Cooking in the Cold

Looks like it's about 46 degrees right now at the Ferry Building, and that's where I was, earlier today (was it warmer at noon?), making chicken stock in the outdoor kitchen. You can slide the big barn doors closed, which keeps the wind out, and I came prepared, wearing layers everywhere, and that worked out just fine. 

The giant carrots were wonderful. They would have been great for tempura: big orange slices, about 3" in diameter. I cooked the chickens (two Rosies that we bought at the Golden Gate Meat Company and the carrots along with celery, onions, parsley, thyme, bay leaves and peppercorns in two big pots on the propane stove, then strained it out to be reduced on Saturday.

Saturday will be my first Saturday market since before the holidays, and the last Saturday market of my internship. Sarah has scheduled an orientation meeting for kitchen volunteers, and she's asked me to talk about kitchen safety issues and make a knife skills presentation. I'm planning to bring my assortment of knives, to review their functions, but I will point out the generally held belief that you can do just about anything with two good knives: a paring knife and a chef's knife. Or, if you ask Chef Rhoda, with a cleaver.

Haven't heard much from my cohorts, as we all come to the end of our internships, but Andrea sent a quick email today: "We MUST play this!"