Tuesday, February 2, 2010

How much is a Smidgen?

I teach Basic Foods.  For the first three weeks we teach Quick Breads, Yeast Breads, and Cookies.  We 'preach' the importance of measuring accurately.  The proportion of ingredients to each other is sooo important in baking...

  • the flour

  • the leavening

  • the fat

  • the sugar

  • the liquid
Sooo important to be Sooo accurate...

Now...cooking is a different story.    This is why Rachel and I would rather cook than bake...

So today we made Omelets in class...that's 2 eggs...2 tbsp. water...about an 1/8 tsp. salt...and just a smidgen of pepper...

A smidgen?  The students look at me like I made up that word...
A smidgen??

So today, I brought my special little measuring spoon set.  Aren't they sweet?!  I bought them at a specialty store in Kansas City when I was there for a teacher leadership conference.  I heart them...


A good cook knows just how much to add.  You can leave out the ingredients that you don't like.  You can add extra of the ingredients that you do like...


A good cook knows the difference between
  • a dash
  • a pinch
  • a smidgen
Tomorrow our oldest daughter celebrates a birthday.  She will be twenty five...

Twenty five...

I was visiting on the phone with my 89 year old mom about this today...

Twenty five...Yes,  that's a quarter of a century...

Mom was quiet for a long time...I said, "are you still there?"
Yes...she was pondering this...and she said...
"Well, she has made good use of her time"...

No kidding. 

She is a beautiful dancer, she won awards in Swim Team, she was our Homecoming Queen, won the Principals Leadership Award, went to National conferences in SADD and Teen Court, earned her undergraduate degree from UNL and is now one of the top students in her PA Class...

Yes, honey...you have made excellent use of your time.

Happy Birthday, Amy!

9 comments:

Unknown said...

I wish Amy a lot more than a smidgen of happy birthday wishes!
Hope her day is a great one!

Nancy

Christine Burgess said...

My mom used the word "smidgen" frequently so I associate it with her generation, but I do still see it in cookbooks.
Happy Birthday to Amy!

Cath's Pennies Designs said...

How perfectly expressed "she has made good use of her time."
We should all hope for our children to grow up so well. Happy birthday to your daughter!
Cathy

Cathryn said...

I see pinch, dash, and smidgen in older cookbooks. I love cooking when I can just dump in so much, add a dash bit more, and proceed on!

I love that expression: "Made good use of her time." That sentiment says it all!

Willoughby said...

Those measuring spoons are so cute! I think I would like two or three smidgens of pepper on my omelet, though!

Happy Birthday to your daughter, Amy! I hope it's a great one!

Oklahoma Granny said...

When I read the name of your post I thought, "I have a set of measuring spoons and one is for a smidgen." Then I read the post. My set of spoons is exactly like yours.

Leaon Mary said...

I love the word smidgen. ;)
BUT I LOVE TO BAKE! Unfortunately, my waist line bears the proof.
I so enjoyed visiting your blog.
My love to Aberdeen!

jodi said...

A wonderful complement from your mother to Amy. Wishing her all the best on her birthday.

Lori in South Dakota said...

LOL--I love to cook AND bake! I'm supposed to MEASURE? I don't even know for sure where the measuring spoons are.

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