Dinner, pre-happening

[desperance]

My office smells ... mostly of caramel.

It's odd, how some smells seem more potent close-to, and others carry further. The kitchen is quite gingery, the hallway is all soy.

For yes, I am cooking Chinese tonight. I have caramelised sugar in oil (which I find bizarrely easier than doing it in water, or just the sugar alone: why is this?) for Chairman Mao's Pork; I have simmered Sweet & Sour Spareribs; I have fried & sauced Three Teacup Chicken. I should go now and prepare Genghis Khan Beef. And other things.

But, I confess, I am a little tired now. And - alas! - not at all hungry.

Also, I have to vacuum.

*sigh*

Comments

[birdsedge.livejournal.com]

How many do you cook for? i.e. Do you do large or small quantities?

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Yes and no. I like small parties better than big ones; indeed I can't actually seat more than six here, tho' I sometimes cook for eight or ten in friends' houses. I did once cater a full Christmas dinner, with five courses and three choices per course, for thirty - but only once.

On the other hand, I always over-cater. I'm cooking for five tonight; there will be seven or eight dishes, and I will worry that I haven't done enough, and there will be lots of leftovers. 'Tis ever thus. I have no judgement of quantity, appetite, capacity in others. Or in myself: I always think I can eat more than actually I do. Perhaps because I used to, and my inner scales haven't adjusted yet?

[birdsedge.livejournal.com]

I like cooking reasonably large quantities. I excel at Christmas dinner for fourteen, for instance. (Yes I have a seven-burner double oven range.)

[pennski.livejournal.com]

*Has range envy*.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

*envies you* (I have a slimline old-fashioned four-burner stove. With two ovens, though, and an eye-level grill. But my kitchen is Too Small for a real range.)

[footlingagain.livejournal.com]

Genghis Khan beef...

It sounds scrummy and I SO want to see you galloping over the steppes in pursuit of the cattle to make it. I see you with the furry hat and everything.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes. Furry hats are us. Even if I have to get a cat to fake it...

[footlingagain.livejournal.com]

I think you've spotted a gap in the market.

A google search brought up pages and pages of cats in hats, hats for cats, The Cat in The Hat, but nothing about cats AS hats (except for an Australian grandmother who - whisper it and don't tell the boys - makes things out of the skins of feral cats).

I'm sure you could demonstrate a much more humane version. Well, humane for the cats. I'm not sure what state their humans would end up in.

[bookzombie.livejournal.com]

Sorry, but I must pause (or should that be paws?) for *Icon Love*!

[footlingagain.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Feel free to steal a copy if you want - most of my icons are from free avatar sites, though I can rarely remember which ones. I fell for the kewt kitty a long time ago :)

[bookzombie.livejournal.com]

If only you lived nearer - I'd so help you eat that...!

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Next time you come. We'll feast Chinese, if pennski is willin'.