My Little Bundle of CO2 and Alcohol



My friend at work was making rosemary and grape focaccia for a banquet tomorrow and I was working on my pastry stuff when he brought me a little bundle of starter. I was quite surprised, I didn't see that coming. My surprise quickly changed to happiness and excitement because I have often thought about starting my own starter, but never got around to it. Then, through the dazed expression and daydreams of breadmaking, it happened. I realized that I'm responsible for this little bundle. I have to make sure I feed it daily (it is so small) and take care of it or it will die. It'll be a while before I will have enough to make anything, so we're talking weeks of care. That was when I got nervous. Daily feedings. Making sure it doesn't get too hot, then moving it to the fridge for weekly feedings. I don't have a good memory. I'm doing well if I can remember to wash my face and brush my teeth. Once I forget deodorant. How? I have no idea. Woke up late and was in a hurry? I don't take the pill; I never remember. I don't take vitamins, I don't have a pet. I have no children. My plants have to cry out to me (I usually see them when I gaze out the window; I notice the bamboo when I'm watching tv). You get the point; unless it's right in front of my face, or in the case of my cell phone, beeps to tell me to charge it, I'll forget it. Please pray for Rosie. Yes, I've named it. Maybe by naming my starter, I'll remember to take care of it? I don't know. I can hardly wait to start baking bread though.


I went for sushi with my friend a few nights ago. It was our second time at Sushi Para II. I'm late in posting. I didn't eat much since I'd eaten before she'd called me. I had some clear soup with crab meat and seaweed, and three pieces; crab, eel, and I can't remember the third. I also had a couple of things off of her plate. At the end of dinner, all I could smell was wasabi. The trick to eating it is don't inhale when you take a bite, and exhale through your nose. Works for me.

Comments

Tea said…
Hi Mochene, thanks for your comment on Tea and Cookies. You have a great blog--I was laughing so hard at your starter woes! I had some sourdough starter when I lived in Japan, but I went on vacation and it died. I just couldn't see asking any of my work colleagues there to babysit and feed it for me while I was gone:-)
11:05 PM
Erin said…
Thanks, tea. I'm glad you enjoy my little blog. "Rosie" is still growing. I'm not sure what I would do if I had to leave her. I could just see myself trying to smuggle her onto the plane with me.
5:22 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

L2O Pain au Lait Rolls

Image
Last year for my birthday, I had the pleasure of dining at L2O, a fine dining restaurant that tastefully uses "molecular gastronomy" here in Chicago. I'd done a stage there, unfortunately it did not work out, but I am still quite impressed with Laurent Gras' food philosophy, how well run and organized the kitchen was, as well as the vibe between the cooks. Anyway, months later I had the pleasure of receiving the recipe for their pain au lait rolls via email from Time Out Chicago . These rolls were so good that I chose them more often than the others that were offered in selection from their bread basket. I'd filed the recipe away, and recently had the pleasure of making some for a dinner party. Initially the recipe was converted from weight in ounces to volume, so when I made it, not only did I double-check the accuracy (I found discrepancies) I converted it to a more accurate gram measure. So, pulling out my measuring cups, I converted it correctly to grams...
Read more

Key Lime Pie

Image
I will admit that I don't like a lot of citrus desserts.  I like my lemons sour-I eat them with salt-and I'm not too keen on key lime pies, though my mother loves them.  Making lemon curd is torture to me.  To stand over the pot, stirring the mix of yolks, lemon juice and sugar while smelling the proteins in the yolks coagulate is not a thing of pleasure.  I honestly think it stinks myself, but to each his/her own.  This doesn't mean I don't make the things I don't like very well.  In the world of pastry, you have to cook for your guests and customers, even if that means making something you don't eat. When changing jobs, going into a new kitchen and executing the previous chef's menu, you're torn between keeping their style, and asserting your own (these events are often booked months in advance, and some have tastings where the expectations are established).  So when I read Deconstructed Key Lime Pie on the menu, like a flip book, the ideas flicker...
Read more

Nutella Tarts for The One

Image
I think this blog has become a sort of confessional for me.  I say this because I confess that this tart wasn't ready for World Nutella Day on February 5th, but it is in time for Valentine's Day! It took me a while to think of a few things to make for the holiday, then to narrow them down.  I actually decided to do this tart and made one-got it right first shot!-but with the snow storm, I was feeling a little cozy and lazy, similar to what I believe bears go through during this time of year.  So, I did a lot of napping, watching movies I won't admit to watching, and eating soup.  Laziness prevented me from getting my entry in, but, like I said, Valentine's Day saved me!
Read more