Working in the Kitchen

Hello all - 


Now that I've been at Holden a few days and have been getting oriented to the Holden Kitchen, I think an update would be appropriate as to what we do.


It goes without saying that we make all the food for the Village. Right now we have about 100 people in the Village, so we don't have to make as much food as we will in the summer when we'll be upwards of 500 people. All the same, it was weird using 12 cups of sugar in the "Ultimate Chocolate Brownies" I made yesterday. 


I think that's what's most difficult - getting used to the insane quantities of each ingredient that you have to use. I've been making cake for 100 people, brownies for 50, bagels for 100, bread for 100 - it's all over the map. 


I've been getting used to using mixers. Before Holden, I made all my bread by hand, literally. While I don't like it (yet), it certainly does make large quantities easier! 


I worked a "2" shift today. The kitchen goes as follows. Early "1's" start at 5:00am, with breakfast prep. Regular "1's" follow at 6:00, as breakfast is being finished, put on the "line" (serving table), and lunch is being prepped. "2's" enter at 11:00, right as lunch is getting ready to be served. Late "2's" come at 12:30, and start dinner preparations, prep for following days, as well as end-of-kitchen and end-of-day tasks. "1's" are my favorite because I get to get up early, there's only three of us in the kitchen (1 lead cook and 2 kitchen assists.), and you can take your time more with getting the food ready. "2" shifts, like I worked today, are much more rushed. I started at 11:00 and got off at 7:00, just in time for Vespers. 


Tomorrow I work a "1", followed by two days off. Looking forward to them - I'm going to go check out the Holden music stuff (they have a cello here in the Village somewhere!), catch up on reading, as well as order some food for brownie making. Seriously - those "Ultimate Chocolate Brownies" are the best in the world. Ever. I'm not joking. 


Anyway. That's all for now. It's been four days, and so far the transition has been going as great as it possibly can! 


By the way...I promise an update with pictures...soon! All the pictures I have taken are already on Facebook...maybe I'll get some more mountain shots, kitchen shots, worship photos, etc. Just to give you a more well-rounded idea of what life is like here! 


From the Village,
Dean