How to Survive Your Own Cooking [Class 3]

[mistressofblack.livejournal.com]

"Today, we are going to be looking at pasta," Lulu began, as she leaned against the desk at the front of the home ec room. "There are many ways to eat pasta; most involve some form of sauce." She moved to her demonstration table, taking out a knife, a bulb of garlic, and an onion. "Pretty much any of them will require at least one, if not both, of these, so I'm going to start by showing you how to prepare them."

She demonstrated first, how to peel and mince a clove of garlic. "The thing to remember is that the clove is only one of these little pieces," she added. "The whole is called a bulb. Be careful you don't use a bulb when it calls only for a clove." She also diced the onion, doing it slowly enough that those unfamiliar with a knife should see how she did it.

"At your stations," she said, moving away from the table and washing her hands, "you will see three recipes. You get to choose only from two of them; the third is there only for your reference. You have the choice between the alfredo and the tomato sauce, as the pasta aglio e olio is a little bit too easy, I think, even for this class." She grinned, taking away any sting that might have accompanied the words. "I will add: if you are making the tomato sauce, start cooking the pasta around the time you add the vegetables, so that they'll be ready at as close to the same time as possible.

"Everything you need is at your stations. Pair up -- with a new partner, just as last week -- and begin."


[Plz to be waiting for OCD is up! Cook away, students! Cook away!]

Comments

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

It took Cassandra a moment to consider the question before she nodded vigorously. Because 'eaten a lot of pasta' was totally like 'worked with a lot of pasta'... right?

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

That got a small smile out of Chad. "Good. You wanna mince the garlic, I'll dice the onions, or other way around? We'll get that stuff done first."

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

Cassandra was already moving toward the garlic. This was good for two reasons: first, she already knew how to handle a knife. Second, Lulu had just explained the difference between a bulb and a clover of garlic.

This was unfortunate mostly because Cassandra hadn't checked the recipe to see how much they needed and just planned on chopping garlic until she ran out or someone told her to stop.

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

It wasn't exactly something that would go unnoticed by Chad, though, thankfully. His head tilted slightly. "Uh..you really like garlic, I take it?"

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

She blinked down at the appreciable pile in front of her. "Is that a lot?"

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

"More than needed, I think," Chad admitted. "But we could make it a little more garlicy." His head tilted. "That might be a lot. But we'd be pretty good if vampires attacked."

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

"So... I guess I should stop chopping garlic?" Because she hadn't yet.

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

On close inspection, yes, that was the smallest hint of a grin on Chad's face. "Wouldn't want to ruin your fun."

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

"I could chop something else, if you want?" She wasn't picky, really.

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

"Well, we've still got...." He took a quick glance at the recipe. "The pepper, if you want. I think they're optional, but I like 'em..."

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

Cassandra grabbed the pepper with a huge grin, "Okay!"

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad decided that while Cassandra did that, he'd get the rest of the stuff for the sauce ready, getting it going on the stove. "When you're finished," he offered, "think you could get some water boiling for the noodles?"

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

It didn't take long for the pepper to become well and truly diced. Cassandra then snagged the largest pot she could find which she planned to fill all the way to the brim.

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

"Not so much water," Chad pointed out mildly; he'd actually been on the verge of complimenting Cassandra on this cooking thing so far before he noticed that. "It'll all boil over when we cook it..."

He was starting to feel, just slightly, what sort of disasters tended to befall the people he didn't partner up with, sometimes.

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

"Oh, right," Cassandra poured about half the water out of the pot (luckily into the sink, not onto the floor). "Is this okay?" she asked.

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad nodded. "That should be good, I think."

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

Cassandra set the pot on the counter and looked to Chad for further instructions.

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Despite himself, Chad stared for a moment. He nodded toward the stove. "On there. We have to, uh, boil it."

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I know that one!" Cassandra beamed and moved the pot onto the stove before turning it on high. Then she stood and watched the pot, waiting for it to boil.

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

"I don't think you're supposed to watch it," Chad said. "It's, like, bad luck or something. You can help me put all the tomatoes and olive oil and seasonings in to start the sauce, though. You good with measuring?"

He wasn't; that was his main reason for asking.

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

"Oh! Yes!" She moved over to help. It turned out that Cassandra actually was pretty good at measuring things. As long as they weren't related to cooking.

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

"Good," Chad nodded. "I'll put the tomatoes and olive oil in and start stirring and while I'd doing that, you can add the list of seasonings there at the bottom, see 'em?"

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

Cassandra had learned enough reading to muddle through the list of ingredients. Unfortunately she hadn't gotten around to units of measure yet. She turned to ask Chad for help, but he looked busy, so she just... guessed.

Somehow she even managed to get pretty close on most of them.

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

And it was actually probably closer than Chad would have gotten. He liked being a little...excessive with flavourings sometime. "How's the water so far?" he asked, stirring it in after all the seasonings had been added, slowly disappearing into the concoction.

Re: Assignment: Pasta with Tomato Sauce [Class 3]

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

Cassandra glanced up from what she was doing to look at the pot. "It's just bubbling," she told Chad as she turned back to what she was doing.