Tuesday, March 30, 2010
amazing.
Tonight was awesome. I was invited back for a second trail! I'll post more another time. Right now, I'm pooped.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Speaking of Iron Chef...
Finals and quarter one are over. Flew right by. Now I'm on spring break and it's right back to the grind. I asked one of my professors for assistance in getting some experience in the kitchen. He really came through for me and gave me the contact info for one of the chef's at Tinto. I gave the chef a call and he invited me in for a trail tomorrow (yes, trail. Not trial.) From what I know, I could be doing anything from following another chef around all night, to cutting, or cleaning or pretty much whatever they want.
Never having been to this Garces restaurant, I went for brunch on Sunday. Everything was outstanding and I'm not just saying that. The tortilla espanola was my favorite. We each ordered something different so I was able to try a few of the dishes. I asked our server if the chef I was supposed to meet was working and if I could introduce myself if he had a moment. He did and luckily, it eased some of my nervousness. Of course not all of it, but now my excitement is definitely outweighing my anxiety.
I spent this evening working on my knife cuts and reviewing their menu. I know this is a great opportunity at a great restaurant and I am really hoping this could be the start of something new.
Here goes nothin'.
Never having been to this Garces restaurant, I went for brunch on Sunday. Everything was outstanding and I'm not just saying that. The tortilla espanola was my favorite. We each ordered something different so I was able to try a few of the dishes. I asked our server if the chef I was supposed to meet was working and if I could introduce myself if he had a moment. He did and luckily, it eased some of my nervousness. Of course not all of it, but now my excitement is definitely outweighing my anxiety.
I spent this evening working on my knife cuts and reviewing their menu. I know this is a great opportunity at a great restaurant and I am really hoping this could be the start of something new.
Here goes nothin'.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
end of the beginning part 1
So practical one was last night. The best way to describe it would be a beginner's version of iron chef + 3 hours. Chef folded a piece of paper that had six items written on it and everyone chose at random. I think for the sheet I happened to take he decided to put the most complicated items.
I had to make the following:
- stewed vegetables (1 zucchini, 1 eggplant)
- 1 pound of pasta dough cut into fettucini
- hollandaise sauce
- tomato sauce
- french fries
- pureed soup
I started with the pasta since that would take the longest. Relieved I practiced over the weekend and spoke with chef about it the night prior, I made a well of flour on a sheet pan, whisked my eggs and combined everything. It was my best work ever. Not to toot my own horn but toot toot. When my dough was finished I let it sit and started with my tomato sauce so I could serve it as a dish. I rolled out the pasta and cut my fettucini and while waiting for everything to finish for that dish, I started my hollandaise. After whisking the egg yolk and lemon water over a double boiler I started whisking in my butter and the sauce broke. Start over. Broke again. Frustrated, I moved on to my french fries. Sliced them and put in water so they wouldn't oxidize. By then my sauce was finishing so I cooked my pasta and finished the dish. Chef said I talk a big game about being Italian and how he calls it gravy and that this better be good. "You're lucky." Again toot toot.
Back to french fries. I wanted to serve them with my hollandaise and that wasn't working out so the fries had to go it alone. I blanched them in boiling water and moved them to the fryer. Error # 1. As soon as they hit the oil I knew I messed up. They turned an odd shade of brown and were a bit soggy, however well seasoned. Hey, I am trying to earn back my "toots" that I just lost.
Next dish: Pureed soup. I placed red peppers on the burner of the stove to get them nice and burnt. Once covered in black I put them in a bowl and covered it with plastic wrap to loosen the skins. Meanwhile I prepared my stock for the following two dishes. I cut my zucchini and eggplant for my stewed vegetables and looked at the clock. 8:30. I am two and a half hours in and starting to panic. Nerves were getting the best of me and I needed to relax. Mise en place, make sure I had everything I needed and took a second to breath.
I salted my eggplant slices and started sautéing my zucchini. While this was cooking I made my brown roux to add to the vegetables. Rinsed my eggplant and added it with the zucchini. Added my stock, simmered and added my roux. A success. The toots are coming back!
4 down, 2 more to go. I sweated my mirepoix and assembled my spice sachet for my soup. Meanwhile I removed the skins of my peppers and gave them a good rinse and rough chop. Added the mirepoix to my stock with the peppers and brought it to a boil, then a simmer and added my sachet. While that simmered it was time to conquer my earlier foe: hollandaise.
I went to the sinks to have a breather and get my thoughts in order. I realized both times before I was too "eggy" and needed more water this time. I collected my ingredients and moved to the stove. Egg yolk and lemon water over the double boiler, I started whisking. It didn't take long for sabayon stage to occur and so far it was looking good. Relief. Removed my mixture from the heat and started adding my butter. It was holding. Double relief. I few minutes later I took my sauce up to chef and he tasted it. Success ... finally!
By this time my soup was ready to be pureed. I grabbed the food mill and got to work. To my pureed soup I added honey and some cayenne pepper. Chef tasted it and made a face. My heart fell into my stomach. "What's in this?" he asked. I told him and he said "good work. Remember that for another time." I was done. Toot toot!!!!
The fastest, most stressful and fun four hours of my life. Loved every second but so happy it is over. Chef said writing "relax" on my paper possibly earned me an extra point.
One more practical to go and three written finals until spring break. And sleep.
I had to make the following:
- stewed vegetables (1 zucchini, 1 eggplant)
- 1 pound of pasta dough cut into fettucini
- hollandaise sauce
- tomato sauce
- french fries
- pureed soup
I started with the pasta since that would take the longest. Relieved I practiced over the weekend and spoke with chef about it the night prior, I made a well of flour on a sheet pan, whisked my eggs and combined everything. It was my best work ever. Not to toot my own horn but toot toot. When my dough was finished I let it sit and started with my tomato sauce so I could serve it as a dish. I rolled out the pasta and cut my fettucini and while waiting for everything to finish for that dish, I started my hollandaise. After whisking the egg yolk and lemon water over a double boiler I started whisking in my butter and the sauce broke. Start over. Broke again. Frustrated, I moved on to my french fries. Sliced them and put in water so they wouldn't oxidize. By then my sauce was finishing so I cooked my pasta and finished the dish. Chef said I talk a big game about being Italian and how he calls it gravy and that this better be good. "You're lucky." Again toot toot.
Back to french fries. I wanted to serve them with my hollandaise and that wasn't working out so the fries had to go it alone. I blanched them in boiling water and moved them to the fryer. Error # 1. As soon as they hit the oil I knew I messed up. They turned an odd shade of brown and were a bit soggy, however well seasoned. Hey, I am trying to earn back my "toots" that I just lost.
Next dish: Pureed soup. I placed red peppers on the burner of the stove to get them nice and burnt. Once covered in black I put them in a bowl and covered it with plastic wrap to loosen the skins. Meanwhile I prepared my stock for the following two dishes. I cut my zucchini and eggplant for my stewed vegetables and looked at the clock. 8:30. I am two and a half hours in and starting to panic. Nerves were getting the best of me and I needed to relax. Mise en place, make sure I had everything I needed and took a second to breath.
I salted my eggplant slices and started sautéing my zucchini. While this was cooking I made my brown roux to add to the vegetables. Rinsed my eggplant and added it with the zucchini. Added my stock, simmered and added my roux. A success. The toots are coming back!
4 down, 2 more to go. I sweated my mirepoix and assembled my spice sachet for my soup. Meanwhile I removed the skins of my peppers and gave them a good rinse and rough chop. Added the mirepoix to my stock with the peppers and brought it to a boil, then a simmer and added my sachet. While that simmered it was time to conquer my earlier foe: hollandaise.
I went to the sinks to have a breather and get my thoughts in order. I realized both times before I was too "eggy" and needed more water this time. I collected my ingredients and moved to the stove. Egg yolk and lemon water over the double boiler, I started whisking. It didn't take long for sabayon stage to occur and so far it was looking good. Relief. Removed my mixture from the heat and started adding my butter. It was holding. Double relief. I few minutes later I took my sauce up to chef and he tasted it. Success ... finally!
By this time my soup was ready to be pureed. I grabbed the food mill and got to work. To my pureed soup I added honey and some cayenne pepper. Chef tasted it and made a face. My heart fell into my stomach. "What's in this?" he asked. I told him and he said "good work. Remember that for another time." I was done. Toot toot!!!!
The fastest, most stressful and fun four hours of my life. Loved every second but so happy it is over. Chef said writing "relax" on my paper possibly earned me an extra point.
One more practical to go and three written finals until spring break. And sleep.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Never ever ever cook popcorn with olive oil...idiot.
Well it has been a while since my last proper update on how things are going, what I am learning, etc. A lot has been going on with me lately. March definitely came in like a lion.
I kicked up my training for Broad Street completing my longest run ever. I planned my three mile course and once I got to the 5K mark I made it my goal to run farther and faster than I had at my first 5K race. I beat my old time by 2 minutes and went .1 miles more. I know to some seasoned runners that may not seem like a big deal but I think it is and am very proud. I am looking forward to pushing for 3.5, possibly 4, miles this weekend and I am hoping to do it outside weather permitting. That treadmill is a total downer. I started drinking protein shakes after my work outs to build lean muscle; incorporated in to chocolate milk isn't too bad. Jillian Michaels No More Trouble Zones has been my strength training. I recommend that video for any one who is looking for an awesome workout. Less than two months until race day. I'm really looking forward to making something I always thought impossible, possible.
On to cooking.
I made a salad! Anyone who knows me knows half the time I was making this I was probably totally grossed out. Salad has everything I hate into one dish: lettuce + condiments. blegh. Everyone thinks it's nuts when I say I have never eaten a salad. Chef looked at me like I had 3 heads when I asked him what I would combine with a sherry mustard vinaigrette. Lettuce tastes like dirty water to me and if even a shred of it is in my food, I can taste it immediately. Needless to say I didn't taste my product this go-round. I did get an 8 out of 10, which for a first time salad maker, I'll take as a success. I had a chance to redeem myself with my prior oil to acid ratio faux pas and made a perfectly balanced (but absolutely disgusting to me) sherry mustard vinaigrette.
My salad with cherry tomatoes, batonned red onions and snap peas with my sherry mustard vinaigrette (as seen in the background)
The following week we moved on to eggs of all sorts. I made over easy, over medium (which I never knew existed,) an omelette and poached eggs. I flipped my over medium sans spatula and sans mess. I managed to poach my egg inside out somehow and on the second try I got it right. It's all about timing and the motion of the water. Everything else falls into place. Bff/roommate and her mom were treated to a poached egg breakfast over the weekend.
This poached egg actually looks kind of gross. Yes, this was the properly cooked one.
Finals week is next week. This went by in a blink of an eye. Practicals are next week and written finals follow after that. Before I know it, this will all be over.
I kicked up my training for Broad Street completing my longest run ever. I planned my three mile course and once I got to the 5K mark I made it my goal to run farther and faster than I had at my first 5K race. I beat my old time by 2 minutes and went .1 miles more. I know to some seasoned runners that may not seem like a big deal but I think it is and am very proud. I am looking forward to pushing for 3.5, possibly 4, miles this weekend and I am hoping to do it outside weather permitting. That treadmill is a total downer. I started drinking protein shakes after my work outs to build lean muscle; incorporated in to chocolate milk isn't too bad. Jillian Michaels No More Trouble Zones has been my strength training. I recommend that video for any one who is looking for an awesome workout. Less than two months until race day. I'm really looking forward to making something I always thought impossible, possible.
On to cooking.
I made a salad! Anyone who knows me knows half the time I was making this I was probably totally grossed out. Salad has everything I hate into one dish: lettuce + condiments. blegh. Everyone thinks it's nuts when I say I have never eaten a salad. Chef looked at me like I had 3 heads when I asked him what I would combine with a sherry mustard vinaigrette. Lettuce tastes like dirty water to me and if even a shred of it is in my food, I can taste it immediately. Needless to say I didn't taste my product this go-round. I did get an 8 out of 10, which for a first time salad maker, I'll take as a success. I had a chance to redeem myself with my prior oil to acid ratio faux pas and made a perfectly balanced (but absolutely disgusting to me) sherry mustard vinaigrette.
My salad with cherry tomatoes, batonned red onions and snap peas with my sherry mustard vinaigrette (as seen in the background)The following week we moved on to eggs of all sorts. I made over easy, over medium (which I never knew existed,) an omelette and poached eggs. I flipped my over medium sans spatula and sans mess. I managed to poach my egg inside out somehow and on the second try I got it right. It's all about timing and the motion of the water. Everything else falls into place. Bff/roommate and her mom were treated to a poached egg breakfast over the weekend.
This poached egg actually looks kind of gross. Yes, this was the properly cooked one.
Finals week is next week. This went by in a blink of an eye. Practicals are next week and written finals follow after that. Before I know it, this will all be over.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Therapy, or at least an anti-depressant, in the form of culinary school
One of the reasons I knew my decision to start culinary school was the right one is that whenever I am feeling down, stressed, angry, etc all I need to do is get in the kitchen and start cooking. For someone who is so obsessed with knowing the outcomes of things there is something so assuring with the direction of following a recipe. I can have a million things on my mind and as soon as I start my tasks, everything clears up. A terrible cry fest can be cured with a bowl and a whisk.
Lately this outlet has come in handy for me. I end my day at job #1 frazzled and miserable. I spend my long drives to school mulling the thoughts of my recently failed on again/off again relationship. I usually get out of my car, walk into school, and go into class completely deflated. Chef walks in, my classmates and I start talking and everything suddenly gets better. I am no longer stressed out about my job and realize it's just a job and only temporary. I am no longer sad about my break-up and realize it's not the end of the world and some other lucky fellow will enjoy my company someday.
If you walk into my kitchen and see flour everywhere and cookbooks scattered, you will know I am doing just fine.
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