O Terribrating Day, Boorue Boomay
I'm into day two of a series of once-a-week Chinese cooking classes at the Chinese Hospitality Center just outside the U's St. Paul campus. I'm enjoying the classes and getting a lot out of them, and I'm amused by the fact that aside from the organizers, I think I'm the youngest one taking the class.
Things have not gone nearly as well, however, outside of the classroom. I attempted to make dumplings and potstickers tonight and ended up with things that were shaped like dumplings and potstickers, but did not taste or have a consistency anywhere near dumplings and potstickers. I think my main problem was in the dough I made for the wrappers. It was too thick and still too sticky. I should have kneaded it much more and been more comfortable rolling them out. Problems in boiling and frying them didn't really help too much either. I am somewhat upset, hungry, and unhappy with the results, but with some consultation with my teachers I hope to try again within the week. My appreciation of people who can actually make these things has jumped from "magic" to "extremely magic."
As an ancillary comment, these are way too cool. It's too bad that I lack a bicep nearly as large as the woman in the picture upon which to sport them.
EDIT: The collars of my sleeves also smell like frying things. Bleh.
Things have not gone nearly as well, however, outside of the classroom. I attempted to make dumplings and potstickers tonight and ended up with things that were shaped like dumplings and potstickers, but did not taste or have a consistency anywhere near dumplings and potstickers. I think my main problem was in the dough I made for the wrappers. It was too thick and still too sticky. I should have kneaded it much more and been more comfortable rolling them out. Problems in boiling and frying them didn't really help too much either. I am somewhat upset, hungry, and unhappy with the results, but with some consultation with my teachers I hope to try again within the week. My appreciation of people who can actually make these things has jumped from "magic" to "extremely magic."
As an ancillary comment, these are way too cool. It's too bad that I lack a bicep nearly as large as the woman in the picture upon which to sport them.
EDIT: The collars of my sleeves also smell like frying things. Bleh.