In the Kitchen with Manly and Babe

I Manly, finally got around to writing a blog post as both Babe and I have finally had the time to share a relaxing weekend together away from family, friends, and responsibility.  Last week we were with Babe's brother and his family in Fairfax, Virginia.  Sunday morning, Babe wanted to make me an omelet for breakfast.   She poured the scrambled eggs into a very small sauce pan, and while the eggs were still wet, she plopped in all the ingredients.  "Oh my," I said, "you do not know how to make an omelet do you?"

Babe's sister in-law was in the kitchen during that time and was about to become Mother Bear in Babe's defense, but Babe simply stated helplessly with a whimper "I'm sorry, but I don't know how, but I thought  I'd try."

The evening before this weekend, I received an iMessage from her stating how she wanted to make omelets again for breakfast Saturday morning, yet this time, with my help.  After running to H-Mart for some missing items - tomato, onion, mushroom, cilantro, and about everything else required for an omelet - we were off to the kitchen.

Out of my many years of being in the kitchen cooking for largely myself, I explained to her the few key ground rules that make a good chef, an excellent chef.  Your skill is not based upon ingredients or the recipe as a monkey can pick ingredients and follow a book.  Yet, culinary skill comes through proper planning and preparation of the ingredients, and the timing of bringing everything cooked to finish at the same time to be served.  This prevents soggy or over cooked vegetables and meats, or finished dishes cooling for prolonged periods while you are still waiting on that souffle to finish in the oven.

We diced and sliced every ingredient up before hand, and placed them all into small ingredient bowls to be added when needed.  Next we sautéed the onion, mushroom and bacon together first and left them on a warm simmer while the large skillet was heated up; as I explained to her, the real omelet is what is inside the egg.  The egg is just the tortilla that holds it all together, where the cheese is your glue.  I helped cook the first one, and let her cook the second one, the one that I'd have for myself.  It ended up being probably one of the best omelets I ever had.  

In conclusion I am reminded of the old Chinese proverb by Loa Tzu "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."  I could always make myself an omelete, and be fed for a day.  However, teach a good woman how to make an omelete, and you'll be fed for a lifetime.  

Till next time,

- Manly