Can you tell what is taking up space in my brain? No, not the potato - knife skills. When we come back from Christmas break it is our knife skills final and our Cuisine I final - mother sauces and small sauces.
You may be wondering why I am obsessed with this at this juncture... good question. I'll obsess later.
Okay, I got up from my seat, made some coffee and so I'm ready to obsess again. Did you think I meant a lot later?
So... yesterday was "modern" sauces; in other words sauces without butter. Coulis, pestos, and chutneys, but we started with the last Mother Sauce - Hollandaise and it's small sauce Bearnaise - I broke my Bernaise. B-R-O-K-E it. We were taught had to "rescue" a broken sauce and it worked, but it felt tantamount to forgetting my knives... well maybe not quite that bad. I think I let the egg yolks get a little too cool while adding the warm clarified butter. We also made Buerre Blanc and Buerre Rouge.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Friday, December 17, 2010
"The best way to get rid of kitchen odors: Eat out!"
Fish stock. It doesn't smell so good. Lobster stock smells even worse. Cleaving halibut bones into 2-3 inch pieces and skinning the tail, or crushing lobster shells, then standing over these teaming pots is not conducive to running out right after class for a night on the town - or anywhere else for that matter. Unless, of course, you are planning on clearing the room. That perfume is best left in the kitchen.
Cleaning sheet pans, even after they have been deglazed, on which veal bones have been roasted is not for the faint-hearted either. Personally, I didn't think they would ever come clean. In the "veal bone" vein - we also made a remmoualge- a re-wetting veal bones and mirepoix already simmered to create a basis for a heartier stock. Did you know veal stock is simmered for 8-12 hours? I used to like the smell, until it permeated my skin and hair, and now if I don't smell like the simmering pot I can just tolerate it.
There is nothing necessarily intriguing about preparing and simmering stock, but like most things, once you put in the effort - the grunt work, the fun has just begun. So, Tuesday was the grunt work, and Thursday was the FUN - Sauces.
Why are sauces so delicious? I told the chef "It's all about the sauce" - he laughed his French laugh and said I should have that saying made into a bumper sticker. :-]
My classmates and I are now working on Thee Five Mother Sauces. From our chicken stock (not to confused with broth which is made with meat - stock is made with bones) we made the bechamel. (It's funny, I feel like I should capitalize all these mother sauces to give them their due... so I will.) The Bechamel and the Veloute (vel-oo-tay) are made from chicken stock. From the Bechamel you create cheese (any type) and mornay (grueyere) sauces; from the Veloute you create the small sauce called supreme and then the hungarian, et al from the supreme. Creole is a sub sauce from a delightful Tomato (mother) sauce. The Tomato sauce is simmered with pork bones and mirepoix, a sachet of herbs and spices, tomato puree and tomatoes. All sauces are strained through a fine chinois.
An important element to most sauces is the roux - flour and clarified butter in equal parts cooked together to create either white, blond or brown roux. Stock or milk is then added with a myriad of other ingredients depending on your final "small sauce".
I have made a supreme sauce (whose basis is the Veloute) for years when I make chicken pot pie, I just didn't know I was following the "french way". I think I shall call Cuisine I, Cuisine II, and Cuisine III - The French Way I, II, and III! I love The French Way.
For lunch our chef prepared some pasta. We scooped up this corkscrew pasta, spooned the velvetty, luscious mornay sauce over the top and had it for lunch. Mmm Mmm!!
Have I said how fun it is to realize I am doing what I dream of doing when I watch cooking shows? To actually be standing at the stove with the chef, asking questions and watching him work and then having him watch over my efforts is... divine.
Cleaning sheet pans, even after they have been deglazed, on which veal bones have been roasted is not for the faint-hearted either. Personally, I didn't think they would ever come clean. In the "veal bone" vein - we also made a remmoualge- a re-wetting veal bones and mirepoix already simmered to create a basis for a heartier stock. Did you know veal stock is simmered for 8-12 hours? I used to like the smell, until it permeated my skin and hair, and now if I don't smell like the simmering pot I can just tolerate it.
There is nothing necessarily intriguing about preparing and simmering stock, but like most things, once you put in the effort - the grunt work, the fun has just begun. So, Tuesday was the grunt work, and Thursday was the FUN - Sauces.
Why are sauces so delicious? I told the chef "It's all about the sauce" - he laughed his French laugh and said I should have that saying made into a bumper sticker. :-]
My classmates and I are now working on Thee Five Mother Sauces. From our chicken stock (not to confused with broth which is made with meat - stock is made with bones) we made the bechamel. (It's funny, I feel like I should capitalize all these mother sauces to give them their due... so I will.) The Bechamel and the Veloute (vel-oo-tay) are made from chicken stock. From the Bechamel you create cheese (any type) and mornay (grueyere) sauces; from the Veloute you create the small sauce called supreme and then the hungarian, et al from the supreme. Creole is a sub sauce from a delightful Tomato (mother) sauce. The Tomato sauce is simmered with pork bones and mirepoix, a sachet of herbs and spices, tomato puree and tomatoes. All sauces are strained through a fine chinois.
An important element to most sauces is the roux - flour and clarified butter in equal parts cooked together to create either white, blond or brown roux. Stock or milk is then added with a myriad of other ingredients depending on your final "small sauce".
I have made a supreme sauce (whose basis is the Veloute) for years when I make chicken pot pie, I just didn't know I was following the "french way". I think I shall call Cuisine I, Cuisine II, and Cuisine III - The French Way I, II, and III! I love The French Way.
For lunch our chef prepared some pasta. We scooped up this corkscrew pasta, spooned the velvetty, luscious mornay sauce over the top and had it for lunch. Mmm Mmm!!
Have I said how fun it is to realize I am doing what I dream of doing when I watch cooking shows? To actually be standing at the stove with the chef, asking questions and watching him work and then having him watch over my efforts is... divine.
Friday, December 10, 2010
I am sipping coffee in my den this morning in a beautifully clean house. I don't have work or school today. I feel like weeping with the joy of it all! More home Christmas decorating is in order and that makes me happy too. God is good.
After speaking to a young girl yesterday who has a full time day job and goes to culinary school every evening (she was doing a make-up class with us) I was reminded of what a whiner I am. Not a crybaby, clearly, but a whiner... I don't want to admit it, but there it is. (How many times have I said this? It is time to act!)
Yesterday during a break one of the chef's asked me if I remembered my knives? What..?.Does every chef in the stinking school know I forgot my knives? How can I distinguish myself if EVERYONE knows!! (Hm... that sound a bit like whining doesn't it? What happened to acting on the whining problem, Gayle? Well it was only 1 paragraph ago; this is a process people. ) I plan on regrouping from that fiasco and showing that my faux pas was an aberration, not the norm, unlike the whining problem.
Enough of all that! We cooked potatoes - a tournay of potatoes. Crispy and crusty on the outside and absolute creamy, mouth-watering goodness on the inside. These sculptures were made from red potatoes and are shaped like footballs, but have 7 even, very smooth, sides (unless it is the Fondant style, which has 6)) and two equally flat ends on which the potato can stand if you so choose. Try it. You'll want to pull out all your hair.
We simmered or boiled (it was a very gentle kind of rolling-ish boil) our tournays until al dente then pan fried (not to be confused with sauteed) them in olive oil until the were a light brown. We then finished cooking them in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes. The oil was then drained and these little bites of heaven were finished in a little butter, some smashed, minced garlic (there is probably some fancy french word for that too), and finely chopped rosemary. When one pops this potato in one's mouth, one does not care if one has patches of hair left on ones head or not. This was the first time we actually got to cook at our stations instead of just watching. What a way to start. :-]
That is almost all I remember of the day - Tournayed potatoes! Ahhh... (do you hear the full melodic chord of angels singing?)
Two things: (1)I need to find out if tournay is a noun, verb, adjective or adverb in order to use it correctly! (2) I am not going to talk about the W word anymore I am either going to do it or not. Okay, three things, (3) When you ask this French chef how long it takes to cook something he gets this little gleam in his eye and says (don't forget the french accent) "Until it is done!"
After speaking to a young girl yesterday who has a full time day job and goes to culinary school every evening (she was doing a make-up class with us) I was reminded of what a whiner I am. Not a crybaby, clearly, but a whiner... I don't want to admit it, but there it is. (How many times have I said this? It is time to act!)
Yesterday during a break one of the chef's asked me if I remembered my knives? What..?.Does every chef in the stinking school know I forgot my knives? How can I distinguish myself if EVERYONE knows!! (Hm... that sound a bit like whining doesn't it? What happened to acting on the whining problem, Gayle? Well it was only 1 paragraph ago; this is a process people. ) I plan on regrouping from that fiasco and showing that my faux pas was an aberration, not the norm, unlike the whining problem.
Enough of all that! We cooked potatoes - a tournay of potatoes. Crispy and crusty on the outside and absolute creamy, mouth-watering goodness on the inside. These sculptures were made from red potatoes and are shaped like footballs, but have 7 even, very smooth, sides (unless it is the Fondant style, which has 6)) and two equally flat ends on which the potato can stand if you so choose. Try it. You'll want to pull out all your hair.
We simmered or boiled (it was a very gentle kind of rolling-ish boil) our tournays until al dente then pan fried (not to be confused with sauteed) them in olive oil until the were a light brown. We then finished cooking them in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes. The oil was then drained and these little bites of heaven were finished in a little butter, some smashed, minced garlic (there is probably some fancy french word for that too), and finely chopped rosemary. When one pops this potato in one's mouth, one does not care if one has patches of hair left on ones head or not. This was the first time we actually got to cook at our stations instead of just watching. What a way to start. :-]
That is almost all I remember of the day - Tournayed potatoes! Ahhh... (do you hear the full melodic chord of angels singing?)
Two things: (1)I need to find out if tournay is a noun, verb, adjective or adverb in order to use it correctly! (2) I am not going to talk about the W word anymore I am either going to do it or not. Okay, three things, (3) When you ask this French chef how long it takes to cook something he gets this little gleam in his eye and says (don't forget the french accent) "Until it is done!"
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
"You know what I'm craving? A little perspective."
Well, if I am going to be balanced in my blog and crow when I achieve I must sing the dirge when I fail. I didn't do something as mundane as forget a homework assignment, or burn the soup. I forgot my knives. Being without your knives as a chef is like ... a musician without his instrument! How can you play?? Yes, on the first day of our knife skills class I left my beautiful Mac knives at home, sitting snugly in their designated spot in the laundry room. After driving 25 of the 30+ minutes to school it dawned on me what I had done. Even though I was very early, I had no hope of returning through that gosh darned traffic and even making it 30-45 minutes tardy. I had to confess to the chef - you can't really hide the fact that you forgot you knife kit. He wasn't happy - that kind, French chef gets this very flat look to his eyes when he is not happy. I hate that look. To make matters worse the Executive Chef came in (which he rarely does) and witnessed my serious lapse in mise en plas and professionalism. Woe is me!
Now for a little perspective... At lunch I jumped in my car and only sped moderately home, grabbed my knives and high-tailed it back to school with enough time to set up my station with my own knives (my classmate shared one of hers with me for the morning). You can't reach my exalted age without figuring out a way to regroup from these types of blunders. I did my best to engage and after my initial apologies to then tried to forget I was such a birdbrain.
Knife skills was actually fun - but can I say it is quite hard to cut squares from carrots. For our final the chef will measure our vegetables for the correct size of our julliene, brunoise, and batonnet, not to mention the tournay. My favorite cut was the losange - diamond shaped.
More knife info in my next installment...
But wait, did you know that one "s" in a french word is pronounced like a "z"? If there are 2 "s's" it is pronounced with the esss sound!
Now for a little perspective... At lunch I jumped in my car and only sped moderately home, grabbed my knives and high-tailed it back to school with enough time to set up my station with my own knives (my classmate shared one of hers with me for the morning). You can't reach my exalted age without figuring out a way to regroup from these types of blunders. I did my best to engage and after my initial apologies to then tried to forget I was such a birdbrain.
Knife skills was actually fun - but can I say it is quite hard to cut squares from carrots. For our final the chef will measure our vegetables for the correct size of our julliene, brunoise, and batonnet, not to mention the tournay. My favorite cut was the losange - diamond shaped.
More knife info in my next installment...
Friday, December 3, 2010
"Hunger is the best sauce"
I don't think I was particularly hungry when the French chef was coaxed into making some sauces. They were soo ooo delicious. Thursday we arrived to see chicken marinating and steak ready to be trimmed. The chef demonstrated 2 different methods for cooking chicken, one marinated one sauteed with just salt and pepper, both finished in the oven. Well, you know how the pan looks after the plain chicken is finished in the oven? Just lovely and brown... so I asked what kind of sauce he would make with the drippings. He looked at me kind of quizzically and sent students off to get the white wine, dijon mustard and heavy cream (my eyes are rolling into the back of my head just thinking about it.) He reduced it and we ate it. Then he got out the steak and sauteed one plain and one with a dry rub of paprika, oregano and thyme (no salt of course until you are ready to cook). They were both good and you can imagine how the tastes differed. THEN, he cut off a couple more steaks and made Steak Au Poive with a brandy cream sauce with fond from the pan... I don't even know what to type, my fingers just hang over the keyboard trying to think of a word, or even a phrase to tell you how good it was. Suffice it to say, after the Chef finished the sauce and dipped his tasting spoon in for a sample, he cocked his head and said in his heavily accented English, "Yep, I've still got it."
We took 2 tests. One identifying herbs and vegetables - yes, I missed frisee, and I thought a big yellow squash was called a summer squash, it is called a yellow squash - oh brother. I did identify correctly mace and chinese five spice powder which is a small miracle since I haven't used either. The other test was 80 multiple choice, fill in the blank, essay and true/false questions over 3 long chapters regarding kitchen equipment, cookware, cooking techniques flavors, etc . I passed and as much as I am tempted to crow my success I shall not in this blog... hmm I think that was my subtle way of crowing. Okay, it's my blog so I'm going to crow - 90%. I told cute daughter Alyssa I am only as good as my last grade and the educator that she is reminded me that I am as good as my highest grade. Isn't she a delight? ;-]
The kitchen mapping project was turned in yesterday as well, and for next Tuesday I only have 2 chapters to read. PAR-TAYE (party).
Wait, wait, wait... I forgot to mention the caramel sauce I prodded the chef into making for us. After carmelizing and sweating onions I thought he might be talked into a little sugar carmelization. He was! I love this chef!!
We took 2 tests. One identifying herbs and vegetables - yes, I missed frisee, and I thought a big yellow squash was called a summer squash, it is called a yellow squash - oh brother. I did identify correctly mace and chinese five spice powder which is a small miracle since I haven't used either. The other test was 80 multiple choice, fill in the blank, essay and true/false questions over 3 long chapters regarding kitchen equipment, cookware, cooking techniques flavors, etc . I passed and as much as I am tempted to crow my success I shall not in this blog... hmm I think that was my subtle way of crowing. Okay, it's my blog so I'm going to crow - 90%. I told cute daughter Alyssa I am only as good as my last grade and the educator that she is reminded me that I am as good as my highest grade. Isn't she a delight? ;-]
The kitchen mapping project was turned in yesterday as well, and for next Tuesday I only have 2 chapters to read. PAR-TAYE (party).
Wait, wait, wait... I forgot to mention the caramel sauce I prodded the chef into making for us. After carmelizing and sweating onions I thought he might be talked into a little sugar carmelization. He was! I love this chef!!
"Your slow for someone in the fast lane"
Well, the pico de gallo was about flavor not knife skills... and I was soo sure! The good news is I did figure that out before I presented something with no flavor. In fact the chef enjoyed my pico which was made with roasted garlic, tomato, red onion, cilantro, jalapeno and lime juice. Personally, I didn't think it was spicy enough, but it's creation had become an obsession and I was over it. I can only be obsessed for so long and then I just run out of energy, and my back starts to hurt. :-]
The best part of Tuesday's class was learning the Court Bouillon (pronounced "cou buyon"), which is a delightful poaching liquid made of water, lemon juice, white wine or vinegar, herbs, mire poix cooked until the vegetables are soft and released their flavors. It is then strained and you add salt and a lovely piece of fish, shellfish or chicken. On our break, after the french chef demonstrated this ambrosia, I called Ron and asked him to get some halibut for dinner. I got home at 6:30 and proceeded to reproduce the recipe. This is what I learned - you need to have enough poaching liquid to poach :-] and you must be patient because the protein only gets better the longer it poaches. Try it - you'll love it.
Wait, I think I said the best part of Tuesday was the Court Bouillon... well I have two words for you... DUCK FAT!! Oh my gosh... oh my gosh. I know what you are thinking, but you are sooo wrong. Toss just the smallest amount of duck fat on hot french fries... o m gosh! You can probably only do this once a month for health and pocket book reasons, but what a treat! This is all I have to say "Go out and buy duck fat today."
The only downside to class was getting "yelled at" because my bangs weren't under my hat.. I want to type "WHATEVER", in fact I wanted to say to the pain-in-the-neck chef - "whatever", but I have to follow the rules. Can I say that I just don't look good with my bangs under my hat. ;-o
The best part of Tuesday's class was learning the Court Bouillon (pronounced "cou buyon"), which is a delightful poaching liquid made of water, lemon juice, white wine or vinegar, herbs, mire poix cooked until the vegetables are soft and released their flavors. It is then strained and you add salt and a lovely piece of fish, shellfish or chicken. On our break, after the french chef demonstrated this ambrosia, I called Ron and asked him to get some halibut for dinner. I got home at 6:30 and proceeded to reproduce the recipe. This is what I learned - you need to have enough poaching liquid to poach :-] and you must be patient because the protein only gets better the longer it poaches. Try it - you'll love it.
Wait, I think I said the best part of Tuesday was the Court Bouillon... well I have two words for you... DUCK FAT!! Oh my gosh... oh my gosh. I know what you are thinking, but you are sooo wrong. Toss just the smallest amount of duck fat on hot french fries... o m gosh! You can probably only do this once a month for health and pocket book reasons, but what a treat! This is all I have to say "Go out and buy duck fat today."
The only downside to class was getting "yelled at" because my bangs weren't under my hat.. I want to type "WHATEVER", in fact I wanted to say to the pain-in-the-neck chef - "whatever", but I have to follow the rules. Can I say that I just don't look good with my bangs under my hat. ;-o
Saturday, November 27, 2010
“... Taste the flavor exploding in your mouth. Appreciate the texture. Honor your food with the time you take.”
I just finished making notes from Chapter 7 entitled Flavors and Flavorings. It took forever.. but now I will have them for the test.. when is the test? I don't know, but it will come soon enough. Yesterday I washed and marked (with dots of pink O*P*I nail polish called "la positively hot") all my utensils and my Mac knives. Yes, I nicked my finger with the 10" chef's knife and it was still bleeding today.
At school last Tuesday we learned how to set up our stations with cutting boards and knives, bleach towels, and regular towels. Two students share salt, pepper, whisk, tongs, ladles, wooden spoons, and waste bowls.
We took a tour of the kitchen, storage units and refrigerators. We were graced with the joy of cleaning out the walk-in refrigerator and were warned not to ever let it get into that shape or there would be hell to pay. I wonder if the chef instructor tracked down the students who lapsed in their refrigerator etiquette... hmm. I don't plan on lapsing!
We spent the afternoon tasting and rating flavors - on a scale of 1-10 in acidity, balance, bitterness, sweetness, umami, richness, etc. Interesting dishes have complimentary flavors which balance the overall taste. Obviously, still not a lot happening in the kitchen, but I live in hope. Hope mixed with fear... it is amazing how all the insecurities of childhood and young adulthood come creeping back into the old psyche to create anxiety. I remind myself confidence in the kitchen is essential and I am not that child/teen/young adult who so desperately wanted to please. I am competent in my own right... I am competent in my own right... I am competent in my own right. I am almost convinced.
This week I have a kitchen mapping project due and Tuesday, I must take a pint of pico de gallo to school. Some of the students are thinking it is about being adventurous in the recipe, but I know this is about knife skills. My pico de gallo is going to be diced within an inch of it's life and hopefully my fingers will survive the experience with my new knives.
Postscript - Ron thinks I look good in my chef's uniform :-]
At school last Tuesday we learned how to set up our stations with cutting boards and knives, bleach towels, and regular towels. Two students share salt, pepper, whisk, tongs, ladles, wooden spoons, and waste bowls.
We took a tour of the kitchen, storage units and refrigerators. We were graced with the joy of cleaning out the walk-in refrigerator and were warned not to ever let it get into that shape or there would be hell to pay. I wonder if the chef instructor tracked down the students who lapsed in their refrigerator etiquette... hmm. I don't plan on lapsing!
We spent the afternoon tasting and rating flavors - on a scale of 1-10 in acidity, balance, bitterness, sweetness, umami, richness, etc. Interesting dishes have complimentary flavors which balance the overall taste. Obviously, still not a lot happening in the kitchen, but I live in hope. Hope mixed with fear... it is amazing how all the insecurities of childhood and young adulthood come creeping back into the old psyche to create anxiety. I remind myself confidence in the kitchen is essential and I am not that child/teen/young adult who so desperately wanted to please. I am competent in my own right... I am competent in my own right... I am competent in my own right. I am almost convinced.
This week I have a kitchen mapping project due and Tuesday, I must take a pint of pico de gallo to school. Some of the students are thinking it is about being adventurous in the recipe, but I know this is about knife skills. My pico de gallo is going to be diced within an inch of it's life and hopefully my fingers will survive the experience with my new knives.
Postscript - Ron thinks I look good in my chef's uniform :-]
Friday, November 19, 2010
"No brother of mine eats rejecta-menta in my town!"
No one can eat reject-menta in any town... according to the ServeSafe manual! After 20 plus hours of discussing Norovirus and Hepatitis A outbreaks, bio-hazards, parasites, molds, and much, much more, all I have to say is WASH YOUR HANDS. Cook things to the proper temperature and refrigerate after they have reached a temperature of 70 degrees within 2 hours. :-] You should be good. The biggest question is... how has my family not been hospitalized as a result of my cooking/cleaning?
We took 2 tests today. One was a HACCP - testing our ability to identify Critical Control Points and how to identify, monitor and record kitchen procedures. Test #2 was the ServeSafe test which I must pass or sit through 20 more hours of training and take it again. UGH. Surely I passed ! Please God I passed! I won't find out for 6 weeks.
I wish my brain wasn't fried and I had something pithy to say that would make you smile, but the brain has been challenged to a level it hasn't seen for 30 plus years. The good news is now I am FREE from the classroom and Tuesday we enter the KITCHEN!!
We took 2 tests today. One was a HACCP - testing our ability to identify Critical Control Points and how to identify, monitor and record kitchen procedures. Test #2 was the ServeSafe test which I must pass or sit through 20 more hours of training and take it again. UGH. Surely I passed ! Please God I passed! I won't find out for 6 weeks.
I wish my brain wasn't fried and I had something pithy to say that would make you smile, but the brain has been challenged to a level it hasn't seen for 30 plus years. The good news is now I am FREE from the classroom and Tuesday we enter the KITCHEN!!
Friday, November 12, 2010
"Let us toast your non-idiocy"
I am happy to say I only missed 2 out of 28 test questions regarding recipe factoring. One was a stupid mistake and the other one was... another stupid mistake. Yet I feel good about the final outcome.
Did I mention that Ron helped with my homework by by drawing a wedge of quiche, heirloom tomatoes and an arugula salad for my plate diagram? It was quite good artwork. My class and chef instructor were duly impressed.
Yesterday we learned how to calculate the Edible Portion price in relation to the As Purchased price. In other words you can't eat 100% of an onion. There is an edible portion percentage of different foods. Milk is, of course 100% consumed. I think we figured an onion was 84.9% edible. I think factoring is going to my new favorite thing! I am such a liar.
News Flash: It pays to know people in high places. Acutally, it pays to know people who know the pastry chef instructor at SDCI! My work-colleague and friend knows Chef Y at the culinary academy, who yesterday, asked me to take some fresh baked rolls and breads to her. I was delighted to, but equally delighted when he graced me my own bag of fresh rolls and croissants! "If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens."- Robert Browning.
And in case you are wondering, I worked my road rage plan and when returning home last night and stayed out of the fast lanes. "Life in the fast lane... Surely make you lose your mind."
Next week is Safety and Sanitation! Be prepared for all manner of disgusting stories of botulism and salmonella.
Did I mention that Ron helped with my homework by by drawing a wedge of quiche, heirloom tomatoes and an arugula salad for my plate diagram? It was quite good artwork. My class and chef instructor were duly impressed.
Yesterday we learned how to calculate the Edible Portion price in relation to the As Purchased price. In other words you can't eat 100% of an onion. There is an edible portion percentage of different foods. Milk is, of course 100% consumed. I think we figured an onion was 84.9% edible. I think factoring is going to my new favorite thing! I am such a liar.
News Flash: It pays to know people in high places. Acutally, it pays to know people who know the pastry chef instructor at SDCI! My work-colleague and friend knows Chef Y at the culinary academy, who yesterday, asked me to take some fresh baked rolls and breads to her. I was delighted to, but equally delighted when he graced me my own bag of fresh rolls and croissants! "If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens."- Robert Browning.
And in case you are wondering, I worked my road rage plan and when returning home last night and stayed out of the fast lanes. "Life in the fast lane... Surely make you lose your mind."
Next week is Safety and Sanitation! Be prepared for all manner of disgusting stories of botulism and salmonella.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
"...and your thin for someone who likes food."
Mmm... mmm... mashed potatoes with braised short ribs, asparagus, and a yummy cote d' rhone. Dee-lightful! That was dinner tonight with friends.
But this post is about tiring Tuesday. Good gracious my brain was about to burst just trying to assimilate Tuesday's mathematical information. Writing out a recipe and figuring out it's cost isn't difficult work, until you include the words: method, unit, quotient factor, and food cost percentage. Food cost percentage is based on a working budget and each recipe should be within a certain range. Does this make sense to you? No, of course not, because I don't fully understand it, and therefore cannot explain it with any precision. And for those of you with accounting math brains, you don't count, you could probably do this figuring in your sleep... C ÷ FC%= R ... That is all I have to say. So let us talk about something more interesting than the test I am going to have on this tomorrow...
The recipe I chose to do a cost analysis on was a Quiche Lorraine (recipe from Thomas Keller's, Bouchon. Why do you have to make the custard in two batches?). I also had to do a plate diagram. The problem is I cannot draw. Ah, but Ron can, and since I was allowed to use photos, I decided having him draw what I purposed ( Quiche Lorraine with sliced heirloom tomatoes and an arugula salad) was not cheating. He did a fine job (he used colored pencils), and hopefully can pull me out of the lower echelon of my math inability for a good overall grade.
Some other things I learned Tuesday: My chef instructor helped designed Gordon Ramsey's kitchen in London (the only thing I really know about Gordon Ramsey is he needs to have his mouth washed out with soap); we culinarians had fresh croissants again and they were just as good as the ones delivered to us last week - Bravo to the commis de patisserie (!!); there is a lot of math to do if you want to open your own restaurant and have any success; I stink at math.
One more unrelated thought - my greatest challenge so far is road rage. Yes, I admit it, coming home at 5PM on the 5 after a tiring day is not a happy experience. I am trying the book on tape thing -- it's not working. Maybe I'll force myself to just stay in the right lane and travel between 55 and 60 MPH or 25 to 30 MPH depending on the flow of traffic:
"God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference."
I think I could work up enough courage to change the traffic jam at 5pm!! Maybe I should pray for the wisdom to know the difference. Did I mention my car isn't happy going less than 80 MPH on the freeway?
But this post is about tiring Tuesday. Good gracious my brain was about to burst just trying to assimilate Tuesday's mathematical information. Writing out a recipe and figuring out it's cost isn't difficult work, until you include the words: method, unit, quotient factor, and food cost percentage. Food cost percentage is based on a working budget and each recipe should be within a certain range. Does this make sense to you? No, of course not, because I don't fully understand it, and therefore cannot explain it with any precision. And for those of you with accounting math brains, you don't count, you could probably do this figuring in your sleep... C ÷ FC%= R ... That is all I have to say. So let us talk about something more interesting than the test I am going to have on this tomorrow...
The recipe I chose to do a cost analysis on was a Quiche Lorraine (recipe from Thomas Keller's, Bouchon. Why do you have to make the custard in two batches?). I also had to do a plate diagram. The problem is I cannot draw. Ah, but Ron can, and since I was allowed to use photos, I decided having him draw what I purposed ( Quiche Lorraine with sliced heirloom tomatoes and an arugula salad) was not cheating. He did a fine job (he used colored pencils), and hopefully can pull me out of the lower echelon of my math inability for a good overall grade.
Some other things I learned Tuesday: My chef instructor helped designed Gordon Ramsey's kitchen in London (the only thing I really know about Gordon Ramsey is he needs to have his mouth washed out with soap); we culinarians had fresh croissants again and they were just as good as the ones delivered to us last week - Bravo to the commis de patisserie (!!); there is a lot of math to do if you want to open your own restaurant and have any success; I stink at math.
One more unrelated thought - my greatest challenge so far is road rage. Yes, I admit it, coming home at 5PM on the 5 after a tiring day is not a happy experience. I am trying the book on tape thing -- it's not working. Maybe I'll force myself to just stay in the right lane and travel between 55 and 60 MPH or 25 to 30 MPH depending on the flow of traffic:
"God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference."
I think I could work up enough courage to change the traffic jam at 5pm!! Maybe I should pray for the wisdom to know the difference. Did I mention my car isn't happy going less than 80 MPH on the freeway?
Sunday, November 7, 2010
"If you're going to name a food, give it a name that sounds delicious"
My first test was Thursday. I passed. I missed one. The sorrow that follows that one missed question may seem ridiculous, but the test was open notebook! Honestly, how could I miss one? I practically retyped the chapter for my notes. True or False: " Escoffier's kitchen brigade is used to organize modern restaurant kitchens." Well, okay most restaurants can't afford to have 12 or so chef's and commis in the kitchen, but I thought his general plan is still in effect... and how do I know this? Maybe in the future, when I am asked a restaurant kitchen question I will base my answer on what I am taught and not what I "gather" to be true... I think my obsession with this may be a little unhealthy.
Speaking of restaurant experience, of which I have none, I think my 160 hour "externship" is going to have to take place in a restaurant kitchen. I was trying to think of a way around this dilemma. I am not sure I am up to 8 hours/day, 40 hours/week, in a high pressure kitchen situation. Oh gee, I am whining already!
This Tuesday I am to bring my calculator with me to work on business management with my co-commis. Hallelujah, my degree is Home Economics will finally come in handy! Not to cast aspersions on my degree, but my use of the economics portion of it.
I almost forgot to mention the reason for the title of this post - At my Saturday night gourmet group dinner, one male gourmand named my bone-in pork chop "Jurassic Pork", and although clever, and may be true of the chop's size, I don't want to eat that. Maybe that is a man-thing. I want to eat something named "Cotelette de Porc" or "Cochon de Lait Rôti avec des Raisins Rouges."
Speaking of restaurant experience, of which I have none, I think my 160 hour "externship" is going to have to take place in a restaurant kitchen. I was trying to think of a way around this dilemma. I am not sure I am up to 8 hours/day, 40 hours/week, in a high pressure kitchen situation. Oh gee, I am whining already!
This Tuesday I am to bring my calculator with me to work on business management with my co-commis. Hallelujah, my degree is Home Economics will finally come in handy! Not to cast aspersions on my degree, but my use of the economics portion of it.
I almost forgot to mention the reason for the title of this post - At my Saturday night gourmet group dinner, one male gourmand named my bone-in pork chop "Jurassic Pork", and although clever, and may be true of the chop's size, I don't want to eat that. Maybe that is a man-thing. I want to eat something named "Cotelette de Porc" or "Cochon de Lait Rôti avec des Raisins Rouges."
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
"You think cooking is a cute job, eh? Like Mommy in the kitchen?"
Do you have days where the words just won't come out?... Milo and Lisa know I couldn't even think of the word "bag" today... this blog entry could be in trouble.
First let me say, croisssants cooked by a French pastry chef that come straight out of the oven are absolutely heavenly! Class came to a screeching halt on Tuesday when those delightful, delectable (thank you Thesaurus.com) delicacies came wafting in. Even the chef instructor stopped to enjoy! Buttery, flaky, airy bites heaven. Speaking of heaven... there must be croissants in heaven! I do believe heaven will be full of food - An "All Day Dinner on the Ground", as sung by Reba Rambo (Denise, Jean, Cindy, if you are out there - does that ring a bell?). I digress...
Tuesday was full of book learning. Culinary leaders like Careme, Escoffier, Point, Lenotre, Waters. Culinary strategies like the kitchen brigade which include sauciers, fritturiers, potagers, and entremeiers to name a few. (I sound ridiculous trying to say those lovely words out loud- I tried to say "poissoniers" and the chef thought I said poison-ers. Not good.)
Culinary styles like grande cuisine, classic cuisine, nouvelle cuisine, new American cuisine, fusion cuisine.
Culinary technologies like... I don't like talking techy.
All these (off to the Thesaurus...) "categories" must be mastered for my test tomorrow. Which I will admit is open notebook. You will be quite proud to know that I have typed all my notes and hopefully have a very exhaustive (need a different word..."complete"?) paper to take in with me for the test. I did think it may behoove me to just retype the textbook... is that cheating?? My memory just is not what it used to be.
My ears aren't quite what they used to be either. My current chef instructor is from Switzerland and says "coffee" and "sauces" like he grew up with you, Gloria, on Long Island! Then we had the French chef's entry with the croissants... all I really understood was the word croissant (that was all that was necessary). Later in the day another chef was speaking something that sounded kind of like English... maybe he is from Poland or Katmandu?? I have now started to worry about my note taking... what if I thought my Swiss instructor said "nouvelle cuisine", but he really said New Vail cuisine. Is there a "New" Vail to go along with the old Vail? Maybe this is a type of skiing food ... my Swiss instructor was an avid skier! No worries, I have plans to brown-nose tomorrow with some Swiss garden seeds (provided by kind Jim who just visited that lovely country) and talk about food called Rosti and Tartafay. Do I sound like I have any idea what I am talking about? Maybe Chef W. won't see through my ruse!
Since I have a test tomorrow I should... you thought I was going to say "study", but those of you who know me well know I was going to say... SLEEP!
Oh P.S. Your homework is to plan the menu for your last meal on earth... mine includes Ribeye steaks, foie gras, bruschetta, Banana's Foster, Chocolate Molten Cake, Lemon Meringue Pie, and a Blonde Parisienne (a champagne cocktail). At the end of this blog we will compare your meal now with your meal then!!
First let me say, croisssants cooked by a French pastry chef that come straight out of the oven are absolutely heavenly! Class came to a screeching halt on Tuesday when those delightful, delectable (thank you Thesaurus.com) delicacies came wafting in. Even the chef instructor stopped to enjoy! Buttery, flaky, airy bites heaven. Speaking of heaven... there must be croissants in heaven! I do believe heaven will be full of food - An "All Day Dinner on the Ground", as sung by Reba Rambo (Denise, Jean, Cindy, if you are out there - does that ring a bell?). I digress...
Tuesday was full of book learning. Culinary leaders like Careme, Escoffier, Point, Lenotre, Waters. Culinary strategies like the kitchen brigade which include sauciers, fritturiers, potagers, and entremeiers to name a few. (I sound ridiculous trying to say those lovely words out loud- I tried to say "poissoniers" and the chef thought I said poison-ers. Not good.)
Culinary styles like grande cuisine, classic cuisine, nouvelle cuisine, new American cuisine, fusion cuisine.
Culinary technologies like... I don't like talking techy.
All these (off to the Thesaurus...) "categories" must be mastered for my test tomorrow. Which I will admit is open notebook. You will be quite proud to know that I have typed all my notes and hopefully have a very exhaustive (need a different word..."complete"?) paper to take in with me for the test. I did think it may behoove me to just retype the textbook... is that cheating?? My memory just is not what it used to be.
My ears aren't quite what they used to be either. My current chef instructor is from Switzerland and says "coffee" and "sauces" like he grew up with you, Gloria, on Long Island! Then we had the French chef's entry with the croissants... all I really understood was the word croissant (that was all that was necessary). Later in the day another chef was speaking something that sounded kind of like English... maybe he is from Poland or Katmandu?? I have now started to worry about my note taking... what if I thought my Swiss instructor said "nouvelle cuisine", but he really said New Vail cuisine. Is there a "New" Vail to go along with the old Vail? Maybe this is a type of skiing food ... my Swiss instructor was an avid skier! No worries, I have plans to brown-nose tomorrow with some Swiss garden seeds (provided by kind Jim who just visited that lovely country) and talk about food called Rosti and Tartafay. Do I sound like I have any idea what I am talking about? Maybe Chef W. won't see through my ruse!
Since I have a test tomorrow I should... you thought I was going to say "study", but those of you who know me well know I was going to say... SLEEP!
Oh P.S. Your homework is to plan the menu for your last meal on earth... mine includes Ribeye steaks, foie gras, bruschetta, Banana's Foster, Chocolate Molten Cake, Lemon Meringue Pie, and a Blonde Parisienne (a champagne cocktail). At the end of this blog we will compare your meal now with your meal then!!
Friday, October 29, 2010
"What? Rosemary? That's a spice, isn't it..."
Orienting at Culinary School
Time to put up or shut up! Culinary school starts Tuesday.
My new stack of books was almost more than I could manage to get into my car after a full morning. It started quietly - as in no one in the room was talking... to anyone! In my usual outgoing-can't keep silent way, I struck up a conversation with my table-mate, and that went fairly well. I offered him a job at Sur la Table... can I do that? Maybe I need to tone it down a notch.
Other than a boat-load of books and a full head of expectations, I can say I feel excited, capable and armed with a package of colored pencils (erasable), highlighters, notepads, etc., able to tackle the 3 chapters to be read and a one to one and a half page paper on my inspirational chef (Remy?) completed and ready for grading on Tuesday. (Did I mention I am hosting a gourmet group tomorrow night, sing Sunday morning, work Sunday night, small group of Fugitives and cooking for Pam on Monday.) Time Management Gayle!
Most significant piece of culinary insight I learned today: Mise en Place - Everything in it's place. That may be my single greatest lesson for these next 9 months.
Bear with me as I learn this blog-thingy and thanks for taking the ride with me and comment at will, but be nice!
Time to put up or shut up! Culinary school starts Tuesday.
My new stack of books was almost more than I could manage to get into my car after a full morning. It started quietly - as in no one in the room was talking... to anyone! In my usual outgoing-can't keep silent way, I struck up a conversation with my table-mate, and that went fairly well. I offered him a job at Sur la Table... can I do that? Maybe I need to tone it down a notch.
Other than a boat-load of books and a full head of expectations, I can say I feel excited, capable and armed with a package of colored pencils (erasable), highlighters, notepads, etc., able to tackle the 3 chapters to be read and a one to one and a half page paper on my inspirational chef (Remy?) completed and ready for grading on Tuesday. (Did I mention I am hosting a gourmet group tomorrow night, sing Sunday morning, work Sunday night, small group of Fugitives and cooking for Pam on Monday.) Time Management Gayle!
Most significant piece of culinary insight I learned today: Mise en Place - Everything in it's place. That may be my single greatest lesson for these next 9 months.
Bear with me as I learn this blog-thingy and thanks for taking the ride with me and comment at will, but be nice!
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