http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2005/03/25/springtime-downtime-and-a-taste-of-things-to-come/ Sun, 20 Jul 2008 05:22:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.2 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2005/03/25/springtime-downtime-and-a-taste-of-things-to-come/#comment-1471 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 15:59:59 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2005/03/25/springtime-downtime-and-a-taste-of-things-to-come/#comment-1471 Hey, everyone. Look for a post from me in the next few days; we are in the new house, and while we have Internet access, I am typing on the laptop, which is a sure-fire recipe for RSI wrist disaster! So, I will wait until my office is put together in order to write a longer, more in-depth post. <BR/><BR/>Judith--I am proud to have influenced you. Hot and sour soups are a mainstay in the Asian cuisines. My favorite by far is the Sichuan version, but the Vietnamese and Thai versions are tasty and wonderful, too. Keep eating and let me know what you think of the various types as you discover them.<BR/><BR/>Dagmar--as I said, the real posts are coming as soon as the real computer is up and going; sitting on the floor with the laptop is hell on my wrists, which are already peeved at me for my lifting and loading activities of the past month. <BR/><BR/>Shirley--the house has two kitchens because the upstairs floor had a mother-in-law suite in it, with a full kitchen. At some point in its existence, the upper floor was rented out illegally to grad students--the house isn't zoned for such rentals, but they are commonly done in this town, under the table and quiet-like. The upstairs kitchen has a separate outside entrance to the upper-floor deck, where I have put my propane fired wok, the giant wood/charcoal fired grill and a table for prep work. We just put a stove in the upstairs kitchen--unfortunately it had to be electric, as running gas up would be very expensive. We are working on putting in a fridge, too--there is a space for one, but it will only hold a tiny one. As my downstairs kitchen is still unfunctional (contractors work on their own timetable, not yours-- a lesson I have just learned), I need to have the upstairs kitchen fully functional soon, as I am dying from not cooking.<BR/><BR/>As for what I am going to do with two kitchens--it is simple. The upstairs kitchen is to be a teaching kichen; in Athens, I am starting a business called "Tigers and Strawberries Culinary Services," which will include personal chef serves, small event catering, dim sum parties, and, most importantly of all--culinary arts instruction. The upstairs kitchen will be functioning as a teaching kitchen--I can take up to five students up there, and have them working, though I will prefer to work one or two on one. I already have students lined up--our realtor and her husband were the first to sign on for Thai cooking lessons.<BR/><BR/>So, that is what is up--I am going crazy getting the upstairs kitchen ready for our first cooked meal in the new house--ma po tofu, four seasons string beans and steamed rice. Tomorrow will be stir fried pork and pressed tofu, and maybe a small pot of hot and sour soup.<BR/><BR/>Wish me luck--and I will be back on a regular posting schedule soon! Hey, everyone. Look for a post from me in the next few days; we are in the new house, and while we have Internet access, I am typing on the laptop, which is a sure-fire recipe for RSI wrist disaster! So, I will wait until my office is put together in order to write a longer, more in-depth post.

Judith–I am proud to have influenced you. Hot and sour soups are a mainstay in the Asian cuisines. My favorite by far is the Sichuan version, but the Vietnamese and Thai versions are tasty and wonderful, too. Keep eating and let me know what you think of the various types as you discover them.

Dagmar–as I said, the real posts are coming as soon as the real computer is up and going; sitting on the floor with the laptop is hell on my wrists, which are already peeved at me for my lifting and loading activities of the past month.

Shirley–the house has two kitchens because the upstairs floor had a mother-in-law suite in it, with a full kitchen. At some point in its existence, the upper floor was rented out illegally to grad students–the house isn’t zoned for such rentals, but they are commonly done in this town, under the table and quiet-like. The upstairs kitchen has a separate outside entrance to the upper-floor deck, where I have put my propane fired wok, the giant wood/charcoal fired grill and a table for prep work. We just put a stove in the upstairs kitchen–unfortunately it had to be electric, as running gas up would be very expensive. We are working on putting in a fridge, too–there is a space for one, but it will only hold a tiny one. As my downstairs kitchen is still unfunctional (contractors work on their own timetable, not yours– a lesson I have just learned), I need to have the upstairs kitchen fully functional soon, as I am dying from not cooking.

As for what I am going to do with two kitchens–it is simple. The upstairs kitchen is to be a teaching kichen; in Athens, I am starting a business called “Tigers and Strawberries Culinary Services,” which will include personal chef serves, small event catering, dim sum parties, and, most importantly of all–culinary arts instruction. The upstairs kitchen will be functioning as a teaching kitchen–I can take up to five students up there, and have them working, though I will prefer to work one or two on one. I already have students lined up–our realtor and her husband were the first to sign on for Thai cooking lessons.

So, that is what is up–I am going crazy getting the upstairs kitchen ready for our first cooked meal in the new house–ma po tofu, four seasons string beans and steamed rice. Tomorrow will be stir fried pork and pressed tofu, and maybe a small pot of hot and sour soup.

Wish me luck–and I will be back on a regular posting schedule soon!

]]> http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2005/03/25/springtime-downtime-and-a-taste-of-things-to-come/#comment-1470 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 15:59:59 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2005/03/25/springtime-downtime-and-a-taste-of-things-to-come/#comment-1470 Wow Barbara,<BR/>Two new kitchens? Let me guess, one with high heat and extra strong exhaust for quick but smoky stir fries and one for the rest of the cooking? I've known of Chinese families with such arrangements because their stir fries always activate the smoke alarms. Shirley Wow Barbara,
Two new kitchens? Let me guess, one with high heat and extra strong exhaust for quick but smoky stir fries and one for the rest of the cooking? I’ve known of Chinese families with such arrangements because their stir fries always activate the smoke alarms. Shirley

]]> http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2005/03/25/springtime-downtime-and-a-taste-of-things-to-come/#comment-1469 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 15:59:59 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2005/03/25/springtime-downtime-and-a-taste-of-things-to-come/#comment-1469 Good luck with the new house! I'm looking forward reading your posts again when you'll be settled in your new home. Good luck with the new house! I’m looking forward reading your posts again when you’ll be settled in your new home.

]]> http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2005/03/25/springtime-downtime-and-a-taste-of-things-to-come/#comment-1468 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 15:59:59 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2005/03/25/springtime-downtime-and-a-taste-of-things-to-come/#comment-1468 Once a month I go out with a group of friends to dinner and then to the Little Theatre. I started calling us the Dramatic Ladies, which caught on because I am the only one who could by any stretch be considered dramatic.<BR/><BR/>Tonight we went to a new Vietnamese restaurant and I had hot and sour soup for the first time ever. It smelled funny, but tasted wonderful---thanks! Once a month I go out with a group of friends to dinner and then to the Little Theatre. I started calling us the Dramatic Ladies, which caught on because I am the only one who could by any stretch be considered dramatic.

Tonight we went to a new Vietnamese restaurant and I had hot and sour soup for the first time ever. It smelled funny, but tasted wonderful—thanks!

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