Entering a new season.

Today I enter into the season of my first official day of work on the floor at a Japanese Noodle bar in Campsie.

The noodle bar runs like any other, just that it has electronic dockets, and uses a screen to take orders. There are three staff on the floor, and each staff has their own role. There's about six kitchen staff, with one a Vietnamese Chinese, and two others from Vietnamese background. 

I started work on the floor at about 10.20 and finished around 15:00. Before finishing work, I had to go to every  staff and greet each person to let them know that I was 'checking out' in Japanese. Then we had 'makanai', or staff lunch, and all the staff sat down together to have lunch. I was seriously hungry.... For lunch today, it was something similar to a Sashimi Don. (yes, sashimi...)

The first day at the Japanese noodle bar was quite challenging, as there was a lot to take in and do on my first day, so I was trying to keep my mind focused.  

Well, me and my smart mouth...  I told Sophia (who was working in the kitchen last night) that I was going to make Korean pancakes...So i ended up heading to Lentils. But anyways there was a change of plans. 

I came in late after work, and the kitchen was packed.. Anyways, I ended up baking a cake with the leftover orange, ginger and carrot pulp they had from juicing for lunch. My oven at home isn't working, so I haven't had any avenue to bake. It is kind of different when you use eggs, milk and butter to bake a cake from when just using oil, and maple syrup to bake.

How did the cakes turn out? 

When it comes to pulp, one has to break it down to even smaller particles before adding in the other wet ingredients. In other words, it should be like a smooth puree when I'm done breaking it up.

Well, the first two batches are okay. Jesse gave it the thumbs up coz he tried the cakes. Anything is better tasting than grapefruit cakes... >_< As you can see from the pictures above, the cakes were a beauty... and smoother.

The batter on the top was much better mixed. I attest this to the height of the container as the whisk could not reach the bottom to whisk it thoroughly. 

We now have found a new use for leftover pulp juiced from Oranges, carrots, and ginger. 

                    

The third and fourth batches were a little too pulpy and thick and less cakey than the first two. I ended up leaving them in the oven for a further one hour trying to dehydrate the pulp. 

The bottom half of the puree wasn't as broken up as much as I thought,  and I should have whisked in more liquid and flour. 

It's edible, but not as pretty as the first two batches. Halfway through the service, who would come in but my godbrother Jumin.... what a surprise! :-)

Finally, there is the Project Gratitude started by Taria for the Lentils and Frijoles event. I wrote a few and took a snapshot just to remind myself of whom I wrote to. 

The secret (and not so secret) messages will be revealed on Saturday afternoon....

            

                   

Also to Dai Slee at number 18.

I would say, this entry celebrates the close of one chapter in my life, and the start of a new season in my life, where when one door closes, another opens. Only God will know what happens in the weeks to come.