OptiGen

In a small town in Central New York there was a little company that did great things. The town is called Ithaca, and the little company was called OptiGen. It was my workplace, for 12 years. Not any more. Because there will be no more OptiGen, in a couple of month, maybe even sooner.  

We were doing genetic testing of purebred dogs, those wonderful devoted companions that for some of us, humans, is the irreplacable part of our lives. OptiGen was created to help dog breeders and dog owners to have healthier dogs, so that the devastating and dehabilitating genetically inherited diseases could be eliminated from the populations, and the dogs would live longer, healthier, happier lives.

I can proudly say, without one bit of exaggeration, that OptiGen was outstanding at what it was doing. It was by far the highest quality of genetic testing available, not only in veterinary field, but of all genetic testing in general. A Gold Standard, for sure, with a golden seal on every test certificate that breeders and owners often framed and hung on the wall as a sign of great pride. I was proud too, of the work we were doing, of the quality of tests we were providing, also the quality of customer service and our reputation in purebred dog communities, worldwide.

Last week I was packing my things into boxes: taking photos of my kids off the walls and from my desk, their artwork. Multiple times during that packing process I got all emotional and teary, so I would stop, sit down and take a moment to go back to those memeories that the small drawings or crafts would bring. OptiGen was so much more than a work place. It was a big part of my life. My both kids grew up there, sitting at one of the desks every single afternoon, throughout their entire Elementary School careers, both, Jonas first, and then Julius. I would pick them up at school, every day at 2:00pm and would bring them to my work, because there was no adult at home.  So they would spend an afternoon at OptiGen, doing homework, drawing, painting, sorting their stamp collections, reading, flipping through dog magazines, while I was working at the lab bench or at my computer. It was also our time together. I loved having my boys at my work every day. I miss that time, dearly.

It was warm, healthy, productive work environment. It was an outstanding company that provided a service of highest possible quality, that can hardly be reproduced. I don’t think it will ever be reproduced. Despite all that, OptiGen will be closed, in a month or two. Unfortunately. For the reasons I can not possibly understand.

When we’ve heard the final verdict, of OptiGen being shut down, Sue went around from room to room and took photos of all the artwork that was hanging on our walls: paintings, photos, other pieces of art that were gifted to the company by breeders, artists, vets, dog organizations, and of course, grateful dog owners. Every item held so much history in them, and so many wonderful memories, 20 years worth of memories.  

It was a great happy company of all things DOG, and I feel fortunate for being part of it for a while.

Aušra

* * *

Dog Cake

Recipe source: Lady & Pups

1 cup (75 g) diced broccoli

¼ cup (40 g) diced carrot

½ chicken breast (260 g), chopped

260 g ground beef

1 cup (150 g) fresh bread crumbs

1 egg

2-3 large potatoes (550-600 g), peeled and chopped

3 tablespoons (45 g) butter

Preheat oven  to 350^oF/175^oC.  Line 2 or 3 round cake pans (4.5-6”) with parchment.

In a food processor, pulse broccoli and carrot, transfer to a bowl. Add chicken to food processor and pulse until smooth. Add ground beef to the chicken, then egg and breadcrubs, mix until incorporrated. Add minced vegetables and run until uniform.

Divide meat mixtre into prepared pans and bake until browned and fully cooked, 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool completely, remove from pans, cover and refrigerate.

Cook potatoes until soft, drain, transfer to food processor. Add butter and process until smooth. Use potato mixture to frost the meat patties and to assmeble the cake.

Tortas šuniukui

Recepto šaltinis: Lady & Pups

1 stiklinė (75 g) brokolių, susmulkintų

¼ stiklinės (40 g) morkų, susmulkintų

½ vištienos krūtinėlės (260 g), susmulkintos

260 g jautienos faršo

1 stiklinė (150 g) šviežių baltos duonos trupinių

1 kiaušinis

2-3 didokos bulvės (550-600 g), nuluptos, susmulkintos

3 šaukštai (45 g) sviesto

Orkaitę įkaitinti iki 175^oC.  Dvi arba tris apvalias formeles (12-15 cm skersmens) ištiesti sviestiniu popieriumi.

Virtuviniame kombaine sumalti brokolius ir morkas. Perdėti į dubenėlį. Į vituvinį kombainą sudėti vištieną ir sumalti kol masė taps vientisa. Sudėti jautienos faršą, kiaušinį ir duonos trupinius, viską sumalti, kol gerai susimaišys. Galiausiai sudėti sumaltas daržoves ir vėl gerai išmaišyti. Masę paskirstyti po lygiai į paruoštas formeles, išlyginti paviršių ir pašauti į įkaitintą orkaitę. Kepti maždaug 30-40 minučių, kol kepsnelių viršus lengvai paruduos ir kepsneliai pilnai iškeps. Traukti iš orkaitės, palikti formelėse kol pilnai atvės, išimti iš formelių, įsukti į plėvelę ir dėti į šaldytuvą, kol ruošiama bulvių košė.

Bulves išvirti, nusunkti, perdėti į virtuvinį kombainą. Sudėti sviestą ir sukti, kol bulvių masė taps vientisa. Bulvių koše pertepti atšąlusius mėsos kepsnelius. Suformuoti tortą. Tiekti tuojau pat arba laikyti šaltai.

Related Tags

bulvės, jautiena,

Panašūs Receptai

Batatai ir figos
Rugsėjis 30, 2013 Mano mylimiausi lietuviški maisto blogai
Birželis 15, 2015 Užgavėnės
Vasaris 08, 2016 Winter Entertaining
Gruodis 05, 2016 Iškyla tarp 1000 salų (ir ką mes ten valgėm)
Rugpjūtis 13, 2015 Brisket
Gruodis 27, 2022

Palikite komentarą

IngaMRugsėjis 19 2019, 03:01 AM

Iš viso to ką parašėt, spėju, kad buvusiam darbe jus supo labai gera aura, nes kaip suprantu dažnai sukiodavosi uodeguotieji klientai:)Labai gražiai ir jautriai apie buvusį laiką... Nežinau kaip jūsų berniukai jausdavosi pas jus darbe, ar nenusibosdavo, bet bent jau aš kaip mėgdavau būti pas mamą darbe (didelė organizacija su daug kabinetų tuo laiku:). Labai geri prisiminimai. Dabar pagalvoju, kad turbūt kai kuriems darbuotojams įkyrėdavau gal, bet jaučiau dėmesį, šilumą ir man, kaip vaikui, būdavo smagu. Labai tikiuosi, kad visi jūs užbaigiat šį etapą su kuo gražiausiais prisiminimais. Berniukai (jau netgi vaikinai) užaugo.:)Ir jums verčiasi naujas lapas. Esu tikra-viskas tik į gera!

AusraRugsėjis 19 2019, 10:50 AM

Inga, suniukai retai pas mus uzsukdavo, nebent tik nuotraukose; bet jie vistiek visur dalyvaudavo, nors ir netiesiogiai; dekui uz siltu szodzius ir palinkejimus;

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DanuteRugsėjis 18 2019, 10:53 PM

Aušra, Apgailestauju kad taip nutiko, Jums belieka tik pasidžiaugt kad tas gyvenimo tarpsnis buvo toks prasmingas ir įsimintinas. Tikiu - atversit naują lapą, jis bus kitoks, bet tikrai ne blogesnis... Sėkmės Jums!

AusraRugsėjis 19 2019, 10:48 AM

Aciu, Danute!

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