I'm Still Standing

it is 8:00 a.m. in the holy city of safed.  I just got back from taking tiny, the medium sized dog, for his second walk.  the first one at 7:00 a.m. was uneventful, if you get what I mean.  I did two shifts at the yeshiva on Tuesday and Wednesday.  I survived.  yesterday, I fried up about 70 huge turkey schnitzels.  I used up three bags of breadcrumbs and then hit the precious bag of corn meal.  I should have just added a bag of flour from the start.  oh well....

the other cook, who designs the meal plans, expected the schnitzels to cover two evening meals.  however, yesterday was a chabad festive evening.  it was the commemoration of the liberation of the founder of chabad chassidus thought, the alter rebbe, from Russian jail.  every year they make quite a big megilah about this.  there is quite a lot of vodka to be had at this time.  I wonder what shape the guys will be in this morning.  in the past, the guys were quite hung-over and missed breakfast.  I hope it doesn't make them more hungry.

the manager of the yeshiva told me to serve up all of the schnitzels and come up with something else for tonight's meal.  they must have had a food orgy last night.  or perhaps, not.  these guys can really eat.  I also made a huge sweet noodle kugel and pot of rice to boot.  I was supposed to make green beans too but I gave up trying.  I was frying three schnitzels at a time in two small fry pans for about two hours.  I used the egg cartons to blot out the excess oil.  I didn't have paper towels.  the stove top got trashed.  I stayed an extra half hour to clean it.  I did manage to cut up veggies to make a crude salad.

I baked a chocolate cake the night before and froze it to keep it fresh.  for lunch I made a pot of thick split pea soup, a tray of 13 pounds of cooked potatoes, a huge bulgur salad, a tuna salad with smashed 30 hard cooked eggs, a tomato and chick pea salad and pita chips. there was hardly anything left.  these are 25 of the hungriest kids around.  I was almost ready to hand over the kugel, too, but I resisted.   I need to get the grandkids today so I will go in around noontime.  I am just going to make another two shephard's pies for dinner.  it's just another 6 kilos of potatoes to peel, cook up and mash.  I have a bit of turkey schnitzel to throw into the pie with the 5 pounds of chopped meat.  I will also make the green beans as a side dish.

I hope the cook will not be disturbed that I didn't exactly follow her meal plans.  I tried.  but I was thwarted by the manager each day. I am making Shabbat meals for the kids once again.  I guess they don't want me to be alone.  I will not do it as elaborate as last week.  I need to get to town early to buy treats and eggs and a small piece of meat to make yet another, cholent.  meanwhile, winter has hit Israel.  it's cold and rainy and dark.