Attack of the Killer Potatoes

I have always had a slight allergy to raw potatoes. When I cook them (often), it usually makes me sneeze once or twice when I cut them up (don't worry, I never sneeze on the potatoes and I wash my hands afterwards!). I rarely peel potatoes, mostly because I buy red or white and like the peelings, but also because of the sneezles!

Well, yesterday I threw caution to the wind (okay...I forgot all about it) and peeled six white potatoes for my Roasted Garlic, Potato and Red Pepper Soup (original recipe!). By the time I was done peeling, I had a full-on allergy attack. It was almost as bad as spring in The South (which, since I'm married to The Southerner, you might've guessed is where we came from before settling here). This allergy attack was the whole thing, the real deal and it didn't go away either. In fact, for the first time in twenty-four hours I'm starting to feel the effects subsiding! So what is the lesson for the future here? All potato peelings, and even cutting up potatoes, from now own will be delegated to my fabulous sous chef, The Southerner. He already does the onions because I bought him a food chopper thingie which is kind of like a toy because you get to pound it up and down and it slices and dices very effectively while making a loud boy-noise. The reason it is not like a toy is because it has really sharp bits, so I always wash it afterwards since he cut his finger the time he tried to wash it.

For bread, we're having the braided challah bread. I think I mentioned making it once before, but that was just for practice, not for Sunday Soup. I think it looks very impressive and since my soup is fairly simple, I thought the bread should really stand out. It's on its second rise now, and I'll pop it in the oven as soon as I've done the egg wash, which will make it all shiny and then it will look like one of those pictures in food magazines.

P.S. It is almost Canada Day and so I made something special, but I'm not telling what it is here because some of you read this before coming over and I don't want to spoil the surprise!