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Friday, May 27, 2011

sushi warrior


If you're a sushi master, please know that the last time I made sushi I was probably 12 :)

We're working our way through the basics of cookery and this week at school, we focused on rice. Some facts I learnt:
  • rice was first thought to be cultivated in China 13,000 years ago!
  • in France, rice is le riz*
  • the word for cooked rice in Japan is the same word used to describe all food
  • student chefs in Japan have to make perfect rice every morning of their three years of training

Today we spent the whole day practicing different rice cooking techniques and because we made sushi rice, well, we had to make sushi! Now, I know it takes years and years of intense training and practice to become a master sushi chef, but I'm still going to show y'all a photo of the sushi I whipped up today because it was the best in the class, mwahahaha! Sorry if I sound like a poor winner or something but everyone has a dish that just works and today, mine was sushi. I even got a 'Sushi Warrior' medal!

Hey! Awkwardly big dipping sauce is trying to muscle in on my medal's glory! No, dipping sauce, no!

Please note I eschewed the other, more 'normal'** sushi fillings in favour of the Wonder that is Pickled Ginger.

Also, here is  nice picture of a half-wild cat sitting on a table. Normally I would not be impressed by cat bum being on a table but the poor thing is so sensitive that I just took a photo and left her to it.

Cat: "Don't startle me or I will freak you out by hiding somewhere for five days AGAIN".

*we're being prepped for work in top-notch French restaurants (hah) so we learn lots of French words for things.
**cream cheese in sushi? I don't care how 'in' it is right now, it's gross. It's like eating cream cheese straight; it's just not right.

As I type: A breakthrough?! The half-wild cat has decided to snuggle up and sleep beside me! She's making it a little hard for me to type and my shoulders hurt but, sigh, her tongue is poking out a little bit. 

Monday, May 23, 2011

cake slice bakers:orange almond caramel upside-down cake


First post! This cake is a nice homey kind of cake; buttery, orangey and with a nice soft crumb. All good in my book! 

breakfast slice

I made it quite late at night at my mum's house so I had to take photos of it (literally) at the crack of dawn before I drove home. I took a couple slices for myself and then left the rest with my mum. And here's the message she sent me the next day: "Toothbrush. Your cake is really delicious today. Crunchy n sticky on top n dense n flavourful on bottom. Yum. Xx". So there you have it from my taste tester! Anyhow, because the photos are so terrible, I've included a few photos of the gorgeous animals I live with.

we're getting to know each other... I haven't petted her yet but she's eaten apples out of my hand. one day. one day.

Can't wait for next month's CSB because we're baking TWO cakes ho ho ho!

why is shortness so adorable?!?! eeee!

Check out the CSB blogroll to get the recipe (I reduced the almonds from 1 cup to 3/4cup becuase 1 cup was just way too much).

Thursday, May 19, 2011

I'm baaaaaaack!

Hello family and friends - I'm back on the blog wagon! Thanks to Fran and Mimey for the help making the banner - potato stamps hollah!