really plenty of, you know, many, many.
[00:25:56] Crystal: It made me think of that movie, Water For Chocolate. [00:26:00]
[00:26:01] Deborah: That's so true. I tell people in my classes, you hear me say that don't say bad words when you're cooking, because it translates into the food. You have to be happy and kind, just like I tell people, you, they tell you not to go to bed angry with your partner.
[00:26:15] Don't cook angry either.
[00:26:17] Crystal: Right? So you have four kids, two boys and two girls. None of them are kids anymore. What personality trait of yours or characteristic do you hope that you've passed on to them? Whether they get it now or they'll get it later?
[00:26:34] Deborah: My youngest is in his twenties and my eldest is looking 40 straight in the eyes.
[00:26:40] So it's interesting to see. The way my character traits have integrated or absorbed them. So I think that one of the things I'm most proud about is my children. All four of them have an excellent work ethic. Um, their dad did have that too. So we pass that on. Both of us ask that onto our children really [00:27:00] hard workers.
[00:27:01] And I know that sometimes I've encountered the staff members who will. Call off work. If they have a headache and sometimes I'll roll my eyeballs, like, oh my gosh, did you drop an eyelash? Is that why you can't come in today? And my children have never done that. They don't do that. They show up to work just the way they showed up to school.
[00:27:20] My children, all four of them have a wide broad streak of compassion and empathy. And I think that they got that from me. They're not judgmental people by nature. I'm really proud of that. They are all for human beings and good parents. Three of them are parents, and the youngest one is still working on that. That makes me proud that my children are that way and a sense of humor.
[00:27:56] They're all funny. And I can be funny [00:28:00] sometimes too.
[00:28:06] Crystal: I think you can be funny a lot of times.
[00:28:10] Deborah: So I'd say that those, those three traits, good workers, empathetic people in their humorous, right. Thank you. Thank you for asking about them. They're special
[00:28:21] Crystal: You're welcome.
[00:28:23] It's a big part of our lives.
[00:28:25] Deborah: Yes. Yeah, I did. I stayed home the first three. I was home for 20 years.
[00:28:30] I didn't, I didn't work outside the home. Maybe once in a while. Like I said, the preschool and I didn't pick up momentum until much later. The fourth one, there's quite a few years between him and the others. So he had a working mommy, but the other three, I was home with them.
[00:28:46] Crystal: I talk a lot about success in my coaching and my programs, but I don't work with CEOs or that kind of person.
[00:28:59] So I [00:29:00] really feel like there are many different kinds of success. Like raising four healthy kids that want to pick up the phone every once in a while and call their mom. To me, that's success. How would you define success for yourself?
[00:29:16] Deborah: You know, that's a good question also, because I think it is, it's a balance of those two.
[00:29:22] Being home raising my children for the first three for so many years. You're right. That's the focus to help shepherd individuals that grow up to be a whole person. Right? I mean, certainly I've made mistakes along the way, but, and they're awesome. And they're also different. What worked on one, a number one and two, all of a sudden doesn't work anymore on three and four.
[00:29:43] Right? That to me, that's part of my success as a woman of my age. My time that I spent here thus far, that that brings me great pride and joy. Great pride. And then the other level of [00:30:00] success that I collaborate, the two together is, is running a business. This Cosmic Muffin School of Cookery. Yes. I want the numbers to be in the black.
[00:30:09] I want to have really pretty P and L statements. Absolutely. And I want my CPA to be happy and remember to pay my quarterly taxes, not like, oh my God, I gotta do this because right now I'm doing everything. Those P and L's will only look pretty if I am the best teacher that I can be at the every time somebody comes to take a class from me, whether it's in person or the zoom online live online, they're not recorded.
[00:30:33] They, there are recorded classes that are coming up. We're going to add that to the list, but right now I do. Those P and L statements are only going to be pretty if people come and take class with me, and one thing about cooking classes like culinary education, it's just not something that you do all the time.
[00:30:49] I get my hair done every four weeks. A lot of men will go every two weeks. We go to the dentist every six months, sometimes more, something comes up a cooking class [00:31:00] is not something you regularly will go, oh, I have to take my monthly cooking class. You go to the gym every day, supposedly or three times a week, like not cooking.
[00:31:09] That means it's important to me that when people do take a class that it's educational and entertaining so that they walk away, not just with those copies of the recipes, but they really learned some chefs tricks and things that I've learned, because every mistake that you make in the kitchen, I've done it.
[00:31:29] And I know I have more ahead of me. I've started fires in the kitchen. I've I've ruined dinners. I boiled something over I've cooked over. I done all that. So I want to teach people how to avoid that in all these secrets, like, okay, if you do this, that will happen. If you do that, then this won't happen by making my classes educational, but still finding entertaining.
[00:31:49] That's what will help me to have the business success because I'm successful and appreciated as an instructor, as a teacher. And then that makes me really [00:32:00] happy. And then I can take time off sometimes and take vacation with those children and grandchildren. So that's the balance. That's the balance. So it's two-fold success. I define as twofold. They're not separate, but you know, they dovetail onto one another.
[00:32:17] Crystal: What's your opening date and how are you celebrating or do you have a first menu that you're doing?
[00:32:24] Deborah: I do. Thank you for asking. I had originally planned to do a couple of soft openings invite people. So I could kind of get them a taste of what I do, but there've been so many theories.
[00:32:36] I'm delays going to jump right in. On the 22nd of April and that menu, you can go to the website. I know we'll talk about that at the end, but that's going to be just welcoming spring. It's going to be our dish and fingerling potatoes. And I can't remember what my dessert is that is working on [00:33:00] those last night.
[00:33:01] Um, so that's what we're going to start with. And I actually do have to get my wind up because I have been working at home and the COVID has slowed things down. You think about it, you've worked in kitchens. You have to have your wind up. I mean, it's physical, it's not just mental, it's physical work. And so I've been doing a bit of sitting these days and I don't want to continue to do that.
[00:33:24] So. As much as I'd like to just hit the ground running and open in how the class, every single day from the 22nd time, it'll probably be three classes a week and four classes a week. And the classes will vary in times, as I said, I will continue to offer one of probably what's your twice in my zoom, online classes for people who are not local here or visiting Ashland.
[00:33:49] And because I do have clients, not just in California, but I still have students in clients in Nevada. So some in Atlanta, Georgia, some in Florida and some in New York. [00:34:00] So I have the rollover. So where can
[00:34:01] listeners find you
[00:34:02] online? If they go to www dot cosmic, nothing school of cookery.com, the website will come up and they'll see someone, you know, they'll see a little bit about me and how to contact me.
[00:34:18] We do have products that we sell t-shirts cosmic method t-shirts and I do have some medicinal items available. They have choices. They can go to the services tab and there they'll see a few short videos. Um, infuse a simple syrups infused oils. So those are available. As I mentioned earlier, we are going to be putting together full length instructional videos.
[00:34:44] So if there's a class that you really wish that you could have taken and you can't, you'll be able to purchase that online. You'll see the virtual classes, if you sign up for those online and then of course the in-person [00:35:00] classes, so there'll be calendars and they can choose, and they can also pay for the class right online.
[00:35:05] Keep it really simple the way found my April 22nd menu. Do you want to hear it? Yes, please. Okay. He's a mustard halibut on the side deal. Roasted fingerling potatoes. And seasonal fruit talk with the honey vanilla from ours is yes. Yeah. It's a nice way to welcome spring.
[00:35:33] Crystal: That sounds delicious.
[00:35:35] Deborah: And then just to mention, I think, what did I say?
[00:35:38] I'm using dill, the energy of deal, just so your listeners know. Safety security and courage. So if you need more of that in your life, or you need to build that up a little bit or somebody, you know, and love could use a little more of that. Add some deal to the dish. I love that.
[00:35:57] Crystal: I think I just wrote a post about [00:36:00] courage today
[00:36:03] Deborah: because
[00:36:03] Crystal: we do need courage in all kinds of
[00:36:05] Deborah: ways.
[00:36:08] Is
[00:36:08] Crystal: there anything else
[00:36:09] Deborah: that you would like to share? Well, I do want to mention I'm also a food writer. I write short stories, usually focused on food and there's always a recipe at the end of the story. So that's kind of fun. I have one cookbook out already. The title of that is one, four ounce serving that was originally born of.
[00:36:31] Providing an alternative cookbook for people who have had weight loss surgery. That's what that was about. However, we can all use smaller portions on moderation because I eat everything. I do eat everything, everything, but in smaller quantities. And that makes it easier to eat in moderate. For me, crystal cookbooks are like the greatest fiction ever written.
[00:36:56] So it's like reading a book for me. So what I did for [00:37:00] wine for out serving is it's a collection of short stories based on a separate club that I ran in Las Vegas with some friends of. The separate clubs were monthly. So each one of us took a turn and the host or hostess for that month separate club would set the theme.
[00:37:15] Right? Maybe it was a Italian Alfresco. Well, of course I did a whole thing on herbs. Right? You had to have fresh herbs and tell us what was in there. Another person was doing breads. Another person did pies. Another person did new Orleans cuisine. Right? Cajun, New Orleans. And so people would sign up. You didn't have to tell us what you were bringing, but you did say if it was an entree, side dish, or dessert.
[00:37:38] So we were balanced and one month, we'd been about maybe a six, nine months into the supper club, and there were three people who said they were going to come and they didn't show up. So full of Deborah, the intense one that we were talking about earlier, she got her nose out of joint and I went, you know, where are these three people?
[00:37:56] That's a lot to be missing for this thing. Even there were about 11 of [00:38:00] us, right? Maybe 12, 13 .And so the next morning I sent an email to everybody describing what those three people had missed because I was a little miffed that they missed. So I wrote it to make them sorry that they missed out on this crab dip and that they missed out on this gallette.
[00:38:23] So I described the food. Describe the wines. Of course, there was always plenty of wine. So what we were, you know what we were complimenting the dishes with. And every bloody loved it. The next, I mean, the people that missed it, nobody took offense to it because they said, wow, this was so good that you did this.
[00:38:39] You should do this every time. Because of course there are people that are going to miss. Right. I just got a little perturbed that these people didn't tell us. They weren't. So I started doing that and that's like one for ounce serving is. It's actually some of the, you know, the little blurbs that I would write to the participants, I created whole stories.
[00:38:58] And so each [00:39:00] story has about two to three recipes from that supper club that month. So that's what that one is. The book that I'm working on now is I've entitled it Come Eat From My Plate. And that one is not focused on four ounce servings. It's just everything. It's just a compilation of different stories.
[00:39:18] Some are heartbreaking, some are funny. And of course there's a recipe that goes with each story.
[00:39:25] Crystal: I'll put your website link in the show notes
[00:39:28] Deborah: and you can purchase the cookbook on the website or on Amazon.
[00:39:32] Crystal: All right. Well, thank you so much for taking the time to share your story. With me and my listeners.
[00:39:39] I'm sure everyone's hungry. I will put all those details in the show notes and feel free to share anything else with me that I can put in there.
[00:39:50] Deborah: Well, thank you so much for giving me this opportunity. I really appreciate it. I hope that they get some of your listeners excited about the school and the [00:40:00] website, and even the cookbooks coming alright.
[00:40:02] Thank you so much. Very appreciated by everybody. Thank you.
[00:40:07] Crystal: Have a great rest of your day and I'll see the rest of you in here next week. Bye for now.
[00:40:16] Thank you for listening to the Extraordinary Life Podcast with writer and coach Crystal Obregon. We'd love to connect with you outside of the podcast, too.
[00:40:24] To find more helpful insights, show notes and more about crystal. Go to crystal over gone.com. O B R E G O N, where you will also find info for the Design Your Decade workshop. This workshop will help you to stop drifting and start creating until next time be extraordinary.
