The Left Hand and the Right Hand
We cook a lot, usually four or five nights a week, plus a few breakfasts. That means a lot of time in the kitchen, a lot of prep work, and a lot of doing things in and around a hot stove. In John’s case, this means a lot of minor injuries.
Recently while admiring his latest scars, John realized that he could group them into two categories: the left hand scars and the right hand scars. All of his left hand scars are injuries caused by our knives, which we keep treacherously sharp at all times. All of his right-hand scars are injuries caused by burns, which are from inserting, tending, and removing things inside the oven.
Here, for example, is John’s left hand. The lower mark is a puncture wound resulting from a mishap involving a lemon and the tip of John’s extra-large chef’s knife. The one to the right is from mincing onions with the same knife. They’re all knife scars for the simple fact that he holds the knife in his right hand while his left hand lives life on the edge.
On John’s right hand, however, are a couple of recent burn marks. The one at the base of his thumb is from the ceiling of the oven and was incurred while tending to game hens roasting for our Boxing Day dinner last December. The one between his knuckles was just from last week and arrived courtesy of the oven’s interior wall while taking a baking tray of something or other out. Manipulating things within the fiery oven is the right hand’s job, and so it bears the fruits of John’s impatient, uncovered forays into the heat.
When any of these injuries happen, as they often do, Jenny leads him into the bathroom and tends to his wounds. A kiss makes them feel better but to be sure, a few words of gentle remonstration never go awry. Jenny herself bears quite a few scars from her kitchen adventures over the years, but experience has taught her that knives are sharp and ovens are hot.
John is still working on those concepts but is optimistic that in time, he might not be forever typing blog entries through adhesive bandages.
April 21st, 2007 at 5:19 pm
We recently saw a group of chefs compare wounds/scars. Even the pros suffer such it seems. I thought it was because I’m a clutz…nope! Just the cost of the craft!
April 22nd, 2007 at 5:38 pm
HAHAHA! Wait ’til you get to my age, when dark bruises appear on your hands, usually from unknown sources. Unloading the dryer can be disasterous. I shoulda stuck with the clothesline….(It’s in the Costello genes, Jenny, so beware!) ~^:^~
April 23rd, 2007 at 9:47 am
Well, just wait a little while longer and your cooks hands will be like mine and you won’t even feel the cuts, burns, and hitting your hand with a meat mallet anymore. =)
I recommend Ov Gloves at all times. Although I only wear mine when I’m the camping chef and have no access to sterile first aid.
April 23rd, 2007 at 9:52 am
Careful out there! Incessant whacking on body parts is what gave the South Sea Islanders a taste for what they called “Long Pig” many generations back!!!