Random Blog A Musing Farf

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

MY KITCHEN CAN'T MISS ME IF IT NEVER REALLY KNEW ME ANYWAY

I am really annoyed at the JCC. A few months ago, I signed up for a cooking class on Wednesday nights and, after my first class, absolutely loved it and could not wait to come back. Then the Mets made the payoffs and I missed a class to go to the game, but no biggie as the teacher told me I could make it up next session. But now, between baseball, work and my mom’s 27th anniversary of her 23rd birthday, I will miss a total of 3 out of 5 classes. A waste of money and a frustrating interference with something I really want to do.

You see, I think I am a really good cook trapped in an ignorant person’s body. I love baking and generally can make great cakes and pies (if I do say so myself) but in those cases, I am following a recipe and thinking of the chemical reactions present in baking. I want to be like Husband and know meat is done because I can just sense it. I want to look at a chicken and immediately have the know-how to rub a delicious mixture of oil, garlic, rosemary and who knows what else under its skin. I wish I had spent more time watching my mother in the kitchen when I was younger.

So, I emailed my cooking teacher (who blogs yummy recipes) who nicely let me know that I should contact the JCC and let them know what was going on. I did and expected a reaction something along the lines of, “If there is space, you can join the class next session.” Instead, silence. I called and emailed to let the Culinary Director know about my plight but she never responded. Now even an email to let me know she got my calls/emails but could not help me. It’s not like it’s hard to reject someone over email.

Three hundred and ninety dollars later, I will have only attended one cooking class. Double disappointment on losing the cash and not learning a really cool skill.

2 comments:

Peg said...

That really sucks about the class, and what a bummer that they sort of left you hanging there on the phone, hoping to maybe get into the next class...yikes--that could've been me, 'cept I don't go to the JCC ;) Hope you hear back from the director. Keep us posted.

I am one who can bake anything too! But, as you learn to cook other things, you'll find there are interesting chemical reactions going on with other cooking processes...making a roux for gravy, for one, or even just creating a reduction sauce. I'm NO chef, but have been enjoying learning to do more than the baking end of cooking over the last few years. I've managed a couple of yummy filet mignons which came out perfectly! And, I'm planning to visit your instructor's blog, too!

I really am enjoying your entries! You write in an engaging way, and I have spent a lot of time reading here this afternoon.

I'd like to link your blog to mine, with your OK...I came by way of your comment on my blog...thank you for visiting.

Cheers,
Peg

Anonymous said...

I'll admit that I don't really sense when meat is done -- I like to poke it with a finger, which is better than what most people do (i.e., cutting it open with a knife to look inside). You have to practice to get this right and to know what, for example, a piece of rare meat feels like as compared to a piece of medium rare meat, but it's really not as hard as you might think. Btw, in the battle of cooking class versus MLB playoffs, I'm very proud to say that for Wife, MLB playoffs and the Mets are the clear winner!