What a crazy week. Went to dinner last night on Balwin St. I didn't expect much and that's exactly what I got. There was a carved tomato on my plate topped with grated parmesan. One server was polishing cutlery and slamming it into a bin while complaining how he needed to get laid. Is this what Toronto diners experience? Where is the pride and work ethic? I feel another rant coming on.

This week I learned how to take down a hip of beef into the inside/outside rounds & eye of round. The picture of DDay with his gaping maw is the start of one hip. This first cut is cool – as it hangs a hip weighs about 120 lbs. so when you make this cut the lower section releases as if it will crash to the floor, exposing the shank meat or osso bucco. The second coolest thing was once you get to the final stages of cutting you are left with a 100 lb. piece held on by one small tendon. Ryan said the tendon could support two men.

There is a lot I am learning, not just cutting but the entire process of meat production. For example, in pork production hogs are castrated. Didn't know that. Apparently the meat develops a muskiness and the flavour is undesirable by today's standards. Also, after slaughter they are 'blanched' in a tank which is maintained at 160F - not to cook but to release the hair follicles. DDay said after this they are put though a hair removal machine to paddle off the hair.

Yesterday I got into the production of sausage making. There are lots jokes in all areas of the kitchen but you have to have a real sense of humour when you make sausage. This is an area of butchery that I think I could excel at and I'm hoping to do some traditional charcuterie. My grandfather's chorizo perhaps? I'm getting hungry again.