I had decided to cook dinner, so I picked up a few things at the supermarket - turkey breasts (intentionally this time), brussel sprouts (Geoff's favorite), some bread, and other necessities. Geoff had cooked every meal at the apartment since we had arrived, so I thought after his hellish weekend with BuyIndies, it would be nice if I cooked. Some people had become intimidated to cook for Geoff since he went to cooking school, but not me. This was because I knew he loved almost anything homemade that he didn't have to make. At a restaurant, he's discriminating. At someone's home, he's the favorite guest.
Of course, I did have to call Geoff and ask for his advice on what to do with the brussel sprouts. I just wasn't sure if I had to boil them before baking or if I could just bake. But he said boil first. So I filled up a pot of water and turned one of the knobs on the stove. It clicked a few times but didn't light. So I tried another, but the same thing. All three gas burners did the same thing. I had seen Geoff handle this before by turning it on and lighting it with a match so I gave it a try. It lit. But after the pot was on the flame for less than a minute, it went out. I tried lighting them again, but now they would light for a second and burn out. At this point, I opened the window, figuring all the natural gas I had let into the small kitchen might cause me to pass out any minute. I resorted to calling Geoff again. He said that hadn't happened before, but that I could use the one electric burner. Perfect. I turned that on and set the pot of water on top. I also turned the oven on to pre-heat. I shaved a stale loaf of bread for some homemade crumbs and prepped the turkey breasts by dipping them in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Since I only had one burner, I set them aside to cook after the brussel sprouts were done.
I went to my computer to check my email and chat with my sister Betsy for awhile. I went and checked the water about 20 minutes later but it wasn't boiling yet. I gave it another 20 minutes. It still wasn't boiling, but it looked hot - at least, I saw steam. So I decided to just put the brussel sprouts in at this point, needing to speed things along since Geoff would be home shortly. Another 20 minutes went by, and still there was no boil. At this rate, the brussel sprouts would probably be ready tomorrow morning. Geoff arrived home, amused to find I had not even gotten a pot of water to boil without his assistance. He immediately investigated the problem with the stove. Our mandated housekeeper Andrea had come to clean that afternoon and perhaps had disconnected them and not quite reconnected them. Anyway, a simple jiggling was all it took and they lit fine. Glorious. I immediately moved the pot over to a gas burner, and started heating the oil for the cutlets.
Next on the list of mysteries was why after I had pre-heated the oven for an hour was it not even lukewarm? Geoff took a quick look and reminded me that our single unit stove/dishwasher must have one half off for the other half to work. So the dishwasher can't operate if the stove is on, and vice versa. But the dishwasher isn't running, I said. Ah, but it's on, Geoff replied. A simple click of the switch, and a few minutes later the stove began to get warm. I sent him out of the kitchen because I was determined to finish without any more help.
I finished steaming the brussel sprouts and then put them in a pan with some butter and cheese and set them in the oven. In the meantime, I fried up the cutlets. That gave me no problem, but the brussel sprouts didn't seem to be getting broiled the way I expected, despite the fact that I had the oven on full blast and the dish on the top rack. It just didn't seem to be getting hot enough in there. I don't know how Geoff could roast a chicken in there but obviously he knew something I didn't. So I finally took them out and put them in our microwave/toaster oven to bake some more. The damn brussel sprouts refused to get toasty so I eventually gave up and just pulled them out. I finally got the dinner on the table which, of course for all the effort I had put in, seemed quite paltry. Some unevenly fried cutlets, a few brussel sprouts topped with random clumps of cheese and some bread and butter. But Geoff didn't disappoint. He ate it with gusto and said it was simply delicious.
Of course, I did have to call Geoff and ask for his advice on what to do with the brussel sprouts. I just wasn't sure if I had to boil them before baking or if I could just bake. But he said boil first. So I filled up a pot of water and turned one of the knobs on the stove. It clicked a few times but didn't light. So I tried another, but the same thing. All three gas burners did the same thing. I had seen Geoff handle this before by turning it on and lighting it with a match so I gave it a try. It lit. But after the pot was on the flame for less than a minute, it went out. I tried lighting them again, but now they would light for a second and burn out. At this point, I opened the window, figuring all the natural gas I had let into the small kitchen might cause me to pass out any minute. I resorted to calling Geoff again. He said that hadn't happened before, but that I could use the one electric burner. Perfect. I turned that on and set the pot of water on top. I also turned the oven on to pre-heat. I shaved a stale loaf of bread for some homemade crumbs and prepped the turkey breasts by dipping them in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Since I only had one burner, I set them aside to cook after the brussel sprouts were done.
I went to my computer to check my email and chat with my sister Betsy for awhile. I went and checked the water about 20 minutes later but it wasn't boiling yet. I gave it another 20 minutes. It still wasn't boiling, but it looked hot - at least, I saw steam. So I decided to just put the brussel sprouts in at this point, needing to speed things along since Geoff would be home shortly. Another 20 minutes went by, and still there was no boil. At this rate, the brussel sprouts would probably be ready tomorrow morning. Geoff arrived home, amused to find I had not even gotten a pot of water to boil without his assistance. He immediately investigated the problem with the stove. Our mandated housekeeper Andrea had come to clean that afternoon and perhaps had disconnected them and not quite reconnected them. Anyway, a simple jiggling was all it took and they lit fine. Glorious. I immediately moved the pot over to a gas burner, and started heating the oil for the cutlets.
Next on the list of mysteries was why after I had pre-heated the oven for an hour was it not even lukewarm? Geoff took a quick look and reminded me that our single unit stove/dishwasher must have one half off for the other half to work. So the dishwasher can't operate if the stove is on, and vice versa. But the dishwasher isn't running, I said. Ah, but it's on, Geoff replied. A simple click of the switch, and a few minutes later the stove began to get warm. I sent him out of the kitchen because I was determined to finish without any more help.
I finished steaming the brussel sprouts and then put them in a pan with some butter and cheese and set them in the oven. In the meantime, I fried up the cutlets. That gave me no problem, but the brussel sprouts didn't seem to be getting broiled the way I expected, despite the fact that I had the oven on full blast and the dish on the top rack. It just didn't seem to be getting hot enough in there. I don't know how Geoff could roast a chicken in there but obviously he knew something I didn't. So I finally took them out and put them in our microwave/toaster oven to bake some more. The damn brussel sprouts refused to get toasty so I eventually gave up and just pulled them out. I finally got the dinner on the table which, of course for all the effort I had put in, seemed quite paltry. Some unevenly fried cutlets, a few brussel sprouts topped with random clumps of cheese and some bread and butter. But Geoff didn't disappoint. He ate it with gusto and said it was simply delicious.
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