Our farm community has each person cook a family-style dinner about once a week, and I've had some amazing dinners so far. I realise, however, that cooking is not a skill I would say I have mastered. Last Tuesday, The Yogi created a masterful vegetable-bean stir fry with a tasty spinach/raw chevre salad for dinner. It was a rather delicious success! Friday was my night to cook and I thought I'd try to make the most of really simple ingredients- I found a recipe for bell pepper and onion Corn Fritters, which my brain instantly paired with a fresh greens salad with freshly picked Sand Pairs. Said recipe looked easy enough, but I suppose more than a modicum of cooking prowess is necessary for the pulling-off of proper fritter texture. I have not one ounce of said prowess. I did learn, however, that corn can catch fire- and rather easily. That's right, folks. I inadvertently started a small corn fire on the side of the farm owners' lovely 5-burner gas stove. I did get the fire put out (success!) but I was wholly unable to achieve fritter texture. Instead, I (bravely, I must say!) served 9ish hungry farm workers a meal of corn mush (Virgin Islanders- think fungi sans okra). The flavor was a-ok, but the texture was, well, odd. And I didn't make nearly enough food, even though I tripled the amounts in the recipe. The Yogi came through, though. She had my back all the way. She made a delicious warm greens salad with sauteed onions and sand pears (looks like a pear, consistency of an apple,flavor smack in the middle of the two). It was really, really good! Still not quite enough food, though, and one of our more appetitous (I know it's not a word- using it anyway though!) workers followed his helping with cold spaghetti and a handful of other leftovers sitting in the fridge since god knows when. Everybody said the meal tasted great, and I feel pretty solid in the idea that things work out when you put your best foot forward. They just do, that's Truth.
(The above video is a cover of Alexander Ebert's "Truth" by Ngaire Young, Jun Bustamante, and Aleshea Harris. They are amazing!)
Needless to say, I was glad it was all over- especially since the cook doesn't have to clean after dinner. I only had to clean the stove. I did learn a new trick, though- after attempting to destroy an anodized pan (didn't know it was anodized, but now I will never forget) by using a metal spatula to mobilize the corn shmeg that was thoroughly baked on to it. By the way, never, ever do that...especially if the pan's owner is nearby- it may cost you your life. SO here's the tip: For scrub free pot and pan cleaning, fill with water and a little baking soda and bring it to a low boil. The baked on caked on will find itself set free, and you will find yourself with smaller scrub-muscles!
Seriously...I'm good with the animals but a hot mess in the damn kitchen! Who knew? Oh yeah- YOU did.
~Crick
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