Molière and Meat

Okay, jet lag has almost released its horrible grip on me. At this point I am sleeping a ton, but I'm back to the daylight schedule set by France, so you may now consider me back to life and posting like usual.

Two bits of news today -

1) I am not what you call a natural cook. I am very comfortable in the kitchen, true, but that's because I have a plush chair there, sitting right by the microwave. I am not *bad* at cooking so much as unskilled. My nightmare is that there are bits of common knowledge that I have never encountered, some folksy rituals that I will screw up like 'if you don't add two thimbles of eye of newt just before the meat is braised your steak turns to deadly poison'. You know, the sort of thing that nobody bothers to mention because *everybody* knows it? I am that person who is dumb enough to think that eye of newt is not necessary. For that matter, I have only the vaguest idea what braising is. Also thimbles. Are they like brambles?

So my mom, right? She has just written me the best Hamburger Guide ever, in that it is tailored exactly to people like me who are afraid of the Oh I Never Knew That Part class of error. I am now excited to cook something basic, and I really hope someday to feel wild and free in the kitchen, instead of comfy in my nice chair. Thanks, Mom!

2) Ever heard of Jean Baptiste Poquelin de Molière? Of course you have! You know, the 17th century French comedic playwright! Yes, that's the one. I've just been given a free ticket to a showcase tonight of some of Molière's stuff. In French. Everybody says it's great, but, you know, they are French people and understand the French language.

We'll see how I do.