Your Least Favorite Prep Task

[foodnfoto]

OMG, Shroomgirl. That sounds like a nightmare? No electricity? Didn't you have to serve 100+ people for that gig?
You poor thing!!!

[cape chef]

Hey shroom..

Didn't you know that going into the event about sabbath?

If you use a wee bit of mustard as a emoulsifier and be sure to add the acid before the fat you will be pleasantly suprised at how fast and effective it works.

I used to be a poissoneer at a highly regarded restaurant in the city. We would recieve 30 fresh black bass a day when in season. I had to eviserate them and scale them..I hate to scale fish,no matter how careful and gentle you are with the back of your knife they still fly all over the place,and stick to everything. I also was never to fond of being the one to panade things..wet hand, dry hand,just a pain in the arse.
cc

[mofo1]

Making polenta or prepping veggies for marinated salad. God, I can't believe I forgot this one: Deboning smoked salmon. Smell THAT for a week.

[ May 07, 2001: Message edited by: mofo1 ]

[shroomgirl]

250 guests actually
Well, I understood the oven, didn't think about my emersion blender....usually I think through this shtuff but when the dressing separated I automatically wanted to reach for the emersion blender...I normally put food for Sat together on Friday, this was the first big gig I've had in a synagog...
Everything went well, I would alter very little....but the mustard is a great tip
Thanks

[coolJ]

Since I work in the busiest restaurant (by volume) in Kamloops, I really should have a least favorite prep task, but I don't, I just sometimes find some of the tasks very monotonous. i.e. traying bacon (about 60-75 Lbs daily). hulling potatos for skins (50 Lbs every 2 days). I used to hate friday mornings, because fridays used to be "fish friday" and I would have to cut, portion, batter and blanch in oil, anywhere from 30 to 50 lbs of halibut.

[Pete]

Cleaning a whole case of baby artichokes has got to be one of my least favorite jobs. Also going through crabmeat looking for stray shells.

[shroomgirl]

I got a bargain once on baby artichokes and my hands turned black from peeling them....what a delight to have in my freezer though.

[Matthew357]

<<shiitake asparagus omelet>>

Gotta try that...I'm a huge fan of omelets. Though I have to say I prefer buttons for omelets, shiitake seem to have too strong of a flavor for me, at least in an omelet.

My least favorite prep was julianing 25 pounds of carrots by hand. Not only are your hands cramped by the end but the cutting board is a real pain to get clean again.

Matthew

[kuan]

No contest here. 950 twice baked potatoes!

Kuan

[marmalady]

Peeling rock shrimp.

Cutting the eyes off those cute little soft shell crabs!

[nancya]

Originally posted by marmalady
Cutting the eyes off those cute little soft shell crabs!

What?!?!?

Now I can never eat soft shell crab again??!!!??!??!

Nancy

[W.DeBord]

Worse prep task for me is prepping apples or pears in large quantities (parties at 100+). I ALWAY try to scam someone into helping me. When you do pastrys after awhile your hands get soft and you can't handle half the things reg. cooking requires. After 30 min. the knive feels like I have the wrong side up!

I've turned into a whimpy handed chef, yek!

[Leo R.]

I can think of a few mind-numbing tasks:
1) Peeling button onions.
2)Turning button mushrooms.
3)Having to quenelle fine ratatouille for a garnish.


I`m glad i don`t do these things that often,it would bore the a**e of me. Leo

[chiffonade]

As much as I love the sensory pleasure of feeling a knife go through an onion, I HATE the tears.

[Matthew357]

I used to peel and cut 2 to 3 50# bags of onions a day and for some reason they never bothered me. Everyone else was tearing up, but I was just fine. That's probably why eventually I was the only one doing that each day.

Matt