Kitchen Week 1 - I Survived

Actually the week was pretty good. I didn't say too much the first day, just did what I was told. Which it turns out was to prep a bunch of onions, do dishes, serve breakfast and lunch, clean up and that was Day 1 done.

Day 2 was little better. I prepped onions, peppers, asparagus and carrots, then got the egg plant ready for Egg Plant Parm. More dishes and more serving. Here is a Veal Roast I carved and served (but didn't cook). It did taste great though.

Working the serving line helped me understand how those heat lamps kill otherwise great food. For the last 24 years I just figured military cooks were best at drying out great food. Oops, I owe the entire trade an apology I guess.

Day 3 started to get much better. I did still do a lot of dishes, and prepped more onions and peppers, but I also got to make a giant pot of Seafood Chowder, which the shift supervisor let me season and adjust for consistency as I saw fit. Not bad for day 3, but I think it is because I work non-stop, never complain and am fairly mature (could be also because I am still officially a Warrant Officer in a military kitchen).








I mentioned earlier I had splurged on a new knife before I started in the kitchen. Here is my new Shun beauty along with my old Global work horse. Both amazing, but look at that Shun!

Happy St Paddies Day! 

Although I love the food, refreshments and spirit of the modern celebration, I am conflicted as some speculate (and I believe) that the "snakes" St Patrick drove from Ireland were actually the Druids in the name of stamping out the Celtic way of life in favor of Romes Christianity. 

Here is my favorite way to drink Irish Brew

Guinness and Harp Black and Tan (Yum)

Exerpt From Wikipedia:

Both Shakespeare and Samuel Ireland identify Herne as a real historical individual, the latter saying that he died an unholy death of the type that might have given rise to tales of hauntings by his unquiet spirit. The fact that Herne is apparently a purely local figure supports this theory. One possibility is that Herne is supposed to be the ghost of Richard Horne, a yeoman during the reign of Henry VIII who was caught poaching in the wood. This suggestion was first made by James Halliwell-Phillipps, who identified a document listing Horne as a "hunter" who had confessed to poaching.^[17] The earliest edition of The Merry Wives of Windsor spells the name "Horne".^[18]

For me this is the most believable and likely origin of the name "Herne the Hunter", although I suspect as do many today that the legend of Herne has grown and fused so closely to Cernunnos that the 2 are indeed one and the same.

End of an Era, and Moving On

           I have officially been accepted into the NSCC Culinary Arts Program that begins on September 3rd , 2014. On top of that I have been "hired" to do some OJT at the Local Public House a Bridgewater Restaurant. Its a great deal for me and the restaurant since I get some valuable kitchen experience and they get a somewhat responsible employee for 4 months, without having to worry about paying me a cent.

          On that note I celebrated by buying myself a sweet Shun Premier 6" Chef Knife and a Chefs Chefs Choice 1520 for European and Asian style knives. Yes I am spoiled, but I figure I will soon be a starving student, after which I will be a not so starving, but very poor Cook.

         So, I am pretty stoked. 25 years in one career is a long time and I am ready to get out of the green uniform and into Cooks garb. Really another uniform but doing something I have some passion left for. Unfortunately after all those years that is something I am missing in my military career. It was great, but its time to move on.

        With that said, The Hearth portion of this blog will be completely dedicated to my school and other culinary adventures. We still have the hobby farm and all the work and responsibility that goes with it, but I will try to dedicate more time to documenting our life here.

       

We had a wonderful time meeting some new neighbors who have move to the area from Wales on the Winter Solstice. It was a Yule potluck, and fire. Of course Mother Nature always has her own plans and it it has been raining so much that the fire didn't cooperate. Nothing lost though as we ate, drank and celebrated indoors.

Each year we agree, no presents and each year I break the rules. It is as they say better to give than receive. This year in an attempt to be practical I put together a mini survival kit for Laura to take on her  Becoming and Outdoors Woman winter trip to Cape Breton. Always better to be prepared than wishing you were....

Full time homesteaders........?

Well not really. Laura ad I officially moved out of the city and are living at the farm full time, too bad we still have to work. Oh well maybe in a few years when we become more self sufficient.

Check the Fauna page for out chickens ducks and turkey's!

Good bye 2012 and to be honest, good ridance.

So, it has been quite some time since I have updated my little Blog. The summer came and went, hunting season rolled around and both Laura and I got skunked. It was her first year as a new hunter, so that was a bit disapponting but it was a fitting end to our more than rough year.

Now that 2013 is well on it's way I have been told by the Military that they are not quite done with uprooting my family and I, so ther eis a chance I may have to leave my little homestead and the never ending reno's for a posting to Ottawa Ontario. It is not for sure and I am doing everything I possibly can to avoid the move as the timing is terrible for us. However as any soldier knows, the military does what it does and thats what we signed up for.

So for the mean time, reno's continue. But fences and barn repairs might be on hold. Certainly the rest of the plan will have to wait until I can completely shed my green uniform and become a full time small holder.

Let's hope that comes soon. Having such a beautiful little homestead is hard when you can only use it as a cottage, and may have to leave it all together for a year or more.

Family Vacation Time

Laura and I had an awesome vacation with my family from Alberta, not only did they do some amazing work around the homestead (in the homestead tab), we got in some awesome touring done.

Halifax Citadel

 Liquid Gold Olive Oil Tasting

Peggy's Cove

Peggy`s Cove

Lunenberg`s Ironworks Distillery (amazing rum)

Halifax Ferry

Sea Sheppards Farely Mowat in Lunenberg

Laura sad that the visit in nearing an end

So, after much discussion with my neighbor on what was happening to his big turkeys, I think I have captured a picture of the culprit. This was taken in the mid afternoon as you can see, about 500 meters from my farmhouse.

Nice Kitty.

Trail Cam Pics

Black Cat