Log: Jendel in the Kitchen
Who: Jendel, P'draig
When: 10/26/16
Where: Kitchen, Fort Weyr
What: Paddy chats with Jendel over food prep.
Kitchen
The kitchen area has a huge vaulted ceiling, formed from a bubble when this volcano was active. From the entranceway off the Living Caverns, the kitchens appear to be brilliantly lit and sparking clean. Everything shines and immaculately cleansed. To the right is the bank of ovens. Each is built of the finest fire-resistant brick made by the Minecraft. The smooth outer surfaces are plastered and painted in scenes from Fort's great Threadfall battles, making these ovens some of the most finely decorated anywhere on Pern. The first, and smallest, is specialized for pastries and other delicate items. Tables and sheets for all manner of careful baking surround it. The next two ovens are the large mass-baking ovens that are integral to every large Weyr kitchen. Here, a nearly endless stream of meatrolls, breads, and other staples are made. The fires are almost always hot, and Bakercraft apprentices work alongside Fort Weyrfolk to complete this major part of feeding the Weyr.
Further along used to be the cooking hearths, but they seem to have been replaced with the new-fangled cooktops that the Bakers are installing everywhere these days. This is where huge pots of stew and soup are cooked as well as any sauces that need large pots to simmer in. Along the left side of the aisle is the huge prep area for the kitchens. Gleaming white marble countertops are the theme here, with brown and black trim subtly reminding the viewer of the kitchens' home. Above the countertops are metal racks filled with ceramic bowls, and even a few of the very expensive copper ones. Throughout the kitchen there are storage areas under counters and workspaces, and drawers throughout the area suggest locations for utensils. Food seems, for the most part, to come from the storage areas in huge quantities, though spices and certain very commonly used ingredients are stored in the kitchens themselves.
It's afternoon-time, and Jendel still finds herself deep in the kitchens, working on chopping up various cuts of meat. Her stomach growls at her every once in a while, telling her that soon she should have her break, and soon she'd be able to eat - and soon she'd better eat, or else! She crinkles her nose every so often - shells, the meat just keeps smelling better and better by the minute! Hopefully soon her break would come!
Swinging into the kitchen, P'draig's dressed down, off-duty clothes, patched even so maybe working clothes of some kind. He sniffs the air as he enters and grins. "Hey Cook, smells good there. Mind if I pull up a little bit of counter-space to try something?" Cook's just spiced a pot and turns slightly at the sound of the Weyrlingmaster's voice. "Oh shells, P'draig. Today?" She looks around the busy kitchen then nods to a spot not far from Jendel. "Just ... keep out of the way and your payment'll be helping to chop." With a wave of her spoon at the brownrider. "No problem, give me a knife and I'll take care of that before I start on this experiment."
By this time, Jendel seems to have her usual appearance down to the finest detail, including the bloodstained workshirt that some say would make her "her." She winces as her stomach gurgles again, before chopping through a nice slab of meat - which would probably eventually become some main course later in the day. Delicious! She does, however, notice in her periphery that there's somebody /else/ working with them that usually isn't there. She looks up, and grins broadly, "'ey, Paddy," she greets the dragonrider, before asking, "What brings y'here?"
Seeing as P'draig does actually turn up in the kitchens often enough, roughly every other week in fact to drive Cook nuts, he's able to get himself a knife and he steals a bowl of unchopped fingerroots to get cracking on. "Hey Jendel, helping out a little in trade for counter space and ingredients to try something out. You can take the boy out of Baker but you can't take the Baker out of the boy." Cheerily.
Jendel gives a bark of laughter back towards the dragonrider, as she continues chopping the meat up into various cuts. However, she doesn't stop talking to P'draig. "Aye, s'yer inventin' new food, then?" She says, no lack of amusement in her voice.
"Well. New dish anyway. Or just playing around. You know, I just can't shake the urge to put different flavors together and see how they come out," explains P'draig with a grin over at her. "Fingerroot?" he offers one that's been chopped in half.
Jendel chuckles, and nods. "Aye, aye," she continues chopping up meat ofr her meal, before looking back over to P'draig. "Naw, 'm g'd fer now," she says with a wink, before saying, "well, 'opef'ly th' new dish works out awright," and an approving nod is given to the dragonrider.
"Okay," P'draig agrees readily and pops that half a root into his mouth instead, chewing away while he continues to chop. "Yeah, it's always interesting anyway, even when it's not necessarily a success." A soft chuckle there. "So. You like butchering?" a tip of his head for the meat cuts.
"I cann't say I've ev'r b'n so... creat've." Jendel replies with a light chuckle, before responding to the question with a fervent nod. "Aye, don't ask m'why, but I love ev'rythin' 'bout it. Th' smell, th' feel, th' blood..." she trails off, gesturing towards her work with the cuts. "I'm a l'il odd, though!"
P'draig actually nods in understanding. "Cut out for it then and a rare breed too. Aren't too many who really relish it," the Weyrlingmaster opines with a grin. "Weyr can always use a talented butcher too, to deal with the mess left behind on the feeding grounds."
Jendel gives a snort of laughter, as she explains, "Aye, that'd b'me!" She says, the young woman seemingly beaming with confidence and pride as she continues chopping up the meat further into separate cuts. "It c'n git purty messy out there, aye."
"Very," P'draig emphasizes again. "Flights especially." He finishes up chopping that batch of roots and carries the bowl over to where they're being turned into casseroles. "Okay, time to get creative," he tells Jendel as he passes back behind her and heads for Stores briefly. When he returns, he's laden with ingredients and starts to lay them out: fresh herbs, a little leftover cold herdbeast, some cooked vegetables and the makings for sauce.
When: 10/26/16
Where: Kitchen, Fort Weyr
What: Paddy chats with Jendel over food prep.
Kitchen
The kitchen area has a huge vaulted ceiling, formed from a bubble when this volcano was active. From the entranceway off the Living Caverns, the kitchens appear to be brilliantly lit and sparking clean. Everything shines and immaculately cleansed. To the right is the bank of ovens. Each is built of the finest fire-resistant brick made by the Minecraft. The smooth outer surfaces are plastered and painted in scenes from Fort's great Threadfall battles, making these ovens some of the most finely decorated anywhere on Pern. The first, and smallest, is specialized for pastries and other delicate items. Tables and sheets for all manner of careful baking surround it. The next two ovens are the large mass-baking ovens that are integral to every large Weyr kitchen. Here, a nearly endless stream of meatrolls, breads, and other staples are made. The fires are almost always hot, and Bakercraft apprentices work alongside Fort Weyrfolk to complete this major part of feeding the Weyr.
Further along used to be the cooking hearths, but they seem to have been replaced with the new-fangled cooktops that the Bakers are installing everywhere these days. This is where huge pots of stew and soup are cooked as well as any sauces that need large pots to simmer in. Along the left side of the aisle is the huge prep area for the kitchens. Gleaming white marble countertops are the theme here, with brown and black trim subtly reminding the viewer of the kitchens' home. Above the countertops are metal racks filled with ceramic bowls, and even a few of the very expensive copper ones. Throughout the kitchen there are storage areas under counters and workspaces, and drawers throughout the area suggest locations for utensils. Food seems, for the most part, to come from the storage areas in huge quantities, though spices and certain very commonly used ingredients are stored in the kitchens themselves.
It's afternoon-time, and Jendel still finds herself deep in the kitchens, working on chopping up various cuts of meat. Her stomach growls at her every once in a while, telling her that soon she should have her break, and soon she'd be able to eat - and soon she'd better eat, or else! She crinkles her nose every so often - shells, the meat just keeps smelling better and better by the minute! Hopefully soon her break would come!
Swinging into the kitchen, P'draig's dressed down, off-duty clothes, patched even so maybe working clothes of some kind. He sniffs the air as he enters and grins. "Hey Cook, smells good there. Mind if I pull up a little bit of counter-space to try something?" Cook's just spiced a pot and turns slightly at the sound of the Weyrlingmaster's voice. "Oh shells, P'draig. Today?" She looks around the busy kitchen then nods to a spot not far from Jendel. "Just ... keep out of the way and your payment'll be helping to chop." With a wave of her spoon at the brownrider. "No problem, give me a knife and I'll take care of that before I start on this experiment."
By this time, Jendel seems to have her usual appearance down to the finest detail, including the bloodstained workshirt that some say would make her "her." She winces as her stomach gurgles again, before chopping through a nice slab of meat - which would probably eventually become some main course later in the day. Delicious! She does, however, notice in her periphery that there's somebody /else/ working with them that usually isn't there. She looks up, and grins broadly, "'ey, Paddy," she greets the dragonrider, before asking, "What brings y'here?"
Seeing as P'draig does actually turn up in the kitchens often enough, roughly every other week in fact to drive Cook nuts, he's able to get himself a knife and he steals a bowl of unchopped fingerroots to get cracking on. "Hey Jendel, helping out a little in trade for counter space and ingredients to try something out. You can take the boy out of Baker but you can't take the Baker out of the boy." Cheerily.
Jendel gives a bark of laughter back towards the dragonrider, as she continues chopping the meat up into various cuts. However, she doesn't stop talking to P'draig. "Aye, s'yer inventin' new food, then?" She says, no lack of amusement in her voice.
"Well. New dish anyway. Or just playing around. You know, I just can't shake the urge to put different flavors together and see how they come out," explains P'draig with a grin over at her. "Fingerroot?" he offers one that's been chopped in half.
Jendel chuckles, and nods. "Aye, aye," she continues chopping up meat ofr her meal, before looking back over to P'draig. "Naw, 'm g'd fer now," she says with a wink, before saying, "well, 'opef'ly th' new dish works out awright," and an approving nod is given to the dragonrider.
"Okay," P'draig agrees readily and pops that half a root into his mouth instead, chewing away while he continues to chop. "Yeah, it's always interesting anyway, even when it's not necessarily a success." A soft chuckle there. "So. You like butchering?" a tip of his head for the meat cuts.
"I cann't say I've ev'r b'n so... creat've." Jendel replies with a light chuckle, before responding to the question with a fervent nod. "Aye, don't ask m'why, but I love ev'rythin' 'bout it. Th' smell, th' feel, th' blood..." she trails off, gesturing towards her work with the cuts. "I'm a l'il odd, though!"
P'draig actually nods in understanding. "Cut out for it then and a rare breed too. Aren't too many who really relish it," the Weyrlingmaster opines with a grin. "Weyr can always use a talented butcher too, to deal with the mess left behind on the feeding grounds."
Jendel gives a snort of laughter, as she explains, "Aye, that'd b'me!" She says, the young woman seemingly beaming with confidence and pride as she continues chopping up the meat further into separate cuts. "It c'n git purty messy out there, aye."
"Very," P'draig emphasizes again. "Flights especially." He finishes up chopping that batch of roots and carries the bowl over to where they're being turned into casseroles. "Okay, time to get creative," he tells Jendel as he passes back behind her and heads for Stores briefly. When he returns, he's laden with ingredients and starts to lay them out: fresh herbs, a little leftover cold herdbeast, some cooked vegetables and the makings for sauce.