[Ag-eq] off topic question

[nfoster at extremezone.com]

Tracy, I use all these techniques as well.  I think you're right about getting
messy.  Maybe that's why I like to bake so much; I've always liked geting
messy!

Nella


Quoting Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net>:

> I have to touch some things to know when they're done, especially if I'm
> frying or sauteeing, or cooking eggs or pancakes.
> And, if I'm making batter or dough, I have to touch it to see if I've
> gotten it evenly mixed. Or level off a cup of flour with my finger, so I
> know it's full all over.
> People have to give themselves permission to get messy!
> Tracy
>
> >
> > Tracy, thanks, I'll have to check out the Blind Mice Mall.
> >
> > Sorry to hear about your terrible burn.  Fortunately I've never seriously
> > burned
> > myself, but have lots of tiny scars from very small burns.  I don't know
> > how
> > many times I've bumped my fore arm with a cookie sheet as I pull it out of
> > the
> > oven.  I guess that's why I should use longer mitts!
> >
> > I don't know how many times I've put the tea kettle on only to forget to
> > turn on
> > the heat; it's hard to burn myself that way!
> >
> > Like you I go by time a lot.  I do check some things with a fork or by
> > very
> > lightly touching with my finger.  I'm sure some of the rehab teachers
> > wouldn't
> > approve of my techniques.
> >
> > Nella
> >
> >
> >
> > Quoting Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net>:
> >
> >> Hi Nella.
> >> I have a braille timer.  Like you, I judge when things are done by
> >> touch,
> >> smell, and sometimes just by time.  I know how long it takes to cook
> >> spaghetti or boil potatoes, and, when the time is up, I figure they're
> >> done. Sometimes I check with a fork, and sometimes not.
> >> I recently bought some oven mitts from the Blindmice Megamall.  They're
> >> made of silicon, or something rubbery, and have a side textured to grip.
> >> They're pretty thin, so it's easy to feel through them, but they also
> >> insulate well.  My only complaint is they're pretty stiff.  Blindmice
> >> megamall has a lot of cooking things.  Some sound useful, and others
> >> sound
> >> gimmicky.  They also, I think, have videos called Cooking without
> >> Looking.
> >> Before, I had a mitt I bought from QVC.  It has a gripper side, but the
> >> rest is cloth.  I really like it, but it's getting old and holey, so had
> >> to be replaced.
> >>
> >> I had a nasty accident with a gas stove several years ago, so we bought
> >> an
> >> electric stove instead.  I was making tea, and forgot to put the kettle
> >> on
> >> the burner before I turned it on, then I reached over the burner to grab
> >> something, and the flame caught my shirt on fire.  I got 2 fun-filled
> >> weeks in the burn ward, and some really big scars.  It made me very
> >> nervous of open flame.  But I get on fine with my electric stove.
> >> Tracy
> >>
> >> > I work at the Arizona Center for the Blind and one of my
> >> responsibilities
> >> > is
> >> > leading the women’s independent living discussion, WILD for short.
> >> WILD
> >> > is a
> >> > peer support group to discuss anything related to women, blindness or
> >> > other
> >> > disabilities.  I’m not a counselor, so I’m just a facilitator for the
> >> > group.
> >> > The group decides what topics they would like to discuss; I will give
> >> them
> >> > suggestions if they can’t think of anything.  We have discussed such
> >> > things as
> >> > organization techniques, women’s health issues, physical fitness and
> >> > transportation strategies.  This Wednesday we will be discussing
> >> personal
> >> > safety and the following week cooking and food preparation.
> >> >
> >> > Some of the women have asked for easy recipes for people who are
> >> blind.
> >> > This
> >> > question makes me grit my teeth, since I don’t think blind people need
> >> > special
> >> > recipes.  They have also asked for techniques and about special
> >> equipment
> >> > for
> >> > the blind.
> >> >
> >> > Now, finally for my question; do you have any suggestions that I can
> >> share
> >> > with
> >> > my group?
> >> >
> >> > I enjoy cooking, especially baking and use touch and smell a lot.  I’m
> >> > totally
> >> > blind, so have to do everything without sight.  The only specialized
> >> > equipment
> >> > I have are a talking scale, talking thermometer and a Braille timer.
> >> The
> >> > only
> >> > reason I really need the scale and thermometer are for making cheese
> >> and
> >> > soap.
> >> >
> >> > I believe all of the women in the group have some useable vision.
> >> This
> >> > may be
> >> > the problem for a couple of them because their vision is so limited
> >> they
> >> > can’t
> >> > depend on it, but they’re not ready to stop trying to use it.
> >> >
> >> > I know rehab teachers teach methods for people that are low vision,
> >> but
> >> > I’m not
> >> > as familiar with them.  If any of you are low vision I hope you will
> >> share
> >> > some
> >> > of your strategies.
> >> >
> >> > Do any of you use specialized equipment, and if so what types?
> >> >
> >> > Some of the women have expressed concerns about using the stove, oven
> >> and
> >> > handling hot dishes.  Some of them are older and have other health
> >> issues,
> >> > which may be part of the concern.  The rehab teachers I work with
> >> > recommend a
> >> > certain oven mitt that is heavy and goes to the elbow.  When I’ve
> >> tried to
> >> > use
> >> > these, they were way too big for my hands and I felt very clumsy and
> >> > unsafe
> >> > with them.  Do any of you have a better oven mitt recommendation?
> >> >
> >> > I believe all the women have a basic knowledge of cooking, but learned
> >> > when they
> >> > were sighted.  Most of them are older and very fearful.  I lost my
> >> sight
> >> > as a
> >> > teenager and have been doing things as a blind person for so long I’m
> >> not
> >> > always sure what advice to give.  I would greatly appreciate any
> >> > suggestions.
> >> > I think there are some wonderfully independent blind women in this
> >> group
> >> > and
> >> > I’m always learning from you.
> >> >
> >> > Thanks.
> >> >
> >> > Nella
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
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