I'm trying to learn some Japanese cooking but it's difficult - being at the right place at the right time; seeing something through (preparation is often complex, taking place over a day or more); the ingredients are unfamiliar; and we have a language barrier. All this plus I reckon I have the skill level of an average 6-year-old.
Yesterday evening I was given a lethal hatchet knife to slice up spring onions. But my 3mm slices weren't good enough; 1mm was what was required. Not for the first time I felt very uncivilised. So, this morning, when Rie asked me to arrange some umeboshi plums from the bin where they'd been soaking in brine, to a flat basket, to dry, I made sure that they were arranged exactly as briefed. Which meant really slowing down, and concentrating. It's the same with the gardening, because of the approach to weed control. We're at the end of the major growing period so the weeds are as rampant as they'll ever be; even more so, in fact, because it looks as though things are a little behind schedule. What veggies remain are completely invisible, fighting for their lives in the jungle around them. So "weeding" becomes a delicate operation, pulling the weeds taught and slicing them at their base whilst not taking with them the precious remaining veggies. You'll understand this doesn't sit easily with my more gung-ho approach, and there were a few casualties.
We're having a run of balmy hot sunny days, which makes outdoor work a real pleasure, even if it's physically quite challenging. I get reminded, "Please take a rest". And much of the afternoon I am free. Someone has to light the fire around 2pm, and I'm guessing that will be me, tomorrow - as I've just been shown the process for the second time.
Back to learning Japanese now... And then it'll be, "Please take a bath".
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