Hi Everyone,
FYI…The annual LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE comedy night hosted by Caitlin will be postponed. Caitlin’s final’s wrapped up for this quarter but she starts the next quarter immediately. Our part-time comedian is working towards her graduation from the Art Institute of Philadelphia in March as a full-time Photographer. Her last two quarters not only include the highest level classes but an internship as well. These will be the most difficult of her college career.
As soon as we get confirmation on the new date we will post another announcement on here and on Facebook. PS…then we’ll post the announcement for the biggest graduation party EVER!
Corey is bound and determined to stand and walk independently so she can go to culinary college. She worked hard with Natalie today. We learned a new technique to practice standing using the corner of a room. She has been working on her steps using a yoga block at the bottom of our foyer staircase and she is graduating to a traditional walker instead of the double arm platform walker. I’ve mentioned the forearm cane in past posts. Corey likes using the cane but cannot walk independently with it. The therapy team believes the use of two canes will come more naturally as the botox releases the left arm and she develops the strength and confidence she needs to walk by using a traditional walker.
Tonight Corey and I attended her first cooking class; Posh Poultry. Chef Peter fell in love with Corey (not a surprise!). She sat in the first seat opposite the stove. A large mirror hung over the stove tilted for the students to see from the back row. The class was 2 hours and Corey didn’t miss a trick, tip or technique. I was very excited to watch her concentration and she turned to me (a total of 9 times) to tell me “this is awesome”…”wow, do you smell that? That looks awesome”! AWESOME was the word of the night. She even called out a few questions and comments to the Chef.
We learned how to make Chicken Stock, how to properly lace, cook and carve a whole chicken and then moved on to make Chicken ala King over toasted brioche, chicken sliders with smoked bacon, carmalized onions and a tomatoe chutney. We finished with a Chicken saltimbocca served over a sweet pea risotto!
The chef did not isolate these dishes. He prepared all 3 at the same time. Chef Peter was jumping from one pan to the other, adding spices (which he would pass to Corey to smell), talking about how to clarify butter and constantly interjected tips on details like looking for the pearl in risotto (Corey knew what that was…I did not!). She never took her eyes off Chef Peter. I leaned over to ask her what she thought of the class and if she was overwhelmed. She turned to me and smiled, “no mom are you”? YES! I was trying to keep up but got lost in the verbage a few times. Corey pacified me with, “don’t worry mom, we can make a deal. I will cook and you can clean up”! I’m sure that might not be a win/win for most people but I’m all in. If Corey can cook like this Chef, I’m happy to do every pot in the kitchen!
Next week; Crepes!
bon appetite, xoxo