10.08.2005
music
So I sang my first concert at Oxford this term last night. I sang half of the chorales and all of the choruses of the St. John Passion. Also, I sang the part of the "Diener", or servant, of the high-priest. I had two recitative lines: once after I had just slapped Jesus in the face for lecturing the Caiphas, and once when nosily interrogating Peter about having seen him in the garden at Jesus' arrest. I've never done recitative before: this was really something new for me. I must say that I was terrified and not really sure of myself. But my friends assure me that it went well.
This morning I decided to make some chicken stock. Honestly, it's lovely having my own kitchen (or at least, a kitchen) that won't stink up my room if I cook. But meals this week have been variations on the theme of limited ingredients listed thusly: pasta, rice, olive oil, butter, shrimp (prawns, in this country), chicken legs, onions, garlic, shallots, soy, chili paste, and cheese. There are only so many times I can do a teriyaki chicken with onions over rice before I go nuts. Same with chili prawns or fried rice. So I decided to make stock: at least I'll have an ingredient that can be used to make other things. Also, I now have a lot of shredded boiled chicken for chicken salad. :)
Dinner was also an adventure in cooking. I made a delicious pan-seared duck breast, served with wilted chinese brocolli, sauteed mushrooms, and a gala apple and parsley/shallot sauce, made with my fresh chicken stock and some lovely butter from the farmer's market. I will say this, though: I don't thnk parsley and duck are meant for each other. And I wish I'd had some red wine for the sauce. I would have used some blackcurrant jam, but mine went bad so I had to throw it out. Somehow, I don't think that duck would go terribly well with a strawberry sauce. Maybe I'll go out for some honey, or a balsamic vinegar and maple syrup reduction. Perhaps mustard as well.
This morning I decided to make some chicken stock. Honestly, it's lovely having my own kitchen (or at least, a kitchen) that won't stink up my room if I cook. But meals this week have been variations on the theme of limited ingredients listed thusly: pasta, rice, olive oil, butter, shrimp (prawns, in this country), chicken legs, onions, garlic, shallots, soy, chili paste, and cheese. There are only so many times I can do a teriyaki chicken with onions over rice before I go nuts. Same with chili prawns or fried rice. So I decided to make stock: at least I'll have an ingredient that can be used to make other things. Also, I now have a lot of shredded boiled chicken for chicken salad. :)
Dinner was also an adventure in cooking. I made a delicious pan-seared duck breast, served with wilted chinese brocolli, sauteed mushrooms, and a gala apple and parsley/shallot sauce, made with my fresh chicken stock and some lovely butter from the farmer's market. I will say this, though: I don't thnk parsley and duck are meant for each other. And I wish I'd had some red wine for the sauce. I would have used some blackcurrant jam, but mine went bad so I had to throw it out. Somehow, I don't think that duck would go terribly well with a strawberry sauce. Maybe I'll go out for some honey, or a balsamic vinegar and maple syrup reduction. Perhaps mustard as well.
