Measure for Measure

Recently, a question was presented to me. Why do we use different measures for liquid and for dry product? Well, the short answer is because they are different things that measure differently. Here's the ugly truth though. Neither one is entirely accurate. In a kitchen, weight is a more accurate measure. Especially with dry goods. But who in the world keeps a scale in their kitchen? Very few.
So here's the skinny: Liquids and dry goods measure differently because they have different masses. So 8 oz is a cup in liquid, but pour it into a dry measure cup and you will come up short; because the dry measure cup has to account for things with more mass than a liquid. Cups vs ounces, but a pint is a pound the world around.
I encourage everyone to try this experiment in their home. Pour a cup of water into a liquid measure, then pour it to a dry measure of the same amount and see what you get. Then do the reverse, with flour or sugar, keep in mind if you use flour you have to level and tap it down. Sugar doesn't have that issue, since it is granulated.

Well that is my kitchen physics lesson of the day.

"Some rise by sin, some by virtue fall" ---Measure for Measure, Shakespeare

The Quiet

Aaahhhhh...and that's the game, folks.

Farenheit 101

13 days left in this year. Not that I'm counting. I got another health inspection, and rocked the house with 101 points. Finally beat McDonald's. 2 more weeks of kids getting crazier and crazier until they implode, or I do. Managing my recalcitrant kitchen equipment, threatening and cajoling by turns. Propping everything up for just 2 more weeks.

And this morning, flying ants in my dining hall.

Must be Thursday.

Cuz I'm Awesome

It's May now and the school year is coming into the home stretch. The kids are squirelly, the teachers are tired, I'm cranky and sore. But since the kids have been mostly good ones most of the year, I gave them a bit of a treat. Since we had curly fries, I went ahead and deep-fried them. I was a god.
One of the teachers asked why I don't deep fry them all the time. I explained that if I didn't care about their health, I would. Frying is easy, fast and doesn't dirty up all my sheet pans. But I do care about what they eat. I can't do anything about their diet at home or anywhere else, so maybe I'm not helping, but the least I can do is not hurt them.
It's like the Hippocratic Oath, "First, do no harm."
So I was revered and celebrated today. Which should make it funny on Monday when they realize there's Super Salads for lunch.

Chef giveth and Chef taketh away.

Charlie Brown

1. I walked in the door this morning and my freezer was 35 degrees.

2. The ice machine had no ice.

3. The salisbury steak was no good. Had to change the menu.

I have informed my kitchen that if anything else wants to break, do it now while I still have momentum.

Why is everybody always picking on me?

Can You Even Do It?

Sometimes I wonder if I should have become a chef at all. Sure I like it, but I also like to dance and believe me when I say I can't dance. At all. Just because I like something doesn't mean I should attempt to do it for a living. But I've made my bed, and this week, someone short-sheeted it. Every dumb mistake I could make, I've made.

I tried to roast veggies for sandwiches, didn't set the oven timer and walked off. Needless to say, when I remembered them, they were carbonized shadows of their former selves.

I ordered chicken legs for lunch and they brought me drumsticks. Not the same thing at all. So I sent them back and I had to scramble to find something to feed the first group of kids. Granted this one was not entirely my fault, but a smart chef would have ordered the chicken for the day before. Sometimes I do that, but had no room in the cooler to store it.

You know, I bet I could become a plumber...

First To Go

They say your memory goes as you get older and I think they may be right. Because last week, I went into work to put a turkey in the oven for the next day. I took the turkey out of the fridge, placed it on the table. Turned on the hood and the oven. Went and did a few things while waiting for the oven to heat. Then I locked the doors and turned out the lights and went home. When I got to work the next morning, what do you think I saw on the table...

The *#^#&* turkey.