OK, I knew it was SuperBowl Sunday and I even thought about doing the Cordon Bleu menu later in the week. But, the Geezer doesn't follow football and The Son of COG, when consulted, said to go ahead with the meal. It sounded good, he said, and we had to 'eat something.' I did not,then, hear the hollow echo of faint enthusiasm in those two words, though I hear it now.
Later, when The Son began to prepare nachos - thereby, interrupting the 2 separate bakings of the two sorts of swan parts - I should have listened to the inner promptings of my heart and stopped. And when he asked that the meal be delayed until 8pm, to give the nachos time to digest, I should really have stopped.
But no, unwisely, I continued. I had completed Legumes a la Grecques (using a Jacques Pepin version of the recipe which was simpler) earlier in the afternoon. But the choux pastry, with the piping and baking and assembly of the several swan parts took a lot longer than you'd think.
In all, I was in the kitchen cooking for about 3 hours (not counting the Legumes). I was alone all that time, except when The Son made his nachos (which were delicious, btw) and a bit later, when the Geezer came in to tell me that he had ordered a new lens for his camera and to express annoyance that dinner was delayed till 8, because he needed to eat sooner. So I agreed to cook a separate meal for him and to prepare the Son's later, as already negotiated. The COG came into the kitchen once more to ask when dinner would be ready and to pour himself a drink. I said under 15 minutes and he left again, with the drink.
I baked the swan parts, let them cool and then cut the bodies and wing bits into the correct order, and, then, cooked the mushrooms and the potatoes before beginning the fish. The preparation of the fish was straight-forward. The fish (which were fillets- couldn't get them whole) cooked quickly and I put plates out for the COG and myself, and called him to dinner. When he didn't come after a few minutes, I sat down and ate by myself.
Just as I was finishing my fish, the Geezer appeared and wondered why I hadn't waited for him. The Geezer ate his cold fish by himself, while I went to prepare and plate The Son's dinner and take it to him in the tv room. And then to finish the swans.
At about 8:15, The Son brought his plate back into the kitchen, explaining that he was too full to eat it and would have it tomorrow for lunch. At this point I was piping whipped cream into the swans and assembling them. The Son asked why I hadn't waited until after 8 as we had agreed, to prepare his meal. I pointed out that it was after 8 and The Son replied that I had actually served him at 7:55.
Continued for a few more minutes to pipe the Damn Swans, then decided it was pointless to continue. I took a picture of my swans (or loch ness monsters) and went to my computer to look upload it. Thereafter, checking my email, I found something the COG had forwarded to me while I was cooking. It was entitled 'The Minimalist Guide to Housework,' from the Zen Habits blog.
After that, everything went black. I have no memory of what I did with the piping bag or what happened to the COG and the Son.
5 comments:
This is a little like, "Aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln..." but -- how was the food? I don't think I'll be able to get anything but fillets (and I'd prefer fillets -- don't want to have to deal with heads), but did that affect the cooking time? Were mushrooms called for in the recipe - I don't remember them (I'm cooking it on Wednesday).
Which reminds me, I need to update the blog template.
I think Geezer owes you dinner at an expensive French restaurant. And maybe you should just cook for one for a while.
The meal was OK. I think the Legumes need some work on my part. The original recipe was just too complicated, but the idea of semi-pickled vegetables really appeals to me.
The fish was nice, but I've made it many times before - although not with mushrooms. (Yes, it calls for mushrooms to be cooked ahead and stored separately, then plated with the fish).
The Swans were pretty much what you'd expect - mostly a vehicle for whipped cream.
IOW - Enh! (shrugs shoulders).
I have been thinking of making a few swans, but generally aiming for eclairs rather than cream puffs. Eclairs, or anything with chocolate, would go over in this household better than plain but delicious cream puffs.
Thanks for the warning about the mushrooms. I have read the recipe, but I guess not very carefully.
By the way, I made the legumes yesterday (we're eating them tonight with hamburgers). I didn't think the recipe was all that complicated, although I took many liberties, so maybe that's not a fair comment. I'll elaborate in my entry, after I've eaten them.
It was so astonishing that the Patriots lost that we figured there was bad kharma somewhere...little did we know that it was the COG and son of COG bringing down what would have been a perfect season.
Strangling was too good for them.
Vivi,
Do make the swans - they're a little fussy, but not that hard and they are all kinds of fun. The kids would enjoy them.
I didn't have the proper tips for my piping bag, which made it more difficult and frustrating. Make sure you have the right tip.
What I suggest is that you plate the swans, floating on a lake of Hershey's chocolate sauce - the kind you make chocolate milk with. And more to squirt over. Or, find some nicer chocolate sauce and do the same.
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