Learning To Cook (Self Moderated)

[Jaki Vampyler]

Timestamp:
First day of Ponutis
Winter, Era XII (Post Factum)

Jaki wanted to be able to cook, and so she decided that it was time to learn. So, she approached the Crown Inn, and they gave her a name, Tania. The name was of a human woman who taught basic cookery. Jaki was most pleased to discover this, and she waited patiently for her teacher to arrive.

When her teacher did arrive, Jaki greeted her in a friendly manner, and the older human woman brought with her an array of pots and implements that Jaki found amazing. Right her teacher said I am going to assume that you know nothing. I know you probably do, but I don't care. Revision is always good. So now. It is going to go like this. This will take a full cycle. We will learn on Day 1 about different kinds of meats. Day 2 is different kinds of vegetables and Day 3 is different kinds of fruits. Day 4 we will look at boiling and Day 5 simmering, Day 6 is roasting and Days 7 to 10 we will be practicing three basic meals. Is that acceptable to you?

Jaki looked at her teacher and nodded indeed so, yes. I have bought paper and inks for note taking, I trust that this is acceptable, Mi'lady?. her teacher nodded and the two women moved into the kitchen.

Alright then. Firstly, today we are going to look at different kinds of meat. That means how to cut meat, how to recognise different parts of it, and the best ways to cook different kinds of meat. Now. out of her enormous wicker basket, she pulled the carcass of a chicken that had, thankfully, been plucked and beheaded. this is a chicken. I am going to show you how to cut it, and then we will discuss the different parts. Alright? Jaki nodded, and her teacher continued to speak I have one here, that I will do and I will explain it to you as I go. Then you will do the second one that I have with me. Do you understand? The reason we do this is that most butchers will sell whole birds, whereas with cuts of meat, it is actually easier to buy them in cuts. BUt of course, depending on where you are, it never hurts to know how to cut a beast. Now. Pay attention, and for the sake of the gods, call me Tania.

Jaki did just that, and nodded. She paid attention closely, and made notes here and there, asking questions when it was appropriate, and then she stood up and looked at the second chicken carcass as though it were something that was about to leap out and such out her life.

Very well. I am going to cut this into twelve pieces, Tania. That is how chicken is usually cut. Now, firstly, I am pulling off the fatty pieces, as that will make the cutting easier. I am putting those to one side, however, as they will help with making stock later. Then I take this very sharp knife and I cut off this piece of the chicken that is called, for reasons I am not sure I want to know, the "bishops nose". she did this, weilding the very sharp knife with confidence, but carefully Then, I stand the chicken up, like so, and cut it in half along its back. This allows me to open it out as though it were being bloodeagled and then I continue to cut it in half along its breast but from the inside. Now, with a bit of luck she grunted slightly as she pushed the knife through and then looked up with a smile as she succeeded I get two halves of chicken. Now, I take them, and cut off the wings on them both, then I cut through the legs. It is important to try here to cut through the middle of the joint. Now I slice off the bottom part of the leg and either give it to the dog, should I have one, or throw it away. The next step is to cut away the rest of the wing, making sure to leave some of the breast with it, then I cut off the rest of the breast. The bit that I have left, I cut into half, and as long as I have done that with both halves, I have a chicken cut into twelve pieces!

She looked up at Tania and her teacher smiled good. You have a good eye for detail, those two halves are very similar. Now. Let us move on to other cuts of meat.

Tania talked to Jaki for the best part of the next two candlemarks, and Jaki took notes. These were as follows:

Beef: Beef can be split into different ratings of quality. These are called "grades". They are
Prime: the best - usually found only in very expensive butchers
Choice: juicy and tender
Select: leaner and less juice.

Cuts include:
Chuck or Shoulder cuts (high flavour, usually less tender)
Foreshank / Brisket - usually best for roasting or boiling- not usually any other uses than that.
Rib - used for steaks - very tasty
Plate - a piece of the animal that takes flavour best - so it best used in dishes with sauce
Loin - best cuts, and most expensive
FLank - tends towards being tough -not very versatile but cheap
Sirloin (cow) - medium quality -tends to be most popular and very versatile
Round - are less tender, but have a good combination of texture and taste

Her teacher looked at her and read through the notes that she had made that is good. Tomorrow, we will look at different vegetables and consider their uses. Are there any questions?

Since there were not, Tania put the chicken pieces into her basket and made her way home.


ooc: I hope it is acceptable to assume that I have found someone to teach me. Please tell me if not. Also - could you please confirm how much this basic training will cost? Thank you.

[Jaki Vampyler]

The next day, Tania arrived with her full basket once again. She looked at Jaki and smiled, then started emptying out the basket on the kitchen table Now, today we are going to make vegetable stew and roast vegetables. So, I would like you to help me prepare both dishes, as this will help you both learn how to prepare the vegetables, but also will show you a lot about how to cook them. We will talk about each vegetable and as we do we will prepare it, and how to cut it and so on

Jaki looked at the range of vegetables, and her teacher told her what they were, each one. She nodded, knowing some of them, and not being aware of others. Then, they did each vegetable one at a time, simply peeling, washing and preparing one of each. When they had finished. Tanya asked Jaki to tell her what they had done, and the process they had undertaken. Jaki looked at the remaining uncut vegetables, and pointed to them in turn.

This is a potatoe she said, starting with the most obvious These are very versatile and are a staple of soup as they give texture and are very filling. They have to be washed and peeled and then cut into chunks of the appropriate size. They can be boiled or roasted. Next is the cabbage, which is washed, the outer leaves removed and then the leaves are pulled off and ripped away from the stem. They are boiled only. These are carrots, again a versatile vegetable, perhaps moreso than the potatoe, as they can also be eaten raw. They are peeled and chopped or sliced and can be boiled or roasted. She looked up at her teacher, who merely nodded and Jaki moved on, to the next one.

This is a tomato, which is actually a fruit but is usually used in savoury dishes. This kind of firm tomatoe can be roasted, but they are also often chopped small and put into soups and as the basis for sauces with other dishes

She continued on through the other vegetables, and finally her teacher nodded Good. You have the basis of how to prepare vegetables now. So now that you have the theory, show me.

Jaki nodded, and began to prepare the vegetables which she placed into two containers. One was for the soup that they were going to make and the others she placed on a baking sheet, for roasting. She cut and chopped carefully, feeling a growing sense of frustration as she found that she could not make the vegetables exactly the same shapes as each other. As she peeled the last potatoe, she slipped slightly and cut a slice across her thumb, causing the blood to flow just a little. She looked at it quite calmly and moved to pour water over it from a jug at the side of the sink. As she did so, Tania came over and looked at her washing her thumb, checking that it was alright. She nodded A valuable lesson. Always peel away from you, not towards you she said, stating a point that Jaki considered was rather unecessary, but then was worth making. So she continued on, washing, peeling and cutting each vegetable. When she was done, Tania nodded and smiled That's fine, a goodly amount indeed. Now then, lets get these in the stove, shall we?

Jaki nodded and set about the very meticulous job of cleaning up. By the time she finished doing that the vegetables were ready and Tania helped her get them out . Well, I suggest you keep them warm, they seem fine. I will be on my way. Tomorrow we will look at fruit and fruit salad. Now, we have not done the stew because that is your homework. I want you to follow the written instructions I have left you and tomorrow, I expect to have some stew at mid-brightening when I arrive. she smiled, picking up her basked and turning back to Jaki with a slight nod, then leaving.

Jaki looked at the piece of paper and sighed. This was likely to ruin her only good pot.

[Jaki Vampyler]

Jaki had spent several candlemarks the night before ensuring that the preparations for the stew were at an acceptable standard. She had done this very carefully, following the instructions left for her with determination and a real attention to detail.

As such, the next brightening, when her teacher knocked on the door, there was a bowl of stew waiting for her. Jaki had carefully peeled and cut each vegetable the brightening before. That morning she had carefully measured water and put the cut vegetables into the stock, the meat she had cooked for a while first, as the instructions laid out for her, and she had followed it all. It had taken a lot longer than she had thought it would and she had found herself becoming more than a little frustrated at the slow pace which she was forced to maintain. Also, of course, there was the complete lack of ability to cut everything to uniform shapes, but she was aware that she needed to forego that, and to simply learn that food did not grow in uniform shapes and so could not be cut such.

So, the stew that she presented her teacher with was done meticulously, carefully prepared and every detail followed exactly. Jaki was nothing if she was not careful about things like this. Her teacher came in, smiled at Jaki and tasted the stew. Good enough! she said, smiling, and Jaki returned the smile with her usual brief uplifting of her lips. If it was acceptable, then she was happy.

Now then, fruit. We have here some of the basic fruits, and we are going to make a fruit salad. It is a simple dish, but a very pleasant one, especially if you are entertaining. So, let us start now.

Again, she pulled out fruit after fruit, and Jaki watched with something akin to amazement. She had no idea there were so many fruits available. This time, however, rather than do the preparation first, Jaki's teacher simply explained it, and then described how to prepare each fruit. Then she motioned to Jaki to do so.

Again, none of them were uniform! Jaki considered that this was probably very good practice for when she needed self discipline. Still, she worked for the next two candlemarks, cutting up the apples, peeling the pineapple (how did anybody discover that that was edible inside?), cutting up the melon and washing the grapes then peeling them slowly (knife away from her body, not towards it).Then she peeled the oranges and cherries, finally the strawberries and then, on the top, she cut two thin slices of lemon and put them on the bowl.

She turned to look at her teacher, who smiled and nodded Good enough. Enjoy that this darkening, it won't keep long. Now, tomorrow we will look at the first cooking technique, and the different ways it can be used. Well done

And so saying, she left, leaving Jaki with a rather large fruit salad and a fair bit of time to eat it in. Her teacher had taken the rest of the fruit, so she rather assumed that it would be a meal that they both partook of this darkening.

[Jaki Vampyler]

The fruit salad was quite nice, really, Jaki considered. She had enjoyed it, although she had taken some to her next door neighbour, as there was too much for her to eat alone.

She looked forward the next brightening to learning an actual technique, and so she stood up, eagerly, as Tania arrived, once more with her full basket. Her teacher smiled at her as she entered Did you enjoy the fruit salad? she asked with a friendly smile. Jaki nodded and spoke in her usual quiet voice I did indeed. It was very refreshing, although I have found that it is better eaten in smaller quantities, as it became quite overwhelming after a while Tania nodded and Jaki stood aside, allowing her entry.

Today we are going to be learning about boiling. It is a most basic technique, but it is one that if overlooked can ruin a meal. Now, I have here some foodstuffs, and we are going to cook them. But before that, I will talk you through it, and then you will tell me if there are any questions. Jaki nodded, and listened intently, taking copious notes as Tania talked.

At the end of the morning, Jaki had a series of notes regarding the technique of boiling.

BOILING:
This is bringing water (OR ANY OTHER LIQUID) to what is called "boiling point". There is some scientific explanation of what that is, in terms of degrees this much, or numbers that much, but in essence it means putting liquid in the pan until such time as it bubbles consistently.

Boiling is used for a number of techniques.The most basic is boiling water to add vegetables to (refer back here to recipie for stew). Boiling is also used a lot in a technique known as "STEAMING".

STEAMING: this is where water is brought to the boil in a large pot. A mesh-bottomed pan is then placed over the pot, rather than a lid, and the substance to be cooked is placed in it. That means that the food stuff is cooked by the boiling steam. This is good for:
Fish (steamed fish are more flavourful than baked)
Vegetables (this locks in more of the vegetables goodness and also makes them more flavourful)
Puddings (some desserts are steamed, in order to give them a richer, moister flavour

Issues with steaming:
1) When water is boiling is bubbles up - so you need to use a tall pan.
2) Have to keep the water level topped up to maintain the water boiling so that sufficient steam is generated
3) It makes it rather steamy in the room you are cooking in, so good ventilation is required.

Boiling (cont'd)
The main use of boiling rather than simmering (we will be looking at that tomorrow) is to *reduce*liquid. Whilst reducing water leaves you with, effectively, less water, reducing milk, for example, leaves you with a thicker consistency of milk which is much sweeter and creamier. If this is to be done, however, one must stir the milk constantly whilst it is boiling in order to ensure that it does not form a skin and therefore lose the purpose of reduction.

Jaki and Tania then spent the next two candlemarks reducing two pints of milk down to just under a cupful of very thick sweet condensed milk. Jaki found herself amazed at the amount of stirring that needed to be done, and she found her arm aching quite badly by the end of it.

When they had the cup of milk, as Jaki washed the saucepan up, Tania asked her what had surprised her about actually doing that, rather than learning about it. Jaki considered carefully and spoke in her usual considered manner Well, firstly, the sheer amount of stirring that needed to be done. I am rather surprised by that. Also, the length of time that it took, as it was not as quick as I had at first thought. Indeed the reduction of the milk seemed to start quickly, and then really went rather slowly. I suppose the only other thing is how difficult it was not to burn the milk in the pan. Again, though, that was helped by the stirring

Tania nodded and smiled Well enough. That is a very sweet milk drink you have there. I would recommend some coffee made with it, if coffee is your pleasure, or using it over a desert would be excellent as well. I will take my leave now, and see you on the morrow

Jaki nodded at Tania and smiled. I will see you tomorrow. Thank you again she said, and with that, Tania left.

[Jaki Vampyler]

The next brightening, Jaki answered the door to Tania who smiled at her and came in. She carried her usual big basket, this time full of vegetables and savoury things. Jaki looked with interest, and watched carefully as Tania put it down on the table.

Alright, Jaki she said, quietly We are going move on from boiling today, and look at simmering. This is a necessary technique that we will spend the brightening looking at. Now, let me show you

Under Tania's instructions, Jaki filled her large cooking pot with water, and put it on the heat. Watching it seemed to take forever for it to boil, and Jaki found herself growing impatient, but eventually, the watched pot boiled.

Now, what we are going to do, Jaki, is we are going to turn the heat down a little said Tania, doing just that and then we are going to keep it at the point of boiling, but only just. THis is known as simmering, and is the staple of most cookery in its most basic form.

Jaki nodded, watching how the simmering water bubbled, but gently, not the fierce bubbling of a boiling pot. She watched with interest and paid close attention. Now Jaki said Tania I want you to peel and chop those potatoes please, and we will cook them together, alright

Jaki nodded and did just that, cutting them up as Tania instructed. As she did, she recalled her first and second lesson So when I made the stew, I was simmering, then, was I not? Tania smiled Indeed you were. Now, that's fine, you've got enough there. Let's pop them in the pot and let them cook

Jaki did that, placing the chopped potatoes into the pot and then looked at Tania for guidance Now, since they are needing to stay at simmer, we have to keep an eye on them. Not constantly watching, but close enough that you can see if the water evaporates too far down, or gets too hot. So, we'll sit here and get on with chopping these other vegetables, hmm?

Jaki and Tania chopped some other vegetables, and after twenty five minutes, Tania motioned that they should get up Ok. Now, see here, we'll stick a knife into the potatoe like so she said, doing just that and see - the knife slides through quite easily. These potatoes are cooked. Try it Jaki did just that and nodded, thoughtfully So this is the correct consistency? Not harder, not softer? Tania nodded and they drained the potatoes together.

They spent the rest of the brightening cooking different vegetables in that way - from peas to cauliflower, and each time Tania showed Jaki the right consistency of cooked and how to test it.

By the end of the lesson, they had a pile of vegetables that were cooked together. Tania smiled at Jaki and motioned to them I've kept them warm on the stove, so we can enjoy those for lunch, I would say. This they did, and then Tania left once again, and Jaki cleaned up, wondering what tomorrows lesson would bring.

[Jaki Vampyler]

On the last brightening, after all the rest of it was done, Tania came back one more time, and this time her basket was filled with implements which clattered and rattled. Jaki greeted her with a smile and nodded to her, motioning her to come in.

Now, Jaki Tania said quietly with a smile at her pupil This brightening we are going to look at the care of our implements. For any cook, no matter whether they are preparing stew at home or cooking a banquet for the Empress is only as good as the implements they use. The finest ingredients can be ruined by the use of an improper or badly cared for tool, so today we will go through each of them. Then,when we are done, you will explain them to me again.

Then, for the next candlemark they went through each utensil with Jaki listening carefully and making notes. When they were done, Tania looked at her and smiled. Now it is your turn - tell me all about them all, please.. start with this one

Jaki went through each of the utensils, carefully describing each one, from the spatula used to lift food from the gridle, to the gridle itself. She showed Tania how to use the skewers and what they would be used for and how the tongs could be used to get hot food from the stove. She told her the importance of a wooden spoon in making pastry and how earthenware bowls were good for heat, but how some of the cheaper ones could crack with too much use.

Then, she continued to explain how to clean each of them, especially things such as the strangely shaped device that was used to strain vegetables. This contraption, with slitted edges to let out the water was important to clean, she explained, because it would quickly become very unhygenic and that would be a concern if food rotted in the gaps between the slits.

Finally, with some trepidation, as Tania had done before her, Jaki took one of the large carving knives to the whet stone and carefully sharpened it. Always moving away from her body and with slow, regular movements that went right the way along the knife she alternated the sides that she sharpened in rhythmic motion...left... right....left.... right. That, she explained, ensured that the knife was even and did not slip when cutting.

As she put the last of the utensils, a hammer used for pounding steak and other meats, with a knobbled effect on the edges of it to ensure that the meat was fully tenderised, she explained how important it was, again for reasons of cleanliness, to scrub that area with a brush, ensuring that no meat was caught in between the knobbly-bits. Then, as she breathed in, she looked up at Tania with a slightly rueful smile

How did I do?

She asked. Tania smiled and nodded I would say that you did well. You have a good memory and an attention to detail. Keep practicing, and maybe I'll see you when you want to learn some more? she asked.

Jaki nodded, and smiled, pleased to have completed the training she had been dettermined to undertake.

[Aesha]

OOC: Approved!