Monday and Tuesday nights your average person stays in and maybe catches some Must See TV. The professionals and executives rest up for another day of paper shuffling and cubicle chitchat and the tourists are all home, recovering from touring. Most service industry workers get at least Monday or Tuesday off. And when the service industry is a major part of your town's economy this means that there are two weekends : Friday through Sunday for nine-to-fivers, Sunday through Tuesday for the rest.
Sarah had worked the equivalent of four double shifts in a row. She was slumping tired against the wall inbetween fits of manic cooking, preparation for a dinner party on Tuesday night. The only night that everyone had off. The weekend, really.
Sarah does not like to lose but she was up against stiff competition tonight. She had butternut curry soup on simmer and an apple pie in the oven; she spent ten minutes simply kneading crust dough. The effort was commendable and scrumptious but her opponent has a culinary degree and umpteen years of experience in white tablecloth dining. Sisko had a rack of lamb soaking in juices, roast russet potatoes and sauted onions slick and spicy with mustard sauce, an okra and stewed tomato concoction that revealed the inadequacy of the word 'savory'. Cooking is his true skill and he wields it well. Sarah had no chance. Of course the evening would end with a beery round of Cranium and Sarah would best him there. You may win one round against her and on a rare night you may win two but she will find a way to tag you back.
When you are hang out with service industry types you will have a night like this at least once. Someone whose life's work is serving up culinary delights wholesale will throw a small party and you will be served a five-course dinner just for showing up.
Unfortunately, these shindigs tend to linger on until the food is gone and that takes until sunrise. After all, these men and women are used to cooking for 100 and you cannot break them of this habit easily. But sunrise is when I wake up in the morning. Tuesday was their weekend but it is not mine. As a result I spent the day in a total fugue-state. Took five doses of strong black coffee before I could think straight.
Sarah had worked the equivalent of four double shifts in a row. She was slumping tired against the wall inbetween fits of manic cooking, preparation for a dinner party on Tuesday night. The only night that everyone had off. The weekend, really.
Sarah does not like to lose but she was up against stiff competition tonight. She had butternut curry soup on simmer and an apple pie in the oven; she spent ten minutes simply kneading crust dough. The effort was commendable and scrumptious but her opponent has a culinary degree and umpteen years of experience in white tablecloth dining. Sisko had a rack of lamb soaking in juices, roast russet potatoes and sauted onions slick and spicy with mustard sauce, an okra and stewed tomato concoction that revealed the inadequacy of the word 'savory'. Cooking is his true skill and he wields it well. Sarah had no chance. Of course the evening would end with a beery round of Cranium and Sarah would best him there. You may win one round against her and on a rare night you may win two but she will find a way to tag you back.
When you are hang out with service industry types you will have a night like this at least once. Someone whose life's work is serving up culinary delights wholesale will throw a small party and you will be served a five-course dinner just for showing up.
Unfortunately, these shindigs tend to linger on until the food is gone and that takes until sunrise. After all, these men and women are used to cooking for 100 and you cannot break them of this habit easily. But sunrise is when I wake up in the morning. Tuesday was their weekend but it is not mine. As a result I spent the day in a total fugue-state. Took five doses of strong black coffee before I could think straight.