ABSTRACT CHASING LIFE: A MEMOIR OF MOVEMENT, PEOPLE, COFFEE, AND FOOD In these pages, the reader will find a work of creative non-fiction that is presented as a dual narrative. One narrative begins as a forward arcing return to my roots as a chef as I travel in search of food and coffee cultures. The second narrative points steadily backwards at the short but inspirational life of my nephew Arcadio Gomez, which was cut tragically short by cancer. In between, the wellspring of movement, as a force by which to make sense of life and my nephew’s death, takes center stage. I venture to Italy and Spain on numerous occasions in order live between these two unfolding narratives, searching out each country's iconic foods. A rich tapestry of characters and thought-provoking settings lights my way as I inch away from my past and find the spiritual balance to keep moving forward. In the United States, I continue to chase the adventurous spirit that made Arcadio’s life unique. My developing interest in learning about food and coffee leads me to investigate Third Wave Coffee as I travel to the far-flung places where the specialty coffee scene is unfolding. Along the way, my memories of Arcadio transform from grief-centered realities to moments of insights in places ranging from Tijuana to Minneapolis. In the end, I learn that studying food cultures has everything to do with the artisans who inhabit the spaces where food and community are practiced and the people I meet along the way. Eduardo Palominos Gomez May 2017 CHASING LIFE: A MEMOIR OF MOVEMENT, PEOPLE, COFFEE, AND FOOD by Eduardo Palominos Gomez A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing in the College of Arts and Humanities California State University, Fresno May 2017 APPROVED For the Department of English: We, the undersigned, certify that the thesis of the following student meets the required standards of scholarship, format, and style of the university and the student's graduate degree program for the awarding of the master's degree. Eduardo Palominos Gomez Thesis Author John Hales (Chair) English Steven Church English William Arce English For the University Graduate Committee: Dean, Division of Graduate Studies AUTHORIZATION FOR REPRODUCTION OF MASTER’S THESIS I grant permission for the reproduction of this thesis in part or in its entirety without further authorization from me, on the condition that the person or agency requesting reproduction absorbs the cost and provides proper acknowledgment of authorship. X Permission to reproduce this thesis in part or in its entirety must be obtained from me. Signature of thesis author: ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Ascending to the Master of Fine Arts program at Fresno State University has involved one junior college, two universities, and the generosity of more individuals than can be accounted for here. From the collapse of the housing bubble in 2008, which initiated my return to Modesto Junior College and my transfer to UC Merced, to my three-year thesis project at Fresno State, I cannot begin to describe the gratitude that I feel for the individuals who gave of themselves in order to help me bring this project to a close. Primarily, I have to acknowledge my nephew Arcadio Gomez who succumbed to a four-year battle with Ewing's Sarcoma on December 10, 2010. Arcadio taught me the definitions of courage and love. In the following pages and in my everyday life, I try to emulate the spirit of living with which he colored the world. A reality in my life is that raising Arcadio gave me a second chance at life and owe him a great debt for the endless adventures we shared. I love you, Big Daddy. I would also like to acknowledge my mother, Gloria Vielma. Without her financial and moral support, my adventures across Europe and the United States would not have happened. I thank her for the many life lessons and the work ethic with which she raised us. I would also like to acknowledge the following groups and individuals at Fresno State for lighting the way as I studied at the craft of writing and professionalized as a teacher: John Hales, Connie Hales, Steven Church, William Arce, Lisa Weston, Lisa Galvez, Jefferson Beavers, Ginny Crisco, Bo Wang, Rueben Casas, and my peers in the program TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHAPTER ONE: MOMENTS OF CLARITY ........................................................ 1 CHAPTER TWO: THE BATTLE AT DIAMOND HEAD ................................... 20 CHAPTER THREE: BETWEEN THE CHEESE PLANT, THE HUMANITIES, AND ROME ..................................................................... 43 CHAPTER FOUR: DIAMONDS IN THE LIGHT ............................................... 63 CHAPTER FIVE: A TATTERED YELLOW NOTEBOOK ................................ 89 CHAPTER SIX: THE ANGRY CREPES .............................................................. 97 CHAPTER SEVEN: THE SNOWMAN OF MILWAUKEE .............................. 111 CHAPTER EIGHT: LUNATIC FRINGE ............................................................ 124 Pinchos in the Basque Country ..................................................................... 129 The Churro Lady of Salamanca .................................................................... 131 The Paella Institute of Burgos ....................................................................... 134 The Museums of Ham ................................................................................... 137 Espresso at Yuri’s Café ................................................................................. 140 CHAPTER NINE: GRASS FED COWS ............................................................. 147 CHAPTER TEN: THE MILLENNIUM FALCON MEETS ISHMAEL ............ 169 CHAPTER ELEVEN: TIJUANA TAXI CAB DRIVER’S LAMENT ............... 189 CHAPTER TWELVE: ON MINNEAPOLIS, COFFEE, DRUNKARDS, RAMEN AND THE LOVELY APOLLONIA ......................................... 204 CHAPTER THIRTEEN: IN SEARCH OF COMMUNITY WITH MEXICAN AHAB ........................................................................................................ 221 CHAPTER FOURTEEN: SYNTHESIS A LA PORTLANDIA ......................... 241 The Road to Portland .................................................................................... 241 The Arrival .................................................................................................... 244 The Day Dream ............................................................................................. 244 vi vi Page The Reality .................................................................................................... 246 The Logistics ................................................................................................. 248 The Ten Best Food Carts of Portland 2015 Eater Magazine ........................ 249 Fear and Doubt .............................................................................................. 249 The Synthesis ................................................................................................ 252 Humboldt Reunion ........................................................................................ 255 Top of the List ............................................................................................... 256 The Reflection ............................................................................................... 259 CHAPTER FIFTEEN: SEATTLE AS A LIMINAL PLACE .............................. 260 The Space Needle .......................................................................................... 262 A Local Guide ............................................................................................... 265 Picnic at Green Lake ..................................................................................... 267 Pioneer Square .............................................................................................. 272 Lunch with Bruce Lee ................................................................................... 276 The International Coffeehouse Tour: Final Report on Seattle’s Top Five Coffee Drinks for Summer 2015 ........................................................ 279 CHAPTER SIXTEEN: THE FALCON RISING ................................................. 281 CHAPTER ONE: MOMENTS OF CLARITY San Andreas, California November 2003 I spent the morning in a basement office at New Horizons Rehabilitation Center in San Andreas, California. It was a nice enough place with a great staff. The nurse, however, couldn’t leave well enough alone. She obsessed over trivial things like my blood pressure, our family history of cancer, and my potentially carrying needles that might poke her. I had other concerns. My worries centered on the suggestion that I might be spending the afternoon without my regular fill of whisky and beer. The thought of going without booze made me extremely uncomfortable and manifested in what doctors call a physiological reaction. A horrible itch came over me, which seemed to radiate outward from deep within my liver. The sensation coursed through my veins, poking through the surface of my clammy skin like a dusting of needle pricks. A voice inside my head whispered that going to New Horizons had been a big mistake, that I didn’t belong there. United Logistics, my employer for the previous three years, had caught me drinking on the job and it was for the last and final time, according to them. The only reason that I had agreed to attend rehab stemmed from my genuine belief that my job with the