Sarah Gerdes's Blog

Applying grace in a world of numbers and profits

Not all layoffs are due to overstaffing or shrinking markets. Some truly occur for underperformance, and sometimes, grace should be employed.

In my mid 20’s, we were pitching our tech co for sale, and I had to make a trip to Japan. Timing was bad: my marriage wasn’t working but we’d agreed to resolve it upon my return. However, when I opened the door, the house was empty, everything gone, including my son. As the law did its job, I went to work every day, doing my best w/the product teams, agencies & contractors to keep it together. Shame and heartbreak kept my mouth closed to everyone.  18 mo. later, the business sold, personal issues were resolved & I felt like I’d joined the ranks of “weathering the storm,” emerging with the scars of a damaged, but sea-worthy vessel.

Shortly thereafter, the co-founder revealed my head had been on the chopping during this x as the company sought to trim resources to get a higher value. One of my peers, & a person I considered my best friend, had suggested I be let go. His reasoning was that I wasn’t performing to standard. My direct boss had agreed w/my performance but not on firing me. He was convinced something was going on in my life. One day, he’d taken me aside, asked me if all was OK & I shared. He was shocked & sympathetic. He’d been through a divorce & knew full-well the brutal, but temporary challenges associated w/a life crisis. Looking back, it would have devastated me financially, emotionally and mentally; the only thing viable was my job. It kept me sane and busy during this brutal time.

I began using the word “grace” in business & it wasn’t long before I had the opp to apply the word. A client was $40K in arrears. My attorneys wanted to sue, but I was prompted to send a handwritten a note to the CEO, essentially communicating this was unlike him, and I hoped he was ok. I got a call w/in days: his daughter had committed suicide. His wife was suicidal & in bed, work had taken a back seat w/customers & creditors alike. He was also pained that not one client, partner or person in his world had reached out to understand what had caused his own ‘storm.’ Assumptions were made, actions taken and not an ounce of grace given. He said I was the only person to reach out & offered a fraction of the amt owed, which I accepted. Today, he’s bounced back with far greater success. 

Side note: wondering abt my friend, and if I held his suggestion against him? An unequivocal NO. He’d never married nor experienced major life challenges. He was antiseptically looking at the balance sheet, my performance & drew a logical conclusion while others took the long view. The word grace wasn’t a part of his vocabulary.

Hard employee decisions are a part of business. It’s my sincere hope that for those incredible, valuable performers who are experiencing a (temporary) life crisis, that reason will prevail, and grace be shown.

Faith in action yields peace

It’s been a rewarding experience to share the ‘behind the scenes’ of our lives through the subscriptions section of IG. Not wanting to distract from either this site or my mainstream IG feed, I’ve been utilizing the section to go deeper, exposing the learnings and philosophies which guide and lead us, along with silliness and average events which are a part of raising a family, running a business and of course, my other job/hobby called writing.

Leading with Faith

A major theme and constant topic of conversation in our family is faith. Most commonly, this refers to hearing and acting upon little promptings we receive. “We” in our world, means all four of us in our nuclear family. As equal children of God, we all receive promptings and inspiration, and therefore, we have parity; age isn’t a consideration: if one receives a prompting, we all take a pause, consider it and determine if it’s individual (a personal decision) or family (do we move, take a trip). When it’s a family decision, the entire team feels good about it or not, for God isn’t going to give peace to one person while excluding the others.

Taking the adventure Let’s visit a cemetery. Why not? It’s gorgeous and peaceful

Here’s a great example: why are we being prompted to book a trip in Sept when layoffs are occurring, we are trying to launch a business and of all places, going to an area with volcanic activity? We had no answer other than peace. In the past, this emotion has led to decisions which have nearly always been inconvenient or dubbed stupid by others (although that term hasn’t always been diplomatically applied) yet were always the right ones.

Today, we are here, over Christmas break, because we followed that prompting. It’s been three days of ups and downs, just like six hours of weather, shot within 3 miles of our residence— and resembles life: clear, cloudy, blustery and beautiful.

The perfect “equation” for pitching Media, Analysts, Family Offices and private capital

About two decades ago, I was employee #6 at a startup handling marketing, which included all external communications. When our first product was in development, it was my task to get us in front to the analysts and press. The top of the heap at that time was the venerable Walt Mossberg from the Wall Street Journal. Call one didn’t go off so well. He hung up on me 3 seconds in. The next pass, about 6 months later, it was about 8 seconds, then click. Line dead. Another 4-5 months after that, guess what? He stayed on the line, listened, and said something to the effect of: “You finally made it. Congratulations.” After an in-person meeting with myself and our CEO, he spoke with the analysts and customers I provided and wrote an amazing piece. The results were better than we’d hoped, both with customers and partners.

For myself, the lesson learned was foundational: the ‘thirty-second pitch’ which gets thrown around isn’t true. I think it’s less than five. If your hook, voice or approach doesn’t resonate, it’s over before it starts. From Walt, I gained the basic knowledge of pitching for an audience, which was later affirmed through formal media training.

For myself, the thirty-second pitch isn’t true. It’s less than five. If your hook, voice or approach doesn’t resonate, it’s over before it starts.

Pitching Formula by Audience

As I learned Day 1 of 5 during media specialist training (thankfully this was paid for by my second start-up to the tune of $10K, thank you very much,) it is a simple equation:

Analysts are: A+B= C. They want to know the why’s & how’s behind the idea or service, and then the results (acceptance/adoption etc.)

Media are: C= A + B. News/results first. If, and only if, they are interested, will they ask about the how’s and why’s. Don’t bother them up front-they don’t have the airtime or column space for the back story. Your understanding of this respects their vocation and needs.

If you can inject this into your DNA, your value proposition will have a much higher likelihood of being given airtime.

Whyis this?

Analysts get paid to think, assess and understand the customer needs, market requirements, competitive offerings and unique differentiation. They want to be walked through the Why’s and How’s first, the What (which is your offering) then the When, which coincides with Results. These five items, in this specific order, delivers a complete story which then can be retold to the two primary audiences of the analyst firm; 1) their own paying customers (think Gartner Group, Forrester or IDC and their respective customers) 2) the media, who rely upon the ‘experts’ to validate what is being pitched to them.

To a communications professional, this is called the Pyramid of Influence or the Communications Pyramid. At the top, you have the analysts who are the thought leaders, just below this is the “early adopters” of the new product or service. Those entities who have taken the risk on your product/service, had a good experience and are now going to talk (up) to the analysts and (down) the media on your behalf.

Don’tmistake the phrasing. This is a “top-down” approach which refers to the numberof individuals who will be influenced. The analysts reach a much smalleraudience than the media, who reach thousands-millions.

Timing

Typically,one holds an analyst tour with the top 3-5 individuals in an industrywell in advance of speaking to the media. This allows the analyst to spend thenecessary time speaking with early adopters, strategic partners and conducting their ownresearch in order to write a report on either you, the industry, trends or allof the above. Beyond becoming a fan of your just-promoted business/service, theultimate outcome is a formal report which then gets issued to their own(paying) customers (thus creating awareness and demand).

Two to three months later, when the formal press tour is held, the reporters are given the top analyst firms (with contact details) who can verify all that you’ve told them is correct. The media tour is a different topic entirely, but one has quarterly, monthly, weekly, dailies and then radio (top of hour). That’s a different topic and worthy of its own piece.

Family Offices and VC Capital Sources

Family offices are more like analysts, and other capital sources are like the media; one is relationship and contextual, wanting to understand the how’s, why’s etc. while the other transactional, focusing on the outcomes first, and if they so desire to learn more.

Toa degree, this explains why certain personalities are better suited (and moresuccessful) for one type or the other. A business development person who buildsrelationships will generally resonate with culture and fit for the familyoffices whereas a P & E professional jibes with the venture capital group.Getting to no fast, in-and-out is the latter group, while the former,(relationship building) takes months or years. You have to take the long viewwhen building a relationship, because it just might take a minute for thepayoff. Yet those are the foundational pillars upon which many a mightyfoundation is formed and mansion built.

Take away Tailor the pitch, verbal and then in email, by the audience

Usethe “Mossberg Bar” as your litmus. Pretend you’re pitching someone thattough. If you have a good enough pitch for him, you can probably get anyone tolisten.

Determine what you’re good at, or what you need to do in order to be great.

My world has been one of parallels, wherein I worked with venture capitals at the same time I was working with strategic partners, media and analysts. I learned how to bounce back and forth, tailor and change very early in my career. If you are going to be well-rounded, or singularly focus your efforts, then do so with uncompromising zeal and passion.

Practice over and over. Then practice some more. Do it on the phone (don’t make the call!) in front of the mirror, with your friend to role play. Get it tight.

I would then get my list of expected questions, the messaging hierarchy and go through it all again.

Expect some bumps. It takes more than weeks or a few months.

It can take years to really become expert, but that’s no different than shooting 3,000 hours’ worth of free-throws to make it to the NBA. And when you miss a shot here or there, and blow the game, don’t give up. Your time will come, you’ll hit the shot, no net.

Mom’s final wishes are no longer in print- and she’s thrilled

Three months before mom passed away, she got on a one-woman mission to combine her love of reading with the zeal an editor who would have made the toughest critic in Manhattan proud.

“Let’s get the words out before I go,” she abruptly announced. Words? What in the world was she talking about? “The swear words!” It took a moment, but then I realized she was pointing to a stack of my novels by her bed.

2 months beore her death, Mom’s editing spot was her bed

“Weren’t you the one who told me swearing is authentic?” I retorted, skeptical. It would be a major undertaking, and she was having trouble holding a book. “And besides, you swear yourself, as do certain people in certain situations.”

“Yes,” she admitted with a raised eyebrow. “But I’ve improved. So should you.” It was so wonderfully, annoyingly classical of mom and emblematic of her lifelong theme of continual improvement, even on her deathbed. Meeting her maker hadn’t lessened her drive one bit: it had made her more zealous!

With her time on earth limited, I agreed.

A first read

The journey itself was both painful and incredibly gratifying. Pre-deathbed, mom had a hard time completing a single book of fiction I’d written because she personalized so many characters. This in turn, meant she’d not done her job as a parent.

“If every character were me, I’d be Sybil and insane,” I’d laugh in response, not to mention she’d be Mommy Dearest! Furthermore, not every dad was my dad, nor were the boyfriend or partner emblematic of my husband of 25 years.

The good news is that with each page, chapter and book completed, her engagement increased, wondering about the why’s and how’s and the future(s) of the characters—just like a professional editor. She even changed her tune about the technology-heavy books like Global Deadline and Incarnation Series, appreciating the realities of DNA and software even if the truth behind it all scared her “to pieces,” as she liked to say.

The only book she left untouched is the Sue Kim authorized biography. Sue’s life was both amazingly wonderful and harsh, the highs of the money followed by devastating lows—just like moms. Mom knew that “the swears” were direct quotes, and thus, she maintained “They have to stay. It was their reality, not your fiction.”

A week before she passed and could no longer even lift a pen, she’d read through each book three times. Most only had a handful of “light swears.” (yes, that’s a real thing. Sort of like the PG-13 words as opposed to the R, let alone the X)! In the process, she nit-picked a ton of minor issues and errors that many better paid professionals had overlooked/not caught.

Mom’s legacy is worth that smile

Simultaneously, both Apple and Google took my bestsellers and converted the books to audio. What an amazing blessing. This is one application of artificial intelligence that is wonderful for the author and reader!

As you read or listen, thinking of mom and her final gift to us all: ‘swearless’ books.

Booklist as of 7.23.2023 Title Genre Audio eBook/print Above Ground Suspense-Thriller Google Amazon, Apple, B & N, B & T, Bibliotheca, BorrowBox, Gardners, hoopla, Kobo, Odilo, OverDrive, Palace Mktplace, Scribd, Smashwords, Tolino, Vivlio Global Deadline Suspense-Thriller Google, Apple Amazon, Apple, B & N, B & T, Bibliotheca, BorrowBox, Gardners, Kobo, Odilo, OverDrive, Palace Mktplace, Scribd, Smashwords, Tolino, Vivlio Incarnation Suspense-Thriller Google, Apple Amazon, Apple, B & N, B & T, Bibliotheca, BorrowBox, Gardners, hoopla, Kobo, Odilo, OverDrive, Scribd, Smashwords, Tolino, Vivlio Incarnation: the Cube Master Suspense-Thriller Google Amazon, Apple, B & N, B & T, Bibliotheca, BorrowBox, Gardners, hoopla, Kobo, Odilo, OverDrive, Palace Mktplace, Scribd, Smashwords, Tolino, Vivlio A Convenient Date Romantic Suspense Google, Apple Amazon, Apple, B & N, B & T, Bibliotheca, BorrowBox, Gardners, Kobo, Odilo, OverDrive, Palace Mktplace, Scribd, Smashwords, Tolino, Vivlio In a Moment Romantic Suspense/NDE Google Amazon, Apple, B & N, B & T, Bibliotheca, BorrowBox, Gardners, Kobo, Odilo, OverDrive, Palace Mktplace, Scribd, Smashwords, Tolino, Vivlio Made for Me Contemporary Romance, Book 1 Danielle Grant Series Google, Apple Amazon, Apple, B & N, B & T, Bibliotheca, BorrowBox, Gardners, Kobo, Odilo, OverDrive, Palace Mktplace, Scribd, Smashwords, Tolino, Vivlio Destined for You Contemporary Romance, Book 2 Danielle Grant Series Google, Apple Amazon, Apple, B & N, B & T, Bibliotheca, BorrowBox, Gardners, Kobo, Odilo, OverDrive, Palace Mktplace, Scribd, Smashwords, Tolino, Vivlio Meant to Be Contemporary Romance, Book 2 Danielle Grant Series Google, Apple Amazon, Apple, B & N, B & T, Bibliotheca, BorrowBox, Gardners, Kobo, Odilo, OverDrive, Palace Mktplace, Scribd, Smashwords, Tolino, Vivlio Chambers Historical fiction, action-adventure   Amazon, Apple, B & N, B & T, Bibliotheca, BorrowBox, Gardners, Kobo, Odilo, OverDrive, Palace Mktplace, Scribd, Smashwords, Tolino, Vivlio Chambers: The Spirit Warrior Historical fiction, action-adventure Google Amazon, Apple, B & N, B & T, Bibliotheca, BorrowBox, Gardners, hoopla, Kobo, Odilo, OverDrive, Palace Mktplace, Scribd, Smashwords, Tolino, Vivlio Sue Kim: the Authorized Biography Celebrities & entertainment Google Amazon, Apple, B & N, B & T, Bibliotheca, BorrowBox, Gardners, Kobo, Odilo, OverDrive, Palace Mktplace, Scribd, Smashwords, Tolino, Vivlio The Overlooked Expert Non-fiction, success, entrepreneurship Google Amazon, Apple, B & N, B & T, Bibliotheca, BorrowBox, Gardners, Kobo, Odilo, OverDrive, Palace Mktplace, Scribd, Smashwords, Tolino, Vivlio Author Straight Talk Non-fiction, publishing, writing   Amazon         Pricing   Audio $2.99-3.99 All eBooks .99 Print books vary

Meet Shaun, a 5th generation Lexingtonian who knows everyone who’s anyone in horseracing. He’s been to 30 (count them, 30) Kentucky Derby’s, and runs a poker table attended by those who desire not to be mentioned, but pretty much dominate horseracing. He’s the man who drove us around, sharing the wonderful details that require an NDA, but oh, I see a suspense-thriller taking shape.

Shaun

About every question posed has an answer where Shaun starts by saying in a low, rolling drawl… “Let ol’ Shaun tell you…” then we get a fantastic ditty about a person, place, event or whatnot. About an hour in, I learn he has the mind of a booky, and started testing him~~

– What happened in the fifth race at Belmont in 1983?
– Who won the Kentucky Derby in 2009?

Not only could he recite the winners, but what happened on each corner, who came in second, third and so-on. When I said I didn’t understand the economics behind racing (ergo, with all the costs, does any farm really make money?) he proceeded to give me the PhD-level breakdown on the cost per breeding (actual mating expense) what the newborns then yearlings sell for, how many are sold per year, (by Farm!!), who they sold to, the gross amount per farm, the expenses then net profit. My mind started to melt half-way in. It was like me pretending to be a hedge-fund professional when all I see on the screen are ones and zeros.

Poor Bobby Flay….. this horse was purchased for $1.2M from Bobby who fell on some hard times with what-not going on in his life. This breeder has already sold the filly for $2.5M. We haven’t washed our hands yet….

The best part? He’s got three sons and a daughter who got her masters and is currently working on her doctorate at Oxford. Can we just say wow—and here he is, giving us the peek at the world behind the world.

It, and he, were, and are awesome.

The farm in this series is one where the owner breeds a variety of horses, but keeps the Clydesdales for fun–and when Shaun is calling a horse–its’ because so many of the thoroughbreds know him, they come when called. He got out just to show us–and sure enough, they came to the fence, and we took turns loving on them.

He’s def going to be a character in a book

Another guy joined us who wasn’t much for talking. He was slightly disheveled, crumpled shirt, crazy hair–turns out he’s one of (if not the most) in demand horse trainers in the US. He came because he had a few hours to kill and apparently loves answering questions posed by racing Luddite’s such as myself. But I digress….

Recommended beach reading for Type A’s in all walks of life, not just basketball

I don’t watch basketball. I don’t care about basketball. Yet, I found myself purchasing a book with basketball as its main theme on Saturday and had completed it by Sunday before church. It is West by West, by Jerry West, a man I’d never heard of in my life (when I ask Rog what he thinks of Jerry West he says “one of the greatest hoop players of all time. The NBA logo is modeled after him.”) Indeed.

Reality is that I was getting my weekly dose of the publishing world by reading Publishers Weekly and having no handy reading material other than a past issue of PW, started through the pages, ended up in the Reviews section, and see what I instantly categorize as ‘yet another boring biography by a former athlete I’ve never heard of,’ when I read the snippet from PW. It’s beyond glowing.  I think the reviewer nearly had a personal moment when writing the review. Since I rarely read reviews from PW infused with this type of love, I go to the amazon kindle store, see the hard cover price is nearly $30, and the kindle price is about half. Sold.

The book didn’t disappoint. The writing style is raw, like the man himself apparently is in real life. The subtitle includes the word tormented for a reason, for West was a product of an unemotional, abusive home full of children his parents could barely afford or properly love. Already sensitive and withdrawn, West becomes moreso when his older brother is killed in Vietnam. Turning inward, West devotes his attention to an object: in this case, a round ball, and it becomes his life and his means out of a home he wants to leave but then can’t stand to stay away (for long). His cracked psyche manifests itself in perfectionism, a man who can’t appreciate the good because it is forever overshadowed by the bad. This hurts himself, his wife, even the women who he slept with outside his marriage, but as he himself writes, was unable to be okay with who he was.

This alone is not what makes the book interesting, nor was it the basketball stories, though the ones he includes had a nice balance of factoids mixed with interesting human sidenotes. Even the men I didn’t know about came alive in the scenes described. Good job twice over on that. It’s hard enough for professional authors to bring a person to life and West does it with aplomb.

Another reason I enjoyed West by West is because it gives light to the fragility of elite players at any level–high school, college, and the pros. Elite players, let’s call them life competitors, share unique traits. To understand and nurture an individual blessed with the talent, drive and ego (or lack thereof) is hard a hard task to accomplish. As West graduated from player to basketball executive, his understanding of the personalities in this arena served him (and the LA Lakers well).

West by West as a cannon for anyone person who works with, for, is married to, or is in fact, in the category of a competitive, Type A personality. The ego, drive, insecurities and challenges don’t end with the clock. That’s just the beginning. West knows that now, five kids, two marriages, umpteen decades after he started his journey. Reading about it is worth the $15.

Congratulations on the college entrance examinations. Now go celebrate!

What I love about technology is the world is flat. Through the wonders of social media and communications (and yes, a few do exist) – we–my daughter and myself, have met the most amazing people from around the world.

Nemo is no exception to this phenomena, except he is…well…an exception. Bright, fluent in English, hilarious–I always know who my daughter is speaking to because I hear her laughing a floor away and down the hall. To put this in perspective, our house is mostly concrete, but she is sixteen after all, and so that must account for some of the noise:-

Of course the challenge in this case, is that Nemo and my daughter go back and forth conversing between Mandarin and English, thus, I’m only catching half the convo when I care to listen in, but honestly, between the fits of laughter and language barrier, I can’t understand a word. This is truly a sign of aging, but if your child is brought joy and laughter through a friend from half-way around the world, I’m all for it. Good people are hard enough to come by, good friends even more so.

Happy 18th Nemo. Can’t wait to celebrate your entrance to college when you receive the results!

From our home in Idaho to yours!

The story of Sue Kim continues to resonate around the world

Just wow. Behind Ray Liotta and before Taylor Swift, the authorized biography of Sue Kim is #3 today on Amazon downloads without promotion or advertising, just word of mouth. This book has hovered in the top five for nearly six years and for good reason.

Discovered by American GIs, the young singing trio are driven to perform

The recounting of the sixties darling and Korean superstar Sue Kim continues to transcend cultures and fads, her made-for-a-movie life includes a musical prodigy born to superstar parents, a father murdered by the North Koreans, her mother escaping a mountain prison, being discovered by American GI’s, and her eventual landing in the United States to find fame and love on the main stages around the country. Eventually finding love with a man New Yorker who became the longest running casino boss in the country, Sue Kim is still alive and living in Las Vegas.

June 6, 2022

You can read the reviews from around the world and see the pictures included in both the ebook and print. With exclusive access to Sue’s archived materials and interviewing over 70 people, the four years of research was worth every moment. Creating scenes from reading the descriptions of before/during/after the war was both challenging and fun, but hands down, the hardest part was the editing. And despite what a few of the reviewers have said (early versions unfortunately had a few grammatical hiccups) the true editing challenge was culling a 700-page manuscript down to a page-length readers could handle, sub-300. Now that was hard. My mother, bless her struggling eyes, cried when she compared the first version to the final, because she loved the extra stories and color. Alas, I wasn’t writing a multi-book anthology, but the highlights.

A global, constant reader favoriteWhy Free?

Because the story of one-time superstar from North Korea, remembered by the Sinatra generation is not going to hit anyone’s popular list, and this story deserves to be known around the world. Given my library of books, and the draw of avid readers in over 100 countries (crazy but true) I want to entice each and every one to download the Sue Kim story. Every ebook platform, every format possible–it’s there for the taking.

A few of my favorite themes of Sue’s life are perseverance, determination and the ability to overcome through sheer will but ultimately, turning to God to truly find the peace that success can’t provide, no matter how bright the lights or big the stage. It’s going to officially be summer in a few days; download the ebook on any device (I’ve not stipulated limits so go for it!) and when you’re done, write a review, pose a question or make a comment. Sue’s life is an inspiration to all.

Get ready to download 65 books….

It’s here. The first of many promotions run by bookcave, kicking off the Summer Bookbash with 65 authors in the romantic-suspense category feature 65 books, my first women’s title, A Convenient Date included. Click here, search and load up for beachside reading.

5-star review

Also, if you’re not following my Instagram, I’ll often do 24 hour deals or different promos that tie into some event where I’m participating. Videos and the funny life that is mine — IG address issarahgerdes_author.

Shout out to NEMO

My readers span over a hundred countries, with a high percentage in the Asia-Pacific region. My publisher can hypothesize all he wants, but I’ve not yet fully understood the interest but clearly grasp the response when I see the royalty reports for Japan, Malayasia, Singapore and elsewhere on a monthly basis. It’s amazing…

My Chinese friend

……Just like the dear friend of my oldest daughter, whose nickname is Nemo. He and my daughter switch between Mandarin and English, she’s teaching him all the American-girl slang, which I’m not sure is going to be super helpful unless he’s dating one. All I know is that when she’s another floor down at the end of the house laughing, she’s invariably talking to Nemo. Thus, another reason why I simply love people of all cultures and perspectives–goodness and joy exists everywhere, we just have to be open to it, then take the time to nourish and strengthen what we’ve found.

With summer entertaining kicking off this Memorial Day weekend, I’m getting hit up for some guest favorites. The following recipe for crab cakes is a sure-fire winner for any occasion or season.

What makes this recipe so good you might ask? A large portion of the decade I spent in San Francisco was at Fog City Diner. The diner was located within walking distance of my office on Sansome and Montgomery and was a key decision-making factor when I searched for a bigger office space. Every lunch for six years was spent at the diner, the tab making it even easier as a go-to, my ever-expanding waistline bore testament to my addiction. When Rog and I started dating, he predicted I was on the fast-track to a heart attack. I either needed to start running along the Embarcadero or “cut back on the crab cakes.”

Sadly, the week I decided to move to Seattle (having then married Roger and realizing that a split-city relationship does not make for the optimal situation) I was told by the management I’d been voted in for a plaque on my favorite table. Alas! Well, I took the plaque with me along with the cookbook.

The Crab is key

The key to great crab cakes is having a high proportion of crab, as well as enhancing the flavors of the other ingredients. The way to do this is by sautéing the onion, garlic, celery and peppers in a metal-bottomed pan. This blends and folds the flavors in a way that is not accomplished by adding the ingredients together cold.  This particular part is a Sarah special, and differs from Fog City. In other words, it’s a blend of a southern, creole recipe, a northwestern recipe and my additional ingredients I’ve incorporated over the years as I’ve served (and listened) to guest response. It’s always the first appetizer to go. I hope you love it as much as I do.

1 lb fresh lump crabmeat (costco has a pre-packaged/fresh that is a great buy at $13/lb)
½ cup butter, some oil (depending on preference) 1 cup fresh bread crumbs 1/2 cup finely chopped red pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped orange and yellow each
1 chopped sweet onion
¼ cup minced sweet red onion
½ jalapeno chile, seeded and minced
1 tbs lemon juice
2 tsp minced garlic
1 cup chopped celery (inner stocks)
2 tsp fresh chopped tarragon
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp cayenne
½ tsp Hungarian paprika
Bit of cayenne pepper
Bit of Tobasco sauce
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs (I prefer parmesan or garlic)
1 1/3 cup mayonnaise    

Preparation

Heat butter and oil in a large skillet. Slice both red and sweet onion finely. Sautee a few minutes. Slice the peppers & chile, add to the sautee. 3-5 minutes depending on heat. Near the end, add the garlic. Remove from heat and let cool. Add the crab and all other ingredients except egg, mayonnaise and bread crumbs. Lightly beat the eggs and mayonnaise. Add to the mixture. Add the seasoned bread crumbs to the point where the mixture holds together but is not dry.

Note-if the mixture is runny and you are out of breadcrumbs, press the moisture out of the mixture through a strainer. If it’s still runny, chop more breadcrumbs to reduce the moisture. (If the mixture if runny when cooked, the cakes won’t stay together, and will fall apart).

Forming the crab cakes

Using a small round tablespoon scooper, cantelope scooper or such item, scoop, round and place in the hot skillet. To ensure a nice, even crab cake, use a fork (or other object) to slightly flatten the crab cake. If I am in a rush, I use a bacon press. This ensures the cakes are even and cook very fast.

Sherry Cayenne Topping

Mix together 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon cayenne, 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar. Place a dollop on each crab cake