for omelettes , the key is heating the pan BEFORE adding the olive oil. The pan has to be nice and hot, that way the oil becomes one with the pan, and acts as a barrier. Dunno the chemistry behind it, but it makes for pretty omelettes. Also, the low heat once the egg is in the pan. and lots of Cheeeeeese. Mmmmmm. Damn it, between that, and the Undercover Boss episode of White Castle, I'm wanting food, salty food, savory food, fried food. Despite having eaten way too many cookies (yes, I went grocery shopping while hungry, and got choco chip cookies. They are almost half gone. Nom Nom Nom!)

OMG LILTY.

Lilty!

If I'd unschooled, I'd... well, pretty much know most of what I taught myself, anyway?

For that I needed them to invent the internet.

See, for horse racing, I needed and had Old People. Old people who gave me racing magazines (back issues and current!). Old people who told me stories of the track in the '30s. I taught myself how to read the racing forms, how to handicap, which local bloodlines were good under which circumstances. All before I was in double digits.

The internet made it worse for a while, before my divorce from horse racing, but probably because my racers went on to make baby racers, knowing the history and historic stats was pretty key.

What is the secret of keeping eggs from sticking to a stainless steel pan?

Turn the heat on, put a goodly amount of oil (regular veg. oil preferred to olive, in my book), let it get nice and warm (not smoking hot, but like what is right for pancakes). Pour the egg mixture in but do not stir, let it cook on high for a couple minutes until the eggs set up a bit. Cover (if possible), and turn down to low. Again with the not stirring. I mean it. The true secret is leaving them the heck alone until they are almost completely cooked. Then you stir and flip. Turn the heat off, let the residual heat complete the cooking process, and this is the time to add cheese.

Invariably any time my scrambled eggs have stuck to a stainless steel pan, it was because I got impatient and stirred them too soon.

Edward Said taught me that "Western" is not an apt description unless I'm talking about John Ford movies.

*nod* At Leeds the professors talk about 'majority world' and 'minority world'. A good reminder that our lives are not the norm.

My dad is a much better cook than my mum. For a few years she tried to be the family cook (as was expected, especially by the evangelical church culture they were deeply involved in). Then we rebelled against her appalling bacon hotpot, and my dad took over on a regular basis. His risottos are amazing.

I have news! First, for the last eighteen months or so (with time off to procreate), Wallybee's been learning to drive. She had her driving test this week, and passed at her first attempt. She's feeling pretty happy about it.

Meanwhile, I've spent the last couple of months doing an Accounting unit for my Master Maestro of Finance. This is the only accounting unit in the course, which suits me fine. They've just released the results, and I got 98%. I'm certainly not complaining about that in and of itself, but the truly important message to take away from this is that I don't have to do any more accounting ever again; and I'm feeling very happy about that.

Congratulations, bt and wallybee.

That is good news, bt!

Lilty was here! Come back, Lilty!

Hello, Lilty! ...Lilty?

Yay for driving and not doing any more accounting, respectively, Wallybee and billytea!

Eggs cooked in olive oil taste funny. Eggs must be cooked in butter.

If I'd been unschooled, I'd probably have learned math, sans the terror of my fifth grade teacher. I taught myself to read and read everything I could get my hands on.

Cass, that's one of the best life stories I've ever heard.

I'm going to pimp again the ATK scrambled egg technique where you freeze the butter, cut it into chunks and stir in with the beaten eggs and then cook over very low heat. They are awesome, even made with egg substitute.