The learning curve.

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Jump in, and prepare to fail.  Or stand by the sidelines offering empty advice.  Well, there are some who have earned to right and wisdom to advise.  On some things, I will advise whatfor.  On many things I'll just cheer for the team, my advise equating to "go get them!".  So be it.

Tonight?  On the shredding of cheese I have finally bumped the curve and am leveling out the project.  I purchased two 2 pound blocks of mild cheddar.  Oddly, I really don't care for sharp cheddar, usually.  I think that is more a social status thing, and not a good one... such as with 'fermented' fish, pork, and whatnot... which really are valuable... at the higher levels... or once were.  Yes, I've been around the... many... blocks.

The thing with shredding cheese?  Cut the portions to go in so you aren't fighting the feed tube.  Yes, that takes practice.  I finally hit it pretty well.  Oh, and it takes a bit of elbow grease... just a bit... as it requires halving the cheese lengthwise.  Which is also a bit of a risk operation.  I sort of batoned it, using a second item to help push the fore of the knife through... if I didn't actually hammer on it.

When that is done, then you need to slice the halves in lengths that will fit the shoot the long way.  Splitting the brick, if mostly nearly truly halved, covers the width.  That done, then knowing how much the bowl will hold before clogging the works is a bit of trial and error.  I found that about two and an half to three sub-blocks work about right... all give or take.  Perhaps with practice I will have an idea by the weight in my hand or visual dimensions or a bit of both?  I did okay though.

Not only do I save money, I know what is in there, keeping the shreds apart.  I use simple baking powder (not the one you put in the fridge or generally use for odor).  About a tablespoon, give or take, per two pounds.  And two pounds fits a one gallon zip-lock just right.  One went into the freezer.

If you put too much cheese through, you end up with cheese balls... which actually wouldn't be bad to bread and fry... hmm...  If you don't cut the sub-blocks to smaller than the shoot, you end up fighting your work, which is no fun.  Everything, even this, takes a few times.  Worth it?  Since time, for me, is wide open... depending more on my ability to stand at a given moment?  Yes.  If you care for having less starch (carbs) in your diet?  Also, yes.  They usually (or used to) use potato starch.  Not a great thing for a diabetic.  If you are rich?  Yes, but just have the servants do it... or the sous or prep chef... if the lead chef doesn't wish to do it by hand, himself.  Bleh.

I have the pans for cooking dinner soaking.  I prefer cast for beef and bean platters, and prefer a cast platter for tortillas.  I may have bread with the first set, tortillas for the next.  Want it all ready.  I am still terribly hungry.  Three pounds, and more, of food, topped by a goodly lot of cheese, with a loaf of bread, and a gallon of milk?  Will just serve.  Thankfully I have two meals of that size with this one prep.  My body is... quickening?  Something.  HUNGRY.

When I finish the meal, and recover, I'll... get in to the bathroom.  I'll work, I think, on removing the baseboards, and drywall that has a problem, then clear, clean, and set it back up.  I love a clean bathroom.  Then I'll take a shower and get the houseplants a watering and sauna from the residual heat and warmth.  Who knows after that.  Later.