Sat, Mar 29, 2008
Knife Skills Class
Posted to Technology category
This was fun. We chopped all kinds of veggies for a minestrone soup, and for a vinaigrette, and chopped and chiffonaded herbs, and supremed oranges. And then we ate the soup and salads for a late lunch.
I skipped the green salad (except for a bite of tomato to taste the vinaigrette) because of my lettuce allergy. But the orange salad (with mint chiffonade) was good.
The soup was also very good. My Nonna would have used rosemary in additon to the other herbs, and more beans, but I still had a bowl and a half.
I managed to cut myself when I was working on the last segment of my orange, but I've had worse papercuts. And I honestly can't imagine ever needing to supreme an orange in real life. Concasséing a tomato is likely to be a lot more useful.
On the way home I stopped at McGuckins and bought a new sharpening steel and a replacement for my favorite wood cutting board that warped to death several months ago (it cost $13, and the old one lasted about 10 years...). Also some other kitchen gadgets, including the sausage-stuffer to go with my Kitchenaid's meatgrinder, and a cherry/olive pitter. And a few little 4 oz. condiment dishes for mise en place use, so I have something between the tiny ones and custard cups.
I also invested in a 1 gallon white porcelain compost container for my kitchen counter. My soil is so bad than any little bit would help, and there is no sense sending good organics to the landfill. Now I need to find a big outdoor compost bin that won't get wrecked by the wind, or put it down wind from the house. But it will take me a while to fill the gallon jar, even with Farmers' Market starting next week.
I mentioned in class that I work at the Market, and that it was starting up again next week. The Instructor asked which farm I sold for and said "Oh, Jay Hill Farm is where the school gets all our greens." So the salad I didn't eat came from Nanette's farm. I'm not sure about the basil and mint we chiffonaded.
I didn't buy any more knives because my old Chicago Cutlery boning knive is adequate for the little I use it, and they didn't have a roast slicer that I liked. I think I'm going to keep using the Ginsu as my main bread knife.