My birthday falls on the Exaltation of the Cross, one of the major feasts of the Church. It also happens to be a strict fast day—no meat, poultry, fish, or dairy! This year, I was in kitchen helping prepare a Lenten meal for the feast. I like working in the kitchen, being assigned kitchen on one’s own birthday is a rare occasion, so I relished the opportunity. Plus I figured it would be pretty blogable.
I dragged myself out of bed a little before six in the morning. I went to the refectory, my way faintly illumined by twilight. There, I met Fr. Gabriel, who was going to be cook. Being on kitchen with O. Gavriil on a fast day is as simple as you get; all you do is chop vegetables, and he takes care of most of the rest. After Vanya, another seminarian, showed up, we were tasked with peeling potatoes. I followed Vanya down to the basement.
We have an industrial-strength potato-peeler. It works by agitating and rubbing potatoes against each other in a kind of centrifuge. An old alumnus compared seminary life to being in the potato-peeler. Seminarians—all with their different viewpoints, personalities, quirks, and flaws—get thrown into common life. We smash up against each other, share joys and sorrows, and then come out more or less okay. At least I hope that’s the case for me.
There was a lot of peeling and chopping and mixing and other cooking activities. We successfully served the food and cleaned up afterwards. I washed the small dishes.
I dragged myself out of bed a little before six in the morning. I went to the refectory, my way faintly illumined by twilight. There, I met Fr. Gabriel, who was going to be cook. Being on kitchen with O. Gavriil on a fast day is as simple as you get; all you do is chop vegetables, and he takes care of most of the rest. After Vanya, another seminarian, showed up, we were tasked with peeling potatoes. I followed Vanya down to the basement.
We have an industrial-strength potato-peeler. It works by agitating and rubbing potatoes against each other in a kind of centrifuge. An old alumnus compared seminary life to being in the potato-peeler. Seminarians—all with their different viewpoints, personalities, quirks, and flaws—get thrown into common life. We smash up against each other, share joys and sorrows, and then come out more or less okay. At least I hope that’s the case for me.
There was a lot of peeling and chopping and mixing and other cooking activities. We successfully served the food and cleaned up afterwards. I washed the small dishes.