Well that's that … one major week in the life of a daughter (now blogger) … cow invasion, cocktails for 80, dinner for 30 …
… definitely some guests – my father's younger sister: her husband was the uncle I spent time with, she'd asked me to look after him … all happening in the first 12 years of this millennium … when my mother was also in her last months – easing their ways onwards …
Platter of cheeses to finish off a meal
I'm sure we'd have finished with port or brandy … a platter of 1960s cheeses – cheddar, Stilton, camembert … about the only French cheese readily available …
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| My father had given up smoking (never cigars), but some friends still did ... |
The denouement happened early the next week … I'd applied to become a chalet girl – ie work at a ski lodge …
Look to You tube to learn
'how to Make Hospital
Corners' ( no link here)
… I think I could cook, organise, plan, clean – but not do hospital corners on beds (but easy to learn n'est pas?) etc …
… so the interview comes around – I'd gone to London – no zoom in the 1960s … I can't remember much except the one question – which I answered truthfully … how would I make pastry … well I said I'd buy it …
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| Mayerhofen, Austria |
Pastry wasn't something we'd had much of at home … as we were away at school – no suppers/evening meals needed – so I'd no idea about it …
… well that solved that - the interview: failed – I was not accepted as a chalet girl … on t'other hand looking forward – I wouldn't be here now … so a fork in life's road led me here …
Autumn in Tennessee -
here it is bucketing with rain
Back to normal: eclectic posts … as per my whim … take care and here's to a happy Autumn or Fall …
To finish off background to my ability to cook … my mother was a very good cook – I'd learnt at home … after school I had a short stint with a French lady, I guess a post WW2 refugee, who gave classes for 8 – teaching us how to cook all the basics – I still have her recipes … we rotated cooking, preparing, cleaning, washing up, time watching etc … it was an invaluable start to life in the kitchen – not to say I became a housewife as such …
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
26 comments:
I love that answer, Hilary. I think they should have hired you for being honest. It is amazing to look back and see the possible missteps that ultimately worked out for us.
Hari Om
Hehehe... It's funny how life can turn on the matter of flour, fat, and water! YAM xx
You dodged a sticky wicket with that one, Hilary!
That’s funny! I did learn how to make pastry of various sorts at school, but I would buy it now too.
I love your honest answer - and the roads it later led you down. I fail to see the necessity for pastry making in that job anyway. I do still (occasionally) make pastry. But not filo pastry. Or puff.
Cheddar, Stilton, Camembert ... back in the UK we liked to keep a well-stocked cheese board, but it became a standing joke whenever we visited my parents and they offered cheese & biscuits, that the only cheese they ever had was Cheddar!
It's interesting what little things changed how our lives worked out.
We are probably of the same era :) My mother never made or bought cakes or pastries for her young family and neither did I. But your platter of mixed cheeses, mixed fruits and dry biscuits looks wonderful. And very familiar.
Being a skivvy in a ski chalet is no sinecure, so you were spared that, Hilary.
Preparing a cheese board is always satisfying, or is that just me?
@ Dan - well I'm glad they didn't hire me - despite the fact I could have easily learnt how to make pastry. But - thank you ... I"m glad I'm here.
@ Yam - yes ... it was funny - I wasn't too upset, as I wasn't that keen on skiing either. But you've quoted it perfectly ... 'flour, fat and water': flunked out!
@ Jacqui - I actually agree I did dodge a sticky wicket ... I'm not sure I'd have enjoyed the work ...
@ Anabel - I'm glad I wasn't relying on having that work. I'm not sure I learnt to cook at school - I probably opted for another class ... bu I'm glad you too would buy it now.
@ EC - thank you - I couldn't bluff it could I - I really had no idea. Well back in the 1960s the foods we have today weren't available then - I think shop pastry had only just come in ... in the UK. Now I only use filo pastry ... the rest I'm happy to have when others make a quiche or similar ...
@ Ian - the choices we had back then were much more limited - and I'm sure your parents were just used to one type of cheese ... whereas we were lucky we had more choices ...
@ Hels - I'm sure we're of the same era ... but my mother did make cakes and biscuits for us - including drop scones and crumpets ... pastries were only on offer if we went out to a restaurant - a rare event.
@ Janice - you are so right ... it would have been an experience and life would be different, but I'm glad I missed out. I love cheese and biscuits ... or a supper of a delicious soup with cheese and fresh bread.
Thanks so much to you all for seeing the funny side of life - I did laugh! Cheers Hilary
I know that in Europe the cheese board is served at the end of the meal and I always enjoy it immensely. Here we tend to serve cheese and crackers, or cheese with a baguette, before dinner with the first glass of wine - and I relish that too. In fact we did it last evening - our cheese selection was Danish Fontina, Oka with mushrooms and Stilton. Our plonk was Malbec. So Canada, Denmark, England and Argentina were represented; a fine gathering I know you will agree. There is cheese left for at least a couple more sessions so we’ll be at it again tonight. Life is a challenge at times but I am always very brave and put up with it! Bone santé chère Hilary.
I thought your answer was great!
I love a platter of cheeses! When living in France I learned to enjoy it between the main and pud courses and I still do to this day. Had your interview been successful, I wonder where you'd be today!
@ David - it looks like in France cheeses are served between mains and dessert - per Keith below. We have cheese if we're entertaining or being entertained - but I do love a meal of soup, celery, apple, French bread/crackers and a choice of cheeses with an amount of wine one feels like drinking. Enjoy the rest of your cheese ... life is never challenging, just another opportunity to live and enjoy as much as one can.
@ Alex - thanks ... couldn't do anything else could I - and I certainly didn't whinge about it by mentioning what I'd just achieved ... and skiing wasn't calling me!
@ Keith - oh yes a platter of cheese with some soup and veg is a delicious meal. Interesting to get your comment about your time in France - per David's comment above ...
Who knows where I'd be today ... I have no idea!! Life has always been a land of opportunities ...
Thanks to you three - great to see you - cheers Hilary
You are a hoot! I love this post, the answers, etc. Just keep winging it and you are a winner. Cheers my friend in anything you do.
Honesty is always the best policy, so there had to be a reason behind that question. I make pastry occasionally but buying it is far less trouble.
Keep well Cheers Diane
P.S. I will catch up eventually too much going on in the garden with fruit and vegetables that I do not have time to blog!
@ Joanne - well you have to laugh don't you! Thanks for appreciating the irony of their decision - I think good for me in the end. Life carries on - and yes - I've probably winged along in life and am still doing so.
@ Diane - gosh I appreciate you taking time out to pop in here - what with celebrations, garden, harvesting - you and Nigel certainly do your garden and its produce justice.
Bought pastry had only just come on the market then - I was grateful ... but perhaps I'd have been better off for later in life in learning how to make pastry - now it's definitely bought.
No worries re catching - you've lots and lots going on ..
Cheers to you both - we're into one long HOT week before Autumn finally sets in - so I'm off out - Hilary
I never realized that besides being a creative writer, you were so talented in the kitchen. You're a woman of many abilities. Cheers,
Sounds like a great meal! I only did cookery for one year at secondary school. We learned the basics and I still have that cookbook. Mum really didn’t want me to cook at home, so I went to a friend’s place to try out the dessert stuff we had learned at school. Her parents had a boarding house, so there was a huge kitchen and we could help ourselves to ingredients and pots and pans.
The platter of cheeses looks positively delightful! I hope it was enjoyed by all.
Buying pastries is always the best answer. LOL. Now, after all this talk of tasty food, I'm hungry. Funny how life puts us right where we need to be, even if it doesn't always seem like it along the way.
Thanks for giving me a good story and a LOL moment. Great answer to the pastry question!!!
Keep 'em coming.
I thought that was an excellent answer to that interview question. I'm glad I'm past interviewing for anything.
Hope you're having a great one and that the weather is being kind.
Thanks for sharing your memory. I thought it was a good answer. :)
One of my first interviews went the same way. I'd worked as a cashier, ticket taker, and candy seller at the local theater, but the next job wasn't going to go as easy. I had to take a test for it. Where I failed was to answer no when asked if I thought everyone could be a thief. Oops. As a clerk in a grocery store, you have to see everyone as a potential thief. Which I learned the hard way. I didn't get that job but I did get the next cashiering job in a grocery store. So live and learn. The point is to learn. LOL
Hey Hilary, Happy Fall!
@ Sandra - thanks for both your comments ... I've always loved entertaining and cooking - my creative writing skills have only kicked in since I started blogging ...
@ Sue - it certainly ticked all the boxes - I think everyone enjoyed themselves. It's funny the restrictions our parents put on us - I was lucky obviously. But you found a way round - that's the important thing ... and had fun with your friend while you practised.
@ Sherry - a platter of cheeses always goes down well ... I think the meal was enjoyed - certainly after that my aunts tended to ask me what I'd do?!
@ Jean - yes ... but back in the 1950s we certainly didn't have many of those type of places, particularly here in the UK - certainly many more now. But I agree - I'd buy now.
@ Lee - yes that's what we can get from blogging isn't it - inadvertent prompts for a story - delighted you found something inspiring ...
@ Susan - thanks ... and I couldn't agree more - about the interview aspect ... it's much better being 'just me' ...
@ Yolanda - well it was the only answer I could give - I certainly couldn't bluff it!
We learn as we grow don't we - and as you did ... and so many 'oops' in life - we all have failings - just easier to own up ...
Cheers to you all - thanks ... it seems this post inspired a few ideas - good to see you - we're in a major heat session (sweaty) at the moment - no doubt Autumn will be a shock! Take care - Hilary
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