[Sca-cooks] math time reply

[Heather M]

Elaine Koogler wrote:

> cldyroz at aol.com wrote:
>
>> OK, *TweeeeT* TIME OUT! I appreciate y'all's feelings, really, I do! 
>> Believe me!
>>
>> When I do Feast budgets as part of an Event bid, I give the cook at 
>> least $7 a head-and the next one will be $8. Why? *I* grocery shop. I 
>> know what prices are like. I also appreciate the quality ingredients, 
>> can mean a superior Feast.
>> I am one of 4 cooks, with an over-all budget of $500.  The first 
>> course cook is having Salmon Pasties with Salat. The Second course 
>> cook is baking chicken and fixing green beans. I have the third 
>> course. The fourth course will be desserts.
>>
>> I was not really given a choice of what to cook, and I was informed, 
>> two weeks ago,  to find another veggie (I wanted the Salat). I have 
>> been searching high and low for one that will get eaten, not starred 
>> at with an "Eww, what's this?" I know everyone loves asparagus...and 
>> Sam's sells it in the BIG cans...but it would take at least 9 
>> cans.... ::fleeting screechs of frustration::
>>
>> Good suggestions will be welcome, trust me. I have put in a request 
>> for the Head Cook to call me tonight. We do need to talk....
>>
>> But, my first and foremost question was on the math part fo the 
>> portions. I do want to make sure I have enough of the rice...and not 
>> too much! <G> There is the family story of when Mother cooked rice 
>> for the first time....
>>
>> thank you for your feelings on this matter-I do appreciate it!
>>
>> Helen
>>
>>  
>>
> Well, parsnips are a possibility...they are sweet and very good.  Or 
> how about brocoli?  It's green, most folks like it and you can get it 
> fresh or frozen most of the year 'round (and it's good that way).  
> Carrots can be fixed a lot of different ways and they're pretty tasty 
> also.  Canned asparagus is not a wonderful thing...in fact, I hated 
> asparagus until my Dad started growing it...now I can't get enough of 
> it...fresh.  I even tried frozen and that was pretty nasty as well.   
> this may not be what you're looking for, but this could keep your 
> costs down.
>
> Kiri 

I've got to agree with her on the use of anything but fresh asparagus. 
Fresh, lightly cooked asparagus is wonderful. Canned or frozen is awful.

If you're talking white rice, the typical ratio is 2:1, water:rice. 
You're lower to sea level than we are, so you may find that proportion 
exactly appropriate, but I find up here that a hair less water is ideal. 
For brown rice, I find a longer cooking time (5-10 minutes for a batch 
using 2 c. brown rice) and a bit more water works best. For long/wild 
rice, even longer I find, but slightly less water.

Margaret Northwode