July262009
7/25/09 - Potstickers.
Another present from grandma, homemade, frozen and mailed.
The traditional way to prepare potstickers is this: oil the pan first, then lightly brown one side before pouring in water to steam. When the liquid has fully evaporated, turn up the fire again to crisp both sides.
I was working the method when my mother walked into the apartment, finding me in midst of grease and smoke.
Do you mind if I show you another way? she asked,
This works fine, but I know a better alternative.
She washed the pan for us to start anew.
Always ask yourself if the things you are doing make sense. When you cook, think scientifically. You should know why you are taking each step.
Instead of frying one side initially, she began with steaming. Only when the dumplings are entirely cooked through, did she pour in the oil to finalize with browning. Eliminating that first step reduced both grease and time. The prelude was really not needed at all.
It was a small adjustment, but the fact of the matter is that it didn’t even cross my mind. When I’m around my mother, I am reminded to keep questioning my established ways, and to keep moving forward with intelligence.
***
Wine 101 at the Pinot Boutique in Olde City, Philadelphia.
A large part of the anxiety surrounding wine is its rituals and vocabulary, which can often be alienating,
the instructor opened his seminar with the statement.
But once you understand the purpose of what people do, you can break through that anxiety.
In the narrow room, we sat on couches and around tables, each with two glasses before us. All eyes were on the man as he continued, We are going to hold off liking and disliking for the time being. It’s fine to have preferences, but that’s not what tonight is about. Once you pin down those judgments, it’s hard to open yourself to learning.
The point here is to ask why, and only do things when there is a reason. This is what will distinguish you as an insider.
***
I have been revisiting passages from The Entrepreneurial Mindset:
In conventional planning, success means delivering numbers that are close to what you thought you would deliver. In discovery-driven planning, success means generating the maximum amount of useful learning for the minimum expenditure. You primary challenge is to maximize the conversion of assumption to knowledge at the minimum possible cost.
(pg. 232)
Plan to learn, it read.
I do.
***
For an extra kick, grandma puts a bit of scallops in her pork dumplings.
