Sunday, January 13, 2008

Cooking and Dancing.

Had one of those unusual crazy days...I tend to be fairly active person but occassionally a day occurs which is even overwhelming by my standards ha! We had a cooking class in the morning...it was a gift grom Mister Anchovy and Tuffy P. Now we wake up very early on weekdays, about 5:30...so on holidays we are sleeping till noon. We landed up setting our alarms for 7 to get to class, I couldn't sleep in because I often get panic attacks at anticipating strange social events...so I landed up waking way too early...landed up doing a bunch of housework before heading out for the day. The cooking class was a lot of fun. Our instructor reminded me of my sister who used to have a cooking school so it was fun to be feeling at home and nostalgic. It was a magnificent space with several ovens and the best cookware.

Although I am a person who lives very lightly...rarely shopping, and when I do I shop about 80% recycled materials. I am also a complete snob when it comes to tools and cookware and materials. I analyse where they are made and how. We bought some cooking tools, and it was a real treat. The cooking school offers a great deal off on materials used in the class and you all know I boycott China-made products..so I was happy to find they retail some of my favourite cookware, Emile Henry. (unfortunately they did not have any Canadian-made Paderno stainless steel). So we bought some bowls, a small Swizz paring knife and a large Global Japanese-made cook's knife.

We were prety impressed that Tuffy P and Mister Anchovy found a cooking school right by our apartment...well done! One of the best parts of the class was the instructor offered some knife skill tips which both Stagg and I really looked forwardto learning. We will probably sign up for an exclusively knife skill class in the future at the same school.

And in some bizarre turn of events...my first square dancing workshop was in the afternoon. So Stagg headed out with his friend Jim for the afternoon and I headed over to a local church for my first square dancing lessons. I have square danced in the past when I was a kid at farm weekend parties that my family would attend...but never learned some formal moves.

I've taken dance lessons all my life, but this was a different flavour, mainly because square dancing is a highly social activity based on manifesting the most partnerships and social rituals dance moves to encourage social bonding. Square dancing is also delightfully math-based! It's a bit like playing a game...

I had a riot. The workshop is every Saturday afternoon and the music is awesome...it's actually what sold me on the classes. A friend of ours has been going to square dancing for years and he talked me into it once he told me we dance to mash-ups and techno music...all right!

I was completely knackered last night but it was a wonderful day!

9 comments:

FOUR DINNERS said...

I only dance after copious vodkas. You don't need lessons for that.

I'll dance with yer though. Especially if you cook me some'at after ;-)

mister anchovy said...

I bet square dancing is a hoot. Tuffy and I want to learn to polka, but so far haven't found a teacher (I'd love to be able to polka like those Mexican-American couples we saw dancing in San Antonio).

All credit for finding the neighbourhood cooking class goes to Tuffy P, who is nothing short of remarkable in her resourcefulness.

William is at the vets today, getting dental work, by the way.

Candy Minx said...

Ouch, I hope William is okay. He's gonna mope around the house tonight, Mister Anchovy.

Polka is easy!

Polka is ballroom dancing.

It's like the mosh pit of ballroom dancing. You can practice by sitting down with a lively jig playing in the background and dance with your feet. Over and over the basic moves till it become s second nature.

If I remember correctly, there is an Arthur Murray Dance School not far from you. Basically, you want ballroom dancing lessons...find a school that teaches ballroom and they likely will have polka lessons. Oh...I just phoned them, they are at Royal York and Bloor...but right now they don't have polka...but they are going to phone me back...

Square dancing is cool because you memorize the basic moves and then it is left up to the caller to provide the dance so you're always in the act of listening...and not taking a move till it's called.

Four dinners, well you know what, those cooking lessons will come in handy for dance. The square dancing group has lessons every Saturday...but twice a month they have a dance and potluck! I look forward to getting to the place where I can go to the dance...right now just can dance during lessons. Apparently by May newbies will know the ropes!

Ink Casualty said...

think they are trying to tell you something with the cooking lessons?
and I'm about to start salsa dancing.....teacher friend of mine made her New Year's resolution to teach me how.....poor lady

Candy Minx said...

All right Ink Casualty! Dance away Mr. Salasa...that will be lots of fun. good to see ya! Oh I always like to get lessons on things...the knife skills is really something I enjoy. And there is always something new to learn when it comes to food.

tweetey30 said...

That sounds great. I remember having to square dance in grade school. I couldnt stand it then. I suppose we were kids though. Anyway hope you had a wonderful weekend.

Wandering Coyote said...

Paderno is excellent stuff. They do have a great web site that quite often has great deals on it, but I have no idea if you'd have to pay duty on it to have it shipped to the States.

Having good knife skills is a real boon! What a wonderful gift.

Wylie Kinson said...

That they even offer a class in Knife Skills scares me just a little.

Have fun with your square dancing!

Red said...

I agree with Coyote: what a fab gift! Are you as fast and accurate as a Japanese sushi chef with those knives yet?! ;)

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