Yeah!! In our Garde Manger (French translation: Protector of the food we eat. Literal translation: Don't let any food product go to waste, use it in other ways) we will be bringing a Lot of Food home. YES!
Today the Chef demo'd a fruit platter which was really beautiful. I want to do one right now but I've got no one here to impress. Then another Chef demo'd a cheese platter. That was just what I needed. Lots of yummy calcium. I got a lot of various cheese calcium samples. Does the body good.
Tomorow we will do canape's and make sushi. We can take home all we want. This is way better than butchery! This might be one of those classes where I tend to put on lbs rather than lose them. Butchery was good for losing. I'm on a roll here and would hope that I resist the temptation to eat all the displays. Fun. (and nutritious)
I'm really tired since this was my first full day back at school. I'll like this class. Being back in a kitchen makes me happy. Gawd I love those big gas stoves!
Going to sleep early tonight. That 5am alarm is wicked bad. But its so cold in the room I have to wake early to turn up the heat and put on the heated back pac so I can just move without jerking.
This is sure a boring post huh. I think my sense of humor fell asleep. Gotta go find it. Ta-ta.
1/28/08
1/27/08
The Good and Bad and the Rain
I've been trying to recover from my back troubles for a couple of weeks now to the degree that I effectively missed a week of a 3 week course in butchery. That's bad. Butcher Bob however agreed that I could come in this past Friday to take the Final test and remake up some time in the next two weeks over at the south campus. That's good. A big break or I'd have a lousy grade after my 4.0 six weeks in Basic Skills.
I learned how to de-bone a whole chicken leaving it whole with skin attached for stuffing and reshaping back into a chicken shape. I'll have to try that if I ever get a stove or oven again. I learned how to clean squid, messy but easy. Calamari here I come. Then I learned how to play busy my last day so I didn't have to debone a whole pork butt. I have my standards! Just kidding. It looked like way too much work for a gal whose percodan was wearing off much too soon.
I was able to get up and shuffling around the grocery store during a break in the weather today to stock up on foods for the next week, if not I'd have to suffer with the stuff I can find at the local liquor store like wrinkly cucumbers (in January?) hard avocados, brown bananas.... you get the picture. I'd probably check the expiration date on a can of spam (do they have expiration dates even?). That'd be bad.
I walked to Walgrens and the mail box to send out my bills for exercise and after that it was Home James! Meds, hot pacs and novel. That was good.
Its raining again now at this late hour and I'm still awake. That's bad. But tomorrow is Sunday and more rest - way good. And most likely more rain tomorrow.
I begin my introductory class of Garde Manger Monday at the South Campus 7am sharp which means I must wake at 5am. Bad. Real Bad. Garde Manger is where we deal with cold foods like different salads, pates, forced meats, cold cuts, aspics and the like. Nothing there I'd eat unless it was Goose Liver Pate. Now, that's GOOD! I'm not up to eating salads at 9am in 45 degree weather. We'll also learn how to carve up fruits and veggies and make cheese platters. I know all this because in Skills class all the other classes brought us foods from their classes. Garde Manger was not my favorite. Bakery was good, sometimes too good.
Somehow I'll manage to finish this course and get my Chef degree! Back or no back. Oh, wait...
Time to start another novel. I get so silly when I'm tired.
I learned how to de-bone a whole chicken leaving it whole with skin attached for stuffing and reshaping back into a chicken shape. I'll have to try that if I ever get a stove or oven again. I learned how to clean squid, messy but easy. Calamari here I come. Then I learned how to play busy my last day so I didn't have to debone a whole pork butt. I have my standards! Just kidding. It looked like way too much work for a gal whose percodan was wearing off much too soon.
I was able to get up and shuffling around the grocery store during a break in the weather today to stock up on foods for the next week, if not I'd have to suffer with the stuff I can find at the local liquor store like wrinkly cucumbers (in January?) hard avocados, brown bananas.... you get the picture. I'd probably check the expiration date on a can of spam (do they have expiration dates even?). That'd be bad.
I walked to Walgrens and the mail box to send out my bills for exercise and after that it was Home James! Meds, hot pacs and novel. That was good.
Its raining again now at this late hour and I'm still awake. That's bad. But tomorrow is Sunday and more rest - way good. And most likely more rain tomorrow.
I begin my introductory class of Garde Manger Monday at the South Campus 7am sharp which means I must wake at 5am. Bad. Real Bad. Garde Manger is where we deal with cold foods like different salads, pates, forced meats, cold cuts, aspics and the like. Nothing there I'd eat unless it was Goose Liver Pate. Now, that's GOOD! I'm not up to eating salads at 9am in 45 degree weather. We'll also learn how to carve up fruits and veggies and make cheese platters. I know all this because in Skills class all the other classes brought us foods from their classes. Garde Manger was not my favorite. Bakery was good, sometimes too good.
Somehow I'll manage to finish this course and get my Chef degree! Back or no back. Oh, wait...
Time to start another novel. I get so silly when I'm tired.
1/22/08
To The Bat Cave Batman!!
Still lying low. Horizontal is the name of the game for this week. My goal is to do very little so that I'm healed by the end of this week and get my game on for my new class at CCA. I'm not sure what I'll head into next but it's certain I will have to redo Butchery. Good old Butcher Bob has not seen the last of me yet.
Being in ICU at 12 Robert isn't such a bad deal. The food is way better than Peninsula Hosp (my other option) and I have such a wonderful nurse, Nurse Alice who takes good care of me. She's like the Mary Poppins of the medical team. The resident Doctor is called Doctor John. Not much in bedside manner but he takes care of his charges. Bluntly. Think a warm Captain Bly.
The orderly is a very humorous fellow who shows up with a smile and a quick laugh no matter what Dr. John Bly does. Lights out at 9pm. No heat after 10pm. Coffee on at 6 am. Still that nice orderly Guy manages a joke or two. What a nice Guy.
I was able to make my own breakfast today but after standing for a half hour I had to retreat back to the Back Cave. Cave Room 12 A at Robert Place Hospital. If you want to talk to me and call here you'll have to go through Dr. J. Bly who screens all calls. Good Luck. I'll call you.
Its raining here all week so its kinda nice to listen to the rain, take my meds, zone out, feel no pain. But I'd rather be back in school. Really. I'm having a cooking jones. I'm going to look for a good acupuncturist in China Town when I get better. I believe in getting stuck with needles all over my body just to feel good. Once they take them out, believe me, you DO feel better! HA
See ya in Rehab.
Being in ICU at 12 Robert isn't such a bad deal. The food is way better than Peninsula Hosp (my other option) and I have such a wonderful nurse, Nurse Alice who takes good care of me. She's like the Mary Poppins of the medical team. The resident Doctor is called Doctor John. Not much in bedside manner but he takes care of his charges. Bluntly. Think a warm Captain Bly.
The orderly is a very humorous fellow who shows up with a smile and a quick laugh no matter what Dr. John Bly does. Lights out at 9pm. No heat after 10pm. Coffee on at 6 am. Still that nice orderly Guy manages a joke or two. What a nice Guy.
I was able to make my own breakfast today but after standing for a half hour I had to retreat back to the Back Cave. Cave Room 12 A at Robert Place Hospital. If you want to talk to me and call here you'll have to go through Dr. J. Bly who screens all calls. Good Luck. I'll call you.
Its raining here all week so its kinda nice to listen to the rain, take my meds, zone out, feel no pain. But I'd rather be back in school. Really. I'm having a cooking jones. I'm going to look for a good acupuncturist in China Town when I get better. I believe in getting stuck with needles all over my body just to feel good. Once they take them out, believe me, you DO feel better! HA
See ya in Rehab.
1/19/08
Life Gets Hard Then Your Back Goes Out!
I missed two days of class this week and I am NOT happy. Neither is the Patron Saint of Casseroles. Here she is probably getting ready to slap me upside the head for missing kitchen lectures and gruesome flesh slashing!
Once again, like clockwork, my darn back went out last Sunday. I wasn't jumping from tall buildings with a single bound, I wasn't stopping a train in its tracks, and wasn't even catching bullets with my bare hand. I was just walking. That's all. Just walking. I probably took a curb to jauntilly, or my brisk walk was too uneven or maybe I was taking too long of a stride with my left leg when my right arm was swinging too wide. Whatever. Life sucks really easy.
I could not get out of bed Monday, therefore I missed a day of butchery. I managed to walk (? more like hunched over and shuffling) to school Tuesday and Wednesday for lecture but not partaking of the hacking and mauling apart of our storehouse of dead carcasses. I tried to see how long I could last on Wednesday and made it till 11:20 when I dropped my knife and as it was heading for the end of the table in front of me I tried to stop it. Quickly. Much to quickly. I had to explain to the students that the scream was NOT from the dead chicken.
I could not make it in again on Friday. Thankfully, the powers that be (or maybe Saint Out-of-Your-Reach-Favors decided Monday as a holiday and I can take 4 days to lay flat on my back doing NOTHING. I must get well. Butchery ends next week.
Last week I was a hell raisin' hooligan and this week its pure hell if I try and raise anything!
Donations accepted for the Pity Party.
1/11/08
1st Week of Butchery is OVER!!!
I am sooooo Toast!
Pooped, Tired, and Achey everywhere. I'm glad there's one week under the belt.
Two more weeks to go. This is one tough class. Its just scarey using greasy, slippery razor sharp knives for 3-4 hours on Pork, Veal, Lamb, Beef and Fish. Its bloody hard work. Literally!
We've had a few finger fatalities so far. I just gotta be careful. I like all my digits intact.
Y'all have a great weekend. I'll be trying to get red stains out of white uniforms. Yawn.....gotta go.
1/10/08
Teaming Up and Frenching in Butchery!
After two grueling days working on "frenching" 8 racks of pork and 24 racks of lamb I don't think I'll ever french with any animal again. By far, the pork rack was hardest but then again it was only 2 per person with 4 in our team.
On Tuesday Chef Bob split 11 of us up in teams of 4, 4, and 3. I was in a 4 person team with my favorite friend Nicole, Mikey and Ed. The guys worked together and Nicole and I tittered and gossiped all the while we mangled a couple of nice racks of pork. The gossip was the best part.
The second team did a mountain of Chickens in various cuts and the third team did Salmon. Big ones and lots of them.
Today, the Red Meat team (that's us this week) got to tackle 24 racks of Lamb!! OMG. We frenched the meat to the bones as required but I think my fingers got frenched too. They feel like it, especially my thumbs. Ouch. We even use our fingernails to get stuff off when the knives can't get to the thin ligament holding the meat to the bones. This truely and cruely is mindnumbing work. However, you are constantly on edge NOT to slice through your own finger bones. After working a few racks our hands get greasy and slippery. That's when the knife wants to slip down your hand. Note to Self: Do Not Daydream When Frenching.
There were several misses amoung us all. More so than skills class I think. Maybe not. It does require Skill.
Tomorrow sounds like a walk in the park as we get to cut New York Steaks. Somehow, I'm sure Chef Bob will make it harder than we think it will be.
Next week we switch to either Chicken or Fish. Likewise for the others. I dread the fish section since my aprons and towels still reek of fish from Monday's Sea Bass torture.
The only certainty is that after class is over I'm completely exhausted. We are standing in place for at least 3 hours working our fingers to the bone (pun intended). Butchery is serious stuff. Thank goodness its not on my list of most wanted jobs after graduation. Think of it like this; its a cold refrigerated kitchen, smells like death, is greasy, bloody, gets under your nails, in your hair (scaling the fish), and then you take a break to go eat something! Its like Animal CSI.
Well, that's it for now. Gotta get off my post and get something to eat. heh, heh, heh......
On Tuesday Chef Bob split 11 of us up in teams of 4, 4, and 3. I was in a 4 person team with my favorite friend Nicole, Mikey and Ed. The guys worked together and Nicole and I tittered and gossiped all the while we mangled a couple of nice racks of pork. The gossip was the best part.
The second team did a mountain of Chickens in various cuts and the third team did Salmon. Big ones and lots of them.
Today, the Red Meat team (that's us this week) got to tackle 24 racks of Lamb!! OMG. We frenched the meat to the bones as required but I think my fingers got frenched too. They feel like it, especially my thumbs. Ouch. We even use our fingernails to get stuff off when the knives can't get to the thin ligament holding the meat to the bones. This truely and cruely is mindnumbing work. However, you are constantly on edge NOT to slice through your own finger bones. After working a few racks our hands get greasy and slippery. That's when the knife wants to slip down your hand. Note to Self: Do Not Daydream When Frenching.
There were several misses amoung us all. More so than skills class I think. Maybe not. It does require Skill.
Tomorrow sounds like a walk in the park as we get to cut New York Steaks. Somehow, I'm sure Chef Bob will make it harder than we think it will be.
Next week we switch to either Chicken or Fish. Likewise for the others. I dread the fish section since my aprons and towels still reek of fish from Monday's Sea Bass torture.
The only certainty is that after class is over I'm completely exhausted. We are standing in place for at least 3 hours working our fingers to the bone (pun intended). Butchery is serious stuff. Thank goodness its not on my list of most wanted jobs after graduation. Think of it like this; its a cold refrigerated kitchen, smells like death, is greasy, bloody, gets under your nails, in your hair (scaling the fish), and then you take a break to go eat something! Its like Animal CSI.
Well, that's it for now. Gotta get off my post and get something to eat. heh, heh, heh......
1/7/08
Bob's Big Boy Please
Today was good. We had our chef, Chef Bob, who is a NO NONSENSE chef. We get 300 points to get an A in class which means that if we're late to class we get knocked off 20 pts. right off the top. If my chin hair shows there goes another 15 pts. Our only test is a written test of 25 questions at the end of 3 weeks. We get 100 points for that. Our production (cutting, slashing, mauling and mangling) of product gets us another 125 points if we get it all right.
We get 75 pts for professionalism (coming to class in the proper CLEAN uniform) and ABSOLUTELY no swearing in class or we have to leave the kitchen for a certain amount of time and Chef B will decide then you have to come back in and apologize to the whole class and the chef. I had to ask him if he considered the word Smart Ass a swear word and he said no cuz I'm always calling the guys a smartass when they joke around with me. So I'm good. I think I may be able to go 3 weeks without a swear word unless I cut myself, then I'll seriously flunk.
Chef Bob demonstrated 5 whole chickens today and all the cuts we can make from them. I can't even count them all. Everything from drummetts to butterflied boneless, skinless chicken breasts. We have to do this all tomorrow. $&^@! I'm thinking raw shredded chicken should be considered a cut starting tomorrow.
I mean he took a chicken leg and thigh and deboned it almost to the end of the leg while the other part was left whole. Its cool, cuz then you can stuff it with stuff but I don't think its going to be easy. I'll stuff mine with swear words.
He says his final is hard b/c you either write out the right answer or you don't know what you're talking about and you get a zero on it. No multible questions or mix and match. We answer by writing everything down. He say he had a class once of 25 chefs and only 1 (woman) got an A and she was a VEGAN!!! Friggin' vegans. (note no actual swear word? I'm practicing)
Other than that, he seems nice with a glimmer of a sense of humor. I wore my long johns under my uniform today and was fine but after class I was dying of heat. I'll have to switch to Short Jimmy's and toss the Long Johns. At least I can walk without having to drag my red carry on with all my clothes in it. I can walk in my uniform since I'm closer to the Old or North Campus.
We don't have any reading to do in his class which is nice. No daily quizzes either. It'll be a quick 3 weeks. It was good to see all my classmates again. We are all a good team together.
We get 75 pts for professionalism (coming to class in the proper CLEAN uniform) and ABSOLUTELY no swearing in class or we have to leave the kitchen for a certain amount of time and Chef B will decide then you have to come back in and apologize to the whole class and the chef. I had to ask him if he considered the word Smart Ass a swear word and he said no cuz I'm always calling the guys a smartass when they joke around with me. So I'm good. I think I may be able to go 3 weeks without a swear word unless I cut myself, then I'll seriously flunk.
Chef Bob demonstrated 5 whole chickens today and all the cuts we can make from them. I can't even count them all. Everything from drummetts to butterflied boneless, skinless chicken breasts. We have to do this all tomorrow. $&^@! I'm thinking raw shredded chicken should be considered a cut starting tomorrow.
I mean he took a chicken leg and thigh and deboned it almost to the end of the leg while the other part was left whole. Its cool, cuz then you can stuff it with stuff but I don't think its going to be easy. I'll stuff mine with swear words.
He says his final is hard b/c you either write out the right answer or you don't know what you're talking about and you get a zero on it. No multible questions or mix and match. We answer by writing everything down. He say he had a class once of 25 chefs and only 1 (woman) got an A and she was a VEGAN!!! Friggin' vegans. (note no actual swear word? I'm practicing)
Other than that, he seems nice with a glimmer of a sense of humor. I wore my long johns under my uniform today and was fine but after class I was dying of heat. I'll have to switch to Short Jimmy's and toss the Long Johns. At least I can walk without having to drag my red carry on with all my clothes in it. I can walk in my uniform since I'm closer to the Old or North Campus.
We don't have any reading to do in his class which is nice. No daily quizzes either. It'll be a quick 3 weeks. It was good to see all my classmates again. We are all a good team together.
I'm getting used to the panhandlers and the street sleepers. Everyone behaves somewhat. Today some crazy old lady followed me into my hotel and started blabbering jiberish to me (again) while I was waiting for the elevator and I finally just said "why don't you go outside, its such a nice day". Geez. Last time she was certain I was the mother of some girl in some blah, blah, blah... Some guy asked me for change last week and I said I was just about to ask him for money so we're both screwed.
Next time I'm at Starbucks I'll have to ask for a Decaf-Mocha-Vodka-Valium to go. Please. (thnx Mum, I love my card sayings)
Next time I'm at Starbucks I'll have to ask for a Decaf-Mocha-Vodka-Valium to go. Please. (thnx Mum, I love my card sayings)
1/4/08
Ready to Start Classes Again!!
I'm heading into Butchery for 3 weeks, 5 hours a day. Should be FUN. I'll learn how to dress a fish (pink or blue Tutu with tights?), learn to cut beef, pork, chicken and even completely debone the chicken leaving in it place to stuff it to look like a chicken... why? because we can.
The Chef is a very serious man who looks like he'll brook no jokes, fun or laughter. It'll be a tough class for me to deal with. Maybe by the end of the class I'll get a smile or smirk from him. Its on my to-do list now.
I'll be glad to get back on a set schedule. It keeps me in place and oriented. Otherwise, I do silly things like take weird photos with my cousin Guy on his new IMac computer. This one is my favorite. Oh my did we laugh and laugh New Years Eve. He and I totally had a ball screwing our faces up with his new toy. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. I hope you enjoy my photo too! Live and Laugh Long. Yeah!
1/1/08
Goodbye 2007!!
I'm glad to see it go. It gave me a couple of 360's but I landed on my feet again (as brother Brian always says). Let me count the ways...
The Law Firm I worked for was sold to another firm that had their own Office Mangler so I was out of a job January 31st but they kept me on the payroll until Feb. 28 at which time I got a 3 month severance check.
I had a 7 day April Mexican cruise planned and paid for since September '06 with my dearest best friend Eleanor. I wasn't going to miss it. We had the best of time for 7 days on the Abraham-Hicks seminar cruise. It's a positive thinking type of inspirational concepts. You can find them at http://www.abraham-hicks.com/ . I was inspired and, as always, enjoyed the company of Eleanor.
My brother Dana was diagnosed with cancer in '06 and was ebbing away to nothing. He stayed a few days in April with me so we could spend time together. He bought me a microwave and a DVD player. It was good to spend the time but painful to deal with.
May brought my brother Brian's 3 day birthday bash in Oxnard with families and friends galore. We all had a terrific time. Pam, his wife put the whole thing together which in itself was a feat to overcome. She did a fantastic job.
All the while since February I'd been searching and interviewing for jobs which continued to be a series of disappointments. Thank goodness for Abraham-Hicks!
Also in May around Mother's Day my sweet big baby cat Mac died. We were buddies for 15 years. He had a cancerous tumor in his mouth. I was devastated and indeed alone. I started wondering what I would do with my life when I considered going to school to be a Chef. It seemed an option I would never had done if Mac was still alive. It was a turning point in my life.
My husband and I had separated in '06 but were still trying to work things out. He took a motorcycle trip up to Mt. Shasta to see his niece and her family when on the return trip was run off the road by a big truck and when over the embankment totaling his Harley and messing up his back. He made it back home via airline and eventually bought another Harley. Why would he want a do-over?!
June 1st was Aunt Alice's birthday so I flew to San Francisco to attend the auspicious event. Uncle John rented a limo and cousin's Paul, Guy, myself and Auntie and Unc went to the Top of the Mark for drinks and a fantastic view of downtown SF then dinner at Scoma's. The dinner was incredible and lots of laughs.
I decided to search out a cooking academy in Sarasota, Fla mid June and went by way of Jacksonville so I could spend serious good time with my Aunt Gloria (2 years older than me, we're more like sisters). I didn't care for the University Academy so I was still searching. I checked out two places in Los Angeles but it didn't ring my bells so to speak.
In July Kermit moved up to Mt. Shasta and I finished up paperwork with the courts. A sad ending and goodbye.
I also I took another trip to SF to check out the Ca Culinary Academy. That rang my bells! I filled out my application and made my plans. The end of July was a family reunion party of two dear friends Cher and Joe in Chicago. My last minute decision to go was a good one. I loved spending time together with them and meeting all their families and friends.
At some point around this time my brother Dana called to let me know that he was CANCER FREE!! The Chemo really worked. It is nothing short of a miracle. He has only half his stomach and part of his esophagus but its gone! Wow. Definitly Good News.
September and October was spent tying up loose ends, getting rid of unnecessary items held over the years and planning my move.
I moved October 27th to San Francisco (Home!) and began Culinary Academy November 12th.
I completed my first 6 weeks of training and by December 21st got 2 weeks of Winter Break. Christmas and New Years Eve with the "family".
Here I am on January 1st anticipating the next year of culinary schooling. I love it. So much has gone on to get me to this point. I made it.
Amazing. Happy New Year to you all!
The Law Firm I worked for was sold to another firm that had their own Office Mangler so I was out of a job January 31st but they kept me on the payroll until Feb. 28 at which time I got a 3 month severance check.
I had a 7 day April Mexican cruise planned and paid for since September '06 with my dearest best friend Eleanor. I wasn't going to miss it. We had the best of time for 7 days on the Abraham-Hicks seminar cruise. It's a positive thinking type of inspirational concepts. You can find them at http://www.abraham-hicks.com/ . I was inspired and, as always, enjoyed the company of Eleanor.
My brother Dana was diagnosed with cancer in '06 and was ebbing away to nothing. He stayed a few days in April with me so we could spend time together. He bought me a microwave and a DVD player. It was good to spend the time but painful to deal with.
May brought my brother Brian's 3 day birthday bash in Oxnard with families and friends galore. We all had a terrific time. Pam, his wife put the whole thing together which in itself was a feat to overcome. She did a fantastic job.
All the while since February I'd been searching and interviewing for jobs which continued to be a series of disappointments. Thank goodness for Abraham-Hicks!
Also in May around Mother's Day my sweet big baby cat Mac died. We were buddies for 15 years. He had a cancerous tumor in his mouth. I was devastated and indeed alone. I started wondering what I would do with my life when I considered going to school to be a Chef. It seemed an option I would never had done if Mac was still alive. It was a turning point in my life.
My husband and I had separated in '06 but were still trying to work things out. He took a motorcycle trip up to Mt. Shasta to see his niece and her family when on the return trip was run off the road by a big truck and when over the embankment totaling his Harley and messing up his back. He made it back home via airline and eventually bought another Harley. Why would he want a do-over?!
June 1st was Aunt Alice's birthday so I flew to San Francisco to attend the auspicious event. Uncle John rented a limo and cousin's Paul, Guy, myself and Auntie and Unc went to the Top of the Mark for drinks and a fantastic view of downtown SF then dinner at Scoma's. The dinner was incredible and lots of laughs.
I decided to search out a cooking academy in Sarasota, Fla mid June and went by way of Jacksonville so I could spend serious good time with my Aunt Gloria (2 years older than me, we're more like sisters). I didn't care for the University Academy so I was still searching. I checked out two places in Los Angeles but it didn't ring my bells so to speak.
In July Kermit moved up to Mt. Shasta and I finished up paperwork with the courts. A sad ending and goodbye.
I also I took another trip to SF to check out the Ca Culinary Academy. That rang my bells! I filled out my application and made my plans. The end of July was a family reunion party of two dear friends Cher and Joe in Chicago. My last minute decision to go was a good one. I loved spending time together with them and meeting all their families and friends.
At some point around this time my brother Dana called to let me know that he was CANCER FREE!! The Chemo really worked. It is nothing short of a miracle. He has only half his stomach and part of his esophagus but its gone! Wow. Definitly Good News.
September and October was spent tying up loose ends, getting rid of unnecessary items held over the years and planning my move.
I moved October 27th to San Francisco (Home!) and began Culinary Academy November 12th.
I completed my first 6 weeks of training and by December 21st got 2 weeks of Winter Break. Christmas and New Years Eve with the "family".
Here I am on January 1st anticipating the next year of culinary schooling. I love it. So much has gone on to get me to this point. I made it.
Amazing. Happy New Year to you all!
12/27/07
Waldo, Where in the World is Jesus!?!
US infant Jesus statue to get GPS.
The statue was stolen from a nativity scene like the one across.
The statue was stolen from a nativity scene like the one across.
A statue of the infant Jesus on display near Miami in Florida is being fitted with a Global Positioning System device after the original figurine was stolen.
The near-life-size figure forms part of a nativity scene in Bal Harbour, Florida.
The original vanished three weeks ago, despite being bolted to the ground.
Dina Cellini, who oversees the display, says the statues of Mary and Joseph will also be fitted with a satellite tracking device to deter thieves.
She said: "I don't anticipate this will ever happen again, but we may need to rely on technology to Save our Saviour." [WHAT!! oh, dear what is the world coming to!]
A Jewish lawyer, Jeffrey Harris, from Cincinnati, who read about the theft on the internet, has donated the new Jesus figurine in the Founders Circle area of the city.
Mr Harris, who celebrates Hanukkah, not Christmas, told the Miami Herald: ''I felt bad. How could someone steal a baby Jesus? Even though I am Jewish, I like the Christmas spirit.''... (or, according to me, he also likes publicising his name in Bal Harbour as a "Nice Guy" [read: getting more non Jewish clients] [read: ones that won't quibble when their bill arrives].
Keep This One Handy!
You may or may not need to go to more After Christmas sales but then their's always the day after New Years.
Consider this my little gift to you all. Ahh, how sweet. Cheap but sweet.
12/25/07
And a Merry Christmas it Was!!
I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful time eating, imbibing, and enjoying one another's company as I did at Casa Espinoza.
Everything was terrific. The food was fantastic. We enjoyed Prime Rib with a garlic, rosemary spice rub, Pommes Duchesse's Potatoes and then baked potatoes for a backup, fresh buttered string beans and ginger carrots in a brown sugar butter sauce. Oh yeah, we had Au Jus with mushrooms to top the Prime Rib and a fine bottle of Chateau Neuf du Pape to top it all off.
Then dessert of pumpkin pie and strawberry cheesecake. Yum. We all opened gifts by the fragrant twinkling tree and hugs all around.
Life just doesn't get any better than that! Amen.
Blessings Family and Friends. Chef Deb
Everything was terrific. The food was fantastic. We enjoyed Prime Rib with a garlic, rosemary spice rub, Pommes Duchesse's Potatoes and then baked potatoes for a backup, fresh buttered string beans and ginger carrots in a brown sugar butter sauce. Oh yeah, we had Au Jus with mushrooms to top the Prime Rib and a fine bottle of Chateau Neuf du Pape to top it all off.
Then dessert of pumpkin pie and strawberry cheesecake. Yum. We all opened gifts by the fragrant twinkling tree and hugs all around.
Life just doesn't get any better than that! Amen.
Blessings Family and Friends. Chef Deb
12/22/07
Chef Deb's Fruitcake Recipe
Fruitcake Recipe
Items Needed ————-
4 Oz. Fruit Bits
1 Railroad Tie
Wood Saw
Large Rubber Mallet
Safety Goggles
WEAR YOUR SAFETY GOGGLES! (Children Get help from an adult!)
Cut a one-foot section from the middle of your railroad tie. The resulting block of wood should be about four inches by four inches by ten inches.
Then, take some fruit bits and pound them into the block with your rubber mallet. Spread the colors around, or you might wind up with an ugly fruitcake. Don’t be afraid to throw some elbow grease into that mallet! Good fruit bits should be much harder than the railroad tie so you can’t break anything.
For best result, you should pre-treat the fruit bits by setting them on top of your garage for a year (or by microwaving them on HIGH for 30 minutes).
Finally, cover it tightly in plastic wrap, and give your loved ones the time-less and enduring gift of fruitcake!
Wrap the fruitcake in saran wrap and I like to use a nice red ribbon and bow to give the saran wrap a nice warm glow. There should be plenty of railroad tie left to give fruitcake to all your family and friends.
P.S.
Be sure to sign the bottom of it so you know who all the Re-Gifters are next year! Those sneaky little devils.
12/20/07
A Chef's Nativity Scene
This is made only from veggies and fruits. Its my kind of NATIVITY scene. Edible.
But wait, I really like my Mum's (Auntie GMa).
Its sooooo pretty......!
(do you even appreciate how long it took me to find a vegetable based Nativity Scene on the Internet!!!)
Feh! You don't care...
But wait, I really like my Mum's (Auntie GMa).Its sooooo pretty......!
(do you even appreciate how long it took me to find a vegetable based Nativity Scene on the Internet!!!)
Feh! You don't care...
12/19/07
Bad Day at Black Rock
The old movie phrase fits here today. I pretty much "blackened" most of my food products today due to an out of wack oven. True. Yesterday my friend had her Pommes Duchesse ruined by the same oven. My problem? I couldn't remember which oven it was today that overheats.
So after Tourne'ing all my Root Vegetables (which are hard as rocks and gave my hand cramps) I put them into the oven and they were desimated in a short amount of time. We have convection ovens which cook (or blast, as in my case) quickly. All that painful work for nothing.
Then I tried to make a simple pan gravy, which I've made thousands of times and ruined that by listening to another chef friend and used wine instead of chicken stock (something I know NOT to do) but under all the pressure to complete 2 full dishes in 1 1/2 hours I screwed that up. All I could present to Chef was the chicken. Which was fine and golden crisp.
In my rush to get my pork roast in the oven quickly I put it in the same oven as my tourne vegs and Chicken. It got too browned crisp on the bottom before I could change ovens. Then Chef decided to change our zucchini provencal to just tourneed zucchini and I thought we had to do both. Neither turned out since I was so busy I overcooked my sauteed tourneed zucchini.
It was a Kitchen Bitch Day from Hell. Send Sympathy Cards to someone who is paying attention. Not me, obviously.
^%^#(!!! (put your special words here). %&((#*@!!
Written Final is tomorrow for Skills class (Kitchen Cooking). Thursday is Competency in Roasting and Poaching and Friday is Competency in Grill and Saute.
After my screwups today I think I've cleared all negative hurdles and everything should be fine. I work well under severe pressure. Not the piddley ass kind like today.
Rock On!!!
So after Tourne'ing all my Root Vegetables (which are hard as rocks and gave my hand cramps) I put them into the oven and they were desimated in a short amount of time. We have convection ovens which cook (or blast, as in my case) quickly. All that painful work for nothing.
Then I tried to make a simple pan gravy, which I've made thousands of times and ruined that by listening to another chef friend and used wine instead of chicken stock (something I know NOT to do) but under all the pressure to complete 2 full dishes in 1 1/2 hours I screwed that up. All I could present to Chef was the chicken. Which was fine and golden crisp.
In my rush to get my pork roast in the oven quickly I put it in the same oven as my tourne vegs and Chicken. It got too browned crisp on the bottom before I could change ovens. Then Chef decided to change our zucchini provencal to just tourneed zucchini and I thought we had to do both. Neither turned out since I was so busy I overcooked my sauteed tourneed zucchini.
It was a Kitchen Bitch Day from Hell. Send Sympathy Cards to someone who is paying attention. Not me, obviously.
^%^#(!!! (put your special words here). %&((#*@!!
Written Final is tomorrow for Skills class (Kitchen Cooking). Thursday is Competency in Roasting and Poaching and Friday is Competency in Grill and Saute.
After my screwups today I think I've cleared all negative hurdles and everything should be fine. I work well under severe pressure. Not the piddley ass kind like today.
Rock On!!!
12/16/07
What to Do Saturday Night.....
Gee, life is different now that I'm Over 50 and alone in one of the world's best Cities for fun, food, and excitement. Saturday nights slam that one home. I'd Love to go out and dance somewhere, have a toddy or two and listen to good music. Going alone doesn't really kick it up for me.
Where does someone my age find fun peeps to hang with? (Glo, move back to SF, STAT!)
So what did I do today for fun you ask? I cooked in the Espinoza Residence (my home)! I have a monkey on my back called COOKING JONES. I made Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage, Potato Leek Soup and Veal Scallopini with Lemon Caper sauce. I was beat tired. Hung out at Casa Espinoza relaxing and sharing family time. Very cool.
I had to work up some energy so I could drive home to SF. I knew I had work ahead of me. I had to make my bed with clean sheets, wash dishes, etc. Little things that take up time. I thought I'd be in bed reading the last part of my Sanford novel Mind Prey.
Something happened on the drive into SF. I had my CD player playing The Doors. I got so into it I was dancing in my car seat. I loved it. Music energized me. When I got off the Freeway I rolled down my window so I could pump up the volume even more. I loved the cool air, the city lights, downtown SF and my music. I just wanted to keep driving just to listen to more music.
When I got into room 206 I put on more music and just kept rocking. I got a lot done and can't believe that I'm still up at 10:45. I'm just loving the music cranked up to Saturday Night High.
I don't have neighbors on either side so I'm going for it. I'm dancing while working around the little room. Tonight, I feel eternally young. Stuck in time when music and dancing were all I lived for. It was fun.
I'm beginning to slow up, somehow I'll have to stop the rock and roll and roll into bed and finish my novel. Sunday is SLEEP IN DAY. Ahhh the luxury.
I miss my young lively life today. Most other days I'm happy with my older self. I'm sure tomorrow I'll embrace my older self tenderly so I don't hurt my old bones and muscles I spent dancing around my room tonight. Gotta hang with the Big Dogs. Just suck up Old Age and fugitaboudit!!
Lights Out Kids!!
Where does someone my age find fun peeps to hang with? (Glo, move back to SF, STAT!)
So what did I do today for fun you ask? I cooked in the Espinoza Residence (my home)! I have a monkey on my back called COOKING JONES. I made Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage, Potato Leek Soup and Veal Scallopini with Lemon Caper sauce. I was beat tired. Hung out at Casa Espinoza relaxing and sharing family time. Very cool.
I had to work up some energy so I could drive home to SF. I knew I had work ahead of me. I had to make my bed with clean sheets, wash dishes, etc. Little things that take up time. I thought I'd be in bed reading the last part of my Sanford novel Mind Prey.
Something happened on the drive into SF. I had my CD player playing The Doors. I got so into it I was dancing in my car seat. I loved it. Music energized me. When I got off the Freeway I rolled down my window so I could pump up the volume even more. I loved the cool air, the city lights, downtown SF and my music. I just wanted to keep driving just to listen to more music.
When I got into room 206 I put on more music and just kept rocking. I got a lot done and can't believe that I'm still up at 10:45. I'm just loving the music cranked up to Saturday Night High.
I don't have neighbors on either side so I'm going for it. I'm dancing while working around the little room. Tonight, I feel eternally young. Stuck in time when music and dancing were all I lived for. It was fun.
I'm beginning to slow up, somehow I'll have to stop the rock and roll and roll into bed and finish my novel. Sunday is SLEEP IN DAY. Ahhh the luxury.
I miss my young lively life today. Most other days I'm happy with my older self. I'm sure tomorrow I'll embrace my older self tenderly so I don't hurt my old bones and muscles I spent dancing around my room tonight. Gotta hang with the Big Dogs. Just suck up Old Age and fugitaboudit!!
Lights Out Kids!!
12/13/07
Doin' the Hustle!
Today was kitchen madness. There's never enough work space and too many things to do, get, chop, dice, mince, peel, and pour. There were about 10 of us in class today and all of us were using at least 4 saucepans, bowls, plates, tools, and weighing and measuring. Its like working on the runway of Los Angeles Airport. Everyone has sharp knives and pots of boiling liquids. Its a constant effort to keep from colliding with others. Somehow we don't which is amazing in itself.
We had to do two different braises, one was a Swiss Steak and the other Coq au Vin (chicken). We also had to make two different starches for each and different veggies. We had to time it so it was ready at the same time to present to the Chef HOT! All in two hours.
The red cabbage was really good with apple, brown sugar, red wine and red wine vinegar and a few more things. It took time to "sweat" it out and not overcook. The rice pilaf was easy to do and just forget about. I boiled the potato long before I needed it so it for mashing with cream and butter so it had to sit and wait for me. I put it above the stove to keep warm.
We also braised celery and fennel in chicken stock which was surprisingly good. I thought I overcooked them but Chef said they were perfect. Just needed more salt! Imagine someone telling me I need to use more salt! Ludicris. I'm trying NOT to ruin everything with my salt addiction.
We also had to cook some mushrooms (quartered) and pearl onions (blanced and peeled) in bacon rendering to add to the Coq au Vin as garnish. There were easily 65-70 pots to clean in addition to all the other stuff.
I feel like I ran a marathon. I'm pooped! I completed all my stuff and Chef liked everything except needing more salt on the Swiss Steak dish everything was good. By that time I was starving so guess what we get to do? Yes! We eat our own food. It was yummy. This is where the pounds are creaping on though.... Oh well, job hazard.
Oh yeah. I PASSED my Safety and Sanitation State test. This is a certificate that is really good to have as a chef. Its like a license. It's given by the National Restaurant Association. Some students didn't pass. One gal told me that out of her class of 15 students, only 5 passed the test. I know there were some in our class but not how many. You HAVE to pass to graduate so they'll have to PAY for the test again in February.
I'll have to go to the Espinoza's this weekend to practice some of my dishes that will be on my Competency Test next Thursday and Friday. I'm looking forward to it. A bit of Christmas music (or not) and a kitchen all to myself!
Life is good. Eat well.
We had to do two different braises, one was a Swiss Steak and the other Coq au Vin (chicken). We also had to make two different starches for each and different veggies. We had to time it so it was ready at the same time to present to the Chef HOT! All in two hours.
The red cabbage was really good with apple, brown sugar, red wine and red wine vinegar and a few more things. It took time to "sweat" it out and not overcook. The rice pilaf was easy to do and just forget about. I boiled the potato long before I needed it so it for mashing with cream and butter so it had to sit and wait for me. I put it above the stove to keep warm.
We also braised celery and fennel in chicken stock which was surprisingly good. I thought I overcooked them but Chef said they were perfect. Just needed more salt! Imagine someone telling me I need to use more salt! Ludicris. I'm trying NOT to ruin everything with my salt addiction.
We also had to cook some mushrooms (quartered) and pearl onions (blanced and peeled) in bacon rendering to add to the Coq au Vin as garnish. There were easily 65-70 pots to clean in addition to all the other stuff.
I feel like I ran a marathon. I'm pooped! I completed all my stuff and Chef liked everything except needing more salt on the Swiss Steak dish everything was good. By that time I was starving so guess what we get to do? Yes! We eat our own food. It was yummy. This is where the pounds are creaping on though.... Oh well, job hazard.
Oh yeah. I PASSED my Safety and Sanitation State test. This is a certificate that is really good to have as a chef. Its like a license. It's given by the National Restaurant Association. Some students didn't pass. One gal told me that out of her class of 15 students, only 5 passed the test. I know there were some in our class but not how many. You HAVE to pass to graduate so they'll have to PAY for the test again in February.
I'll have to go to the Espinoza's this weekend to practice some of my dishes that will be on my Competency Test next Thursday and Friday. I'm looking forward to it. A bit of Christmas music (or not) and a kitchen all to myself!
Life is good. Eat well.
12/12/07
Fat and Skinny Had a Race
Fat won. End of story.
I'm beginning to understand that eating in a restaurant is really a high fat adventure. Just don't do it every day or even every week. You'll lose the race. We use a TON of clarified butter which is just the Fat left over from the butter once we skim the protein off and drain all but the water into a container. Refrigerated, its hard as oil refrigerated. They're both just fat. Plain and simple. Just so you know...
Today we made Veal Scallopini in a lemon and caper sauce with gratin potatoes (thin sliced potatoes and heavy cream 40% fat) and some green beans and carrots julienned. It was good but we did melt whole butter with the veggies after blanching them to warm them before plating them with the veal and potatoes. Sure. It tasted Wonderful. I ate most of what I cooked. No friggin' wonder I'm not losing weight.
Then we also made Salmon with a Beurre Blanc sauce (basically butter) with some blanched spinach mixed in with Orzo pasta. I added a touch of butter for flavor (to please the Chef). She loved it and I did excellent. I ate some of that too.
I've got to plan out a way to avoid these high fat foods or I'll just scream. We HAVE to taste the food we cook before giving it to the Chef. But by the time we're in Skills class cooking we are ravished and everything smells so wonderful. Its like a chockoholic working at See's Candies.
Tomorrow is Braising. Braised meat with all kinds of good things.
My Christmas List has now been updated. A stomach pump is at the top of the list.
Screw it. It is what it is and I am what I am. A Chef! I must taste all that I cook and if its real good I'll eat a bit more of it. Gawd I'm good!
Burp......
I'm beginning to understand that eating in a restaurant is really a high fat adventure. Just don't do it every day or even every week. You'll lose the race. We use a TON of clarified butter which is just the Fat left over from the butter once we skim the protein off and drain all but the water into a container. Refrigerated, its hard as oil refrigerated. They're both just fat. Plain and simple. Just so you know...
Today we made Veal Scallopini in a lemon and caper sauce with gratin potatoes (thin sliced potatoes and heavy cream 40% fat) and some green beans and carrots julienned. It was good but we did melt whole butter with the veggies after blanching them to warm them before plating them with the veal and potatoes. Sure. It tasted Wonderful. I ate most of what I cooked. No friggin' wonder I'm not losing weight.
Then we also made Salmon with a Beurre Blanc sauce (basically butter) with some blanched spinach mixed in with Orzo pasta. I added a touch of butter for flavor (to please the Chef). She loved it and I did excellent. I ate some of that too.
I've got to plan out a way to avoid these high fat foods or I'll just scream. We HAVE to taste the food we cook before giving it to the Chef. But by the time we're in Skills class cooking we are ravished and everything smells so wonderful. Its like a chockoholic working at See's Candies.
Tomorrow is Braising. Braised meat with all kinds of good things.
My Christmas List has now been updated. A stomach pump is at the top of the list.
Screw it. It is what it is and I am what I am. A Chef! I must taste all that I cook and if its real good I'll eat a bit more of it. Gawd I'm good!
Burp......
12/10/07
Dorm Room Pix (1st of 3)
The biggest item in the room, by bed. I like the blue walls, it sets off the room nicely. The furnishings are a nice wood and the end tables have a granite slab on top of each. The Curtains are burgundy.
You see my mini fridge in front - opps, left the milk out! Bad chef.
Home on the Rangeish...
Dorm Room View!
I actually have what is known as a View from my window. I have a tree (very rare) and can see lots of blue sky (much rarer) I get a good cross breeze when I open my front door for plenty of fresh air (or fog).
Love it.
12/9/07
Nativity Scene - My Way
Recently, I sent around a Christmas thing asking all these questions about how people feel and what they do during Christmas. There was one about a Nativity Scene. I thought this one was pretty clever. Lego Land style!
Doesn't it just scream Christmas! Aren't you filled to the brim with religious fever just looking at it?
Oh Wait..... This is the last supper! See, I just don't get why the nativity scene is so important. I think people eating good food and drinking fine wine is way holier than a baby surrounded by cows and sheep and 3 strangers dressed like drag queens. Go figure.
Food and Drink are always served in Catholic churches. Up on the alter where it belongs. Let's all just eat, drink and be merry with family! That's Christmas for me.
12/5/07
I'd Love a Plate of FASHION!
It's not easy or fun to force yourself out of bed at 5:30am let alone wonder what to wear, what's the weather, do I really care? I might care at 11am but paaaalease, its 5 frickin' thirty.
I used to open my door to "check" the coldness. I stopped doing that since it was so stoopid. I'm in the corner on the 2nd floor of a 4 story building. I face the atrium patio, from a safe weather proof spot. How hard is that to figure I still don't have a clue as to the weather.
What this all leads to is that sometimes I dress "off" for the weather. All male readers won't understand this part so skip to the sports section.
Anywayz. Last night the weather report was Clear, some clouds, basically nice day. Okay, I think I'll wear light pink fleece like pants and a white pullover type cotton shirt. Since the morning is cold at O'Dark Thirty I wear a zippered pull on with a hood. (thank you Glo, I love the Grey pull on).
I'm good. Happy. Going to school, catchin' the shuttle, draging my red carry 0n with my Halloween Uniform and shoes inside, hefting my knife kit. I go to the ladies changing room and see a classmate (they're all half my age). She looks at me and, with surprise, says "I didn't know we could wear our pajamas to school".
I could have responded two ways.
1. Oh, these aren't my pajamas, this is what the retirement home gave me when I left.
2. Oh yeah dude, I was too, like tired to dress so I just hustled out of bed and beat it to the shuttle. Ya know what I mean?
#1 They may or may not have questioned my attire after that comment.
#2 She would have thought I was some fool trying to play my "game" long after the batteries ran out.
What did I say, you ask?
I said. "Oh no, these aren't my pajamas." Indicating of course that I should burn my clothes now and that I have no clue what these kids wear.
I just want to blend. I don't want to stand out in a fashion sense. If she really saw my pajamas she'd never even talk to me. I'd be a scary homeless person. I mean, I'm still using my terrycloth robe I got when I went on the Royal Carribean Cruise xyz years ago. Its not exactly at its peak anymore. But you can still read the label.
I may avoid the changing room for a while. Don't want everyone seeing my entire wardrobe of 2 full drawers! (there is only so. much. room. here). Fooey.
Oh yeah, we made pasta today. I'm getting sick of heavy sauces. I wish the next class was fruits and liquids.
I used to open my door to "check" the coldness. I stopped doing that since it was so stoopid. I'm in the corner on the 2nd floor of a 4 story building. I face the atrium patio, from a safe weather proof spot. How hard is that to figure I still don't have a clue as to the weather.
What this all leads to is that sometimes I dress "off" for the weather. All male readers won't understand this part so skip to the sports section.
Anywayz. Last night the weather report was Clear, some clouds, basically nice day. Okay, I think I'll wear light pink fleece like pants and a white pullover type cotton shirt. Since the morning is cold at O'Dark Thirty I wear a zippered pull on with a hood. (thank you Glo, I love the Grey pull on).
I'm good. Happy. Going to school, catchin' the shuttle, draging my red carry 0n with my Halloween Uniform and shoes inside, hefting my knife kit. I go to the ladies changing room and see a classmate (they're all half my age). She looks at me and, with surprise, says "I didn't know we could wear our pajamas to school".
I could have responded two ways.
1. Oh, these aren't my pajamas, this is what the retirement home gave me when I left.
2. Oh yeah dude, I was too, like tired to dress so I just hustled out of bed and beat it to the shuttle. Ya know what I mean?
#1 They may or may not have questioned my attire after that comment.
#2 She would have thought I was some fool trying to play my "game" long after the batteries ran out.
What did I say, you ask?
I said. "Oh no, these aren't my pajamas." Indicating of course that I should burn my clothes now and that I have no clue what these kids wear.
I just want to blend. I don't want to stand out in a fashion sense. If she really saw my pajamas she'd never even talk to me. I'd be a scary homeless person. I mean, I'm still using my terrycloth robe I got when I went on the Royal Carribean Cruise xyz years ago. Its not exactly at its peak anymore. But you can still read the label.
I may avoid the changing room for a while. Don't want everyone seeing my entire wardrobe of 2 full drawers! (there is only so. much. room. here). Fooey.
Oh yeah, we made pasta today. I'm getting sick of heavy sauces. I wish the next class was fruits and liquids.
12/4/07
As My Grandfather Used to Say....
"that was a yolk meja". Today we had EGG day which was fun after all the chaos of our competency final on soups and sauces. I purposely came to class hungry, meaning I didn't have a blueberry muffin or egg and chorizo burrito, etc. before class. I was focusing on the eggs, which I love.
There is a student in class that NEVER had an omelet!!! I was shocked. She didn't think she'd even want to cook one. We all had to cook eggs: Scrambled (how hard is that), over medium (very hard since we had to PAN flip it) I wasted about half dozen eggs not to mention the mess. Glad I didn't have Hot Line (cleaning the stoves) or Steward (cleaning the floor). I had Dishwashing. Again. Damn. I wish I could use gloves...
Then we had to poach an egg in a pot with hot water, vinegar and salt. When it rises to the surface you're good. If it doesn't you're an idiot. Means you forgot to add the vinegar and salt. We had to put this little piece of sunrise on a half toasted english muffin (that was panfried in the oil left over from cooking the Canadian Bacon then top it all with fresh made Hollandaise (which is pretty much pure fat).
After that we made a European Omelet. yada, yada, yada..... I'm tired. I stuffed mine with minced leeks and mushrooms with parmesan. Chef liked it. That's all that mattered.
Tomorrow is Pasta Day. Its gonna be a bit hard since we have to work in teams. I hope I get my culinary expert Phil. He's good. But probably the other students will have hissy fits since both Phil and I are - lets just say it - the best in class. There. Its said.
I never thought my hand muscles could be sore. They are. The bottoms of my feet are sore, my back, my neck, my upper arms, my..... ad nauseum.
Just to show my age, which I'm not proud of, I'll end with a quote from that lovely comediene Red Skeleton,
Good Night, and God Bless.
There is a student in class that NEVER had an omelet!!! I was shocked. She didn't think she'd even want to cook one. We all had to cook eggs: Scrambled (how hard is that), over medium (very hard since we had to PAN flip it) I wasted about half dozen eggs not to mention the mess. Glad I didn't have Hot Line (cleaning the stoves) or Steward (cleaning the floor). I had Dishwashing. Again. Damn. I wish I could use gloves...
Then we had to poach an egg in a pot with hot water, vinegar and salt. When it rises to the surface you're good. If it doesn't you're an idiot. Means you forgot to add the vinegar and salt. We had to put this little piece of sunrise on a half toasted english muffin (that was panfried in the oil left over from cooking the Canadian Bacon then top it all with fresh made Hollandaise (which is pretty much pure fat).
After that we made a European Omelet. yada, yada, yada..... I'm tired. I stuffed mine with minced leeks and mushrooms with parmesan. Chef liked it. That's all that mattered.
Tomorrow is Pasta Day. Its gonna be a bit hard since we have to work in teams. I hope I get my culinary expert Phil. He's good. But probably the other students will have hissy fits since both Phil and I are - lets just say it - the best in class. There. Its said.
I never thought my hand muscles could be sore. They are. The bottoms of my feet are sore, my back, my neck, my upper arms, my..... ad nauseum.
Just to show my age, which I'm not proud of, I'll end with a quote from that lovely comediene Red Skeleton,
Good Night, and God Bless.
12/3/07
Chef Boy R DDay!!
We had our skills competency test today in the kitchen. We had two hours to make: Hollandaise, Mayonnaise, Bordelaise, Bechemel and then Mornay Sauce. Our "must make" soup was Consomme and then we got to choose another. I chose Cream of Mushroom. Mostly because this weekend I practiced my French Onion and New England Clam Chowder soups along with my Sauce Tomate (french spelling).
I managed to make all my required sauces and soups and the taste test from the Chef for each made me happy. I did well. Some excellent but I did forget to make a garnish for my Cream of Mushroom Soup. I did bring it home however so I could have something to eat. Screw the Garnish! (I would have made it, of course had I remembered).
Chef said that this was the HARDEST test we would all take at the CCA. I'm just glad she didn't share that with us before we started. We all kicked butt for 2 hours. We really were Real Chefs at Work!
Super Fun.
Now I'm just pampering my "kicked butt". I'm ever so tired. Its 6:30 and I'm contemplating sleep. Gotta get up at 5:30 and start a whole new routine. We'll be doing eggs tomorrow. Later this week we do pasta. Yum. We make it ourselves. Better yum.
I think its gonna rain tomorrow. Hurray. I got galoshes! Oh fun. Real rain.
I'm signing off now. Too tired to keep my little fingers tapping.
Find happiness. Do what you love.
Chef Deb
I managed to make all my required sauces and soups and the taste test from the Chef for each made me happy. I did well. Some excellent but I did forget to make a garnish for my Cream of Mushroom Soup. I did bring it home however so I could have something to eat. Screw the Garnish! (I would have made it, of course had I remembered).
Chef said that this was the HARDEST test we would all take at the CCA. I'm just glad she didn't share that with us before we started. We all kicked butt for 2 hours. We really were Real Chefs at Work!
Super Fun.
Now I'm just pampering my "kicked butt". I'm ever so tired. Its 6:30 and I'm contemplating sleep. Gotta get up at 5:30 and start a whole new routine. We'll be doing eggs tomorrow. Later this week we do pasta. Yum. We make it ourselves. Better yum.
I think its gonna rain tomorrow. Hurray. I got galoshes! Oh fun. Real rain.
I'm signing off now. Too tired to keep my little fingers tapping.
Find happiness. Do what you love.
Chef Deb
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