mightyjesse ([info]mightyjesse) wrote,
@ 2009-05-29 10:03:00
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Dilly Jack and Sile Jock:
Sile and Jock helped me crack open the dilly jack cheese I made last month to make sure it wasn't poison.

It's actually quite tasty! Sadly, though it passed the taste-test, my cheese didn't hit the right acidity and didn't melt in the microwave-trial... Actually... it kinda poofed and turned into an odd sort of styrofoam peanut, and then tried to set the nuker on fire.

I also began an experiment in porter cheddars, and my beery-curds are currently in the cheesy-press being squished under 50 lbs of iron. I need to buy a notebook for recording my cheesy processes so that in the event I have a success that I care to repeat, I CAN... There's no way I'll remember what I did to a cheese, 6 months later, when I find out whether or not the cheese is yummy... Heck... I wasn't really paying attention to what I did last night and couldn't tell you how long I left the curds "curing" while I futzed around with the porter...

Saturday, I want to scrub the carpets and make another cheese. I need a nice "short aged" cheese so I'll have something to crack open at WW. Anyone want to come help?

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[info]pixel39
2009-05-29 04:06 pm UTC (link)
If you're getting a food notebook, either go with a 3-ring binder and loose-leaf, so you can add pages AND use those vinyl page protectors to include recipes, or a spiral-bound notebook with a *plastic* (or maybe vinyl) cover. Personal experience. :-)

Also, pencil (preferably a mechanical one so you don't have to sharpen it), and leash your pencil to your notebook. Pencil is not water- or fat-soluble. Go on, ask me how I know. *grins*

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[info]mightyjesse
2009-05-29 04:26 pm UTC (link)
I keep my laptop on the dining-room table when I cook because most of the recipies I use are online... But I'm realistic enough to realize that if I *don't* keep my lappy in the other room, tragedy will strike when I least expect it...

I have a rough plan of printing out my recipe and writing notes on it and then transcribing my notes into electronic format later...

What remains is the fact that I need to be a bit more disciplined in the kitchen than is my normal practice of running around in there and throwing things into the pot that "happened to be in the cupboard and seemed like a good idea at the time..." I usually keep a running dialog with Maggie, but she doesn't take notes as well as I'd like. She did, however take care of the "curdish insurrection" after I had an "incident" with the loading of the cheesy press last night...

I'm thinking that Saturday's cheese will be an "Eithni Bait" variety of cheese... Maybe a lingonberry cheddar or jack...

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[info]pixel39
2009-05-29 05:34 pm UTC (link)
When I have one, I print out the recipe in its original form and scribble on it a lot, and try not to lose it (which is why a binder with page protectors is so niftily awesome). If I can't print it out, then I write it in the notebook and either I or Edwin scribbles on it (if he's there). Sometimes I just transcribe into the notebook anyway and work from there, so everything is in one place. Those multi-subject notebooks with pockets are good too if you don't want to go the binder route, and not everyone does.

Edwin does the "print out and scribble" almost exclusively but does not do a very good job (or indeed, a job at all) of keeping things where they won't get lost, which is why we have a lot of conversations along the lines of "Do you know where the recipe for X is?" "Nope. You had it, last I checked." "Oh. Then I guess it's in the pile in the living room somewhere. Or maybe the library. Or possibly the middle room."


The laptop does not enter the kitchen. Ever ever ever. It's safer that way. :-)

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[info]naughtyaelf
2009-05-29 04:48 pm UTC (link)
Merry MOngol Maids popping up to offer rug scrubbing expertise! :) Wanna do Farmer's Market first?

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[info]mightyjesse
2009-05-29 05:10 pm UTC (link)
I think I'll get up early and clean the house so that I'm not mortified by the "surprises" you find when you come by to help. ;-) (Plus I'll get into an unfortunate spending/crafting frenzy that I have neither the time nor the money for if I go with you...)

I'll put the farmer's market on next year's to-do list and stick with my already out of control wedding planning list for this year.

What time shall I expect you? 2-3? (I don't want to start too early as it's one of my few days to spend with Zig while he's NOT at work, so I'll be more focused on the cleaning if we wait until after I've had "weekend breakfast" with the man.)

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oh for Tengri's sake...
[info]naughtyaelf
2009-05-29 06:27 pm UTC (link)
enjoy time with the Z-man, and don't worry about cleaning. I can help with that once I get there. 2ish sounds good. :)

(Unless the surprises would be interesting toys, in which case we really ought to compare our collections. heh!)

Farmer's Market is plants, food, and other delectable wicked stuff. want me to bring anything?

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[info]relativelylucid
2009-05-29 05:35 pm UTC (link)
I would love to help make cheese but I really really "OMG what do you mean the event is next weekend" need to work on my class notes.

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[info]mightyjesse
2009-05-29 05:42 pm UTC (link)
You can make cheese in parallel with me using the recipies here. All the ingredients you need can be picked up at Whole Foods, aside from the key ingredient: PATIENCE. But while you wait for your curd to develope, you can be looking over your notes.

:)

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[info]devikat
2009-05-29 06:56 pm UTC (link)
Oooh, I was coming into Mad-town for the weekend anyway, but if you think there will still be hanging out and cheese making by the time I get there at 7pm, I'd love to help...

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[info]gwyneth1362
2009-05-29 09:12 pm UTC (link)
No Lingonberries, sadly.

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[info]damej
2009-05-30 01:32 am UTC (link)
I take it you are not coming to the memorial service then. Is himself still planning to attend?

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[info]mightyjesse
2009-05-30 02:42 am UTC (link)
I AM, actually. I called Aelf shortly thereafter and left a message indicating that I had switched Saturday and Sunday in my head again.

(When Zig first told me about the memorial service, he said "Sunday" and it's been stuck in my head that way ever since. You've each had to correct me once...) *facepalm*

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random question
[info]ste_mairet
2009-05-31 10:58 am UTC (link)
when are you getting married?

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[info]rezansky
2009-06-01 01:17 am UTC (link)
Does the fire in the nuker and the curds being squished have anything to do with the carpets needing to be scrubbed?

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[info]mightyjesse
2009-06-01 01:21 am UTC (link)
No, though that would have been a helluva thing. (I rather suspect that if the carpet stank and the microwave incident were related, it would have warranted a tale in LJ.)

The carpets have just been under dog butts and footies all winter and before they are further abused at WW and Pennsic as the "floor of my pavilion" I wanted to scrub them down with soap and plenty of water to reduce the "doggy" smell that I have learned from experience, seems to take over a tent the moment it starts raining.

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[info]rezansky
2009-06-01 01:43 am UTC (link)
Yes, the heady aroma of wet dog is definitely bracing.

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