Another Week, Another Foster Dog

I'll steal an idea from Niko and say "long story short" - we took the ferry to Vancouver yesterday to meet my latest foster dog. She came from Kansas and is a really cute little brindle lurcher. Oddly enough she was found as a stray in late 2001, about the same time Cuinn was found (only in a different country). I think we may add her to the menagerie if she likes it here. She has shown no signs of wanting to eat the cats and Cuinn seems to like her. We'll see. We did change her name to Skyla, after Scalath the Celtic warrior woman, as she came with the unfortunate moniker of Sissy. //shudder// You can't see it in the pic but she has a bit of wiry hair on her back and muzzle (again, like Cuinn), I think she may have some terrier in there somewhere (unlike Cuinn).

Well . . .

My blood pressure is back to normal, no more ranting for a while. I've been spending my spare (?) time listing things on Ebay to pay for all the Christmas shopping I've done there recently (and my bookcloseouts spree). I found out one of the things I have my eye on for Selena ends at 0400, I guess I won't be sniping that one (unless Cuinn needs to go potty about then).

Today at school I was an entremetier, basically veg cook. So far I blanched beans and carrots, after carefully cutting the carrots into little sticks and cutting the beans the right length. I roasted some squash, and over par-boiled some potatoes //sigh//, so I re-par-boiled (?) more potatoes. I did find out I'm not the first person to over cook the potatoes. Phew! Tomorrow I get to reheat them and put them on plates.

We had a test today. It was a hard one all about primal cuts of meat. Hopefully we get the marks back tomorrow.

Romantic Ireland? NOT!

I just finished pottering around the kitchen, reflecting on a good mornings Christmas shopping and was happily smelling my cooking chicken stock when I logged onto one of my favourite greyhound forums.

//rant mode on //

I came across a post on yet another atrocity comitted in the so-called civilized world. We in the rescue biz (as peripheral as I am, I say we in this case) have known for ages that the situation in other parts of the world isn't as rosy as it is here. Two countries come to the forefront in the sighthound world - Spain and Ireland. I'll come to the case of Spain shortly.

The American European Greyhound Alliance was formed by Americans to help overseas by offering publicity, funds, and help homing dogs. Here is their latest tale from Ireland, warning there are a few graphic photos. There are more at Limerick Animal Welfare. These are not random acts, it happens all the time. Animal welfare people in Ireland have been fighting for years against the system, trying to have laws changed and educate the public. Until the international community loudly and openly condemns the situation nothing will change.

Some will say that there are people in the world that need more help than some animal. True. However, it's people who caused this mess in the first place. How much time does it take to write one or two letters to the Irish government and tourism board (hit them where the money is)? Consider sending a few $$ to help the Limerick folks with their vet bills. Maybe in honour of someone who is hard to buy for this season? Remember - "We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." - Immanuel Kant

And "We have enslaved the rest of the animal creation, and have treated our distant cousins in fur and feathers so badly that beyond doubt, if they were able to formulate a religion, they would depict the Devil in human form". - William Ralph (Dean) Inge

//rant mode off//

I'm so annoyed I've gone off and made this list of contact information:

• Tourism Ireland overseas offices - has info forms to submit comments, choose a country and click on "contact us" at the bottom of the page


• Consulate of Ireland 345 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10154 Tel: 212 319 2555


• Embassy of Ireland 130 Albert Street #1105 Ottawa, ON KIP 5G4 Tel: 613 233 6281 E-mail


• Fáilte Ireland - National Tourism Development Authority, E-mail
  
  • Baggot St. Bridge, Dublin 2
    
    Tel + 353 1 6024000 / 1890 525525
    
    Fax +353 1 6024100
  
  
  • Amiens Street, Dublin 1
    
    Tel: 1890 525 525 or (01) 855 6555
    
    Fax: (01) 855 6821
  
  
  
  


• John O'Donoghue, Minister of Arts, Sports and Tourism
  
  Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism,
  
  23 Kildare Street, Dublin 2
  
  Telephone (+353 1) 631 3800
  
  fax...(+353 1) 661 1201
  
  Private Secretary to the Minister (+353 1) 631 3804
  


• Bertie Ahern, T.D., Taoiseach
  
  Department of the Taoiseach
  
  Government Buildings
  
  Upper Merrion Street, Dublin 2
  
  Phone:353 1 6624888
  
  Fax: 353 1 6789791
  
  TAOISEACH'S PRIVATE OFFICE - Email
  
  Phone: 01-6194020 / 4021 / 4043
  
  Fax: 01-6764048


• Email form to Comments to the Taoiseach

Things I Didn't Know I Needed

until I went to cooking school. I made cheese scones this morning and it took me 3 times as long as does at school. That got me to thinking about things I could use at home that make things faster at school. Most of them involve stainless steel and some involve large amounts of cash (well, I can dream, can't I?).

• several sizes of sifter (mine holds about a cup)


• stainless measuring cups


• stainless measuring spoons


• several plastic liquid measuring cups (that hold more than 1 cup)


• a wooden rolling pin


• a large cutting board


• somewhere to roll out pastry


• a convection oven (yeah, right!)


• a Kitchen Aid mixer


• a high speed blender


• assorted pastry cutters

And that's just for a start! I'd lover a huge Hobart mixer, an industrial dishwasher and a Cryovac machine too . . .

Things I've Learned at Cooking School

As I was falling asleep last night I was reflecting on the things I've learned in almost 3 short months in cooking school.

• (mostly) how not to cut myself with very sharp tools (see Ouch!)


• how to make the perfect sandwich


• that brown does not neccessary mean burnt, but black does


• what mise en place means (prep, prep and more prep)


• how to truss a chicken


• how to cut NY steaks


• how to French a lamb rack


• that pot handles are usually hot (see Ouch! #2)


• all about properly creaming butter


• why pastry needs an egg wash


• why you should never mop out the walk in freezer (I didn't do it but someone did and I went skating!)


• that you can freeze iced cakes


• the easy way to dice onions


• grating butter is much easier (and faster) than the old "cut in with knives" method


• prawns and shrimp are the same critter


• veal has fewer primal cuts than a full grown cow


• it's okay to have a few duck carcasses in your chicken stock

This course is by far the most fun I have had in school yet, and the e-comm course was pretty high on my scale of fun and interesting learning. Next week I learn all about being a entremetier cook - basically veg, veg and more veg.

In Other News

• Warrior, our big blue foster dog, went to his new home on Sunday afternoon. His new names is Fionn and I suspect he is going to be totally spoiled


• The washing machine from Hell let go of my chef's jacket but is stilling hanging onto the apron. We're getting there anyway.


• My order from Bookcloseouts.com arrived in record time. I love that shop! I bought a couple of Christmas presents and of course, ended up with a bunch of stuff for myself. How can you resist $2 hardcovers? I also got the last one of a $45 book for $13. I'm a happy camper. Now I just have to wait for my Ebay shopping to arrive.


• The fundraising auction I ran for NCGL raised over $600!

Funny Things Kids Say #2

Selena went to a friend's house after school and by some miracle remembered to phone me when she arrived. I asked her what time I should pick her up and heard someone in the background answer "730." I suggested she should come home before her friend's family has dinner, she said she was invited and she says to her friend's mum - "my mum wants to make sure I'm invited, she's that kind of mum." //snort// Then I heard the mother in the background confirming the invitation, so I said that was fine as long as she didn't invite herself. Selena says, in her best grown up tone, "I don't do that anymore." That's my girl!

Ouch! #2

Today was my second day as saucier, yesterday was easy - I just had to make sauces (oddly enough). Today started off OK, I made some garnishes (although the potato tuiles didn't make it) and prepped for service, then my job would be to cook and plate all the meat. We had reservations for 25. In the "real" world of restaurants 25 isn't much but in our learning world 25 is a full dining room.

Yikes! So much for starting off slowly. Chef said it would be a "trial by fire." How right he was //sigh//, first I got burned by a spit of oil from the deep fryer, just a tiny drop, no biggie. Then I went to pick up a pot handle that was HOT and got a small burn on my fingertip (no print on that one today!). And of course, I had to grab one more pan and my towel slipped, so you guessed it, another burn. That one has a nice little imprint of part of the pot handle (a la Indiana Jones) on the edge of my palm. We were right in the middle of service when the last one happened so I had to wait a bit before I could ice it.

I think I'll try to be more careful tomorrow . . .

Thing That Happen When You Listen To Your Sister #2

Or in this case, your aunt. It's all about anime! Selena has it worse than I do, she has to watch Gundam Seed, Inu Yasha and Witch Hunter Robin.
So far I've managed to hold out and only watch Witch Hunter Robin. I just wish it wasn't on at 1030pm, after a long day at school it's all I can do to stay awake that late.

Things That Happen When You Listen To Your Sister #1

Or rather, things that happen when I listen to my sister . . . A(nother) new addiction!

It all started innocently enough a few years ago. Niko had gotten tickets to a Neil Gaiman reading and didn't have anyone to go with, so she asked me. I didn't have anything else to do, so I went. We were crammed into this little art gallery and arrived too late for seats. I wasn't really looking forward to standing listening to some comic dude for 2 hours in a sweaty little box of a room, but what the heck, we were there.

Well, that was one of the funniest evenings I've ever spent standing listening to a talk and I didn't even have to leave town to hear it. For entertainment value he was right up there with Bruce "Evil Dead" Campbell and sword master Anthony De Longis.

Since then I've slowly started reading all Neil's books, usually handed to me in the library by Niko with a stern "Read this!" First had to be American Gods, I got hooked on that one after listening to Neil read an excerpt, then Neverwhere and Stardust, and Good Omens, etc. I've watched "Neverwhere", just bought "Coraline" (very spooky book) and have requested the first of the Sandman series from the library. Oh yeah, and spent a huge chunk of cash on a hardcover of The Sandman: Endless Nights. I think I'm hooked . . .

How Make Niko Spit Out Her Candy

Tell her you've skimmed a book instead of reading it. She made a funny noise too . //grin//

The Washing Machine Strikes Again

A month or so ago my apron strings got wound up in the agitator and one string was ripped off as we attempted to liberate the apron. Not so bad, eventually the string unwound and was released, although I still have to sew it back together. So I have an extra apron.

Well, last night the machine struck again. Not content with a mere apron string, it decided to try to consume the apron and my chef's jacket. No amount of swearing, crying and assorted tugging has be able to convince it to let go of my clothing. Apparently the agitator is rusted on, as it will not come off either. //grrr//

I was allowed to wear my backup jacket and was issued yet another apron. Just in case, I hand washed my uniform tonight and will get one of my "uncles who know things" to tackle the machine on the weekend. //sigh//

I also had a minor measuring mishap yesterday that buggered up my pizza dough today. I was scaling out muffin mix at 4 pounds per bowl, then switched to pizza dough. I read 2.2 kilos but weighed out 2.2 pounds. Ooops! I had to toss that attempt and start again. //sigh again//

On the good side, I've gotten pretty good at scones and pizza rolls, and have learned some interesting things about cakes. I didn't know that you had to cream butter for eons in a proper mixer with a paddle, not smush it with a spoon and move on. No wonder all my scratch cakes (with the exception of cheesecake) have that vague resemblance to bricks. Interesting stuff . . .

Big Blue Dog

Our latest foster arrived last night. We (I begged and bribed Niko with a McDonald's salad) went up to Ladysmith in the dark and pouring rain to meet Anette (who had driven all day to and from Everett, Washington). Warrior is a very sweet, stunning blue brindle who will be with us about a week.

Here he is with Cuinn:


Look at those ears!

Baker's Man, Baker's Man . . .

or woman as the case may be. This week is my rotation through the bake station. Other than having to get up at 0 dark 30 to be at school for 0630, it is going well. A lot of stuff to remember - we bake muffins, cookies, scones, and pizza rolls every day, as well as at least one quick bread or loaf then I prep for the next day. I have learned a lot about the finer points of baking that I didn't know and hopefully will become a better baker.

However, I do know that I cannot continue to get up that early for the rest of my career, so baking is out. I don't seem to be able to count that early in the day - I managed to get the wrong cutter (3rd one in, not 2nd!) and shorted my prep by one egg. Lucky for me and my sleep patterns, this is a 4 day week.