Cooking Tasks That Reward Patience and Calm

[Rover]

For me it's risotto and the patience required to stir, stir, stir; scoop in the simmering stock - then sip a glass of wine and do it all over again. Years ago I read an article about what wines to drink as you stir risotto, while I remember none of the specifics, I do recall it captured the methodology and pleasure involved in the whole process.

A dinner guest once took over the stirring of Risotto Milanese and was so enchanted that it became the risotto standard for him by which all others were judged. The Osso Bucco with which it was served is another pleasurable example of patient and calm cooking.

Rover

Edited September 13, 2009 by Rover (log)

[fooey]

I posted croissant and puff pastry above, but completely forgot about the task that's really my favorite, one that requires patience and much, much calm: strudel.

If you even think about hurrying strudel dough along, it'll break just to smite your thought process. It's one of the easiest doughs in the pantheon to make, but stretching it paper thin is another story entirely.

I haven't made it in a while, but here are some photos from a previous outing.

1. Rolling the dough (my strudel cloth is just a old pillow case heavily dredged with flour).

2. Rolling the (apple, pecan, streusel) strudel.

3. Drowning it with butter.

4. Sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and ready for the oven.

Edited September 13, 2009 by fooey (log)

[stuartlikesstrudel]

Aahhhh fooey, where's the money shot?!!? The freshly baked, golden pastry! You can't tease us like this!

Being my namesake, I really should give strudel dough a go... I'm keen to, but the right moment hasn't come up yet

Yours looks very tantalising.

[fooey]

Ha ha. I ate it before I could snap the result.

My belly attests, "Deeeelicious was!"

[dividend]

I will second produce shopping, or really any food shopping

I agree with this. I don't really enjoy taking DBF to the grocery store, because he wants to rush around frantically, finding everything on the list and be done with it. I like to take my time, poke around, read labels, make mental notes. I hardly buy anything not on the list, but it's not about completing a task. It's about enjoying the sensory experience. The best is the Saturday morning farmer's market. I love being there.