A Week in the Life

It's been a busy week here at the Kittywompus Cottage.  Well, more accurately, away from the cottage, but it's all in the interest of keeping the cottage!   

 After all the unknitting last week, I finished knitting the baby sweater, fourth in a series.  I've promised myself to knit just one more, in a larger size, to try to sell the pattern somewhere, even if it's only to Ravelry.  I've always wanted to design a knitting pattern, and this is my first actual, from scratch, no editing someone else's.  I love it, and think it's easy enough to have others follow it.  The collar is still a work in progress, but I will refine it in the next one.

 After I freed up the size 2 circulars with the unknitting of the lace socks, I started another pair.  Same pattern, but this time, using yarn a friend gave me for cat-sitting at Christmas.  The raspberry swirl colors make me happy, and the pattern is going well.  It's a good portable project, but not great for t.v. watching.  Too much lace, even on the purl rows!

Teaching is going well.  We finished beef, moved on to lamb, and now are on pork.  Pictured here is an average end-of-class meal, five samples of braised lamb.  My favorite was the one in the far right corner, a lamb curry with potatoes.  I could have eaten a deep bowl of that stuff!
  The students in this class are all hard working and talented.  Knoxville will soon be blessed with their culinary talents.  It's good to see an entire class full of passion for feeding people well, not just there to get a piece of paper!
  I was inspired by them, and made the staff at the bakery a braised pork roast with gravy.  We had to eat it on bread, since that's what we have, but there were no complaints.  They kept commenting on the carrots, "zanahorias," but the rest of the comments were in their Mayan dialect, something I don't understand at all.  They did seem to enjoy it.

 Although I do enjoy the class, it's kind of boring for me this semester, since I'm just the TA, and really don't know how to cook very well.  Fortunately, the other day they asked me to design the dessert for the UT Gardens' fundraising Gala in April.  I once saw an article about how chef's design their dishes, and thought, really?  People care about that?  Well, here is my sketch for the dessert, including recipes.  I'll create a sample tomorrow at school to photograph for the powers-that-be to approve, and I'll take some photos for this blog, while I'm at it.  
  Until then, I have a lovely day stretched before me with no obligations to enjoy.  It's rumored that it might snow, and it is certainly blustery out there, but the cottage is warm and cozy, with my furry entourage playing, wrestling and keeping me company.  I hope you're just as lucky!