Wednesday 28 June 2017

Cut-Throat's Half Time Review 2017



Accountability, Reflections and Musings Ahoy....



1. Seize The Day.

Considering my lack of posting here, I think we all know how well this has gone. That said I have finally planned and had proper holidays for the first time in years and been socializing a lot more. I am certainly busier than I used to be.

I will also be moving house in just over a month, meaning I'll have to make very good use of my time over the next few weeks. Hopefully, this will inspire me to make better use of my diary.




2. Learn A Craft.

  As for sport and fitness, the past couple of months have seen real progress. I have a semi-regular lifting routine and am racking up some serious sparring hours at Muay Thai practice. My striking has never looked better. I was enjoying learning classical Brazilian Jui Jitsu but alas my coach has re-located. Luckily I will be moving to a City with a very well rounded MMA team with great grappling coaches so this is only a temporary set-back.

Otherwise I have some goals to hit before my Birthday 2018, I'd like to compete again. Specifically do a couple of grappling competitions and a Muay Thai fight; and just for giggles, maybe see if I can get a half marathon in there as well!




3. Specialize in the Kitchen.

I have been experimenting a bit more with a different Scandi cook book and have started to get a feel of the Nordic flavors - salted, herbal and earthy. I get the sense that it's basically an un-orthodox and heavily foraged style of French-cuisine, however my understanding of French-cuisine consists of a couple of stock phrases like 'confit' so I don't know on what authority I say that.

 Japanese cooking has also proven fruitful and greatly enlightening regarding western misconceptions of Japanese culture. Sushi was originally a street-food, and before that it was the staple of impoverished rice farmers; Ramen was originally a Chinese dish, one that didn't really make it in Japan until the 1950's. So much of what we think to be 'authentic Japanese cuisine' has its roots elsewhere, or at the very least has more humble origins than is often thought.


Speaking of my lack of experience with classical French cooking, I have noticed a gap in my skill-set - dessert. In typical overambitious 'me' fashion I may in the near future look at learning some French patisserie skills for the sake of variety.