“... 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  :-]