Teacher

Perhaps I should await student and guest evaluations prior to posting.  Nah, I’ll be honest later.  All I can say is that I had a good time planning a cooking basics class for two of our teen-aged cousins.

Along with trussing, roasting and carving a chicken came braising carrots and making mashed potatoes.  The lesson also included sanitation, salmonella, rudimentary knife skills, and timing a meal.

I left them to finish the meal on their own, with adult supervision.  Not that they need it, except some help with done-ness and carving. Otherwise these are two very impressive young ladies who seemed to enjoy our class and learn from it.

As to rudimentary knife skills, they had rudimentary knives.  Luckily I brought two and they had a usable boning knife.  A cook’s tools include a chef’s knife and a paring knife at minimum.  I hope if their interest continues that they invest in both in time.  I know where to splurge and where “good” is OK and inexpensive.

Seems to me I’ve written something on A Cook’s Tools…

Congratulations ladies!  They made boursin for a Thanksgiving tasting and both thought it out well.  Textures were interesting and very different, some thinking out of the box which I like.  Once they get used to making this cream cheese spread “on the fly” they’ll use what they have and enjoy with judicious abandon.  Both were sparing on the herbs as they were playing with flavors.  That’s better than overloading and having a mess of flavors with no focus.

I’m very proud of you.  Dee