There are certain skills imposed and tried to get the right consistency, flavor, time and texture. To most these seem to be a chore, for the real fun is the finished product. True, however I always look forward to the simple pleasures of cooking, or often forget about them as they come up from behind to tickle me. Seems a bit childish, but there is such a giddy satisfaction involved in the most mandatory of actions. It's a mixture of assurance that you're doing something correctly and excitement of what's to come.
Cutting an onion against the grain just so that you feel the layers slice and crunch through the knife until it hits the chopping board.
Smashing garlic and peeling back the skin in one fell swoop.
Hearing the sizzle of the first product to hit the pan.
Peeling back the skin on vegetables after they've been blanched or roasted leaving a perfect orb of produce.
Flipping over the piece of fish to see the skin golden and firm and the flesh flaky.
Cutting beef, duck or pork to reveal the perfectly moist red interior.
Coating anything in flour.
Smashing spices in a mortar & pestle
Testing noodles for doneness.
I'll probably contribute more as i discover them.
If you have any that you love, let me know.
I'll keep you posted....literally
- Flipping a crepe to have it land perfectly in the center of the pan.
ReplyDelete- Julienning potatoes for frying.
- Having a fried dumpling peel off the pan without leaving a trace. (conversely, one of my most hated things is leaving behind the entire bottom part stuck to the pan)
yes! thank you! I also love when you release the potatoes from your hand into the hot oil. you flower your fingers out and that golden boil!
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