Fun with Fish

So after much prevaricating I did it, I finally went back to cooking school. This time it is fish or to give it it's full title Pescados y Mariscos. Transalted Fish and Seafood.

The down side of it ( and there is always one) is that it starts at the ungodly hour of 7.45 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday. For someone such as myself who is rarely up with the lark this is showing the purest form of dedication I have given in a long while.

I probably live closer to the school than anyone else and yet I always skid in as the clock strikes and throw myself into my uniform. The pre-class discussion sessions with the chef are paramount to success in the kitchen. The recipes we have in our books work on the assumption we already know the basics. Wouldn't be so tough if I had more than basic Spanish. I have to research each recipe before class to make sure I grasp all the terminology.

It is quite exciting and challenging to be discovering techniques on how to handle fish (dead or alive) but scary too as I am sure I will be the one who loses a digit to an angry crab!

Sunday mornings as we slice and dice; saute & simmer, the bells of the local church ring out and the sun comes creeping out. Feels rightous and good until the waft of fishy viscera ascends!

Intend to post photos of various fish dishes made.

Pass It On

Today I survived my first foray into the world of public cooking demonstrations.

My receptive and appreciative audience were the ladies of the Canadian Women's Club. An international bunch of female members who meet once a month and I rather grandly offered to open up my home for their March meeting.

It was a somewhat selfish offer too as my aim was to share recipes in a bid to assist Jamie Oliver in his "Pass It On" movement. I bought his book " Ministry of Food" signed my pledge and set about sharing first with my daughters and then branching out to friends and acquaintances.

To make it appear less amatuerish I donned my whites and left off the hat. Oohs and aahs boosted my confidence as they all thought I looked professional. I chose simple assembly recipes,cooking the ingredients ahead of time. I did not feel it neccasary to show the audience how to peel and boil potatoes or slice a cucumber. Plus since my early childhood days of watching TV cooking programmes I have always wanted to use that phrase "and here's something I prepared earlier"
Never got to use that old chestnut of Johny Craddocks. "May all your doughnuts turn out like Fannies/Fanny's #%* The old ones are the best.

I basically demonstrated 4 recipes that take very little cooking and all with fresh ingredients.
I even got a round of applause at the end and lots of great questions. I shared the recipes and link to Jamie's webpage. I have e-mailed several times inviting him to Peru. Feel this could be his next new project. Maybe if I post some photos and and bung up his blog page with requests he will consider a visit.

Familia Cocina

With the chicas on summer break and me supposed to be resting my left foot I decided to implement a new kitchen regime to help take the weight off my feet and redistribute the work load. The chicas had no available excuses they invariably resort to one of the following;

I need to do my homework. ( Really ?)

It's the last episode of Top Model. ( Not the sort of show I approve of)


The Cat's need feeding ( Don't you mean cleaning?).



The normal routine is I cook/tidy/clean.


They eat/complain, (occasionally compliment) then scatter.


So with all those new cook books I got as Christmas presents I decided I should avail myself of the delicious sounding recipes. Having been absent from the kitchen for some weeks I think we were all searching for a little inspiration and variety.



Reading Ministry of Food and Jamie's Italy brought forth visions of happy families around the kitchen table, peeling organic produce, laughing, experimenting and cooking together. I must be high on oven cleaner fumes as it did not play out quite as planned but did give forth some surprises.



Teenagers are capable of reading a menu even if it isn't formatted a la Facebook.


The recipes are easy to prepare.


Need to train chicas in the art of " clean as you go"


All meat tastes better when it is marinated.


Mangoes are more versatile than one would think.


Cooking con familia does provoke conversation and bonhomie.



There are plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day.



I need to train G. Cracker to read a recipe. That way when I am out of town he too can cook with his chicas.