HERB - I have survived my first large feast

[Gaylin Walli]

10 things I learned from my first large feast. Cooked for
70, fed 80....

(1) Given the proper weather temperature, a '94 Ford
Escort GT serves as a perfectly acceptable refrigerator
for non-meat items.

(2) No matter how many you bring, you will always need
more knives, towels, serving trays, sponges, hot pads,
storage bags....

(3) New walking shoes are a poor choice of footwear
for 2 days worth of cooking. The old hiking boots would
have been a much better choice.

(4) No matter how much you like or hate a recipe,
other people will like or hate it more. You can't
please everyone, but those you do please will
want the recipe.

(5) Butchers do not understand numbers unless they
are listed in pounds. Order by pounds. Always. Check
you order at the store. Then check it again.

(6) Presentation of even a so-so dish can turn it into
something spectacular. Fresh greens, herbs, and seed
sprouts are your friends. I am now a believer.

(7) Bring cash for last minute store trips. Employees
at food town get testy when you use a credit card
for last minute low dollar purchases.

(8) Guard your cast iron pans with your life. Kind
souls will foolishly try to WASH them. With soap.

(9) A proofer can be used as a warming oven and is,
in my opinion, the single greatest invention in
institutional cooking kitchens, second only to the
closely tied large stand mixer and the industrial
strength dishwasher.

(10) Bring clothes to change into after the feast.
Without them you'll get caught covered in flour,
ground meat in your hair, and bread pudding on
your hands and some fool will drag you up into
court to give you an award just as you're taking a
long-awaited sip of some really good homemade
wine that was kindly donated to the kitchen staff.

It was a success. I took home two small ziploc bags
of leftovers and we only threw away one thing that
came back from the tables. No one complained about
being hungry. Can I go to sleep now? :)

Jasmine
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