The Ground is Starting to Crunch

For the first few weeks I kept thinking I was always seeing the same waiter. It weirded me out to see this waiter walk out of the door and in through another then I realized the waiter who own the randomly noisy apartment above my head has a roommate: his twin. Now it makes sense.

Last night I had the brilliant plan of making myself a cup of instant coffee to aid my awakening this morning (because instant isn’t fast enough when you have to boil the water). I realized that Instant coffee doesn’t taste so good when it’s cold, but I was able to pry my eyes open before exiting the building: my overall goal. Last day at Saucier... last morning of schnitzel making. I must say I’m pretty proud of how nice they turned out today. Note to my father: this does not mean it is finally time to buy a whole cow and fabricate it on the back porch… as beautiful as you think it would be,  I am by no mean a meat whisperer. I still think protein shrivels at the sight of me holding a knife, but… but today, today, I did a good job on the schnitzel. No wincing involved during the process :) And then I walked into work and I was told not to pound it so thin… You live and You learn.

During the evening shift I was in charge of making the jus. Mirepoix, tomato paste, redwine, lots and lots of bones, and cold water. The, the sautéing, the deglazing, the reduction, the depoulaging (skimming of fat and skum)… it smelled so strong and meaty and winey and felt like a sauna for my face.  It will cook overnight and tomorrow when I walk in it will be a broth infused with every effort I put into it. That is something I love about cooking. It isn’t paperwork that is approved and stamped for someone else to see. It isn’t a computer document erased or stored with a click of a button. It is something you can put your spoon into and taste the sweet, the savory, and the lovely. Each step builds on the last and eventually will be brought to someone and create a warm and fuzzy feeling of (might I borrow this for Rachel Ray) “yum.”  Although I left smelling like a roast, tomorrow I will walk in ready to taste my work.

                I am completely fascinated by this thing called Fall. As I stated earlier I have never experienced the season and every day I walk outside I look out ready to see everything red, yellow, and orange. It is there… just not everywhere yet. But I am starting to hear the sounds of crispy leaves stiffly moving with the wind and hitting the ground… the crunch of leaves under my feet during my daily walks. The locals here must think me a bit odd for stopping at the sight of a brilliantly colored leaf or looking around like I just walked into an undiscovered world… But even though it is just the lane behind the garbage storage… It feels to be so much more.