A Taste for Boot Polish

Oh Bootblack: Front and Center!

This interesting book could not be set down!

“Bootblacking 101” by Andrew McDiarmid.

Not even sure why slave found itself reading this particular book. Let me take a minute to point out that I have NEVER had a fetish about boots -black or otherwise. In fact, the shape and condition of my shoes could often be called embarrassing.

Just trying out a different coffeehouse. It was impressive with its quietness. Large windows made of small glass panes let in ample light from the tree shaded street. Surrounded by old woodwork, I stretched out in the comfort. Bookcases hugged the room and patiently waited for my eyes to search out a title. This small book was selected from one of the many shelves. That's all it took to get hooked!

Any writer who can get you interested in a topic that you didn't care for is a good author! So lets congratulate Mr. McDiarmid and pass along a good reference. Please, read this book!

You might ask how anyone can write a whole book on “how to polish shoes”, but if you did ask that - you would have missed the point entirely anyway. So forget it.

Yes, you do learn steps needed to shine a pair of boots. You learn what equipment and tools you need. The second half has a few short stories of fiction and you also learn more about the author. But most importantly you learn the WHY you have to be a bootblack.

Mr. McDiarmid does an excellent job of presenting the emotional need that we feel. The near addiction that servers, caretakers, and slaves feel to be of service. He does not try to explain them. Nor does he dissect them. He just “gets it”. Anyone who has those feelings also “gets it”. This drive that resonates within the fiber of our being. The joy that fills us. This goal of allowing ourselves to give the gift of being subservient to another.

Don't worry if this means nothing to you. If this need on our part appears so foreign to you that's OK.

But if you recognize this part that has been hidden within you, if you know what we are talking about, if it clicks, then you know the fellow kindred spirits around you. Wither or not you have a boot fetish, or if you are a kitchen slave, or houseboi, or whatever, you will understand.

Just a side note: as a kitchen slave, I find it interesting that this drive is often referred to as a hunger. :-)

Often in this normal vanilla world we look for even a small sign of something that validates us. We all need to find a reflection of ourselves somewhere in our surroundings.

Yes, slave would like to be trained to be a bootblack. How wonderful to be able to serve my Master in that fashion.

 

You might be surprised to find that slave wishes my Master could be served by someone like Mr. McDiarmid. It would please me very much to see Master served that well even if by another.

“What, aren’t you human?” “Wouldn't you get jealous?” Oh yes there would be envy but it would not be as strong a feeling as the joy of seeing Master being served that well. Especially in a skill that slave does not know. For what is the MOST important to me, His slave, is seeing Him receive that kind of service. Yes it would be even more enjoyable if I was the one providing it, but you see that is just the selfish part of me, we all have a part like that. And Yes it can be the downfall of many a relationship.

I prefer to be a slave that differs his own pleasure to that of his Master. That is part of the gift slave gives to Master.

Hey, I'm not perfect and as they say “shit happens”. All of our feelings are very real. They can not be defended or explained, they just are. The only thing we can control is how we express and act on those feelings. We can choose a different path if we wish.

 Last weekend Master allowed me to celebrate the two year anniversary of His ownership of me. I got to spend most of the day doing small tasks designed to be “of service”. These were His gifts to His slave. These tasks that slave could do to be “serving Him”. I still am worn out but filled with the glow of happiness that slave got to serve Him.

Even after two years: that's 24 months or 104 weeks: Master still wants to OWN me. Well this slave still feels euphoric about it!

Speaking of happiness, wouldn't this make a great Christmas gift for the kitchen? Hint. Hint.

 

LOL!

Wherever You find it, slave hopes you DO find your joy.

Serving Master Indy

socialslave

To satisfy and restore. To nourish, support and maintain. To gratify, spoil, comfort and please, to nurture, assist, and sustain …..I cook!

PS: Why doesn't slave ever get this kind of help in the morning?

 

The Meal I don't want You to make!

The Meal I don't want You to make!

 

It had NOT been a good weekend! Maybe slave will feel better after a walk. Tomorrow it will be Autumn. Today is not too hot, nice breeze. In fact slave was starting to enjoy the sunshine. It wondered how many more we would get this year. Then it hit me hard. 5 O'clock and nothing was planed for dinner. I hurried to the kitchen to check what my heart already knew. The refrigerator was empty. Nothing in the cupboard. “SHIT, now what do I do? How could this happen? What am I gonna fix?” “Why me? “I'm always in this kitchen alone.” What am I going to do? “I can't handle it! “I just can't do it.”

 

Yeah, it reads a bit dramatic, but when I didn't see it coming I did kinda freak out. Often I sit in the kitchen figuring out what am I gonna fix. However this time I was near a panic. “Why don't I plan better?, “How am I going to fix anything?” The walls seemed to be closing in on me. “How could I be so careless with my job for Master?”

“Master”

Just as that word formed in my mind, it brought a presence into my being, a calmness. “What have you learned?”

I pulled the chair up so that it completely supported my weight. My arms laid out on the table with my hands folded, my eyes closed and I tried to relax my breathing. “What have you learned?” His voice in my mind began clearing away the cobwebs and letting in the light.

His voice – my voice, the voice, like a steady hand on my shoulder, helped my mind focus on what was real. I have learned that I am a slave. I have learned that I need to serve. -Want to serve. I am His slave. “Stay focused slave”. I serve. “Repeat it” I serve. “again” I serve. “Now serve!”

I released my breath with a sigh. My mind was a bit clearer now. What do I need to do first, right now. This is the best way of conquering any problem, find out what step you need to do first. You will be surprised at what you CAN do with this simple trick: what do I do first?

OK there was some zucchini left over from the English Tea wasn't there? Yes, and some squash, maybe a bit of red onion too. OK that's a start! I can cut up that up, mix it with a tablespoon of oil and roast it at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Now get that started.

I also had a big beautiful yellow onion, I can cut that up and cook it with a couple of frozen beef patties.

OK, keep thinking. I got the patties out and sliced into the onion only to find it was rotten on the insides. My heart fell, I almost collapsed again. Was my resolve that fragile? Well, into the trash it went and my mind was back to repeating: I am a slave, I serve. I knew that simple truth. It was a wonderful thing. I enjoyed the feeling it brought me.

I am a slave, I serve.

I just seemed to flow in my mind, lighten my load and supplying strength for my service.

I found an almost empty box of penne rigate pasta left over from last week. So the pasta pot came out and filled with water to heat. What am I going to put with that? I'll think of something, but it has to go on the heat now.

I was finding a few things but not many. Out came the hamburger patties for a quick thaw in the microwave. Just enough to pry them apart and get in the skillet. I can brown the sides, then put in some kind of sauce or gravy and let simmer to finish cooking.

What kind of sauce? Slow down slave.

“Slave” how and why that word wrapped me in love I do not know. It is the kind of thing that either is or it is not.

A tune popped into my mind and soon I was humming it under my breath. Without really thinking about it, I was making a white sauce with extra garlic powder, more white pepper, a touch of nutmeg, why not? Soon the patties were simmering under a glass domed lid.

Well really, I could mix the pasta with the roasted vegetables and that would taste good or for that matter I could dump it into the sauce and serve that on the side of these impromptu Salisbury steaks.

 

That is what I ended up doing. I took a picture for you, then sat down to eat. I thought about the dinner and what I had done.

It was a satisfying meal, not my best but again it could have been worse. I can not expect praise for failing to plan. No kudos for not thinking ahead. But somehow Master was not angry. In fact really not that displeased at all. Why?

It was because of the process. I used what I had learned from Him. What I had learned about myself and who and what I was. That truth was all the strength I needed to survive. All I needed to serve. And more than need, I wanted to serve.

So my title: “The Meal I don't want You to make!”? I don't want you to ever get caught empty handed in the kitchen. I would like to ask to to consider, when that happens – and it does happen to all of us at one time or another! When it happens: slow down and remember what you are and what you do. Find your strength, it is there.

Master knows it. He wants you to be the best you possible. That's His job. Of course He knew you had forgotten to plan. He knew you had nothing set for dinner, that you had forgotten your duties. But what was important was what you did next. How you handled it. He knew that you would serve, that is who you are.

So I guess what I'm saying is to remember to have some of the same faith in yourself that your Master has in you.

…..Oh and by the way, just what are you fixing tonight?

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil,

comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Feeling like a Limey libertine

Feeling like a Limey libertine.

 The other day the conversation with Master turned to the subject of a “British Tea”. Master has been to visit the English Empire often, but was not really that knowledgeable on the customs and practice of this light “eat and drink” at 4 PM that is so VERY British.

The closest that slave has ever been is listening to Roger Miller sing about how “England swings like a pendulum do.” However slave reads like crazy and much of its knowledge has been from the written word, not taste so it was decided that slave should write up a small English Tea.

Slave wishes to thank the lovely Eileen Prichard at The English Shop in Saint Charles, for a wonderful chat and discussion of the customs of a High Tea. Slave was lucky enough to pick up a little bottle of Devonshire cream there! Sheer heaven to spread on any pastry! Also known as “clotted cream.” A bloody good companion to any jam or jelly as you will find on this side of the pond!

Theenglishshoponline.com

Slaves Ideas for an English Tea:

Earl Grey Tea

Iced Cocoa Coffee

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Popovers

w/ custard and strawberries

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Fruit Salad w/Orange Cream Dressing

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Finger Sandwiches:

Roasted Asparagus

Boston

Zucchini

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Lemon Crisps

Iced Cocoa Coffee:

Mix:

half normal coffee

half normal hot chocolate

Let get cold and serve over ice!

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POPOVERS

1 cup flour

1 cup milk

3 Tbs salad oil

½ tsp salt

3 eggs

Pre-heat to 400. Blend all ingredients well in blender. Preheat the greased muffin tin for 8 to 10 minutes. Fill each 2/3 the way up & bake for15 minutes, reduce the heat to 350 and continue to bake for 30 minutes., DO NOT OPEN the oven door during the baking time or popovers wont!

=====================

Fruit Salad w/Orange Cream Dressing

1 can tropical fruit salad in heavy syrup, drained and reserved juice

½ cup of homemade mayonnaise

2 Tbs orange zest

2 Tbs orange juice

1 Tbs sugar

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

1 carton of frozen whipped topping thawed!

Sealed up overnight to blend flavors!

Mix the mayonnaise with ¼ cup of the syrup until smooth. Add zest, juice, nutmeg, and sugar. stir well.

Fold in whipped topping and refrigerate.

====================

Finger Sandwiches

 

To Roast Asparagus: Cut into 3 inch pieces along with some cut up red onion, toss with 1 Tbs oil, sprinkle with kosher salt and roast at 400 degrees for about 25 to 30 minutes—You'll never go back to french fries again!

 

Roasted Asparagus

½ cup left over roasted asparagus

¼ cup non fat Greek yogurt

¼ tsp garlic powder

pinch roasted red pepper flakes

Mix together the yogurt with garlic and red pepper flakes, spread on white bread and arrange asparagus, top with second slice of bread and cut the crusts if you like. Then cut into 4 squares.

-----

Boston

2 slices of pumpernickel bread.

Mix ½ cup of cold baked beans with 1 tsp prepared mustard. Add ¼ cup thin sliced green onions

Spread mixture to make two sandwiches then cut each into finger size.

Zucchini

2 slices white bread.

Slice the zucchini lengthwise very thin.

Mix some non fat Greek yogurt into low fat cream cheese with chives until it is spreadable. Maybe a bit of lemon juice might help.

Spread on the bread and top with zucchini

trim each. Then cut into 4 squares.

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Lemon Crisps

2 cups flour

¾ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

¾ cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 pkgs. (3 ¾ oz) instant lemon pudding mix

3 eggs slightly beaten

 Spray your teaspoon with cooking spray so that the dough will slide off easier.

 

Sift together four, baking soda, and salt. Set aside

Cream shortening and sugar. Add pudding mix and continue until mixture is light and fluffy. Add eggs, mix thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients and beat until well blended.

Drop by tsp onto greased baking sheet about 2 ½ inch apart

Bake 375 for 8 to 10 minutes. Can make 6 dozen!

 

You will notice that slave made them a bit larger because Master likes a chewy cookie. If this were to impress guests, slave would have rolled the dough into marble sized balls. The cookies would be much more elegant and crisp!

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Hope you try this sometime, (it does not have to be served at 4 PM) It is a great excuse to get friends together and try something new.

By the by, the only difference between High Tea and a regular Tea is that much more food is served at a High Tea, often almost what we might call a main dish!

Remember the purpose of a “Tea” was to hold you over until the proper meal time of 9 PM! Sorry, never waited that long in my life!

Pip Pip, and Cheerio Master!

Socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil,

comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Mayhem and Mayonnaise

 Mayhem and Mayonnaise

A few words about whipping up the white stuff.

Mayonnaise, at least according to what slave reads on the internet, was an invention by the wife of a Jewish deli owner. Mr. Hellman found that the sandwiches his wife prepared were selling faster than any that he had made. Story goes that she was playing around with the recipe for hollandaise sauce and came up with this much simpler spread that worked wonders on her cold cut sandwiches. Wither true or not you have to admit this white stuff sure tastes good and really makes a great salad dressing.

Yes, it is loaded with fat. Basically, mayonnaise is just egg yolks emulsified into a bland oil.

The ratio for a basic mayonnaise is: 1 yolk per 1 cup oil.

Oh, but it is how you mix them and add to them etc that can make or break this
condiment.

Without going into the finer details of French cooking and their five “Mother” sauces. This emulsion can be tricky to make, it can break apart like the Hollandaise sauce it is derived from. It can be flavored (like with garlic) or be made with balsamic vinegar, or canola oil, or Extra Virgin Olive Oil, etc. Some are sold that are very spicy or loaded with mustard, all to your preference.

However none will taste as good as homemade! So why not try. Slave was making a couple of egg dishes to honor a friend, Sir Mike, and wanted to do more than just a breakfast dish. What it found was several things that called for mayonnaise, so it set to work.

Here are three ways of making mayonnaise: Try them to find what works best for you, then experiment with the balances of extra touches to truly make a special sauce fit for the Master.

1. WHIP the hell out of it.

2. Easier Whipping over boiling water.

3. Slacking off and let Kitchenade do the work.

Basic ingredients to start off with:

2 large egg yolks (or 1 whole egg and 1 yolk)

1 teaspoon salt (slave prefers the regular fine salt for this)

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

½ teaspoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon mustard powder

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons of white vinegar

1 ½ cup oil

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WHIP the hell out of it.

For this method, get out your whisk and a glass bowl. Start with the egg and dry ingredients. Beat them together with the whisk.

In another bowl, pour the vinegar and lemon juice. Add HALF of this to the egg mix in glass bowl. Whisk BRISKLY and keep it up. This will take some time, so you might consider a good stretching before attempting.

AS you whisk, by single drops, add oil. Remember whisk fast, add oil slowly. What will happen is the color will change to a much lighter thicker mix. This is a noticeable change, watch for it for it means that you are getting an emulsion! Keep at it until this happens. When you can really see the difference, then and only then, you can start to add the oil by a tiny thin stream into the mixture. Keep up that whisking!

the essential element here is to wait to add the majority of the oil until the egg, dry ingredients, half lemon/vinegar mixture, and the first few drops of oil are really emulsified.

Once you have added half of the oil, then you can add the rest of the vinegar-lemon mix. Did slave say anything about stopping with the whisking? Keep at it. Now back to the THIN stream of oil until it is incorporated into a spreadable mixture. Only then can you stop.

The taste will be heaven!

Put it in a jar for the refrigerator, it will be good for up to a week. If you have any left over that is.

Later once you get the hang or making an emulsion like this, then you can experiment with a pinch of cayenne or roasted red pepper flakes, etc etc.

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Easier Whipping over boiling water.

Use a heatproof glass bowl that fits over a pan of boiling water, but does not touch the water itself.

Combine the egg, lemon juice, vinegar, and mustard and set over barely simmering water.

Cook, whisking constantly, until hot, about 2 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the pan and gradually drizzle in the vegetable oil, whisking rapidly until thick and creamy.

Whisk in 1 tablespoon water mixed with salt, sugar, and white pepper.

Note the order things are put together in this method. You will find it a very satisfactory substitute for the “whip the hell” out of it method.

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Slacking off and let Kitchenade do the work.

Use the whisk attachment. In defense of this method note the “shearing” power of this machine can break the oil into much smaller droplets and thus make a more stable emulsion.

NOTES to make it easier:

Have the egg and oil at room temperature before starting. Use the freshest eggs possible.

HOWEVER if you are cooking for a person whose immune system is perhaps not in the best shape, like an elderly person or a very young child, pasteurized eggs are recommended.

This uses a slightly different list of ingredients:
DRY:
½ tablespoon vinegar
½ teaspoon fine salt
½ teaspoon mustard powder
pinch cayenne

-----------------
2 cups Salad Oil
1 Tablespoon Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

Put all but last three ingredients into the KitchenAid with a whisk attachment and mix very well.
Again start slowly with a thin stream of oil, a little at a time until your emulsification starts to form.
Use the 1 tablespoon of vinegar to thin the mayonnaise if it starts to become too thick before the emulsification is complete.
Once all the oil is incorporated into egg yolks and the mayonnaise is finished, it should not be able to pour.
Adjust seasoning with the lemon juice, salt and pepper (white, cayenne or black pepper depending on preference).
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So, are you ready for the fun? Do your stretches and lets dig in.

 

Your NEW secret ingredient!

Always property of Master Indy

socialslave

To satisfy and restore. To nourish, support and maintain. To gratify, spoil, comfort and please, to nurture, assist, and sustain …..I cook!

Another Chance Ranch Bacon and Egg Pasta:

Another Chance Ranch Bacon and Egg Pasta:

Rigatoni alla Carbonara

slave is blessed by knowing a friend, Sir Mike. This last week he brought me a dozen fresh eggs from His “Another Chance Ranch”. For all of you who have never had a farm fresh egg, You are really missing a treat! Master and I both said thanks and knew that slave needed to honor Sir Mike with a couple of Egg recipes!

Ingredients

Salt
4 slices bacon near crisp-cooked cut into bits

1 pound rigatoni half a diced onion
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
a few pinches, crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup chicken stock or dry white wine
4 large Eggs hard cooked, peeled and cut into chunks

3 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons (about 2 palmfuls) grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more, for sprinkling
A handful fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
½ cup left over green peas

Mushrooms of your choice

A few grinds black pepper

Directions Place a large pot of water on the stove to boil. When water is rolling, add salt and pasta and cook to al dente, about 8 minutes, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water. While water is warming: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Arrange the bacon slices in a single layer on the baking sheet; bake in the oven just until crispy, about 10 to 13 minutes. Drain bacon on paper towels.

Using 2 tablespoons of the drippings from the bacon in a large non-stick skillet, cook onions and crushed pepper flakes until tender and starting to brown then add & saute garlic bits 2 more minutes.

Pour in the stock and simmer to reduce liquid by half, 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 

Beat together egg yolks and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese bits in bowl, and while whisking vigorously, stir in a ladle of the boiling pasta water. Beat in basil and pepper and set aside.

Drain pasta. Add pasta to pan with onion – chicken stock sauce.

Toss pasta with bacon, then add egg–cheese mixture and toss a full minute.

Remove from heat. Continue to toss until sauce is absorbed by and thickly coats the pasta.

Stir in ½ cup of green peas and the chunks of hard cooked egg.

Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper and serve with extra cheese, for passing.

Suggested variations:

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adding some lemon zest at the very end! Possibly using Canadian Bacon and or mushrooms add 1/2 cup of heated fat free half and half the next day to reheat.
==================================

 

This was fantastic reheated Next Day with no fat half and half to make a heaver sauce!

Thank You again Sir Mike

property of Master Indy

socialslave

To satisfy and restore. 

To nourish, support and maintain. 

To gratify, spoil, 

comfort and please, 

to nurture, assist, and sustain 

…..I cook!