Who’s J.Ho?
About me you ask? I’m a thirtysomething happily divorced guy who recently moved to the Massachusetts North Shore from Newport Beach, California. I know, what was I thinking? I was born in southern Maine, grew up in Las Vegas, lived in Europe, San Francisco, Newport Beach and Washington DC. I’ve been around.
High-tech is where want to be! Not for the sake of technology itself, but for what it can do to empower business, learning, art, leisure and overall humanity. I work in sales at Canadian software giant, Cognos Corporation. Cognos is the world leader in business intelligence and performance management & planning software for the enterprise. I spent quite a bit of time working for Apple, Inc. I was at Apple twice actually. Once as a K-12 Education sales agent and most recently as an enterprise account manager for their federal government division. The enterprise sales team at Apple focuses on selling their UNIX-based server, Xserve, and their self-contained data storage solution, Xserve RAID. I spent three years Network Appliance, a leader in the enterprise data storage market. I feel Network Appliance is really where I cut my teeth in the high-tech business. The ethical, business, sales, marketing and technology skills I acquired at NetApp continue to prove extremely valuable to me in my career. NetApp is a great company with great people. I also spent some time at enterprise-class data storage maker BlueArc Corporation. It was a fun place with exciting products. I’ve also consulted for a few federal government agencies and defense contractors.
I love cooking, writing, music, TiVo, the ocean, dogs, eBay, seafood, my family, DVDs, beer, Red Sox, Patriots, air shows, parties, photography, travel, Taco Tuesdays, HBO Sundays, iPods, bad jokes, great conversations, San Francisco, the outdoors, the Marine Corps, driving nowhere in particular, disco balls, books, thunderstorms, skiing, text messaging, art museums, Engadget, PlayStation, national monuments, Costco, sunsets, history, dive bars, the Phil Hendrie Show, military people, Pierce Street Annex, technology, Trad’r Sam’s, Mac OS X, guitars, the Pacific Café, blackjack, learning, the Beach Pit, the USAF, bar hopping, good friends, IKEA, loud concerts, smooth jazz lounges, iTunes, positive attitudes, dancing and tons of other things.
Thanks for reading this far. I started this site to share my love and passion for cooking. Period! I hope you give some of that love back. I chose the blog format for this site since it’s the easiest way for me to participate in the marketplace of ideas the Internet connects us all to.
Unlike many, many other blogs, I’m not here to spew on about my life, experiences, adventures or political views. I’d be crazy to think there is someone out there who actually cares about that anyway.
I feel if I develop and share a cooking idea, with your help, that idea will breed ten more and those ten will breed a hundred. So if this thing stays interesting and interactive, there’s no limit. I want to challenge your expectations of what cooking is all about. I look at this project as a literary pursuit. It’s not just “mix some flour with some butter…” I like to tell stories and share what I love about cooking and, more importantly, why. Try these recipes on your own and share back with me your experiences and maybe I’ll learn something new. Learning is all I really want to do. I’m all ears for anything that will help me understand this world and the people on it a little better.
That’s what it’s all about! I’m not a professional chef and neither are you! So let’s have fun and learn more about cooking together. Cooking should be fun. If it isn’t, why bother?
Cheers,
J.Ho
Comments
Comment from Blonde Baker aka Jillibean
Time: February 22, 2006, 2:32 pm
Dude! This rocks and I am so proud of you for putting your vision out here and making it a reality! J.Ho for president!
Comment from I Rock
Time: March 8, 2006, 8:44 pm
…I didn’t know that you met Kenny Rogers?!?! …or maybe you are just posing as if you did meet him, but in reality, that was as close as you could get to the famed star without being pushed back by body gaurds!
Comment from Yolanda
Time: May 25, 2006, 2:11 pm
Great pictures and recipes, of course!! good job, if you were no living so far I would ask for help in our Giant Schnauzer rescue page. Drew is too busy to help or cook. I wish he would like to cook like you do. Love the croquetas, I used to joke with Drew he needed to make croquetas for me to marry him. He got away with that, although am still waiting. One day to surprise me or at least to learn how to make tortilla española, at least. I will be shocked if he mades right.
Heating some chicken, artichokes, fave beans paella valenciana, to take to Drew’s office. Of course he will not eat it without shaking on top some tabasco. Yikes.
Comment from Iron Mike D
Time: May 25, 2006, 7:15 pm
Yo brother, love the recipes and the little foray’s that you attach to them. Why dont I see your Pops’ famous fried chicken or your moms’ cuban pork w/black beans and plaintans. Well maybe that last one should stay a family secret because if you put that out you may have to pay her royalties!!
Stay cool, I’ll keep Vegas in check till you return.
Comment from J.Ho
Time: May 25, 2006, 9:45 pm
Big Jim’s southern fried chicken and Hurricane Norma’s Cuban delicacies are tightly guarded secrets … unless for some reason I need to throw out some desperation hail Mary recipes. Then, all bets are off!
Comment from Susan
Time: June 26, 2006, 1:21 pm
What’s the name of the French cook book your Dad bought in Europe. I have thousands of cook books in my collection and would love to find this one. P.S. I used to live in OC too. Loved Felix in Orange. Didya ever go to Dizz as is in Laguna. Pesto genovese & monster shrimp to die for. Bit of news. The Royal Hawaiian is gone. From a chef in Camano Island, WA
Comment from J.Ho
Time: June 29, 2006, 7:23 pm
Susan,
Thanks for the comments … I LOOOOOOOVED Felix Continental Cafe in Orange. They have the best flan and mojo!! Cuban cooking is one of my specialties, though I have very few Cuban recipes posted. I wasn’t at all a fan of Habana in Costa Mesa. Everyone else loved it, but I thought it stunk. Never been to Dizz. I’ll be back in OC sometime this summer for a week or so.
The French cookbook I was referring to is “French Provisional Cooking” by Tony Schmaeling. It has some incredible, unique recipes.
Comment from Susan
Time: July 5, 2006, 12:34 pm
J.Ho I sent you an email with a bunch of my recipes attached. Hope you enjoy. Also I found the out of print Magic Pan cook book. Were you looking for a copy? Hundreds of people seem to be.Although one person who had a copy said the book sucked and they released it at the U W (UNIV. of WA)to be found, read and passed on. Wish I had found it. Sells for $42. and up.
Comment from Aniela
Time: July 7, 2006, 8:01 am
Where is your salsa recipe?!?!?!
I would also like to make a request or a spinach dip recipe.
Comment from J.Ho
Time: July 7, 2006, 10:05 am
I’ve been wrestling with my conscience over whether or not to post the salsa recipe. Obviously I’m all for sharing recipes, but this one is sooooo good that I feel I need to post it at the right time for maximum impact. Same goes for the Cuban black beans and roasted lemon-garlic pork. I brought this salsa to a 4th of July party. It was, of course, a smash hit.
I’ll research a spinach dip recipe for you. I’ve never made it, but I do love creamed spinach. The House of Prime Rib and Izzie’s in San Francisco have the best!
Comment from Christine
Time: July 10, 2006, 11:50 pm
J,
Hey, you were practically my neighbor! How about posting a spaghetti and meatball recipe similar to the one served at Spaghetti Bender in Newport Beach? If you do, you’d be my hero!
Christine
Comment from Susan
Time: September 20, 2006, 12:59 pm
Hey, I miss your new recipes. Are you stil out there?
Comment from Biff from Beta
Time: September 29, 2006, 1:02 am
lobster quesadilla….chop plum tomatoes, red onion, cilantro…add corn…place cilantro cream sauce on shell, and a half slice of pepper jack cheese, place chopped lobster over cheese, add vegi mix, brown both sides in butter, finish in oven, f-ing unbelievable…trust me
Comment from Chris
Time: November 2, 2006, 9:31 am
Hey J, your mom sent me your web-site. It’s really cool. In case you don’t remember me, I’m Charisma’s Mom.
Comment from Donna Howell Egger
Time: November 2, 2006, 9:51 am
Hey, this is your Aunt Donna frist I love the picture ,I will have to send you a cook book that is called calling all cook this is a southern cook the only way to eat get my number from your dad and call me Love Donna
Comment from Rich Levesque
Time: November 14, 2006, 11:53 am
Where are all these girls you speak so much about? How come you talk so much sh#$$t and you can’t back it up with pictures of you together? I would like to see more….
Comment from Rich Levesque
Time: November 14, 2006, 11:59 am
see my website at dig deep.com. t-shirts cost $30, but you get a free Cognos pen
Comment from Susan
Time: November 16, 2006, 1:33 pm
I had brunch at Felix’s last Saturday. Awesome spinach benedict with fruit fritter glazed in strawberry sauce and stuffed mango guava cream cheese French toast (called a tostada for some reason) Are you jealous?
Comment from J.Ho
Time: November 16, 2006, 2:44 pm
Jealous? I’m soooo jealous. Soooo jelly! I need some peanut butter cause I’m all jelly!
They have the best mojo there. Next time I go I think I’ll have them put it into a glass so I can chug it. Great flan too. I was in OC in over Labor Day week and I kick myself for not hitting up Felix.
Have you tried the Beach Pit BBQ in Costa Mesa? If not, go ASAP, you’ll thank me!
Comment from I Rock
Time: November 22, 2006, 2:34 pm
I would like your website to dedicate an entire week to ice cream. It would be called “J.Ho’s Ice Cream Week” and happen every year. One should expect to gain 5 pounds during this week. This week will be important, if not the most important week of the year.
Comment from J.Ho
Time: November 22, 2006, 2:46 pm
I think you’re on to something here Jeremy … Ice Cream Week would kinda rule. You do the west coast segment and I’ll do the north east segment. There are so many ice cream places around here in the summer. Most of them make their own ice cream too.
Comment from valerie
Time: December 23, 2006, 3:53 pm
great site, love how you post pics of different steps within the recipe, along with a pic of the final product.. how about some more pics of you? 
Comment from YummySF
Time: February 22, 2007, 12:05 am
J. Ho, the man of mystery, I love your writing. Cracks me up! Sheesh, you could write a book one day. Thank you for adding my blog to your site!
Comment from I Rock!
Time: March 4, 2007, 5:21 am
Nice job Jaime! Your site has caught the attention of some of my co-workers! Keep it up dude!
Comment from Capt “D”
Time: March 20, 2007, 6:49 pm
great website
Keeps me sane out here in “the desert”
By the way, Have you ever checked out “The Mafia Cookbook” by Joe Doggs Ianuzzi. Good read
Comment from Capt “D”
Time: March 29, 2007, 2:20 pm
Dude, saw the risotto recipe… ohhhhhhhh, I am a risotto freak!!!! Try making paella with risotto instead of rice…. Its da motts baby… da motts!!! - Disco rules!!!!!
Comment from Rick
Time: February 3, 2008, 1:34 pm
Did I read right? Were you ever in Zweibrucken? I found your recipe for jagerschnitzel. Mine is different. No cream, thickened with corn starch, for a transucent shimmering type sauce that is loaded with much-shrooms. I prefer pork for the schnitzel, pounded down to 3/8″. No seasoning other than salt, pepper, and the tastes of the butter and mushrooms that were fried in it. no garlic, onion, parsley. Try it. Simple is sometimes good.
Comment from J.Ho
Time: February 8, 2008, 11:55 am
I lived in Zwei from 1983 to 1987. My dad was with the 26th CRS. We lived in Lautzkirchen at first then moved to the Canadian housing area of the USAF billeting. I went to the Zwei American High School for 7th-8th grades before heading back to the states.
Comment from andi
Time: February 9, 2008, 11:49 am
Jamie, you neglected to include 6th grade in Zwei, my friend! Anywho, Love this site! My husband and I love to try new things, and my brother is a chef in the Atlanta area. I’ll definitely give a few of these a whirl. Good to get back in touch! Cheers…
Comment from Chris Jeunelot
Time: February 14, 2008, 9:13 pm
Yeah how can you forget 6th grade. Now if you could only find a recipe for their Curry Wurst … Website is great, recipes look fantastic gonna have to try some out. Great to hear from you!
Comment from Jaime Martinez del Rio
Time: March 12, 2008, 6:00 pm
Hey J.Ho:
I just discovered your site, pretty cool. I look forward to exploring it. You might have a posting on there about the chefs and the “chefs” on the Food Network and their liberal use of foreign language words that make them sound smart and their dishes fancy, but which 99% of the times are ridiculous jokes. I think these Food Network people believe that their audience knows nothing about anything, much less a foreign language, and thus feel “safe” to blurt out enormous stupidities. Examples? Thought you’d never ask! (I know you didn’t, but I can’t resist to share them) Some are:
1- Bobby Flay: “This is ‘masa harina’ for the tortillas”…OK, maybe most people don’t know it, but that doesn’t make this right. “Masa” is simply the Spanish word for “dough”, any type of dough, wheat flour dough, corn meal dough, etc. “Harina” is simply the Spanish word for flour. I think what Bobby Flay really wanted to say is “corn meal”, but that didn’t sound fancy enough. After all, what else can we expect from the person that refers to any type of Mexican food as “Southwestern”…sad
2- Cat Cora: “I’m making a Greek ‘Pagoto-inspired’ ice cream”- Really smarty pants? We know you’re of Greek descent, but even I here in Texas know that “Pagoto” is simply the word for “Ice cream” ANY type of ice cream! LOL, so, cool, if I understand it correctly you made an “ice cream-inspired ice cream”. The creativity is oo strong here, I need to back off for a minute for it not to overwhelm me.
3- Tyler Florence: “We’re here in Mexico City tasting the traditional Mexican ‘huevo-style eggs”"…yes, you get my drift “huevos” simply means “eggs” in Spanish. ANY type of eggs! So Mr. Florence discovered the Mexican “egg-style eggs”. Way to go buddy! Keep going! You might yet discover the “Pollo-variety chicken” that laid those huevos!
4- Bobby Flay: “This is the special variety of Mexican cinammon called ‘canela’” - Ugh, yes, “canela” simply means “cinammon” in Spanish.
And I could go on, they all do this ALL the time. (Don’t get me started on Giada de Laurentiis!)
What are these people thinking?? With what nerve or authority do they say these moronic phrases? Does each audience deserve the hosts that they tolerate? …. Sorry for the rant, but, I’m curious if you’ve noticed anything similar? Anyway, GREAT blog, thanks for sharing it with us!!
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