Monday, August 5, 2013

Face the fear

When you think about fear and sailing, most people think about big waves, heavy storms and pirates.  Me, I think about pressure cookers.

The pressure cooker is a scary gadget.  After all, it cooks under pressure.  I remember seeing cartoons when I was younger showing the contents of a cooker plastered to the walls, ceilings and cabinets.

But I am strong and overcame my fear.  After searching for a small, high quality, used pressure cooker, my sister-in-law came across one at a garage sale.  I pulled out some frozen venison, scanned the internet for recipes, and took the plunge.  It was with trepidation that I sealed the cooker and turned up the heat.  I jumped when the release valve first started to jiggle. Someone should have been taking a video of me as I cautiously approached the stove to moderate the temperature.  I really didn’t want to get any closer than necessary - just in case.

My fears were unfounded.  The pressure cooker worked like a charm.  The venison came out tender and juicy.  The entire process - heat, maintain, and cool - took about 45 minutes.  Sure beats waiting all day for a crock pot or 3 hours in the oven.  I can see where this handy method of "speed cooking" would be indispensable while cruising.  

Ahhh - one more item off our to-do list before we cruise.  Now back to sorting items for our next garage sale.

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