Lending a Hand - Week 2, pt. 1

So, I went back. Volunteering in the church kitchen again. Passed the baker and she said hi, used my name (which was nice, since I didn't even have a name badge yet), and said, "I guess we didn't scare you off." Ha. Nope. Not a chance.

I help out with cutting some onions, ham, and the like. Was shown how they make their egg batter for what I guess were little shell-less quiches of sorts. And, one of the chefs came up and said he had about thirty 8 inch quiche shells over there and he asked me to think up a combination to make. A quiche challenge. He said to think of something that wasn't the usual ham and cheese and such. Think about it, and he'd be back and we'd see if they had the ingredients. Okay. Think. Think fast. Um, geesh. I didn't expect to have to engage my brain. Okay, I can do this. Tasty non-ordinary quiche combo.

He came back. Well?

You don't have any feta cheese, right?

Yep, we do.

You do?

Yep.

Um, ok. Kalamata olives?

Yep, cooler 3.

(I was shocked.) I said maybe some sautéed onions?

(Nod.)

I said maybe some diced tomatoes - , although, if we are prepping them for tomorrow, that might make the shell watery...

He said, maybe some spinach? And, then he added, wait, this is your quiche. I said, I had been thinking maybe spinach. He said, ok. Smiled. And, then went to walk away.

Um, you mean I'm making these? It's all in cooler 3 was the response.

Okay. I can do this. Great googaly-moogaly.

It's week two. I'm not ready for independence. I mean, sure, I create things all the time in-my-OWN-kitchen. But, this is different. Someone else's food, someone else's taste buds, someone else's money, and someone else's reputation. No pressure. This is about the time I need someone to tell me I take everything I do just a little bit too seriously. And, luckily, God had supplied a kitchen full of those people.

Okay, I found the olives. Chopped up two handfuls. Found the feta and onion. Chopped them into separate piles. Onion. Need get the onion sautéed. Found the chef. And, he said, okay, sauté it and then walked away. Big commercial stove. Me. Cutting board of onion.

Do you remember the old Laugh-In skit with Lily Tomlin in the big rocking chair. feet don't touch the floor? Or, the Ally McBeal version of that. Little tiny kid waaaaaay big surroundings? OK, that me. And, the commercial stove. Look - I have an electric stove. I have no idea what to do with this big honkin' industrial metal beast that has it's own pilot lights. This little girl was seeing a fire breathing dragon. Me? Un, uh. Nope. Not yet. Must seek help.

Aha! There's another chef. explained that I need to sauté some onions. Okay, one onion. And, he smiled and went to turn away. Not so fast. I explained, you know, it's a BIG stove. And, that I was a little, um, nervous. And, he started walking me to the pan rack while I rambled. It's a commercial, kitchen, I explained. Okay, whined. He touched my shoulder and said, "I hereby pass all my commercial kitchen sautéing skills on to you." I laughed. OK, a sense of humor is a good thing.

So, he pointed to the way back where there was a stack of small pans, like 10 inch, hiding behind the 20 inch ones. Aha, something that looked more my size. I grabbed one. He grabbed the cutting board of onions and we were off to the races - I mean stove.

Again, feeling like the Goldilocks in a "too big" bed, I started to put the onions in the pan. You want to sauté, right? Yes. Might want to heat the pan first. D'oh, I knew that. At this point I feel 8 years old. OK, pan on the stove. I take a ladle of butterish substance (is this ghee?) and heat it in the pan.

Chef 2 leaves as chef 3 walks up, munching on one of baker woman's tasty scones.
So, how's it going?

Heh.
You been watchin' this dance from afar?

For the rest, see part 2. ;)