"Now take a bite of this....No, no don't just hork it down"

Cioppino - it's easy to "hork" down... because it is soo good!  That was our culinary experience and treat at the end of a busy day at school on Tuesday.
My knife skills were fair... I'm sorry to say I choked a little, but I try to remind myself that was my first "practical" exam so hopefully I will improve my performance under pressure.  The written exam was... interesting.  85% was the highest grade in the class.  Needless to say most were not happy with their score - neither was the person who scored 85%!  Culinary school is not for the faint of heart - only the strong survive - "Ferryman ho! In the night so black Hark to the clank of iron; 'Tis heroes of the Yser, 'Tis sweethearts of glory, 'Tis lads who are unafraid! Ferryman ho!"... "Hail, ye heroes! heaven-born band! Who fought and bled in Freedom's cause."...  "When the will defies fear, when duty throws the gauntlet down to fate, when honor scorns to compromise with death"... This is war!  (Wow, my adrenaline is pumping now.)
After all the testing we took a break and I introduced myself to someone from another class who was milling around in the... okay, in the ladies room where girl-talk thrives - her class is about 6 weeks ahead of our class.  I inquired as to how she enjoyed Cuisine II... I think she was an unhappy person.  She never smiled; she rolled her eyes; she looked with great pity on me and all she said was "good luck."  Really?  No, I mean REALLY??  I shall not be discouraged and will yet remember what a great American president once said "The future does not belong to the faint-
hearted; it belongs to the brave." 

(Sighing)  All that talk of battle and conflict and conquering took a lot of energy...  I will close with a picture of the deliciousness won at the dying of the day. :-]