Yum Makes It All Better

[jmfargo]

Okay, so my morning wasn't going so well and I was really ready to just shut down and take a nice long nap, which wouldnt have been a bad thing, but at the same time would have been because I have work to do. Instead, I remembered that I had to make spaghetti sauce or we would have no dinner tonight! A part of me argued that if I didn't make it we might be able to have a fish fry (probably my favorite meal these days), but honesty won out in straight sets, and I got to cooking.

Nothing soothes me like cooking. The gentle rythm of cutting the vegetables, the harsh staccatto of the oil popping to its own beat, the smells, the memories, the tears. Tears? Damn that onion was powerful.

It was nice, getting into the kitchen and making my bastardized version of my family sauce into something that Maria will enjoy. I've actually created my own "family" sauce, so that feels good.

I'm relaxed now, able to work without feeling stressed, and handling the dogs better. It's absolutely amazing what getting into a kitchen can do if I'm cooking something I know really well. Very few things can be as calming. I sincerely hope that everyone has something like this for themselves that no matter how bad things are they can turn to it, and even if they don't "return to normal" afterwards, at the very least they are better during it.

Comments

[reverendfixxxer.livejournal.com]

If you don't cut the bottom (root end) off the onion before slicing it, it won't be as powerful and likely to make you tear up. It also helps to hold your head back instead of leaning over your work (as most people chopping vegetables, myself included, are prone to do).

[reverendfixxxer.livejournal.com]

Oh, I neglected to include that if you're cutting onions and the tearing gets extremely bad or painful (which it can do if you're cutting a buttload of them), open your freezer door and stick your face in. Trust me.

[jfargo.livejournal.com]

Trust me.

I've read posts at the forums on your D&D Archive site (http://www.dndarchive.com/) that makes me question the wisdom of that course of action.

However, this time I will, and probably get eaten by a grue. :)


Seriously though? I have never been so strongly affected by an onion. This thing was potent! I'll keep all these tips in mind in the future, thanks! Isn't there one about "cut it near a tap while running cold water," or something? Does that work?

This Works For Me

[akdidge.livejournal.com]

I run the onion beneath cold water before I begin, and then I run the ulu/knife (whichever I happen to have conviently laying about) under hot water for about 30-45 seconds before beginning to chop up the onion. I've yet to shed a tear. But then, I'm a ten year old with pig tails, so what are you going to do, eh?

Re: This Works For Me

[jfargo.livejournal.com]

What's an ulu? I asked Maria because she's smart and she asked me to use it in a sentence, but all I could come up with at first was, "Okay, 'What is an ulu?'"

Then I read what you wrote and we still have no idea.

Yes, I could google.

No, I'm not going to. :)

Re: This Works For Me

[akdidge.livejournal.com]

It's a type of knife. Specifically used up here in Alaska. It's basically a pendulum-looking blade with a handle on it. In other words, imagine a "C" with its back being the blade and the open part between the top and the bottom of the "C" being where a handle would be. It's original use was designed for skinning, and is exceptional because of the ease of strokes while doing so. It also makes for excellent cutting/dicing of vegetables and other things because of the shape of the blade and the ease of rocking it back and forth in a bowl shapped depression in a cutting board. That help?

Re: This Works For Me

[jfargo.livejournal.com]

Okay, so it's a head-knife, which is the type of knife you are supposed to use to do leatherworking. The strange thing was I kind of knew before reading your explanation, but also know I've never heard of an ulu before. *Shrugs*

Yeah, I can see how that would be a cool cutting/dicing knife.

Re: This Works For Me

[akdidge.livejournal.com]

Also jsut so you know, it's pronouced, "ew-lue". Remember knowledge is power.

Re: This Works For Me

[akdidge.livejournal.com]

But spelling, however, is not. ;P

Cooking

[akdidge.livejournal.com]

I went over to my ex's place Wednesday night, stopping off to pick up some supplies. She was working on her math homework and had asked me to swing by and double check her homework. She offered to make the dinner for payment of my brain services. Well, I got there and she was still working on homework. She told me to make myself at home and that she'd be out shortly. I decided that I'd do the cooking, since I love to do that kind of stuff, and proceeded to make spaghetti, the sauce, and the garlic bread. It was very soothing and energetic, and most of all she appreciated the gesture as she finished her homework about the time I walked into her spare room where she was working on her math to tell her that dinner was ready.

Re: Cooking

[jfargo.livejournal.com]

I find it surprising that you're on good enough terms that this would be a natural occurance? It's a good thing, but as a guy who has usually gotten along with his exes just fine, I've never experienced that kind of ease.

I envy you.

How was the food? :)

Re: Cooking

[akdidge.livejournal.com]

What can I say, when you're ten anything is possible. ;)

Seriously though we care a great deal for one another but we just think we're headed in two different directions. Still, no reason to be mean, and we get along fine in everything except a few minor areas of contention.

The food was very good, although I did leave the meat on a tad too long, but not bad enough that it burned. I actually managed to time it just right that the meat was getting done as I finished dicing up the onions to add at the last second at about the same time that the sauce was starting to bubble, the garlic bread had about forty-five seconds before it was ready to be pulled out of the oven, and the noodles were reaching the perfect stage of "hey get us into a strainer!"

[sarin-girl.livejournal.com]

mmmh... spag bol..

I love cooking! I wish I had more time for it...

my favourite thing to cook is Jambalaya.. it's a fair amount of work chopping everything up.. but then you add the rice.. sit back.. and just wait..

and yum! damn.. might try to make some this weekend.. hehehe..

whats your favourite thing to cook?

[jfargo.livejournal.com]

Good old Beef Stew is probably my ultimate favorite. Much like Jambalaya (which I enjoy preparing, but don't have any good recipes for anymore*), it takes a lot of preparation with cutting stuff up, but then you just let it sit and..well...stew.

Spaghetti sauce is a close second though because it's such a comfort food.

*

[sarin-girl.livejournal.com]

yes.. I have an awesome one..
will have to find the cookbook and get the proper receipe for you..

I've kinda modified mine a bit over the years and each time I make it.. hehe

[jfargo.livejournal.com]

I've kinda modified mine a bit over the years and each time I make it..

Isn't that the only way to cook? I'm slowly learning that strict adherence to a recipe is usually not the way to make that recipe come out its best. I come from an Italian family - you think I would have learned earlier.

[reverendfixxxer.livejournal.com]

--Isn't that the only way to cook?--

Yes it is. Any idiot can follow a step-by-step guideline. "Put exactly this many onions in, wait 2 minutes and add exactly this many carrots..." The person that only does that is not a cook any more than the person who assembles his cheap furniture via the instructions is an engineer. Truly cooking requires knowing the effect that your actions will have on the finished food product, and this is done via experimentation. That's what being a cook is about.

[jfargo.livejournal.com]

Usually the way I cook something new is try it by the recipe first, and then if it's worthy of a second try we (Maria and I) talk about what could have been better. In a week or so I try it again, this time with alterations in place.

I usually only alter it on the first try if there's something I know will make it better if I take it away/add it.