Too Long at one Job

Too long at one job

The first time I was asked to make a potato salad in my daughter’s catering kitchen, (I am ashamed to admit this) it took me a total of two hours from start to finish. That was a few years ago. That two hour time frame surprised me because I was always fast at whatever task I tackled. My daughter finally commented, “In another five minutes, it will be a total of two hours since you started making that potato salad. That has to be a record.” I was embarrassed and vowed to improve my out put and speed.

Lately, I have been working with another woman at my daughter’s catering kitchen. That woman is slower then I am. Compared to her, I am a dynamo. I try not to feel superior but sometimes I do. If she does one job, I usually do three different jobs. I do admit that she can chop foods finer then I can. But one day when we were making corn pancakes, hers were definitely smaller then mine. After I finished my pancake job, I noticed the other woman was making designs with her pancakes. Seriously, they were designer pancakes! That was when I mentally lost it, cleaned up my work area, and left the kitchen, frustrated.

Now, the other woman is out for knee surgery. I am once again the low woman on the totem pole, and I am definitely the slowest worker in the kitchen. Today I had to cut a lot of fruits for two different venues…one was for a wedding. The fruit had to feed about 170 people. The other was for a reunion, feeding at least 70 people. By the time I cut up the cantaloupes, melons, pineapples and strawberries, and sliced up oranges for the decorations around the inside of the bowl, as well as grapes and some kiwi fruit…it took me two damn hours!

I no longer feel so smug about myself.

Oh My Aching Thumb!

While working at my daughter’s catering kitchen, I have always admired the professional way she handles a knife and chops and slices meats, fruits, and vegetables. She makes it look so easy. Of course I can slice and chop. Not as fast though. I would love to chop away quickly but I’m always afraid that I am going to look down and see one of my fingers lying in a pool of blood along with whatever I am working on. I prefer to see my fruits, vegetables and cheeses on the cutting board and not one of my fingers. I want those in tact, still attached to my hand, so I cut the foods that I am working on slowly.

But lately my chopping is starting to look like I am a professional. I love it when my knife is sharp and slices cleanly through the foods that I am working on. I actually have gotten quicker with my cuts and slices.

Today, I worked my way through an entire box of cucumbers. I had to thinly slice a few for a vegetable tray to be used at the Saturday’s wedding. Then I moved on to a few more cucumbers where I had to peel them, cut them lengthwise and remove the seeds. I chopped them, finely, and added sour cream and salt and pepper for Tzatziki sauce.

My final job was to slice the rest of the cucumbers for a huge wedding salad for the Sunday wedding. To be frank – I’m not that crazy about cucumbers. I must have cut up well over 25 of them. Besides, losing my appetite, I now hate cucumbers. My thumb on my right slicing hand is in actual pain, and so is my wrist. I guess that’s not so bad because it actually took my mind off my aching toes, feet, ankles and legs.

Being a chef or caterer is tough work. Ask me – I’m the chef’s helper…even if it is only for a few hours.