Doing the Dishes

I do not like doing the dishes, and sometimes I feel like it’s all I do. I am a notoriously lousy housekeeper, but I do try to keep the kitchen clean and orderly. As a result of my time away I’ve been doing very little cooking, but still, there are piles of them and as Rachel is still in a cast, the dishes are all mine to deal with.

I’ve always tried to live with people who would gladly do the dishes in return for yummy dinner, but have had varied success. There were those who weren’t impressed with my culinary skills (fools), some who felt since I’d made the mess I should clean it and others, well… 

In my sophomore year in college, I moved into an apartment with two friends and developed a great method for getting out of doing the dishes by doing most of the cooking. It was a system that worked for everyone, and I was sure I had the better part of the bargain. I was still learning to cook, but I was adventurous. We pooled our money, I made the most of the nearby markets in Chinatown, and we were mere blocks from the original Dean and Deluca. We ate much better than our friends still relying on college food service.

Every once in a while one of my roommates would cook with questionable results. Debbie’s specialty was chicken with Syrian rice, which was a favorite. Julie’s stepfather was Mexican, and she made delicious Mexican food, but only on special occasions. Sometimes she’d cook out of a 1960s Berkley cookbook, and make dishes like clam pilaf with brown rice that was worse than it sounds. My worst efforts were far better than clam pilaf.

When I say doing the dishes, what I really mean is washing the pots and pans. I try to be economical and use as few pots as possible, but sometimes it’s a three pot meal. I’m a fan of the one-pot meal, but as the days get warmer those aren’t as appealing. Grilling is a great way to minimize pots, but I am generally too lazy to haul out the charcoal grill. Maybe this year I’ll splurge on a gas grill!

I’m taking applications for anyone interested in washing up in exchange for food, but so far, no takers, so it’s back to me doing the dishes.